Joystiq

BBC iPlayer for 360 indefinitely postponed due to disagreement with Microsoft

Though the BBC iPlayer is already available on the Wii and PS3 overseas, it seems a disagreement between the television corporation and Microsoft will keep the platform off of the Xbox 360 for the time being. According to a recent Telegraph article, sources close to the BBC's Future Media and Technology department claim that Microsoft's desire to make the iPlayer a Gold Subscriber-exclusive feature is "incompatible with the BBC's public service remit."

An unnamed BBC representative reportedly explained, "this does not fit with the BBC's model and Microsoft will not budge at the moment. It is really frustrating for those involved on the BBC side who want to make sure iPlayer is rolled out on as many popular entertainment platforms as possible." We've contacted Microsoft to hear the other half of the story.

Royal Navy sailors given PSPs to 'encourage studying'

by Ben Gilbert { 8 days ago }

So, umm, this is kind of awkward. We're sorry to tell you, British Royal Navy, but it would appear that you've been duped. We know that the electric engineer everyone trusts so much – Reginald, that con artist! – has spent hours convincing everyone at HMS Collingwood in Hampshire how important it is for him to have a Sony PSP for "studying," but we have to tell you: It's a gaming system! He's just using it to play games!

And so even though Reginald said it would be a "smashing idea" for you to buy 230 consoles and spend £50k in the process, we're not so sure this is the best way to educate British sailors. The pre-loaded engineering software may help, but who's to stop users from spending hours with Patapon 2 instead? And no matter how much they claim to be learning about naval combat from SOCOM: Tactical Strike, we're pretty sure that's a lie as well. We hope you've learned from this, and will think twice next time that dastardly Reginald proposes a gaming system as education.

[Via GamesIndustry.biz]

Steam Deals Day Four: Prince of Persia, Lucidity, Guild Wars marked down

by Griffin McElroy { 8 days ago }

The next-to-last day of Steam's "Early Holiday Sale" brings with it an eclectic collection of discounted PC titles, including last year's Prince of Persia ($14.99), Battlefield 2 ($14.99), Lucidity ($2.49) and Guild Wars Trilogy ($24.99). Also, here's a link to a Black Friday sale for a 1TB internal HDD. If you've been following this Steam sale for the past few days, you're probably hurting for hard drive space right about now.

Make sure you free up some room before tomorrow -- at 8 a.m. PST, the last batch of 24-hour sales will be announced. Stay tuned!

King of Fighters movie trailer giving us Street Fighter flashbacks

by Griffin McElroy { 8 days ago }

We are conflicted, dear readers, over the assumed quality of the King of Fighters film adaptation, the debut trailer for which can be found after the jump. On one hand, we have the incomparable film chops of action heroine extraordinaire Maggie Q and former spiky-headed Jedi slayer, Ray Park. Also, the whole production is led by award-winning director Gordon Chan, so we at least know the hand on the film's rudder is gnarled with experience.

On the other hand, it's another film based on the typically devoid-of-plot fighting game genre. If the precedent set by Street Fighter, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, Double Dragon, Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and Dead or Alive are any indication, we could be in for another theatrical trainwreck.

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Report: Splinter Cell: Conviction to have co-op, new multiplayer mode

by Griffin McElroy { 8 days ago }

According to a recent post on CVG, the publishing partner of PC Zone magazine, the next issue of the latter will drop some knowledge on us regarding Splinter Cell: Conviction's multiplayer modes. CVG reports that the last issue of PC Zone teases an article on Conviction, claiming the piece will feature "hands-on, co-op reveal and a brand new mode."

If the game truly does have co-operative play, then we're kinda bummed about the aesthetic changes the title has undergone over the past year. Can you imagine: Secret two-man hobo operations to blow up a whole park's worth of hot dog stands? Party game of the year.

Gallery: Splinter Cell Conviction

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is falling behind

by Griffin McElroy { 8 days ago }

Oh, man! We knew we forgot to do something yesterday! In the midst of our holiday spending spree, we forgot to post the winner of last week's Wrapup! Here's a shocker: First place went to Brawl in the Family's music-infused "Ode to Minions," which garnered a simply preposterous 1,357 votes. Second and third place went to Virtual Shackles' "Pokemon Green," and Penny Arcade's "Grim," respectively. A belated congratulations to all our winners!

Now, to the matter at hand. We've arranged our seven favorite webcomics from this week below. Check them out, and vote for your favorite after the jump. Barring any kind of supernatural cosmic catastrophe (or, you know, a really great sale at Target), we'll tally up your votes and designate a winner next Friday.

SkiFree (xkcd)
Social Engineering (Virtual Shackles)
Super Blue Toad Bros. (Nerf Now)
Mega Thanks (2P Start)
Delicioso (Penny Arcade)
New Super Mariown Bros. (The Great Indoors)
Mawnin'! (Again!) (Dipswitch)

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Microsoft's Marc Whitten sees Natal replacing television remote controls

by Ben Gilbert { 8 days ago }

Speaking to a room full of executives focused on "the business of online video" at this year's Streaming Media West trade show, it's easy to understand how Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten could fall into hyperbole regarding the implications of Project Natal. "I believe that this will be the largest leap of TV experience since the remote control," Whitten said on the subject, reports Yahoo Tech. "With the flick of my wrist I can change a channel ... with the power of my voice I can start a movie."

Aside from the more obvious implications to television using technology that can interpret voice and motion, he sees a future where Natal will recognize individual voices in a room and allow for a variety of human input – from "laughter" to "the number of people in a room" and everything in between. "Watching a movie is a passive input, but a TV should understand what you're trying to do." We don't know about you, Marc, but we're a bit worried about the implications of our television understanding what some of us are trying to do.

[Via Edge]

Robin Williams plays Call of Duty, named his daughter Zelda (guess why!)

by Ben Gilbert { 8 days ago }

Though we may not be steadfast watchers of Jimmy Fallon's late night talkshow, we have to give the man credit for once again bringing the world of gaming into his decidedly non-gaming television show. While Robin Williams guested on Fallon's show this week, he asked the hairy-handed comedian about his gaming habits – some of which we've covered in the past – and found out that not only does the man play his fair share of Call of Duty, but he also named his daughter "Zelda" after ... well, the Princess Zelda.

"My daughter is named after a video game ... Zelda, Princess Zelda. I don't call her Princess Zelda ... only occasionally ... but she's named after Zelda." So forget about your LaBeoufs and your Dushkus – Robin Williams is holding it down hardcore and old-school for all of Hollywood.

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Nintendo UK announces Reflect Missile for DSiWare, releases it

by Griffin McElroy { 8 days ago }

Ready for some fairly unsurprising news? Nintendo UK recently revealed what we all expected yesterday following the OFLC rating of a Q-Games project titled Reflect Missile -- the game is designed for the DSiWare platform, and features Breakout-esque gameplay with strategy elements. You have to use a special set of missiles to help you clear out the aforementioned bricks, but you've only got a limited number, so ballistic conservation is key.

Ready for some completely flabbergasting news? According to the same Nintendo listing, the game is out right now in the UK. Like, this second, now. You can own it, provided you live in the UK, and have access to the fungible assets required to purchase 500 DSi Points. We've contacted Q-Games to find out when Reflect Missile will be fired at North America.

Alone in the Dark 2 movie heading straight to DVD this holiday

by Ben Gilbert { 8 days ago }

It's been four years since Uwe Boll first graced American cinemas with his game-to-film masterpiece, Alone in the Dark. Though only acting as producer (rather than his usual directorial role), he's finally bringing the sequel to our shores this holiday with Alone in the Dark 2. Rather than waste time with those silly theaters, Alone in the Dark 2 will be heading straight to DVD, said to be coming "this Winter."

You might be thinking to yourself, "I didn't even know they made a second film," like the first (and only) commenter on the movie's IMDB page did. And after checking out that page, you might be wondering how the film's main character (Edward Carnby) inexplicably changed from Christian Slater to Korean-American actor Rick Yune. We're gonna chock both up to one simple answer: Movie magic.

[Via Big Download]

Thief 4 development coming along in 'leaps and bounds'

by Griffin McElroy { 8 days ago }

Our memory of the announcement of Thief 4 has long since been washed away by other sizable pieces of gaming news and releases -- however, Eidos Montreal boss Stephane D'Astous recently assured IncGamers that the dev team hasn't been slacking off since the game's big reveal. In an interview with the site, D'Astous claimed, "the team is making leaps and bounds," later adding, "personally I have never seen a team, at this milestone (middle of pre-production) in such good shape!"

Wait a second -- the dev team is still in pre-production, and they're already working on the game's jumping mechanic? Get your priorities straight, guys.

[Via VG247]

Dyack dismayed by layoffs, anticipates growth in Ontario

by Xav de Matos { 8 days ago }

Following yet another report of company restructuring resulting in job losses, outspoken industry veteran Denis Dyack called industry-wide layoffs within the last year and a half "staggering." However, the Silicon Knights boss does see a brighter future for development over the next five years, at least in the Canadian province of Ontario.

"Before, Ontario was a little isolated, there wasn't a lot of videogame companies here. But that's going to change. With all the positive steps that the government's done," Dyack told GamesIndustry.biz. Dyack's hopeful outlook for Ontario comes, in part, from Ubisoft's July announcement to open a new studio in Toronto -- a move Ubisoft hopes will bring 800 new jobs to the region over the next decade.

According to Dyack, new business in Ontario means the province will be able to combat recruiters who remove developer and designer graduates from the area. "It's really depressing going to [University of] Waterloo to recruit and we see that Microsoft was there before us and took all the best people. The tax payer paid for that education," he lamented. With development expanding in Ontario, Silicon Knights can finally start combing schools for talent to help produce the (Sweet Lord, make it happen) sequel to Eternal Darkness.

Warmachine game attacking PC, consoles

by Xav de Matos { 8 days ago }

According to a statement made to BigDownload, the video game adaptation of Privateer Press' tabletop fantasy war game Warmachine is currently in development for the PC and (unspecified) consoles. Quietly announced in August, the Warmachine video game is being developed by the indie team at WhiteMoon Dreams and will feature player control of "various warcasters and their warjack battle groups" across interactive battlefields in both single and multiplayer modes.

WhiteMoon Dreams' Norvell Thomas promises we'll get a chance to see whatever that last sentence even means in a "gorgeous" demo by GDC 2010. Thomas adds that the indie dev's goal is to "wow" publishers at the conference in order to fund full development of the table-top adaptation.

Japan facing Final Fantasy XIII oversaturation crisis

by Griffin McElroy { 8 days ago }

And you thought Halo 3-themed Game Fuel was bad. A recent round of advertisements have taken Japan by storm, all of which either shill for Final Fantasy XIII, or some product based on the unflagging RPG franchise. Posted after the break are a series of videos, including a short TV spot for the game, two ads for the presumably refreshing Elixir beverage, and a commercial for a commercial (well, a behind-the-scenes documentary) which will be released shortly after the game is released in Japan.

Also, they're making a perfume based off the game's main character. It's called Lightning eau de toilet. There's no video advertisement to accompany this news, but we'd have been remiss had we not mentioned it to you.

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Real world CSIs look at videogame tech to help solve cases

by Xav de Matos { 9 days ago }

While TV-based crime scene investigators use futuristic moon technology to solve mysteries, real world forensic scientists say the biggest advancements need to come from how investigators collaborate on cases. North Carolina State University recently received a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to help develop crime scene mapping tech (right) derived from the Unity game engine, allowing teams to create a virtual reproduction of crime scenes.

Using environments made up of 3-D laser scans and 2D models, investigators would be able to share detailed information with other scientists through the platform's website, reducing wait times and travel budgets.

The IC-CRIME platform (Interdisciplinary, cyber-enabled crime reconstruction through innovative methodology and engagement) won't be ready for at least three years, but scientists seem confident in the platform's future potential growth in catching scumbags. Also, turning the lights on in the lab might help the process. Those rooms always look so dark on TV.

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