Joystiq

Call of Duty: Ghosts deploys first dev diary, screens

Joystiq Staff — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:40:00 EST

Infinity Ward is back in the driver's seat of Call of Duty with Call of Duty: Ghosts. In this behind-the-scenes video diary, key talent opine on what that means for them.

Continue reading Call of Duty: Ghosts deploys first dev diary, screens

Call of Duty: Ghosts deploys first dev diary, screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Just jargon through Remember Me

Joystiq Staff — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:45:00 EST

Join Joystiq in the streets of Neo-Paris and the intricate pathways of the mind in this Remember Me video preview. Dontnod's memory-focused action game features strategic battle jeans, "remembrane buoys" and even more dubiously named plot devices, if you can believe it.

Remember Me launches for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on June 4.

[Video production: Miguel Concepcion]

Gallery: Remember Me (2/14/13)

Just jargon through Remember Me originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Drop: Notch's free, browser-based typing game laughs at your keyboard skills

Joystiq Staff — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:15:00 EST

Markus 'Notch' Persson, best known for the mega-hit Minecraft and his affinity for fedoras, has released a free browser-based typing game entitled Drop.

The Unity-powered title is simple in concept: players type as the world transforms into a pulsating aural journey through a tunnel of heavy electronic music. As new words appear, the time to complete the required letters shortens, which speeds the experience.

Despite our expert typing skills - as evidenced by our intricate and always hilarious puns - Drop sessions end within seconds. According to the creator, Drop was inspired by a number of experiences, including Terry Cavanagh's Super Hexagon, the ending of Polytron's Fez and - for its visuals - his ceiling. Unlike the first two notes of inspiration, Notch's ceiling did not make Joystiq's 2012 'Best of the Year' list.

Play Drop for free on Notch's personal website.

Drop: Notch's free, browser-based typing game laughs at your keyboard skills originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Invitation to war: Company of Heroes 2 beta key giveaway [Update: We're out of keys!]

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:15:00 EST

Update: We're plum out of beta keys. Now go play it and tell us what you think in the comments.

Company of Heroes 2 from the now Sega-owned Relic Entertainment is currently in closed beta testing, and Joystiq has infiltrated the publisher's stronghold and acquired 1,000 codes to give away to its most dedicated soldiers.

The Company of Heroes 2 closed beta has a level cap of 40 and features six maps, including two areas not seen in previous testing. Multiplayer and skirmish modes are available across all maps for players to wage war versus AI or human members of their own personal axis of evil in 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, or 4v4 battles.

If you were lucky enough to acquire a code, redemption is simple: Select 'Add a Game,' then 'Activate a Product Code on Steam' and enter your unique key.

Invitation to war: Company of Heroes 2 beta key giveaway [Update: We're out of keys!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

'Hoppy' Easter from team Joystiq

Joystiq Staff — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EST

We've been informed that there is some ham that needs to be consumed today. Expect things to be a little slower than normal on this festive Sunday, especially if we overeat and wind up missing our egg hunt.

To make up for it, we've hidden five special Easter eggs of our own on the site for you to find.* Enjoy your day off, we know we will!

*Note: We totally didn't do this, but it would have been awesome if we did, right?

'Hoppy' Easter from team Joystiq originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 31 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Defiance goodie giveaway: It's dangerous to go alone, take these

Joystiq Staff — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:15:00 EST

Defiance, a sci-fi-themed, persistent-world shooter from Trion Worlds that shares a setting and story with a SyFy series, will be out on April 2 on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. To help give Joystiq reader a greater fighting chance on the battleground, Trion has shared several codes to unlock content in the upcoming game.

Each code unlocks a special piece of gear and can be used by all, once per account. Click the link below to retrieve the special codes, as well as instructions for redeeming them.

GRAB YOUR SPECIAL DEFIANCE GEAR

Defiance goodie giveaway: It's dangerous to go alone, take these originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joystiq Plays BioShock Infinite [We'll return to Columbia!]

Joystiq Staff — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:30:00 EST

Update: Due to technical issues, we're going to reschedule this stream. Apologies!

Allow us to destroy your productivity with a live streaming session of BioShock Infinite on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Over the next hour we'll focus on the action, rather than the story - we wouldn't want to spoil a large element of what we praised in our review.

Watch the stream after the break and ask any questions you may have in the comments. Those spewing spoilers will have to contend with the fury of Songbird.

Joystiq Plays BioShock Infinite [We'll return to Columbia!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Super Joystiq Podcast 042 Live! God of War Ascension, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, DMC DLC [Update: Watch the replay!]

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST

Update: The live show has ended, you can watch the replay above! Be aware this week the discussion discusses spoilers regarding the Devil May Cry and God of War franchises.

This week's live edition of the live Super Joystiq Podcast is composed of the three amigos ... or at least three work acquaintances. Xav discusses his time with God of War: Ascension, which he reviewed; Jess discusses her life as Vergil in the DMC: Devil May Cry DLC; and Richard explores the haunting world of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.

If there's time we also have some thoughts on Ridiculous Fishing and, straight out of 2011, Dark Souls.

There's also a new giveaway this week, with one lucky winner getting an opportunity to take home a wireless PDP Afterglow Headset. To enter, subscribe to the Joystiq YouTube Channel and send us a private message there with your name, age, and place of residence.

What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. All winners of Joyswag are selected randomly. Only comments in the podcast post linked above will be entered in the random drawing.

For more info on our policy, along with rules and regulations associated will all giveaways, click here.

Super Joystiq Podcast 042 Live! God of War Ascension, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, DMC DLC [Update: Watch the replay!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Frank O'Connor, 343 franchise development director

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:21:00 EST

In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: 343's Franchise Development Director Frank O'Connor.

Frank O'Connor has worked in and around the gaming industry for about twenty years, starting in the gaming press in the UK, where he edited and wrote for several magazines before making the move to the States. After several years working on games publications here, he took an opportunity to work at Bungie studios as a community manager, working on consumer relations, marketing efforts and game fiction.

When Bungie spun out of Microsoft during Halo Reach, he decided to stay with the Halo franchise and has been there since the inception of 343 Industries. He's lived through every single console and computer game transition, and he is just as excited about the impending one as he was when Pong gave way to the Atari 2600.

At Frank's forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session with Microsoft Game Studios/343 Industries' Executive Producer Kiki Wolfkill, Frank will co-present on "Changing the Universe - Three for Three." This session will explore the trials, tribulations, and opportunities in building and rebuilding a cultural phenomenon, expanding a beloved universe into live action and transmedia storytelling, all while creating a AAA-game studio from scratch.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Frank O'Connor, 343 franchise development director

Hit List Q&A: Frank O'Connor, 343 franchise development director originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Matthew Lee Johnston

Joystiq Staff — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST

Matthew Lee Johnston is an eighteen-year veteran of the video game industry and in that time has contributed to over 50 shipped titles. His first project was Microsoft Golf 2.0, and his most recent was Plants Vs. Zombies 2.

At the 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit today, Matt will be moderating a panel titled, "Secret Sauce: Disruption on the Mobile Frontier." Joining him on the panel will be Halfbrick CMO Phil Larsen (Fruit Ninja, Jetpack Joyride), Spry Fox CEO David Edery (Triple Town) and Backflip Studios CEO Julian Farrior (Dragonvale). This is a session where outspoken and independent developers, who have innovated in the mobile market, tell the big guys how they snuck up behind them and grabbed their earnings last year. We'll get behind-the-scenes access to the designs, principles, and methods that allowed these studios to disrupt the entire balance of the traditional video game marketplace in less than two years by dominating the mobile space with some great entertainment.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Matthew Lee Johnston

Hit List Q&A: Matthew Lee Johnston originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Glen Schofield, co-founder of Sledgehammer Games

Joystiq Staff — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST

Glen Schofield is co-founder and studio head of Sledgehammer Games, co-developer of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. A visionary in the video game business for more than 20 years, Glen started his career as an artist and art director for Absolute Entertainment. He also served as the general manager of EA's Visceral Games Studio and was the creator and executive producer of the award winning Dead Space. Glen is credited in over 50 games that together have grossed more than $3 billion in revenues.

Art has been an important part of Glen's life from a young age. He started taking art lessons early on, eventually earning a BFA (he also holds an MBA) and began his professional career as a freelance illustrator before entering the world of video games. In his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, Glen will discuss "The Art of Inspiration." He will speak about how he draws inspiration from anything and anywhere and how that has influenced his work as a game developer on a day-to-day basis.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Glen Schofield, co-founder of Sledgehammer Games

Hit List Q&A: Glen Schofield, co-founder of Sledgehammer Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:55:00 EST

Outspoken entrepreneur, passionate video game developer, and the Person of the Year 2012 according to GamesIndustry International, Victor Kislyi is the man behind the blockbuster World of Tanks, the Massive Assault Series, and the upcoming World of Warplanes and World of Warships action MMO games.

In 1998, Victor established Wargaming, eventually leading the company from its strategy gaming roots to its current position as a leading global interactive entertainment conglomerate with over 1,300 employees and 11 offices in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Victor leads the team, setting design philosophy and strategy and boosting the company with his experience and enthusiasm. Under his expert care Wargaming is now working on four MMO games and building the Wargaming.net service - the epicenter of a battle-driven gaming universe that would unite all company's projects under a single multiplayer ecosystem.

At his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, Victor will speak on "The Evolution of Free-To-Play: From Tanks To Beyond." Without growth there is only stagnation. While "free-to play" has taken the gaming industry by storm, it's becoming more and more apparent that an evolution of the business model is necessary in order to truly adapt to the needs of gamers and consumers. He will walk D.I.C.E. attendees through his vision of the free-to-play market as it stands today, as well as his thoughts and ideas on how it must grow in the future in order to remain viable.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi

Hit List Q&A: Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Super Joystiq Podcast 035 Live: Devil May Cry, GTA 5 wishlist [Watch the recap!]

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:30:00 EST

Update: The live segment is over. Watch the recorded video segment above and listen to the entire episode tomorrow!

We're inviting ourselves into your screens once again with a live video recording of the Super Joystiq Podcast. Join the fun right here as we create a Grand Theft Auto 5 wishlist based on our recent experiences with Grand Theft Auto 4, its mods and Saints Row: The Third. Also, the first big games of 2013 are here, and they're making a splash; we kick off the year with (a defense of) DMC: Devil May Cry.

Join in the discussion live by leaving comments right here, rather than on the YouTube page. The audio will be available in its standard, no-face podcast form on Friday, and once the show is over this segment will live on as a YouTube video. Joystiq, helping expand your podcast horizons since 2013.

Super Joystiq Podcast 035 Live: Devil May Cry, GTA 5 wishlist [Watch the recap!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Warren Spector, Creative Director and Founder of Junction Point

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:30:00 EST

Warren Spector, veteran electronic game designer/producer, heads up video game developer Junction Point Studios, a division of Disney Interactive. Warren has worked in the game industry since 1983. After six years at Steve Jackson Games and TSR, creating pen-and-paper games, he joined computer game developer Origin Systems where he produced several games including Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, Ultima Underworld 2: Labyrinth of Worlds, System Shock, Ultima VII: Part 2, Serpent Isle, Wings of Glory, Bad Blood, Ultima Worlds of Adventure: Martian Dreams, Cybermage and others.

After seven years with Origin, Warren did a brief stint with LookingGlass Technologies before founding Ion Storm's Austin, Texas studio in 1997. At Ion Storm, he produced and directed the award-winning, genre-bending Deus Ex. He later oversaw development of Deus Ex: Invisible War, released in 2003, and Thief: Deadly Shadows, released in 2004. That year, he left Ion Storm to found Junction Point Studios, developing concepts for a variety of video game and motion picture partners before being acquired, in 2007, by The Walt Disney Company. There he directed Disney Epic Mickey, released in 2010. A sequel, Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, was released in November 2012.

In his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, Warren will be speaking on "Hey, You kids! Get Outta My Yard! or The Graying of Gaming."

"Used to be, games were largely the domain of youngsters - kids played them and 'kids' (relatively speaking) made them," Spector says. "Nowadays, things are different. Gamers are everywhere, coming in all ages and genders, and developers have grown up, too. In this talk, I will address the impact of aging on gamers, on developers and on our medium. How does the graying of gaming affect Game Content, Player Commitment, Design Philosophy, Gaming Platforms, Mainstream Media Interactions and, generally speaking, The Future. This talk will be a personal look backwards and forwards that will, I hope, offer something for kids and adults, boys and girls, men and women, whatever their relationship may be with games as pastime, as art or as business."

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Warren Spector, Creative Director and Founder of Junction Point

Hit List Q&A: Warren Spector, Creative Director and Founder of Junction Point originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao

Joystiq Staff — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST

Amir Rao is the Studio Director for Supergiant Games, the team behind the AIAS award-winning downloadable game Bastion, which was released on Xbox Live Arcade, Steam, Mac, Linux, Chrome and iOS. Prior to Supergiant Games, Amir worked at Electronic Arts Los Angeles as a designer on Command & Conquer 3 and Red Alert 3.

At the upcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit Amir will be speaking on the topic, "Multiplatformism." Over the course of a year, Supergiant Games shipped its award-winning game Bastion on six different platforms with three fundamentally different user interface paradigms. This session covers the design tenets that emerged in translating Bastion from controller to keyboard to touch. The talk will explore Superigant Games' ethos behind picking platforms, while considering if the future of elegant design is truly interface agnostic.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao

Hit List Q&A: Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

WRUP: Final push for 'Best of 2012'

Joystiq Staff — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST

With Joystiq's annual 'Best of the Year' awards around the corner, each staff member has a short window to complete any outstanding adventure deemed a major contender for a spot on the site's year-end top ten list.

Joystiq will reveal its 'Best of 2012' during the first week of the new year; the culmination of hours of intelligent debate ... and probably a lot of chair throwing and hair-pulling.

We've been preparing for this list all year, but there are still a few games we each need to complete. Here's what the Joystiq staff will be playing during the final hours of 2012.

Continue reading WRUP: Final push for 'Best of 2012'

WRUP: Final push for 'Best of 2012' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: David Cage, founder of Quantic Dream

Joystiq Staff — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:45:00 EST

David Cage founded Quantic Dream in 1997, with the ambition of using interactivity as a new means of expression. He developed a creative vision based upon emotion, innovation and immersive storytelling. After his first video game Omikron featuring famous singer David Bowie, the game Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) received great critical acclaim and won several awards worldwide. In 2010, Heavy Rain, a dark thriller produced by Sony, met critical acclaim and commercial success, selling over 2.3 million units to date. Heavy Rain was the winner of three Interactive Achievement Awards in 2011 (now called the D.I.C.E. Awards) - Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering, Outstanding Innovation in Gaming, and Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

In 2012, Cage launched a new tech demo called KARA, featuring an android girl with an actress who delivered a stunning acting performance. Quantic Dream is currently in production of Beyond, a game written and directed by David Cage, starring actress Ellen Page. The game, produced by Sony exclusively on PlayStation 3, will be released in 2013.

In his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, Cage will be speaking on "The Peter Pan Syndrome: The Industry that Refused to Grow Up." In a significantly changing landscape dominated by franchises, where new devices with 89c games get more and more of consumers' attention, the video game industry is confronted with a massive challenge. A new console cycle is about to start, new business models and platforms appear while creativity and risk taking has never been lower.

The game industry, having always refused to grow up, is now confronted with a new dilemma: evolve or stagnate. The first and most important revolution to start is about content. Based on his experience and fifteen years in the industry developing original content, David Cage will explain in a passionate, thought-provoking presentation (with a French accent) his vision for content in the future and why he believes it is the key to expanding our market and finally become a mature industry.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: David Cage, founder of Quantic Dream

Hit List Q&A: David Cage, founder of Quantic Dream originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Xavier Poix, Ubisoft Annecy, Montpellier and Paris managing director

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:45:00 EST

Xavier Poix is Managing Director of Ubisoft's Annecy, Montpellier and Paris studios. Xavier joined Ubisoft in 1998 on the business side, becoming Sales Director for France before moving into production. He was Director of Ubisoft Montpellier and producer of the game for Peter Jackson's King Kong before taking his current role. Under Xavier's management, Ubisoft's French studios have become synonymous with launch titles for new platforms, such as Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Red Steel, and ZombiU. Their creative talent is at the origin of blockbuster brands (Raving Rabbids, Just Dance), critically acclaimed original IP (From Dust), and demonstrating that license-based titles and quality gaming experiences are not incompatible (The Adventures of TinTin, Michael Jackson The Experience). Having recently finished development on several Wii U launch titles as well as Assassin's Creed 3 multiplayer, the French studios are working on new titles, including Rayman Legends, and continue to infuse creativity and innovation into Ubisoft's brands.

At his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, he will be addressing the topic - "Developing the Future: leveraging new technology to change the way we play." Putting new tech in the hands of developers inevitably results in exciting new ideas. And when that tech is revolutionary, it can change paradigms and make us question the fundamentals of how we play. Building on the personal of experience of overseeing Ubisoft titles that offered audiences a new way of interacting with the game - and each other - this talk explores certain trends that could mark and potentially change our perspective of gaming in the near future.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Xavier Poix, Ubisoft Annecy, Montpellier and Paris managing director

Hit List Q&A: Xavier Poix, Ubisoft Annecy, Montpellier and Paris managing director originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Jesse Schell, Schell Games CEO

Joystiq Staff — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:00:00 EST

A note from the AIAS:Jesse is the CEO of Schell Games, the largest videogame studio in Pennsylvania. He also serves as Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Entertainment Technology at Carnegie Mellon University. Jesse has worked on a wide variety of innovative game and simulation projects for both entertainment and education, but he is best known for his award winning book The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses and for Beyond Facebook, a talk at the 2010 DICE Summit where he described a future where games and life become indistinguishable. He is a former chair of the International Game Developers Association, and in 2004 he was named one of the world's Top 100 Young Innovators by MIT Technology Review. Before starting his own company, Jesse was the Creative Director of the Walt Disney Imagineering Virtual Reality Studio, which helped to develop interactive theme park attractions as well as Toontown Online, the first massively multiplayer game for children. Before that, he worked as writer, director, performer, juggler, comedian, and circus artist for both Freihofer's Mime Circus and the Juggler's Guild.

Jesse will be speaking at the 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit on "The Secret Mechanisms." The world of game design is changing. New systems of distribution and payment are making even seasoned designers feel naïve. The key to understanding what business models and what game concepts will work is to understand the human mind, for the mind is the medium in which game designers work. Far from an inert surface, the human mind has thousands of complex mechanisms that determine a game's success or failure. Continuing the theme of Jesse's landmark 2010 DICE talk, this talk gathers mechanisms from far and wide: art, psychology, advertising, music, architecture, poetry, science, storytelling - nothing is off-limits, and special attention is paid to the mechanisms that can help us understand how to live, thrive, and survive in this post-retail world of game development.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Jesse Schell, Schell Games CEO

Hit List Q&A: Jesse Schell, Schell Games CEO originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

WRUP: Joystiq Staff and Community Thanksgiving Edition

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST

It's the time of year in the United States where we give thanks for all that we have in our life - not the stuff, really, but the family and friends.

Here at Joystiq, we're all family and our friends are you, the people we work so hard to inform and entertain. So thanks for being a loyal reader to our site, listener to our podcast, and viewer of our other shenanigans. We appreciate it and we appreciate you.

Now that the mushy stuff is out of the way, here are the games the Joystiq staff and some of the members of our community are playing during this extended time off. When we're not in a coma from all dem turkey legs!

For this week's extended "What Are You Playing," the staff have collected two games they plan to play during the holidays: a retail game and a downloadable title. WRUP, friends?

Continue reading WRUP: Joystiq Staff and Community Thanksgiving Edition

WRUP: Joystiq Staff and Community Thanksgiving Edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

JoySwag PSA: Win Paper Mario Sticker Star and The Walking Dead from Joystiq

Joystiq Staff — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 16:30:00 EST

Each week on the Super Joystiq Podcast, the staff bundles games and other swag we're sent to give away to you, the lovely reader/listener. What? You didn't realize you were missing out on the free stuff? Well, let's remedy that by recapping what's available this week and what's coming up with the Joyswag PSA.

Listen to this week's episode of the Super Joystiq Podcast and comment in that episode's post for your chance to win one of two downloadable goodies. This week we have one 3DS eShop code for Paper Mario: Sticker Star and a collection of XBLA codes for Telltale's episodic adventure game The Walking Dead. (Restrictions apply, see below or this post.)

On this week's episode the team talks Wii U game reviews for New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land, along with review impressions for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and the Vita's Call of Duty: Black Ops 2: Declassified.

Tune into next week's show (Episode 027 on November 23) for your chance to win a Limited Edition version of Assassin's Creed 3 for the Xbox 360. (Some restrictions apply. See below for details).

JoySwag PSA: Win Paper Mario Sticker Star and The Walking Dead from Joystiq originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Nov 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joystiq Weekly: Wii U too, buddy!

Joystiq Staff — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST

Welcome to the Joystiq Weekly, our weekend recap of the previous week's columns, reviews and more features. Jump into this post for an easy to consume digest of carefully curated content links. You earned it.

The Wii U is here. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is on store shelves. It is the season for your wallet to start screaming. Jump in for a recap of this week's biggest features, including reviews for the Wii U console and its games - New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, and more!

Also explore the world of Black Ops 2, the new game in the popular shooter franchise from developer Treyarch.

Continue reading Joystiq Weekly: Wii U too, buddy!

Joystiq Weekly: Wii U too, buddy! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

JoySwag PSA: Win the Xbox 360 Halo 4 bundle or Limited Edition game from Joystiq

Joystiq Staff — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 16:00:00 EST

Listen to this week's episode of the Super Joystiq Podcast for your chance to win one of two prize packs. The big pack includes the Limited Edition Halo 4 console bundle (above, which includes a standard edition of Halo 4) and the novel Halo: Cryptum: Book One of the Forerunner Saga. The second bundle includes the book along with the Halo 4: Limited Edition game. (Restrictions apply, see below or this post.)

This week the staff gives first impressions of the Wii U hardware (which we just got in our offices), freelancer Brian Leahy joins Schramm and Xav to discuss DOTA 2 and other MOBAs. News looks at financials, and this week's staff profile is with Feature Content Director Xav de Matos.

Tune into next week's show (Episode 026 on November 16) for your chance to win an eShop code for the new 3DS game Paper Mario: Sticker Star. We're also giving away a bundle of XBLA codes for all five episodes of Telltale's The Walking Dead, which we'll send to the winner after the last episode has been released. (Some restrictions apply. See below for details).

What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. All winners of Joyswag are selected randomly.

For more info on our policy, along with rules and regulations associated will all giveaways, click here.

JoySwag PSA: Win the Xbox 360 Halo 4 bundle or Limited Edition game from Joystiq originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 Nov 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joystiq Weekly: Let's joust, Chief!

Joystiq Staff — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:30:00 EST

It's officially that time of year where so much is going on, it disappears from the front page almost as quickly as it's published. "But there has to be a better way, Mr. Joystiq?" you cry, fingers bleeding from all that scrolling. There is now!

Welcome to the Joystiq Weekly, our weekend recap of the previous week's biggest news, best features, and more. Now, go ahead and jump into this post for an easy to consume digest of carefully curated content links. You earned it.

Continue reading Joystiq Weekly: Let's joust, Chief!

Joystiq Weekly: Let's joust, Chief! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany President

Joystiq Staff — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:33:00 EST

A note from the AIAS:
Jenova Chen is President & Creative Director for thatgamecompany (TGC). TGC is best known for creating experimental, artistic, and accessible games that touch players on an emotional level. TGC designed and developed the award-winning PSN titles flOw, Flower, and, most recently, Journey.

At the upcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit conference, Jenova will be speaking on: Emotion Oriented Interactive Entertainment - Inspirations and Theories Behind Journey. Jenova learned many valuable lessons on what went well and how to do better on his quest to create games that deliver a lasting emotional impact. Jenova will discuss TGC's founding design philosophy and share some of the lessons he and his team gleaned from TGC's past six years developing three innovative downloadable games.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany President

Hit List Q&A: Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany President originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hit List Q&A: Randy Pitchford, Gearbox Software President

Joystiq Staff — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:45:00 EST

A note from the AIAS:Randy Pitchford is co-founder, owner and President of Gearbox Software. Randy served as Executive Producer and in creative and development capacities in the creation of Gearbox Software's award winning, best-selling original franchises Brothers in Arms and Borderlands. Under Randy's leadership, Gearbox Software has also developed a string of hits with sequels, expansions, and original games for many of the industry's most credible franchises and in 2010 acquired Duke Nukem to add to its stable of properties. Before the launch of Borderlands 2 on September 18, 2012, Gearbox Software games have sold over 30 million units earning more than $1 billion in gross revenues.

What many do not know is that prior to game development, Randy was a professional magician. In his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session titled "Video Games Are Magic," Randy will explore how the lessons of magical performance apply to our industry. Along the way, he'll demonstrate and expose specific techniques, methods and ideas from magic that illustrate how the art of illusion has a lot in common with the art of interactive entertainment and leave his audience with tools that are useful and applicable from the executive level to the design level of our craft.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Randy Pitchford, Gearbox Software President

Hit List Q&A: Randy Pitchford, Gearbox Software President originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Q&A: Martin Rae, President of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences

Joystiq Staff — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:30:00 EST

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has announced the dates for next year's D.I.C.E. summit, which will once again encourage the game industry to Design, Innovate, Communicate and Entertain. Joystiq's especially aligned with the "C" and "E" parts, so we thought it apt to accompany the summit's aesthetic upgrade with a look at what the AIAS (Academy of Interactive ... okay, you get it) does to promote and augment games.

We'll be publishing several Q&As with high-profile designers in partnership with the AIAS, but today we're starting with Martin Rae, President of the AIAS.

Continue reading Q&A: Martin Rae, President of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences

Q&A: Martin Rae, President of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: December 2012

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:00:00 EST

Oh, December, with your regionally specific cold or warm nights, sugarplums and gift giving. It's also a time when the video game industry stops jamming the accelerator on so many video games. Which is good, because you have a lot of games to catch up on from both October and November.

December, however, does have a few highlights. Far Cry 3 arrives, along with the retail package of the outstanding Walking Dead adventure game series. So keep warm (or cool - we don't know where you live!) inside and spend some time with a few new video games.

Of course, there are plenty of other great games available this fall we didn't get a chance to highlight. That's why we want to hear your anticipated Fall 2012 games for a follow-up "Community Response" feature to these Cheat Sheets. Give us your list in the comments below and tell us why you're looking forward to it; we may even highlight your comment.

Continue reading Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: December 2012

Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: December 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: November 2012

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:00:00 EST

November is traditionally the time of year our wallets attempt to flee, lest they're destroyed by the onslaught of new video games. Hundreds of games, across every conceivable platform, will arrive next month. Are you ready?

In our November "Cheat Sheet" we highlight a few likely contenders for your harvest season free time. Halo 4, Black Ops 2, Hitman: Absolution and ... an entirely new home console! The Wii U drops next month and with it comes a slew of amazing games (too many for us to include, really). Here's what you should be saving up for in November.

Continue reading Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: November 2012

Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: November 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: October 2012

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST

There are far, far too many games in October this year. It's a good thing the month is almost finished. Even though it seemed we had a steady year of games, there are still enough new things coming in the holiday season to overwhelm even the most avid game fan.

We've highlighted a selection of October games to help you keep track - from the massive AAA products like Dishonored to niche experiences like the Vita action-RPG, Ragnarok Odyssey. Here's what you should be playing this month, or go back to play when you find the time.

Continue reading Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: October 2012

Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: October 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video game release highlights for first half 2010

Joystiq Staff — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:40:00 EST

You know, we were having a heckuva time committing all the compelling first half retail releases of 2010 to memory, so then we thought, why not write them down?

Bookmark this calendar to track your most anticipated games. Check back for updates -- and let us know what's on your radar in the comments section. (Time to crack open that piggy bank, eh?)

Continue reading Video game release highlights for first half 2010

Video game release highlights for first half 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joystiq's Best of 2009

Joystiq Staff — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:52:00 EST

Joystiq's Top 10 Games of 2009

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
Assassin's Creed II (Multiplatform)
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Multiplatform)
Dragon Age: Origins (Multiplatform)
inFamous (PS3)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Multiplatform)
Shadow Complex (XBLA)
Borderlands (Multiplatform)
'Splosion Man (XBLA)
Little King's Story (Wii)

<< Comment >>

Staff Picks: Best of the Rest 2009

Alexander	Andrew
Ben	Chris
Dave	Griffin
James	JC
Justin	Kevin
Ludwig	Randy
Richard	Xav

Previously: Top 10 of 2008, Top 10 of 2007

Joystiq's Best of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Best of Big Download: December 28-January 3

Joystiq Staff — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Mac, PC, Meta (about Joystiq)

We're lucky that the period between Christmas and New Year's Day is a tad on the slow side in the news department. Quite frankly, New Years partying combined with the disassembling of holiday decorations and removal of festive trees (we usually get four or five) has us exhausted and a little melancholy. Oh, and we also wrote a whole mess of content over the last week just for you, in case you were wondering. Hit the break for news items and peep some original features below:
Exclusive features

2010 Previews: We conclude our look ahead at the next year in PC games with a RPG-MMO preview and an RTS-other games preview. Plus we pick our top 10 most anticipated PC games of 2010, give our predictions for the next year, pick some 2010 console games that should be PC games and offer up some 2010 wishes for the PC game industry.
Top 10 PC Gaming Related Failures Of The Decade (2000-2009): Sometimes things just don't go off as planned. We examine some of the biggest failures of the past decade in the PC game industry.
Team Fortress 2 Demoman-Soldier Achievements. We conclude our look at the new additions to Team Fortress 2 with part six and part seven of the Demoman achievements and part six and part seven of the Soldier achievements.
All You Need To Know: Our 411 column checks out the upcoming BioWare RPG Mass Effect 2.

Continue reading The Best of Big Download: December 28-January 3

The Best of Big Download: December 28-January 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Best Of Big Download: December 21-27

Joystiq Staff — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Mac, PC, Meta (about Joystiq)

Christmas week was slow in the news department, but busy in the original features section at Big Download. Let's peruse what we've been up to in the past seven days:
Original features

2009 In Review: We give our picks for the best PC games of 2009 in our annual Big Download Awards. We also pick our 10 favorite PC game demos of 2009 and point out some PC games and related products that turned into vaporware this year. And finally, we give our picks for the best indie games and which indie games would be great holiday gifts.
The Top 10 Most Disappointing Games of the Decade (2000-2009): As a follow up to last week's feature of the best PC games of the decade, we give our picks for those PC itles that didn't live up to their hype.
2010 PC Game Preview: We begin our look at the next 12 months in gaming with part one and part two of what action and first-person shooter games are expected in 2010.
Team Fortress 2 Soldier-Demoman Achievement Guides: Want to learn more about the two newly updated Team Fortress 2 classes? Then check out part one, part two, part three, part four and part five of our guide review and part one, part two, part three, part four and part five of our Demoman guide.
Gratuitous Space Battles Review: We give our final verdict for the recent space strategy games by Positech.
Kung Foo! Interview: We chat with comic book author Devin Grayson on her work adapting the upcoming satirical MMO game.
Mac Monday: Our regular Mac games column returns with looks at two games: Osmos and Guns of Icarus.
All You Need To Know: Our 411 column returns with a info dump on Star Trek Online.
Freeware Friday: Our weekly look at free PC games checks out the title Varia.

Continue reading The Best Of Big Download: December 21-27

The Best Of Big Download: December 21-27 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Best of Big Download: December 14-20

Joystiq Staff — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Mac, PC, Meta (about Joystiq)

Just because many feet of snow have fallen on some of us since we last spoke doesn't mean we weren't plenty busy with news, features, and downloads this past week. Below and after the jump you'll find just some of our highlights from the past seven days -- that is if you're not too busy with snow clearing or going to see movies in the third dimension:

Exclusive Features

The Best PC Games of the Decade (2000-2009): We celebrate the last 10 years by looking back on the PC titles we think were the tops in the 2000s.
The Top 10 PC Game News Stories in 2009: What events shaped the PC game industry in the past 12 months? We have our picks for the news stories that changed the industry last year.
Dirt 2 PC review: We give our final verdict to Codemasters' rally racing game.
Interviews: We chat with the folks behind the upcoming Stargate Resistance and get a post-release update on Torchlight.
The State of Mac Gaming: Part 4: We conclude our look at the current and future state on gaming on the Mac.
Boot Disk: This week our retro game column checks out id Software's original Quake.
Big Ideas: Our weekly look at game themes examines whether PC games have had a "golden age" of development.

Continue reading The Best of Big Download: December 14-20

The Best of Big Download: December 14-20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joyswag: Fighting Game Holiday Bundle

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:45:00 EST

Welcome to Joystiq's "Naughty or Nice" holiday giveaway extravaganza! It's simple: Just follow the instructions below to enter for your chance to win. Ah, but to win what? There's always a catch, isn't there? Each "Naughty or Nice" giveaway features two prizes: a totally sweet bundle of holiday cheer and, um, a lump of coal. Winners are selected randomly, we assure you. Of course, who's to say luck isn't dependent on virtue ... Have you been naughty? Or nice?

Update: The entry period has ended. Congratulations Ken B. and Jake R.

To enter this giveaway:

Leave a comment on this post telling us if you've been "naughty" or "nice" this year. (Note: Your response will not affect your chance of winning any of the prizes in this giveaway.)
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec).
Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day.
This entry period ends at 12:00 pm ET on Tuesday, December 22. We'll randomly select one grand prize winner at that time to receive Tekken 6 Limited Edition Wireless Fight Stick Bundle, Dragon Ball: Raging Blast, and The King of Fighters XII for PlayStation 3, and one King of Fighters figurine [note: actual figurine may differ from one pictured] (Total ARV: $340); and one first prize winner to receive Family Feud: 2010 Edition for Nintendo Wii (ARV: $40) -- please check your emails!
For a list of complete rules, click here.

Fighting games are currently enjoying a bit of a renaissance, and this grand prize bundle is a nice opportunity to re-introduce yourself to the genre on PS3. Don't discount the Wii's fighting games, though -- our first-prize winner will find Family Feud features some very difficult combinations. Just you try stringing together the top five survey answers to: Name the most popular item people put in their salads.

What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. For more info on our policy, click here.

Joyswag: Fighting Game Holiday Bundle originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hands-on: Borderlands DLC 'Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot'

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST

Editors' Note: This article was accidentally published and has been removed until further notice.

Hands-on: Borderlands DLC 'Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joyswag: Xbox 360 Music Game Holiday Bundle

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:45:00 EST

Leave a comment on this post telling us if you've been "naughty" or "nice" this year. (Note: Your response will not affect your chance of winning any of the prizes in this giveaway.)
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec).
Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day.
This entry period ends at 12:00 pm ET on Tuesday, December 22. We'll randomly select one grand prize winner at that time to receive The Beatles: Rock Band Limited Edition Premium Bundle, DJ Hero Bundle with Turntable, Band Hero, Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Smash Hits, and Lego Rock Band for Xbox 360 (Total ARV: $558); and one first prize winner to receive Lips: Number One Hits Bundle for Xbox 360 (ARV: $60) -- please check your emails!
For a list of complete rules, click here.

Surely, there's at least one song in the grand prize collection that your band will agree to play together. As for the first prize, it's nothing but number-one hits!

Joyswag: Xbox 360 Music Game Holiday Bundle originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joyswag: PSP Go Holiday Giveaway

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:15:00 EST

Leave a comment on this post telling us if you've been "naughty" or "nice" this year. (Note: Your response will not affect your chance of winning any of the prizes in this giveaway.)
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec).
Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day.
This entry period ends at 12:00 pm ET on Tuesday, December 22. We'll randomly select one grand prize winner at that time to receive "Piano Black" PSPgo (Total ARV: $250); and one first prize winner to receive Sega Genesis Firecore Classic Console (ARV: $50) -- please check your emails!
For a list of complete rules, click here.

Two pint-sized feats of technology: Sony's PSP Go and the Firecore console -- who could have imaged the Genesis squeezed down to such proportions? Marvelous.

Joyswag: PSP Go Holiday Giveaway originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Joyswag: Nintendo DS Games Holiday Bundle

Joystiq Staff — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:45:00 EST

Leave a comment on this post telling us if you've been "naughty" or "nice" this year. (Note: Your response will not affect your chance of winning any of the prizes in this giveaway.)
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec).
Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day.
This entry period ends at 12:00 pm ET on Tuesday, December 22. We'll randomly select one grand prize winner at that time to receive The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (with bonus treasure chest, train whistle & t-shirt), Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes, and Space Invaders Extreme 2 for Nintendo DS (Total ARV: $135); and one first prize winner to receive C.O.P. The Recruit for Nintendo DS (ARV: $30) -- please check your emails!
For a list of complete rules, click here.

What better place to store the grand prize bundle than in an actual treasure chest? And how about that first prize? We're giving the winner the perfect excuse to be a bad cop!

Joyswag: Nintendo DS Games Holiday Bundle originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments