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| Dark Void Zero blasting off on PC, iPhone
April 7, 2010 at 3:06 PM
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| Capcom confirms April 12 debut for new versions of retro-styled jetpack action game with new secret ending, leaderboards, and achievements. 
Back in January, Capcom launched the downloadable 8-bit-styled DS action game Dark Void Zero to critical acclaim. The DSiWare title actually received a better critical reception than the retail Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC game it was intended to promote. The publisher is looking to make the most of the retro release, as today it announced an April 12 launch date for PC and iPhone editions of the game. The PC version will sell for $5, while Apple will sell the mobile game on its iTunes storefront for $3. The platforms aren't the only new things in store for Dark Void Zero; Capcom is also adding a new secret ending to the game. Both versions of the game will also include online leaderboards for scores and speed runs, as well as achievement systems. When the DSi edition of Dark Void Zero was announced, Capcom created a fictitious backstory for the game, claiming it to be an unreleased project for the Nintendo PlayChoice 10 arcade system. In addition to blocky visuals and a chip-tune soundtrack, Dark Void Zero evoked nostalgia by asking players to "blow" on a virtual cartridge (using the DSi's microphone) before playing the game. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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| Star Trek Online for consoles moved to 'back burner'
April 7, 2010 at 2:06 PM
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| Cryptic Studios says its tepidly received sci-fi MMORPG will remain on PC only due to difficulties with "the business side of things." 
Cryptic Studios announced the massively multiplayer online role-playing games Champions Online and Star Trek Online within a few months of each other for the PC and consoles in 2008. The PC editions of those games landed to soft critical receptions within a few months of each other in 2009 and 2010, and now the demise of their console editions have also come in lockstep. With the Atari-owned studio confirming that "there are no current plans for a console version of Champions" in late March, executive producer Craig Zinkievich has said that a similar fate has befallen Star Trek Online. "It's pretty much in the same boat as the Champions console version right now," Zinkievich told UK gaming site VideoGamer. "It's something we can readily do in terms of technology," he continued. "We've had it up and running on certain consoles, and had plans and designs in order to take advantage of those platforms. But as it stands right now it's a little difficult to make that final leap on the business side of things. So, currently, just like Champions, the console version of Star Trek Online is on the back burner." Star Trek Online operates independently from any of the events established in the film or television series. Players assume the role of a starship captain operating under the banner of either the United Federation of Planets (better known simply as "the Federation") or the Klingon, who are locked in an intergalactic struggle. For more on the PC edition of Star Trek Online, check out GameSpot's video review, below. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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| Gilbert departs Hothead, DeathSpank done
April 7, 2010 at 12:38 PM
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| Secret of Monkey Island creator leaves position at Canadian studio as development on action RPG concludes; certification on 360, PS3, [REDACTED] in progress.
Ron Gilbert got his wish in early 2008, when Hothead Games announced that it had installed the Secret of Monkey Island creator as its creative director and agreed to develop his hard-to-pitch project, DeathSpank. However, Gilbert's time at Hothead is ending along with the action role-playing game's development, as the veteran game designer announced through his personal blog this week that he has parted ways with the company. "I wanted to let all the Premium Gold Level Grumpy Gamer subscribers know that I left Hothead," said Gilbert. "When I started working there two years ago, my goal was to make DeathSpank the most awesome game ever made and have it win a Nobel Prize and the early word out of Stockholm is that DeathSpank is neck-in-neck with some string theory dweeb (eleven dimensions my a**)." Gilbert also confirmed that DeathSpank has left the production phase and will start down "that long and winding road of certification and testing of the Xbox and PS3 and [REDACTED] versions." (Redacted in original.) Last month, Electronic Arts said that it would publish the effort on Microsoft and Sony's consoles through its EA Partners program. Though initially announced as an episodic game a la Hothead's Penny Arcade Adventures, DeathSpank evolved into a full downloadable title for Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. Along with its adventure-game-style storyline and puzzles, DeathSpank also features a strong action RPG element, where gamers cut their way through swaths of enemies to gain items and level up. For more on DeathSpank, check out GameSpot's most recent preview. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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| Alan Wake arriving early in Europe
April 7, 2010 at 11:37 AM
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| The Xbox 360-exclusive action game is now set to hit store shelves in on May 14; North American release still May 18.
Alan Wake will be released in Europe a full week ahead of its original release date, Microsoft has announced. The Remedy-developed psychological action thriller was originally scheduled for release in Europe on May 21 but has been moved forward to May 14. The game is still set for release on May 18 in North America. Alan Wake tells the story of a best-selling author who retreats with his wife to a small secluded town in hopes of recovering from a severe creativity block. His self-imposed rehabilitation is cut short when his wife disappears and the town of Bright Falls becomes a dangerous realisation of his latest work. Alan Wake was announced at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo as an Xbox 360 and PC title but has had a number of setbacks throughout its development. Also, after hints of a delay to the PC version, earlier this year Microsoft confirmed that it had been put on indefinite hold. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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| City of Heroes 2 trademark filed
April 6, 2010 at 3:44 PM
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| NCsoft makes filing with US Patent & Trademark Office to lock down naming rights for sequel to superhero MMORPG.
Fans of muscled protagonists in spandex may be in luck. It looks like the massively multiplayer superhero role-playing game City of Heroes is getting a full-fledged follow-up. Korean publisher NCSoft has filed for a trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office for "City of Heroes 2" for use with "computer game software". The original City of Heroes sold over a half-million units in the US, and its semi-sequel City of Villains sold nearly a quarter of a million copies domestically, according to the NPD Group. City of Heroes was developed by Cryptic Studios, which recently released Star Trek Online and Champions Online. However, since Cryptic was bought by France-based Atari in 2008, development duties for City of Heroes have been handled by Paragon Studios, the Silicon Valley based shop formerly known as NCsoft North. Founded in 2007, the studio has grown from an original roster of 20 employees to more than 50 people--a number that will presumably increase if City of Heroes 2 goes into full-fledged development. Inspired by comic books, City of Heroes lets players assume the role of a superhero and fight a variety of villains in the fictional metropolis of Paragon City. Players can customize their heroes with a variety of costumes and items and hundreds of different superpowers, skills, and abilities. They can then form alliances with other characters, create secret headquarters, and fight evil to become the top superhero squad in the city. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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| Infinity Ward loses two more leads
April 6, 2010 at 12:47 PM
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| LinkedIn profiles indicate Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer designer Todd Alderman, software engineer Francesco Gigliotti depart embattled studio.
March saw the high-profile firings of Infinity Ward studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West, and it didn't take an analyst's intuition to guess that the two may be joined by other Call of Duty veterans. Just such a scenario now appears to be coming to pass, as the LinkedIn profiles of Infinity Ward lead designer Todd Alderman and lead software engineer Francesco Gigliotti indicate both left the company this month. Both Alderman and Gigliotti joined Infinity Ward in 2002, approximately one year before Activision acquired the studio and the first game in the $3 billion franchise shipped for the PC. Alderman's departure, in particular, could be considered a substantial blow to the studio, as his profile indicates he led design on the franchise's heralded multiplayer component. Activision had not responded to requests for comment on the departures as of press time. The upheaval at Infinity Ward began last month, when Activision abruptly fired Zampella and West due to "breaches of contract and insubordination." At the same time, the publisher revealed a new business unit devoted to the Call of Duty brand, one that will oversee the creation of a new first-person shooter at Treyarch, an action adventure at Sledgehammer Games, and a massively multiplayer online role-playing game for release in Asia. Zampella and West subsequently sued Activision for $36 million as well as control of the Call of Duty license. The two also reportedly secured representation by the Creative Artists Agency, whose clients also include Steven Spielberg, Brad Pitt, David Letterman, and Derek Jeter, to name but a few. For more information on Infinity Ward's $1 billion-selling shooter, as well as the rocky launch of its first map pack, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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| Indian conglomerate cracks 50% of Codemasters
April 5, 2010 at 12:52 PM
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| Reliance Big Entertainment acquires half of Dirt publisher for undisclosed sum; racing, cricket franchises targeted. 
In June 2007, Balderton Capital expanded its holdings in Codemasters, building upon the 40 percent stake it had previously acquired to buy out the British game company's founders. Now, the venture capital firm will be sharing control of the publisher, as Reliance Big Entertainment announced today that it has acquired a 50 percent sharehold in Codemasters. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Reliance Big Entertainment is the media arm of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, which is ranked among India's top three largest businesses. The entertainment company's Hollywood ventures include a partnership with Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider to form DreamWorks Studios, as well as development deals with production houses ranging from George Clooney's Smokehouse Productions to Brian Gazer and Ron Howard's Imagine Entertainment Reliance Big's investment in Codemasters will fall under the entertainment company's Zapak label. The Indian gaming company is primarily known as a provider of online casual games and boasts 8 million registered users through Zapak.com. Zapak also publishes a variety of massively multiplayer online games in India, including Runescape and Crazy Kart, creates mobile wares through its Jump Games division, and owns more than 100 Internet cafes. "We are excited to partner with Codemasters and believe its very strong technology, development, and distribution presence will complement our global gaming portfolio," said Zapak CEO Rohit Sharma in a statement. "Additionally, Zapak's global strength in mobile gaming will enhance Codemasters' ability to fully leverage its attractive franchises such as its racing and cricket games." Codemasters is perhaps best known for its racing franchises, which include Dirt, Grid, and Formula 1. Other franchises in the publisher's stable include cricket simulation The Ashes, Overlord, and Operation Flashpoint. The publisher also recently announced Bodycount from Black lead designer Stuart Black, which is due for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation during the first part of 2011. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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| Shippin' Out Apr. 4-10: Borderlands Add-On Pack
April 4, 2010 at 3:44 PM
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| Retail combo of Gearbox shooter's Dr. Ned and Underdome Riot DLC leads an anemic week of new releases.
With many publishers' fiscal years ending on March 31, it's not entirely surprising to see a bit of a release schedule letdown to start April. That said, the letdown is more like a meltdown this year, as the week of April 4 is one of the lightest in recent memory, in terms of new retail releases. Even the biggest retail release of the week, the Borderlands: Double Game Add-On Pack, is just a sampling of already available downloadable content for Xbox 360 and PC. Take-Two's brick-and-mortar Borderlands expansion will sell for $10 and includes all the content from The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned and Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot, the first two DLC packs. The package will not include February's Secret Armory of General Knoxx. The only other high-profile debut for the week will be downloadable only, as Electronic Arts is set to launch the Kasumi - Stolen Memory add-on for the Xbox 360 and PC editions of Mass Effect 2. As detailed in GameSpot's first look at the add-on pack from this year's Game Developers Conference, the pack's primary draw is the addition of the titular new character, Kasumi Goto. Described as a master thief, Kasumi comes with her own loyalty mission in which players aid her in stealthily retrieving information from the criminal mastermind Donovan Hock. The Kasumi - Stolen Memory pack also includes a new research upgrade and introduces the flashbang grenade, which temporarily blinds enemies. For further details on the week's games, visit GameSpot's New Releases page. The full list of downloadable games on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Marketplace, and Wii Shop Channel will be revealed later in the week. Release dates are based on retailer listings and are subject to change. April 4, 2010
No new releases announced. April 5, 2010
No new releases announced. April 6, 2010
Borderlands: Double Game Add-On Pack--X360, PC--Take-Two Interactive
Squishy Tank--DS--Natsume
Mass Effect 2: Kasumi - Stolen Memory--X360--EA April 7, 2010
No new releases announced. April 8, 2010
Satisfashion--Wii--Destineer
Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West--PC--Paradox Interactive April 9, 2010
No new releases announced. April 10, 2010
No new releases announced. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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| Sega scrapping Iron Man 2 developer
April 2, 2010 at 7:56 PM
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| Sega Studios San Francisco (formerly Secret Level) being shuttered after completion of feature-film-based multiplatform game.
Though Iron Man 2 won't even arrive in stores for another month, the fate of its developer has already been sealed. Sega has confirmed to Gamasutra the closure of its Sega Studios San Francisco outfit, previously known as Secret Level. Secret Level was founded in 1999, when it began work on the critically acclaimed Dreamcast port of Unreal Tournament. The studio was acquired by Sega in 2006 as part of an increased emphasis on Western development. Since that time, the studio has launched two titles for the publisher. The first was the 2008 movie tie-in Iron Man, which left reviewers cold but sold more than 1 million copies worldwide. Secret Level's encore later that year didn't fare as well, as Golden Axe: Beast Rider was a flop, drawing negative reviews and selling fewer than 42,000 copies in its first three months on US retail shelves. It didn't help matters that the game was launched the same day as heavily hyped hits like Dead Space and Saints Row 2. It's unclear how many employees were laid off as a result of the studio closure. Sega had already downsized its US operations in early 2009, with reports at the time suggesting as many as 30 employees had been laid off at Secret Level. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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| EA, Ubisoft, Microsoft tune in to tie-ins
April 2, 2010 at 5:28 PM
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| MI6 2010: Marketing reps explain the speed bumps and benefits when taking projects like Dead Space, Assassin's Creed, and Halo from the small screen to the big screen and beyond. 
Who was there: Frank O'Connor, franchise development director for Microsoft's Halo publishing label 343 Industries; Dan Morris, director of strategy and development for Electronic Arts; and Andy Swanson, senior director of consumer products for Ubisoft. What they talked about: Swanson began the session by explaining the difference between entertainment brands and game brands. He said entertainment brands like Spider-Man, Transformers, and Pokemon all expanded well beyond their original medium. Swanson was particularly impressed by Lego Star Wars, which is actually a combination of two existing entertainment brands that is in itself a unique, third brand. Swanson said what makes something an entertainment brand is that fans can interact with it in a variety of ways, from books and movies to theme parks and games. As for what makes for a good entertainment brand, Swanson said they need to have fleshed-out characters that consumers like and some storytelling potential, as well as be a shareable experience to foster discussion. Swanson said he looks to Marvel as an example of doing the brand-building task right. The company narrowly avoided going under entirely in 2000, in large part because it took a more active role in licensing and putting its characters in as many different forms as possible. While game companies dabble in this, Swanson said it could be done better. At the moment, he said gaming brand extensions are largely limited to book and comic publishing, apparel, toys, and higher-end collector's items. Morris took over to explain a change in EA's approach to brands in recent years. He said the publisher basically spent two decades creating original intellectual properties but never gave a second thought to extending those brands beyond the world of games. While there was a comic book here or a tie-in there, Morris said there was no coordinated effort and no opportunity for the company to learn from its past mistakes. To remedy that, EA centralized its brand-extension efforts. One small team now works with all of the developers to coordinate their project's leaps beyond the gaming screen. The publisher's slogan, as articulated by John Riccitiello, is IP Cubed: Create, Sequel, Extend. Morris is focused on the "extend" part of that equation and started going over the publisher's attempts to break onto the big screen. To get into movies, EA allied itself with people that knew how to make movies better than EA did. The publisher has an exclusive deal with United Talent Agency to set up motion picture deals for a variety of its key properties. Morris said the good news is that with UTA and the original IP EA owns, the publisher has been able to land a few deals, specifically Dante's Inferno, Dead Space, Spore, and Army of Two. Morris said EA is hands-on with all of those projects because the worst thing for the company would be for these films to get made--but get made poorly. While Hollywood film production is riddled with pitfalls, EA isn't waiting for those projects to get made before establishing itself in films. Morris pointed to the Dante's Inferno and Dead Space: Downfall animated features created with Film Roman as efforts to push their brands into different aisles of the local department store while the company waits for its Hollywood projects to come together. The company is also planning to release further animated projects to tide fans over and "act as the glue" between major releases of a series. Swanson discussed Ubisoft's recent experiments with short films, saying the publisher wants to keep control of its own IP but also learn about the process of filmmaking in the process. The effort started in 2008, when Ubisoft purchased Montreal-based Hybride Technologies to collaborate with its game makers on new projects. The first product of that union was Assassin's Creed: Lineage, an episodic series of short films created to promote Assassin's Creed II (the full film was also aired on Spike TV around the game's launch). The next step for Ubisoft is to bring in some filmmaking talent, Swanson said. The upcoming Ghost Recon: Future Soldier short film will be the test for that, as the company has Oscar-winning short film directors Francois Alaux and Herve de Crecy helming the 30-minute film. Ubisoft has also teamed with Ridley Scott's Little Minx to produce the project. The Future Soldier project will set the stage for the game, which is scheduled for a fall release. A trailer for the short showed Ghost Recon troops equipped with an abundance of high-tech toys, including remote-controlled mobile artillery pieces, shoulder-mounted rocket launchers, and light-bending active camouflage equipment. For his part of the presentation, O'Connor shared some of the lessons Microsoft has picked up after a decade of working on the Halo franchise. He said the most important thing for any franchise in any medium is that, "You have to own your own universe." He said Call of Duty is a bigger franchise than Halo at this point, but Activision doesn't "own" the universe. A Hummer appearing in anything Call of Duty would still need to be licensed, and there's no monopoly on historical events. Once a company has its own universe, O'Connor said it needs to understand that universe, as well as the audience for it. Nothing can stay the same forever, but knowing what the heart of the universe is and why people like it helps shape good decisions about what to change. O'Connor said that Microsoft has a long-term plan for the Halo franchise, but it has changed over time. While O'Connor said an opportunistic strategy is bad, it behooves a publisher to dabble in areas where it isn't an expert as it can pay dividends. In particular, O'Connor said Halo toys and pajamas turned out better than expected. At the same time, O'Connor stressed that "You have to do what's right for your franchise." Microsoft approved a version of the board game Risk for Halo Wars because the basic gameplay of Risk could be fairly easily mapped to the Halo universe. However, the company passed on Halo Monopoly because it just didn't make sense with the license. Another hurdle to clear is the ESRB age gate. Since the ratings board mandates that M-rated games not be marketed to children, O'Connor said Microsoft has to be very careful about what ancillary products it tries to sell and how it tries to sell it. Quote: "It's not the same as the video game industry in any way. They are not necessarily about selling things."--O'Connor, on the lessons learned from dabbling in the film industry with Halo Legends. Takeaway: Gaming is still at the tip of the iceberg as an entertainment medium. Examples of massive entertainment brands that sprung from games may be limited today (Pokemon, for instance) but should be significantly more common in the future. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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