General Gaming News and Chitter Chatter

[NOTKyle]

News, stories, rumours and announcements that apply to the industry as a whole or multiple consoles.

DON'T CROWD M'FORUMZ

[bixby]

Batman: Arkham Asylum game announced
http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200808/N08.0812.1226.23309.htm


Game Informer subscribers are in for a real treat this month. We’re proud to bring you the world-exclusive first look at Batman: Arkham Asylum from Rocksteady Studios and Eidos. This completely original title explores Gotham City’s darkest location, the infamous Arkham Asylum. But as a routine prison transfer goes wrong, the Joker sets his demented plan into action and Batman comes face to face with an army of his worst enemies. In a dark and gritty setting reminiscent of Bioshock (with a story co-written by Paul Dini), Arkham Asylum is setting the stage for a true-to-character Batman game. Also in the new issue, readers will find the top 25 games from E3 2008, an in-depth interview with Maxis’ chief designer, Will Wright and much, much more. Stay tuned to Game Informer Online as well because Unlimited readers will get screenshots, interviews and more for our cover story plus other great content on Aug 18.
http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/rdonlyres/659968FA-D3FE-457E-B19F-069D896B204A/16449/gi_cover_batman.jpg
http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/rdonlyres/659968FA-D3FE-457E-B19F-069D896B204A/16450/gi_cover_joker.jpg
Bioshock atmosphere? I like. A lot.

[FlipHKD]

Wow

that looks really awesome.

I need to go get that issue

[Le Goat]

Soooo...who's going to go through the old site and grab some stuff? Don't make me do it and get mod....

[NOTKyle]

What kinda stuff?

[Eradicator30]

Soooo...who's going to go through the old site and grab some stuff? Don't make me do it and get mod....

I'm just planning on starting new threads for everything. The old stuff is there & archived, no reason to bring it over here.

[Le Goat]

I'm just planning on starting new threads for everything. The old stuff is there & archived, no reason to bring it over here.

you mean besides making shit a billion times more easy?

is it so hard to copy/paste the first summary of any new game bumped on the first page?


Fucking lazy as mods

[NOTKyle]

you mean besides making shit a billion times more easy?

is it so hard to copy/paste the first summary of any new game bumped on the first page?


Fucking lazy as mods

Go for it cowboy. You don't need to be a mod to copy and paste.

[Eradicator30]

you mean besides making shit a billion times more easy?

is it so hard to copy/paste the first summary of any new game bumped on the first page?


Fucking lazy as mods

I thought you meant all the trailers & screenshots & old news and such. Yeah, the summary I plan on copying.

[Eradicator30]

I'm done for tonight but will probably do a ton over the next two days after work. But if anyone wants to help out by starting a thread for a game/series they want to talk about be my guest.

[Eradicator30]

ok, I might have a few videos to post, but the startup threads are done(there are some I purposely did not start because they haven't been updated in awhile and I'll just start a new thread when/if some news pops up). If there is some other game you want a thread for/info for, pm/rep me or just start one yourself.

[Eradicator30]

Take-Two to sign with EA

Tuesday 19-Aug-2008 3:20 PM Take-Two has released a statement about EA's continued approaches

(http://www.computerandvideogames.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=77142)
Take-Two says it expects to sign a confidentiality agreement with EA allowing EA to enter into Take-Two's formal process to evaluate strategic alternatives. Which basically means they're about to settle into some sort of talks.

Strauss Zelnick, chairman of Take-Two, said, "We welcome EA into our formal process and look forward to demonstrating to their Board the significant strides made by Take-Two since they last undertook a detailed review of our business in early 2007.

"Our Board remains unwavering in its belief that EA's unsolicited conditional tender offer of $25.74 per share was inadequate and undervalued Take-Two's world-class entertainment franchises and our strong operational and financial performance."

Ben Feder, CEO, added, "We are continuing to consider all alternatives that will maximize value to our stockholders. As part of that commitment, we are engaged in discussions with other parties as part of a formal process to generate greater value and will act quickly to assist EA in moving expeditiously through our process.

"In the meantime, we remain focused on executing on our business goals and creating value for stockholders and consumers of our products."

Has Take-Two caved? Could a deal be on the cards sooner then we thought? Do you care? Thoughts below.

[Le Goat]

If take-two joins EA I'm done with any product of theirs.

[Eradicator30]

FTC gives green-light for EA's Take-Two buyout (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/20/ftc-gives-green-light-for-eas-take-two-buyout/)

by Alexander Sliwinski (http://www.joystiq.com/bloggers/alexander-sliwinski/) Aug 20th 2008 2:45PM

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/08/ftcclearseabuyout.jpg

The Federal Trade Commission has stated that it will not oppose EA's pursuit of Take-Two Interactive. Following an investigation (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/08/ea-wont-make-move-on-take-two-until-after-ftc-probe/), the government agency concluded that no antitrust issue will occur, but left the door open to "take further action as the public interest may require."

This means all systems are go for EA and Take-Two to come to some sort of amicable agreement (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/take-two-confirms-meeting-with-ea-letting-offer-expire-tonight/) over how to bring the companies together. If that doesn't work, EA will probably just go back to throwing money on the table (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/pachter-ea-will-raise-take-two-bid-itll-get-rejected-merger/) until Take-Two is ready admit she can't deny the sugar.

Source (http://www.ftc.gov/os/closings/080818electronicartsclosingwall.pdf) - Closing Letter to one EA attorney
Source (http://www.ftc.gov/os/closings/080818electronicartsclosingbatts.pdf) - Closing Letter to one Take-Two attorney

[Via GamePolitics (http://www.gamepolitics.com/2008/08/20/ftc-okays-ea-t2-merger)]

[Le Goat]

If take-two joins EA I'm done with any product of theirs.

[Le Goat]

anyone else having this problem tonight?

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/chknfaqr/Phone/599553b5.jpg

[Mr. Brown]

If take-two joins EA I'm done with any product of theirs.
Well I've been a business fan of EA but not as a gamer. With Madden 09 I'm hoping that they buy take two but don't impose any pressure and let them do them.

[Eradicator30]

Square Enix Plans To Take Over Tecmo [Updated] (http://kotaku.com/5043307/square-enix-plans-to-take-over-tecmo-%5Bupdated%5D)


Today at 1pm Japan Time, Square Enix will be outlining its plans for a friendly takeover troubled game maker Tecmo. Square Enix's takeover would help the company gain a stronger foothold in the U.S. market with popular Tecmo titles like the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive games. What's more, Tecmo's games will help strengthen Square Enix's current portfolio, which is heavily dependent on RPGs.
This isn't the first time Square Enix has moved in on a beleaguered company. In August 2005, Square Enix acquired Taito and wholly owned the company as a subsidiary by September 2005.
Update: Square Enix has released a statement (after the jump) explaining his Tecmo takeover plan. It includes offering to purchase a controlling interest in Tecmo by purchasing shares in that company at 30 percent premium (¥960 a share compared to yesterday's close price of ¥706 a share). The Tecmo Board of Directors has until September 4 to approve or reject this offer. If rejected, Square states, "We will withdraw our offer."

http://sm5.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=sm5kotaku (http://sm5.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=sm5kotaku)

[Le Goat]

Who didn't see this shit coming after PAX's attendance was announced a few days ago?--

Source: A report on Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5044654/e3-board-in-talks-about-making-show-public) claims that the idea to make E3 open-to-the-public has been "officially brought forward" and is in discussion by the group's board of directors. There was no cited source for the information.
What we heard: With the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit (http://e3.gamespot.com/) occupying just a fraction of the Los Angeles Convention Center, it was hard not to notice how small and devoid of pageantry (http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=26494652) the event was compared to the E3s of yore. Even executives with ESA member companies were getting in on the act (http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=26507941), with EA Sports president Peter Moore saying the show should "go big or go home" and Ubisoft North America president Laurent Detoc comparing the downsized event to "a pipefitters' show in the basement."
Given the turmoil surrounding the show, it's only natural that the ESA would reassess its options, and it has shown a willingness to shake things up with its signature trade show in the past. After all, it was publisher complaints that precipitated the transformation of the once-mighty Electronic Entertainment Expo--which attracted more than 60,000 attendees at its height--into the rebranded E3 Media & Business Summit, an invite-only event of closer to 5,000 industry-types. In 2007, the ESA also relocated the show from its longtime home at the LACC to a handful of hotels in nearby Santa Monica--which cost it $5 million in event cancellation fees (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6191406.html)--only to move it right back to the LACC the following year.
That said, the Kotaku story is very clear that the idea of an open-to-the-public show is just one of presumably several options presented to the ESA board of directors for consideration. There's also no indication for how seriously the idea is being considered. Big changes to the show have been reported with 100 percent certainty (http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=25790115) and later turned out to be 100 percent wrong (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6184092.html).
The official story: "As we do every year, the ESA solicits feedback and direction from exhibitors and attendees on how best to adapt and evolve the E3 Media & Business Summit to ensure it meets their needs. Each element of the Summit is opened for discussion and that process is ongoing to execute a productive and efficient experience. Regarding today's published reports, the ESA does not comment on rumors and speculation and will make an announcement about the details and logistics of the 2009 E3 Media & Business Summit at the appropriate time." - ESA senior vice president for communications and research Rich Taylor.
Bogus or not bogus?: That they're considering it? Not bogus. That they'll do it? Nothing is confirmed…yet.

[Eradicator30]

Buffy MMO Slays Firefly MMO

Some today that I'm sure will unite the disparate fields of nerd-dom. 20th Century Fox and The Multiverse Network have announced a massively multiplayer online game based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And there's a bit of the twist to the format, too:
Quote:
The game will be unique to the growing glut of MMOs in having two modes- a 2D flash, web-based version, and a fully 3D world with a dedicated client. The game will be hosted inside Multiverse’s “Multiverse Places,” which sounds a bit like PlayStation Home, hosting a virtual world with access to multiple games.

While little was said about the gameplay or story, the Executive Producer of Multiverse, Corey Bridges, mentioned “when the Buffy team finished the television series, they created the perfect launching point for an MMOG where everyone will feel like they’re an important character in the ongoing story.” This seems to imply that there may be some overlap in story between the upcoming game and the current Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 comic book series, featuring hundreds of activated Slayers acting as a paramilitary unit.
Of less pleasant news to gamers: Multiverse has also announced that the Firefly MMO announced two years ago will be shelved for the time being, with the resources and personel that had been on that project shifting to the Buffy game.

At first glance making an MMO out of Buffy (no word on whether elements from the Angel side of the street will make it into the game) seems a bit odd. But in hindsight it makes perfect sense. Buffy has a large and fairly devoted following, but in large part those fans are not traditional 'core' gamers. It's a way to bring some more of those non-gamers, or non core gamers, into the tent. The property also lends itself to the genre, with easilly discernable 'classes' and some of the traditional fantasy trappings while at the same time keeping a more 'real world' setting that, while pretty familiar, isn't used in many MMOs.

Source - Newsarama (http://www.newsarama.com/games/090803-BuffyMMOa.html).

-Meh. I definitely prefer a firefly MMO over a Buffy MMO.

[Eradicator30]

Why 7-Eleven Suddenly Loves Gamers (http://kotaku.com/5045635/why-7+eleven-suddenly-loves-gamers)

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/2008/09/custom_1220563548184_IMG_0085.JPG Earlier today I posted a rumor about the price and release date for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. (http://kotaku.com/5045310/wrath-of-the-lich-king-date-price) It came from, of all places, 7-Eleven. Turns out that the convenience chain is growing increasingly interesting in the gamer demographic.
How interested? Interested enough to start tracking sales and, over the course of the next few months, to start taking pre-orders on a number of video games.
Our Slurpee-sources tell us these 7-Eleven gaming facts:
One out of ever two 7-Eleven customers own a gaming system.
Nearly 3,200 stores had considerable Madden sales the first week of the game's release.
More than 25 percent of Madden sales at 7-Elevens occurred between midnight and 1 a.m.
What's that mean to you John Q Customer? Why that starting this month 7-Eleven is going to start selling the seven "highest potential games" introduced for the holiday wind up.
Those games include Lich, Guitar Hero World Tour, Fallout 3, 007: Quantum of Solace and Gears of War 2.
The stores will soon have point of purchase signs set up for video game pre-sales.
Games will all be available at midnight on the day the game is released.

[Kerjack]

I really think you should at least put these stories in quotes Erad. Sometimes its hard to tell what are your thoughts and what came from the article.

[MDiver01]

who do you think writes the articles?

[Kerjack]

Brian Crecente?

[Le Goat]

Confirmation has come fast in regard to rumors surfacing earlier today (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6197458.html) that Microsoft would be closing its internal developer Ensemble Studios upon the completion of sci-fi real-time strategy game Halo Wars. In a statement issued today, Microsoft confirmed that Ensemble will be shut down once the Xbox 360-exclusive RTS set in the best-selling Halo franchise ships out early next year.
"The team at Ensemble has made invaluable contributions to the games industry with their Age of Empires and Age of Mythology games and with the highly anticipated release of Halo Wars," the publisher said in a statement. "This decision does not reflect at all on Ensemble’s talent or the quality of Halo Wars--in fact, many people who have had a chance to test drive Halo Wars agree that it is on track to being a fantastic game."
Though Microsoft will close the studio, Ensemble has plans to soldier on. As part of today's statement, Microsoft said that Ensemble's "leadership team" will form a new development house and has already entered into an agreement with the publisher to continue supporting Halo Wars post-launch, "as well as work on other projects with Microsoft Game Studios."
Commenting on the reason for the closure, Microsoft said, "This was a fiscally rooted decision that keeps MGS on its growth path. While the decision to dissolve Ensemble was not an easy one, Microsoft is working to place as many Ensemble employees who do not move to the newly formed studio into open positions within Microsoft as possible."
As noted earlier today, the Age of Empires brand has sold more than 20 million units since the first installment debuted on the PC in 1997. According to the NPD Group, Age of Empires III for the PC has sold 1.15 million units in the US alone through July 2008, with The Warchiefs expansion tallying nearly 305,000 more. (The second expansion, Asian Dynasties, was developed by Rise of Nations creators Big Huge Games.)
Ensemble has been a Microsoft-owned studio (http://www.gamespot.com/news/2715282.html) since 2001.

[Eradicator30]

EA Ends Bid for Take-Two
According to REUTERS (http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idINN1439228620080914?rpc=44), Electronic Arts has ended its pursuit of Take-Two:

Quote:
EA's decision came after the two companies said in August they were negotiating privately about a potential deal.

EA's unsolicited offer for Take Two was worth $2 billion, or $25.74 a share, which Take Two rejected as inadequate.

EA dropped its hostile pursuit of Take Two in August, which in turn agreed to spell out its three-year product plans to its rival, but only in private.

"After careful consideration, including a management presentation ... EA has decided not to make a proposal to acquire Take Two and has terminated discussions with Take Two," EA said in a statement.

[Le Goat]

REJOICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[NOTKyle]

They have more money, just wait.

[MDiver01]

REJOICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[Le Goat]

I REALLY, REALLY wish I could quote Superhuman's gloating on downloading console games and modding of Xbox's

There are plenty of good reasons not to steal Activision Blizzard's games, but apparently, since 2007, one of them has been the snare of their lawyers. GamePolitics reports (http://www.gamepolitics.com/2008/09/19/activision-suing-file-sharers-riaa-style) (via Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5052826/activision-suing-pirates-riaa-style)) that the publisher has since last year been quietly suing individuals for alleged copyright infringement of their console games, with most cases ending in big settlements -- often upwards of $100,000.The latest defendant is James R. Strickland of New York, who Edge reports (http://www.edge-online.com/news/activision-sues-alleged-cod-pirate) is being sued in federal court for alleged unauthorized distribution of Call of Duty 3 (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3148400) for the Xbox 360. But according to GamePolitics' research, Strickland is only the latest in a string of copyright infringement lawsuits Activision has brought against individuals (with Call of Duty 3, for some reason, being the game most frequently involved in these lawsuits).
Activision's tactics are similar to those of the Recording Industry Association of America to stamp down music piracy, and there's at least one good reason for that: Karin Pagnanelli, Activision's lead attorney in the cases, has according to Game Politics worked on many file sharing cases for the music industry. There have been at least six cases that Activision has brought against individuals, including the following:

[Draven X 23]

http://www.digitalunrestcomic.com/index.php?date=2008-09-29

[Le Goat]

Ummmm, sleeper hit out of nowhere???

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3626291&type=lg (http://www.1up.com/do/media?cId=3147621&sec=IMAGES)
Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment has announced that the closed beta test for their upcoming Stargate MMO, Stargate Worlds (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3147621), will begin on October 15 for the first group of testers. But if you're not already among that first group and still want in, don't fret -- sign-ups are still open, and new players will be added down the line. To get in, simply head over to their official registration page (http://register.stargateworlds.com/Registration/) and create a new account. "From now until launch, everything we do is about polish and fun," said Stargate Worlds studio head Dan Elggren. "We've laid a great foundation for the beta testers and their feedback is a vital part of the game development process."
Based on the (relatively?) popular sci-fi series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Worlds is set to launch for the PC in early 2009. If you do indeed get into the closed beta, feel free to play it while being comfortable and furious in your very own recliner of rage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Bernard_%28comedian%29#Stargate_SG-1).

[Stax]

It was announced ages ago, what's sleeper about it?

[Le Goat]

It was announced ages ago, what's sleeper about it?

No shit fucktard, I'm talking about the first major screens from the beta, actually showing off a world that isn't just pre-rendered from some Alpha

[bixby]

Bioware and LucasArts preparing to announce KOTOR MMO.

Despite rumors (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6185996.html) pegging the project as being a massively multiplayer online role-playing sequel to its acclaimed RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, BioWare kept its wall of silence clamped firmly down for over a year. Speaking with GameSpot after the EA buyout (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6180866.html), studio cofounders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuck deflected questions about the game in development at their new-ish Austin studio. "We haven't revealed any details about the game," said Muzyka. "It's supersecret right now."
That secrecy evaporated this past July when EA CEO John Riccitiello casually revealed that, yes, a KOTOR MMORPG was in the works (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6194664.html). Since then, details on the project--which other EA executives still refuse to speak of (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6197060.html)--have been nonexistent, with its platforms, price, and exact launch date still unknown.
"LucasArts and BioWare invite you to attend the official unveiling of the game that's been rumored about for years," reads the invite before providing event-locale details. The gathering will be held in San Francisco on the afternoon of October 21, just more than a month after the release of the latest Star Wars game, The Force Unleashed. At a presentation at the Game Developers Conference (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6186606.html) this past March, producer Hayden Blackman said that the fast-selling game (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6198125.html) was settled on after a proposed third single-player KOTOR game was ruled out.
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2008/279/kotormmo669_screen.jpg

Yeah. Subtle.

[One Under]

The fact that it's MMORPG and not like the others makes me nervous. We don't want another Galaxies on our hands.

[Kerjack]

MMO = No epic storyline. No winning.

And that makes me sad.

[bixby]

Yeah, I was mainly hoping for a single player game above all. MMOs just ain't my bag.

[STDSkillz]

Same here, I'm very bummed out about it. I really wanted to see KOTOR 3 with a Mass Effect engine. But I've never gotten into an MMO before, so at least it'll be a new experience.

[bixby]

Found this on neogaf. Sums it up well.

http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp70/mappster106/ktoormmp.gif

[Draven X 23]

I don't know if I should be happy or pissed off this week. A lot of games I want come out this week:

Saints Row 2
Dead Space
SOCOM

And lets add: Secret of Mana & Street Fighter II: SCE from the Wii VC

And this is just the start of it...

[Ocelot]

Yeah October and November are pretty big months in terms of releases.. Especially this year. I can rattle off about 4 or 5 games I still want to get my hands on.

But in other news..
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2008/10/esrbmarvelcapcom.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Thugmunk/mvc2.jpg

ESRB Rates Marvel vs Capcom 2 for 360/PS3


Ah, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board website, a wellspring of information on upcoming, yet-to-be-announced titles. Titles like Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, which has recently had two new consoles added to its listing. Joining the PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox are the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, which would seem to indicate that the title will be coming to Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network. Of course just because the ESRB rated the game doesn't mean it's a sure thing, but further proof has appeared in the NeoGAF forum thread concerning the rating showing Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 on Microsoft's PartnerNet, the closed version of Xbox Live used on development units.

Hopefully we'll get some official acknowledgment soon, I'm pretty psyched about it. IF they make no major blunders with it, and it goes off well I'd definitely like to see a MvC3, no matter how much of a longshot that might be.

[Le Goat]

I refuse to click on the PS section (sarcasm for you uppity faggot ****** out there that dont know what a joke is) but I saw this and didnt know if it was posted there...

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3543512&type=lg
Metal Gear Solid 4 (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3140656) may be coming to the Xbox 360 after all, according to word straight from Konami. Yahoo! Japan reports (http://charge.biz.yahoo.co.jp/vip/news/kab/081014/081014_mbiz215.html) (via a Kotaku post (http://kotaku.com/5063447/konami-officially-comments-on-xbox-360-metal-gear-solid-4)) that Konami spokesperson Yoshitaka Arai made a comment about the much-rumored port at the recent Tokyo Game Show. Speaking to the stock investor bulletin Morningstar, Arai said, "the worldwide demand for an Xbox 360 version (of MGS4) is quite high, and it is something we are currently looking in to."The production costs for Metal Gear Solid 4 were very high, and even with impressive sales (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3168896) it only makes sense for the company to maximize its profits with a port. There are probably technical and storage limitations to overcome (as Kojima has already noted (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3169590)), so we'll have to see if the fan demand gets results. For now it's good to know that Konami is open to the possibility, so 360 owners may get to enjoy Old Snake's missions for themselves.

[Change]

Only get one game this week.......Fable 2 or Dead Space?
Damn being broke sucks.

[Schillke]

Fable 2, can't wait

[Draven X 23]

Only get one game this week.......Fable 2 or Dead Space?
Damn being broke sucks.

I'd say Fable 2.

But I'm in the same boat. I was trying to get the 3 for 2 deal from Toys R Us but of course they were out of the games I wanted including Dead Space.

[Jack Bauer]

im thinking dead space

[Schillke]

I was thinking i'm just going to rent dead space, i'm not so sure it has a ton of replay value. I might go with far cry 2 also, it looks pretty sweet and multiplayer would be fun.

[Pax Britannia]

I'm torn between Fable 2, Dead Space and Far Cry 2.

Fable 2 isnt usually my cup of tea but it's caught my attention recently. Dead Space seems interesting but maybe a bit same old same old. Far Cry 2 plays to my love of blowing shit up and shooting people so if it get's good reviews i'll probably go with that.

Besides we have Fallout 3 comming the week after Fable 2 so theres no sense in picking up another RPG.

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3638067&type=lg
Ever heard the phrase, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?" Well, that applies to the online world just as much as in real life. One Japanese man found this out the hard way recently when his virtual "wife" in MapleStory (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3157176) got so angry that she effectively killed his online avatar (via Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081023/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_avatar_murder)).The 43-year-old woman carried out the digital murder after the 33-year-old man suddenly "divorced" her in the game. She was quoted as saying, "I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry." So angry, in fact, that she used login information she got from her former "husband" to access his account and then kill his character. The man notified police when he realized his avatar was dead, and the woman was arrested on "suspicion of illegally accessing a computer and manipulating electronic data." She hasn't been formally charged yet, but she could face up to five years in prison or a $5000 fine.
Fellas, let this be a lesson to you: never EVER give out your personal info to people you meet online. No, not even to your virtual spouses.

[papillon]

W.O.W.

[DjAg]

New Elder Scrolls in 2010?

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/bethesda-pencils-in-new-elder-scrolls-title-for-2010

[Le Goat]

In order to reduce losses reaching $310 million, a 63% increase over last year's $195 million, Electronic Arts has decided to lay off 600 employees in a "global reduction" from which it hopes to gain pre-tax savings of $50 million. Additionally, the company plans to make a reduction in hiring and close currently open positions. With all these money-saving efforts from the publisher, one might get the impression that revenues are down, but in fact, they're not. Overall revenues rose to $864 million, a 33% increase over last year's $650 million. Although EA CEO John Riccitiello partly blames a "slow down at retail in October" for the changes, they're also probably due to the $620 million purchase of Pandemic and Bioware that the company made last year. Because of the acquisitions, the company posted a loss (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167867) of $454 million on the year.Speaking (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=20893) to Gamasutra, EA Spokesperson Mariam Sughayer explains these layoffs are "a global reduction" and that they're "not just focused on one studio." Yet, Gamasutra has updated the article since its original posting and have noted that their "sources" indicate Electronic Arts Los Angeles and Pandemic are being affected more than others. Since Riccitiello said some of the company's recent releases would be "sequelable," as noted (http://kotaku.com/5071582/ea-ceo-there-will-be-a-mercenaries-3) by Kotaku, reducing the staff of the 1.9 million-selling Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3150234) developer Pandemic seems to contradict the CEO's desires.
Still, Riccitiello noted his optimism saying how the company is "bullish" on the ever-growing game industry. Sadly, he failed to indicate whether or not the 600 people who will now be receiving severance packages could eventually get jobs at EA again. On the bright side, maybe some former employees will now find the time to develop a physics-based gooey puzzle game (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3165750) with a soundtrack Danny Elfman would be proud of or a social gaming website (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3170626) where independent developers can earn money from the games they submit. Good luck, everyone.

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3641008&type=lg
Ah, Japan: where your dreams of creating that one useless and barely entertaining technological marvel may come true. Take this new Tuttuki Bako game from Bandai, for example (via Technabob (http://technabob.com/blog/2008/10/24/bandai-tuttuki-bako-stick-your-finger-in-the-hole/)). Essentially, it's a box with an LCD screen and a hole on the side for you to put your finger in. The screen then displays your finger in pixelated form along with other objects -- like a stick man or a panda clutching a ball -- for you to virtually poke and prod. Okay, so it's not exactly a "game" per se -- more like a digital version of a bug caught in a jar. There may not be any objectives for this little device, but it still certainly seems like some sort of abandoned peripheral for the old-school Game Boy. I think we can all imagine where this concept might go from here, though. Shudder.

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3645350&type=lg
Ubisoft has acquired real-time strategy game developer Massive Entertainment from Activision Blizzard. This includes the entirety of studio staff and assets, along with the World in Conflict (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3160319) series. Activision Blizzard put the developer on the sales block in August, possibly figuring the merger had already given it a surefire RTS hit (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3159435). But Massive is known for its own RTS games, like the classic Ground Control (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2010491) and more recent, but no less regarded, World in Conflict. World in Conflict: Soviet Assault was delayed pending the sale and its future was uncertain, but Ubisoft's purchase gives the title renewed -- and well-deserved -- hope for the future. The original received multiple awards in 2007. "We are delighted to welcome the talented team of creators at Massive into the Ubisoft family," said executive director of worldwide production Christine Burgess-Quemard. "Ubisoft is growing at an intense pace and our strategy is to ensure the strength of our global creative teams." We'll keep you updated if this gives Soviet Assault a new release date, and let you know when you can expect it.

Someone make a thread for the game, i'm too lazy

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3644612&type=lg
Gamers love to revel in competition, so these numbers should fuel quite a bit of heated (but civil!) discussion. Working off of a series of graphs and slides that Nintendo demonstrated last Friday, Gamasutra has put together an in-depth examination (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3841/the_mushroom_growth_plan_inside_.php?page=6) on everything from hardware sales for all three consoles over the past three years, to a look at the growth of the portable gaming market. But the most interesting figures were left for the last page, when console "attach rates" were compared for the Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 -- that is, how many games the average owner of each console has purchased. Perhaps not too surprisingly, the Xbox 360 came out on top. As you can see above, the average Xbox 360 owner has 6.6 games for his or her console, while the average Wii gamer has 5.5, and the PlayStation 3 owner has 5.3. One important thing to keep in mind is that this chart shows attach rates for the first 23 months of each system's release, meaning the 360 numbers are only though September 2007, while the Wii and PS3 numbers are through September 2008 (if you add in the extra year the 360 has at retail, its total attach rate stands at 8.1).
A few interesting things can be gleaned from this chart. For one, as most would probably expect, the Wii has a big edge in first-party sales, while it lags considerably behind in third-party sales. This falls in line with the standard mold in which many have placed Nintendo's console, with their own games selling in huge numbers while third-party developers struggle a bit more.
But more interesting is what these numbers might not show -- yes, the Wii is in second place in terms of its attach rate, but could its staggeringly large number of hardware sales be throwing the relative strength of its software sales out of proportion? For instance, in a couple of other charts provided in the report, U.S. software sales for all three consoles are compared in their first 23 months of release. In terms of first-party sales, the Wii clobbered the 360 and PS3, with around 30 million units, compared to the 360 at a little fewer than 10 million, and the PS3 at around 5 million. It's much closer in terms of third-party sales, although the Wii still wins with sales close to 40 million, with the 360 near 35 million, and the PS3 down at a little fewer than 25 million.
So in conclusion, in the first 23 months of each system's release, the Wii outsold both the 360 and PS3 in both first-party and third-party software sales in the U.S. While this doesn't take into account software sales in both Europe and Japan, what it might suggest is that while the Wii came in second place in console attach rates, it probably isn't in second place in terms of hardware sales in general -- Wii owners may buy fewer games, but there are so many of them that they still buy more games in the long run anyway. Boy, it must be good to be Nintendo these days.

[Le Goat]

l.o.fucking.l

Following the delisting notice (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3171469) served by the New York Stock Exchange, The Wall Street Journal is reporting (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122810340075068473.html?mod=googlenews_wsj) Sumner Redstone's National Amusements Inc. has sold its 87% stake in Midway to investor Mark Thomas for $100,000 at $0.0012 a share. According to an article (http://www.bostonherald.com/business/media/view/2008_12_01_Sumner_Redstone_sells_interest_in_Midwa y_Games/srvc=business&position=also) from the Boston Herald, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter estimates Redstone lost on the order of $600 million on the investment. Although it may appear that the debt-ridden and desperate Redstone has sold the developer/publisher for next to nothing, Thomas will also be assuming "$70 million of senior secured and unsecured debt." Additionally, National Amusements "could use a portion of the loss against income earned this year, as well as a tax refund of amounts paid in prior years," according to a person familiar with the situation quoted by the Wall Street Journal.
Say what you will about the transaction, but the biggest questions here are regarding Mark Thomas: Who is he, why did he purchase the failing (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3170849) company, and what are his plans? I'd like to say the future for Midway looks bright, but until we know more about Thomas, I'll remain cautiously optimistic. But with the company's share price falling (http://moneycentral.msn.com/detail/stock_quote?Symbol=mwy) $0.05 (13.16%) to $0.33 by the end of Monday's trading, it appears investors don't share my optimism.

[Le Goat]

Valve > Everyone else


Evidently not content being the champion of free downlodable content, Valve president Gabe Newell has now gone on record as a critic of stringent digital rights management too. Responding to a letter that was posted, of all places, on the "ih8evilstuff" LiveJournal page (via GamePolitics), Newell said that DRM strategies "are just dumb" because they only decrease the value of a game in the consumer's eyes.

The letter expressed concern about Valve's publishing partnership with Electronic Arts, as the writer vowed to boycott all EA games due to their use of the SecuROM DRM software in PC games. In a short response, Newell wrote, "As far as DRM goes, most DRM strategies are just dumb. The goal should be to create greater value for customers through service value (make it easy for me to play my games whenever and wherever I want to), not by decreasing the value of a product (maybe I'll be able to play my game and maybe I won't)." He added that Valve "really, really [discourages] other developers and publishers from using the broken DRM offerings, and in general there is a groundswell to abandon those approaches."

Despite that groundswell, the fact is DRM seems to only be getting more ubiquitous in the piracy-plagued PC market. The debate over the use of DRM peaked with the release of Spore, which was condemned by some gamers for its strict use of the SecuROM software (which only allowed three installations before you had to call EA customer service to be authorized for more). Still, EA's PC games continue to use the software (albeit a slightly less stringent version), and other developers are using the software as well, with Rockstar being the latest to employ SecuROM in the PC version of Grand Theft Auto 4.

[Gary_Busey]

I love Valve.

[taters]

Hasnt securom already been craked? Why even bother with the DRM at this point, if it can be craked anyway?

[Gary_Busey]

It's all been cracked. That's why it's stupid to use it.

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3655639&type=lg
The creators of the Half-Life (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2010527) series at Valve have been responsible for some of the most critically acclaimed videogames out there, but it's never been totally clear how much that praise has translated to actual sales. Though the company remains tight-lipped on the number of units sold through their wildly popular digital distribution network Steam, they've decided to divulge their retail sales numbers to Game Informer in the November 2008 issue (via (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21319) Gamasutra). Even with the notable absence of Steam's contributions, the nearly 33 million games sold in stores still manages to be a pretty astounding figure on its own. Unsurprisingly, the original Half-Life is Valve's all-time biggest seller, with 9.3 million copies sold in the ten years since its 1998 debut. Holding down the fort at second place is Half-Life 2 (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2006921), which has moved 6.5 million units following its release in 2004. Valve tallies 4.2 million copies sold of the multiplayer mod Counter-Strike (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2009189), followed by last year's Orange Box (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3156698) collection, which has already reached the 3 million sales mark. Rounding out Valve's top five sellers is the quasi-sequel Counter-Strike: Condition Zero (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2009190) at 2.9 million units.
Other noteworthy sellers include Counter-Strike: Source (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3133740) at 2.1 million sold, Half-Life: Episode One (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3139501) with 1.4 million, and the Half-Life expansion Blue Shift (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2010529) at around 1.1 million units. The recently released Left 4 Dead (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3155405)'s sales figures are still unknown, but the cooperative zombie shooter boasted significantly higher preorder numbers than the Orange Box did last year. Valve's early predictions for the game have it pegged at roughly 3.6 to 3.9 million copies.
As impressive as these numbers are, they're still ignoring the over 15 million (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3166044) people that use Valve's Steam client to download and purchase their games online. Digital distribution has increasingly become a major part of Valve's business, and the direct connection to their customers results in a higher profit margin for the company. It would be quite fascinating to see how this retail sales data compares to the amounts Valve has sold via Steam over the last few years, especially considering the ridiculous (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3171416) bargains (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3171349) that the service frequently plays host to.

[papillon]

Space Game Watch
glud1WLrQsQ

[Le Goat]

On last Thursday, the NPD Group divulged its report chronicling retail U.S. videogame hardware and software sales during the month of November 2008. Considering the nation's overwhelmingly bleak financial landscape of late, the fact that total game sales managed a 10 percent year-over-year gain during this crucial holiday shopping month seems encouraging, but closer inspection of the figures reveals that not every publisher has reason to celebrate. In this second of three parts we look at how Microsoft fared. [Part 1: Nintendo (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3171916) | Part 3: Sony (coming Friday)] Microsoft reaches for the masses
Nintendo's Wii handily trounced the Xbox 360, yet Microsoft's box still made a strong showing with 836,000 consoles sold during the four-week period. This represents a year-on-year increase of 8.6 percent. The new, cheaper-than-Wii $199 Arcade hardware bundle, aggressive holiday freebie incentives (Arcade units come with Sega Superstar Tennis (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3163772) while the pricier Pro and Elite models ship alongside Kung Fun Panda (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3165907) and Lego Indiana Jones (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3161606)), and a massive advertising campaign focusing on casual, family-focused entertainment all likely helped spur the increase. It's clear that the recent move to a sub-$200 price point has had an impact: Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter commented that the Xbox 360's average sale price (ASP) during November was $270, which is lower than the previous months' figure, indicating the increasing ratio of the less expensive Arcade sku to the total number of 360s sold.
Despite Microsoft's strong push to market the 360 to a broader audience, the console's best-selling software remains firmly in the hardcore camp. Microsoft's phenomenal Epic Games-developed shooter Gears of War 2 (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3165887) edged out Activision's Call of Duty: World at War (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3168176) for the top spot on the charts, selling an impressive 1.56 million copies in 22 days. (If you factor in CoD World at War's PlayStation 3 sales, however, it could be viewed as the best-selling title for the month.) Valve's multiplayer zombie shooter Left 4 Dead (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3157495) (published by EA) also managed to sneak into the top 10 with 410,000 copies sold. It's a strong debut for an original intellectual property, seemingly fueled by passionate critical praise and strong word of mouth. After debuting to impressive sales on the October chart with only a few days on store shelves during the reporting period, Bethesda's Fallout 3 (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3160079) and Microsoft's Fable II (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3140434) hung on to remain in the top 20 for November. While these hardcore shooters and role-playing offerings continue to find a healthy audience, Microsoft's casual-focused first-party titles for the fall -- Lips (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3168072), You're in the Movies (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3168595), and Scene It? Box Office Smash (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3168492) -- failed to register.
Microsoft's risky decision to wage its battle on two fronts appears to be working somewhat though. At its new price point, the entry-level console costs roughly half that of what Sony's PlayStation 3 sells for, making it far more appealing to cash-strapped consumers feeling the economic crunch. The fact that Xbox 360 sales more than doubled the PS3's tally during November proves that Sony's prohibitively high pricing continues to stand in the way of mass-market adoption. At the same time, it's wise for Microsoft to go after the seemingly limitless Wii audience by broadening its stable of casual, kid-friendly fare. But unless Microsoft can create more compelling family software (Rare's recent Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3167753) and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3154062) failed to make the top 20 chart), it's doubtful that the Xbox 360 will woo many consumers seeking Wiis. Also, one must consider the fact that both the Wii and PS3 have greater potential for future price cuts, while the 360 has already sliced its asking price down to the "magical" $199.99 number. With Wiis still fetching a premium on eBay during the holidays, Nintendo has little incentive to consider a lower asking price for the foreseeable future.
The post-NPD spin from Microsoft's Senior VP Dan Mattrick wisely focused on the sizable gap between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, pointing out that the 360 outsold the PS3 and PS2 combined for the month of November. But he was careful to also brandish the all-important family buzzword in order to keep the fight against Wii alive. "We've created the optimal line-up of experiences this holiday season for families seeking lasting entertainment value, particularly during rough economic times in the U.S. and abroad," said Mattrick. "We have the largest library of games, TV and movie content and the most expansive and rewarding social experiences. We're confident Xbox 360 will continue to drive record sales around the world this holiday and beyond."

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3662509&type=lg
Take-Two has dropped Champions Online (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3167535) from its publishing portfolio. But unlike Brutal Legend (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3163848) and Ghostbusters (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3168504), who found themselvees homeless thanks to the Activision-Vivendi merger, Cryptic has options. Gamesindustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/take-two-drops-champions-online) (via Gamespot (http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6202462.html)) is reporting that Take-Two president Ben Feder said in a press call, "We no longer intend to publish the MMOG Champions Online due to Atari's acquisition of Cryptic." Which, of course, means that Atari is probably going to pick up the slack.
According to Cryptic's chief creative officer Jack Emmert, the game is still slated for release in the second quarter of 2008 for PC and Xbox 360, and it should make a nice 1-2 punch in 2009 for Atari along with Ghostbusters. Phil Harrison keeps working that magic

Cryptic is also doing the Star Trek Online game. Atari just might be on the comeback should these three games do great.

[NOTKyle]

lol

http://i43.tinypic.com/11r661f.jpg

[Weenis]

lol

http://i43.tinypic.com/11r661f.jpg


I don't know what's more surprising... The PS2 still being the most played console or the PS3 being played less than the original Xbox...

It really is amazing how things have changed over the course of one gaming generation.

[NOTKyle]

The PS2 being the most played doesn't surprise me in the least bit. The fact that it's more than 360 and Wii combined is though.

The hilarious part is the PS3 barely being played more than the gamecube.

[Weenis]

The PS2 being the most played doesn't surprise me in the least bit. The fact that it's more than 360 and Wii combined is though.

The hilarious part is the PS3 barely being played more than the gamecube.

Yeah, it still has that ridiculous install base. I guess I just assumed most PS2s were sitting in people's basements, like mine is.

[Le Goat]

No. Its cheap and still gets the rockband/guitar hero games so people play that. Its all bout price people. I don't know why yall can't get that.

What makes me lol is those of u that complain the 360 is a pay service and yet its toward the top

[Weenis]

No. Its cheap and still gets the rockband/guitar hero games so people play that. Its all bout price people. I don't know why yall can't get that.

What makes me lol is those of u that complain the 360 is a pay service and yet its toward the top

True, most PS2s are probably used for little more than Guitar Hero and Madden these days...

[Le Goat]

also, a lot of people still play Halo2 and use a 360 + Xbox setup in their homes with friends so that's why that one's prob up as high as it is

[Draven X 23]

I used my XBOX to play through FableTLC again before the sequel came out.

[Hoser]

Why exactly do people care what system sells more or is played more so much? I wouldn't care if I was the only person on the planet playing PS3 as long as they still produced the games.

[Le Goat]

and we don't care what you think... so gtfo

[Nature's Folly]

and we don't care what you think... so gtfo

Shouldn't you be sitting in a hot tub all alone on new years....again?

[Le Goat]

Shouldn't you be sitting in a hot tub all alone on new years....again?

That's the best you could do? Stick to posting your hilarious dyke pics for us to use in PS contests

[Le Goat]

The top 20 Live games of 2008, broken down by platform, are listed below.
Xbox 360 Top Live Titles
1. Halo 3
2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
3. Grand Theft Auto IV
4. Gears of War 2
5. Gears of War
6. Call of Duty: World at War
7. Guitar Hero III
8. Battlefield: Bad Company Demo
9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Demo
10. Rock Band
11. Fable II
12. Mirror's Edge Demo
13. Madden NFL 09
14. Battlefield: Bad Company
15. Rainbow Six Vegas 2
16. Uno
17. Castle Crashers
18. Call of Duty: World at War Multiplayer Beta
19. Forza Motorsport 2
20. Too Human Demo
Top Arcade Titles (based on full-version purchases)
1. Castle Crashers
2. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
3. Braid
4. A Kingdom for Keflings
5. Uno
6. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
7. Fable II Pub Games
8. Duke Nukem 3D
9. Bionic Commando: Rearmed
10. Worms
11. Soulcalibur
12. Portal: Still Alive
13. Doom
14. 1942: Joint Strike
15. Bomberman Live
16. Mega Man 9
17. N+
18. Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
19. Marble Blast Ultra
20. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Original Xbox Top Live Titles
1. Halo 2
2. Fable
3. Star Wars: Battlefront 2
4. Counter-Strike
5. Fable: Lost Chapters
6. Doom 3
7. Conker: Live Reloaded
8. Splinter Cell Chaos
9. Star Wars: KOTOR
10. Star Wars: Republic Commando
11. Star Wars: Battlefront
12. Burnout 3
13. Guilty Gear XX #Reload
14. Gauntlet Seven Sorrows
15. Call of Duty 3
16. Ninja Gaiden Black
17. Crimson Skies
18. MechAssault 2
19. Call of Duty 2
20. Rainbow Six 3

[NOTKyle]

1up sold to Hearst, and EGM will cease to exist after this month.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21759

Following repeated rumors (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21457) to the effect, Gamasutra has learned that Ziff Davis has sold its 1UP division to Hearst's UGO Entertainment, and is shutting long-running print magazine EGM in the process.

According to a statement received by Gamasutra, Ziff Davis Media has now officially announced the sale of the 1UP Digital Network to Hearst's UGO Entertainment division.

The sale includes 1UP.com, Mycheats.com, Gametab.com, and GameVideos.com, and specific financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In association with this, Ziff Davis Media's EGM Magazine, a consumer game print mainstay since 1989, will be discontinued. The January 2009 issue will be the final printed issue.And of course they lay of 30 of the most experienced people at 1up.

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/01/06/egm-closed-ziff-lays-off-30/

MTV Multiplayer has learned from multiple sources more than 30 people were laid off as part of the transition, including much of the GameVideos.com team. 1UP Show creator Ryan O’Donnell and producer Matt Chandronait announced that popular video podcast The 1UP Show would not be produced any longer on their Twitter feeds.And also you can purchase HardCore Gamer (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300285337821) on ebay right now.


Times are tough.

[Will-Kill]

<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oGlhgVz5r6E&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oGlhgVz5r6E&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>
Black Mesa Mod

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rMcK3p-UTZI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rMcK3p-UTZI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Mafia 2

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8kxGI8cRhZA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8kxGI8cRhZA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Terminator Salvation

Fixed it.

[Le Goat]

fail

[One Under]

I've been looking all over, but I can't find a straight answer for this, so I'll try here.

I play all kinds of videos on my 360, but even with the most recent media update, I have tons of videos that aren't supported. They aren't crazy formats, many are .avi but they all get an error when starting.

From what I've read, it seems that the PS3 can play a lot more types of videos than the 360 can. I've read all the lists of supported file types, but they are too technical and I don't feel like checking what type each of my videos are.

I download tons of videos, and it is a huge pain in the ass, and really time consuming to convert them to acceptable formats to play on the 360, not to mention the (usual) loss of quality due to the conversion.

So after all that, what has everyone experienced with their systems? This is more of a question directed towards people with both systems, I'm just getting frustrated having to convert 6 season of Sopranos and all of BSG so I can watch it on my TV.

[Skybase]

And they are .AVI, not .MP4 or .x264 or something for sure? I'm starting to see a LOT more .x264 for Hi-Def etc.

Also, how many channel audio are they? The xb360 cannot play back files (at least converted from x264) that have full surround. Only 2-channel stereo, which is odd IMO. Most AVIs that I"ve had problems with were converted and have more channels of audio.

[One Under]

When I right click on them and view Properties, it says .avi. Is that the right place to look?

Edit: Is there a program to get a more detailed view of the video?

[Kerjack]

I think my launch Xbox 360 just died :(

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3670757&type=lg
Attempts to put M-rated games behind store counters with the porn have largely failed. So what's a politician to do? How about health warnings? Gamesindustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/us-politicians-demand-health-warnings-on-games) is reporting that Congressman Joe Baca, a Democrat out of California, has introduced a bill with Republican Frank R. Wolf that would require all M and T-rated games to carry a health warning label. Called the Videogame Health Labeling Act of 2009, it would read, "Warning: Excessive exposure to violent videogames and other violent media has been linked to aggressive behavior."
"The video game industry has a responsibility to parents, families, and to consumers - to inform them of the potentially damaging content that is often found in their products," Baca said.
Baca went on to say that "researach continues" to show a proven link between "playing games and increased aggression in young people." He also cited studies by the Pediatrics Journal, University of Indiana, University of Missouri and Michigan State University as proof that there is a "neurological link" between games and violent behavior.
The debate continues, to put it kindly, with studies like the one found in "Grand Theft Childhood" taking the opposite view. In the meantime, it looks like the new trend for 2009 is for video games to be associated with cigarettes rather than porn.

[Will-Kill]

This might want crazy people to buy it more which makes it good and bad.

[Le Goat]

Tomorrow, industry-research firm the NPD Group is expected to release its year-end 2008 sales numbers for the US game market (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6203041.html). Today, top nationwide video rental Rentrak Corporation released its own figures for 2008, which listed the top 10 games that were rented most across the country. The company claims to track over 1 billion transactions and 65,000 movie and game rental properties every year. It ranked games according to consumer spending, not actual units rented, at thousands of rental locations nationwide.

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2009/013/gtaiv_1716_embed.jpg (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6203222.html#)"Time to go get a 9mm discount at GameCrazy!" (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6203222.html#)

Like NPD's monthly best-seller list, Rentrak's top 10 reflects only individual retail products, or SKUs (Stock Keeping Units), and does not combine rentals of each console iteration of multiplatform titles. As such, the company's most-rented game of 2008 was Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360, followed by Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare for the Xbox 360. The next three top renters were also all on Microsoft's console: Halo 3 (3rd), Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (4th), and Army of Two (5th).
The first non-360 game doesn't pop up until sixth place in the form of Mario Kart Wii. Behind it was another Nintendo favorite, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, with the 360 Fallout 3 (8th) and Assassin's Creed (9th) behind it. Last but not least was another Wii game, Mario Party 8, leaving the third-place PlayStation 3 shut out of the year's top-10 rentals.
Rentrak said that the two top-finishing consoles both increased their share of the rental market last year. The Xbox 360 went from 26.1 percent (2007) to 36.8 percent (2008) of consumer dollars spent on rentals, while the Wii went from 7.3 percent to 17.1 percent. Rentrak did not release PS3 statistics.
RENTRAK'S MOST RENTED GAMES OF 2008
1) Grand Theft Auto IV / Xbox 360 / Rockstar Games
2) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare / Xbox 360 / Activision
3) Halo 3 / Xbox 360 / Microsoft
4) Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 / Xbox 360 / Ubisoft
5) Army of Two / Xbox 360 / Electronic Arts
6) Mario Kart Wii / Wii / Nintendo
7) Super Smash Bros. Brawl / Wii / Nintendo
8) Fallout 3 / Xbox 360 / Bethesda
9) Assassin's Creed / Xbox 360 / Ubisoft
10) Mario Party 8 / Wii / Nintendo

[Draven X 23]

Well I went to Circuit City since its going out of business looking for a good price on a game or two. And the place was mobbed. Even though the deals sucked. 10% off? Really? I saw a couple buying a flat screen TV (10% off) for like $1200 that I saw later on at Best Buy was cheaper ($999). Looks like people see 'Going out of business' and thnik they have to be getting a good deal. Maybe they should have called it going out of business earlier. Best way to get vultures to show up and buy stuff.

[Gary_Busey]

Yeah, it's bullshit. They mark the deals from MSRP. The truth is, they probably had better deals in there before the liquidations started.

[nuclearjew]

Well I went to Circuit City since its going out of business looking for a good price on a game or two. And the place was mobbed. Even though the deals sucked. 10% off? Really? I saw a couple buying a flat screen TV (10% off) for like $1200 that I saw later on at Best Buy was cheaper ($999). Looks like people see 'Going out of business' and thnik they have to be getting a good deal. Maybe they should have called it going out of business earlier. Best way to get vultures to show up and buy stuff.
Sounds like the electronics store in "You Don't Mess With The Zohan".

[Le Goat]

They hired the same company that did, I believe it was, kmart whereby in some cases it's jacked up a bit then marked down a lot toward the end.


or some shit like that

[Draven X 23]

Characters you never knew had the same voice. Most of them are video game characters. But you will know some from Family Guy, Simpsons, Futurama and such.

http://www.gamesradar.com/f/characters-you-never-knew-had-the-same-voice-actor/a-20090116103839988048/p-2

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3672933&type=lg
Valve is one half of the pair of companies currently dominating PC gaming. So what do they think of piracy? Maybe not what you would expect. According to GameDaily (http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/valve-pirates-are-just-underserved-customers/?biz=1&page=2), Valve director of business development and legal affairs addressed the issued at the Game Business Law summit at Southern Methodist University, calling pirates "underserved customers." Taken from that perspective, Holtman says there are some interesting things they can do to make money off it.
"We take all of our games day-and-date to Russia," Holtman said. "The reason people pirated things in Russia is because Russians are reading magazines and watching television. They say 'Man, I want to play that game so bad,' but the publishers respond 'you can play that game in six months...maybe.' "
To Holtman, the key is making sure that Valve products are available on the Moscow shelves, in Russian, when they hit America. After that, he said that "we found that our piracy rates dropped off significantly."
Holtman also took aim at the conventional wisdom surrounding paid downloadable content, saying that giving away content meant that "sales would spike for several products, both at retail and through Steam." On that last point, at least, Criterion might agree with Burnout Paradise (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3153261). As for the rest of the industry, it'll be interesting to see whether they're taking notes

[Pax Britannia]

I think they have a good point. Taking TV as an example I watch Battlestar Galactica and 24 online because British TV is always a week or two behind. If they made the effort to release shows at the same time as the US i'd be watching them on TV, thereby increasing viewing figures and advertising revenues.

[Le Goat]

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2009/019/955249_20090120_screen005.jpg
Sure Joe Thornton is a big dude in real life, but this is ridiculous. Rumbling down the ice with the puck, Joe's at least twice the size of the defender ahead of him and--what's this?--probably twenty times larger than goalie Roberto Luongo. The Vancouver goalie has shrunk to a speck in net and, with the gigantic Thornton bearing down on him, it looks to be a mismatch of epic proportions. Thornton rears back and blasts a backhand shot that look destined to find twine, only to have the shot stopped by mini-Luongo, who ends up being a bite-sized brick wall after all.
Such is the strangeness of 3 on 3 NHL Arcade (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/3on3nhlarcade/index.html), a downloadable arcade hockey game for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network from the same folks who brought us last year's masterpiece, NHL 09 (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/nhl09/review.html). Their influence of NHL 09 is obvious--the game uses the same analog stick-centric controls from EA's NHL series, while everything else around it is distilled down to its most basic, and silliest, aspects. Players can't go offsides, hitting is over-the-top, scoring is plentiful, the audio sounds like a Saturday morning cartoon, and there are lots of power-ups. Some will give you a temporary burst of speed, others will give you a scoring bonus that will multiply your goal if you find the back of the net. There's also a power-up that will freeze a player on the ice, effectively giving the other team a power play of sorts. None of it is realistic but it's sometimes worth a laugh.
Hearkening back to the days of the skinny, medium, and fat guys from Ice Hockey on the NES, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade forgoes actual NHL teams for a handful of NHL stars that are organized in one of three categories: fast, strong, and all-around. There are forty players to choose from, including four goalies: Martin Brodeur, Rick DiPietro, Henrik Lundqvist, and the aforementioned Luongo (Personal Note of Outrage From a San Jose Sharks Fan: Where in the sweet feathery hell is Evgeni Nabakov?).
On the ice, 3 on 3 is always moving--there's no puck drop after a goal; instead, play continues as normal. While the periods themselves are timed, you play to a set score, so if it takes you six periods for someone to reach five goals (or whatever total you set before the match begins), then so be it. There's also multiplayer for up to four people (including online play). With a shallow single-player experience--a simple "play now" option is pretty much it--it looks like playing with your buddies will be the best way to have fun with 3 on 3.
In my experience, one-timers were abnormally tough to pull off--even when playing with some of the game's most skilled players like Sidney Crosby and Jarome Iginla. Also curious: The complete lack of fighting. Even though this game is quite obviously going for the family-friendly crowd, the absence of fighting is noticeable and sort of a shame. No need to make it bloodily realistic, of course, but watching two big-head players blast each other like whack-a-moles in the middle of the ice might have been amusing.
3 on 3 NHL Arcade is coming to XBLA and PSN on February 4 and will cost 800 points and $9.99 respectively.

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3676707&type=lg
Farewell to the Leipzig Games Convention. It looks like having competition in a more accessible city was just a bit too much to bear. Eurogamer (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/games-convention-2009-officially-scrapped) is reporting that the GAMESCom will be taking over Leipzig's slot as Europe's key consumer event, meaning that North American journalists will have to trek to the somewhat more accessible Cologne instead. According to the Leipziger Messe, the end of GC comes as a direct result of GAMESCom, which has the support of companies like Nintendo, Sony and Sega.
According to organizer Wolfgang Marzin, "If the industry is again in search of a platform for console and PC games and hardware with the know-how of the GC - Games Convention, we will immediately be available."
Games Convention Online, which is aimed at the browser games market, will be taking places between July 31 and August 2. Otherwise, it'll be off to Cologne for GAMESCom between August 19 and August 23.
So goodbye Games Convention. Unfortunately, we don't remember you very well, outside of a lot of waiting at various terminals (http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?publicUserId=4561231&bId=8846129). Maybe you have fonder memories?

[Le Goat]

While studio closures are becoming depressingly common, few of the outfits to be shuttered have carried with them the pedigree of Ensemble Studios. Known for its tremendously successful real-time strategy series Age of Empires, Ensemble Studios has been living on borrowed time since September, when Microsoft confirmed it would be closing the developer after it had completed work on the Xbox 360-exclusive Halo Wars (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6197465.html).
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2009/029/halowarsa887_embed.jpg (javascript:open_blog_image_viewer('2009/029/halowarsa887_screen.jpg');) At the time, Age of Empires creator Bruce Shelley blogged on the studio's official Web site (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6198093.html) about the team's reaction to the news and revealed that a number of core Ensemble developers (sans Shelley) would be striking out to form their own new company. Now in what he expects to be the site's final blog entry (http://www.ensemblestudios.com/blogs/bshelley/archive/2009/01/29/goodbye-and-thanks.aspx), Shelley said that isn't the only potential phoenix rising from the Ensemble ashes.
"There are at least two new studios being formed by ES employees and I expect both to do very well," Shelley wrote. "There were a lot of outstanding game developers here and it will be interesting to see how and what they do, both individually and as new groups, in the years ahead."
In the rest of the post, Shelley updated readers about Halo Wars' plans and ongoing support for Age of Empires and shared a peek at the developer's bittersweet party to celebrate the completion of its final game.
"It is hard to believe that the day has finally come when Ensemble Studios closes its doors and we move on to whatever is next," Shelley said, adding, "It is worth mentioning that about 60 percent of the people who worked on Age of Empires I were with the studio to the end. And it was a really special group of people who pulled together for the long hours and hard work to finish our last game to our standards."

[Will-Kill]

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Taking Sides

Based on Civil War Storyline

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/45119.html

[the creeps]

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Taking Sides

Based on Civil War Storyline

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/45119.html

dude i just beat the first marvel game. didn't want to play it for a long time. but it was on the cheap. so i said what the hell. that was a pretty damn good game. can't wait for this one.

[Draven X 23]

Dead Rising 2?

Vegas?

GIANT Hamster Ball?

Sweet!

http://kotaku.com/5148320/could-this-be-dead-rising-2

[Le Goat]

post this in it's fucking thread you dipshit

[Draven X 23]

Dead Rising 2 doesn't have a thread cock master.

[Le Goat]

make one


jesus christ. srsly, the fuck is wrong with you?

[Le Goat]

HAWX demo is out... it's diff than I thought

[Gary_Busey]

Fucking awesome.

q1UPMEmCqZo

[Lone Wolf]

Are certain games known to cause the Red Ring on an XBox more than other games. The way GTA 4 seizes up on me all the time has me nervous. Or is the Red Ring not game related at all?

[Draven X 23]

I think the RROD is about heating. And once it over-heats the chip warps or some shit. So playing games a lot or for too long screws it up.

[the creeps]

Are certain games known to cause the Red Ring on an XBox more than other games. The way GTA 4 seizes up on me all the time has me nervous. Or is the Red Ring not game related at all?
the first saint's row game did that to mine. i think it is just the way the 360 handles the open world.

[Le Goat]

Nielsen Compiles New Usage Statistics For All Three Consoles.

Numbers show young boys and older women like Wii, older audience prefers PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 in-between.

By Kat Bailey (http://www.1up.com/do/my1Up?publicUserId=5725436), 02/19/2009
Nielsen Media Research has some interesting new usage statistics for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. In this case, the numbers seem to confirm the popularly held wisdom about how plays each of the three consoles. In the report (http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/4th-qtr-2008-console-gender-usage-abridged.pdf) (via GameDaily (http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/wii-attracting-young-boys-older-women-in-droves-ndash-nielsen-/?biz=1)) compiled between October and December 2008, it was revealed that the Wii appeals to the broadest spectrum of users. In particular, it's popular amongst boys between 6-11 and women age 25-34, with the Wii also capturing far more women over 35 than its competition. Their favorite games? Guitar Hero, Rock Band and Wii Fit.
More numbers after the jump.
While the Wii appeals to young boys and older women, adolescent males between 12-17 prefer the Xbox 360. Meanwhile, it seems that the PlayStation 3 has captured that coveted 18-24 age group for both men and woman.
But while the Wii continues to be the most successful of the bunch, it's also the least played among both men and women. For example, where the Wii averaged 6.6 per days of use in November among men, the Xbox 360 averaged 10.2 and the PlayStation 3 9.2. It's more balanced amongst women, with all three nearly matching each other, but the Wii continues to trail.
People keep buying it though, even in the traditionally slow months following the holiday season. And that's the one statistic that matters the most to Nintendo.

[Le Goat]

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3690287&type=lg
We're only two months out from the much anticipated Star Trek reboot. And like all good summer releases, this one will be getting a licensed game to go with it. Get ready for Star Trek D.A.C -- whatever "D.A.C" might happen to mean. The new title hasn't been officially announced, but a promotional insert can be found in the Blu-ray release of Star Trek Season One, which will be coming out April 28th. Paramount recently released the artwork for the insert, which TrekMovie.com (http://trekmovie.com/2009/03/09/st09-tidbits-t-59-days-heroes-preview-st09-game-spock-fu-nero-wart-more/) (via Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5167669/jj-abrams-star-trek-video-game-coming-in-may)) promptly posted for all to see. Development is being handle by Naked Sky Entertainment, which lists an unnamed PlayStation Network/Xbox Live Arcade game as being one of their projects. Star Trek fans, get ready to start downloading in earnest.
Unfortunately, Star Trek games don't exactly have a sterling reputation. Going back over their long history, only Interplay's Star Trek: 25th Anniversary (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2013859) and Judgement Rites for PC stand out in my mind as being truly great. The rest of them constitute a light smattering of the good amid the truly wretched. With luck though, the upcoming game will prove to be as much a reboot as the movie.

[Le Goat]

woah:

The rumor mill is starting to churn on another takeover bid, and this one comes from a fairly reputable source. Financial Web site The Street reports that on a recent episode of CNBC's Fast Money, one panelist suggested that Apple may be looking into a takeover of games giant EA. Guy Adami claimed there has been "chatter" for the move recently on Wall Street, but unfortunately didn't offer any details beyond that. Chatter could mean speculation, or actual interest from the company, but there's no telling. Apple has been gaining ground in videogames since the launch of the iPhone and its ubiquitous AppStore, and it has plenty of money to spend on ventures like this one. On the other hand, EA is a juggernaut publisher and hasn't been suffering as much as smaller game houses in this poor economy, so a buyout would be costly. For now chalk it up as only rumor based on a vague reference to "chatter," and we'll keep an eye out for more details.

[Kerjack]

woah:

NO NO NO NO NO NO!

If Mass Effect becomes Mac exclusive I'm going to kill someone.

[papillon]

...one panelist suggested that Apple may be looking into...solid.

[Ocelot]

The Duke is Dead
3D Realms (http://kotaku.com/tag/3d-realms/), still plugging away at the slightly delayed Duke Nukem Forever (http://kotaku.com/tag/duke-nukem-forever/), may have given up the ghost, as the Texas-based developer is rumored to have shut down. We heard from an anonymous tipster earlier today of 3D Realms demise, with Shacknews (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/58519) reporting the very same thing, citing a "very reliable source" close to the Duke Nukem dev. According to 3D Realms co-founder George Broussard, the game was "closing out a milestone this week" as of mid-April, but little progress had been publicized outside of video (http://kotaku.com/5013638/first-duke-nukem-forever-gameplay-video) and screen shot teasers from last Summer.
First announced in April 1997, Duke Nukem Forever has been ridiculed for its extended development schedule, with 3D Realms employees sticking to a "When it's done" release date.
But Broussard hinted earlier this year that the game was getting closer to finally shipping, writing on his Twitter account "Game developers often say 'Cutting is shipping'. We begin this year with a vengeance and a chainsaw." The game appeared to at least be making some sort of tangible progress, with 3D Realms releasing game screenshots and artwork from Duke Nukem Forever.
We've reached out to staffers at 3D Realms for clarification.
Update 1: Take-Two has responded, adding a little clarity to the situation, but not solid confirmation. "It is the Company's policy to not comment on its contractual relationships, nor do we comment on rumors and speculation. That said, we can confirm that our relationship with 3D Realms for Duke Nukem Forever was a publishing arrangement, which did not include ongoing funds for development of the title. In addition, Take-Two continues to retain the publishing rights to Duke Nukem Forever."‪ - Alan Lewis, Vice President of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs for Take-Two.
While 3D Realms may be finished, Duke Nukem Forever may not. Well, we know it's not finished, but it's not done. Okay, it's not done either, or else it would be out.... look, the game's not dead, OK? Not officially anyway. Take-Two may hand off development to another studio, one a little speedier than 3D Realms.
Update 2: 3D Realms webmaster Joe Siegler has, posting on the company's forums, seemingly confirmed the closure, saying "It's not a marketing thing. It's true. I have nothing further to say at this time."

Site detailing birth, life and death of Duke Nukem Forever. Including fun facts, such as what was released and what happened during that span of time.
http://duke.a-13.net/


News is a couple days old by now- but just about anyone could have bet on this coming sooner or later.

[Bizz]

Things that have taken less time than Duke Nukem Forever's Development:

Pop Culture:



The Beatles formed, released every single one of their albums and broke up. During this time they also toured the world several times.
Led Zeppelin released 7 albums, 9 singles, and toured around the world, crossing international borders 27 times (not counting mainland Europe.)

Science & Technology:



The Wright brothers designed and flew the first airplane.
The theory of General Relativity.
The United States' entire program to put a man on the moon, from Kennedy's challenge to the landing.
The complete construction of many monumental buildings and engineering projects. To name a few-

The Empire State Building (Jan 1930 - May 1931)
The Channel Tunnel (Dec 1987 - May 1994)
The Golden Gate Bridge (Jan 1933 - May 1937)
The World Trade Center (Aug 1966 - April 1973)



Wars:



The American War for Independence
The United States Civil War
World War I
The United State's involvement in the Vietnam War.
World War II and the entire Manhattan Project. Yes, even the complete development of the atomic bomb took less time.

[Le Goat]

old news is old, but still, sucks

[Bizz]

12 fucking years?! Come on!

[Le Goat]

I usually like anything that's 12 years old, but not this man. Not. THis

[Pax Britannia]

I like the contrast between Duke Nukem Forever and the atomic bomb project. What the fuck were they doing for 12 years? I assumed they werent actively working on it and making other games but this news is being reported as if all they did for the past 12 years was work on this one game.

If that's the case then i'm even more disgusted by the developers.

[Will-Kill]

Watch it be the most incredible game ever.

[Le Goat]

The devs have leaked a lot of screens from it the past couple of days and I gotta admit, it looked rather sexy. Shame.

[Le Goat]

MRT-nhO0_FE

[Rumpleforeskin]

Shit, that actually looks pretty awesome. It's also nice to see that there actually WAS a game and it wasn't just a myth.

[Le Goat]

get ready to masturbate


David Littman: Hockey is one of the only sports with no out of bounds. Players have nowhere to hide. Boardplay is a big part of hockey, both on offense and defense. When the puck is near the boards, players use their bodies as much as possible to keep control of the puck, or contain an opposing player with the puck. Our new boardplay engine allows for realistic and authentic boardplay. We had a software engineer and animator working on this new engine for more than half a year, and their hard work really shows. There are many different things you can do when using boardplay

GS: We'll finally be able to fight for pucks along the boards in NHL 10. How will that work in terms of gameplay? How much control will the player have over what's happening as guys fight for possession?

DL: There are two ways to use boardplay in NHL 10.

Offensively, you want to use boardplay to control the puck. By holding the boardplay button on the controller, your player will put the puck into his skates and go into the boardplay protect puck position. You can then move left and right while in this position. You can also pass out of it. Your player will kick the puck in the direction you want the puck to go. The benefit to using boardplay is that you will be way harder to knock off of the puck. A defensive player that comes in to hit you will bounce off and you can maintain puck possession.

Defensively, boardplay is used to contain opposing puck carriers. As the defender, hold down the boardplay button when you are closing in on a puck carrier near the boards. Your player will try to pin the opponent to the boards. You can move left and right during the pin to force the puck in the direction you want it to go. Pinning a puck carrier is a great way to contain and get the puck back instead of risking a hitting from behind penalty.

Of course, player attributes come into play. Bigger, stronger players, and players with great puck control, will be successful using boardplay. Most importantly, the AI will react to boardplay and come help support the puck. I had a goal the other day where I went into boardplay in the offensive zone. My center came down low to support me and give me an outlet pass. I kicked the puck to his stick, and was able to get to the net with the center and score.

GS: Board battles tend to slow the pace of the game down in real hockey--how are you balancing that in in order to keep things moving in the game?

DL: It's actually a great thing that board battles can slow the game down a bit. Real hockey has an ebb and flow to it that I don't think we have captured in our past video games. Video game hockey tends to be more on the fast action side of the game, while in reality there are up tempo moments and down tempo moments. Boardplay gives you a chance to slow the game down a bit and maintain puck control or contain skilled players so they can't set up a play. The key to boardplay is that it is fun to use and the AI reacting intelligently when it happens.

GS: Much was made of the distinction between player types in NHL 09. How have those differences been improved in NHL 10?

DL: Well, we have added the "tough guy" player type. His job is to protect the skilled players and get his team and the home crowd going. Big hits and fighting at the right time are some of the tough guy responsibilities. We also have tuned the differences between 1st line players and 4th line players. Big, tough 4th liners can lose the puck on dekes, but will be more effective in the corners.

GS: It seems that every year, fans ask for better fighting in hockey games. What are you doing this year that's different?

DL: We have developed a first person fighting system that puts you in the skates of an NHL tough guy. The first person perspective makes you feel like you are in the fight as opposed to just watching it. You have full control over your fist and full control over your head movement side to side. So basically you are trying to make the opponent miss his punches while landing your own. The right stick controls the direction of your punch. The left stick controls your side to side head movement. You can also pull down the left stick to tug an opponent forward and at the same time hit him with a hook or uppercut. You can also pull back the right stick to power up a punch. If you are a big tough fighter, you can just throw bombs. If you are a lightweight, you will want to get your head out of the way and be more strategic. Also, if you are a skill player or it's not to your team's advantage to fight than you can always choose to turtle. Another element we have that is authentic to the real life is if you challenge one of the stars to a fight, than one of his teammates will step in to take the fight for him. The CPU will send a tough guy over to protect the star.

rest of story htp://ww.gamespot.com/sports/blogs/sports-blog/909097139/26880576/nhl-10-lets-get-physical.html?tag=topslot;img;1

[Le Goat]

sooooooooooooooo, 3dRealms is still alive...

htp://ww.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3174278

[Jack Bauer]

button bashing sucks in games

[Le Goat]

lol Valve

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3724873&type=lg
The Orange Box (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3156699) ended up making its way to the PlayStation 3 back in 2007, but Left 4 Dead (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3155405) was conspicuously absent. And if these comments are anything to go by, there won't be any other Valve games coming to PS3 either. "The PC and the 360 are just more straightforward," designer Tom Leonard told Loot Ninja (http://loot-ninja.com/2009/06/09/valve-shuts-out-too-complicated-ps3/). "We can focus on what we want to do, which is make game experiences, instead of sweating bullets over obscure architectural decisions they make with their platform."
"I didn't come into this business in the 90s because of some technical fetish. I came in because I wanted to give people experiences that made them have fun."
The PS3 edition of the Orange Box was noteable for its technical problems, particularly when it came to driving in Half Life: Episode 2 (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3165482&p=37&sec=REVIEWS). This came at a time when several publishers were having trouble developing for the PS3, resulting in technical compromises such as the reduction of Madden 2008 (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3158568) to 30 frames per second.
While most publishers have learned their way around the PS3, it seems that Valve will be sticking to the platform on which it made a name for itself -- the PC. As any Xbox 360 owners who's waited for Team Fortress 2 (http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2014284) or Left 4 Dead updates will tell you, consoles will always be a secondary priority.

[Le Goat]

One of the longest-tenured independent developers in the gaming industry has been acquired. Today ZeniMax Media announced that it has purchased id Software. Best known to gamers as the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax will add id properties like Doom, Quake, and the upcoming Rage to a library that already includes blockbusters like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3.
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2009/174/quake4903_embed.jpg (http://www.gamespot.com/images/6212479/bethesda-parent-acquires-id-software/1/?path=2009%2F174%2Fquake4903_screen.jpg&caption=ZeniMax%2Bjust%2Bbecame%2Ba%2Bmajor%2Bplay er%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfirst-person%2Bshooter%2Bcategory.&blog=1&cvr=8Gm.)ZeniMax just became a major player in the first-person shooter category. (http://www.gamespot.com/images/6212479/bethesda-parent-acquires-id-software/1/?path=2009%2F174%2Fquake4903_screen.jpg&caption=ZeniMax%2Bjust%2Bbecame%2Ba%2Bmajor%2Bplay er%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bfirst-person%2Bshooter%2Bcategory.&blog=1&cvr=8Gm.)

While id Software will become a part of ZeniMax, the developer will retain a certain amount of autonomy. ZeniMax confirmed that id founder John Carmack will continue serving as id's technical director, with no changes to be made in the company's day-to-day operations or development process. Additionally, ZeniMax noted that "all the principals at id Software have signed long-term employment contracts."
"This puts id Software in a wonderful position going forward," Carmack said in a statement. "We will now be able to grow and extend all of our franchises under one roof, leveraging our capabilities across multiple teams while enabling forward looking research to be done in the service of all of them. We will be bigger and stronger, as we recruit the best talent to help us build the landmark games of the future."
While the focus of the news is on the newly related Bethesda and id Software, a third ZeniMax property offers perhaps further possibilities for extending franchises. In 2007, ZeniMax secured $300 million in funding to establish ZeniMax Online (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181767.html), a developer focused on massively multiplayer online games.
The move bolsters ZeniMax's upcoming release schedule with the addition of id projects like Rage and Doom 4. While the latter title does not have an announced publisher, Rage was confirmed as an EA Partners project at Electronic Arts' 2008 Electronic Entertainment Expo media briefing (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6178148.html). The acquisition apparently won't affect the EA Partners deal. EA corporate communications head Jeff Brown told GameSpot, "At EA, we wish both ZeniMax and id the best of luck on their new relationship. We’re still very excited about publishing Rage, which we think is going to be one of the best games of 2010."
The privately held ZeniMax was founded in 1999 and based in Rockville, Maryland. The firm's board of directors includes a number of notable figures, including filmmaker Jerry Bruckheimer, Hall of Fame baseball player Cal Ripken Jr., and Leslie Moonves, president and CEO of GameSpot parent company CBS.
No purchase price for the acquisition was disclosed.

[Le Goat]

Last month, court filings in the Take-Two Interactive lawsuit against Duke Nukem Forever developer 3D Realms (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6209746.html) (incorporated as Apogee Software) revealed another game featuring the first-person shooter icon was in the works at a "well-known game developer" (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6212365.html) as early as 2007. That mystery developer appears to have been revealed as Brothers in Arms developer Gearbox in the dispute's latest filing.
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2009/134/dukenukemforever459_embed.jpg (http://www.gamespot.com/images/6213343/gearbox-was-mystery-developer-behind-duke-begins/1/?path=2009%2F134%2Fdukenukemforever459_screen.jpg&caption=Duke%2BNukem%2BForever%2Bwould%2Bhave%2Bbe en%2Bfilled%2Bwith%2Bbeasties%2Blike%2Bthis.&blog=1&cvr=yXT1)Duke Nukem Forever would have been filled with beasties like this. (http://www.gamespot.com/images/6213343/gearbox-was-mystery-developer-behind-duke-begins/1/?path=2009%2F134%2Fdukenukemforever459_screen.jpg&caption=Duke%2BNukem%2BForever%2Bwould%2Bhave%2Bbe en%2Bfilled%2Bwith%2Bbeasties%2Blike%2Bthis.&blog=1&cvr=yXT1)

As reported by ShackNews (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/59522) and confirmed by GameSpot, a Take-Two response to Apogee's countersuit drops mention of the Borderlands and Aliens first-person shooter studio in a reference to the original three-company contract for Duke Begins.
The suit reads, "Under the 2007 Agreement, any modification to the development schedule for the Duke Begins game, following Final Concept Approval (as defined in the 2007 Agreement), is permitted without Apogee's consent provided that both 2K Games and Gearbox (as defined in the 2007 Agreement) consent to the change."
Gearbox has a fair amount of work on its plate even without Duke Begins. The studio is at work on Borderlands for Take-Two in preparation of an October launch, as well as the sci-fi first-person shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines for Sega. Looking further out, Gearbox also has its War Hero project (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6212556.html), for which the studio registered a number of trademarks last month.
Take-Two acknowledges elsewhere in its filing that development on Duke Begins has been shelved "for the time being," but disputes that the project was put on hold to delay royalty payments that would have been owed to Apogee.
The current legal impasse between the two companies stems from the fact that Take-Two holds the publishing rights for Duke Nukem Forever, preventing Apogee from taking it to another company. Since Apogee owns the Duke Nukem IP, Take-Two can't commission another studio to make a game without the developer's consent.
According to a May 18 statement from Apogee (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6209901.html), Take-Two tried to buy the Duke Nukem IP outright earlier this year. However, according to the developer, "Take-Two's proposal was unacceptable to 3DR for many reasons, including no upfront money, no guaranteed minimum payment, and no guarantee to complete the DNF game."

[Will-Kill]

http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/2009/07/sam-raimi-directing-world-of-warcraft#more-15952

SAM RAIMI DIRECTING WORLD OF WARCRAFT (http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/2009/07/sam-raimi-directing-world-of-warcraft)

http://filmdrunk.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/googlestreet-crop.jpg (http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/?attachment_id=9076)
After Spider-Man 3, it was nice to see Sam Raimi (http://widget.uproxx.com/b/3/http://www.uproxx.com/page/Sam+Raimi?pid=3) go back to his roots with Drag Me to Hell (http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/2009/07/sam-raimi-directing-world-of-warcraft). But his return to smaller films won’t last long as he’s now signed to direct World of Warcraft, perhaps the ultimate no-win project for a director.
The plan is for Raimi to supervise development of “Warcraft” and shoot the picture after he completes work on “Spider-Man 4http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2.gif (http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/2009/07/sam-raimi-directing-world-of-warcraft#),” which gets under way early next year. The “Warcraft” universe [and by "universe" they mean "video game"] features an epic conflict between the Horde and the Alliance. The game has developed a global following since its launch in 1994 and shows no signs of slowing. Its most recent expansion, “Wrath of the Lich King,” sold more than 2.8 million copies in the first day of release and more than 4 million its first month. [Variety (http://widget.uproxx.com/b/3/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006299.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2564)]
Something tells me the movie will be more like the wrath of suck king, amirite? Haha, good one, Jay. Anyway, every video gamehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2.gif (http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/2009/07/sam-raimi-directing-world-of-warcraft#) movie so far has been tremendously sucky, but this time they’ve got an unquestionably huge-name game paired with an established, respected director. If this still ends up sucking, can we all agree that movies based on video games are a bad idea and stop attempting them forever? Haha, of course that’ll never happen, now get off my lawn. LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT!

PS - Can you imagine a worse Comic-Con panel to be at than this one? “Excuse me, Mr. Raimi, but I think everyone here knows that although a skilled Warlock can counter a rogue with demonic circle or even shadowfury, trying to stop a feral druid on a berzerk is a fool’s errand.” (*thunderous applause*)
http://filmdrunk.lg1x8.simplecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/samraimi-150x150.jpg (http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/?attachment_id=15953)