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Archived News:
Foundation
9 To Merge Collective And Shiny Studios reports that these two studios owned
by Foundation 9 have been merged into one team based in Irvine, CA headed by
Michael Persson. Word is the new studio, which does not yet have a name, does
not have any redundant positions to eliminate, and the change "will enable
greater capacity to create large-scale games based on big licensed properties."
Word is: The two studios are currently finishing work various titles,
including Shiny's multiplatform title The Golden Compass for holiday release by
Sega, and, says the release, the Collective's "large next-generation adaptation
of a classic gaming franchise due for release in 2008" -- presumably its
recently revealed collaboration with Konami on Silent Hill 5.
[…]
Said F9 COO David Mann, "Bringing the Shiny and Collective teams together into
one larger studio will give them the scale and resources needed to deliver
top-notch franchise-based releases across multiple platforms. We've already
moved everyone under one roof, which will help to make a seamless transition for
both teams."
Steam
News has word on another update to the Team Fortress 2 beta. Bug fixes and
balance tweaks are included in the update for the game, which will go live at
Midnight PDT.
The Space Siege Website
is now online as home to the upcoming RTS game from Gas Powered Games. In space
no one can hear you scream, but they can hear the music from this Flash
website, which also offers preorders, information, screenshots, the game
trailer, and forums.
The promised Meet the Demoman trailer is now available in Steam introducing
another character class from the imminent Team Fortress 2. Word is: "This video
showcases TF2's implementation of the Source engine's advanced facial animation
technology, which enables real-time, in-game, in-engine facial animations that
can now surpass the facial animations used in feature film and broadcast
television production." The clip is also available for download from
FileFront and
Shacknews.
Crytek CEO specs out Crysis on GameSpot talks with Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli
about the just-announced system specs for Crysis ( story). They
discuss what the graphics will look like with the minimum system, the 256 MB
video RAM requirement, the importance of system memory, CPU and GPU balance, DX9
versus DX10, and more.
A playable demo for F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate is now available, sampling the
upcoming standalone shooter expansion. The chance to check out how the next
official installment in the F.E.A.R. series is shaping up without the
participation of original developer Monolith is a 734 MB download; available on
the
Sierra FTP server (direct link) with mirrors on
3D Downloads,
ActionTrip,
FanGaming,
FileFront,
FileShack, Gamer's Hell,
GameSpot (registration required), and
PixelRage.
Steam
News has word that Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars is now available for digital
distribution by way of online purchase.
Halflife2.net points out that guest passes should now be live on the Steam
accounts for those who have preordered The Orange Box and already own one or
both of Half-Life 2 and Episode One. The "Manage gifts and guest passes..."
option under the "Games" menu will allow you to give away the extra copy of
either Half-Life 2 or Episode One to whomever you choose. Thanks Dagok.
Neverwinter Nights 2:
Mask of the Betrayer Ships has word that the D&D RPG expansion is in North
American stores (thanks Gamer's Hell).
Word is: NEW YORK, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq:
ATAR - News) and Obsidian Entertainment today announced that the
highly-anticipated expansion Neverwinter Nights(TM) 2: Mask of The Betrayer has
shipped to stores nationwide in North America. Developed by Obsidian
Entertainment, the expansion to the award-winning Neverwinter Nights 2 is set in
the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Forgotten Realms® universe created by Wizards of the
Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS - News). DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is
under license from Hasbro. Rated "T" for Teen, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the
Betrayer is available for Windows platform at a suggested retail price of
$29.95.
In Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer, players are transported back to
the Forgotten Realms shortly after the events detailed in the original
Neverwinter Nights 2. Following the climactic battle against the King of
Shadows, the player awakens alone and stranded deep beneath the earth.
Surrounded by a horde of evil spirits, the player embarks on an epic adventure
that reveals his true destiny. In addition to more than 25 hours of new game
play, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer allows characters to advance to
Epic levels (above level 20) and provides over 100 new spells and feats.
"Atari's commitment to the Neverwinter Nights franchise and its enormous
community is strong," said Larry Liberty, Senior Producer, Atari, Inc. "We're
confident that Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer will deliver a truly
satisfying role-playing experience that further engages fans."
The Neverwinter Nights franchise has sold more than three million copies
worldwide, is translated into 10 languages, sold in more than 40 countries and
features one of the largest and most active fan communities in all of gaming. To
date, fans of the franchise, which includes Neverwinter Nights, Neverwinter
Nights: Shadows of Undrentide(TM), Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the
Underdark(TM) and Neverwinter Nights 2 have created more than 5,000
modifications to the original game using the award-winning toolset included with
the full game that allows players to create their own universes, quests and
storylines.
More information about Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer can be found
at www.nwn2.com, which includes user forums, project news, development updates
and more.
FIFA Soccer 08 in
Stores Now is the press release announcing the latest installment in the
sports series is now available for PC, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, and various mobile
devices. Here's a bit: REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic
Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS - News) shipped FIFA Soccer 08 to stores throughout
North America today on all platforms, providing sports fans with a soccer
videogame experience that matches the complexity, finesse and beauty of the
real-world game. Further extending the season for players on the Xbox 360(TM)
video game and entertainment system and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment
system, next month, EA SPORTS will offer a free downloadable feature update(1)
to FIFA Soccer 08 called Be A Pro: Online Team Play that will enable ten people
anywhere in the world to connect online to play a single match of FIFA Soccer
08.
Developed by EA, FIFA Soccer 08 challenges players to master the skills required
to play like a pro soccer player by introducing a new mode called Be A Pro:
Offline Training. Be A Pro locks you into the role of a single, fixed player the
entire game and challenges you to master the same disciplines as a real soccer
player -- from positioning and tackling to reading the field and passing. Users
receive real time feedback and analysis on the fly and a unique camera angle
keeps both player and action in focus, zooming in when you're on attack.
Activision officially announces Soldier of Fortune Pay Back, confirming rumors
that another installment in the Soldier of Fortune series is in the offing
( story). The announcement does not confirm reports we received
that the game will be a value-priced project that's not being developed by
series originator Raven ( story), but we'll know soon enough, as
Pay Back is slated for release next month for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3. Update:
EBgames (thanks Tiscali Games) lists the game's developer as Activision and its price
as $39.99 which seems to answer both of those previous questions. The first
screenshots are on
FileFront and a gameplay trailer is available for download on
3D Downloads,
FileFront, and Gamer's
Hell. Here's the announcement: Santa Monica, CA -- Oct. 9, 2007 –
Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today it will release the next
generation of the long-awaited Soldier of Fortune game series this November with
Soldier of Fortune® Payback. The saga continues with the organization known as
“The Shop,” where players take on the role of a hired mercenary blasting through
brutal do-or-die battle scenes in the world’s most dangerous criminal and
terrorist hotspots.
Soldier of Fortune Payback evolves the signature gameplay of its predecessors
with refined controls, tension-packed warzones, and an enemy damage system that
may be shocking to even experienced FPS players. Boasting more weapons options
than any previous Soldier of Fortune installment, Soldier of Fortune Payback’s
impressive arsenal includes an array of more than 30 weapons including
sub-machine guns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, projectile explosives, weapon
attachments and cutting-edge tactical weapons.
Soldier of Fortune Payback will satisfy online gamers with many of their
favorite online multiplayer modes including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch,
Elimination, Team Elimination, Capture the Flag, and Demolition. Additional
online options include maps tuned specifically for multiplayer action,
persistent stat-tracking throughout the gamer’s online career, and many server
settings for custom online play.
The - storyline reflects today’s trend of “outsourcing” wars. When a routine
escort mission goes horribly wrong, freelance mercenary Thomas Mason finds
himself battling an insidious enemy that knows no boundaries. Traditional armies
can not handle these extremists – only underground guns for hire can fight a war
this dirty and get results.
Soldier of Fortune Payback will be available for the Xbox 360™ video game and
entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment
system, and the PC. The game has been rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB and is
scheduled for release in November 2007.
EA and Crytek are finally answering questions about system specs for Crysis with
the official minimum and recommended system requirements for the upcoming
first-person shooter: Let the speculation come to an end! EA and Crytek
are announcing today the minimum and recommended system specifications for the
highly anticipated first person shooter Crysis.
Featuring some of the most jaw dropping visuals in a game on any platform,
Crysis will not only be pushing the boundaries of all of the latest technologies
like DX10, Nvidia’s GeForce 8800 series GPUs and Intel’s Core 2 CPUs, but will
also be playable on gaming rigs up to 2-3 years old from the game’s November 16,
2007 ship date.
“Our vision for Crysis has always been to create the most stunning, immersive
FPS experience ever, and we’ve been working hard not only to do that on the high
end, but also in pushing current generation hardware so that everyone gets the
maximum experience,” said Cevat Yerli, CEO of Crytek. “And while these specs
affect how Crysis will perform now, we have also optimized Crysis so that the
game scales forward 1-2 years --we want to make sure that Crysis’ gameplay,
visuals and performance improves as technology does.”
Here are the minimum and recommended system requirements from Crytek and EA:
Minimum System Requirements
OS – Windows XP or Windows Vista
Processor – 2.8 GHz or faster (XP) or 3.2 GHz or faster* (Vista)
Memory – 1.0 GB RAM (XP) or 1.5 GB RAM (Vista)
Video Card –256 MB**
Hard Drive – 12GB
Sound Card – DirectX 9.0c compatible
* Supported Processors: Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz (3.2 GHz for Vista) or faster,
Intel Core 2.0 GHz (2.2 GHz for Vista) or faster, AMD Athlon 2800+ (3200+ for
Vista) or faster.
** Supported chipsets: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT or greater; ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
(Radeon X800 Pro for Vista) or greater. Laptop versions of these chipsets may
work but are not supported. Integrated chipsets are not supported. Updates to
your video and sound card drivers may be required.
Recommended System Requirements
OS – Windows XP / Vista
Processor – Intel Core 2 DUO @ 2.2GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+
Memory – 2.0 GB RAM
GPU – NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS/640 or similar
An update for World of Warcraft is now available, bringing Blizzard's MMORPG to
version 2.2.3. As always, the new version is available automatically, and the
WoW Current Patch Notes
outline the bug fixes included in the update. Manual editions of the US patch
are on
3D Downloads,
ActionTrip, and
FileFront.
Steam
News has news of a new beta version of Team Fortress 2 (thanks Dagok),
offering a handful of fixes and changes.
The
nZone Beta Drivers Page now offers new beta version 163.75 drivers for
Windows XP 32-bit,
Windows Server 2003
x64 Edition/Windows XP Professional x64 Edition,
Windows Vista
32-bit, and
Windows Vista 64-bit (thanks Bob). The new drivers add some NVIDIA SLI
profiles for several games and a number of game and application compatibility
fixes, perhaps most notably, improved support for Half-Life 2: Episode Two.
ATI announces their October Catalyst reference driver release is due later this
week, offering significant gaming performance gains, inspiring them to dub this
the "Shoot Em Up" drivers. Here are some sample results they are reporting from
the new drivers:
• Battlefield 2142 Crossfire™
performance improves 5-23% on the ATI Radeon™ HD 2600, ATI Radeon™ HD 2400 and
ATI Radeon™ X1300/X1550 series
• Call of Duty 2 performance improves up to 6.7% on both
single card and Crossfire ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon HD 2400
configurations
• Call of Juarez DirectX® 10 Crossfire performance improves
up to 42% and single card performance improves up to 34% on all ATI Radeon™ HD
2000 series products.
• Company of Heroes DirectX 10 Crossfire performance
improves up to 80% on all ATI Radeon HD 2000 series products and single card
performance improves as much as 31% on ATI Radeon™ HD 2900 and ATI Radeon HD
2600 products
• Enemy Territory: Quake Wars Crossfire performance
improves as much as 23% on ATI Radeon™ 1000 series products and single card
performance improves as much as 23% on both ATI Radeon HD 2000 and ATI Radeon
1000 series products
• FEAR Crossfire performance improves as much as 16% on the
ATI Radeon™ X1950 XTX, ATI Radeon™ X1650 XT, ATI Radeon HD 2400 series and ATI
Radeon X1300/X1550 series
• Supreme Commander Crossfire performance improves up to
30% on all ATI Radeon HD 2000 and ATI Radeon 1000 series products. The ATI
Radeon™ X1650 and ATI Radeon X1300/X1550 series products see even greater
improvements of 82% or more.
The
Epic Games Forums have word from Epic's Mark Rein to expect a beta demo for
Unreal Tournament 3 this month, maybe as early as this week (thanks
Gamer's Hell). Word
is: Just wanted to give you a heads' up that we're getting pretty close to
releasing the Unreal Tournament 3 Beta Demo for Windows. The Beta Demo will
allow instant action play against bots as well as online multiplayer. The
purpose of the Beta Demo is to test the game on a large variety of hardware
configurations and get gameplay feedback from the community. The development
team feels they're pretty close to being ready to release this so it could come
out this week but for safety sake I'd say it should be out within two weeks.
We have a few fan sites in tomorrow to play the full game and I'm sure they'll
be sharing their comments pretty soon afterward.
Battlefront.com announces the
Strategic
Command 2: Weapons and Warfare Expansion is gold. Word is the turn-based
strategy expansion will be available by the end of this month: Fury
Software and Battlefront.com are excited to bring you the news that the long
awaited expansion pack for Strategic Command 2 has now GONE GOLD!
The Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare Expansion raises the bar even higher
in the WWII Strategy wargaming arena with all new game options, improved
artificial intelligence and mind blowing expandability with its included full
game editor.
We will start taking Pre-Orders for the Strategic Command 2 Weapons and Warfare
Expansion later this week and expect the game to be released at the end of this
month (October).
Matrix Games
announces the release of Hornet Leader PC, a turn-based strategy game based on a
game of the same name played with cards. Word is: Command a squadron of
the U.S. Navy’s elite F/A-18 Hornet Strike Fighters! You select the pilots and
arm the aircraft based on real-world mission briefings. Once you reach your
objective, you evaluate threats, and do what needs to be done to destroy the
target!
The Winter Wolves Website
offers Lost Temples Island, an expansion for Magic Stones, the card-based RPG
for PC and Mac. Word is: "Several bug fixes and enhancement to the game itself
are also present in this last update, that will be free of charge for registered
users as always."
The Dominions 3: The
Awakening Website now offers downloads of new patches to update the PC, Mac,
and Linux editions of this fantasy/strategy sequel to version 3.10. In addition
to bug fixes, the update, called a "mega-patch," includes new nations, new
heroes, and other new content.
Durell Games is now offering purchase
of Harrier Attack II, a remake of Harrier Attack, an aerial combat game so old
school its system requirements included a mullet. Here's word: Somerset
England, - October 9, 2007 - Durell Games has released Harrier Attack II for
Windows, a unique arcade, action, and strategy game that puts you in control of
a Harrier vertical takeoff jet. Your mission is to command the skies and rid
your three colony islands of aggressive enemy invaders.
Unlike simple action games that become less challenging as you learn their
weapons and defensive systems, Harrier Attack II rewards your efforts. As your
flying and fighting skills grow, the program feeds you more difficult, complex
missions. You'll train your brain to master the plane's command system, and
become one with your machine.
Harrier Attack II is a 3D side-scrolling shooter, with all of the frenetic
action of the popular Harrier Attack! game released in 1983. The latest version
features a diverse array of weapons and add-ons, fresh game-play, and a new,
challenging mission structure.
Harrier Attack II offers a fascinating combination of control, damage, and award
systems. As you master your aircraft, you'll learn to enhance targeting, perform
real-time repairs, and avoid damage. Combining aerial maneuvers and automatic
attacks, you'll experience a blistering, gun-blazing battle in every
mission.
Oxygen Games
announces that King of Clubs is shipping to UK stores for PC and
PS2: October 9th 2007: Northamptonshire, UK: Oxygen Games™ is delighted to
announce that King of Clubs is now shipping for Playstation®2 and PC and will be
in the shops from October 26th.
King of Clubs is an innovative, yet humorous tongue-in-cheek game, which
combines traditional kitsch seaside crazy golf (except that it’s set in the
Nevada desert!) with the challenge of finding new ways of completing each hole
with as few shots as possible – perhaps even scoring a hole in none!
Featuring 90 holes (plus a further six bonus holes), players can accumulate cash
rewards, plus unlock bonuses and new equipment to further enable their mastery
of the courses. These are spread across five themes; Prehistoric, Egyptian,
Medieval, Hawaiian Tiki and Sci-Fi, each with multiple solutions and full of
dodgy animatronics, peeling plywood scenery, plus cheesy music and dubious
course pros to match!
Unlocks and bonuses include balls that go farther, fly higher, bounce more or
just stick to where they land…amongst others. In addition, there are several
clubs to be had, which allow the player to chip, pitch, punch or swerve their
balls around the courses. Mulligan tokens are also available to let the player
to re-take a fluffed shot and cosmetic additions let players customize their
game with specific sounds, ball designs and colours…and opponent taunts!
Multiple single-player modes allow the player to work through the levels,
unlocking new equipment and characters as they progress, whilst the multiplayer
modes allow players to select from all equipment and levels, without needing to
first unlock them, although each player begins with the same amount of cash.
This variety of modes, pick-ups, levels and the various effects of different
equipment, all give the game immense party-game potential and longevity.
King of Clubs, for up to four players, will be in shops from October 26th, for
PC and Playstation®2.
The Jack Keane Website
now offers downloads of a German language demo for Deck13's adventure game. On a
related note, 10tacle is also providing
downloads of a hotfix (direct link) for the demo fixing a problem for users
with special characters in their Windows user names. Thanks
Gamer's Hell.
The newly launched Rider's World
Competition Website announces the North American release of Rider's World
Competition, a compilation of three Rider's World games based on the upscale
world of youth competitive equestrian sports.
GamesIndustry.biz marvels that Xfire
reports drops in MMOG time played since the resumption of school, seeming a bit
surprised that this is the case, but far less startled that Silkroad Online and
MapleStory are among the top 10 games played.
A
Warhammer Beta Update on the Warhammer Alliance Forums has word that the
latest round of beta testing for Warhammer Online has wrapped up. Word from EA
Mythic is: "The next phase of Beta will reopen in early December with plenty of
new and improved content, art and systems for our beta-testers."
- It's
Back is a press release teasing something in the works at Ascaron. Maybe
it's a sequel, or maybe a recurring rash; it's just that vague…
- Hipsoft.com offers online purchase
of Build-a-Lot, a real estate simulator based on house flipping. Presumably
you win when your country's economy collapses from a housing bubble…
Today is the anniversary of this site moving to its own domain. I'm almost
afraid to calculate when it was, let's see, carry the one… Yup, it was
eleven years ago. I knew I should have been afraid to figure that out.
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