Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[NPD: BioShock 2 Feb. PS3 sales just shy of 200k mark]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/12/bioshock-2-feb-ps3-sales-just-shy-of-200k-mark/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/12/bioshock-2-feb-ps3-sales-just-shy-of-200k-mark/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/12/bioshock-2-feb-ps3-sales-just-shy-of-200k-mark/#comments Having printed and shipped more than 3 million copies of BioShock 2 across the seas, publisher Take-Two is clearly leaning on its sequel to provide a strong sale wind to push the company through another successful quarter. Following its February 9 release, the Xbox 360 version of BioShock 2 cruised up the US sales charts, anchoring in the peak position, according to the NPD's monthly report. For the PS3 version, the journey was not such a breeze, as it appeared to have come up against some bad weather.

Despite the Xbox 360 edition's #1 ranking in US February game sales, the PS3 version of BioShock 2 was curiously absent from the top ten listing. An NPD representative told Joystiq that the PS3 game recorded roughly 190.5k units sold last month, "just outside the top 10 at #11." If anything's to blame for this somewhat modest debut month, it's Heavy Rain. In just one week of retail availability, the PS3-exclusive "Western Interactive Novel" had enough of an impact, with 219.3k units sold, to seemingly alter the sales course of BioShock 2 for PS3.

Now, just imagine how much trouble a rampaging "murder carousel" could stir up for BioShock 2 PS3 sales this month!

JoystiqNPD: BioShock 2 Feb. PS3 sales just shy of 200k mark originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-gamesbioshock-2npdsalestake-twoFri, 12 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mass Effect 2 gets free Arc Projector heavy weapon, courtesy of Cerberus DLC Network]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/09/mass-effect-2-gets-free-arc-projector-heavy-weapon/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/09/mass-effect-2-gets-free-arc-projector-heavy-weapon/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/09/mass-effect-2-gets-free-arc-projector-heavy-weapon/#comments Commander's Log:

Well, whaddya know? I get up this morning and ride down to Deck 2, and the first thing outta Kelly's mouth is that I have a new message at my Private Terminal. About time -- things have been hella boring around here since beating up the Collectors! Anyway, it's from Illusive Man -- who else -- with a tantalizing subject line: "Arc Projector."

So, get this: Mr. Smokey says Cerberus has passed off a new "advanced electrical attack device" to me. It was recently tested on some geth during a "highly successful" skirmish in the Skyllian Verge. (I won't tell Legion that part, but "they" probably already know.)

Well, I'd sure like to test it myself, but the galaxy's awfully quiet these days -- still waiting on that Hammerhead delivery. I guess I'd better just start up that New Game+ ...

-Shepard

P.S. I've been feeling really homesick for Cali lately. That's where I grew up before enlisting in N7, fool.

Continue reading Mass Effect 2 gets free Arc Projector heavy weapon, courtesy of Cerberus DLC Network

JoystiqMass Effect 2 gets free Arc Projector heavy weapon, courtesy of Cerberus DLC Network originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arc-projectorbiowarecerberus-networkdlceamass-effect-2project-ten-dollarTue, 09 Mar 2010 14:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: March 8-14, 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/now-playing-march-8-14-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/now-playing-march-8-14-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/now-playing-march-8-14-2010/#comments
"Dude!"

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Last updated: Friday, 9:37 AM

Continue reading Now Playing: March 8-14, 2010

JoystiqNow Playing: March 8-14, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingMon, 08 Mar 2010 13:20:00 EST<![CDATA[iPad launches April 3 with largest video game catalog in the universe*]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/apple-ipad-april-3-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/apple-ipad-april-3-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/apple-ipad-april-3-release-date/#comments
 Sometimes, folks, you just have to be in awe of technology. On April 3, Apple will launch a device that's even larger than the DSi XL and yet so conveniently tuned to our impulsive consumerism. Sure, at first, and perhaps well into the iPad's life cycle, most of the games compatible with the device will be designed for a much smaller screen -- but they're just 99 cents!

The goal isn't to achieve the best portable gaming experience on the market -- no! It's to amass the biggest gaming collection possible. For $699, you'll get 64GB of iPad to jam-pack with games. Hundreds of them! Trust us, your friends will be jealous (until Apple's next innovation is unveiled).

The iPad will be released to US retail on Saturday, April 3 in 3 models: 16GB, WiFi-only ($499); 32GB, WiFi-only ($599); and 64GB, WiFi-only ($699). The WiFi-only models will be available for pre-order beginning March 12, and the 3G versions will be released later in April when the iPad also launches in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. Check out Engadget's coverage for more details.

*Okay, the "known" universe. Who knows what's really out there ...

Gallery: Apple iPad

JoystiqiPad launches April 3 with largest video game catalog in the universe* originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleipadipod-touch-xlpre-orderrelease-dateFri, 05 Mar 2010 10:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Sorry, no more Blur multiplayer beta codes here ...]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/blur-multiplayer-beta-codes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/blur-multiplayer-beta-codes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/blur-multiplayer-beta-codes/#comments Update: That's it, folks -- all gone! If you managed to snag an activation key* but lost it, you can still use our giveaway page to reclaim the same key. Enjoy!

*Key codes are not redeemable through Xbox Live. Use your key to register for the beta at Blurgame.com. The online beta begins Monday, March 8. Xbox Live Gold membership required.

JoystiqSorry, no more Blur multiplayer beta codes here ... originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: March 1-7, 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/01/now-playing-march-1-7-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/01/now-playing-march-1-7-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/01/now-playing-march-1-7-2010/#comments
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-baaaad.

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Last updated: Friday, 9:19 AM

Continue reading Now Playing: March 1-7, 2010

JoystiqNow Playing: March 1-7, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingMon, 01 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seniors can be tricked into exercising with video games, study might suggest]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/26/seniors-can-be-tricked-into-exercising-with-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/26/seniors-can-be-tricked-into-exercising-with-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/26/seniors-can-be-tricked-into-exercising-with-video-games/#comments It doesn't take a research grant to figure out that exercise -- heck, just walking around the block once a day -- can have a dramatic effect on a person's well-being. The problem is that so-called "older adults," who are particularly prone to a mild but no less debilitating depression known as subsyndromal depression (SSD), are really just too bummed out to do much of anything. Here's where the grant money comes in: Dilip V. Jeste, MD, and his team of researches at UCSD gathered up 19 seniors diagnosed with SSD and had each of them play Wii Sports for 35 minutes, three times a week.

"The study suggests encouraging results from the use of the exergames," Dr. Jeste reports. "More than one-third of the participants had a 50-percent or greater reduction of depressive symptoms." Additionally, most participants claimed that learning to to play those darned vidja games was actually pretty easy -- even enjoyable. Uh-oh. Red flag!

You see, had Dr. Jeste continued his study, he might have found that his guinea pigs would soon discover that Wii Sports can easily be played with the slightest flicks of the wrist and, ah yes, it is nice to just sit back on the couch again, but, oh boy, this game is really getting boring, so let me just get on the dag blasted google and see what -- here we go -- "the best videogame right now," okay, the yahoo's answer says: World of Warcraft. Warcraft, eh? That certainly sounds better than bowling. Couldn't hurt to give it a quick gander ... click.

JoystiqSeniors can be tricked into exercising with video games, study might suggest originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>exergamingseniorsstudywii-sportsFri, 26 Feb 2010 05:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Mass Effect 2 'Firewalker' DLC coming late March, includes Hammerhead vehicle and 5 missions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/mass-effect-2-firewalker-dlc-coming-late-march/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/mass-effect-2-firewalker-dlc-coming-late-march/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/mass-effect-2-firewalker-dlc-coming-late-march/#comments BioWare has detailed another dose of Mass Effect 2 DLC, dubbed the "Firewalker" pack. The upcoming release includes five missions featuring the Hammerhead vehicle, according to an update on the Cerberus Network page, part of the official Mass Effect site. BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk described the Hammerhead as a "hover tank," during a recent interview with Joystiq, adding, "It's not a wheeled vehicle, so it's going to have a bit of a different control scheme" than did the much-maligned Mako vehicle featured constantly in Mass Effect 1.

On the website, the Hammerhead is promoted as "a heavy assault vehicle that hovers over the battlefield at up to 120 kilometers per hour [75 mph] and features a guided missile system ensuring accuracy even during aggressive maneuvering." In other words, it's everything the Mako wasn't -- and it's optional.

The Firewalker DLC pack is scheduled for a "late March" release and will be accessible free of charge through the Cerberus Network in-game delivery system. Of course, nothing's really "free" when it's got Cerberus' shady name attached to it, is it, Mr. Illusive Man?

[Thanks Runyon C!]

JoystiqMass Effect 2 'Firewalker' DLC coming late March, includes Hammerhead vehicle and 5 missions originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cerberus-networkdlcfirewalkerhammerheadmass-effect-2Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony reorganization shuffles names, but doesn't mess with the games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/sony-reorganziation-shuffles-names/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/sony-reorganziation-shuffles-names/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/sony-reorganziation-shuffles-names/#comments You ready? Okay -- follow along: Sony announced today that the Sony Computer Entertainment subsidiary will change its name to SNE Platform (or "SNEP"), and then transfer its video game operations to a new subsidiary, named -- surprise! -- Sony Computer Entertainment. On April 1, SNEP, which will be primarily operating Sony's network services and business as a wholly-owned subsidiary, will merge with Sony, and then promptly dissolve into the parent company. Since Sony already owns all shares of SNEP, there's not going to be any market action (issuance of new shares, share capital increases or cash payments) upon the merger.

So, wait, what's happening? Essentially, Sony is moving its network business out from under the gaming wing and bringing it up to the parent company level. This is a different path than the one laid out a year ago, which suggested SCE, as then operator of the network business (think: PSN), would begin to play a larger role in the unification of the company as it pertains to an online strategy. Instead, the "new" Sony Computer Entertainment will have a slightly more narrow focus, "mainly consisting of the planning, development, manufacturing and sales of home-use/portable game consoles and software," according to the reorganization announcement; and Sony Online Service, including the proposed expansion of PSN IDs to non-gaming Sony devices, will seemingly be handled by a new division (but possibly the same personnel) within the Sony parent company.

Though listed as the "Representative Director" of the short-lived SNEP subsidiary, Kaz Hirai will presumably remain in charge of the PlayStation division now and after the April 1 merger. Sub-divisions SCEA and SCEE are unaffected by the reorganziation.

JoystiqSony reorganization shuffles names, but doesn't mess with the games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-strategycorporatekaz-hiraipsnreorganizationscesceasceesne-platformsnepsonysony-computer-entertainmentsony-online-serviceWed, 24 Feb 2010 11:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: February 22-28, 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/22/now-playing-february-22-28-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/22/now-playing-february-22-28-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/22/now-playing-february-22-28-2010/#comments
Forecast says it's gonna be heavy.

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Last updated: Thursday, 9:37 PM

Continue reading Now Playing: February 22-28, 2010

JoystiqNow Playing: February 22-28, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingMon, 22 Feb 2010 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: February 16-21, 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/now-playing-february-16-21-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/now-playing-february-16-21-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/now-playing-february-16-21-2010/#comments
The calm before the storm.

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Last updated: Friday, 9:19 AM

Continue reading Now Playing: February 16-21, 2010

JoystiqNow Playing: February 16-21, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingTue, 16 Feb 2010 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[X10: Left 4 Dead 2 'The Passing' DLC in March, L4D1 tie-in DLC to follow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/l4d2-the-passing-dlc-in-march-l4d1-tie-in-dlc-to-follow/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/l4d2-the-passing-dlc-in-march-l4d1-tie-in-dlc-to-follow/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/l4d2-the-passing-dlc-in-march-l4d1-tie-in-dlc-to-follow/#comments So what's the appropriate greeting for when you pass another survivor in the zombie apocalypse? We'll find out next month, when Valve plans to release the first Left 4 Dead 2 DLC campaign, "The Passing," on Xbox 360 and PC. The Passing will feature non-playable appearances by the original Left 4 Dead cast (those shadowy figures in the background there), who will aid L4D2's four survivors during the third act of the new campaign, which is set in rural Georgia.

Not one to leave holes in a good story, Valve will explain the original survivors' frantic journey to Georgia by way of -- yes, it's really happening -- a new DLC add-on for Left 4 Dead 1 (not compatible with L4D2). No additional details were provided about the upcoming L4D1 DLC by Valve at X10 today, but it will follow the release of The Passing campaign and a digital comic (illustrated by Michael Avon Oeming) that will tie together the two DLC stories.

Additionally, Valve confirmed that The Passing will also include new arenas for Survival, Versus and Scavenge modes, and a new co-op challenge mode. Players will also encounter a new "uncommon common" infected, dubbed the Fallen Survivor, which can drop random items when killed. The Passing is currently on track for a "late March" release.

Gallery: Left 4 Dead 2: The Passing

JoystiqX10: Left 4 Dead 2 'The Passing' DLC in March, L4D1 tie-in DLC to follow originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital-comicdlcl4dl4d1l4d2left-4-deadleft-4-dead-2release-datethe-passingvalvex10Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq @ the Microsoft X10 media event]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/joystiq-at-the-microsoft-x10-media-event/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/joystiq-at-the-microsoft-x10-media-event/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/joystiq-at-the-microsoft-x10-media-event/#comments Okay, so, we're here and we're blogging the youknowwhat outta X10 and you probably already figured that out just by reading the posts streaming down the front page -- but! We just had to share this candid shot of Major Nelson with you. Isn't he precious?

Follow all X10 updates here or explore the gallery below for an inside look at the event. Pics courtesy of our superfriend Ross Miller at Engadget.

Gallery: Joystiq live at Microsoft's X10 event in San Francisco

JoystiqJoystiq @ the Microsoft X10 media event originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gallerymajor-nelsonsan-franciscox10Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:35:00 EST<![CDATA[If at first you don't succeed, Ride, Ride again]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/10/tony-hawk-2010-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/10/tony-hawk-2010-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/10/tony-hawk-2010-game/#comments You think the first time Tony Hawk, the man himself, stepped onto a skateboard it was a sick run? Heck no -- it was pathetic. But you know what? He got back on. And the rest is history.

Activision today fessed up to that new installment in the Tony Hawk game franchise, confirmed for a 2010 release and paired with the skateboard peripheral introduced with Ride last fall -- and boy was that a big fall. Shaking off signs that Ride and its board are about as beloved as worn-out Levis and antique Tupperware, Activision has committed to another run on the Tony Hawk board.

"Game ratings for Tony Hawk: Ride weren't as high as we would have hoped last year, and in hindsight it took longer to optimize the hardware, leaving less time to develop the software we launched in 2009," said Mike Griffith, President and CEO of Activision Publishing, during a financial report and outlook call today. "Still, play-testing and consumer feedback have been very encouraging."

"This year, with the hardware complete, we'll be focusing on improving the software in order to unlock the full potential of the board," Griffith added. "We continue to believe that this innovative peripheral redefines the skateboarding experience and could potentially have different applications in the future."

JoystiqIf at first you don't succeed, Ride, Ride again originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010activisionboardperipheralsrobomodoskateboardingtony-hawktony-hawk-boardtony-hawk-rideWed, 10 Feb 2010 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision reports $113m in profits for 2009; 2010 game plan is predictable]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/10/activision-reports-113-million-in-profits-for-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/10/activision-reports-113-million-in-profits-for-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/10/activision-reports-113-million-in-profits-for-2009/#comments Today Activision Blizzard reported the financial results of its December quarter and the entire 2009 calendar year. For the year, Activision recorded a net income of $113 million, a modest turnaround from the $107 million in net losses for the company in 2008. Led by sales of Modern Warfare 2, all signs -- at least, this one -- pointed to an outstanding Q4 for the publisher. However, figures released today indicate that Activision actually posted a $286 million net loss during the period.

"Despite these challenging times, in 2010 we remain focused on expanding operating margins by growing our high-margin digital/online revenues, directing our resources to the largest and most profitable opportunities and realizing operational efficiencies globally," CEO Bobby Kotick said. "In calendar year 2010, we expect our net earnings and operating margin growth will be driven by our product slate that includes Blizzard Entertainment's Starcraft II and the World of Warcraft expansion pack, Cataclysm, as well as a diversified lineup based on Activision Publishing's best-selling franchises including Call of Duty, Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk, together with other well-known titles such as True Crime, Spider-Man and Bakugan."

While few details were give about Activision's pending slate of sequels, spinoffs and possible reboots, Mike Griffith, President and CEO of Activision Publishing, did share a few words about the next True Crime game. "We'll be releasing a game in the $4 billion action genre, based on our True Crime franchise," Griffith said. "The game blends intense Hollywood-style driving with martial arts combat and shootouts to deliver an Asian cinema-inspired action thriller. This is a big open-world action game that looks especially strong." Griffith also confirmed that a new 007 game is still in the works for 2010.

Additionally, Activision noted that two new IPs are in development for its 2010 lineup and assured that additional DLC will continue to be released for Guitar Hero 5 (and presumably Band Hero), as well as for DJ Hero. The next installments in both music game franchises, Guitar Hero and DJ Hero, are due in "the back half of the year," according Griffith. Activision also announced that it has ceased developing new Guitar Hero games for the PlayStation 2 platform. Aw, shucks.

JoystiqActivision reports $113m in profits for 2009; 2010 game plan is predictable originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardbakuganblizzardbobby-kotickcall-of-dutycataclysmdj-herofinancialfinancial-reportfinancialsfy-2009guitar-heroincomeprofitsq4salesspider-manstarcraft-2tony-hawktrue-crimewowWed, 10 Feb 2010 18:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: February 8-14, 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/now-playing-february-8-14-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/now-playing-february-8-14-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/now-playing-february-8-14-2010/#comments
Just relax -- you might feel a slight pinch.

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Last updated: Thursday, 8:05 PM

Continue reading Now Playing: February 8-14, 2010

JoystiqNow Playing: February 8-14, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingMon, 08 Feb 2010 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Madden predicts Saints win Super Bowl XLIV]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/madden-predicts-saints-win-super-bowl-xliv/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/madden-predicts-saints-win-super-bowl-xliv/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/madden-predicts-saints-win-super-bowl-xliv/#comments If the "Madden Curse" is the unflapping revenge exacted by the fowl spirit of the Great Turducken, its devoured body unceremoniously carved up by the bare hands of John Madden on national television those many years ago (seriously, go wikipedia that joint), then the annual "Madden NFL Super Bowl Simulation" is just ... plain math.

In the latest case of crunching the numbers, Madden 10 has predicted the New Orleans Saints to be winners of this Sunday's Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts. It was a real nail biter, EA recalls: "with minutes left in the game the duo of Joseph Addai and Peyton Manning put the Colts back on top with a go-ahead touchdown pass. With the game hanging in the balance, Drew Brees hits David Thomas for an 11-yard touchdown and the game winning score." The final: 35-31.

But more intriguing than the projected outcome of a mere sporting event is EA Sports' coveted simulation formula, which has become scary good. Not only did it correctly predict the winners of the conference championship games a few Sundays ago within a three-point margin of error, according to EA Sports, the formula accurately played out last year's Super Bowl down to the final score and individual player stats, which begs the question: What can't it predict?

We'd like to put a request in to EA to simulate next week's retail showdown: BioShock 2 vs. Dante's Inferno. Place your bets now!

Gallery: Madden NFL 10 Super Bowl XLIV Simulation

JoystiqMadden predicts Saints win Super Bowl XLIV originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-sportsmaddenmadden-10madden-nfl-10predictionssimulationsuper-bowlsuper-bowl-xlivsuperbowlWed, 03 Feb 2010 20:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Visceral begins shift from Dante's Inferno to Dead Space 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/visceral-begins-shift-from-dantes-inferno-to-dead-space-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/visceral-begins-shift-from-dantes-inferno-to-dead-space-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/visceral-begins-shift-from-dantes-inferno-to-dead-space-2/#comments
[Pictured: Isaac Clarke in Dead Space 2; adaptation]
A week from the launch of Dante's Inferno, no one would expect Visceral Games' Nick Earl to reveal any uncertainty about sales, but Industry Gamers did attempt to elicit a reaction from the senior VP -- by reminding Earl that his studio's new game will share a release date with BioShock 2 (never mind that it's surrounded on either month by other big-name releases). "In life, there's the things you can control and things you can't control," Earl said somewhat poetically. "I can't be too concerned with our competitive slate; our team has put so much time into Dante's Inferno, and I have a lot of faith in it."

Perhaps "faith" is a natural result of working with the source material, but more likely Earl can sleep at night because he knows he has the support of a strong marketing budget. As a work of public domain, Dante's Inferno is that rare double-bonus for EA: a recognizable property and free to adapt -- no strings attached. In turn, EA has invested in a resounding "buzz" that targeted game outlets early with memorable stunts and will culminate in an unprecedented Super Bowl spot. "There may have been [a Super Bowl ad] from Atari years ago, but it has not been done in recent memory, and it shows the confidence we have in Dante's Inferno," Earl said of the publisher's first Super Bowl commercial, which will air on Sunday.

With Dante's Inferno out of his hands, Earl confirmed that the majority of Visceral's staff is shifting to Dead Space 2 (while a small team continues to work on Dante's DLC). "We're more focused on the action than the horror this time," Earl said of the apparent ACTION-horror sequel. "We're more empowering to the player."

JoystiqVisceral begins shift from Dante's Inferno to Dead Space 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adsadvertisingdantes-infernodead-space-2eahorrormarketingnick-earlvisceral-gamesWed, 03 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wise old Miss America says kids should go back to playing with sticks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/02/miss-america-says-kids-should-go-back-to-playing-with-sticks/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/02/miss-america-says-kids-should-go-back-to-playing-with-sticks/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/02/miss-america-says-kids-should-go-back-to-playing-with-sticks/#comments
[TMZ]
Who is the real Caressa Cameron? Winner of this past weekend's 2010 Miss America pageant, this 22-year-old Virginia native was, at one point, one of us (Exhibit A: high school yearbook photo circa 2002; pictured left). But, somehow, through some unfortunate series of events, she changed -- she became an outsider (Exhibit B: Miss America; pictured right).

Newly crowned, Cameron took to the pulpit spewing her outdoorsy blasphemy onto an unsuspecting audience, disturbed from their relaxed seated positions within a temperature-controlled climate. She shouted, "take away the video games, set some standards for our children!" and construed a preposterous account of the mid-90s when kids were "playing imaginary games with sticks in the street like I did when I was little."

Lies! Admit it, Cameron. You were playing PlayStation. And when you weren't doing that, you were playing Nintendo 64! And when you weren't doing that, you were probably begging daddy to get you a Sega Saturn (perhaps his heartless "No!" signaled the beginning of your innocent forays out of the den?).

Poor child, what ill-gotten desire led you from the indoors? Alas, Cameron may be lost to us, but she has unwittingly strengthened our numbers by providing us with an addictive new game concept sure to keep kids inside for years to come:

Joystiq Publishing is pleased to announce the multiplatform game on the year, Stick to the Streetz, for Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation 3 PlayStation Motion Controller, and Microsoft Xbox 360 Project Natal. Grab your "stick" and wave it in 1:1 real-time, motion-capture accuracy as you imagine a brilliant game perfectly recreated in your living room television display. Take that Miss America!

JoystiqWise old Miss America says kids should go back to playing with sticks originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caressa-cameronjoystiq-publishingmiss-americastick-to-the-streetzTue, 02 Feb 2010 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[WSJ: Playfish creating social game based on 'well-known EA brand']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/02/wsj-playfish-creating-social-game-based-on-well-known-ea-brand/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/02/wsj-playfish-creating-social-game-based-on-well-known-ea-brand/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/02/wsj-playfish-creating-social-game-based-on-well-known-ea-brand/#comments The Wall Street Journal today examines "Why Playfish Sold Itself to EA." Um, wouldn't you sell yourself for $300 million? While such an investigation might seem trivial, the WSJ calls in Playfish president and GM Kristian Segerstrale, who reveals that several hundred million is merely chump change. Playfish certainly considered a road to riches paved in the arduous process of going public as an independent company, but "as we advanced our conversations with EA, what became clear was that this would be genuine opportunity to accelerate our pace of growth and build a billion-dollar business faster," Segerstrale explains.

To realize this dream -- to get rich really quick -- Playfish clearly saw it would take more than its prowess as a stand-out developer in the burgeoning social games arena. It would take brand power. According to the WSJ, as suggested by Segerstrale, "there will be a social game based on a well-known EA brand this year." Hardly a revelation, to be sure, but it's at least confirmation of a killer strategy. Take an established IP -- likely EA's The Sims -- and adapt it for a network of social gaming experiences that spans persistent platforms like Facebook and the iPhone. Oh, so that's why Playfish sold itself to EA.

[Via Develop]

JoystiqWSJ: Playfish creating social game based on 'well-known EA brand' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-strategycasualeafacebookmobileplayfishsocial-gamesthe-simsTue, 02 Feb 2010 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: February 1-7, 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/01/now-playing-february-1-7-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/01/now-playing-february-1-7-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/01/now-playing-february-1-7-2010/#comments
A bold new enterprise.

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Last updated: Friday, 9:19 AM

Continue reading Now Playing: February 1-7, 2010

JoystiqNow Playing: February 1-7, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingMon, 01 Feb 2010 08:49:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare says Dragon Age 2 to look 'super hot']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/29/bioware-says-dragon-age-2-to-look-super-hot/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/29/bioware-says-dragon-age-2-to-look-super-hot/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/29/bioware-says-dragon-age-2-to-look-super-hot/#comments Dragon Age: Origins presents strong evidence that great games can overcome gawd-awful graphics, but BioWare isn't about to test that theory -- and the limits of our forgiveness -- again in the sequel. "I think one of the key things we're working on in Dragon Age 2 is the technology," BioWare VP Greg Zeschuk recently told Joystiq. "I can confirm that we're doing a lot of work on the Dragon Age engine, and doing a lot of stuff to pump it -- to make it visually super hot."

Now, to clarify, frisky rogue foursomes and lesbian alien sex are measured on different "super hot" scales, as Zeschuk conceded, "Dragon Age is, in the structural sense, a fundamentally different game than Mass Effect ... You have to make different technical considerations." Certainly, with Dragon Age: Origins, those considerations were designed to benefit the superior PC version.

Still, there's hope for a console sequel makeover, since, in Zeschuk's words, the process of iteration allows a developer to "get to a much higher level." "I think the overall visual style we're going to continue to evolve in Dragon Age," Zeschuk added. "People are going to see some cool ... I can't really say too much, but I think Dragon Age as a world is interesting. It's a timeline, and you can go anywhere." Go anywhere, huh? So, like the future Ferelden, where a race of sexy blue aliens has been possessed by horny desire demons? Super hot.

JoystiqBioWare says Dragon Age 2 to look 'super hot' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredragon-agedragon-age-2dragon-age-originseagreg-zeschukinterviewFri, 29 Jan 2010 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple iPad unveiled, like, for real f'real]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/apple-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/apple-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/apple-ipad/#comments It's finally over ... and it's just beginning! Apple has introduced the iPad to the world, ending a long-drawn-out development phase fraught with rumor and speculation. Today -- like, just now -- the iPad made its stage debut at Apple's "Latest Creation" event in San Francisco.

Quite the production, er, introduction, eh? Here's what we know right off the bat, courtesy of Steve Jobs:
  • "It's very thin -- you can change the homescreen to whatever you want"
  • "You can browse the web with it"
  • "Phenomenal for mail"
  • "Album, photos ... you can look at all of them, flick through them, it's a wonderful way to share. Calendar ... months ..."
  • "We have the iTunes store built right in. YouTube and YouTube in HD"
  • "And it's awesome to watch movies and TV"
  • "Even bigger than the DSi XL" (okay, so Steve didn't say that -- we did!)
Cool, but does it play games? Update: Yep, it does -- your old iPhone games! We even played a few in our hands-on preview.

Some additional specs: 0.5-inches thin; 1.5 pounds; 9.7-inch IPS display; multi-touch; powered by 1GHz Apple A4 chip; available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models; Bluetooth 2.1 plus EDR and 802.11n WiFi; speakers, mic and 30-pin connector; syncs over USB; and up to 10-hour battery life. First-party accessories include a standard dock (think: picture-frame mode), a keyboard dock and a case.

As for pricing, the 16GB model is $499 (or $629 with 3G compatibility); or 32GB for $599 ($729 with 3G); or 64GB for $699 ($829 with 3G). 3G-compatible models have an option between two data plans through AT&T: 250MB of data per month for $14.99 or unlimted data per month for $29.99. The data plans are prepaid and activated directly on the iPad -- there's no contract (so you can cancel anytime). WiFi models ship in 60 days (late March); 3G units in 90 (late April).

Gallery: Apple iPad

JoystiqApple iPad unveiled, like, for real f'real originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gaccessoriesappleapple-ipadapple-tabletbattery-lifedockipadislateitabletkeyboardlatest-creationpricingspecstabletwifiWed, 27 Jan 2010 13:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Live from Apple's 'Latest Creation' event]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/apple-latest-creation-event/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/apple-latest-creation-event/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/apple-latest-creation-event/#comments So long rumors! We're live from the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco to bring you real coverage of Apple's "Latest Creation" event. Follow the complete liveblog on Engadget or stick around here for Joystiq's gaming coverage of Apple's not-so-mystery device.

Wait, it plays games, right? Right! Don't tell us we flew all the way out here for nothing ...

Event start time by location
08:00AM - Hawaii
10:00AM - Pacific
11:00AM - Mountain
12:00PM - Central
01:00PM - Eastern
06:00PM - London
07:00PM - Paris
08:00PM - Ludwig
09:00PM - Moscow
03:00AM - Tokyo (January 28)

JoystiqLive from Apple's 'Latest Creation' event originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applelatest-creationliveWed, 27 Jan 2010 11:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: January 25-31, 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/now-playing-january-25-31-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/now-playing-january-25-31-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/now-playing-january-25-31-2010/#comments
MASSive Double Feature

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Last updated: Friday, 12:02 PM

Continue reading Now Playing: January 25-31, 2010

JoystiqNow Playing: January 25-31, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingMon, 25 Jan 2010 11:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet the Testers, cast of PSN reality show]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/meet-the-testers-cast-of-psn-reality-show/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/meet-the-testers-cast-of-psn-reality-show/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/meet-the-testers-cast-of-psn-reality-show/#comments With a host that's "crazy for RPG" and a model, plus guest appearances by the "legendary" David Jaffe, upcoming PSN reality show, The Tester, has already locked up the celebs. But what about the unknowns -- those everyday, real folk -- vying for an entry-level job in the industry?

Today, we're introduced to these eleven strangers, picked to work for Sony, to test games and have their lives taped, to hopefully get smashed and hook up and puke and then start some real drama if the video editors are any good, 'cause, boy, game testing is really kinda boring and ... hey, did we mention there's still an unannounced celebrity that's gonna show up? Stay tuned!

[Via PlayStation.Blog]

JoystiqMeet the Testers, cast of PSN reality show originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castdavid-jaffemeredith-molinaripsnreality-showthe-testerThu, 21 Jan 2010 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[We got our wish: New console IP up 106% since 2007]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/new-console-ip-up-106-percent-since-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/new-console-ip-up-106-percent-since-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/new-console-ip-up-106-percent-since-2007/#comments If we've learned anything from the latest "Divnich Debrief" on IndustryGamers, it's to be careful what we wish for. Video game anthropologist analyst Jesse Divnich has crunched the numbers and formed a surprising statistic: 106 percent -- the percentage increase in the number of new console game properties introduced from 2007 to 2009 (61 new IPs in 2007 compared to 126 in 2009). One hundred and twenty-six!

Surprised? We are, considering that we've pined for new game experiences, as we've stocked our shelves with sequels these past few years; all those 2s, 3s and 4s -- heck, we've got a spot reserved for a "13" in March. Still, we'd like to think our collections owe more to exquisite taste than a compulsive habit to collect them all. After all, as Divnich points out, of those 126 new properties introduced last year, not one received an aggregate review score of over 90 percent.

The lesson, as Divnich tells it, is that publishers are barbarians (see, the image does make sense). In other words, when we the consumers stop buying properties worn barren by those plundering publishers, they turn to mass-producing new IP, in search of a hit, which is then quickly ravaged (think: sequel, sequel, sequel -- in short succession) as the cycle repeats itself. The solution, Divnich poses? Simple -- for publishers to consider Blizzard's calm approach (at least it's worked on the PC platform) and farm their prize properties with sustainability in mind. We suppose that makes it our job to suffer excruciatingly long droughts, while keeping the faith. Who wants to join us for the seasonal StarCraft Dance?

JoystiqWe got our wish: New console IP up 106% since 2007 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesseedarfinancialjesse-divnichnomadic-barbariansWed, 20 Jan 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft to 'refocus' on Xbox 360, PS3 and 'major franchises']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/ubisoft-to-refocus-on-xbox-360-ps3-and-major-franchises/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/ubisoft-to-refocus-on-xbox-360-ps3-and-major-franchises/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/ubisoft-to-refocus-on-xbox-360-ps3-and-major-franchises/#comments As Ubisoft today sent its financial forecast soaring downward for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, CEO Yves Guillemot pledged to steer the company away from the suffering casual market. Specifically, "with a view to further reducing our exposure to the DS, we intend to continue to refocus our development resources on our major franchises and on the Xbox 360 and PS3, the two consoles which are expected to see sales growth in games for gamers in 2010," Guillemot said.

For the fiscal 2009-10 year, Ubisoft has revised its sales target to €860 million (roughly $1.25 billion) -- down from an estimated €1,040 million -- resulting in an anticiapted €50 million operating loss. The publisher cited a near 50 percent year-over-year drop in casual game sales as the leading cause for the revised financial target, despite "robust" sales of casual Wii games (especially sales of Just Dance). Poor retail performances by James Cameron's Avatar: The Game and unspecified "non-casual" Wii titles, along with weak back catalog sales, were also to blame. The last-minute delays of Splinter Cell: Conviction and R.U.S.E. affect the current fiscal year, as well.

As for fiscal 2010-11, Ubisoft has indeed planned a lineup of "major" franchises, including the aforementioned Splinter Cell game, along with new entries in the Ghost Recon and Prince of Persia series, in addition to a newly announced Assassin's Creed "episode," and Rabbids and Driver installments. "The 2010-11 line-up -- which is stronger in franchises for Xbox 360 and PS3 -- reflects our refocusing efforts and should enable us to both win market share and enhance our profitability," Guillemot concluded.

JoystiqUbisoft to 'refocus' on Xbox 360, PS3 and 'major franchises' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualfinancialfinancial-reportsalesubisoftyves-guillemotWed, 13 Jan 2010 13:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Dante's Inferno special edition printing provides 'unique insight' into game's creation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/dantes-inferno-special-printing-provides-unique-insight/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/dantes-inferno-special-printing-provides-unique-insight/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/dantes-inferno-special-printing-provides-unique-insight/#comments
These are dire times for ye olde book industry. Dire indeed. A special printing of Dante's Inferno -- like, the book -- hopes to capitalize on "the hottest game around." Due January 19 in book stores, this new edition from Del Rey (of the Random House empire) features an introduction by executive producer Jonathan Knight and 16 pages of colorful artwork from "the action adventure blockbuster that's rocking the video-game world." There's a 14th-century epic poem squeezed in there, too.

Perhaps best used as a bargaining chip for kids desperate to convince their parents that they should be allowed to play a game based on a literary classic, however "mature" it might be, this damned tie-in is unlikely to ascend to the heavenly gates of the bestsellers list. Still, if Visceral Games' clone adaptation inspires even a single player to check out the original poem, then that would be a beautiful thing. Hell, it would be divine!

Gallery: Dante's Inferno (Trade Paperback)

Front CoverBack Cover

JoystiqDante's Inferno special edition printing provides 'unique insight' into game's creation originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ballantine-booksbookdantes-infernodel-reyeapaperbackpoemrandom-housethe-divine-comedyvisceral-gamesTue, 12 Jan 2010 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: January 11-17, 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/11/now-playing-january-11-17-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/11/now-playing-january-11-17-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/11/now-playing-january-11-17-2010/#comments
Bro, you ever get that feeling, like, everyone's laughing at you?

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Last updated: Thursday, 4:53 PM

Continue reading Now Playing: January 11-17, 2010

JoystiqNow Playing: January 11-17, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgmesnow-playingMon, 11 Jan 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Darksiders patch to sew up Xbox 360 screen-tearing issue]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/07/darksiders-patch-to-sew-up-xbox-360-screen-tearing-issue/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/07/darksiders-patch-to-sew-up-xbox-360-screen-tearing-issue/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/07/darksiders-patch-to-sew-up-xbox-360-screen-tearing-issue/#comments You'd think some screen tearing was only natural in the aftermath of ... the Apocalypse -- but apparently it's an unintended hiccup in the Xbox 360 version of Vigil Games' Darksiders. Speaking to IGN, studio head Joe Madureira confirmed that Vigil is aware of the issue and is planning a title update to address it. "It's something that's really not a difficult fix for us, and so we're going to implement a patch to resolve the problem," Madureira assured. "We're fairly certain it'll happen really soon, so look out for it."

Phew! It's good to know that the end of the world will be running a little smoother in no time.

Gallery: Darksiders

JoystiqDarksiders patch to sew up Xbox 360 screen-tearing issue originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>darksidersjoe-madureirapatchscreen-tearingthqupdatevigil-gamesxbox-liveThu, 07 Jan 2010 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet Mass Effect 2's Vanguard class: for those who love to rush 'n attack]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/06/mass-effect-2-vanguard-class/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/06/mass-effect-2-vanguard-class/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/06/mass-effect-2-vanguard-class/#comments Maybe, "if you love intense close-range combat," you should be looking elsewhere to release your pent-up rage. However, if you love intense close-range combat using an extremely tactical power -- and don't mind taking breaks for drawn-out conversation -- then perhaps Mass Effect 2's Vanguard combat class fits well with your particular proclivities.

Still not clicking? Have you tried the Engineer? He, uh, fixes stuff ... with his killer robots.

Gallery: Mass Effect 2: Engineer Class

JoystiqMeet Mass Effect 2's Vanguard class: for those who love to rush 'n attack originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareclasseseamass-effectmass-effect-2trailervanguardvideoWed, 06 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Age Awakening trailer: just as He foretold]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/dragon-age-awakening-trailer-just-as-he-foretold/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/dragon-age-awakening-trailer-just-as-he-foretold/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/dragon-age-awakening-trailer-just-as-he-foretold/#comments You'd hoped that after investing 60 hours of your life, you could hang up your sword and catch a breather until the next BioWare RPG, but, oh no, the Darkspawn did not simply disappear. Thankfully, today's announcement of Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening, a retail expansion to IGN's & Spike's RPG of the Year Joystiq's "4th Best of 2009," has been accompanied by this video pep talk. After all, you have quite the task ahead of you.

Awakening will be released March 16 for $39.99 on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. A copy of the original Dragon Age: Origins is required to play.

Gallery: Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening (Retail Expansion)

JoystiqDragon Age Awakening trailer: just as He foretold originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awakeningbiowaredragon-agedragon-age-awakeningdragon-age-originsdragon-age-origins-awakeningeaexpansiontrailervideoTue, 05 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: January 4-10, 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/now-playing-january-4-10-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/now-playing-january-4-10-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/now-playing-january-4-10-2010/#comments
It begins: Q1 2010.

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Last updated: Thursday, 5:59 PM

Continue reading Now Playing: January 4-10, 2010

JoystiqNow Playing: January 4-10, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingMon, 04 Jan 2010 14:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Modern Warfare 2 leads UK game sales for 8th straight week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/modern-warfare-2-leads-uk-game-sales-for-8th-straight-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/modern-warfare-2-leads-uk-game-sales-for-8th-straight-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/modern-warfare-2-leads-uk-game-sales-for-8th-straight-week/#comments Following another week of tepid new releases (er, were there any releases at all?), and despite a 41-percent drop in sales, Modern Warfare 2 remained atop the UK all-formats sales chart for the week ending January 2. This marked the eighth straight week that Modern Warfare 2 led UK game sales, a feat unequaled since the gritty street sequel, Need for Speed: Underground 2, captured the British imagination five years ago. This week, Bayonetta gets her first shot at taking down the reigning champ.

Additionally, Assassin's Creed II continued its rebound up the week's towering sales list, perched at the number two position, followed by a trio of casual Wii games. FIFA 10 dropped four spots into sixth place as weekly sales of the soccer sim "footie fax" fell 61 percent. Finally, UbiGaga's Just Dance made a fevered surge up to seventh on the chart, with New Super Mario Bros., Mario Kart and Avatar rounding out the top ten. Can we get a "TAROK MAKTO!"?

Source - Call of Duty Ends the Year on a High [GFK Chart-Track]
Source - Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]

JoystiqModern Warfare 2 leads UK game sales for 8th straight week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardcall-of-dutychart-trackmodern-warfare-2salessoftwareukMon, 04 Jan 2010 10:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: James' Picks of 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/best-of-the-rest-james-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/best-of-the-rest-james-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/best-of-the-rest-james-picks-of-2009/#comments
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
"You've just made a 28-year-old boy's Christmas." That's what my friend's wife told the GameStop employee as she was buying the store's last copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii several weeks back. That sentiment has summed up my own holiday season, as my cohort and I have continued our nostalgic domination of the new "Mario Brothers."

Twenty-something years ago we were both anxiously awaiting the same Christmas Morning when we would unwrap our Nintendos, and shortly thereafter our gaming lives split two very different ways. New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the first and only game she has played with me for more than, um, "five minutes" (besides those late-night Rock Band parties), and its brilliance is in its ability to engage us both, on different levels, in the same level.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: James' Picks of 2009

JoystiqBest of the Rest: James' Picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-of-the-rest-2009Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Assassin's Creed II]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/01/joystiqs-top-10-of-2009-assassins-creed-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/01/joystiqs-top-10-of-2009-assassins-creed-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/01/joystiqs-top-10-of-2009-assassins-creed-2/#comments When he reviewed Assassin's Creed II, Justin assured, "If you were burned by the first Assassin's Creed and are worried about getting bored by the sequel, I understand your skepticism, but trust me: it's misplaced." Did I trust him? Of course not.

I slogged through the first Assassin's Creed until the bitter end. And boy was I bitter. The tiny sliver of hope I held for the game -- for the franchise -- had been buried by disappointment, and then ultimately by disinterest. Assassin's Creed was dead to me.

Imagine my surprise, then, when hope was unearthed -- nay, resurrected! -- in an experience this callous critic can only describe as a miracle. Actually, scratch that. Assassin's Creed II is not miraculous, but rather it's the result of meticulous design. It's big-budget development at its finest, its most daring, in an era when sequels seek not to challenge their predecessors but to clone them.

Sure, Assassin's Creed II borrows heavily from the first game, but it builds up that core experience -- and then leaps from the edge! Short of Grand Theft Auto III's revolutionary move away from GTA2's simple top-down perspective, there hasn't been a sandbox-style sequel that has trumped its precursor as soundly as Assassin's Creed II defies the original. If taking the empty shell of a game that was the first Assassin's Creed and bringing it to life (with customization, coordination and character) is the cake, then let us not forget the icing.

What seals Assassin's Creed II as one of 2009's very best for me is the game's unlikely side task of becoming a pseudo-historian. This brilliant addition is really two-fold: the hands-on exploration of Renaissance Italy and the puzzling mystery of a massive holy conspiracy-war. That, since playing Assassin's Creed II, I've started several conversations by suggesting, "Did you know, in Italy, back in the day they ...," is a testament to the design team's engaging recreation -- from scalable architecture to someday-priceless works of art -- of a vibrant historical place and period, which the developers have padded with colorful, encyclopedic entries built into the gameplay. While not certifiable "edutainment," Assassin's Creed II is the start of a blueprint for how we might one day learn history.

Of course, sewn into the fabric of Assassin's Creed II's Renaissance Italy is a fictional thread of intrigue. Pieced together through a series of brain twisters, which are an abrupt, yet wonderful departure from the dashing and dueling, and sneaking and stabbing, the franchise's mystery is no longer an idea hovering over the game world, but one woven within it. Assassin's Creed II is an extraordinary achievement of playable narrative and, really, you must play it.

Gallery: Assassin's Creed II



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JoystiqJoystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Assassin's Creed II originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Assassins-Creed-2joystiq-best-of-2009UbisoftUbisoft-MontrealFri, 01 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: December 21-27, 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/21/now-playing-december-21-27-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/21/now-playing-december-21-27-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/21/now-playing-december-21-27-2009/#comments
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Continue reading Now Playing: December 21-27, 2009

JoystiqNow Playing: December 21-27, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingMon, 21 Dec 2009 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Now Playing: December 14-20, 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/14/now-playing-december-14-20-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/14/now-playing-december-14-20-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/14/now-playing-december-14-20-2009/#comments
Don't call it the prologue.

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Continue reading Now Playing: December 14-20, 2009

JoystiqNow Playing: December 14-20, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newgamesnow-playingMon, 14 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands fills in gaps before Warrior Within; new details revealed in developer interview]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/14/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-fills-in-gaps-before-warri/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/14/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-fills-in-gaps-before-warri/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/14/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-fills-in-gaps-before-warri/#comments During a recent Ubisoft preview event, Michael McIntyre, director of level design for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, talked to Joystiq about the new sequel to the old trilogy, establishing its connection to the Sands of Time game series and the Bruckheimer film. The Forgotten Sands is a side story, based in the Sands of Time universe, bridging the seven-year gap between the original Sands of Time game and its sequel, Warrior Within.

Clearly, Ubisoft has positioned the next game to piggyback on the Bruckheimer blockbuster and ideally generate renewed sales for the brand (which underperformed in its 2008 iteration). Forgotten Sands is also an opportunity for Ubisoft to finally justify the Prince's remarkable transformation from carefree hero to brooding, emo warrior.

Continue reading for our full interview with Michael McIntyre -- after the break -- in which he reveals new (and rewinding revisited) elements in the game and the return of a familiar voice.

Continue reading Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands fills in gaps before Warrior Within; new details revealed in developer interview

JoystiqPrince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands fills in gaps before Warrior Within; new details revealed in developer interview originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anvil-engineinterviewmichael-mcintyreprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-movieprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsprince-of-persia-the-sands-of-timethe-forgotten-sandsubisoftyuri-lowenthalMon, 14 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST