Free Mass Effect 3 DLC out next week
Multiplayer-themed Resurgence Pack dropping Tuesday for most players; brings new weapons, characters, and maps to spacefaring RPG.
Mass Effect 3 will get some free downloadable content next week, developer BioWareannounced today. Dubbed the Resurgence Pack, the multiplayer DLC brings new weapons, characters, and maps to all versions of the spacefaring role-playing game.
Due out on April 10 (April 11 for European PlayStation 3 users), the Resurgence Pack brings new characters Asari Justicar Adept, Krogan Battlemaster Vanguard, Geth Infiltrator, Geth Engineer, and Bataria Soldier and Sentinel to Mass Effect 3. On top of the new characters, the DLC adds new maps called Firebase Condor and Firebase Hydra.
Lastly, the Resurgence Pack brings new weapons to Mass Effect 3. The new death machines available next week will be the Striker Assault Rifle, the Kishock Harpoon Gun, and the Geth Plasma SMG. For more on all the items within the Resurgence Pack, check out BioWare's FAQ.
The Resurgence Pack won't be the only free DLC headed to Mass Effect 3. Yesterday, BioWare announced that it would address fans' concerns regarding the Mass Effect 3 endgame with new content called Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, which is slated to arrive sometime this summer.
For more on Mass Effect 3, check out GameSpot's review.
Free Mass Effect 3 DLC out next week
Multiplayer-themed Resurgence Pack dropping Tuesday for most players; brings new weapons, characters, and maps to spacefaring RPG.
Mass Effect 3 will get some free downloadable content next week, developer BioWareannounced today. Dubbed the Resurgence Pack, the multiplayer DLC brings new weapons, characters, and maps to all versions of the spacefaring role-playing game.
Due out on April 10 (April 11 for European PlayStation 3 users), the Resurgence Pack brings new characters Asari Justicar Adept, Krogan Battlemaster Vanguard, Geth Infiltrator, Geth Engineer, and Bataria Soldier and Sentinel to Mass Effect 3. On top of the new characters, the DLC adds new maps called Firebase Condor and Firebase Hydra.
Lastly, the Resurgence Pack brings new weapons to Mass Effect 3. The new death machines available next week will be the Striker Assault Rifle, the Kishock Harpoon Gun, and the Geth Plasma SMG. For more on all the items within the Resurgence Pack, check out BioWare's FAQ.
The Resurgence Pack won't be the only free DLC headed to Mass Effect 3. Yesterday, BioWare announced that it would address fans' concerns regarding the Mass Effect 3 endgame with new content called Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, which is slated to arrive sometime this summer.
For more on Mass Effect 3, check out GameSpot's review.
Ms. Splosion Man coming to PC, mobile
Twisted Pixel's downloadable 2D platformer headed to Steam, Games for Windows Live, Windows Phone 7, iPhone, and iPad this summer.
Ms. Splosion Man is breaking out of her Xbox Live exclusivity. Developer Twisted Pixel announced that the fast-paced downloadable platformer is headed to PC and mobile devices this summer.
More specifically, PC versions of Ms. Splosion Man will arrive on Steam and Games for Windows Live, and mobile iterations are heading to Microsoft's Windows Phone 7, as well as Apple's iPhone and iPad. Twisted Pixel tapped outside developers Iron Galaxy, Fire Hose, and Panic Button to develop the various new versions of the game.
The PC version of Ms. Splosion Man will include 50 single-player levels, 50 co-op levels (playable for up to four players locally or online), ghost replays, achievements, and unlockables. Additionally, the iPhone and iPad iterations are being built specifically for the devices with various "all-new features."
Ms. Splosion Man arrived on the Xbox Live Arcade last summer to a warm critical reception. It is the follow-up to 2009's Splosion Man, and gamers at PAX East this weekend in Boston, Massachusetts, can try out the new versions at Twisted Pixel's booth.
Max Payne Mobile heading to iOS, Android
Rockstar Games bringing the "full classic" Max Payne game to iOS next week, with Android release slated for April 26; price TBA.
Max Payne has his sights set on mobile devices. Rockstar Games today announcedMax Payne Mobile, slating the game to arrive first on iOS devices on April 12, with an Android version being released on April 26.
Described by Rockstar as "the full classic Max Payne experience," Max Payne Mobile has been updated for iOS and Android devices with high-definition graphics, new textures, operability with the company's Social Club, and customizable controls.
Max Payne Mobile for iOS will run on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 4, iPad 1, iPad 2, and the new iPad. Rockstar will release a list of supported Android devices at a later date. A price for Max Payne Mobile was not announced.
This is not the first time Rockstar has brought one of its major franchises to mobile devices. Last fall, the company released Grand Theft Auto III for iOS and Android machines.
The next console installment in the franchise--Max Payne 3--is slated to arrive for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in North America on May 15, with a European release slated for May 18. A PC version will follow on May 29 in North America and June 1 in Europe.
Shadowrun Returns hits Kickstarter goal
Jordan Weisman and Harebrained Schemes' PC and tablet game surpasses original $400,000 target in just 28 hours, taking in over $550,000.
Shadowrun Returns is the latest Kickstarter project to hit its goal. In just 28 hours, the crowdfunded campaign for the PC and tablet game from Jordan Weisman surpassed its $400,000 target, taking in over $550,000 from more than 12,000 backers, as of press time.
To be developed by Harebrained Schemes, the game will continue taking donations until April 29. Now that the game's goal has been met, the excess funds will be put toward a Mac version of the game, multiple translations, and additional game content.
As for the game itself, Shadowrun Returns will be a single-player 2D turn-based role-playing title. Harebrained Schemes is also promising an interactive story, with narrative work provided by a host of experienced Shadowrun authors and designers.
Other recent Kickstarter projects hitting their funding goals include Tim Schafer's Double Fine Adventure and Inxile's Wasteland 2. New campaigns launched just this week include Jane Jensen's Pinkerton Road and Al Lowe's push to remake the originalLeisure Suit Larry.
Free Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut coming this summer
[UPDATE] DLC pack for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC expands space-bound RPG's endgame through "cinematic sequences and epilogue scenes"; BioWare has no plans to change ending.
Fans cried out, and BioWare listened. Today, the company announced Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, a free download that will offer gamers "deeper insights into how their personal journey concludes."
Due out this summer for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, the Extended Cut for the sci-fi role-playing game will expand on the endgame with "cinematic sequences and epilogue scenes." Specifics were not mentioned.
BioWare cofounder Ray Muzyka said, "With the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut we think we have struck a good balance in delivering the answers players are looking for while maintaining the team's artistic vision for the end of this story arc in the Mass Effect universe."
According to executive producer Casey Hudson, postlaunch development initiatives for Mass Effect 3 have been "reprioritized" as a result of Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut.
[UPDATE] In an update to BioWare's website, the company said it has no plans to offer new or additional endings for Mass Effect 3. Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut will provide only greater context, according to BioWare.
"BioWare strongly believes in the team's artistic vision for the end of this arc of the Mass Effect franchise," reads a line from the statement. "The extended cut DLC will expand on the existing endings, but no further ending DLC is planned."
"Though we remain committed and are proud of the artistic choices we made in the main game, we are aware that there are some fans who would like more closure to Mass Effect 3. The goal of the DLC is not to provide a new ending to the game, rather to offer fans additional context and answers to the end of Commander Shepard's story."
Gamers have until April 12, 2014, to claim Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut. The move comes after BioWare said last month that it planned to revisit the Mass Effect 3 endingand offer gamers new content.
India-set Assassin's Creed on Ubisoft's radar
ACIII creative director says he would "love" to make a franchise entry set in the Raj; World War II, feudal Japan, and Egypt the "worst settings."
Assassin's Creed III is set in Colonial America, and a future installment in the series could have gamers slitting throats in Colonial India. Speaking to the Official Xbox Magazine, Assassin's Creed III creative director Alex Hutchinson said Ubisoft is excited about the prospect of bringing the franchise to that country.
"[Assassin's Creed III writer Corey May] really wants to do India," he said. "I would, too. I'd really love to do the Raj."
Elsewhere in the interview, Hutchinson said the three most-asked-for Assassin's Creed settings are World War II, feudal Japan, and Egypt. It's unlikely a future franchise entry will take place in these settings, as the developer said, "They're kind of the worst settings for an Assassin's Creed game."
Hutchinson did not specifically explain why those settings would not suit an Assassin's Creed game, but he did say, "People on the Internet suggest the most boring settings."
Assassin's Creed III is due out in North America for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and Wii U on October 30. A European launch will follow on Halloween. For more on the title, check out GameSpot's latest coverage.
Fallout free on GOG.com
Digital distribution storefront offering complimentary DRM-free copies of original postapocalyptic RPG for 48 hours.
GOG.com has overhauled its website, and the digital distribution storefront is serious about getting people to check out the changes. To that end, the outfit is giving away copies of the original Fallout PC role-playing game for 48 hours.
Gamers worldwide will be able to download the game for free from GOG.com before 11:59 p.m. GMT on April 8. Like its sequel and the Fallout Tactics spin-off, the original Fallout ordinarily sells for $6 on the service. Like all of the company's offerings, it includes no form of digital rights management (DRM).
Last month, GOG.com changed its name from Good Old Games to reflect the fact that it has started adding more recent titles from frontline publishers as well as modern indie games to its catalog. The new approach kicked off last month with a site overhaul incorporating new social features and the addition of indie games Trine and The Whispered World. Today, the store added Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut and a Heroes of Might & Magic V bundle to its lineup of DRM-free games.
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier beta begins April 19
Test run of new shooter's multiplayer mode runs until May 2, open to PS Plus subscribers, some preorders, and Xbox 360 Splinter Cell Conviction owners.
More than two years ago, gamers who bought the Xbox 360 version of Splinter Cell Conviction were promised entry to the beta period of Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. Ubisoft is finally ready to make good on that promise, as the publisher today announced that the Future Soldier beta will run from April 19 through May 2 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Those who don't have a copy of Splinter Cell Conviction handy will still be able to participate either by preordering the Xbox 360 version of Future Soldier from GameStop or subscribing to PlayStation Plus. The beta will feature matches on two maps, in two different modes, and for up to 12 players. It will also give players the chance to try out the game's three classes to see which suits their preferred play style.
Beyond the beta, Ubisoft detailed the Ghost Recon Network, a new service for mobile devices and Web browsers that will let players tinker with the game while on the go. The service will let players customize weapons and share them with the community, view heatmaps of levels, track leaderboard performance of themselves and their friends, and earn unlocks for Future Soldier. Ubisoft said the Ghost Recon Network "will support all Ghost Recon titles moving forward."
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is set for a May 22 release on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with a PC release following on June 12. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.
EA dismisses concerns of pro-family, anti-gay groups
Publisher says letter-writing campaign in wake of Star Wars: The Old Republic, Mass Effect 3 launches "isn't about protecting children, it's about political harassment."
Electronic Arts may have yielded to complaints over the ending to BioWare's Mass Effect 3, but the publisher is standing fast against the uproar from other groups over the potential for gay characters in the studio's latest titles.
EA VP of corporate communications Jeff Brown confirmed for GamesIndustry International that the publisher has received thousands of letters and e-mails from people angry about the inclusion of gay romance options in Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic. The letters suggested that EA had been pressured by pro-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) groups to include the options and that dissenting opinions were being silenced in the publisher's forums. Brown denied the former accusation and responded to the latter by saying EA doesn't tolerate hate speech in its forums.
"Every one of EA's games includes ESRB content descriptors so it's hard to believe anyone is surprised by the content," Brown told the site. "This isn't about protecting children, it's about political harassment."
Both the Family Research Council and Florida Family Association took aim specifically at Star Wars: The Old Republic in recent months. The FRC decried children being exposed to a "Star Warped way of thinking," while the FFA lamented that children "who never thought any way but heterosexual" would be exposed to LGBT options, and even those who didn't take those options "would be forced to deal with" the LGBT characters of other players.
New Fable novels, digital shorts inbound
Warcraft, Starcraft author Christie Golden penning Fable: At the Edge of the World for this August; digital shorts handled by Fable writer.
The departure of Peter Molyneux from Lionhead Studios has not impacted the flow of Fable products. Fable: The Journey and Fable: Heroes will be released later this year supported by two new novels and three digital shorts, Lionhead Studios and Random House announced today.
The first novel, Fable: At the Edge of the World, is due out this August. Written by Christie Golden (World of Warcraft: The Shattering, StarCraft: Firstborn), the book will bridge the events of Fable III and Fable: The Journey.
Outside of acknowledging the existence of a second new Fable novel, Random House did not share further information about it.
Additionally, three Fable digital shorts are planned for release beginning this May. Written by Peter David (Fable: The Balverine Order), the shorts will focus on "key" characters from the Fable franchise and will be available on e-readers.
Digital shorts Fable: Reaver and Fable: Jack of Blades will arrive in May, with Fable: Theresa launching a month later. Further details will be revealed at a later date, according to Random House.
On top of the new novels and digital shorts, a Fable: The Journey Prima strategy guide and a Fable world bible are in the works. The world bible will include content from all previously released Fable games.
For more on the two upcoming games in the series, check out GameSpot's latest coverage of Fable: The Journey and Fable: Heroes.
Skyrim killcam update going live today
Bethesda releases Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 1.5 update on Xbox Live with new killcam for ranged weapons; expected to hit PlayStation 3 later today.
Console versions of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will be updated to version 1.5 today, Bethesda has announced. The update--which brings a killcam for projectile weapons and spells--is now live for the Xbox 360 and is expected to arrive for the PlayStation 3 later today.
On top of the new killcam feature, the update brings new kill moves and animations for melee weapons, general crash fixes and optimizations, and an "improved" visual transition when going underwater.
For the full list of tweaks included with the update, check out Bethesda's blog. The patch hit the PC version of Skyrim in late March.
Bethesda also parsed new user statistics for Skyrim today, saying the average player (across all systems) has logged 85 hours in the game. On top of this, the company said 30 percent of gamers have played more than 100 hours.
Skyrim is the latest project from Bethesda Game Studios. It shipped in November to aglowing critical reception and went on to move 10 million units.
Kingdom Hearts 3D arrives July 31
Though Kingdom Hearts 3 is nowhere to be seen, Square Enix today dated new franchise entry Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance for July 31. Previously, the game was expected to ship on an unknown date in 2012.
The game will once again combine a cast of Disney standards like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck with original Square Enix characters. Described as "the opening chapter of the final conflict" for the series' current storyline, Kingdom Hearts 3D follows Sora and Riku through a Mark of Mastery exam required to become Keyblade Masters.
The game shipped in Japan last week and sold213,579 units in that region.
On top of announcing a release date for Kingdom Hearts 3D, Square Enix also today dated rhythm game spin-off Theatrhythm Final Fantasy for July 3. Gamers in Boston, Massachusetts, this weekend for PAX East 2012 can play the 3DS title at Square Enix's booth on the show floor.
Warhammer 40K MMO no longer an MMO
THQ revamping Dark Millennium to focus on immersive single-player and online multiplayer; 118 employees at Relic and Vigil studios being laid off as a result.
THQ's long-awaited Warhammer 40,000 massively multiplayer online game is no longer going to be massively multiplayer, as the publisher today announced a genre shift to turn Dark Millennium into a single-player game with some online multiplayer features.
"As previously announced, we have been actively looking for a business partner for the game as an MMO," THQ CEO Brian Farrell said in a statement. "However, based on changing market dynamics and the additional investment required to complete the game as an MMO, we believe the right direction for us is to shift the title from an MMO to a premium experience with single and multiplayer gameplay, robust digital content and community features."
The change in focus will cost scores of THQ employees their jobs. The publisher said it is cutting 79 workers from the Austin, Texas-based Vigil Games and another 39 from Vancouver, British Columbia-based Relic Entertainment.
THQ said a release window for the project would be announced at a later date. For more on the game Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium was originally intended to be, check outGameSpot's previous coverage.
Journey is fastest-selling PSN game ever
PlayStation 3-exclusive adventure game from Thatgamecompany breaks sales records on Sony's virtual storefront; soundtrack arriving on April 10.
Adventure game Journey--which was released on March 13--is the PlayStation Network's fastest-selling game of all time, Thatgamecompany creative director Jenova Chen announced today on the PlayStation Blog.
Specific sales figures for the game were not revealed, and as of press time, Sony had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.
Additionally, Chen announced today that Journey's soundtrack--composed by Austin Wintory (Grace,Captain Abu Raed)--will arrive on the PlayStation Store and iTunes on April 10. The soundtrack will also see a "limited" release on CD.
Today's announcement follows word from earlier this morning concerning Thatgamecompany president and co-founder Kellee Santiago'sdeparture from the company. Other "key" staffers are also believed to be on their way out of the studio as the company goes through "big changes."
No word has been offered concerning the next project from Thatgamecompany, but a studio job listing indicates a new project at the outfit will feature a "full-scale online service" capable of supporting hundreds of thousands of users.
Assassin's Creed III setting Ubisoft preorder records
Third full installment in stealth action franchise has already topped Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood's preorder total, will see publisher's biggest ever marketing push.
The hype for Assassin's Creed III is reaching unprecedented levels for Ubisoft. The publisher today said that in the three weeks since the game's preorder campaign kicked off, it has already exceeded the total US preorder numbers of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and has topped 10 times the preorders Assassin's Creed: Revelations attracted in a comparable time frame. (Preordering customers will receive special steelbook packaging for the game adorned with art by Alex Ross.)
By the time the Electronic Entertainment Expo rolls around in June, Ubisoft expects Assassin's Creed III to have dethroned Revelations as the most preordered game in company history (US only). That would leave the game plenty of time to cushion its status, as Assassin's Creed III isn't set to launch until October 30 in North America.
Preorders aren't the only Ubisoft records Assassin's Creed III will set. In a statement accompanying the news, Ubisoft's senior vice president of sales and marketing, Tony Key, said the game would enjoy the biggest marketing commitment in company history. He also called Assassin's Creed III the largest launch in the publisher's history and noted it will have been in development for three years.
Set during the American Revolution, Assassin's Creed III features a new protagonist with a mixed Native American-English heritage. Named Ratohnhake:ton but going by Connor, the hero of Assassin's Creed III will inject himself into the ongoing struggle between the Templars and the Assassins. The game is being built by Ubisoft Montreal and six collaborating studios on a new engine called Ubisoft-AnvilNext.
Developers treated abysmally by publishers - Wasteland creator
Music giant says Terminal Reality and 4mm Games failed to obtain rights for 54 songs and sounds that were included in 2010 karaoke game.
Def Jam Rapstar may be harboring unlicensed songs. Music giant EMI is suing Def Jam Rapstar developers Terminal Reality and 4mm Games for at least $8 million for failing to obtain the rights to many of its songs, according to New York federal court documents obtained by the Hollywood Reporter.
EMI is proceeding against the developers over 54 songs and sounds it says were infringed upon. The music label is demanding damages of $150,000 per work, for a total of over $8 million. On top of this, EMI is seeking an unspecified share of Def Jam Rapstar's net profits.
EMI is asserting "part ownership" of the supposedly infringed songs and beats. For example, EMI claims 10 percent ownership of DJ Khaled's "I'm So Hood," 16 percent ownership in Mims' "This Is Why I'm Hot," and 30 percent ownership of Lil Wayne's "Got Money."
The fractional values are a result of the songs having multiple contributors and underlying samples, according to the report.
The music label also said some of the sound recordings it owns were infringed upon by Def Jam Rapstar, including Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger." The beat in this song was used by Kanye West--who is signed to an EMI label--in his popular song "Power."
EMI reportedly contacted Terminal Reality and 4mm Games concerning the matter, but its requests went unanswered. GameSpot contacted Terminal Reality for comment, but as of press time, the company had not responded. Attempts to contact 4mm were unsuccessful.
Skyrim suited for free-to-play, says ex-Battlefield dev
Former Battlefield Heroes manager says Bethesda RPG's systems translate well to microtransaction business model, is "100 percent confident" such a game will launch in coming years.
A free-to-play equivalent of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will ship in the next few years, former Battlefield Heroes and Battlefield Play4Free manager Ben Cousins said this week. Speaking at the Free-2-Play Summit in London (via Gamesindustry.biz), Cousins said the game systems of Skyrim would translate well to a free-to-play offering.
"I am totally 100 percent confident--I will bet large amounts of money--that we will have, in the next few years, a free-to-play equivalent of Skyrim," Cousins said. "A game like Skyrim, where you accrue skills and equipment over time, that you can play for hundreds of hours, is actually one of the easiest games to develop for a free-to-play model. That would be a big hit."
Cousins--who now heads up mobile game shop Ngmoco in Sweden--elaborated further, saying that almost all new games will sport free-to-play business models in the time ahead.
"In the future I believe free-to-play will be the way that nearly everyone plays games," he said. "It will be nearly every genre, and it will be nearly every platform."
The free-to-play market has proven attractive for a number of studios. Earlier this week, Syndicate developer Starbreeze revealed a new free-to-play project. Additionally, Guerrilla Games made the multiplayer component of Killzone 3 free, and the newMicrosoft Flight is also available without an up-front purchase.
Street Fighter producer stepping down
The Street Fighter franchise will be without one of its lead producers for some time. Writing on Twitter, Yoshinori Ono said he is temporarily stepping away from his post to recover from an unspecified illness.
"I'll refrain from work for current job for a while," he said. "Another person in charge of [Street Fighter] series for a while." Ono added that he will give "constant support" to the franchise.
Street Fighter X Tekken shipped for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 6, and Ono said the development team is "working wholeheartedly" on patches for the game.
On the eve of the game's launch, Capcom admitted that the 12 "downloadable" charactersannounced as PlayStation Vita exclusives were actually on the discs of the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC versions of the game. These fighters will be sold for $20 (1,600 MS points) sometime after the PS Vita version launches this fall.
For more on the title, check out GameSpot's interview with Ono, embedded below.
A free-to-play equivalent of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will ship in the next few years, former Battlefield Heroes and Battlefield Play4Free manager Ben Cousins said this week. Speaking at the Free-2-Play Summit in London (via Gamesindustry.biz), Cousins said the game systems of Skyrim would translate well to a free-to-play offering.
"I am totally 100 percent confident--I will bet large amounts of money--that we will have, in the next few years, a free-to-play equivalent of Skyrim," Cousins said. "A game like Skyrim, where you accrue skills and equipment over time, that you can play for hundreds of hours, is actually one of the easiest games to develop for a free-to-play model. That would be a big hit."
Cousins--who now heads up mobile game shop Ngmoco in Sweden--elaborated further, saying that almost all new games will sport free-to-play business models in the time ahead.
"In the future I believe free-to-play will be the way that nearly everyone plays games," he said. "It will be nearly every genre, and it will be nearly every platform."
The free-to-play market has proven attractive for a number of studios. Earlier this week, Syndicate developer Starbreeze revealed a new free-to-play project. Additionally, Guerrilla Games made the multiplayer component of Killzone 3 free, and the newMicrosoft Flight is also available without an up-front purchase.
Street Fighter producer stepping down
The Street Fighter franchise will be without one of its lead producers for some time. Writing on Twitter, Yoshinori Ono said he is temporarily stepping away from his post to recover from an unspecified illness.
"I'll refrain from work for current job for a while," he said. "Another person in charge of [Street Fighter] series for a while." Ono added that he will give "constant support" to the franchise.
Street Fighter X Tekken shipped for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 6, and Ono said the development team is "working wholeheartedly" on patches for the game.
On the eve of the game's launch, Capcom admitted that the 12 "downloadable" charactersannounced as PlayStation Vita exclusives were actually on the discs of the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC versions of the game. These fighters will be sold for $20 (1,600 MS points) sometime after the PS Vita version launches this fall.
For more on the title, check out GameSpot's interview with Ono, embedded below.
Big in Japan March 19-25: Kid Icarus: Uprising
Long-awaited Nintendo title flies high above new Yakuza and Pokemon title; 3DS experiences sales surge.
Angels were indeed smiling upon Nintendo in terms of sales numbers. The recent Media Create update showed that the recently out 3DS title Kid Icarus: Uprising occupied the top spot of the sales chart for the week of March 19 to March 25. For more information, check out GameSpot's review of the title.
Nintendo's action title beat out the debut of Sega's Yakuza: Black Panther 2 (Kurohyo 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Asyura hen) for the PSP, which was at second place with 104,937 units sold. The game's primary focus is on combat rather than narrative, as the game features two-on-two team battles and battle royal fights.
Other new highlights for the week include the Devil May Cry HD collection, Ninja Gaiden 3, and Mugen Souls. Capcom's action collection was at fourth place with 43,791 units sold, while the third Ninja Gaiden title was just below with 29,797 units sold.
Compile Heart's RPG, Mugen Souls, was at sixth place with 23,004 units sold. The RPG features a minion-recruiting system, an option to change the main character's persona to accommodate the situation, and a combination tag team attack system. The game also had a bizarre marketing campaign featuring a developer claiming to be the "next Keiji Inafune."
Due to the sales of Kid Icarus: Uprising, 3DS sales went up from 64,017 on the week of March 12-18 to 94,011 for March 19. The PS3 was just below, with 25,750 units sold for the week, while the PSP trailed close behind with 19,875 units. The PS Vita barely dropped to the four-digit mark with 10,302 units sold.
TOP JAPAN GAME SALES FOR MARCH 19-25
Software
Rank/Title/Publisher/Platform/Unit sales
1. Kid Icarus: Uprising / Nintendo / 3DS / 132,526
2. Yakuza: Black Panther 2 / Sega / PSP / 104,937
3. Pokemon + Nobunaga no Yabou / Pokemon Company, Nintendo / DS / 65,046
4. Devil May Cry HD Collection / Capcom / PS3 / 43,791
5. Ninja Gaiden 3 / Tecmo Koei / PS3 / 29,797
6. Mugen Souls / Compile Heart / PS3 / 23,004
7. Monster Hunter 3G / Capcom / 3DS / 22,402
8. Mario Kart 7 / Nintendo / 3DS / 20,890
9. Super Mario 3D Land / Nintendo / 3DS / 20,305
10. Shining Blade / Sega / PSP / 19,032
Rank/Title/Publisher/Platform/Unit sales
1. Kid Icarus: Uprising / Nintendo / 3DS / 132,526
2. Yakuza: Black Panther 2 / Sega / PSP / 104,937
3. Pokemon + Nobunaga no Yabou / Pokemon Company, Nintendo / DS / 65,046
4. Devil May Cry HD Collection / Capcom / PS3 / 43,791
5. Ninja Gaiden 3 / Tecmo Koei / PS3 / 29,797
6. Mugen Souls / Compile Heart / PS3 / 23,004
7. Monster Hunter 3G / Capcom / 3DS / 22,402
8. Mario Kart 7 / Nintendo / 3DS / 20,890
9. Super Mario 3D Land / Nintendo / 3DS / 20,305
10. Shining Blade / Sega / PSP / 19,032
Hardware
3DS - 94,011
PS3 - 25,750
PSP - 19,875
PS Vita - 10,302
Wii - 9,270
PS2 - 1,333
Xbox 360 - 1,084
DSi XL - 1,058
DSi - 778
3DS - 94,011
PS3 - 25,750
PSP - 19,875
PS Vita - 10,302
Wii - 9,270
PS2 - 1,333
Xbox 360 - 1,084
DSi XL - 1,058
DSi - 778
Journey studio losing key staffers - Report
Co-founder Kellee Santiago leaves Thatgamecompany after six years, others also believed to be on their way out as "big changes" in the works.
Journey, Flower, and Flow studio Thatgamecompany is embarking on a new adventure without co-founder and president Kellee Santiago and possibly other important personnel, according to a Gamasutra report.
The site says "big changes" are in the works at the Santa Monica, California-based developer. Further details were not offered.
Santiago co-founded Thatgamecompany six years ago with creative director Jenova Chen, whom she worked with at the University of Southern California on the experimental game Cloud. She did not elaborate further on her colleagues' prospective plans but indicated that announcements were "likely."
Explaining her own departure from Thatgamecompany, Santiago said, "So much of my work at Thatgamecompany was really supporting Jenova's visions for the types of games he wanted to make, and I felt like I have done everything I needed to do there."
Santiago said her departure from the studio was amicable. She did not elaborate on where she is headed, saying only that she wants to press forward.
"My hope is that I can take what I've learned and use it to support more teams, more projects…and really, hopefully, help in accelerating the growth of video games as a medium," she says
In a company statement, Chen said, "After the hard struggle behind Flow, Flower and Journey, we've finally reached our goal. Awaiting at the mountaintop are new enlightenments and new sets of milestones for our life."
There have been some hints about what's next for Thatgamecompany. A studio job listingspotted last month indicates the studio is building a "full-scale online service," which will accommodate hundreds of thousands of users.
The studio's latest game, Journey, shipped earlier this month for the PlayStation 3 to rapt reviews.
Infinity Ward's face of Call of Duty steps down
Robert Bowling resigns from role as creative strategist for first-person shooter developer, leaves Activision entirely.
One of the names most closely associated with the Call of Duty franchise has stepped away from Activision, as Robert Bowling today announced on his Twitter account that he is resigning from his role as creative strategist for the series.
"Today, I resign from my position as Creative Strategist of Call of Duty, as a lead of Infinity Ward, and as an employee of Activision," Bowling wrote.
As of press time, Bowling had not returned a request for comment on the reasons for his departure or what he plans to do next. The split appears to be amicable, however, judging by a post on the Twitter account of his now-former employer, Infinity Ward.
"We wish Robert all the best. Thanks for everything," the studio posted on its account. As for who will fill Bowling's shoes, the Infinity Ward Twitter post merely suggested that interested gamers follow @infinityward for future updates on the Modern Warfare series and all matters related to the studio.
Bowling had been with Infinity Ward since 2006 and previously served as the studio's community relations manager.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City dev calls reception 'challenging'
Slant Six Games says it would have enjoyed receiving higher marks for third-person shooter, but noted it accomplished what Capcom asked for.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City shipped last week to low review scores across the board, and now its developer has responded. Studio producer Mike Kerr toldEurogamer recently that the critical response to the company's third-person shooter has been difficult.
"It's challenging. A lot of people put a lot of time and effort into the game and obviously we'd like to see the review scores be a little better than they are right now," he said. "In the end, I think our position on it is that we read every review and we try to pull out all the constructive feedback that we can so we can learn a little about what people liked and what they didn't."
In regards to expectations set by Capcom for Operation Raccoon City, Kerr said the Canadian developer was successful in creating the first third-person squad-based shooter in the history of the Resident Evil franchise.
"Then we look to what our internal goals were and what Capcom asked us to do and I think we accomplished what they wanted to do--we took the Resident Evil franchise in a different direction."
GameSpot has reached out to Slant Six for comment, but as of press time, the company had not responded.
The PC version of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is due out on May 18, and Slant Six just last week revealed a new mystery project, Strata Scavenger. For more on Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, check out GameSpot's review.
Good Old Games shifts focus, adds recent titles
Online storefront executives explain site's new approach, fighting piracy but not treating players like pirates, and getting publishers to embrace DRM-free gaming.
After years of specializing in downloadable retro releases, Good Old Games is changing its name and focus. Tomorrow at 9 a.m. GMT, the CD Projekt-owned digital storefront is changing its name to simply GOG.com and will start offering brand-new indie games, as well as recent frontline titles from larger publishers' catalogs about one to three years after their debut.
The new approach kicks off this week with a site overhaul incorporating new social features and the addition of indie games Trine and The Whispered World to the GOG catalog. Other new indies on the way include Machinarium, Darwinia, and Spacechem. Like all games on the services, the new additions will be available for the same price worldwide and will not include any manner of digital rights management.
To mark the change, GOG managing director Guillaume Rambourg and CD Projekt co-founder Marcin Iwinski fielded a handful of GameSpot questions about what this change means for existing customers and the site's well-established stance against DRM. Over the course of the interview, Rambourg and Iwinski touched on a number of topics, from the downside of promotions like Humble Indie Bundles and Steam sales to changing publisher attitudes toward DRM. The pair also waded into the piracy debate, stressing that publishers could do a lot to counteract the practice by treating players to good value propositions instead of treating them like criminals.
GameSpot: The last time GOG.com went through an overhaul, you took the site down and let customers think you'd gone out of business as a way to drum up attention. Did that get the reaction you wanted? Why go the more conventional announcement route this time?
Guillaume Rambourg: I was expecting this question.
Well, first of all, please let me stress again that it was anything but a pleasure for us to take the website down back in September 2010, when GOG.com left its beta phase to go live. We had to take it down to apply several major changes to our infrastructure in order to deploy our new code, 98 percent of which was rewritten from scratch as the original (rusty) code dated back to 2007! The "old" version of the website was victim of its own success and could not cope with our fast-growing traffic. It was time for a deep and solid upgrade, as well as releasing new features.
We decided to pretend for three days that GOG.com was about to pass away so that gamers and the industry would think (hopefully, with fear!) of a world where all games would be powered with DRMs and a software client, a world where 1 dollar would be the equivalent of 1 euro, a world where you just have to buy and shut up. Scary, huh?
Our action was very risky and obviously caused a lot of stir, but all in all, I think we have succeeded in developing the public awareness about these important matters. For example, we witnessed that a huge majority of our users realized they could back up locally the games they purchase on GOG (a feature we probably did not communicate well enough about in the past), so that they can always play their favorite titles even if the Internet is down. I believe this brought back confidence to them in our ability to protect them; just like our continued delivery of great releases and fantastic prices brought back confidence in our ability to take care of them. Trust me, this risky action made us very worried, and we have doubled our efforts to satisfy gamers even more since then!
As for today's announcement, who said it would be conventional? Before somebody asks: no, GOG.com will not go down for three days again, simply because we finally have the right infrastructure and code to avoid that! Still, we have prepared a few surprises for the next few days--and beyond--and we believe the PC community should like them very much.
GS: You're going to have DRM-free versions of modern games from big publishers, but only 1 to 3 years after launch. Do gamers hate DRM enough that you think they'll wait that long to play games without it?
Marcin Iwinski: It is not about waiting for such games to be rereleased or hating DRM. There are several reasons why games coming out on GOG.com--even if they're one year old instead of brand new--works well for gamers and publishers alike.
There are hundreds of great games released every year from publishers of every imaginable size. When you have a huge catalog filled with classics, it's very hard to sell an older game without putting in on steep discount; your offering hasn't changed any since you launched it a year ago and there are hundreds of newer games for sale. Why would someone want to buy an older game if you don't take the time to make it special? At GOG.com, they know that even top-selling franchises might not be top-of-mind at the moment, and when they release a game on our service, they take the time to make it special, to give it its day in the sun, and generally showcase the value of the game to our audience.
I believe a huge majority of digital distribution platforms (from Apple's App store to Valve's Steam, and many others) have become gigantic black holes that sign hundreds of titles and run tons of promotional sales. Running so many discounts decreases the perceived value of our entire entertainment media. When you can buy a bundle of fantastic indie games for $1, it's that much harder to convince someone to shell out $10 to try one indie game.
Of course you see a huge number of people buying games when they're on such incredible sale, but how many of them are enjoying the games they buy? Buying a dozen games, if you never play them, means that you're just a cow to be milked by the industry. I don't think this is good for the industry or the gamers who pay our salaries.
"Buying a dozen games, if you never play them, means that you're just a cow to be milked by the industry."--Marcin Iwinski
GS: Will you also be selling DRM-free DLC for these games?
GR: Our plan is not to sell past DLC separately, but rather bundle that content with the main game, so that we can offer a massive package at a good price. Again, our aim is to provide value for money to gamers so that they are happy to buy games from us and therefore never fall on the dark side, by which I mean piracy.
GS: Why would major publishers who obviously believe in DRM sell DRM-free versions of their games?
GR: But they actually already do so! We have over 70 developers and publishers of various size (from A to AAA, like Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, or Activision) who trusted us and whom we distribute over 400 DRM-free PC classics for. It has taken us 3 years of hard work to build up this catalogue and convince rights holders that removing DRM is actually the best way to fight against piracy, a "sector" that managed to succeed where most of the gaming industry failed to perform: providing (illegal) gamers with a simple and fast access to games within a few clicks.
We decided to run a public experiment last year by releasing The Witcher 2 (a much anticipated AAA day-1 title) on GOG.com in our traditional fashion: DRM-free, with a fair pricing policy worldwide and tons of free digital goodies. The outcome? We sold more than 40,000 units so far, which impressed a lot of people in the industry (that was our aim!) and made us the second biggest source of digital revenue for the developers.
The results of that experiment definitely helped us convince a few publishers and indie developers to give us the chance to revive their "not so old" PC titles without DRM; and we will do our very best to prove to them again and again that they were right to trust us!
GS: How will having these DRM-free versions of games impact piracy of them?
MI: Look at it this way: there are three different groups of gamers on the Internet: people who never pirate, people who always pirate, and people who may or may not pirate, depending on a few different factors. What are those factors?
Let me quote an interesting fact from the very interesting Vigilant Defender Piracy Survey from 2011. Sixty percent of people surveyed said they pirated because they didn't perceive the price publishers ask as a fair value for the game. When people don't know if your game is worth it, they'll pirate it instead. Focus on showcasing value for your gamers, though, and the majority of these gamers who aren't sure if your game is worth it will be happy to purchase legally instead of pirating.
GOG.com has always been focusing on value for gamers. They want to tell their gamers that buying games is good and that they'll be treated right if they buy from GOG.com. It is all about providing them with value for money and treating them in a fair and rewarding way.
Here's another fact from that survey: 52 percent of consumers state that DRM actively discourages purchasing. Treat gamers like customers instead of criminals, and you'll go an even longer way towards showing them that your game is worth buying.
"Treat gamers like customers instead of criminals, and you'll go an even longer way towards showing them that your game is worth buying."--Marcin IwinskiThis is the impact that DRM-free games can have on piracy, and if we can convince some frustrated pirates to give GOG's offer a try, even better!
GS: How have publisher attitudes to your DRM-free approach differed from those of the indie community?
GR: Dev studios, small and mid-sized publishers are usually owned and managed by people who are still gamers themselves. Big AAA publishers tend to be run more and more by people who have a strong legal or financial background. This fundamental difference in the way those companies operate is reflected on their respective approaches to DRM.
Smaller studios have historically been much more aware of gamers' expectations and consumers' behaviors than big publishers have. Being gamers themselves, they do know as a fact that the best way to fight against piracy is to convince people to buy them instead of somehow trying to force them to. In this respect, selling games without DRM is a good step to achieve that. Companies such as Frozenbytes, Mojang, Remedy, Paradox or CD Projekt Red have already taken this DRM-free direction in various yet very similar ways.
Big publishers--due to a much bigger headcount and financial stakes involved in the production of AAA blockbusters--have had a historical tendency to manage their DRM policy via Microsoft Excel. As Brian Fargo said recently, "In the beginning of the industry all the nerds were in charge, but then as the industry grew it changed, and now the guys that picked on the nerds got back on top."
What I mean here is that those companies have a pyramidal structure that is way too big and which prevents them from being close to gamers and the latter's expectations. It is easier and faster for a sales or business executive to tick the "DRM" column in Microsoft Excel to secure his own position, rather than trying to convince the Management Board to change (or at least consider changing) their corporate DRM policy. The good news is--as I mentioned earlier in this interview--that more and more big publishers started thinking again about their strong DRM policies, and I am happy to see them asking questions to us about us lately.
GS: Have you noticed any impact on your business from the introduction of EA's Origin or the continued growth of Steam?
GR: We have not noticed any impact for GOG.com, simply because we are not competing against Steam and Origin as such. Historically, 99 percent of our catalogue is made of PC classics, while the aforementioned platforms focus on day-one releases and launches. To make it more clear, we sell copies of Duke Nukem 3D or Baldur's Gate, while they sell copies of Portal 2 or Mass Effect 3. There is no overlap here and we are not competitors as a matter of fact.
Of course, you're also asking if this is changing now that we're offering newer games. Once again, I think the answer is "no." In that case, because our offer deeply differs from the offer of Steam or Valve. All our games will be DRM-free, sold at fair price worldwide (no regional pricing), and with tons of added value (free digital goodies, full customer support, an optional light-speed downloader).
As a matter of fact, I think that GOG.com is more of an alternative than a competitor. There is still no way to fight against Steam, for example, something we knew from the very beginning of GOG. The only way to shine is to offer an alternative model to gamers. Being different is our daily obsession to make us stand out from the rest of the field. We treat our gamers well and this generates good sales numbers, as we proved with The Witcher 2, for which GOG was the best-selling platform, right after Steam.
"There is still no way to fight against Steam, for example, something we knew from the very beginning of GOG."--Guillaume Rambourg
GS: You're going to have uniform pricing worldwide. Does that mean all games will be available in all regions?
MI: GOG.com has always been a truly global service that offers games to all gamers worldwide. The idea that a gamer could not buy a certain title because he or she lives somewhere different than we do is silly. You cannot claim to be a global distribution platform and then decide that you're only "kind of" global, that you will only sell games to some people! That's against GOG.com's founding value of fairness. Just to show you how seriously GOG treats this matter, there are even games that they refused to sign because some users would not be able to purchase them due to banned in-game content in some countries.
GOG.com's games will always be available to everybody worldwide at a fair and unified price. This is one of GOG's pillars and they will gladly and stubbornly stick to it.
GS: Does this mean you'll be adding fewer retro titles to your catalog in the future?
MI: Absolutely not! GOG will still be adding classics on a weekly basis at least. Users have been following this company on its journey for the last three years and a half, and they're expecting that from GOG.com. And they are right to do so!
PC classics are GOG.com's daily bread and butter. They will now just enlarge our family of products by adding some more recent titles (whether indie or from big publishers), and also release some carefully chosen new releases, just like we successfully did with The Witcher 2 last year. Stay tuned!
GS: What are some of the most frequent outstanding requests for additions to your catalog?
GR: Oh, there are still quite a few: Theme Park and Theme Hospital, System Shock 1 & 2, and obviously all the original LucasArts classics from the '90s. We know what our users expect thanks to our telepathic powers (OK, I am lying: we have a community wish list!), and they can be certain that we will never be satisfied ourselves until those titles are finally signed and revived in a GOG fashion.
Angry Birds dev acquires Shattered Horizon studio
Rovio picks up Futuremark Games Studio for undisclosed sum as part of its "rapid expansion" in entertainment, publishing, animation, and retail.
Angry Birds developer Rovio today announced that it had acquired Shattered Horizonand Unstoppable Gorg studio Futuremark Games Studio, a division of benchmarking software firm Futuremark.
Rovio said the buy is part of its "rapid expansion" in entertainment, publishing, animation, and retail. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Futuremark Games Studio is the second company Rovio has picked up in the past year, following Kombo Animation Studio last summer.
Rovio's newest game--Angry Birds Space--blasted off last Thursday and has already been downloaded more than 10 million times. The game has a way to go if it wants to catch up to its 2009 predecessor Angry Birds, which has seen more than 700 million downloads to date.
For more on Angry Birds Space, check out GameSpot's review.
Stripped-down Xbox due in late 2013 - Report
Noted Microsoft blogger says new ARM-powered console will ship late next year and focus on "arcade-style games" and Kinect applications; "true successor" coming sometime after.
Microsoft will have new hardware for gamers next year, but it won't be a next-generation console, according to noted anonymous Microsoft blogger MS Nerd. The information hound wrote on Reddit that Microsoft will ship a stripped-down Xbox in late 2013.
The blogger further posits that the ARM-powered console will focus on "Arcade-style games" and Kinect applications. The technology will be "price-competitive" with Apple TV, which currently retails for $100.
MS Nerd further suggests that the "true successor" to the Xbox 360 will ship sometime after, with the next revision of the Kinect due around 2015.
A Microsoft representative issued GameSpot the following statement:
"Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend its lifecycle like introducing the world to controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention. Beyond that we do not comment on rumors or speculation."
Gamers aren't likely to have official word soon, as Microsoft has previously confirmed that it will not bring new Xbox hardware to the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo in June, with 2012 being "all about Xbox 360."
For more on rumors concerning the Xbox 360 successor, check out GameSpot's rumor roundup feature.
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