Monthly Archives: June 2009

The July issue of Beckett Massive Online Gamer has listed the Beta dates for Aion.

Aion’s official website confirms the Asmodian Beta talking place this weekend, but other than what the magazine posted, the rest has not been announced.

• June 19-21: Asmodian closed beta capped at level 10
• July 3-5: Asmodian level cap increases
• July 17-19: Abyss only with unrestricted flight and hopefully a lot of PvP
• August 14-17: First open beta
• August 19-23: Second open beta

Dates were listed as “accurate as of press time” and so things may change. We’ll keep you posted, though.

Thanks, Massively.

According to Microsoft VP Shane Kim, the company feels it has claimed a victory in the third-party sector with Metal Gear Solid Rising coming to Xbox 360.

Speaking with Gamasutra at E3, Kim talked about exclusivity and how it benefits consoles.

“I still think exclusive content is really important,” he told the site. “First of all, in games, we’ve said for a long time that a key part of our strategy with Xbox 360 was a level third-party playing field. Now we’ve effectively done that with Metal Gear Solid coming to the Xbox 360.

“The economics are such that third parties also have to support multiple platforms, and you can’t ignore Xbox 360. It’s the second leading platform.

“But I also think we have to broaden our definition of exclusive content now. It has to include things like Xbox Live, because I do think Xbox Live is a real competitive differentiator for us.

“And now Project Natal is going to be an exclusive thing, too. And so, we feel good about how that’s shaping up, but it’s really not about relying on third parties, because I don’t think that that is sustainable, as we’ve proven. And it’s up to each of us to differentiate on our own.”

More through the link.

NPD has put out it’s monthly list of the top 20 PC games.

Blizzard is the awesome one again with four tiles in the top ten and seven on the list overall.

Positions 11-20 are posted after the break.

1. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King – Blizzard
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe – Electronic Arts
3. World of Warcraft Battle Chest – Blizzard
4. World of Warcraft – Blizzard
5. Empire: Total War – Creative Assembly/Sega
6. Spore – Electronic Arts
7. Left 4 Dead – Valve
8. The Sims 2 Apartment Life – Electronic Arts
9. Fallout Trilogy – Interplay
10. StarCraft: Battle Chest – Blizzard

More »

The British Video Standards Council has been given powers to ban games in the UK that don’t apply to PEGI guidelines, GI reports.

“The VSC will be an independent body, as is the PEGI system, and while I’m sure there’s some joining up to do, it’s a tough system,” said EA UK MD Keith Ramsdale.

“We’ve gone further than the recommendations and PEGI will impose fines for non-compliance and possible exclusion from the PEGI system for non compliance.

“This isn’t something ELSPA can affect, this will become a legislative statutory system and ELSPA doesn’t get an influence, it’s being handled independently,” he added.

PEGI was named as the sole UK ratings board by the UK government earlier today.

Despite recent lay-offs, Crystal Dynamics is hiring for a Senior Art Director for “one of the most prestigious AAA franchises in the industry”, according to a job post on Gamasutra.

According to the listing:

“Crystal Dynamics has a rare opening for a Senior Art Director on one of the most prestigious AAA franchises in the industry. We are looking for an exceptional talent to bring onto the team and continue the long tradition of visually stunning and award winning titles from Crystal Dynamics.”

Job requirements include having shipped a “minimum of 2 video games as Art Director demonstrating a high visual bar”, seven years in the industry, a proven track record of “working with an established AAA franchise”, and next-gen console expertise.

We have put a word in with Crystal Dynamics for further information.

Who knows. This could be the reinvented Tomb Raider game Ian Livingstone was chatting about last month.

Via Joystiq.

Majesco has reported second quarter earnings for the company’s fiscal year with an increase in revenue of 60.8 percent equaling $20.5 million. These figures are for the months of February – April compared to $12.8 million during the same quarter in 2008.

Still, it is reporting a loss of $1.7 million for the quarter with a comparison of $257,000 for the same time period last year.

The loss is being blamed on “strategic marketing campaigns” but CEO Jesse Sutton projects the rest of the year will ge3nerate $80 to $85 million thanks to investing in new titles.

“We believe the benefits of these investments will continue beyond the first half of 2009 and help drive future growth,” he said in a statement.

The revenue increase was attributed to Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Ultimatum 2009 and the Cooking Mama franchise with the later selling 4 million units worldwide and the former selling 600,000 copies.

“We continue to believe that Majesco can deliver sustainable profits, as we have better revenue visibility with an ever stronger game lineup,” said analyst Michael Pachter in a financial mailer.

“We believe investors should remain focused on Majesco’s continuing profitability [as] Q2 revenue was much better than expected.”

British Board of Film Classification director David Cooke says that the regulating body could do a better job than PEGI.

His comment stems from the announcement that PEGI is now the sole games ratings board for UK.

“The BBFC has always supported PEGI and wished it well, but it continues to believe that it satisfies these requirements better than PEGI,” said Cooke.

“However, it will cooperate fully in the detailed work needed to give effect to the government’s decision. And it must be independent in substance as well as appearance, reaching its decisions and providing information on the basis of its own detailed assessments.”

More through the links.

Via MCV.

The UK government just confirmed PEGI as the sole games ratings board for the UK.

Said ELSPA boss Mike Rawlinson: “Today’s decision will ensure that games ratings stay relevant and adapt to the changing nature of videogames for many years to come. Retailers will now have clear, legal backing to help them prevent access to unsuitable content by children.

“We will work closely with the Government, the Video Standards Council and the BBFC to ensure a smooth and rapid transition to this new ratings system.”

Press release after the jump. The full Digital Britain report is now online here.

More »

The website for Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 has officially launched and includes a countdown.

We know how you love those.

The countdown ends in 3 days, which would be June 19. Guess that’s when the site will open to its full glory.

The game is slated for UK October 30 and the states for November 6 according to Play UK and GameStop respectively.

It’s to be made available for PC, PS2, PS3, PSP and Xbox 360.

Via GamersTek.

Blizzard, while currently asking for journalist BattleNet details for the impending StarCraft II beta, said in the mails it sent out to sites yesterday that the test’s start date is still off-limits.

“We do not currently have a date to announce for the start of the beta test,” said the firm.

It’s safe to assume, however, that the beta’s very close. And good news was included in the mail: the beta has no NDA. That means that journos will be free to capture video and screens from the game, as well as being able to write impressions.

Keep watching. Sites have been asked to get their BN log-ins in by this Friday.

Sega Europe COO Mike Hayes has been promoted to president of Sega of America, GI reports.

Simon Jeffery stepped down from the position yesterday, to take on a new role at iPhone publisher ngmoco.

Microsoft reckons 1UP got it wrong. Maybe not so wrong as some would like you to believe.

VG247 has been told this morning that “a new SKU design” is indeed in the works for 360, but it appears it’s only a cosmetic change “along the lines of PSone or PStwo”.

UK chatter this morning also suggest Microsoft may make a branding play alongside Natal’s launch.

Remember: rumour. And you should read this TeamXbox story while we’re at it. The TV tech being discussed there is stereoscopic 3D, by the way.

The release of today’s Digital Britain report will reveal how games are to be rated in the UK.

The tussle between the BBFC and PEGI is expected to be fully resolved this afternoon. Watch from 3.30pm onwards.

If UK games ratings float your boat, obviously.

Thanks, deftangel.

A “senior Microsoft source familiar with Project Natal” has told Eurogamer that reports of Microsoft planning to release a new Xbox with Natal next year are “nonsense”.

“Don’t believe nonsense on the internet is all I’ll say,” said the unnamed spokesperson.

“We’ll do the right thing for Natal.”

1UP ran a rumour story on Friday saying “Xbox Natal is actually Microsoft’s next console,” “there will be a new Xbox console next fall,” and, “Current Xbox 360 games would be playable on it, but future games would be able to take advantage of the added muscle.”

Xbox product management boss Aaron Greenberg’s basically scotched the article.

“I think part of the excitement about this announcement is that in many ways we are delivering a next generation experience this generation,” he said.

“With that said, I can confirm that Natal will run on Xbox 360 so no new console investment will be necessary.”

Ubisoft super-chief Yves Guillemot has predicted game budgets will rise to an average of $60 million in the next hardware cycle.

“The next generation is going to be so powerful that playing a game is going to be the equivalent of playing a CGI movie today,” the exec told CNBC.

Big budget 360 and PS3 games cost between $20-30 million to make.

There’s a full interview through there. Thanks, EG.

While Natal and PS3′s motion tech presents a large opportunity for some games, Ubisoft president Yves Guillemot has told CNBC that big action games will most likely continue to be played on traditional controllers.

“The current pad for gamers is giving them a lot,” he said on the subject of whether or not games like Assassin’s Creed or Splinter Cell will be played with motion-sensing.

“They play for hours, so they don’t want to get up and down. They don’t want to be tired after five minutes. These games are about reactivity.”

Guillemot added, however, that he expects as much as 80 percent of the company’s future family games – including Rayman – to utilize motion-sensor controls.

Hit the link for the full thing.

Konami’s to release a new level and character to Metal Gear Online, Famitsu reports.

The third part of the game’s SCENE EXPANSION adds MGS4′s Old Snake, as well as a new stage in Icebound Inferno, the Shadow Moses stage from the fourth title.

Thanks, Kotaku.

There may be bad blood between metal legends Ronnie James Dio and Ozzy Osbourne, but according to Doublefine president Tim Schafer, it didn’t stain production of Brutal Legend. Instead, the developer sent Dio packing because Tim Curry was “a better fit” for a character called Doviculus.

“Ronnie James Dio is an amazing singer and truly one of the great figures of Metal,” Schafer said in a statement, “but as the character of Doviculus evolved, we realized that Tim Curry was a better fit for the part. Anyone who has seen his amazing performance as the Lord of Darkness in the movie Legend knows why we cast him in the role of Doviculus, Emperor of the Tainted Coil.”

Dio will be missed, but if there’s one guy we’ve learned never to question, it’s Tim Schafer. Guess we’ll just have to settle for playing clips from “Rainbow in the Dark” every time Doviculus speaks. Denial cures all ills, after all.

Thanks, D’toid.

Microsoft’s confirmed that Xbox Live is now properly, completely down, and may be for up to 24 hours.

This is scheduled maintenance, so don’t panic. Go read a book or something.

Only joking.

We’ll let you know when it’s back up.

SCEE president Andrew House has called motion-sensing an “essential” element to PS3, speaking to GI at E3.

“That’s one of the essentials,” he said, talking of PS3′s wand-based motion control system premiered in LA earlier this month.

House was quick to expound the machine’s further virtues, however.

“But the PlayStation 3 is also one of the best Blu-ray players around for high-definition movies and that almost gets lost in the mix,” he added.

“That gives it an enormous sense of longevity, people want the best if they are buying into high-definition entertainment from a television standpoint or from a movie standpoint. That’s an inherently long lifecycle and it helps bolster the traditional gaming lifecycle as well.”

There’s a full interview through there.