Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogobig.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Venture capital and online games @ Virtual Worlds Forum]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/venture-capital-and-online-games-virtual-worlds-forum/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/venture-capital-and-online-games-virtual-worlds-forum/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/venture-capital-and-online-games-virtual-worlds-forum/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Last week we managed to catch the Venture Capital panel at the Virtual Worlds Forum, an event set inside a nightclub situated within a rather eerie warehouse district behind Kings Cross train station. Plenty of black leather sofas with bloggers and attendees basked in purple lights, a glitter ball, and three bars provide an odd backdrop for discussions about monetizing the latest WoW wannabe. The overall atmosphere of this panel was very businesslike -- £995 a head means most attendees were on their respective company's ticket -- so if you want to continue believing that video games are solely a creative medium designed to further society through creation of fun, look away now.

If you're interested in this subject, make sure to check out ex-Joystiq editor Vlad Cole's newly relaunched blog on video game venture capital. Now keep reading.

Continue reading Venture capital and online games @ Virtual Worlds Forum

JoystiqVenture capital and online games @ Virtual Worlds Forum originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>InvestmentKings CrossKingsCrossLondonMoneyOnline WorldsOnlineWorldsvcVenture CapitalVentureCapitalVirtual Worlds ForumVirtualWorldsForumMon, 29 Oct 2007 09:50:00 EST<![CDATA[North American, Japanese PS3 launch limited to 500,000 units]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/06/north-american-japanese-ps3-launch-limited-to-500-000-units/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/06/north-american-japanese-ps3-launch-limited-to-500-000-units/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/06/north-american-japanese-ps3-launch-limited-to-500-000-units/#commentsFiled under: ,

Apparently the blue laser diode shortage that has delayed the PAL launch of the PS3 will also be affecting the North American and Japanese launches of the console. Sony Computer Entertainment Chief Ken Kutaragi told reporters that far fewer units will be available for the U.S. and Japanese launches, with the U.S. to be allocated 400,000 units, and Japan getting 100,000. As a result, Sony has now lowered its estimate of 4 million PS3s shipped by the end of 2006 to a more realistic 2 million.

Kaz mentioned this exact estimate reduction a couple of weeks ago in a Gamespot intervew (which was quickly retracted), so it appears as if the company has known about the production issues for a while. Thanks to these production issues, trying to bag a PS3 at the suggested retail price before Christmas is going to be game in and of itself.

JoystiqNorth American, Japanese PS3 launch limited to 500,000 units originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Sep 2006 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DelayPlaystation 3Playstation3PS3SonyWed, 06 Sep 2006 06:15:00 EST<![CDATA[European launch of PlayStation 3 delayed until March 2007]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/06/european-launch-of-playstation-3-delayed-until-march-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/06/european-launch-of-playstation-3-delayed-until-march-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/06/european-launch-of-playstation-3-delayed-until-march-2007/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sony has officially confirmed that the European launch of the PlayStation 3 has been delayed, citing "production issues with the blue laser diodes needed for the Blu-Ray drive". Originally planned for a simultaneous global release in November, the PAL territories of Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australasia will now have to wait until March 2007 to get their hands on a PS3. Plans to launch the PS3 in North America and Japan this November remain unchanged.

According to the announcement, "the PAL market is the most complicated region in which to launch the system, and is therefore the most pragmatic choice to bear the brunt of a shortage of components". Everyone outside North America and Japan is used to getting a bum deal when it comes to console launches, so this broken promise is certain to leave a bitter taste in the mouths of gamers everywhere. That price premium pill just got a little harder to swallow, too.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

JoystiqEuropean launch of PlayStation 3 delayed until March 2007 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Sep 2006 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>delaysPlaystation 3Playstation3PS3Wed, 06 Sep 2006 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 cancelled for next year and beyond [update 4]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/30/e3-canceled-for-next-year-and-beyond/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/30/e3-canceled-for-next-year-and-beyond/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/30/e3-canceled-for-next-year-and-beyond/#commentsFiled under: , ,

[Update 4: The ESA has issued a press release addressing the situation. Read more here.]

Next-Gen has the scoop: Doug Lowenstein, the president of the Entertainment Software Association is expected to announce within the next 48 hours that E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the definitive video games show, has been cancelled. Industry sources have told Next-Gen that the reasoning behind this move is primarily one of cost versus return. Publishers aren't getting the media attention that they expect from the large amounts of cash that they're putting down to exhibit at the show.

Apparently publishers believe that the multi-million dollar budgets allocated to E3 would be better used on smaller, specific shows where publishers get all the limelight. There's the possibility of a smaller show taking place in May next year, but as Next-Gen puts it, "it's clear that the days of an industry event attended by all the major publishers, spending big money, are gone."

Check out our commentary on the cancellation at the continued link below.

Continue reading E3 cancelled for next year and beyond [update 4]

JoystiqE3 cancelled for next year and beyond [update 4] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Jul 2006 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>E3Electronic Entertainment ExpoElectronicEntertainmentExpoL.A.Los AngelesLosAngelesNext-GenNext-GenerationSun, 30 Jul 2006 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Colorblind gaming or: Table Tennis is impossibly hard!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/30/colorblind-gaming-or-table-tennis-is-impossibly-hard/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/30/colorblind-gaming-or-table-tennis-is-impossibly-hard/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/30/colorblind-gaming-or-table-tennis-is-impossibly-hard/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Around one in ten males and one in two hundred females are unable to discern the difference between some or all colors that other people can distinguish. Like most other people with the disability, I've been colorblind (or, to use the politically correct term, have had color sight deficiency) since birth. I find it hard, and sometimes impossible, to tell the difference between shades of red, green and brown, blue and purple and oranges and yellows. As my optician told me when I was young, this disability means that I can't work in a paint factory or be a pilot. What he didn't tell me was that I'd have trouble playing friggin' computer games!

As you probably know, the Xbox 360 features several colored buttons. Usually I can tell the difference between these buttons (the problem isn't so bad that I can't tell the difference between the equivalent of red and green at traffic lights). However, there's one game that has caused a problem: Rockstar's Table Tennis. A fundamental part of the gameplay is being able to respond to the opposing player's spin on the ball. This is represented by one of the colors which are also found on the gamepad. Blue for left spin, red for right spin, green for forward spin and yellow for back spin. Unfortunately, I can barely tell the difference between the red, green and yellow on a standard definition display. On a high definition screen the green and yellow are still nearly identical to my eyes.

This isn't usually much of a problem during normal play (besides, I can always just press the green button), but on the training levels where you are taught how to spin the ball, I found the task physically impossible. I literally had to guess which spin the computer was giving the ball! Table Tennis has the hardest training level of any game, at least for me. Since completing the training levels is an Xbox 360 achievement, it's also possibly the hardest achievement there is. It took me around 3-4 hours and dozens of reattempts to get the 5 points given to you after you complete training.

Continue reading Colorblind gaming or: Table Tennis is impossibly hard!

JoystiqColorblind gaming or: Table Tennis is impossibly hard! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Jul 2006 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlindColor sightColor sight deficiencyColor visionColorblindColorblindnessColorSightColorSightDeficiencyColorVisionDisabilitiesDisabilityDisabledMicrosoftRockstar GamesRockstar-San-DiegoRockstar-Table-TennisRockstarGamesRockstar\'s Table TennisRockstar\'sTableTennisSightSportsTable TennisTable-TennisTableTennisXbox-360Sun, 30 Jul 2006 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Bungie with business sense would make Halo 4 and 5 and...]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/28/a-bungie-with-business-sense-would-make-halo-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/28/a-bungie-with-business-sense-would-make-halo-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/28/a-bungie-with-business-sense-would-make-halo-4/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Recently there have been some rumblings that Bungie won't make another Halo game after Halo 3 which appear to be centered around a statement that Marty O'Donnell made in an interview with the BBC. In this interview, Marty says, "We all want Halo to be the great ending to an epic trilogy. We look at what Peter Jackson did with the Lord of the Rings films - which each film bettering the previous one and that is what we are aiming for." Does that mean we won't be seeing another Halo game in the future? To people who understand that making video games is a business, the rumors (which are already half-disproved) that Bungie would end the Halo franchise anytime soon are ridiculous.

The first two Halo games combined have sold 14.3 million units. That puts the Halo franchise within the top 30 best-selling game franchises of all time. Without Halo, Microsoft might as well not have bothered with the Xbox; Halo and Halo 2 sold more units than the next six best selling games on the Xbox combined (if you're wondering, these games are Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, Fable, GTA: Double Pack, Project Gotham Racing, and Need for Speed: Underground 2). With a Halo movie on the way, and the facts that Halo 2 sold more units than the first and is still the #1 game played on Xbox Live under Bungie's belt, it wouldn't be wrong to say that the Halo franchise is increasing in popularity.

The bottom line is that Bungie and Microsoft would have to be stupid to end their most lucrative franchise ever after #3. We don't claim to have any insider information, we don't dispute Marty's statement and we don't deny the possibility that Bungie will create new franchises, but based on pure business logic we'd expect to see at least another two games based on the Halo universe. From a business perspective, for Bungie to dump the Halo franchise after 3 would be sheer stupidity.

[Source for sales figures, Image from 1001 Fonts]

JoystiqA Bungie with business sense would make Halo 4 and 5 and... originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Jul 2006 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BungieBusinessFableFranchisesGame salesGameSalesGTAHaloHalo 2Halo 3Halo franchiseHalo2Halo3HaloFranchiseLord of the RingsLordOfTheRingsMarty O\\\'DonnellMartyO\\\'donnellNeed for Speed UndergroundNeedForSpeedUndergroundNFSPGRProject Gotham RacingProjectGothamRacingXboxXbox LiveXbox-360XboxLiveFri, 28 Jul 2006 07:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Zune zooms straight past gaming?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/21/zune-zooms-straight-past-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/21/zune-zooms-straight-past-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/21/zune-zooms-straight-past-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Microsoft has confirmed the existence of Zune, a brand-name that will eventually come to represent an entire line-up of portable media devices. The first device is said to be shipping this year, with more to come in 2007. At the moment, Microsoft seems to be attempting to draw attention to Zune's music and movie capabilities, which is no doubt an attempt to position the brand as a direct competitor to the iPod. This announcement (and the media blitz surrounding it) is intended to put a maximum amount of pressure onto Apple; mentioning Zune's gaming capabilities would dilute the "iPod killer" message that Microsoft is trying to plant in people's heads. Despite this, there are certain tidbits that we can extract from this official announcement that could influence how Microsoft's entry into portable gaming will play out.

Rumors about J. Allard's disappearance were true; he's emerged as one of three people heading the project, alongside Robbie Bach and Bryan Lee. Don't be surprised if J. Allard turns out to be the "face" of Zune, just like he was the "face" of Xbox 360. The drive-based and integrated WiFi aspects of the design as well as the community orientated software strongly suggest that the gaming device will feature Xbox Live Anywhere. What's still unclear is how Microsoft will market their portable gaming machine. With the introduction of a new brand name representing portable entertainment, how will this link to Microsoft's established Xbox brand? Are we talking "Zune w/Xbox" or will the portable gaming device be distinctly associated with one of the two brands, to the exclusion of the other? One way the two brands appear to share a connection is through their respective viral campaigns: they both feature rabbits (Origen, Coming Zune).

The overriding message conveyed by this announcement is that Microsoft is going out of its way to tackle the different portable entertainment markets on an individual basis. This approach contrasts sharply with Sony's entry into portable gaming. With the PSP, the company simultaneously took on the likes of the iPod, the Nintendo DS and more expensive video-only devices. As a result, the PSP has suffered from a degree of brand dilution which has resulted in the near failure of the UMD format and has limited the device's popularity as a gaming machine. By ignoring the gaming capabilities of the Zune (for now) and singling out the iPod and other portable media players, Microsoft is attempting to learn from Sony's mistake. Currently the Zune's immediate target is the iPod, and to some extent, future video-centric iPods, but when Microsoft finally decides to reveal the gaming capabilities of Zune, expect gaming to be singular focus.

JoystiqZune zooms straight past gaming? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Jul 2006 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Coming ZuneComingZuneDSEngadgetGamingiPod killerIpodKillerJ. AllardJ.AllardJALLARDMarketingMicrosoftNintendo DSNintendoDsOrigenPSPSonyViralXboxZuneFri, 21 Jul 2006 18:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Hype begins and ends with the gaming press]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/hype-begins-and-ends-with-the-gaming-press/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/hype-begins-and-ends-with-the-gaming-press/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/hype-begins-and-ends-with-the-gaming-press/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wanna see a hype fest? Do you? You do?! Well just head over to Eurogamer, where the site decided to give Peter Molyneux a free license to hype up his unannounced projects.

In an "interview" that in fifty years will be regarded by scholars as the definitive example of hype creation, Eurogamer asked Molyneux "what's your next game, and when are we going to find out about that?" The rest of the interview consists of Molyneux spouting hyped, fluffy nonsense about how he can't tell us what the game is about, but that it'll definitely be awesome+1 to the max!

I just can't blame Molyneux for this mess -- if you give one of the game industry's most savvy game developers/marketers an open microphone, it's practically a law that he will use it to hype his product. Since Molyneux didn't actually say anything about his next game that might not be included in the game (like what happened with Fable) Molyneux is totally covered. The real blame lies with Eurogamer. This goes way beyond them failing to rein him in; they've gone out of their way to construct hype out of the interview. The accompanying article is dedicated to encouraging readers to guess the word that defines Molyneux's next project. Do they think that the average Eurogamer reader is five years old?!

As Winston Smith says in 1984, "if there is hope, it lies in the proles gamers", so it's encouraging to see commentators calling Eurogamer out on this trash. Stoatboy says "Oh ffs - that was a terrible interview. Love him or loathe him - that interview said NOTHING above any beyond "it'll be GREAT", which is the very least anyone would say about any game they happened to be working on."

See also: Joystiq's interview with Peter Molyneux

JoystiqHype begins and ends with the gaming press originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developDevelop Conferencedevelop06DevelopConferenceEurogamerHypePeter MolyneuxPeterMolyneuxThu, 20 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamer's Room 101: the argument FOR balance]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/19/gamers-room-101-the-argument-for-balance/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/19/gamers-room-101-the-argument-for-balance/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/19/gamers-room-101-the-argument-for-balance/#commentsFiled under:

The concept: During the 'Game Design Room 101' session at Develop, several developers brought out props to represent their pet peeves from games. If you've read the novel 1984 by George Orwell, you'll know where the concept comes from. In the UK, Room 101 is a weekly game/talk show presented by Paul Merton, who invites a guest to come on the show who then attempt to convince him that a certain annoyance in their lives should go in the bin, and never be seen again. This seminar (and series of posts) takes a look at certain elements of games that were nominated by the panel to go in the games designer's bin. Jen and I are going to take opposite positions in the debate.

The point: Jonathan Smith of TT Games brought out a pair of scales to represent his nomination -- balance. Balance, according to Smith, is where a developer expressly sets out to tell the player "you can have this much fun", rationing the pleasure out piece by piece.

My stance: Balance should stay.

Jen's stance: Balance should go.

You decide.

Continue reading Gamer's Room 101: the argument FOR balance

JoystiqGamer's Room 101: the argument FOR balance originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jul 2006 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1984BalanceBinCall of Duty 2CallOfDuty2designDesign 101Design101develop06Game designGameDesignGamer's Room 101Gamer'sRoom101JonJonathon SmithJonathonSmithRoom 101Room101Wed, 19 Jul 2006 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@Develop: BBC Tech Editor Darren Waters and Guardian GamesBlogger Greg Howson]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/seen-develop-bbc-tech-editor-darren-waters-and-guardian-gamesbl/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/seen-develop-bbc-tech-editor-darren-waters-and-guardian-gamesbl/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/seen-develop-bbc-tech-editor-darren-waters-and-guardian-gamesbl/#commentsFiled under: ,

On the second day of Develop, Jen and I got into a conversation with Darren Waters (right), the new Technology Editor over at BBC Interactive. In the middle of the conversation I mentioned The Guardian, and then the dude on the left piped up and said "I work for them". Turns out it was Greg Howson, a writer for The Guardian who blogs at The Guardian's GamesBlog. We spent most of the time talking about blogging: how the BBC wants to do it, how The Guardian is very brave to already be doing it and how we don't know anything else.

Read - Greg's write-up of Develop
Read - Darren's interview with Bungie legend Marty O'Donnell (quaint picture)

JoystiqSeen@Develop: BBC Tech Editor Darren Waters and Guardian GamesBlogger Greg Howson originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BBC InteractiveBBC TechnologyBbcInteractiveBbcTechnologyBloggingdevelop06Greg HowsonGregHowsonGuardian GamesblogGuardianGamesblogThe BBCThe GuardianTheBbcTheGuardianTue, 18 Jul 2006 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How to share your Mac's internet connection with your Xbox]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/17/how-to-share-your-macs-internet-connection-with-your-xbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/17/how-to-share-your-macs-internet-connection-with-your-xbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/17/how-to-share-your-macs-internet-connection-with-your-xbox/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If, like me, you have your Xbox 360 placed near your wifi-enabled computer, but away from your wireless router or modem, then you'll want to take advantage of the Xbox's ability to "borrow" your computer's internet connection. For Windows users, this process is simple; it's just a matter of "bridging" your computer's wifi connection to your PC's ethernet port which is plugged into your Xbox. For Mac users, the process ain't so easy. What follows is a guide for getting your Xbox 360 to accept Mac OS X's internet sharing option.

Continue reading How to share your Mac's internet connection with your Xbox

JoystiqHow to share your Mac's internet connection with your Xbox originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jul 2006 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AirportethernetGuideHow-toInternet SharingInternetSharingMacOS XOsXsharingWirelessXbox LiveXbox-360XboxLiveMon, 17 Jul 2006 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interviews Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Q Entertainment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/17/joystiq-interviews-tetsuya-mizuguchi-of-q-entertainment/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/17/joystiq-interviews-tetsuya-mizuguchi-of-q-entertainment/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/17/joystiq-interviews-tetsuya-mizuguchi-of-q-entertainment/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In our final interview from the Develop Conference, Jen and I had a quick chat with Tetsuya Mizuguchi from Q Entertainment (and Rez fame) about the problems western developers face in trying to tackle the Japanese market, Rez 2 (he regrets never making it) and the issue of games that are critically successful, but don't sell so well (Rez again).

Earlier on in your career you worked on titles like Sega Rally, Channel 5 and Rez. These are all very different genres and styles of game. What's inspired you to create such varied styles in your games?

I don't care about the genre. Somebody once told me that I'm "hopping genres", but I've never really cared about genres. I always think about the human being, the wants that I think people have. Their basic instinct. So my games speak a universal language, so everybody can feel what is fun.

Continue reading Joystiq interviews Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Q Entertainment

JoystiqJoystiq interviews Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Q Entertainment originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Channel 5Channel5develop06GenreInterviewJapaneseJoystiqJoystiq t-shirtJoystiq teeJoystiqT-shirtJoystiqTeeRezRez 2Rez2SegaSega RallySegaRallyTetsuya MizuguchiTetsuyaMizuguchiWesternMon, 17 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The mecca of used game stores]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/15/the-mecca-of-used-game-stores/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/15/the-mecca-of-used-game-stores/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/15/the-mecca-of-used-game-stores/#commentsFiled under: ,

You know that old game you loved but can't seem to find anymore? The one you think you may have lent to a friend, but your memory isn't clear enough to accuse them of anything? Well don't yell at your best mate just yet. We think we may have found your lost game, along with every other person's lost game ever.

A used game store in Japan has such an insanely large collection of used video games on sale that I can only assume that the owner has a super-large magnet in his basement that can pick up loosely place NES carts by the thin metal connection strip and transport them from as far away as Brazil. You're thinking, "but CDs are made out of plastic, how does he manage to collect them with a magnet?" He doesn't.

Two words: Oompa loompas. Trillions of them.

[Via Insert Credit; thanks linus]

JoystiqThe mecca of used game stores originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Jul 2006 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Insert CreditInsertCreditJapanlinusMagnetMoneyNESNES cartNesCartOompa LoompasOompaLoompasSoldUsed gamesUsedGamesSat, 15 Jul 2006 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PS3 dev kit BSOD... sorta]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/14/ps3-dev-kit-bsod-sorta/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/14/ps3-dev-kit-bsod-sorta/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/14/ps3-dev-kit-bsod-sorta/#commentsFiled under:

For the Develop Conference in Brighton, Sony (who was the primary sponsor of the conference) set up a booth equipped with multiple PSP "pods" and a couple of large widescreen LCDs showing PS3 tech demos. One of the demonstrations was a large shoal of different types of fish swimming around a large space, and the other was a 3D water simulation with semi-realistic waves.

I spent a few seconds playing with the surprisingly light Dual Shake controller -- my first time, I didn't attend E3 -- and pressed select. For whatever reason, and this is why development kits are generally never shown to the public, the demo slowed to a halt, with the nice blue picture jerking away at 3fps continuously in the frame. In a technical sense this isn't a blue screen of death, but it did die displaying a blue screen, so therefore I proudly claim the title of "world's first non-developer to cause a PlayStation 3 to display a blue screen of death". It's certainly the most pretty pseudo-BSOD that I've ever seen.

JoystiqPS3 dev kit BSOD... sorta originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Jul 2006 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrightonDevelopdevelop06Developers ConferenceDevelopersConferenceDevelopmentPlaystation 3Playstation3PS3SonyFri, 14 Jul 2006 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interviews Rob Kay of Harmonix]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/14/joystiq-interviews-rob-kay-of-harmonix/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/14/joystiq-interviews-rob-kay-of-harmonix/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/14/joystiq-interviews-rob-kay-of-harmonix/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In our second interview from the Develop Conference in Brighton this week, Jen and I sat down with Rob Kay of Harmonix. Rob was project lead on the cult classic Guitar Hero, a game which is part of a new wave of hyper accessible games that is all about catching the mindset of the mainstream, as well as addicting millions of hardcore gamers. We talked with Rob about song licensing, Konami's recent "Guitar Revolution" trademark and the possibility of a Trombone Hero.

You talked about clones of Guitar Hero in your seminar. Specifically you talked about how other companies are being inspired by the premise of games like Guitar Hero. I don't know if you heard about Konami trademarking a Guitar Revolution game?

Yeah, I read that on the internet. To give Konami props, they started this whole instrument simulation in games thing when they did games like GuitarFreaks which they released in Japan. We worked with Konami on Karaoke Revolution and Karaoke Stage as well. So, I think it's great actually. I'm kind of the opinion that whoever is making these games with us then we're exploring this new ground together. I've got friends who have played Karaoke Revolution, and they wanted more songs so they've gone out and bought SingStar. So I think great, more people are out there playing these types of games.

Continue reading Joystiq interviews Rob Kay of Harmonix

JoystiqJoystiq interviews Rob Kay of Harmonix originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Jul 2006 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrightonDevelopDevelop Conferencedevelop06DevelopConferenceGuitar HeroGuitarHeroInterviewJoystiq t-shirtJoystiqT-shirtRob KayRobKayFri, 14 Jul 2006 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interviews Peter Molyneux of Lionhead Studios]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/14/joystiq-interviews-peter-molyneux-of-lionhead-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/14/joystiq-interviews-peter-molyneux-of-lionhead-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/14/joystiq-interviews-peter-molyneux-of-lionhead-studios/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Yesterday at the Develop Conference in Brighton, Jennie and I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with the founder of Lionhead Studios, Peter Molyneux. We chatted about the issue of hype, frustrations surrounding PC gaming and Peter's early days in the industry, amongst other topics.

Fable was pretty much portrayed as one of the most open games of all time, but in terms of hype, it failed to meet the high expectations that you gave the game. There was even a forum post where you apologized about this: why did it get to that level?

Well, it started with this fatal line that I made and that was that I wanted to make Fable the greatest role playing game of all time. I kinda still defend that because I honestly don't see the point in making a game that you don't honestly believe has a chance of being the greatest game of all time. I meet the press quite a lot, every 6-8 weeks there's some sort of press interview. The way I work then is to get a system in, play around with it, polish it, make it better. Sometimes I leave it as it is and sometimes I throw it away.

Continue reading Joystiq interviews Peter Molyneux of Lionhead Studios

JoystiqJoystiq interviews Peter Molyneux of Lionhead Studios originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Jul 2006 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BastionBrightonDevelopDevelop Conferencedevelop06DevelopConferenceFansGamingMacMac gamingMacGamingPC gamingPcGamingPeter MolyneuxPeterMolyneuxPRFri, 14 Jul 2006 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Phil Harrison: "I don't think we're arrogant"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/13/sonys-phil-harrison-i-dont-think-were-arrogant/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/13/sonys-phil-harrison-i-dont-think-were-arrogant/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/13/sonys-phil-harrison-i-dont-think-were-arrogant/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

At the end of the final keynote of the Develop Conference in Brighton, Jennie and I walked up to Sony Computer Entertainment big boss Phil Harrison, with the intention of a) thrusting a Joystiq t-shirt into his hands and b), asking him two questions on the topic of the company's perceived arrogance. What he said is below, but the most interesting part for me was what he said off-tape.

What would you say to the suggestion that Sony is being arrogant?

There's always going to be a risk when you are market leader for ten years that we start to lose perspective; and we have to make sure that we don't lose perspective. But I don't think we're arrogant, I think we have to recognize that we're in a highly competitive industry and that anything that we say will be eternally editorialized by professionals and consumers alike. So we're always in the spotlight.

Continue reading Sony's Phil Harrison: "I don't think we're arrogant"

JoystiqSony's Phil Harrison: "I don't think we're arrogant" originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jul 2006 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Developdevelop06MarketingPhilPhil HarrisonPhilHarrisonPlaystationPRPS3SontSonyThu, 13 Jul 2006 16:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Overheard@Develop: Mark Rein - "I need a stiff drink"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/12/overheard-develop-mark-rein-i-need-a-stiff-drink/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/12/overheard-develop-mark-rein-i-need-a-stiff-drink/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/12/overheard-develop-mark-rein-i-need-a-stiff-drink/#commentsFiled under: ,

Mark Rein is currently sitting 3 feet away from me, and is heavily immersed in an interview with a journalist. Only five minutes ago I heard him saying "I need a stiff drink" in not-too-subtle tones as he walked past the press area. The reason? Most likely his supposed "heckling" from developers over his strong opinions cited in the opening keynote of the Develop Conference this morning (UK time). One developer went as far as calling Mark "a dinosaur" regarding his views about the industry's direction.

In the keynote this morning he called episodic content a "broken business" and stated that "Episodic games that offer faster turnaround will inevitably be using a lot of recycled content, walking through the same environments and shooting the same enemies with the same weapons." So that's opposed to the refreshing experience that we get from walking through Unreal game after Unreal game?

At least one thing's on the up: Mark seems to have got something to drink, as the picture above illustrates.

JoystiqOverheard@Develop: Mark Rein - "I need a stiff drink" originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrightonCokeDevelopdevelop06J.D.Mark ReinMarkReinWed, 12 Jul 2006 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic's Mark Rein: Intel is killing PC Gaming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/12/epics-mark-rein-intel-is-killing-pc-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/12/epics-mark-rein-intel-is-killing-pc-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/12/epics-mark-rein-intel-is-killing-pc-gaming/#commentsFiled under: ,

A couple of hours ago, Epic Vice President Mark Rein opened the Develop Conference in Brighton with a keynote covering topics ranging from the economics of next-generation games, episodic content and middleware (which, incidentally, Epic makes a lot of its money from). The majority of the second half of his keynote took a critical look at Intel's place within gaming; specifically, Mark thinks "Intel is killing PC gaming".

Over several slides on the topic, Mark laid out the reasons he thinks that PC gaming is being harmed by Intel. He pointed the finger at Intel's integrated graphics chips. Integrated chipsets are often incapable of playing the latest (and certainly next-generation) games at any kind of graphics settings. Despite this, they are wildly popular amongst retailers. According to Mark's figures, 80% of laptops and 55% of desktops (note: he failed to cite a source for these figures) feature integrated graphics. That's bad news for companies like Epic, which are investing heavily into extremely demanding next-generation games.

If next-generation games don't run on the vast majority of computers, big-name and -money developers will lose (or have already lost) their bottom end. At the same time, the higher end is getting higher. The last year has produced widespread-SLI adoption within the hardcore PC gaming community and new technologies like Quad-SLI, Quad-CPUs, physics processors and $10,000+ PCs.

Over the next couple of days we'll be exploring this keynote and other seminars from Develop in more depth, but for now we'll ask you the same questions that Mark asked the audience:
  • Do games like The Sims, World of WarCraft and other low-budget Asian MMOs prove Mark's hypothesis, that PC gaming is going away because of Intel, wrong?
  • Will console MMOs put the nail in the coffin of PC gaming?
  • How come big publishers aren't placing big bets on PC gaming? (Mark says that he knows of at least two "major" developers that are considering moving exclusively to console based development, although he failed to elaborate on which ones).
  • Will the PC market be relegated to only mass-market and casual games?

JoystiqEpic's Mark Rein: Intel is killing PC Gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Jul 2006 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Develop Conferencedevelop06DevelopConferenceEpicIntegrated GraphicsIntegratedGraphicsIntelMark ReinMarkReinPCWed, 12 Jul 2006 08:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Couch co-op gives way to internet teamplay]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/10/couch-co-op-gives-way-to-internet-teamplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/10/couch-co-op-gives-way-to-internet-teamplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/10/couch-co-op-gives-way-to-internet-teamplay/#commentsCo-op mode in video games is often a very popular feature, probably because of the added intensity of competing with A.I. in partnership with a friend. Games like Halo and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory become entirely different (and better) games when played in co-operative mode. Of course, the early innovator was Contra, which, without a co-op mode, would have been just another side scrolling shooter. With the greats of the co-op gaming genre in mind, Vic over at Bits & bytes & pixels & sprites has written up a feature calling for a next-generation renaissance in co-operative games.

Couch co-op has never been an assured feature with games, especially recently. Since 2000, developers on the PC platform have clearly ignored the co-op mode in favor of dedicated multiplayer modes with big name first person shooters like Half-Life 2, Doom 3 and Quake 4 skipping on the mode. Games with teamplay orientated multiplayer modes like Counter-Strike and Call of Duty have picked up the fundamentals of co-op based games and thanks to their easy accessibility over the internet, have become wildly popular as a result (especially in comparison to the limit of 2-4 players in a usual co-op game).

There will always be developers that include couch co-op modes in their games (Bungie, Blizzard and Ubisoft come to mind), but there's unlikely to be a massive resurgence in the number of couch co-op games mainly due to an internet based takeover of team based gameplay.

[Thanks, Daniel Zuccarelli]

JoystiqCouch co-op gives way to internet teamplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Jul 2006 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bits and bytes and pixels and spritesBitsAndBytesAndPixelsAndSpritesBlizzardBungieCo-opCo-operativeContracouch co-opCouchCo-opdoom 3Doom3gamesgametypegaminghalf-life 2Half-life2quake 4Quake4renaissanceUbisoftMon, 10 Jul 2006 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Video games are a part of prisoner rehabilitation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/03/video-games-are-a-part-of-prisoner-rehabilitation/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/03/video-games-are-a-part-of-prisoner-rehabilitation/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/03/video-games-are-a-part-of-prisoner-rehabilitation/#commentsFiled under: ,

The issue of video games in prisons has resurfaced; this time the publicity surrounds a private prison in Florida purchasing two PlayStation 2 systems (with inmate commissary, not with tax dollars) as part of an attempt to relax prisoners. This comes after recent debates over the right of prisoners to play video games, with Missouri first removing violent games after a blunder that resulted in prisoners shooting virtual cops in GTA, and then banning the use of games outright after a new Governor took office. Currently the overwhelming majority of prisons in the U.S.A. do not allow prisoners access to games.

Hernando County Jail Assistant Warden Russell Washburn told the St. Petersburg Times:

"I'd rather them be thinking about race cars than how I'm mad at someone... I don't want it portrayed that all they do is sit around and play PlayStation. I would agree that's not right if that's all you do. But this is just part of the rehabilitation. You can't throw them into a place and not give them anything to do and expect no problems. ... This is not a warehouse."

We've previously reported on the positive aspects of allowing prisoners to play video games as part of the rehabilitation process: Oregon's game-friendly jails (1, 2) show how video games can help calm prisoners and reduce violent behavior inside prisons. Shouldn't that be all we need to know? If video games make the jobs of prison staff easier and potentially reduces the rate of prison suicides, then arguments of principle like Maj. Robert Lucas', an administrator with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, statement that jail is "not fun and games" should be irrelevant.

I have an inkling that the real reason the "video games in prison" issue has been susceptible to such unwarranted attention (and sensational reporting) is due to inherent controversies with video games themselves. Why is the overall topic of entertainment in prisons being ignored? No one seems to have a problem with prisoners watching TV or DVDs, so it's reasonable to suggest that this particular problem has nothing to do with prisoner rehabilitation. Instead, this entire "controversy" shows all the hallmarks of being a thinly veiled extension of the ongoing resistance to video game media by out of touch (and/or vote grabbing) political figures.

[Thanks, Babylonian]

JoystiqVideo games are a part of prisoner rehabilitation originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Jul 2006 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BabylonianEntertainmentFloridaGamepoliticsGames in prisonsGamesInPrisonsPoliticsPrisonPrison TycoonPrisonersPrisonTycoonPunishmentRehabilitationRobert LucasRobertLucasSensationalTaxpayerMon, 03 Jul 2006 14:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Project Hacker Kakusei; Uplink for your DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/30/project-hacker-kakusei-uplink-for-your-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/30/project-hacker-kakusei-uplink-for-your-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/30/project-hacker-kakusei-uplink-for-your-ds/#commentsFiled under: , ,

An intriguing television commercial for a Japanese game called Project Hacker: Kakusei, a title for the DS that closely resembles the innovative hacking title Uplink, has popped up on the internets. The game will place you in the role of Satoru, a detective with an organization called the GIS, for which you will have to face hacking-themed puzzles like password cracking. The commercial demonstrates effective use of the stylus combined with Uplink-style hacking, along with elements similar to Phoenix Wright's detective style and 2D anime artwork; hopefully the developers plan to emulate Ace Attorney's over-the-top dialog and light-hearted premise too.

According to IGN's page on Project Hacker, the title was announced in October '05 when it was originally called Detect Hacker. It's being produced by Nintendo and developed by Red Entertainment and is due for release in Japan before the year is out. I couldn't find anything online about an English localization, so unfortunately we must assume that this is going to remain exclusive to Japan for now. With a little luck (and some pressure from you guys--for a start, the game's wiki page could do with some work), that will change.

Continue reading Project Hacker Kakusei; Uplink for your DS

JoystiqProject Hacker Kakusei; Uplink for your DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Jun 2006 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CrackingDSDS LiteDsLiteHackingNintendoPasswordProject HackerProject Hacker KakuseiProjectHackerProjectHackerKakuseiRed EntertainmentRedEntertainmentStylusUplinkFri, 30 Jun 2006 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Send us a good gaming tip, we'll send you a Joystiq tee [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/send-us-a-good-gaming-tip-well-send-you-a-joystiq-tee/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/send-us-a-good-gaming-tip-well-send-you-a-joystiq-tee/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/send-us-a-good-gaming-tip-well-send-you-a-joystiq-tee/#commentsFiled under: ,

This post is just a quick reminder that we're giving out a Joystiq t-shirt to the best tip we receive this week. We mentioned this mini competition in our recent post about rejected tips, but you may have missed the bit where we promised to reward one lucky tipster with an orange Joystiq t-shirt, as worn by Peter, Perrin, Shane, and Miyamoto-san.

Anybody from a developer with some top-secret screenshots, somebody with a really cool forum post (see: crazy Wii guy), or even a sneaky employee of a game retailer willing to share shots of an unreleased console has the potential to win a Joystiq tee, so get tipping!

UPDATE: By good tips, we meant good tips to stories, not the Konami code, or how to beat Goldeneye with both arms tied behind your back and a blindfold over your eyes. Thank you!

JoystiqSend us a good gaming tip, we'll send you a Joystiq tee [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ClothesJoystiq tipsJoystiqTipsT-shirtTeeTippingTop Five TipsTopFiveTipsThu, 29 Jun 2006 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kaz sez: "MS copies Sony!"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/kaz-sez-ms-copies-sony/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/kaz-sez-ms-copies-sony/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/kaz-sez-ms-copies-sony/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sony's Kaz Hirai has let his inner stroppiness out in an interview with PlayStation Magazine, where he moans at Microsoft for copying Sony's strategies and disses Microsoft's plan for an HD-DVD add-on whilst simultaneously bigging up his own company's Blu-ray plan.

In a response to the interviewer's leading question/statement "Sony and Microsoft seem to be taking the exact same path...", Kaz responds by saying that "Every time we go down a path, we look behind and they're right there - we just can't shake these guys. I wish that they would come up with some strategies of their own..." It's possible that we'd be more likely to agree with this statement if we knew exactly what he meant, because as it stands this is the PR equivalent of trash talk.

This childish display of "Miss! That kid's copying me!" reminds me of one of my favorite poems as a child called Please Mrs Butler by Allan Ahlberg, summmarized thusly: moan all you want, but don't expect sympathy from anyone. Especially when your complaint sits on very shaky ground.

JoystiqKaz sez: "MS copies Sony!" originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jun 2006 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Boxing matchBoxingMatchKaz HiraiKazHiraiMarketingMiyamotoNext GenerationNextGenerationPeter MoorePeterMoorePlaystationPRPS3Smack talkSmackTalktrash talkTrashTalkThu, 29 Jun 2006 16:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Casual gaming is a hardcore pursuit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/casual-gaming-is-a-hardcore-pursuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/casual-gaming-is-a-hardcore-pursuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/casual-gaming-is-a-hardcore-pursuit/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Lending more credence to the idea that casual gaming deserves a lot more attention from the industry and the gaming press than it does currently, a survey carried out by Macromedia on its casual gaming site, Trygames, has found that just under a third of people that use the site spend over two hours playing games per session. Of those, over a third visit the site nine times per week. Although these findings may surprise many people in the industry that believed casual gamers tended to play games in short bursts, the idea that casual gamers aren't just gamers that play sporadically has been well reported on over the last couple of years. The Guardian and the BBC both ran interesting articles on this issue recently.

We've already seen how reviews on large game sites and in magazines have very little influence over what hardcore gamers buy and play, so it's obvious that the effect should be even more pronounced for casual gamers. This is partly due to the "viral" nature of casual games (they often spread through word of mouth offline, or online via social networking sites, IM or email) and the fact that a large proportion of casual gamers are female. Larger commercial games are often very male orientated, which reflects the fact that many game development companies are made up of men and therefore the majority of games that come out of these companies are designed to appeal to men.

There's another possible reason for the lack of a connection between the industry (that is largely tuned towards the needs of hardcore gamers) and real mainstream, casual gamers that don't consider themselves gamers; the simplicity and low access requirements of casual games. Many so called "casual" games are available in bulk on online portals and require not much more than a small download and a double click to play. Everyone knows the rules of popular card and puzzle games and that's why they're amongst the most popular types of games for casual players.

Games like The Sims, Myst and Geometry Wars are examples of games that have attracted casual gamers through simplicity and have gone on to become extremely popular as a result. Keith Stuart on the Guardian GamesBlog called casual gaming the new hardcore just over a year ago; it's "stigmatised, unconventional, comparatively inaccessible", just like hardcore gaming used to be. So why has this not changed in the year since this article was written? Research has long shown that casual gaming is an under appreciated market that is already disproportionately large for the amount of coverage it receives. So why does everyone in the industry continue to be surprised to see that casual gamers are actually quite prolific gamers?

[Image credit: Stuff on my cat]

JoystiqCasual gaming is a hardcore pursuit originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jun 2006 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 29 Jun 2006 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Retail boxart for Xbox Live Arcade: Unplugged]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/retail-boxart-for-xbox-live-arcade-unplugged/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/retail-boxart-for-xbox-live-arcade-unplugged/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/29/retail-boxart-for-xbox-live-arcade-unplugged/#commentsFiled under: , ,

German site Gamefront.de managed to bag some shots of the relatively uninspiring retail packaging of Xbox Live Arcade: Unplugged. The pack includes offline versions of Geometry Wars, Texas Hold'em, Wik, Bejeweled 2, Outpost Kaloki X, Hardwood Backgammon, a free 1-month Gold membership, 100 free Microsoft points, and should be available in early September.

We realize that trying to package six games together limits the freedom you have to be creative, but maybe the design team should have taken a look at Microsoft's parody of their own box designs. Simple? Yes. Attractive? Noooo!!!

[Via BritishGaming]

JoystiqRetail boxart for Xbox Live Arcade: Unplugged originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jun 2006 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artBejeweled 2Bejeweled2Box artBoxArtDarth VaderDarthVaderEarly SeptemberEarlySeptemberGamefrontGeometry WarsGeometryWarsGold membershipGoldMembershipHardwood BackgammonHardwoodBackgammonMicrosoftMicrosoft pointsMicrosoftPointsNinth month of the yearNinthMonthOfTheYearNooo!!!Outpost Kaloki XOutpostKalokiXParodySeptShizzle GamesShizzleGamesTexas Hold'emTexasHold'emWikXBLAXbox 360Xbox Live ArcadeXbox Live Arcade: UnpluggedXbox OnlineXbox-360Xbox360XboxLiveArcadeXboxLiveArcade:UnpluggedXboxOnlineThu, 29 Jun 2006 06:40:00 EST<![CDATA["The only thing that would have made the original NES better is if it had worked"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/the-only-thing-that-would-have-made-the-original-nes-better-is/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/the-only-thing-that-would-have-made-the-original-nes-better-is/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/the-only-thing-that-would-have-made-the-original-nes-better-is/#commentsFiled under: ,

Kyle Cease, a stand-up comedian who also had roles in 10 Things I Hate About You and Not Another Teen Movie, covers NES sub-culture in this clip from one of his acts. Kyle sends up everything from out-of-touch parents ("MOM! PRESS THE B BUTTON!"), the fragility of the cartridge slot and the "suspenseful" music made out of bleeps.

Before you click continue to watch the video, be aware that this is definitely NSFW.

Continue reading "The only thing that would have made the original NES better is if it had worked"

Joystiq"The only thing that would have made the original NES better is if it had worked" originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Jun 2006 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ComedianComedyFunnyhumorJokesKyleKyle CeaseKyleCeaseNESNES jokesNesJokesNSFWStand upStandUpWed, 28 Jun 2006 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Ninty NES mints box; retro fresh breath]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/ninty-nes-mints-box-retro-fresh-breath/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/ninty-nes-mints-box-retro-fresh-breath/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/ninty-nes-mints-box-retro-fresh-breath/#commentsFiled under: ,

Continuing the trend of placing the iconic NES controller design on practically everything you can imagine, here's a packet of NINTENDO POWER MINTS for your bad gamers breath. C'mon, just because Contra is addictive doesn't mean you have to go in for the whole "we're men with guns, we don't care about our dental health" thing.

[Via Wonderland]

JoystiqNinty NES mints box; retro fresh breath originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Jun 2006 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ContraMintsNESNES controllerNES PadNesControllerNesPadNintendoNintendo Power MintsNintendoPowerMintsPower MintsPowerMintsRetroWonderlandWed, 28 Jun 2006 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More maps and modes for your Sin Episodes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/more-maps-and-modes-for-your-sin-episodes/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/more-maps-and-modes-for-your-sin-episodes/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/28/more-maps-and-modes-for-your-sin-episodes/#commentsFiled under: ,

Ritual Entertainment is about to release four extra maps and a new gameplay mode for Sin Episodes, at no extra charge for auto-download via Steam (the "no charge" bit will no doubt make many console owners jealous). The four new maps will be dedicated to the new mode called "Arena"--which is a single player experience akin to many games' survival modes--and will be designed around typically generic first person shooter situations like an office, a turbine room and a processing plant. Shawn, the lead game designer of Sin lays it down on his blog; "It's an infinitely repayable single player mode where you continually try and beat your high score". Our translation: "shoot loads of people and then obsess over the number of enemies you shot in the groin".

Other bits mentioned on Shawn's blog include a comprehensive stat tracking system, enabling yourself and other players to compare their groinshot score, the mention of the impending release of a Software Development Kit (SDK) and a Sin development Wiki, and absolutely no news about when Episode 2 is going to hit Steam; Shawn got a little excited and forgot to give us any information beyond saying that he'd "be on the look out for some Episode 2 media in the near future" if he was you. We want dates dammit!

[Via EuroGamer]

JoystiqMore maps and modes for your Sin Episodes originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Jun 2006 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlogConsoleDownloadable ContentDownloadableContentEpisode 2Episode2EuroGamerExtra contentExtraContentmapsmoddingmodesRitual EntertainmentRitualEntertainmentSDKShawnSinSin EpisodesSin: Ep 2Sin:Ep2SinEpisodesSoftware developmentSoftwareDevelopmentSteamWikiWed, 28 Jun 2006 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Third-party X360 Bluetooth headset beats MS to the punch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/27/third-party-x360-bluetooth-headset-beats-ms-to-the-punch/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/27/third-party-x360-bluetooth-headset-beats-ms-to-the-punch/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/27/third-party-x360-bluetooth-headset-beats-ms-to-the-punch/#commentsFiled under: ,

Datel's 3rd-party Xbox 360 Bluetooth headset has popped up on Amazon UK with a shipping date of the 30th of June and with a price tag of £59.99/$109. Originally the headset was said to ship on the 17th of March, but there's still no mention of it on the company's website, so it's possible that Amazon jumped the gun by placing it on their site. If it does ship when they say, it'll have the market for wireless Xbox 360 headsets to itself for quite a while; Microsoft hasn't said anything more about when their official headset will be released.

The device itself is a bundle of what appears to be a relatively generic Bluetooth headset--it looks strikingly similar to Motorola's HS820 headset--coupled with a dongle that attaches to the controller's standard headset port, packaged together in a standard Xbox-green and white box.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

JoystiqThird-party X360 Bluetooth headset beats MS to the punch originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jun 2006 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BluetoothBT HeadsetBtHeadsetHeadsetLiveMicrosoftMotorolaOnlineonline gamingOnlineGamingVoice ChatVoiceChatWirelessXbox LiveXbox-360XboxLiveTue, 27 Jun 2006 08:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft to pull a PS3, place motion sensors in Xbox 360 pad?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/26/microsoft-to-pull-a-ps3-place-motion-sensors-in-xbox-360-pad/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/26/microsoft-to-pull-a-ps3-place-motion-sensors-in-xbox-360-pad/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/26/microsoft-to-pull-a-ps3-place-motion-sensors-in-xbox-360-pad/#commentsFiled under: ,

In a recent episode of Gamertag radio, Peter Moore speaks out about the increasing complexity of video game controllers, comparing today's gamepads to the simplicity of the Atari 2600's button-and-stick joystick. He didn't exclude the Xbox 360 controller's design from criticism, mentioning that his 14-year old daughter found the controller somewhat confusing. Naturally, there was a point to his self-criticism; later on in the podcast he says that Microsoft is "doing a lot of stuff there. Nothing that we're ready to talk about, and we're not going to force anything that is not going to be intuitive and innovative."

The most obvious conclusion to make from this statement would be that Microsoft is working on a new, simplified controller, which may or may not "borrow" the Wiimote's defining feature, although the part where Moore says that "[Microsoft is] not going to force anything that is not going to be... innovative" could suggest that simply slapping a motion sensor inside an Xbox 360 pad isn't on the cards.

British tech magazine T3 points out that the company could possibly be working on a simplified controller--to be sold in parallel with the main Xbox 360 pad--designed specifically for Xbox Live Arcade games. The magazine reasons that the company won't want to make the Xbox 360 pad's ergonomic design obsolete any time soon, which lends credence to the possibility of a simplified controller designed to play simple games to compliment the "hardcore" 360 gamepad.

[Via Engadget]

JoystiqMicrosoft to pull a PS3, place motion sensors in Xbox 360 pad? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jun 2006 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2600AtariAtari 2600Atari2600ControllerEngadgetGame controllerGameControllerGamepadJoystickMotionMotion detectionMotion sensingMotionDetectionMotionSensingPeter MoorePeterMoorePS3RemoteT3WiiWiimoteXbox 360Xbox-360Xbox360Mon, 26 Jun 2006 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[A trip to Mario World, without the GameBoy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/26/a-trip-to-mario-world-without-the-gameboy/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/26/a-trip-to-mario-world-without-the-gameboy/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/26/a-trip-to-mario-world-without-the-gameboy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Some kid, or more likely, a 30 year old man, has had his room elaborately decorated in the style of Mario World. The conversion comes complete with ceiling pipes and blocks that stick out of the wall although, as far as I can tell, they held back from placing random bottomless pits around the room.

[Via BoingBoing]

JoystiqA trip to Mario World, without the GameBoy originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jun 2006 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BoingBoingBullet BillBulletBillConversionDecorationdesignGameboyhackMarioMariolandmodRoomRoom conversionroom modRoomConversionRoomModMon, 26 Jun 2006 12:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Murky waters surround screenshots on Flickr]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/25/murky-waters-surround-screenshots-on-flickr/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/25/murky-waters-surround-screenshots-on-flickr/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/25/murky-waters-surround-screenshots-on-flickr/#commentsDo you like to post screenshots of your avatar from online games on Flickr? If so, are you aware that if your account contains mostly non-photographic images then your images could be prevented from appearing in public areas of the site, including search? That's the finding of a recent Wired article on recent controversy surrounding "Flickr's policy/lack of policy (or murky policy) pertaining to non-photographic images."

Flickr co-founder Stewart Butterfield elaborates by saying that uploading screenshots to Flickr is fine, but he believes that the "rationale is that when people do a global search on Flickr, they want to find photos". However, the line between real and virtual is becoming increasingly blurred; many real-world events are being held simultaneously from inside online games, like the recent virtual Vloggercon held within Second Life. A search for Vloggercon on Flickr yields over 2,500 results but only a couple of dozen from the game event show up.

With the increasing popularity of virtual events, Flickr and other online photo and video storage services must clearly define what content can and cannot be posted online. If one was to take a photo of their monitor displaying a scene from within World of Warcraft and post it on Flickr, would that be any different than posting a screen grab of the same event?

JoystiqMurky waters surround screenshots on Flickr originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Jun 2006 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sun, 25 Jun 2006 07:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Stupidly simple games degree exam paper is very real]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/25/stupidly-simple-games-degree-exam-paper-is-very-real/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/25/stupidly-simple-games-degree-exam-paper-is-very-real/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/25/stupidly-simple-games-degree-exam-paper-is-very-real/#commentsFiled under: ,

On first glance, this exam paper looks like a hoax intended to poke fun at the recent trend for video game degrees. However, if you dig a little deeper, you'll find that it's actually a genuine exam paper that students studying Computer Games Art or Computer Games Design at The University of Teesside have to take. We're sure many of you could answer these questions in your sleep, for example, question number 14 is "What was the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) videogame console, released in America and Europe, known as in Japan?"

We could leave you to giggle at the absurdity of students taking out massive loans just to learn about the history of video games, but here's the reality check. It's important to note that the History of Games module (of which this exam paper is from) is only a single module out of six that a typical student has to study throughout the year. As the University's course page says, "Studying the History of Games provides context to the course." The rest of the modules students have to take involve learning how to code and design games, which is not something you can do in your sleep, although I'm sure many students will attempt it with a hangover.

[Thanks Chris!]

JoystiqStupidly simple games degree exam paper is very real originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Jun 2006 06:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArtComputer Games ArtComputer Games DesignComputerGamesArtComputerGamesDesignDesignExamExam paperExamPaperHistory of GamesHistoryOfGamesTeessideUniversity of TeessideUniversityOfTeessideSun, 25 Jun 2006 06:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Top five tips we turned down this week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/25/top-five-tips-we-turned-down-this-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/25/top-five-tips-we-turned-down-this-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/25/top-five-tips-we-turned-down-this-week/#commentsFiled under: ,

Every day, Joystiq receives innumerable tips from people eager to guide our way through the world of video game news and culture. Most of the time, everything goes swimmingly: an interesting link pops up, you let us know, and we write it up. Sometimes, it doesn't go so smoothly.

When we reject a tip, it may be because we've already reported on the story, or because the content of the tip isn't right for Joystiq. Other times, the rejected tip is dead wrong. Usually this is the fault of the source, not the tipster. Very often, rejected tips are also ones that, for whatever reason, make us laugh.

This post is dedicated to the tipsters behind the tips that we didn't use this week.

Continue reading Top five tips we turned down this week

JoystiqTop five tips we turned down this week originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Jun 2006 05:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chris GrantChrisGrantEBayFanboiFanboyFunnyhahaHumorJoystiq tipsJoystiqTipsK THX BAIKThxBaiLaughlolNintendoPS3RaidenRaymanRejected tipsRejectedTipsRyanTipsTips turned downTipstersTipsTurnedDownTop five tipsTopFiveTipsWiiSun, 25 Jun 2006 05:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Private gaming with a PSP face scarf]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/24/private-gaming-with-a-psp-face-scarf/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/24/private-gaming-with-a-psp-face-scarf/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/24/private-gaming-with-a-psp-face-scarf/#commentsFiled under: ,

Joe Malia, a student at the Royal College of Art in London, created a series of face scarves with special attachments that, at least in the above example, "lets PSP players explore their passion in complete privacy". There's also a special design that fits neatly over a CRT; the perfect way to prevent your roommate from copying your finely honed Counter-Strike tactics.

JoystiqPrivate gaming with a PSP face scarf originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Jun 2006 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArtCRTGeometry WarsGeometryWarsJoe MaliaJoeMaliaLondonRCARoyal College of ArtRoyalCollegeOfArtscarfscarvesSat, 24 Jun 2006 15:35:00 EST<![CDATA[A fun way to stumble upon games online]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/22/a-fun-way-to-stumble-upon-games-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/22/a-fun-way-to-stumble-upon-games-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/22/a-fun-way-to-stumble-upon-games-online/#commentsFiled under:

StumbleUpon is a brilliant service that helps you find interesting websites online with the help of other people. Taking the form of a free Firefox plugin, it feels like a kind of web-wide Digg, where you vote on websites that you like which pushes up that link's popularity and increases the likelihood that another user will visit that page after clicking a Stumble! link in a toolbar. Read more about how it works here.

Like Digg, StumbleUpon has a healthy contingent of users that play and read about games (incidentally, I stumbled upon StumbleUpon when I was glancing at Joystiq's traffic referral links), so the suggestions in the video games category are generally excellent. You can try out a demo of the gaming section by clicking the link tagged "online games" which will provide you with an endless stream of direct links to flash games that can literally take up your whole day.

If you're looking for a more passive experience, the toolbar also allows you to browse randomly through video game links in categories such as news, video, photos and even Wikipedia pages. One moment you can be reading about the history of gamepads, the next you can be watching the latest footage from Crysis. Random selection at its best.

JoystiqA fun way to stumble upon games online originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jun 2006 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DiggGamesGamingJoystiqOnlineRandomStumbleUponVideoWeb 2.0Web2.0Thu, 22 Jun 2006 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Jon Stewart blasts Congress' ignorance towards video games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/22/jon-stewart-blasts-congress-ignorance-towards-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/22/jon-stewart-blasts-congress-ignorance-towards-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/22/jon-stewart-blasts-congress-ignorance-towards-video-games/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wednesday's episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart featured a long segment based around Congress' recent hearing on the topic of the video game ratings system, which brilliantly highlights how many Congressmen and women sound like out-of-touch jackasses when it comes to discussing the topic that "anybody in any party can grandstand about".

One of the most poignant parts of the show is where Jon responds to a clip of a seemingly helpless Lee Terry pleading to the hearing that "as a father of three young boys... who are avid gamers, I am very concerned about the content included in the games" by deadpanning "and as I stand there, watching them play these violent games, helpless to do anything about it, I can't help but wonder where the system has failed". Also worth a look is the end of the segment interview with Samantha Bee, a Senior PlayStationologist, from within San Andreas.

It's the typical Daily Show mix of poking fun at the ignorance of people with power, coupled with an "OMG the 'House of Representatives filled with insane jackasses' might screw up my favorite past-time" hangover.

Continue reading Jon Stewart blasts Congress' ignorance towards video games

JoystiqJon Stewart blasts Congress' ignorance towards video games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jun 2006 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CongressDaily ShowDailyShowJon StewartJonStewartPlayStationThe Daily ShowTheDailyShowThu, 22 Jun 2006 15:25:00 EST<![CDATA[And the award for 46th most important business personality goes to... Mike Morhaime!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/21/and-the-award-for-46th-most-important-business-personality-goes/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/21/and-the-award-for-46th-most-important-business-personality-goes/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/21/and-the-award-for-46th-most-important-business-personality-goes/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

CNN Money has named Mike Morhaime, the CEO of Blizzard Entertainment, as the 46th most important person in a list of 50 personalities that represent Business 2.0. We'll leave out our annoyances with the list as a whole (c'mon, naming "consumer as creator" as #1? Cop out!) so instead we'll use Mike's naming as an opportunity to analyze the importance of Blizzard's crowning achievement, World of Warcraft, to the World of Business.

The totality of CNN's tribute to Mike is dedicated to the wild popularity of WoW. The article claims that WoW is more than "just another video game", citing the uniqueness of the game's popularity (6.5 million users and climbing), profitability (WoW brought in $700 million last year) and peripherals (a thriving out-of-game market for virtual goods worth around $200 million) as factors that make Mike a uniquely influential business leader.

Big business' attraction to World of Warcraft's is no doubt due to the game's domination of MMO marketshare -- when you own 50% of a subscription based market you're bound to draw the attention of the suits -- so we wouldn't be surprised if WoW isn't the company's last MMO, despite earlier denials by a Blizzard staffer. Still, we feel sorry for Mike. On one side he's got the money crazy suits asking for more, MORE MMOs, and on the other he's got millions of StarCraft, Diablo and WarCraft fans screaming for sequels to their beloved franchise. He deserves an award just for being able to maintain that smug smile!

JoystiqAnd the award for 46th most important business personality goes to... Mike Morhaime! originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jun 2006 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardCEOCNNCNN MoneyCnnMoneyIndustryMike MorhaimeMikeMorhaimeMoneyWorld of WarcraftWorldOfWarcraftWoWWed, 21 Jun 2006 20:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision CEO plays down potential of online distribution [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/21/activision-ceo-plays-down-potential-of-online-distribution/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/21/activision-ceo-plays-down-potential-of-online-distribution/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/21/activision-ceo-plays-down-potential-of-online-distribution/#commentsFiled under: ,

Bobby Kotick, the chief executive officer of Activision, stated that he believes digital distribution of full games is "so far in the future that it's almost incomprehensible as an opportunity" in the New York Times article we reported on the other day. He cites the current limits of consumer internet bandwidth and the size of hard drives as the primary concern. However, Mr. Kotick believes that there is a great opportunity for purchasing and downloading smaller add-on content like "characters, new weapons, new missions or auctioning off places".

We mainly agree with Mr. Kotick's thoughts regarding the adoption of mainstream digital distribution being a while off. Even though broadband adoption and availability numbers (soon, 99.6% of the UK will have access to 4-8Mbps DSL) are increasing, figures from December 2005 suggest that only 15-20% of Japanese, American and British people actually own a high speed internet line. Those numbers need to be closer to the level that television enjoys if mainstream on-demand digital distribution is to work.

However, the market for smaller games and episodes of larger commercial games which can be distributed entirely over the internet is on the verge of exploding; Half-Life: Episodes and Geometry Wars being the early signs. Writing off the internet as a medium for distributing games would be a bad move for many publishers, after all, the early bird gets the loyal customer! Services like Steam, GameTap and Xbox Live Arcade are already beginning to capture the mindshare of savvy gamers (i.e. gamers that are too lazy to walk to the store, lol, jk!), so if publishers want to maintain control of what they do best (publishing games), then surely they should be doing everything they can to get in first before the bogeyman middleman does.

[Image credit: Gamasutra]

Update: clarified statement regarding adoption of broadband by consumers.

JoystiqActivision CEO plays down potential of online distribution [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jun 2006 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBob KotickBobby KotickBobbyKotickBobKotickDigital distributionDigitalDistributionDSLGamasutraGameTapJapanmainstreamOnlineOnline distributionOnlineDistributionPublishersSavvySteamUKUSWed, 21 Jun 2006 17:55:00 EST