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Archived News:
The Assassins Creed II Interview on IncGamers is a video conversation
with associate producer Vincent Pontbriand about the upcoming Assassin's Creed
sequel (carefully staged in front of monitor with a seizure-inducing strobe
effect). Not content to live in the near future,
they manage to shake loose a comment about Assassin's Creed III, as he
answers "yeah, of course" to the question about whether they have plans for a
third game in the stealthy assassination series. "The key thing is that it has
to be a pivotal moment in history, it has something that actually changed
something in humanity and the world in general," he says, adding, "It can't be
before the original Assassin's Creed, but it could be between." He also admits
there are plans for DLC for Assassin's Creed II, but cannot reveal any more at
this time.
EA announces The Sims 3 is their most successful PC launch
ever: REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 9, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:
ERTS) today announced that the hotly anticipated The Sims™ 3, stormed retail
shelves starting June 2nd and sold thru more than 1.4 million PC/Mac units
within the first week making it the best-selling PC launch in EA’s history. Fan
intensity is evidenced through the more than 7 million downloads of player
created content including: Sims, houses, stories and more. The Sims 3, also
available for download from the Apple App Store for iPhone™ and iPod® touch,
shot up to #1 paid app position on launch day and has maintained that spot since
launch.
Eidos Interactive announces details on the Volcano Map Pack for Battlestations:
Pacific that will be released on Xbox LIVE on Thursday and for Games for Windows
LIVE on June 25. There's a trailer from the map pack on
Gamer's Hell, and here's
the announcement, which calls this the first in a series of map
packs: Eidos Interactive Ltd, creator of some of the world’s leading
videogame properties, today announced the first in a series of downloadable
content packs for Battlestations: Pacific™, the Volcano Map Pack.
Featuring two new maps for multiplayer, the Volcano Map Pack takes the
critically acclaimed online naval warfare to the next level. Larger, more
expansive areas of operations are populated with all new terrain, inspired by
some of the more dramatic features of the south Pacific archipelagos,
encouraging players to up their game with all new strategy and tactics.
‘Volcano’, playable in Island Capture, Competitive and Duel modes, features a
stunning backdrop of Hawaiian-style volcanic islands at dawn break. Island
Capture mode offers players an all-new island formation to master with many huge
land-based artillery batteries to capture and control; Competitive mode focuses
on intense air combat as players either attack or defend a squadron of B-29
bombers intent on crushing the Japanese island occupation; and Duel mode offers
players a unique battlefield unseen in Battlestations: Pacific – a partially
submerged volcano.
In ‘Choke Point’, playable in Escort, Siege and Duel modes, players are offered
a challenging and distinctive map which offers up its own unique blend of action
and strategy. A narrow channel running through two stunning volcanic outcrops
offers players a more action-oriented battlefield, all under the shadow of a
huge volcano. Escort mode sees the USS Yorktown run the gauntlet with both air
and sea attacks against its naval fleet; in Siege mode, the US ground forces
have to disembark at the base of the volcano, their goal to capture the Japanese
outpost; and Duel mode pits players to all out warfare in a head-to-head battle
around the mighty volcano.
“Battlestations: Pacific offers a unique multiplayer experience and we wanted to
create a map pack which would offer players a unique take on this,” said Lee
Singleton, General Manager of Eidos Game Studios. “The Volcano Map Pack does
just that, bringing an unforgettable backdrop to some of the grandest naval
battles the world has ever seen.”
The Volcano Map Pack will be priced at 560 points and available to download on
Marketplace from June 11th, 2009, for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment
system from Microsoft and from June 25th, 2009, for Games for Windows LIVE®.
Battlestations: Pacific is rated ESRB “T” for Teen in North America and PEGI 12+
in Europe.
Challenge Games announces the launch of
MechDuels, a free, browser-based game of mech combat. Word is:
"Consisting of head to head, turn-based gameplay, opponents battle massive mech
creations against one another. Upon registration, players receive a free mech
chassis, the 80-ton Jaguar, with enough equipment to get started. Two additional
free chassis, the 40-ton Sparrow and the 60-ton Wolf, can be obtained by
achieving level 3 and level 5 respectively. In-game level up and mission
completion achievements are rewarded with free “crate” packs containing random
assortments of weapons, mods and systems to improve gameplay and enhance mechs
through customization."
Steam now offers downloads of the
Darkest Hour: Europe '44-'45
modification for Red
Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45, Tripwire Interactive's World War II shooter.
The mod includes 11 new maps, new weapons, new vehicles, and new features, along
with American, British, and Canadian troops as it takes Red Orchestra away from
the Eastern front and into the invasion of Normandy, Operation Market-Garden,
the Battle of the Bulge, and more. The free add-on requires Red Orchestra, which
is on sale for $4.99 through this weekend.
A new trailer for Global Agenda called "no elves!" is now available, not
that the upcoming espionage-themed MMOG has any agenda about fantasy-themed
games. The clip is available on
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, and Gamer's
Hell.
Steam News announces that
America's Army 3 will make use of Steamworks features, and that the
upcoming version of the freeware U.S. Army-developed military shooter sequel is
now ready for preload: America's Army 3 (AA3), the only action game that
delivers an authentic and entertaining Army experience by reflecting the
training, technology, actions, and career advancement of a Soldier within an
exciting free game experience, is now available for pre-load via Steam. AA3 is
free and will be released on June 17, 2009. Those playing AA3 through Steam will
also get the benefit of Steamworks features such as auto-updating, Steam
Achievements, and Steam Cloud.
For more information, please visit
www.steamgames.com and
www.steamgames.com/steamworks and aa3.americasarmy.com.
Variety.com reports "sources" inform them that Cryptic Studios is working on
a massively multiplayer version of Neverwinter Nights, saying this was
the main reason Atari acquired Cryptic late last year. Details are
scant, but they say a 2011 release is planned, and they point out Atari's future
may hinge on the success of this, speculating that Atari is funding the rumored
project with proceeds of the sale of its PAL distribution operation
to Namco Bandai.
The Dungeons & Dragons Online has the
announcement of
Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited, an upcoming free upgrade
for Turbine's Dungeons and Dragons MMORPG that raises the game's level cap and
includes a new subscription-free component. As
explained here, the game will still offer the opportunity to pay a monthly
fee to be a VIP which earns special perks, and so all existing subscribers are
now VIPs. There's a preview of the game on
IGN, and meanwhile
Eberron Unlimited is now in closed beta testing, you can
sign up here if you are interested in being a tester. Here's more:
Launching this summer, DDO Unlimited will introduce an innovative new
business model that is designed to provide an extraordinary experience to
players who want a choice in how they pay and play online games. Players can
download and play DDO Unlimited for free with the ability to purchase additional
content and items in the new DDO Store to enhance their experience.
Alternatively, players can choose to join the new DDO VIP program and gain
unlimited access to all premium content plus a number of exclusive benefits for
a single low monthly price.
The
Company of Heroes Website now offers the patch notes for the
promised upcoming version 2.600 patch for Relic's real-time
strategy game. The list includes a new map and loads of gameplay changes and bug
fixes. Here's the outlook on when they expect to release the patch: "The current
build of patch 2.600 is proceeding well through our final testing process. We
have gone through a few release candidates, having to go back and fix bugs found
by the test team, rebuild the patch, and start testing over again. That is to be
expected. We'll post an ETA soon, but until then here is the final list of patch
notes with a few additional notes at the bottom."
Matrix Games now has a new patch for Hired Guns – The Jagged Edge to
update the turn-based strategy game to version 1.08.00. What they say is: "The
comprehensive update comes with several bug fixes and overall performance
improvements to the tactical portion of the game." The patch is located on
this downloads page.
New patches for NecroVisioN are now available to update the oddly
CapiTalizeD supernatural shooter to version 1.2.
AtomicGamer and
The Patches Scrolls
have a patch for the U.S. retail edition of the game for those with the whole
box/disc deal. The patch on the
Aspyr
Website applies to the Game Agent/Digital River edition, mirrored on
AtomicGamer and
The Patches Scrolls. The new version adds dedicated server applications;
physics, memory, and rendering optimizations; a secret areas counter; bug fixes;
and more. Patches for other versions must be released by each individual
digital distributor.
Activision Publishing announces that
PROTOTYPE is now available in North America for Windows, Xbox 360, and
PlayStation 3, offering an open-world action game with a shape-shifting
protagonist. Here's word on the game, which is due in Europe on Friday:
Santa Monica, CA – June 9, 2009 – Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq:
ATVI) announced today that Radical Entertainment’s highly anticipated video game
PROTOTYPE has shipped to North American retail outlets, and additionally will be
available at European retailers on Friday, June 12. With early critical acclaim,
including a 9/10 review from PSW Magazine, the genetically mutated Alex Mercer
is set to deliver a powerful, action-packed gaming experience as players begin
to unravel his dark, conspiracy-ridden past and become the ultimate
shape-shifting weapon!
You are the PROTOTYPE: Alex Mercer – a genetically mutated man without memory,
armed with amazing shape-shifting abilities, hunting to discover what created
you and determined to make those responsible pay. As Alex, gamers tear through a
densely populated contemporary New York City moving with free-roaming
Parkour-style fluidity, consuming anybody that gets in his way…assuming their
physical form, memories and abilities. Fueled by a three-way war between Alex,
the Blackwatch Military Special Forces and a viral outbreak known as the
Infected, players venture into a deep, dark conspiracy 40 years in the making!
Calling Minnesota Fats: Playlogic
announces that
Pool Hall Pro is now available for Windows and Wii, offering more balls
than you can shake a stick at. The game features multiplayer support, several
exotic locations (what's more exotic than a pool hall?), and game modes that
include Snooker variants as well as pocket billiards.
BigWorld Pty officially announces Grandia Online, almost four years to
the day since we learned that that title was "patented" by Japanese
developer GameArts. This is an MMOG using BigWorld's eponymous BigWorld
technology that will be published this summer after open beta testing that's set
for next month. The Japanese Grandia
Online Website is online, and here's a bit: Grandia Online is the
latest in a series of best selling games dating as far back as the 1997 release
of the original Grandia RPG for the Sega Saturn console. The game itself is set
within the world presented in the Grandia series, in the "Age of Genesis",
before the original Grandia story takes place.
The Grandia Online announcement comes hot on the heels of the recent upgrades to
Hokuto no Ken Online Heroes (“Fist of the North Star” Online Heroes), which was
also built on BigWorld Technology by GameArts Co., Ltd.
Prince of Persia Producer on Lessons Learned and Why the Game Skipped Wii
on IndustryGamers is a postmortem conversation with Ben Mattes about the
platformer sequel. As noted in the title, one of the topics is why a game that
seems perfect for the Wii was not: "The reality is that from a technical
standpoint, the Wii cannot do what we wanted the game to do. The AI of Elika was
highly advanced and required a lot of processing power; the world size and
dynamic loading, the draw distance, the number of polygons in the characters...
If we had done a Wii version, it would have been toned down, probably linear, it
wouldn't have been an open-world game, and so it would have been a very
different experience. We didn't want to water it down that way. That said, I do
agree very much that some of the people that probably would have most
appreciated the design choices we made are Wii gamers. It would be really nice
to be able to tap into that and give them that experience."
Chris Taylor on Supreme Commander 2, publisher Square Enix and RTS on
consoles on Joystiq is an interview with the Gas Powered Games CEO on those
topics and more. They discuss progress on the RTS sequel, console ports of RTS
games, and their publishing partnership for Supreme Commander 2 with Square Enix
in a bit highlighted here:
Taylor: Changing design philosophies because of Square Enix partnership would be
'missing the point'.
Significant Bits - The magic of secrets.
By allowing the player to explore the game (no matter how much actual
exploration can take place), we imbue it with a sense of wonder and
adventure. This helps to highlight the interactive aspect of videogames. It
gives the player the choice to see what’s around the corner — we just have
to make it something good.
The premiere of that new Showtime series Nurse Jackie was great. Funny,
edgy, and pretty uncompromising, here's hoping they keep it up. We were going
crazy trying to figure out who that pharmacist was (without cheating and looking
it up), but MrsBlue called this morning to tell me someone at work had nailed it
right away... it's Father Phil from The Sopranos, so he and Edie Falco
have reunited for a similar fictional relationship, which is pretty funny.
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