Monthly Archives: January 2009

Speaking with Develop, Home game director Peter Edward said that Sony “probably announced it too early.”

“Initially, there was real excitement from people, because we were showing something really different and that had a lot of potential,” he said.

“And then there’s the realisation that, well, we probably announced it too early – GDC 07 was a long time ago. I think there was sort of recognition amongst developers of ‘Oh, this is interesting, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

Full interview through the link.

Thanks, Kotaku.

Relic has revealed the details of how and when you can get access to the Dawn of War II beta.

The beta will be made available through Steam and if you’re a proud Dawn of War: Soulstorm you can get in as early as January 21. If not, then you’ll have to wait a week until the 28th.

The beta will let you play as any of Dawn of War II’s four races – Space Marines, Orks, Eldar, Tyranids – and includes five multiplayer maps.

So there you go.

Thanks, Destructoid.

Update: Watch two off-screen gameplay footage movies after the break.

By Mike Bowden

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Ubisoft has announced the release of the “Faction Elite Pack” DLC for Tom Clancy’s EndWar.

Available on Xbox 360, and PS3 the Faction Elite Pack costs 300 Microsoft points or $3.75. (no Euro price as of yet).

The Pack DLC will include three new battalions, six new upgrades and a bunch of new armour.

IGN has some images of the Faction Elite Pack if you need some persuasion before buying.

Ubisoft’s voice-controlled console RTS came out in November last year.

By Mike Bowden

In an interview with 1UP, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada has said that in 2009 the company cannot afford only to do well in Japan but now has to think global.

“…we need to start aiming for games that can immediately sell two or three million copies — not just in Japan, but worldwide,” he said.

“For better or worse, the game marketplace has become one of very high stakes. Our games are completely global now; we have to be global, both in terms of the consumer marketplace and where the games are developed.

“Being ‘global’ up to now simply meant Japanese companies would export game systems and titles overseas, but that’s no longer the case — you have to consider every possibility available, from selling Japan-made games overseas to selling overseas games in Japan,” he went on.

“I think this is a sign that the game business is starting to resemble most other industries. For a game publisher, you have only two choices: become a global business, or work in an extremely narrow niche. I think that’s a decision every company is facing.”

In October last year, Wada called for a Japanese alliance so that the Japanese games industry would be better equipped to face the challenge presented by the Western market.

Full interview with Wada through the link.

By Mike Bowden

Sony has announced that the F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin demo will be available exclusively to Subscribers of Sony’s network show, Qore.

As DarkZero points out, that fact that it’s a Qore exclusive could mean Europe won’t be getting it but we’ll check with Sony today on that one.

Monolith’s F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is set for a February 13th release on PC, 360, and PS3.

MTV and Sony announced at CES 09 last night that they have struck a deal which will facilitate PlayStation 3 owners to be able to watch certain MTV programs via PSN.

Shows such as The City, South Park, SpongeBob SquarePants and Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels will be available from February.

More shows “as they become available,” says the release.

No price as of yet.

Full thing after the break.

By Mike Bowden

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Right, this is the last Halo Wars release date story we’re doing – well, this week, anyway.

It appears that Robbie’s Bach’s announcement that Halo Wars will ship in the US on February 28 was a mistake. The game wil ship at its original date of March 3, whilst the UK and Europe get theirs on Feb 27.

The demo, to be released on February 5, will be released in both regions, a Microsoft rep confirmed for us yesterday.

There.

Thanks, Kotaku.

By Mike Bowden

In an interview with techflash, Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division, said that due to cost and compatibility, said that the Redwood giant has “no plans” to embrace Sony high def format, Blu Ray.

“It’s not a feature we get a ton of requests for. We really don’t,” began Bach.

“When you ask people the list of things they want to see us spending time creating in Xbox, Blu-ray is way, way down on the list.

“The second thing is, from a technical perspective, it doesn’t help us in the core of what Xbox does, which is in gaming. We can’t have publishers produce games on Blu-ray disc. Because then they won’t play on the 28 million Xboxes we’ve already shipped. So it doesn’t help us in the core gaming space,” he went on.

“The third thing, and this maps to all three of those, is that it costs a lot of money. And so the scenario is, OK, let me get this straight: I’m going to add something to the product that’s going to raise the cost, which means the price goes up, consumers aren’t asking for it, and by the way, my game developers can’t use it.”

Bach added that MS has it’s own high definition movie content to shift:

“I have an even better way for you to get high-definition content straight to your TV, between the combination of what we’re doing with Netflix, what we’re doing with (video on demand), we have a great Xbox Live solution. In a way it’s a little bit of a technology looking for an answer. We just have no plans in that space.”

Full interview through the link.

By Mike Bowden

Don’t believe us? Then click on this IGN link and see for yourself. We like guns, we like explosions and we like zombies, and Resident Evil 5 seems to have the lot.

Capcom’s zombie romp is out March 13 for PS3 and Xbox 360.

By Mike Bowden

Capcom has put out a bunch of awesome looking Street Fighter IV screenshots and we implore you to stop, reading, head over to IGN and have a look.

Capcom released its Q1 09 release schedule this week confirmed the SF IV hit the shops on February 20.

Video after break.

By Mike Bowden

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Have a gander at Sony Bend Studios’ new PSP shooter Resistance Retribution after the break.

We got wind from Sony Europe yesterday that this should be ready for download on PlayStation Network on March 19.

Now go watch.

By Mike Bowden

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IGN for these bad boys. It isn’t looking any different from the last batch we informed you of, if we’re being honest. However, that’s no bad thing as back then, we were coloured very impressed.

Capcom’s Dead Rising: Chop Til You Drop is out for Nintendo Wii on February 27.

By Mike Bowden

EA has announced at CES 09 that it will launch the EA Sports Complex in PlayStation Home marking the software giant’s first venture into Sony’s lifestyle space.

The service will allow Home users to play “exclusive new EA Sports multiplayer games, meet EA Sports fans, check leaderboards and watch EA Sports trailers,” writes PSBlog.

“And better yet, EA is currently working with Sony with further PlayStation Home support, with announcements coming in the future.”

Whilst you wait for those future announcements, you can watch a video tour of the EA Sports Complex after the break.

By Mike Bowden

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After the break. Watch as the ‘actual 12 year old girl’, Sparrow, help Robbie Bach along with Kodu, Microsoft’s new game-creating game revealed yesterday.

To top it off, IGN has some screenshots for you.

What more could you want from your Friday?

By Mike Bowden

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Shacknews for these. As per headline, the two images show some rather special looking armour.

However, it is worth noting that although pretty, up until now Fable II armour and clothing has been purely superficial, offering the wearer no added protection.

Also, Lionhead has released a new dev diary about the making of Knothole Island, which is of course due out on January 13.

After the break.

By Mike Bowden

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EA has unveiled plans to release expansion pack, Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising; a new PC exclusive single-player campaign for release in March.

“Uprising is a game that in many ways reflects the feedback we have gotten from the Command & Conquer community,” said Amer Ajami, senior producer at EA Los Angeles.

“We’re giving gamers more of what they want – more of the fast, fluid and fun gameplay, more of the story we began to tell in Red Alert 3 and more cutscenes featuring top-notch Hollywood talent.

“At the same time, we’re excited we’re going to be able to bring new things to the mix, including new units and the Commander’s Challenge, which is a great way for players to hone their skills and get deeper into the combat.”

Official blurb after the break.

By Mike Bowden

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Tarsier Studios’ PS3 exclusive, Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic will be available to download from PSN on March 5th.

That’s according to a Sony Denmark release schedule obtained by VG247 earlier today.

RDKF: FoP was first announced at last year’s E3.

By Mike Bowden

According to a Sony Denmark release schedule acquired by videogaming247, ThatGameCompany’s lovely looking Flower will be released on PlayStation Network on February 19.

Earlier today, we were treated to two new Flower gameplay movies of this long sought-after PS3 exclusive.

No other details are known at this time.

By Mike Bowden

Microsoft has confirmed to videogaming247 that despite Microsoft’s announcement at CES 09 that Halo Wars has moved to February 28, the European date of the 27th remains unchanged.

“On Halo Wars, the actual European release date is the 27th Feb,” said a spokesperson earlier today.

The MS UK representative also confirmed to VG247 that the demo date of Feb 5 would also apply to Europe.

“The demo is due on the 5th Feb, and yes, it will be available to European LIVE subscribers.”

So there you have it.

By Mike Bowden

Looks like the LittleBig world isn’t ending after all. During Sony’s CES conference, Kaz Hirai let the news that LittleBigPlanet has sold 1.3 million copies worldwide slip through his satisfied grin. Diehard creators, however, only make up a small portion of Sony’s sack squad, with a total of 300,000 levels created.

In addition, Hirai also revealed that 17 million users now board the Internet through PSN’s gates – 2.1 million of whom joined in December alone.

Unsurprisingly, PSN users work their wallets on a regular basis, growing the PlayStation Store’s download total to 330 million.

So, any chance that a downloadable LittleBigPlanet is on the way?

Thanks, Kotaku.

By Nathan Grayson