Monthly Archives: January 2009

Capcom has told videogaming247 that Street Fighter IV PC is still TBD, despite the console launch being only weeks away.

“We have yet to announce a specific date for Street Fighter IV on the PC,” a Capcom representative told us this morning.

SFIV is set for release on 360 and PlayStation 3 on February 20 as the brawler heads what Capcom calls a “stellar” line up, with Bionic Commando and of course, Resident Evil 5 coming in March.

Street Fighter IV is looking incedible, as these screenshots lay testament to.

By Mike Bowden

RedBedlam founder Kerry Fraser-Robinson has told GI the industry should just accept gold farming in MMOs, as it’s going to be around whether we like it or not.

“It’s going to happen whether you like it or not,” he said. “People will always find the path of least resistance, if you stop them buying your gold then they’ll buy that gold from somebody else who is gold farming.

“If you don’t build that into your system then you’re not going to be able to compete with the gold farmers and that will ruin your in-game economy, which will in turn ruin your game,” explained Fraser-Robinson.

“At the very least having the recognition that virtual economics is a discipline and is a very important integral part to being a virtual world.

“Take EVE Online for example, they didn’t allow for in game transactions but they did design a very robust economy and they did design that game knowing it’s a problem, and designed it with an awareness of virtual economic conditions.

“The closer you get to having a virtual world that has any kind of trading, barter or value system you have to take virtual economics very seriously,” he concluded.

Much more through the link.

By Mike Bowden

Microsoft Australia’s Xbox product marketing manager Adam Pollington has said that whilst he congratulates Nintendo on broadening the appeal of games, he feels that after people “progress through gaming” and move on to high definition consoles, then Xbox 360 is right for them.

“Hats off to Nintendo, they have done a very good job at broadening the market,” he began when reminded by Gamespot that Wii had sold 750,000 units in the region to 360′s 500k. “We’ve seen them sell consoles to people who potentially would never have picked up a console prior.

“We do see a great opportunity from an Xbox 360 perspective as well,” he explained.

“As these consumers who potentially never have bought a console prior, if they progress through gaming and decide to move to a high-definition console, Xbox 360 at that A$299 price point is very much a good value option for them.”

Full interview through the link.

By Mike Bowden

In lieu of the Dawn of War II beta in February, Steam is offering THQ and Relic’s Dawn of War – Soulstorm at a 75 percent discount.

Remember, that all Soulstorm owners get early beta access, so there’s even more incentive in shelling out some coppers on this old classic.

If you need reminding of how awesome the RTS looks, then hit the link for the latest footage.

By Mike Bowden

Sony Corp will confirm restructuring measures this week, including the loss of 16,000 jobs and the closure of five or six manufacturing plants.

It’s unknown as yet whether or not the company’s PlayStation business will be affected by the cuts.

Sony originally announced 8,000 job losses in December. Analysts are already saying 16,000 redundancies across Sony’s entire electronics business may still not be enough to steer the giant through a deepening global recession.

“Sony’s not in a position to halt all domestic production but it has to do something that drastic,” said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager at Ichiyoshi Investment Management.

“If it announces plans to move production overseas while keeping only planning and development functions in Japan, that would be a positive.”

Sony isn’t the only games platform holder being hit by the general retail slowdown – Microsoft is expected to announce 6-8,000 job cuts imminently off the back of weak 2008 sales.

Joystiq is reporting that thesix part graphic mini-series based on Radical’s open worlder is coming in April.

The comics were first announced in April last year and are to written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (Jonah Hex), with illustrations by Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan).

The comics will be published be under DC’s Wildstorm label.

DC being true to form, each issue will have a variant cover by mega-artist Jim Lee, meaning you’ll most likely want to be 12 copies instead of six.

Prototype is out later this year.

More details through the link.

By Mike Bowden

Xbox production boss Aaron Greenberg has waded into PlayStation chief Kaz Hirai, saying comments he made to the British OPM about 360′s longevity show Sony is “out of touch” and “complacent.”

“This sounds like an old hardware company that’s comfortable with its market position,” Greenberg told The Bitbag.

“That complacent attitude is out of touch with where the industry and consumer is today. This generation won’t be won over just hardware specs, but who can out-innovate when it comes to online and software. This is the kind of stuff that’s in our DNA, and frankly moves the console war onto our home court.”

Hirai also told the UK mag PlayStation was the “official” industry leader. Greenberg begged to differ.

“I’m confident we will outsell the PS3 throughout the entire generation by providing more innovation and building the best and broadest games library while growing our entertainment experiences on the leading online network,” he added.

“With a US install base lead now of more than 7 million units (according to NPD), I can’t imagine any scenario where the PS3 can catch up with us. In fact, even if you doubled the current PS3 sales and Xbox 360 remained flat, they couldn’t close the gap until 2014.”

Update: This is going to be shown to European press as well.

SCEA’s been telling American press they’re going to get a look at God of War III in February.

According to this Kotaku report, invites to view Kratos’s “final mission in his war with the Gods” are now public domain.

There’s no specific date in that story, other than the appointment is “three weeks from today.”

No release timing’s been set for God of War III as yet.

Microsoft confirmed yesterday that the Halo Wars review embargo will lift on February 20 at 2.00pm GMT.

The Ensemble RTS is to be shown off at the Cabinet War Rooms in London next week, an event to include multiplay and developer interviews.

Halo Wars will be the last Ensemble game before Microsoft closes the studio.

IGN’s yanked footage of Star Wars Battlefront III due to LucasArts pressure.

The publisher told the site the movie of Free Radical’s project – confirmed as real by insiders – was “the intellectual property of Lucasfilm” and had “been posted without permission.”

It looks as though the Kotaku footage we posted last week has also been pulled.

The off-screen video was taken from an alpha meeting at Free Radical last year.

Free Rad was apparently relieved of the project in 2008, months before entering administration. Pandemic is thought to be working on the game at the moment.

Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter’s predicted that Assassin’s Creed 2 will release in the next financial year, ending March 2010, as will Splinter Cell: Conviction.

For the slow, he’s saying he thinks both will be out this Christmas.

From an investor note:

We believe investors should focus on Ubisoft’s prospects for FY:10, particularly as its products continue to sell well on the strong Wii and DS platforms, and as it rolls out a suberb [sic] lineup. We expect solid year-over-year growth from the casual (Nintendo) games lineup, with the introduction of two new brands next fall, and expect strong revenue contribution from Assassin’s Creed 2, Splinter Cell Conviction and Avatar next fiscal year.

Ubi’s announcing financials tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled for mentions of this year’s closing line-up, news fans.

Thanks, MTV.

Southpeak’s confirmed that morphine use will definitely play a part in upcoming WWII actioner Velvet Assassin, despite the fact its inclusion will almost certainly impact sales.

Speaking to MTV, marketing manager Aubrey Norris said morphine was “widely used” during the period and it “fits the realism of the game”.

Southpeak was preserving the developer’s “artistic integrity” be keeping the drug in the game, she added.

Morphine use slows down time in the title. A bit like junkie bullet time.

Hate to break this to you, Southpeak, but that’s not quite what happens when you inject morphine. But what the hey. Three cheers for someone ramming some common sense up Australia’s arse.

Thanks, Destructoid.

Capcom’s released a story trailer for Street Fighter IV, with stuff in the now familiar “splash-paint” art style surrounding the game and plenty of in-play footage.

It includes people saying things like, “It’s not power I seek. I have my sights set far higher than that.” So it must be good.

Street Fighter IV releases on February 20. Video’s after the break.

More »

Outrun Online Arcade is to be an Xbox 360 exclusive in the US.

According to this CVG report, the game will not be released on PSN at all in America.

Sega’s refused to comment on the reasons behind the move.

There’s no date on the Sumo-developed games as yet, apart from early 2009.

Clearly having something of a Blair moment, EA boss John Riccitiello has claimed it’s a little early to be talking about how he’s going to be remembered by the games industry, speaking in an interview with the AIAS.

“I think it is a bit early to talk about my legacy,” he said. “Some of my greatest beliefs regarding gaming are that our art form is today – or certainly has the potential – to be recognized as the peer of the best of Hollywood movies. I want to help others see that.”

The exec added that the link between sales and creativity still hadn’t been solidified, in his view.

“I also believe that there is no inherent conflict between great creativity and achieving strong profitability – I believe they go hand in hand,” he said.

“More than trying to work on my legacy, I want to work to prove both of these points are true and see a day when these ideas are seen as common knowledge.”

Hey, John. You’re firing 1,000 people because you didn’t make enough money last year. Let’s hope you don’t have that chiselled on your gravestone.

Sega of America has made “around 30 people” redundant, the company’s confirmed.

IGN rumoured the job losses last night.

In an email statement given to Edge, the firm’s US arm said: “Sega of America has grown at pace with the booming videogame industry, but at this time of economic recession, harsh retail landscape, and the reality of business challenges to profitability, we must take steps to reduce our cost structure and ensure long-term success.

“The decision to lay off staff was a difficult one, and we thank these employees for their contributions and wish them well in their future endeavors.”

Publisher lay-offs are becoming a normal part of the daily news recently, especially since EA is trimming employees across many studios in an effort to cut costs.

Sony’s released Firmware 2.60 for PS3. It’s currently sailing down out pipe.

As reported yesterday, that update offers a new photo gallery app, as well as support for DivX 3.11 and some other gubbins.

Update – This has been confirmed.

IGN’s rumouring that Sega US has dropped 30 staff today. The news comes from an insider.

There’s no detail or official response as yet.

Sega hasn’t been having the easiest time of late, dropping 400 staff last year on the back of heavy losses.

More on this soon, no doubt.

Gamasutra’s rumouring that EA Tiburon in the next EA studio to have suffered redundancies as part of the publisher’s cost-cutting drive.

No details of the extent of any lay-offs are given in the report.

Tiburon, based in FLorida, is one of EA’s main sports studios, developing both Madden and Tiger Woods.

The news is merely the latest in a stream of redundancy reports from EA outfits, those affected now including Mythic, Black Box, Blueprint, Pandemic and EALA.

EA plans to shed 1,000 jobs, 10 percent of its workforce, as part of an effort to shift losses from last year.

Rockstar put out a bunch of new GTA DS shots this afternoon, and it’s all looking like serious business to us.

Get the lot from NintendoEverything.

If explosions, flamethrowers and looking downright mean are your bag, you’re in luck.

It’s out on March 20.