Monthly Archives: June 2009

LucasArts says that thanks to digital distribution, retro games like Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition are seeing an increase in interest from gamers.

The game’s producer Craig Derrick, told D’Toid that the reason the title was redone was because fans requested it, making a new IP is “very difficult” and LucasArts wanted to make it.

“We’re experiencing a remarkable increase in retro gaming and nostalgia thanks in part to the digital distribution of games on Xbox Live Arcade, PSN, Wiiware, Steam and iTunes, he said. “We’re seeing that gamers are looking for new experiences, even if they’re found in classic games.

“The age range of the average gamer has significantly broadened and people are open now more than ever to different types of game genres.”

Game’s expected to land on PC and Xbox Live July 7.

More through the link.

Thanks, GoNintendo.

Those who pre-order Halo 3: ODST at participating retailers will get a token to unlock UNSC hero Sgt. Johnson as a playable character in the Firefight multiplayer mode.

ODST includes a second standalone disc with three new Halo 3 multiplayer maps, all the original Halo 3 maps, as well as the Legendary, Heroic, and Mythic Map packs for a total of 24 maps.

You’ll also get access to the Halo Reach Beta.

Halo 3: ODST is expected to drop September 22.

Full details are in the press release below.

More »

Heavy Rain still needs plenty of work before it’s ready for release, according to David Cage.

During an interview with NowGamer, Cage revealed that the title is currently in the Alpha stage and Quantic Dream wants everything to be perfect before it ships.

“We’re still at the alpha stage and there’s a whole lot of work to be done,” said Cage. “There’s so much fine-tuning in the game left to do. Everything has to be perfect. If there’s one thing wrong in a scene, it’s the only thing you’ll see. There are many things that don’t work right now.

“We need to have everything in place, from facial animations, to score to work out the final result.”

Hit the link for the rest.

True Games has announced that the first expansion for Warrior Epic will arrive in July.

The new content features extra PVP, the “Trogken Swamps”, new missions, monsters, and unique gear for your Warriors.

“Our promise to the Warrior Epic community is that the game will never get stale or repetitive,” said True bossman Peter Cesario. “We want Warrior Epic fans to find something new and exciting about the game every time they log into it, and this new expansion is just one of many great gameplay updates they can look forward to as the community continues to grow.”

The microtransaction based game allows fallen characters to revive at their respective hall or stay in spirit form to be bound to a weapon, increasing its effectiveness and abilities. Cool.

Press release and extra details posted below.

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Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox 360 Arcade SKUs are now shipping with 512MB of memory, and it’s standard.

“The Xbox 360 system software uses some of the included 512MB memory; less storage will be available to users,” the company told Eurogamer. “Additional storage may be needed for game saves, Xbox LIVE Arcade games, content downloads, personal file storage, and additional enhanced functionality. A hard drive is recommended for Live, and is required for some features.

“We want to offer consumers a bit more memory at the same low price so they can enjoy more experiences on Xbox Live.”

Reports surfaced earlier a the Jasper-based Xbox 360 Arcade with 512Mb of memory was being offered.

Apparently so.

More through the link.

Champions Online will not go after World of Warcraft, says Cryptic CEO John Needham, because for one it’s not your standard “fantasy fare” and two, it can coexist alongside of it.

“We’re doing different kinds of games to standard fantasy fare,” he told Champions Online Daily News.  “Champions Online is a superhero game, and it’s a lot different to a World of Warcraft or Everquest because you don’t need to invest twenty to thirty hours a week in Champions to really succeed in the game.

“When you look at games like Conan and Warhammer, they were directly competitive to World of Warcraft and they forced players to make a choice. Am I going to subscribe to Conan or am I going to subscribe to World of Warcraft?”

“We’ve designed our games so players don’t need to make that choice. Champions can be played right alongside World of Warcraft or EQ.”

More through the link.

Thanks, StrategyInformerK

StarCraft II producer Chris Sigaty has given a clear indication that StarCraft II’s beta really is almost upon us.

“What I can tell you is that we’re working hard on it right now, and we’re getting very, very close,” he said, talking in a live interview with Swedish site Press2Play.

“We don’t have an announcement on it right now, but we’re not years away at this point, and we’re not even quarters away at this point. Very soon, very soon.”

The developer has nothing new to add on a final release date for the RTS.

“We’re saying that we’re targeting to release the game this year,” said Sigaty, but the game won’t ship till it’s ready.

Our BattleNet log-in’s with Blizzard, as was requested earlier this week. Can we plz has beta now?

DF’s Richard Leadbetter has called out Terminal Reality on the PS3 version of Ghostbuster’s saying the greatly reduced resolution over the 360 game “simply isn’t good enough”.

The game’s PS3 version runs at 960×540, while the 360 SKU hits 1280×720.

From Eurogamer’s latest face-off:

My response to that is pretty straightforward. First of all, PS3 Ghostbusters is rendering 518,400 pixels per frame. Xbox 360 is managing 921,600, so there’s some interesting mathematics going on in that statement. Secondly, if quincunx anti-aliasing is compromising your image quality to this degree, why not try another solution? With regards the RAM situation, it’s a well-known limitation that the vast majority of cross-platform developers have (thankfully) managed to overcome.

The admission that 25 per cent of the texture work in Ghostbusters is compromised on PS3 is very telling. More than that, the notion that somehow we’re not allowed to compare the two versions without downscaling the higher resolution one is frankly astonishing. How many people out there have 540p displays? Perhaps we should we be sitting further away from the screen to make the two games look the same? Terminal Reality’s response, rather like the PS3 build itself, simply isn’t good enough.

Full thing through there.

Realtime Worlds said today it’s hit 250 staff, and has more than 40 positions currently available.

The Scottish developer is finally moving to launch MMO APB in conjunction with EA Partners and now taken on an additional 8,000 sqft of offices to provide high quality working space to compliment the current 26,000 sqft premises.

All the firm’s jobs are listed here. Press release after the break.

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If you’ve been having trouble accessing Xbox live Marketplace content since Live went back online following maintenance yesterday, fret no longer. It’s all fixed now, Nelson just said in a blog post.

You can all get on and download Sam & Max now. And Rocket Riot, which is supposedly great.

Brutal Legend boss Tim Schafer reckons funnier games would me a broader general audience. He may have a point.

“I think it’s a subject matter barrier,” the developer told GI on reasons people are put off gaming.

“Not everybody wants to get into these super violent worlds and yet here I am making a game about broad axes and decapitation.

“But I think humour would get more people into games.”

Schafer said that GTA’s subject matter had helped bring more users into games.

“It’s getting better, it used to be that the games industry had a short list of inspirations. You had Tolkien-esque fantasy, Star Wars, and then new things get added. I think GTA brought a whole new level of inspiration. And I think the broader that gets, the more people will be interested in games,” he added.

More through there.

Microsoft has rebranded its Xbox Originals service on Xbox.com.

All the Original titles currently on offer for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace are now featured as part of the new Games on Demand service.

Microsoft said at E3 that it will launch a games-on-demand service for older Xbox 360 titles, including BioShock, Assassin’s Creed, Crackdown, LEGO Star Wars and Sonic the Hedgehog.

More on GI.

There’s a video after the break of Emily Rose and Claudia Black, aka Elena Fisher and Chloe Frazier from Uncharted, admitting there’s probably a smidgeon of their characters incorporated into their in-game personas.

They even look like them. If you squint.

Uncharted 2′s out this autumn.

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You’ve seen that rumour about suspected online Call of Duty charges, right? Don’t worry, Modern Warfare 2 fans. It’ll never happen to any of Infinity Ward’s titles.

“This rumor has absolutely nothing to do with Infinity Ward or our games, including Modern Warfare 2,” said the developer’s communications boss, Rob Bowling, speaking on the firm’s forums.

“We would never introduce such a system for Modern Warfare 2 so don’t worry.

“Multiplayer will always be equal and free for everyone as always.”

Glad that’s cleared up. You can get back to the awful wait for MW2, now.

LucasArts’ Brooks Brown has told WAToday that more of the company’s point-and-click adventures are likely to follow the 360 and PC remake of Monkey Island if it’s a hit.

“If this sells, there’s no one at this company who doesn’t want to do these games,” he said.

“It’s a matter of showing that there’s interest and this market is alive and get people as excited as possible about Monkey Island Special Edition to show that these things can make it.”

The new version is essentially the original with HD graphics and remastered music, said Brown. It’s out this summer.

Lots more through there.

Harold Ramis — director of such films as “Caddyshack,” “Groundhog Day” and “Analyze This” — thinks he dodged a bullet Bill by ducking out of a directorial role in the notoriously awful Super Mario Bros film.

“(Producer) Roland Joffe wanted me to direct the ‘Super Mario Bros.’ movie,” Ramis told the Associated Press. “I took the meeting because I loved the game.”

“I’m glad I said no,” he added with a laugh.

Among other things, Ramis is now appearing in the Ghostbusters videogame. He’s also able to sleep well at night, un-haunted by the specter of directing what turned out to be attempted murder on the
Mario franchise. We consider both of these things positives.

More through the link.

Ghostbusters and SOCOM are to get their own Home spaces today, as you can see on the US BS Blog.

EA Sports is getting one too. Everyone’s doing it. Hit the links for more details than you’ll ever need.

Live in the US? Been sticking with Xbox Live Silver because the prospect of paying $50 per year to get teabagged and pelted with racial slurs by kids raised on XBL by other kids raised on XBL doesn’t seem all that attractive? Well, for a limited time, a full month of Xbox Live is going for only $1.00. Might as well take the plunge, right?

Granted, there is a catch, but it’s a small one. At the end of your mostly free month, Microsoft will continue charging you for the rest of the year. Canceling is pretty painless, though, so unless it somehow slips your mind for 11 months or, you know, you decide you actually want to keep paying, Microsoft will pick naught but a single Washington from your pocket.

So go on. Make some angry child’s day.

Thanks, Joystiq.

Valve’s been forced to change the promo artwork for Left 4 Dead 2, according to this Ars piece, as the ESRB wanted two chewed-off fingers stuck back on the game’s iconic hand.

That’s it, really. Hit the link to see both the original and finger-finger-waggy-waggy-naughty-boy-smacky-botty versions.

Nielsen’s claimed Halo: ODST has the biggest “probable purchase intent” among gamers, based on surveys performed after E3.

Here’s the top, um, 12, the percentage being the amount polled that said they’d buy the game.

1. Halo ODST – 53%
2. God of War III – 49%
3. Wii Sports Resort – 45%
4. Guitar Hero 5 – 42%
5. Final Fantasy XIII – 37%
6. Madden 2010 – 35%
7. Guitar Hero: Van Halen – 34%
=8. Assassins Creed 2 – 32%
=8. Need for Speed: Shift – 32%
=8. Need for Speed: Nitro – 32%
=8. NCAA Football 10 – 32%
12. Beatles Rock Band – 30%

More detail on Gama.