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[Microsoft wants to sell another 25 million Xbox 360 consoles]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/25/microsoft-wants-to-sell-another-25-million-xbox-360-consoles/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/25/microsoft-wants-to-sell-another-25-million-xbox-360-consoles/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/25/microsoft-wants-to-sell-another-25-million-xbox-360-consoles/#commentsMicrosoft wants to sell another 25 million Xbox 360 consoles Despite all this Xbox One whoopla going on, Microsoft hasn't forgotten about its other horse in this console dog and pony show. In fact, the company hopes to continue to move substantial numbers of the Xbox 360 over the next five years, according to senior vice president of Interactive Entertainment Yusuf Mehdi.

"We believe over the next five years we can break a 100 million unit installed base," Medhi said during an interview with OXM. "That's something we're shooting for, it's not a financial plan as such, it's just rough numbers if you will. To sell another 25 million, half of those will probably come from replacements, but half will come from new buyers."

"The way we'll break into those segments," he continued, "is by hitting new price points, getting new classes of entertainment to come with the Xbox, and breaking into new customer segments." We're not quite sure what a new class of entertainment for the Xbox might mean, or what customer segments remain untapped after such a long console cycle, but "new price points" sure does pique our interest.

JoystiqMicrosoft wants to sell another 25 million Xbox 360 consoles originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 May 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftsalesxboxxbox-oneYusuf-MehdiSat, 25 May 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft cleared of Motorola patent violation claim]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/microsoft-cleared-of-motorola-patent-violation-claim/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/microsoft-cleared-of-motorola-patent-violation-claim/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/microsoft-cleared-of-motorola-patent-violation-claim/#comments The International Trade Commission has decided not to review the decision made last March by the administrative law judge presiding over Motorola's patent infringement case against Microsoft, thereby validating the judge's findings - which were in favor of Microsoft - and closing the case, Engadget reports.

The initial scuffle, first filed in 2010, claimed that Microsoft had infringed upon five of Motorola Mobility's patents. Four patents were dropped from the case during the course of the proceedings, the last remaining patent covering peer-to-peer communication between wireless devices.

Originally, ITC judge David Shaw ruled in favor of Motorola and subsequently recommended a ban on Xbox imports into the US. Then, in June of last year, the ITC remanded the decision back to the administrative law judge and asked him to take another look, effectively starting the process all over again. His second ruling, this time in favor of Microsoft, was delivered last March and will be the final word on the subject, now that the ITC has declined the opportunity to review his decision.

JoystiqMicrosoft cleared of Motorola patent violation claim originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 21:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>international-trade-commissionITCkinectlawlawsuitlegalmicrosoftmotorolaMotorola-MobilitypatentxboxFri, 24 May 2013 21:40:00 EST<![CDATA[A bespectacled look at the Oculus Rift]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/a-bespectacled-look-at-the-oculus-rift/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/a-bespectacled-look-at-the-oculus-rift/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/a-bespectacled-look-at-the-oculus-rift/#comments For the most part, being near- or farsighted today isn't that big of a deal. The only cultural zeitgeist folks like me have missed out on recently has been in the resurgence of glasses-required 3D technology in consumer media. And let's be honest, it isn't a tremendous loss.

In fact, the Oculus Rift is the only thing on the horizon that is as potentially game-changing as it is unfriendly to glasses. That thing straps directly onto your whole face, there's no way a pair of fashionable specs could fit under there.

Well, as it turns out, the Oculus Rift really was accommodating to my Converse frames and their too-old lenses, so much so that for the first time ever I'm legitimately excited about the once-lofty possibility of a virtual reality future.

Continue reading A bespectacled look at the Oculus Rift

JoystiqA bespectacled look at the Oculus Rift originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Adhesive-gamesglasseshands-onhawkenMeteor-Entertainmentoculusoculus-riftpcFri, 24 May 2013 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Destiny 'looking forward to talking more about' PC version in future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/destiny-looking-forward-to-talking-more-about-pc-version-in-fu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/destiny-looking-forward-to-talking-more-about-pc-version-in-fu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/destiny-looking-forward-to-talking-more-about-pc-version-in-fu/#commentsDestiny 'looking forward to talking more about' PC version in future Bungie senior writer Eric Osborne didn't go so far as to outright confirm or deny the existence of a PC version of Destiny, though he did say that Bungie is "looking forward to talking more about that kind of stuff in the future" during an interview with IGN.

"We haven't said yes, and we haven't said no," Osborne said. "The more platforms we take on, the more work it ultimately becomes, and what we don't want is to compromise the core experience on any platforms. We have a lot of people who play on PCs. We have a lot of appetite to build that experience."

Right now, Destiny is set to launch for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One at an unspecified future date, presumably before the dystopian, near-extinct future in which the game takes place.

JoystiqDestiny 'looking forward to talking more about' PC version in future originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbungiedestinypcpc-versionFri, 24 May 2013 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Turtle Beach crafting accessories for Xbox One]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/turtle-beach-crafting-accessories-for-xbox-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/turtle-beach-crafting-accessories-for-xbox-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/turtle-beach-crafting-accessories-for-xbox-one/#commentsTurtle Beach crafting accessories for Xbox One We haven't even seen what the Xbox One's first-party headset looks like yet, but Turtle Beach is already hoping folks will opt for its premium alternatives. The headset manufacturer announced today that it will be "among the first to market with Microsoft-licensed gaming headsets for the Xbox One."

Further details with regards to specific models, price points or expected release windows were not given, though we can assume from Turtle Beach's current Xbox 360 lineup that the SKUs will be plentiful and the price disparities vast.

In related news, we're still disappointed that "Turtle Beach" isn't the name of a company that makes tiny folding chairs and miniature parasols for reptile terrariums.

Continue reading Turtle Beach crafting accessories for Xbox One

JoystiqTurtle Beach crafting accessories for Xbox One originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessoriesheadsetsmicrosoftTurtle-BeachxboxXbox-OneThu, 23 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamestop Q1 sales and profits down, mobile/digital sales up]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/gamestop-q1-sales-and-profits-down-mobile-digital-sales-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/gamestop-q1-sales-and-profits-down-mobile-digital-sales-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/gamestop-q1-sales-and-profits-down-mobile-digital-sales-up/#comments Gamestop's financial data for the first quarter of its fiscal 2013 have arrived like a pizza with nearly 25 percent fewer toppings than the pizza you ordered during the same 13-week period last year. Also, cheesy bread sales are way up? This may not be the strongest analogy.

In non-allegorical terms, gross revenue (overall sales) and net income (post-tax profit) were both down year-over-year, at $1.865 billion and $54.6 million, respectively. As far as net income, that's a 24.69 percent decrease from the $72.5 million Gamestop reported at the end of Q1 2012.

Meanwhile, mobile device sales were up 290 percent, though this massive increase was largely due to the fact that Gamestop's mobile trade-in/sales program was just getting started during Q1 of 2012. Digital sales also increased, to the tune of 47.3 percent year-over-year, while new software sales, both physical and digital, fell 3.8 percent.

As was the case during Q1 2012, used hardware and software sales accounted for the majority of Gamestop's pre-tax profit, with new hardware and software sales making up just 29.5 percent of the quarter's overall gross.

JoystiqGamestop Q1 sales and profits down, mobile/digital sales up originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20133dsandroiddsfinancialsfiscal-2013gamestopmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspQ1sonyvitawiiwii-uxboxThu, 23 May 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Simpsons, Alvin and the Chipmunks writer penning Angry Birds movie]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/simpsons-alvin-and-the-chipmunks-writer-penning-angry-birds-mov/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/simpsons-alvin-and-the-chipmunks-writer-penning-angry-birds-mov/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/simpsons-alvin-and-the-chipmunks-writer-penning-angry-birds-mov/#comments
The screenplay for Rovio's in-house Angry Birds film is being written by Jon Vitti, the Finnish developer has announced. A writer and producer, Vitti has worked on the screenplay for The Simpsons Movie and both 3D Alvin and the Chipmunks films, as well as two episodes of The Office, 25 episodes of The Simpsons and 20 episodes of late-80s Saturday Night Live.

Vitti's tenue on The Simpsons spanned 1990 through 2004, with his creative mark left on landmark episodes such as "When Flanders Failed," "Cape Feare" and "Mr. Plow," among others. As we learned last week, Angry Birds will be distributed by Sony Pictures and will arrive in theaters on July 1, 2016.

JoystiqSimpsons, Alvin and the Chipmunks writer penning Angry Birds movie originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angry-birdscape-feareJon-Vittimr-plowroviosony-pictureswhen-flanders-failedThu, 23 May 2013 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of PlayStation Network Vol. 1 coming to retail next month]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/best-of-playstation-network-vol-1-coming-to-retail-next-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/best-of-playstation-network-vol-1-coming-to-retail-next-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/best-of-playstation-network-vol-1-coming-to-retail-next-month/#commentsBest of PlayStation Network Vol 1 coming to retail next month A boxed retail collection of PlayStation Network titles will hit store shelves on June 25, bringing four games and a $40 price tag with it. Best of PlayStation Network Vol. 1, the first in a series of "Best of" releases according to the announcement, includes When Vikings Attack, Sound Shapes, Tokyo Jungle and Fat Princess.

No word on when Vol. 2 will follow or what games will be included with it, but for the time being this seems like a pretty legit way to save "nearly $15." Folks interested in internetless PlayStation Networking might also want to check out Journey's Collector's Edition, which is also a collection of acclaimed PSN games on physical caveman media for cavemen.

JoystiqBest of PlayStation Network Vol. 1 coming to retail next month originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-of-playstation-networkbest-of-playstation-network-volume-1fat-princessplaystationps3PSNsound-shapestokyo-junglewhen-vikings-attackWed, 22 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox One interface shots show Netflix, Hulu, other streaming apps]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-interface-shots-show-netflix-hulu-other-streaming-app/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-interface-shots-show-netflix-hulu-other-streaming-app/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-interface-shots-show-netflix-hulu-other-streaming-app/#comments While no one explicitly named any streaming media applications during Microsoft's Xbox One reveal ceremony, screenshots have emerged on the new console's official site that give us a hint at what we'll be watching on day one.

So far, apps listed include such staples as Netflix, Hulu Plus and HBOgo, in addition to slightly more esoteric offerings such as Crackle and The CW. Microsoft has yet to specifically name any of these apps during today's flurry of announcements, however, so we're keeping an ear to the ground for further confirmation and (hopefully) information on other streaming media apps launching with the system.

Continue reading Xbox One interface shots show Netflix, Hulu, other streaming apps

JoystiqXbox One interface shots show Netflix, Hulu, other streaming apps originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cracklehbo-gohbogohuluhulu-plusmicrosoftnetflixstreamingthe-cwxboxxbox-onexbox-revealTue, 21 May 2013 20:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox One not backwards compatible with 360 discs/XBLA purchases; Gamerscore does transfer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-not-backwards-compatible-with-360-discs-xbla-purchases/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-not-backwards-compatible-with-360-discs-xbla-purchases/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-not-backwards-compatible-with-360-discs-xbla-purchases/#commentsXbox One lacks backwards compatibility with 360 discsXBLA purchases, Gamerscore transfers Microsoft's minty-fresh Xbox One will be unable to play Xbox 360 discs, nor will your multitude of Xbox Live Arcade purchases transfer to the new machine, our friends at Engadget have learned.

The incompatibility is due to the fact that the Xbox One runs on x86 processor architecture, whereas the Xbox 360 ran on PowerPC. This fundamental difference in hardware architecture prevents the Xbox One from natively running Xbox 360 games, regardless of how powerful the thing may be.

"We care very much about the investment people have made in Xbox 360 and will continue to support it with a pipeline of new games and new apps well into the future," a Microsoft representative told Engadget. Part of that investment will transfer, however: Your Xbox Live Gamerscore.

Earlier this year, Sony also announced that its PlayStation 4 will make the jump to a processor built on the x86 platform.

JoystiqXbox One not backwards compatible with 360 discs/XBLA purchases; Gamerscore does transfer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backwards-compatibilitygamerscoremicrosoftpowerpcx86xboxxbox-onexbox-revealTue, 21 May 2013 14:38:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Batgirl grapples onto Injustice: Gods Among Us, costume packs in tow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/psa-batgirl-grapples-onto-injustice-gods-among-us-costume-pac/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/psa-batgirl-grapples-onto-injustice-gods-among-us-costume-pac/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/psa-batgirl-grapples-onto-injustice-gods-among-us-costume-pac/#comments
The Barbara Gordon version of Batgirl is now available as a playable fighter in Injustice: Gods Among Us, provided you're willing to pony up the $4.99/400 MS Points required to download her; however, Season pass holder have already paid their dues. As we've seen previously, Batgirl's fighting style is a mixture of zoning capabilities and rushdown, rather than a carbon copy of Batman or Nightwing.

Two new costume packs are also available: The Red Son pack, which we've discussed at length, and the Killing Joke pack, which features new costumes from ol' Joker's finest hour. Both are available for $2.99/240 MS Points.

JoystiqPSA: Batgirl grapples onto Injustice: Gods Among Us, costume packs in tow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barbara-gordonbatgirlcharacter-DLCDLCinjustice-gods-among-usmicrosoftNetherrealm-Studiosplaystationps3Warner-Bros-Interactive-EntertainmentxboxTue, 21 May 2013 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[More unfinished business: Cavanagh's vectorized tongues and the RPG that doesn't exist]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/more-unfinished-business-cavanaghs-vectorized-tongues-and-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/more-unfinished-business-cavanaghs-vectorized-tongues-and-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/more-unfinished-business-cavanaghs-vectorized-tongues-and-the/#commentsThis is the second half of a two-part series chronicling the unfinished works of seasoned indie developer Terry Cavanagh. For the first half, click all up on this.


Terry Cavanagh's next confessionary Vine of unfinished projects started with a psychedelic look at his most recently abandoned idea, a first-person exploration game. "The idea was that'd be some way to manipulate your position in the game and access areas that were outside the game world; procedurally generated noise places of some sort," Cavanagh told us.

"I liked the idea of randomly filling a world with information and abilities and letting the player figure it out by just poking around in areas I hadn't specifically designed for them - making a genuine playable minus world. Anyway, I was working on this before GDC, and when I was there I saw another game that was basically doing the same thing but better, so I scrapped my game. It happens, no big deal."

Continue reading More unfinished business: Cavanagh's vectorized tongues and the RPG that doesn't exist

JoystiqMore unfinished business: Cavanagh's vectorized tongues and the RPG that doesn't exist originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 May 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big-herofour-letter-wordindieisothingynexus-cityself-destructterry-cavanaghunfinished-businessvineMon, 20 May 2013 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mega Man 5 OST busts into the Capcom Store]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/mega-man-5-ost-busts-into-the-capcom-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/mega-man-5-ost-busts-into-the-capcom-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/mega-man-5-ost-busts-into-the-capcom-store/#commentsMega Man 5 OST busts into the Capcom Store The original soundtrack for Mega Man 5 is now available for $8.95 on Capcom's official shop; it's almost as if they planned its release to coincide with the debut of Mega Man 5 on the 3DS Virtual Console. What a weird coincidence!

At 57 hot jams long, Mega Man 5's soundtrack was composed by Mari Yamaguchi, who was often credited mononymously (as "Mari") for her work at Capcom. She also composed the music for Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts and several of the songs on the Breath of Fire soundtrack, in addition to handling arrangement duties for the TurboGrafx-16 version of Street Fighter 2: Champion Edition. Yamaguchi returned to the Mega Man franchise in 2010, penning the stage theme for Mega Man 10's Sheep Man.

JoystiqMega Man 5 OST busts into the Capcom Store originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 May 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CapcomMari-Yamaguchimega-manmega-man-5musicOSTsoundtrackSat, 18 May 2013 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Assassin's Creed movie to open in May of 2015]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/report-assassins-creed-movie-to-open-in-may-of-2015/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/report-assassins-creed-movie-to-open-in-may-of-2015/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/report-assassins-creed-movie-to-open-in-may-of-2015/#commentsReport Assassin's Creed movie to open in May of 2015 New Regency Films and Ubisoft Motion Pictures' Assassin's Creed movie collaboration will hit theaters May 22, 2015, according to Box Office Mojo. Starring Michael Fassbender, the movie concerns "a man who learns his ancestors were trained assassins after he is kidnapped by a secret org with ties to the Knights Templar, and sent back in time to retrieve historical artifacts," according to a Variety report last year.

We're guessing this release date means that Ubisoft is going to continue to ignore our repeated (and might we add, quite generous) offers to write the film as a reimagined version of You've Got Mail.

JoystiqReport: Assassin's Creed movie to open in May of 2015 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Assassins-Creedassassins-creed-movieMichael-FassbenderNew-Regency-Filmsubisoftubisoft-motion-picturesSat, 18 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Among the Sleep Kickstarter ends nearly $50k beyond its target]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/among-the-sleep-kickstarter-ends-nearly-50k-beyond-its-target/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/among-the-sleep-kickstarter-ends-nearly-50k-beyond-its-target/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/among-the-sleep-kickstarter-ends-nearly-50k-beyond-its-target/#comments Krillbite Studio's first-person baby simulator/horror game Among the Sleep has completed its 30-day Kickstarter campaign, raising a grand total of $248,358 from 8,110 backers - nearly $50,000 more than the $200,000 fundraising goal originally set.

All that extra cash will be put towards buying ice cream, Oculus Rift compatibility and a developer commentary track, though the campaign's bonus earnings didn't extend far enough for the "supersecret free DLC" stretch goal to be funded. Among the Sleep is expected to launch on PC, OSX and Linux during the fourth quarter of this year, but intrigued folks can go ahead and check out the game's public alpha.

JoystiqAmong the Sleep Kickstarter ends nearly $50k beyond its target originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>among-the-sleepkickstarterkrillbite-studiolinuxmacpcsuccessSat, 18 May 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Resident Evil: Revelations adds Pirate Jill, Sailor Chris, Ninja Keith]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/resident-evil-revelations-adds-pirate-jill-sailor-chris-ninja/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/resident-evil-revelations-adds-pirate-jill-sailor-chris-ninja/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/resident-evil-revelations-adds-pirate-jill-sailor-chris-ninja/#commentsResident Evil Revelations adds Pirate Jill, Sailor Chris, Ninja Keith The upcoming console/PC iteration of Resident Evil: Revelations will include a trio of confusing new costumes for Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield and Keith Lumley, Capcom has announced. As can be seen in the gallery, Jill and Chris both sport equally leggy nautical-themed outfits, while Keith channels his inner One Piece character as a shirtless sword-guy in hammer pants.

Costumes are unlocked by playing through the game's Campaign and Raid modes, in addition to "other unlocking mechanisms" that Capcom is keeping a secret. We're just hoping Capcom eventually rides this train of thought all the way to its logical extreme: Pretty Soldier Sailor Claire Redfield.

Gallery: Resident Evil: Revelations (New costumes)

JoystiqResident Evil: Revelations adds Pirate Jill, Sailor Chris, Ninja Keith originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Capcomchris-redfieldcostumesjill-valentineKeith-Lumleymicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3resident-evil-revelationswii-uxboxSat, 18 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Costco UK selling full-size F1 simulator for just £90,000]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/costco-uk-selling-full-size-f1-simulator-for-just-90-000/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/costco-uk-selling-full-size-f1-simulator-for-just-90-000/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/costco-uk-selling-full-size-f1-simulator-for-just-90-000/#commentsCostco UK selling fullsize F1 simulator for just 90,000 Costco UK is selling an FMCG International F1 racing simulator for £89,999.89 (including delivery and installation!), or $138,338.83, which is still significantly cheaper than owning an actual Formula 1 car. We also assume it's probably a tiny bit safer and easier to maintain, but that's just a hunch.

The body is available in "your own choice of colour" and is made out of various combinations of composite materials, alloys and carbon fiber, with real wheels, tyres, chromed-out exhaust tips and everything. There's no engine or transmission, obviously, but it does come with one of those totally awesome detachable steering wheels.

The gaming portion of the rig is powered by an Intel Core i7, an SSD of unknown capacity, 16 gigs of RAM and a non-specified graphics card outputting to three 23-inch adjustable TFT monitors. Meanwhile, sweet jams are pumped through a 5.1 audio system into both the car's body and your body, since the subwoofer is located directly behind the driver's seat.

JoystiqCostco UK selling full-size F1 simulator for just £90,000 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 May 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>costcoF1FMCG-InternationalpcracingreplicasimsimulationsimulatorSat, 18 May 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Skullgirls' fourth new character is Beowolf]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/skullgirls-fourth-new-character-is-beowolf/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/skullgirls-fourth-new-character-is-beowolf/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/skullgirls-fourth-new-character-is-beowolf/#commentsSkullgirls' fourth new character is Beowolf The results are in, and fans have voted to make Beowolf the fourth new character in Lab Zero Games' little fighter that could, Skullgirls. An ex pro wrestler, Beowolf and his trusty folding chair (named The Hurting, naturally) have come out of retirement in order to test the true limits of his strength. Being a wrestler and everything, Beowolf's playstyle has been influence by Street Fighter's Rainbow Mika and El Fuerte, as well as Tekken's King.

Beowolf is the fourth new character to be funded by Lab Zero's wildly successful Indiegogo campaign, which raised over $800,000 for DLC production back in March. Three other characters, Eliza, Squigly and Big Band, are also currently in development. Squigly is expected to be the first released, dropping alongside the PC version of the game sometime this summer.

Continue reading Skullgirls' fourth new character is Beowolf

JoystiqSkullgirls' fourth new character is Beowolf originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autumn-gamesbeowolfcharactersDLCkonamilab-zero-gamesmarvelous-aqlmicrosoftpcplaystationps3reverge-labsskullgirlsxboxFri, 17 May 2013 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Groupon for $25 off BioShock Infinite on Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/groupon-for-25-off-bioshock-infinite-on-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/groupon-for-25-off-bioshock-infinite-on-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/groupon-for-25-off-bioshock-infinite-on-steam/#comments Unlike other Groupons for BOGO grow-your-own nagchampa kits and 15 percent off the first 30 minutes of your dog's Le Cordon Bleu certification lessons, this Groupon to get the PC version of BioShock Infinite for $35 is actually worth spending money on.

Continue reading Groupon for $25 off BioShock Infinite on Steam

JoystiqGroupon for $25 off BioShock Infinite on Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2K-Gamesbioshock-infinitegrouponIrrational-GamespcThu, 16 May 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[April NPD: Injustice: Gods Among Us reigns supreme]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/april-npd-injustice-gods-among-us-reigns-supreme/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/april-npd-injustice-gods-among-us-reigns-supreme/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/april-npd-injustice-gods-among-us-reigns-supreme/#comments Another hot, fresh loaf of financial data has been pulled out of The NPD Group's analytical oven, and its buttery goodness contains sales information for the four week period between April 4 and May 7, 2013. During that time, the physical retail sector of the games industry was down 25 percent when compared with its performance over the same four weeks in 2012, pulling in a grand total of $495.2 million. It's worth noting, however, that this figure does not include the sale of PC games.

Hardware sales brought in $109.5 million, a 42 percent decrease from the $187.8 million seen last year, with the Xbox 360 once again enjoying the highest sales with 130,000 units moved. Meanwhile, the brief reprieve from year-over-year decline seen by the Accessories segment last month was short lived, as in April it by dropped 19 percent to a total of $131.4 million.

Software sales (including PC games) topped out at $267.8 million, with NetherRealm Studios' Injustice: Gods Among Us taking top honors as the best-selling game for the period, the first time a fighting game has finished in first since 2011's Mortal Kombat. Dead Island: Riptide and BioShock Infinite rounded out the podium in spots two and three respectively - meanwhile MMO/Syfy series Defiance debuted in fifth. As always, scope the full list after the break.

Continue reading April NPD: Injustice: Gods Among Us reigns supreme

JoystiqApril NPD: Injustice: Gods Among Us reigns supreme originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20133dsapril-npdbioshock-infinitedead-island-riptidefinancialinjustice-gods-among-usmicrosoftnintendoNPDpcplaystationps3saleswiiwii-uxboxThu, 16 May 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam: Borderlands 2 for $13.59, Mass Effect 1 and 2 for $10, CS:GO F2P weekend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/steam-borderlands-2-for-13-59-mass-effect-1-and-2-for-10-cs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/steam-borderlands-2-for-13-59-mass-effect-1-and-2-for-10-cs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/steam-borderlands-2-for-13-59-mass-effect-1-and-2-for-10-cs/#comments "Hear ye, hear ye," the Newellville town crier bellowed out across the crowded, bustling market. "It is by royal decree, that for the 24 hours proceeding forthwith, respectable denizens of His Highness' Great Sovereign Nation of Valve may acquire the first two entries in the Mass Effect series of merrymaking programmes for $9.99."

"Ad interim," the crier continued, "patrons may avail themselves of substantial discounts on select digital comestibles found within the Royal Steam Marketplace, making it possible to obtain a single issuance of Borderlands 2 for $13.59, or four for $40.79, until May 20. In addition, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will be free for interested parties through 1 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday. Should customers enjoy the experience, a 50 percent abatement will be applied to the purchase price."

JoystiqSteam: Borderlands 2 for $13.59, Mass Effect 1 and 2 for $10, CS:GO F2P weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>borderlands-2counter-strike-global-offensivemacmass-effectmass-effect-2pcsalesteamvalveThu, 16 May 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Injustice: Gods Among Us' Red Son pre-order DLC available to all next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/injustice-gods-among-us-red-son-pre-order-dlc-available-to-all/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/injustice-gods-among-us-red-son-pre-order-dlc-available-to-all/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/injustice-gods-among-us-red-son-pre-order-dlc-available-to-all/#commentsInjustice Gods Among Us' Red Son preorder DLC available to all next week Hey, remember that bundle of Red Son Injustice: Gods Among Us DLC that GameStop had as an exclusive pre-order bonus? In a fitting turn of events, said bundle will no longer be the privileged purview of the bourgeois and will instead be available to the sweaty, overworked proletariat masses as of next Tuesday.

No word yet on how much the DLC will cost, or whether it includes the pre-order's 20 bonus challenge missions in addition to the costumes seen above. The game's official twitter account has also asked which other characters from Red Son we'd like to see; we think the answer should be obvious.

JoystiqInjustice: Gods Among Us' Red Son pre-order DLC available to all next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCEarth-30injustice-gods-among-usmicrosoftNetherrealm-Studiosnintendoplaystationps3Red-SonSolomon-GrundySupermanWarner-Bros-Interactive-Entertainmentwii-uWonder-WomanxboxThu, 16 May 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Putty Squad bounces onto pretty much everything this summer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/putty-squad-bounces-onto-pretty-much-everything-this-summer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/putty-squad-bounces-onto-pretty-much-everything-this-summer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/putty-squad-bounces-onto-pretty-much-everything-this-summer/#comments
British publisher/developer System 3 has announced an enhanced remake of its blue-blob-based action platformer Putty Squad, available sometime this summer on Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 3, Vita, 3DS and Windows 8.

The original Putty Squad was initially released on Super NES back in 1994, as a sequel to 1992's Putty for the Amiga. A demo was also released for Amiga and DOS systems, but the full game never dropped for either of those platforms. This new version, beyond offering obvious graphical improvements, will also include free downloadable levels and "location-based services used for extra content."

Continue reading Putty Squad bounces onto pretty much everything this summer

JoystiqPutty Squad bounces onto pretty much everything this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3putty-squadSystem-3vitawii-uxboxThu, 16 May 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft ends fiscal 2013 with €64.8 million in profit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/ubisoft-ends-fiscal-2013-with-64-8-million-in-profit/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/ubisoft-ends-fiscal-2013-with-64-8-million-in-profit/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/ubisoft-ends-fiscal-2013-with-64-8-million-in-profit/#comments Ubisoft has released its financial information for the 12 month period ending March 31, 2013, which by all accounts seems to have been a pretty legit fiscal year for the publisher/developer conglomerate. The company crossed the finish line with €1.256 billion ($1.615 billion) in revenue and €64.8 million ($83.3 million) in profit, an 18.3 and 73.7-percent year-over-year increase, respectively, when compared to the €1.061 billion ($1.364 billion) in revenue and €37.3 million ($47.9 million) in profit recorded at the end of 2012.

Ubisoft contributes its stellar year to the continued success of its main three franchises, Assassin's Creed, Just Dance and Far Cry, the latest entries in which have all sold between six and 12 million copies.

JoystiqUbisoft ends fiscal 2013 with €64.8 million in profit originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 May 2013 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20133dsAssassins-Creedassassins-creed-3far-cryfar-cry-3financialsfiscal-2013just-dancejust-dance-4macmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3ubisoftvitawii-uxboxWed, 15 May 2013 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Shaq's licensing company trademarks 'Shaqfighter']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/shaqs-licensing-company-trademarks-shaqfighter/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/shaqs-licensing-company-trademarks-shaqfighter/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/shaqs-licensing-company-trademarks-shaqfighter/#comments
Mine O' Mine, the licensing company responsible for all things bearing the resemblance of the legendarily mononymous Shaq, has registered a trademark for "Shaqfighter." The trademark's Goods and Services qualifications cover the term for "providing online games" and "computer and video game characters," among many other purposes along that line, which leads us to believe that this is probably a video game thing.

Of course, when the words "Shaq" and "fighter" are thrown together in such close proximity, 1994's Shaq-fu immediately springs to mind for any of us old enough to remember it in all of its confusing, supernatural glory. Well, "glory." Here's hoping this new jam ends up being more than an Infinity Blade clone starring an endless bloodline of medieval Shaqs. Actually ...

JoystiqShaq's licensing company trademarks 'Shaqfighter' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>shaqshaq-fushaqfightertrademarkUSPTOWed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Adventure Time, Regular Show games from WayForward this fall]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/new-adventure-time-regular-show-games-from-wayforward-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/new-adventure-time-regular-show-games-from-wayforward-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/new-adventure-time-regular-show-games-from-wayforward-this-fall/#commentsNew Adventure Time, Regular Show games from WayForward this fall What time is it?! Well, Adventure Time obviously, but it's also Regular Show time and, most specifically, new games from WayForward time. The house responsible for Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!! and Ducktales: Remastered has announced that it will be putting out two new games this fall based on what we believe to be Cartoon Network's most hilarious/magical franchises.

Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I don't know! tasks players with exploring the Secret Royal Dungeon underneath the Candy Kingdom. The game features multiple selectable characters, including Finn, Jake, Marceline "and more," has co-op for up to four players and includes the voices from the show. Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward is once again involved in production, though his specific role is unknown. The game will be available on Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and 3DS.

Meanwhile, Mordecai and Rigby make their non-iOS gaming debut in Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby In 8-Bit Land for the 3DS. As the name suggests, our heroes must survive being transported inside of their favorite games, which sounds about right for an episode of Regular Show. The game is being developed "in close collaboration with show creator JG Quintel," according to the press release.

JoystiqNew Adventure Time, Regular Show games from WayForward this fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 May 2013 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsadventure-time-explore-the-dungeonD3-PublisherD3Publishermicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3Regular-Show-Mordecai-and-Rigby-In-8-Bit-LandWayForwardwii-uxboxTue, 14 May 2013 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[New Hawken trailer tours the Facility, picks up slack]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/new-hawken-trailer-tours-the-facility-picks-up-slack/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/new-hawken-trailer-tours-the-facility-picks-up-slack/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/new-hawken-trailer-tours-the-facility-picks-up-slack/#comments
This latest Hawken trailer details the game's newest map, Facility, which is just one of many new additions recently applied to the game. As of press time, no mechs have been spotted wearing short skirts, long jackets or any combination of the two.

JoystiqNew Hawken trailer tours the Facility, picks up slack originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 May 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Adhesive-gamesDLCFacilityfree-to-playhawkenpcSat, 11 May 2013 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Battleblock Theater adds 'Rose' prisoner in honor of Mother's Day]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/battleblock-theater-adds-rose-prisoner-in-honor-of-mothers-da/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/battleblock-theater-adds-rose-prisoner-in-honor-of-mothers-da/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/battleblock-theater-adds-rose-prisoner-in-honor-of-mothers-da/#commentsBattleblock Theater adds 'Rose' prisoner in honor of Mother's DayMother's Day is tomorrow, in case you had forgotten, and to celebrate the Behemoth has released a new, limited engagement prisoner actor for its grand shows of bravery and daring do: Rose.

Anyone that logs into Xbox Live and boots up the full version of Battleblock Theater between now and Thursday, May 16 should receive Rose automatically. What you won't receive automatically, however, is a happy mama, so make sure and do something especially special for the special lady that made you special.

JoystiqBattleblock Theater adds 'Rose' prisoner in honor of Mother's Day originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battleblock-theaterDLCfreefree-DLCmicrosoftmothers-dayroseThe-BehemothxboxSat, 11 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GOG adds 10 games for OSX: Guilty Gear, Rise of the Triad and more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/gog-adds-10-games-for-osx-guilty-gear-rise-of-the-triad-and-mo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/gog-adds-10-games-for-osx-guilty-gear-rise-of-the-triad-and-mo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/gog-adds-10-games-for-osx-guilty-gear-rise-of-the-triad-and-mo/#commentsGOG adds 10 games for OSX Guilty Gear, Rise of the Triad and more GOG has added 10 more jams to its ever-growing list of OSX-compatible games, almost all of which have never been available on an Apple platform previously.

Mac folk running OSX 10.6.8 or newer can now partake in Syndicate Wars, Rise of the Triad: Dark War, Blade Stone: Planet Strike, Strike Commander, Slipstream 5000, Darklands and Litil Divil. Anyone with OSX 10.7 or newer can also pick up Evil Genius, the phenomenal Guilty Gear X2 #Reload and the experimental (for better or worse) Guilty Gear Isuka. As is typically the case at GOG, most of these games also include bonus goodies, ranging from digital manuals, to wallpapers and complete soundtracks.

JoystiqGOG adds 10 games for OSX: Guilty Gear, Rise of the Triad and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blade-Stone-Planet-StrikeDarklandsevil-geniusGOGguilty-gearguilty-gear-isukaguilty-gear-x2-reloadLitil-DivilmacOSXrise-of-the-triadRise-of-the-Triad-Dark-WarSlipstream-5000Strike-CommanderSyndicate-WarsSat, 11 May 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ascend: New Gods renamed to Ascend: Hand of Kul]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/ascend-new-gods-renamed-to-ascend-hand-of-kul/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/ascend-new-gods-renamed-to-ascend-hand-of-kul/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/ascend-new-gods-renamed-to-ascend-hand-of-kul/#commentsAscend New Gods renamed to Ascend Hand of Kul Signal Studios' free-to-play asynchronous multiplayer XBLA strategy game Ascend: New Gods has had its name changed to Ascend: Hand of Kul. "A year has passed since our big unveil at E3 2012, and the New Gods are no longer 'new,'" as Signal Studios representative explains in a lighthearted update on PlayXBLA. "It was a tough decision, but during their board meeting in The Sanctum a couple of weeks ago, the New Gods decided to step down from power."

Aside from the fact that Hand of Kul is a "more story-centric name," no further explanation was given for the change. Well, no further real explanation. At any rate, please adjust your complicated, all-encompassing video game databases accordingly. Y'all have those too, right? It's not just us?

JoystiqAscend: New Gods renamed to Ascend: Hand of Kul originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ascend-Hand-of-Kulascend-new-godsmicrosoftname-changenew-namenew-titleSignal-Studiostitle-changexboxSat, 11 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[$15,500 not enough for Sega Pluto prototype]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/15-500-not-enough-for-sega-pluto-prototype/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/15-500-not-enough-for-sega-pluto-prototype/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/15-500-not-enough-for-sega-pluto-prototype/#comments$15,500 not enough for Sega Pluto prototype Roger Vega (aka YouTube user kidvid666) continues to have trouble unloading his purported Sega Pluto prototype console, one of only two rumored to exist in the world. The auction, originally listed on eBay earlier this month, has ended with a final bid of $15,500 and its reserve price unmet. As such, no money will exchange hands and Vega's Pluto will stay where it is.

This is Vega's second attempt at selling the device. His first auction, listed on vintage gaming auction site GameGavel, also failed to meet its reserve with a high bid of $7,600.

It may seem odd that no one is willing to drop more than 15 large and some change on what may be the rarest game console in existence - especially considering how much people have paid in the past for other historical relics - but the world of gaming archeology is more complicated than that. Since a Sega Pluto had never been seen in the flesh until a few weeks ago, one has subsequently never been sold at auction before, and therefore there's no established perception of the device's market value.

Also, removing the Sega Pluto from its pedestal will trigger a giant spherical boulder to drop from the ceiling and chase whoever wins the auction, which could be a bit of a deterrent.

Joystiq$15,500 not enough for Sega Pluto prototype originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auctionkidvid666prototypeRoger-Vegasaturnsegasega-plutosega-saturnsega-saturn-prototypeSat, 11 May 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA executives Andrew Wilson, Stephen Bene unload stocks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/ea-executives-andrew-wilson-stephen-bene-unload-stocks/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/ea-executives-andrew-wilson-stephen-bene-unload-stocks/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/ea-executives-andrew-wilson-stephen-bene-unload-stocks/#comments Two of Electronic Arts' top-level executives have collectively unloaded a total of 57,085 stocks, following a general increase in EA's stock value after this week's Star Wars exclusivity announcement. According to SEC forms filed yesterday, EA Sports executive vice president Andrew Wilson has sold his entire stake in the company: 32,085 shares at $21.42 a pop, for a grand total of $687,260.70.

EA senior vice president and General Counsel Stephen Bene followed suit, today exercising an option to buy 25,000 shares from EA at $16.06 per share for $401,500 in total, well below the current market value. Bene then sold those shares for $22.40 each, making $560,000. After subtracting the amount originally spent when the option to buy the shares was exercised, Bene made a net profit of $158,500. Unlike Wilson, Bene is still in possession of 6,700 shares of EA, according to SEC documents.

JoystiqEA executives Andrew Wilson, Stephen Bene unload stocks originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsAndrew-WilsonEAelectronic-artsfinancemacmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3Stephen-Benestocksvitawii-uxboxFri, 10 May 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Half-Life 2 gets official Oculus Rift support]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/half-life-2-gets-official-oculus-rift-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/half-life-2-gets-official-oculus-rift-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/half-life-2-gets-official-oculus-rift-support/#commentsHalfLife 2 gets official Oculus Rift support Valve has updated Half-Life 2 with Oculus Rift compatibility, Valve programmer Joe Ludwig announced on the device's developer forums. "We just shipped a beta for Half-Life 2 that includes Oculus Rift support," Ludwig writes. "To get it, open the properties for HL2 in Steam, set your command line to '-vr,' and opt-in to the SteamPipe beta. This should ship to everybody in a few weeks."

Ludwig also cautions that Half-Life 2's Oculus Rift support is "a bit more raw" than the implementation found in Valve's other provisionally Rift-supporting game, Team Fortress 2. Specifically, he mentions slight UI issues and acknowledges that the game's HUD is difficult to read, and encourages developers to let Valve know of any issues they encounter while charging around City 17.

In other Half-Life 2 news, a Linux version of the game has been released as a beta - the client can be downloaded from your Steam Library like other Steam Play-enabled titles. Well, assuming you own Half-Life 2, of course. It's not that beta.

[Thanks, Rasmus!]

JoystiqHalf-Life 2 gets official Oculus Rift support originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 May 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betaexperimentalHalf-Life-2HL2oculus-riftofficialpcValvevitual-realityVRFri, 10 May 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bit.Trip games 25-to-75% off on Steam until May 20]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/bit-trip-games-25-to-75-off-on-steam-until-may-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/bit-trip-games-25-to-75-off-on-steam-until-may-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/bit-trip-games-25-to-75-off-on-steam-until-may-20/#comments Nearly everything in Gaijin Games' esteemed Bit.Trip series has been marked down on Steam, from now until Monday, May 20.

For instance: Bit.Trip Collection, which includes Bit.Trip Beat, Bit.Trip Runner, Bit.Trip Core and Bit.Trip Void, has had its price cut by 75% and is now just $11.98. Likewise, all of those games can be purchased individually at a discounted price of $2.49. Even last year's gorgeous Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien has had its price dropped to less than $12 - we recommend gettin' while the gettin's good, as our very southern mom would say.

JoystiqBit.Trip games 25-to-75% off on Steam until May 20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 May 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bit-tripbit-trip-beatbit-trip-coreBit-Trip-RunnerBit-Trip-VoidGaijin-Gameslinuxmacpcrunner-2runner-2-future-legend-of-rhythm-aliensaleSteamThu, 09 May 2013 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon's Crown pre-orders get this art book]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/dragons-crown-pre-orders-get-this-art-book/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/dragons-crown-pre-orders-get-this-art-book/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/dragons-crown-pre-orders-get-this-art-book/#commentsDragon's Crown preorders get this art book Folks who pre-order Vanillaware and Atlus' forthcoming 2D hack-and-slash game, Dragon's Crown, will also receive a 64-page limited edition art book for their troubles. The paperback tome includes character and environmental artwork by Dragon's Crown designer/artist/Vanillaware president George Kamitani, in addition to pieces by other Japanese video game artists, such as Capcom alumnus Kinu Nishimura and Akira Yasuda.

Atlus has also revealed the game's North American box art, which does a good job of obfuscating the art design's more controversial aspects. Dragon's Crown will drop for PlayStation 3 and Vita August 6, at $49.99 and $39.99 respectively.

Gallery: Dragon's Crown (Art Book and Box Art)

Continue reading Dragon's Crown pre-orders get this art book

JoystiqDragon's Crown pre-orders get this art book originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Akira-Yasudaart-bookartbookartworkAtlusbox-artdragons-crownGeorge-KamitaniKinu-Nishimuraplaystationplaystation-vitapre-orderps3vanillawarevitaThu, 09 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Shadow of the Eternals uses assets purchased from Silicon Knights]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/shadow-of-the-eternals-uses-assets-purchased-from-silicon-knight/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/shadow-of-the-eternals-uses-assets-purchased-from-silicon-knight/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/shadow-of-the-eternals-uses-assets-purchased-from-silicon-knight/#comments A bit of that old Silicon Knights black magic lives on in Shadow of the Eternals, the "spiritual successor" to Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem from Precursor Games. Art assets originally created by Silicon Knights employees have been bought, paid for and implemented into this new project.

"We did purchase some art assets from Silicon Knights," Precursor Games CEO Paul Caporicci told Wired. "We were very happy to be able to put those assets created by the talented past employees to use." It was reported last October that as much as 40 percent of Silicon Knights had been working on a sequel to Eternal Darkness, which may explain the existence of said art assets.

Shadow of the Eternals is being built in CryEngine 3, Caporicci added - an important distinction to make considering the major issues Silicon Knights suffered after using Unreal Engine 3 and subsequently employing its own game engine. Though Nintendo owns the rights to Eternal Darkness and has patented the game's sanity mechanics, Caporicci said similar gameplay ideas can be safely implemented without breaking the law.

JoystiqShadow of the Eternals uses assets purchased from Silicon Knights originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artart-assetsassetsnintendopatentpcPrecursor-Gamespurchaserightsshadow-of-the-eternalssilicon-knightswii-uThu, 09 May 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Injustice: Gods Among Us' Batgirl footage ain't no (killing) joke]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/injustice-gods-among-us-batgirl-footage-aint-no-killing-jok/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/injustice-gods-among-us-batgirl-footage-aint-no-killing-jok/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/injustice-gods-among-us-batgirl-footage-aint-no-killing-jok/#comments
NetherRealm Studios has given us our first in-game look at Injusice: Gods Among Us' next DLC character, Batgirl. As we had suspected, this Batgirl is Barbara Gordon, rather than Cassandra Cain or Stephanie Brown, the other two primary Batgirls of traditional DC continuity.

Thankfully, Batgirl doesn't appear to be a straight-up Batman or Nightwing clone, though there are some unavoidable similarities due to the nature of the characters' shared training. Regardless, Batgirl's grapple teleport and stun abilities should prove interesting against heavily ranged characters like Deathstroke.

The Joker's tropical vacation garb is a reference to an outfit worn by the character in 1988's Batman: The Killing Joke, which is covered briefly in this trailer. We assume Killing Joke Joker will be part of a costume pack released alongside Batgirl, as was the case with Lobo.

Continue reading Injustice: Gods Among Us' Batgirl footage ain't no (killing) joke

JoystiqInjustice: Gods Among Us' Batgirl footage ain't no (killing) joke originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 May 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batgirlcharacter-dlcDLCinjustice-gods-among-usjokerkilling-jokemicrosoftNetherrealm-Studiosnintendoplaystationps3the-jokerthe-killing-jokeWarner-Bros-Interactive-Entertainmentwii-uxboxThu, 09 May 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Thunder Wolves descend on Steam May 15]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/thunder-wolves-descend-on-steam-may-15/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/thunder-wolves-descend-on-steam-may-15/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/thunder-wolves-descend-on-steam-may-15/#comments
Most Wanted Entertainment's explosion-filled, arcade-style helicopter action game Thunder Wolves will light up the skies over Steam next Wednesday, May 15, publisher bitComposer Games announced today. Folks who pre-order will receive 20 percent off the game's regular price of $10, though the game's Steam page does not appear to be live as of press time.

BitComposer reiterated in its announcement that Thunder Wolves is also coming to XBLA and PSN, though no release date or price points for those versions have been released.

Continue reading Thunder Wolves descend on Steam May 15

JoystiqThunder Wolves descend on Steam May 15 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bitcomposer-gamesmost-wanted-entertainmentpcpre-orderrelease-datesteamthunder-wolvesWed, 08 May 2013 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Disney Interactive down $54 million in Q2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/disney-interactive-down-54-million-in-q2/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/disney-interactive-down-54-million-in-q2/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/disney-interactive-down-54-million-in-q2/#comments By the end of the second quarter of its fiscal year, Disney Interactive was once again the media conglomerate's only unprofitable sector, reporting a $54 million operating income (read: pre-tax) loss for the three month period ending March 31, 2013. This is, however, a 22 percent year-over-year improvement when compared to Q2 2012's reported operating income loss of $70 million.

Disney contributes the loss to "growth at our Japan mobile business from a licensing agreement that started in February 2012 and lower acquisition accounting expense at our social games business." No mention is made of Junction Point Studios, which Disney closed in January after lackluster sales of Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, or of the company's forthcoming game/toy platform Disney Infinity.

JoystiqDisney Interactive down $54 million in Q2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsDisneydisney-infinityDisney-InteractiveEpic-Mickey-2financialsjunction-point-studiosmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3Q2Q2-2013vitawii-uxboxWed, 08 May 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision Blizzard closes out Q1 2013 with $1.32 billion net revenue]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/activision-blizzard-closes-out-q1-2013-with-1-32-billion-net-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/activision-blizzard-closes-out-q1-2013-with-1-32-billion-net-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/activision-blizzard-closes-out-q1-2013-with-1-32-billion-net-re/#comments The first quarter of Activision Blizzard's fiscal 2013 has come to a close, with the massive developer/publisher reporting $1.324 billion in net revenue for the three months ending March 31, 2013. This figure is $164 million beyond Activision Blizzard's prediction for the quarter ($1.16 billion), and 12.96 percent more than the $1.172 billion earned during the same period last year.

"The shift in release dates of competing products, the disappointing launch of the Wii U, uncertainties regarding next-generation hardware, and subscriber declines in our World of Warcraft business all raise concerns, as do continued challenges in the global economy," CEO Bobby Kotick said in the report. "For these reasons, we remain cautious."

Despite this, Activision Blizzard is raising its net revenue outlook for calendar year 2013 by 3.3 percent, from $4.085 billion to $4.22 billion. Kotick attributed the company's successful quarter to Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm and World of Warcraft, as well as continued consumer interest in Call of Duty and Skylanders.

JoystiqActivision Blizzard closes out Q1 2013 with $1.32 billion net revenue originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsactivision-blizzardfinancialsfiscal-2013macmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3q1-2013vitawii-uxboxWed, 08 May 2013 17:00:00 EST