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Archived News:
Shacknews has details
on RAGE from the
August cover story on Game Informer Magazine. They outline plot points,
including some potential spoilers, and offer some bulleted details. Interesting
tidbits include a crafting system for building things using blueprints and
parts, hub towns offering races and missions, that racing includes vehicular
combat, combat will include stealth, and that multiplayer modes are not yet finalized. There's also word that the game is being designed for console
controllers, and whole the PC edition will offer higher resolution graphics,
otherwise all three versions of the game will be essentially the same.
Aspyr announces details on the retail version of Defense Grid: The Awakening,
which will hit North American stores a week from today on July 28. Word is the
game will include a DRM-free installer to allow saves, achievement tracking and
score ranking. The box will also include a code for the Steam edition to allow
participation in internet leader boards, online rankings, and achievements.
Last week's announcement from Activision about plans to release
DLC for Transformers: Rise of the Fallen this summer, only the Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3 were mentioned. It took a while, but we've gotten a reply to
our inquiries about whether owners of the Windows edition of the movie tie-in
can expect this DLC to morph into a PC edition. Here's the official story:
The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen DLC pack is currently planned for
the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions of the game but the team is evaluating
PC possibilities.
The QUAKE LIVE
Website outlines a new Tuesday update for id's web-based shooter. The new
version of the game adds console event timestamps and stamps out a number of
bugs.
A giant thread on the Runes of Magic Forums outlines a controversy
over seven-day user suspensions over allegedly exploiting the subscription-free
MMORPG. There is much unrest over this as apparently Frogster has not been very
communicative about the situation. "We had to suspend accounts for an
investigation because we had a case of exploiting," a spokesperson tells
Eurogamer. "Since the investigation is an ongoing process I cannot give out
too many information at the moment. We will release a more detailed statement
during the next days."
Codemasters and
NetDevil announce that a quarter of a million players have signed up to test
Jumpgate Evolution, the upcoming space MMORPG remake. "We have thoroughly
enjoyed obtaining some valuable feedback from the people in our Friends & Family
test, helping us to take the next major step towards launch," says Scott Brown,
President of NetDevil, though they are not specifying when the beta will
progress beyond Friends & Family access. On a related topic, there's a new
Jumpgate Evolution interview on MMORPG.COM.
A new trailer for Wolfenstein, like The Jazz Singer 80-some years ago, ushers in
the era of talkies, as it adds sound to the clip released last
week. This complete audio/video experience is available from
Atomic Gamer and
GameTrailers.
New WHQL-certified version 190.38 ForceWare reference drivers (or GeForce/ION
drivers, as they now seem to be called) are now available for NVIDIA graphics
cards. There are new drivers for
Windows XP,
Windows XP Media Center Edition,
Windows XP x64,
Server 2003 x64,
Windows 7 or Windows Vista (32-bit), and
Windows 7 or Windows Vista (64-bit). Thanks
FiringSquad and Mike Martinez.
Link of the Day:
First Look At NECA's BioShock Figures. Thanks Mike Martinez. And happy birthday
Dooley P!
Steam News announces the
availability of a new automatic update for Left 4 Dead, Valve's
multiplayer zombie shooter, as well as the release of the
Steam version of the
new patch for Puzzle Quest: Galactrix. Here's the skinning
on the Left 4 Dead changes: • Lobbies and games you've recently joined
and left will be ignored for two minutes. This will prevent a player from ending
up in the same lobby or game when quickly searching for another
• Restored Find a Game Lobby/Find a Game in Progress to the Create Lobby
screen available from the Lobby Browser
• Updated localization text
• Fixed an issue where VPK.EXE would not extract all files
More Comic Con-type news, as
EA and Dark Horse Comics announce a Mass Effect comic series and
Activision announces a Singularity-based graphic novel. Mass
Effect: Redemption is scheduled to launch in January 6, 2010 written by
BioWare Lead Writer Mac Walters, scripted by John Jackson Miller, and
illustrated by Omar Francia. Word is: "This first four-part series explores the
exotic and dangerous future Milky Way of Mass Effect, revealing previously
unseen locations, aliens, and enemies of this rich science fiction landscape."
The single issue Singularity graphic novel will be available following the
launch of the game, and word is: "David Atchinson, of the Occult Times
Taskforce, Davide Fabbri, with credits from Heavy Metal and Dark Horse's Star
Wars, Christopher "mink" Morrison, whose narrative works include, Dust, 13
Chambers and Dark Horse's upcoming Shinjuku with Yoshitaka Amano, and Tom
Mandrake, a renowned artist of Batman and The Punisher, will tell the story of
the shadowy events, which occurred off the Russian Peninsula, that unraveled
time as we know it and ultimately led to the Singularity."
Paradox Interactive announces East India Company is gold, and the naval
RTS game is due in the US and via digital distribution on July 31 as
stated yesterday on
Steam, a three day delay
from the July 28 date announced last month, while a European
retail release is slated for August 14: NEW YORK – July 21, 2009 – Leading
PC publisher Paradox Interactive is pleased to announce today that development
on its upcoming naval strategy title, East India Company, has reached
completion. Developed by Finland based Nitro Games Ltd., the PC title will offer
players the opportunity to build the world’s largest trading empire and engage
in fierce and spectacular naval battles.
Featuring a wide array of options in both single player and multiplayer modes,
East India Company gives complete control to strategy fans as they attempt to
create the most powerful naval trading empire to sail the seas. In territories
ranging from Eastern Europe to the Far East seas, players will fight, manage and
rule nations in real-time tactical combat while surrounded in breathtaking,
cinematic backdrops.
East India Company will be available for purchase in the US and via digital
distribution channels on July 31st and the rest of Europe on August 14th. For
more information about East India Company, please visit the official website at
http://www.eic-game.com.
Tripwire announces plans for new free content for Killing Floor as well
as upcoming paid DLC for the multiplayer zombie game. The announcement is
accompanied by
a batch of new screenshots, and here's word: 20 July 2009, Roswell,
GA: Tripwire is happy to announce details for the upcoming “Heavy Metal” free
content pack for their hit co-op zombie shooter, Killing Floor. This first of
many free updates planned for Killing Floor adds an all-new map, new weapons and
new functionality and will be available to anyone that owns the game.
The new level, entitled “Foundry”, is set in an old iron works which the Horzine
Corporation has converted to support their top secret military projects. Exactly
what they have been up to here is a matter for conjecture – but before we can
send in investigators, your squad has to get in there and clean out the
infestation of specimens.
To assist in your task, there are now two new weapons. The first is an old
favorite of armed forces the world over: the AK-47. In our case, it has the
folding stock, for ease-of-use in close quarters. This one will fit in as a
heavier weapon for the Commando Perk and provide extra stopping power over the
base Bullpup. The second is a weapon that just about every special-forces
soldier in every movie seems to know intimately, for no good reason other than
personal interest: the Japanese Katana sword. Just where the squad got hold of
it is a mystery, but this piece of Samurai history is just so fitting, such a
thing of beauty and such a perfect melee weapon, that we aren’t going to ask too
many questions.
In addition to this free update, Tripwire Interactive will be releasing our
first paid DLC character pack for Killing Floor very soon. This character pack
adds four new playable characters including a Horzine foundry worker and a
soldier in prototype Horzine body armor.
Killing Floor is available now on Steam (www.steampowered.com)
and will be in stores across the world shortly.
Serious Sam 3 will not use the cartoon-style graphics used by the first
two installments in the shooter series, Croteam informs
Eurogamer. Croteam honcho Roman Ribaric tells them they are still not ready
to reveal any new features just yet, but they are changing the look of the
series: "However, I believe Serious Sam fans would want to hear the following
two things. First, Serious Sam 3 will play like the original Serious Sam. And
second, we'll leave the cartoony look behind," says Ribaric. "As for standing up
to other games: simply, if it's good to play, it's good to play. Serious Sam
games belong to their own unique fast-paced FPS genre and should best be
compared to previous Serious Sam games." They also report the possibility that
Serious
Sam HD may make PS3.
GamePolitics reports on a lawsuit filed by a PlayStation 3 gamer banned from
the PlayStation network due to his behavior in Resistance: Fall of Man.
The account of his complaint seems a bit scattered, citing first amendment
rights, the plaintiff's case of agoraphobia, and that the ban "in essence, is
stealing money from the player," in demanding $55,000 in punitive damages. All
but that last part about the player's money seems a bit frivolous to us,
especially the first amendment part, but we are not attorneys, so this is passed
on in case something actually might come of this, since it obviously would have
far-reaching implications if such a case was successful.
Disney Interactive Studios Deploys G-Force on Mission to Retail Shelves has
word that G-Force video game is now in stores, offering gameplay based on
the new animated film of the same name. The game is available for Windows,
consoles, and mobile, though the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions also
include glasses to provide stereoscopic 3D support. Here's an
excerpt: G-Force is a fast-paced action-platform game featuring a unique
team of specially trained guinea pigs that use high-tech gadgets and specialized
talents to complete a dangerous secret mission. Players control Darwin, the
G-Force team leader, and housefly surveillance commando Mooch. Darwin and Mooch
enlist the rest of G-Force team to use their unique high-tech gadgets and
stealth mastery to save the world from a robot army of evil household
appliances, including waffle irons, water coolers and vacuum cleaners. G-Force
features innovative gameplay with a unique sense of scale and puzzle solving
that requires players to manipulate environments and enemies to complete their
mission.
Pandemic Studios announces December 8 will be the release date for The
Saboteur, the upcoming action game loosely based a true story from World War
II. Here's a bit about the game which no longer uses the term "stealth" at all:
Inspired by a true story, The Saboteur stars Sean Devlin, a street-tough
Irish race car driver trapped behind enemy lines in 1940s Nazi-occupied France.
Motivated by personal revenge, Sean fights, climbs, and races through open-world
Paris, sneaking into the heart of the Nazi operations and sabotaging their every
move. With the help of the French Resistance, the British intelligence, an
arsenal of weaponry, street smarts and brawn, players will exact revenge on
those who aim to destroy Sean’s life. From derailing trains and blowing up
zeppelins to scaling famous Parisian landmarks and more, this action hero uses a
broad range of weapons, explosives and vehicles to get the job done.
“The Saboteur is an entirely new take on WWII action gaming. Instead of putting
players in the role of a soldier, they’ll experience one man’s quest for
vengeance through an incredible story and an epic range of explosive action.
Every street of Paris is alive with options, every block is teeming with
action,” said Josh Resnick, President of Pandemic Studios. “We’re extremely
proud of The Saboteur. The art style, intense story, and grand acts of defiance
against the Nazis will deliver the one-of-a-kind experience that Pandemic fans
have been waiting for.”
The Mind Twist Website
is now online for a
just-announced online strategy game being designed by Richard Garfield and
Skaff Elias, creators of Magic: The Gathering and its Pro Tour. There's not much
specifically about the game, though they do describe its business model: "Mind
Twist is a free-to-play game with a microtransaction-based business model built
on Mind Control Software’s state-of-the-art Orbital Game Platform. Orbital is a
soup-to-nuts game engine at the heart of dozens of shipped games, and now, in
addition, it supports play across different gaming devices. Mind Twist will
launch on Facebook and iPhone, with other platforms added over time. Players can
currently follow the game on Twitter (@TheMindTwist) and Facebook."
Disney Book Group announces plans for a Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
graphic novel to correspond with the upcoming movie starring a
steroidal-looking Jake Gyllenhaal as the Prince. The novel will be written by
the Prince's father (does that make him the king?) Jordan Mechner, and the art
will be handled by "some of the most talented names in comics," with a cover by
Todd McFarlane. Word is: "The 128-page graphic novel, a full-color
action-adventure anthology featuring six original stories, is a prequel to
'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,' the feature film to be released by Walt
Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films on May 28, 2010. The Prince of
Persia graphic novel anthology will publish in April 2010 simultaneously in
hardcover and paperback with a 125,000 first print run."
FALLEN EARTH, LLC announces September 9 is the launch date for Fallen Earth,
their eponymous MMORPG, a bit of a delay from the announced plan
to release the game in the first half of this year. They say a countdown will
come to the Fallen Earth Website, but
it's not there yet (which is okay, we're prepared with a calendar as backup),
and here's word: Fallen Earth combines the accuracy of first-person
shooter games with the character advancement and strategic gameplay of a
role-playing game. Taking place in the Grand Canyon as mankind teeters on the
edge of extinction, players are thrust into the remains of the old world and
must choose to rise above the hardships or embrace the surrounding destruction.
Fallen Earth allows players to align with one of six factions to claim control
of territories and towns, asserting their distinct philosophies in the
rebuilding of civilization. Players utilize a real-time crafting system to make
95 percent of game items-including the best gear, weapons and vehicles-and
explore more than 1,000 square kilometers of territory and 70 towns.
Additionally, Fallen Earth offers classless advancement that uses a skill-based
system to build characters with a variety of stats, skills, factions, and
mutation paths.
"We've been working to create a different type of MMO-something gritty and
challenging that will give players an exciting and immersive gaming experience,"
says Jessica Orr, product manager for Fallen Earth. "The Fallen Earth team is
looking forward getting the game in the hands of our current and future
fans."
Gazillion Entertainment Announces David Brevik will lead development of their
Marvel Universe MMO. Brevik will assume the role of Studio Director, and his
résumé includes his stint at Flagship preceded by a seven-year run as
President of Blizzard North where he served as lead designer and programmer on
both Diablo and Diablo II. Word is they are planning on unveiling more of their
plans at this week's Comic Con: "I’m a huge fan of comic books, Super Heroes,
and MMORPGs, so the chance to lead the creative efforts for the Marvel Universe
MMO is an amazing opportunity. Gazillion’s mission to bring MMOs to the
mainstream while maintaining the depth in gameplay that enthusiast gamers demand
is something that deeply resonates with me," says David. "Marvel is a perfect
fit for this mission, and I couldn’t imagine a better venue to announce our
efforts than Comic-Con."
Phenomic's Epic RTS BattleForge Expands With the BattleForge Renegade Edition
has details on a planned expansion for BattleForge, the card-based RTS game.
Here's a bit: REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Phenomic™, an
Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ:ERTS) studio, today announced that the Real-Time
Strategy (RTS) game, BattleForge™, is now expanding with the BattleForgeTM
Renegade Edition card set beginning August 25th. Players will have access to
legendary units and monumental buildings from the Southern Wastes region of Nyn
with over 60 additional cards that will be available through “Renegade Booster
Packs” in the in-game store.
Two new playable factions will be revealed, the Bandits and Stonekin, along with
a host of innovative new legendary creatures. With over 60 new units and
buildings being added to the BattleForge card pool, players will now be able to
make their army even stronger. BattleForge is also adding dual orb cards and
special affinities that will deepen and enrich the strategic possibilities for
the players’ decks and combat.
Impulse announces the automatic availability of a new version 1.01 patch for
Puzzle Quest: Galactrix. There are also manual editions of the patch on
The
Patches Scrolls.
SteelSeries announces StarCraft II Gaming Surfaces that will go on sale this
month, allowing you to play the original StarCraft on a mouse pad that depicts
its upcoming sequel. There will be limited Terran Marine and Kerrigan vs. Zeratul
editions, and while a mouse pad is not mandatory for today's optical mice, they
have their sales pitch down pat, saying the mats "are designed with a non-slip
rubber base which prevents the pads from sliding, no matter what surface the
mousepad is placed on, and is optimized for optical and laser technology
providing an overall more reliable gaming experience."
Sacred 2 Fallen Angel Website announces the release of a new patch
for the Ascaron's action/RPG sequel, and word is: "This update is mandatory to
play online." The new version can be acquired automatically through the in-game
update function, and
this
forum post outlines what's changed in the new version. For those looking to
roll their own, manual patches are also available
on this page, and mirrors can be found
on
AtomicGamer and The Patches Scrolls.
Digital Distribution The PC Saviour? on Rock, Paper, Shotgun is a write-up
of a panel at the Develop 09 conference discussing the growing impact of digital
distribution on the world of PC games. They offer data to outline the scope of
digital sales, outline discussions of the pros and cons of online sales, and the
outlook on how this impacts piracy. Here's a portion discussing the PC market's
shift from stores to online: The PC market across the years went from
1.262 to 1.265 to 1.326 to 1.125 – which is a fifteen percent decline from its
2006. That’s enormously held up by the German market, which now makes up 41.3%
of all PC sales, and has declined by 5%. While UK is second and France is third,
it’s actually clear that in terms of retail, Germany is singlehandedly holding
up the PC market. It’s the last year which has seen the biggest decline, which
is where Bloch argues Digital Distribution really kicked off.
We take a step to the world stage. 13 Billion dollars is the entire PC games
market in 2008. In terms of the split, Chart Track believes 24% is retail, 46%
online revenue services (i.e. Subscriptions, micro-transactions), 22% is digital
distribution and 8% is ad-revenue. Of course, this is world-wide, and individual
territories tell a different story. Asia, for example, where only 4% of the
revenue is from boxed sales. All this compares to 32 billion dollars from all
console sales.
Black Prophecy:
Issue #2 is an in-house interview where Reakktor Media QA Manager Stephan
Bast and Lead Programmer Marco Nowara answer questions about their upcoming
space simulator posed by their own Community & PR Manager. They discuss the
process of testing the game and ironing out bugs.
IndustryGamers - The New Face of PC Gaming.
As more and more PCs have become available to an increasingly wide range
of users, casual games have really flourished. Companies like Big Fish
Games, PopCap and almost countless others have made a killing by selling
casual games on the PC market. Ironically, many of the people playing these
games might not consider themselves "gamers," but they're a large part of
the reason why the number of people who play video games in some form or
another keeps going up every year. While smaller, cheaper projects aren't
sexy to certain gamers, they're becoming important to the PC gaming sphere
for more than just casual fare.
IndustryGamers - The Divnich Debrief- Roadblocks in the Music Genre.
What is the difference between DDRmax: Dance Dance Revolution (2002) and
Dance Dance Revolution: Universe 3 (2008)? Virtually nothing, but review
scores have declined by 16 points between the respective titles because they
have failed to evolve the franchise feature sets effectively over time. In
addition, the fact that DDR is linked to a peripheral limits its feature
growth, as newer titles must be compatible with older versions if the
publisher wants to monetize their peripheral footprint effectively for
content SKUs – and this is where the money is at. As with Guitar Hero, DDR
demonstrates the difficulty in evolving a game when you have a development
team cranking out expansion packs with a cookie dough cutter in order to
maximize franchise revenue and maintain mind-share position in the target
market.
I got to head up to MTV's offices yesterday for a preview of Beatles Rock Band,
triply motivated by being a fan of Rock Band, a fan of the Beatles, and a
one-time MTV employee (so I could scope their current digs). Most of what went
on is embargoed for a future date, but the embargo on revealing 15 previously
unannounced songs ends today at 9:00 am EDT, so here is rare out of the blue
"news," and console news at that. Here are the previously unannounced songs:
Twist and Shout, Do You Want to Know a Secret, Can't Buy Me Love, I Wanna Be
Your Man, Eight Days a Week, Paperback Writer, And Your Bird Can Sing, Sgt,
Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, With a Little Help From My Friends, Within You
Without You / Tomorrow Never Knows (remix from the LOVE album) ,
Yellow Submarine, Revolution, Birthday, Dig a Pony, and I've Got a
Feeling.
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