Joystiq

Blizzard opens real-money pet store in WoW

by JC Fletcher { 2 days ago }

Blizzard just opened a huge can of worms -- or of pandas, in this case. The company announced the opening of an in-game pet store in World of Warcraft, wherein players can purchase their own Pandaren Monk or Lil' K.T., the Littlest Lich, for ten bucks. Half of the purchase price of the Monk goes to the Make-a-Wish Foundation until the end of the year, but all of the Lil' K.T. proceeds go to Blizzard's spare Ferrari fund.

Blizzard currently offers for-pay services including realm transfers, race and faction changes, and character appearance edits, but this shop offers the first in-game items for sale -- and these items are exclusive to the Pet Store. While we wouldn't be surprised to see a backlash related to this new offering, we expect it to be the kind of backlash that comprises very public complaining combined with furtive purchases.

[Via WoW.com]

Ubisoft reports first-half sales drop, deems Q4 most important quarter in company history

by Ludwig Kietzmann { 2 days ago }

Ubisoft has reported financial results for the first half of its fiscal year, ending September 30, 2009. Coming in at €166 million ($246 million), this year's sales represent a drop of 52% when compared to the first two fiscal quarters of the previous year. Second-quarter sales totaled €83 million ($123 million) -- a drop of 53.1%, though one that Ubisoft states falls within previously issued guidance.

Standout titles released during the period include the Western-themed first-person shooter, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood (which has shipped 'close to 900,000 units'), reptilian brawler Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash Up and, "in certain countries," the Pelé-powered Academy of Champions.

Ubisoft points to its fiscal third quarter -- that's October to December on your official Secretive Hunks of Third Echelon Calendar -- as "the most important quarter in Ubisoft's history." Sales are expected to reach €540 million ($801 million) during the period, thanks to Assassin's Creed 2, Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, James Cameron's Avatar: The Game, Rabbids Go Home and Shaun White Snowboarding World Stage. Ubisoft's also counting on several new casual and self-improvement games for the Wii and DS, which we imagine will help the financialz quite a bit.

Microsoft's layoffs conclude early, over 5,000 let go

by Ben Gilbert { 3 days ago }

With this morning's confirmation from Microsoft that another 800 people have been let go, the layoffs that began all the way back in January of this year have completed. Affecting everyone from Games for Windows Live to Rare to a quarter of the Massive team, we're sure that the folks still working at The Big M are glad that pendulum blade has stopped swinging above their heads. "We are eliminating around 800 positions ... and have completed our reduction plan sooner than we had anticipated," the company said in a statement to PaidContent.

Unfortunately, as with any business in a down economy, the statement also notes that "continuing to manage our businesses closely ... can mean additional headcount adjustments." Considering a company representative already told TechFlash that more than the announced 5,000 number had been let go over the last 10 months (though no specifics were detailed), we're wondering just how many more people will be affected by "headcount adjustments." We contacted Microsoft for more information, but were given the same statement that PaidContent received. It's been reprinted in full after the break.

Continued →

SCEA files patent for interactive movie technology

by Griffin McElroy { 3 days ago }

"Interactive movie technology," you may find yourself asking, "isn't that just another word for video games?" Well, grandpa, yes and no. While this recently filed patent from Sony Computer Entertainment America will likely be implemented in some form of game -- our guess is PlayStation Home -- it doesn't really resemble anything we've ever seen from a ludological offering. Basically, SCEA is designing a framework for "avatars" to interact with a film in a number of different ways, such as tossing tomatoes at on-screen actors, or climbing into the film to deliver a swift kick to one of the characters' behinds.

The patent's illustrations resemble pencil-drawn versions of Mystery Science Theater 3000, where a player's avatar can be seen sitting in a chair in front of the interactive movie. These interactions can even be scored, granting bonus points for a well-aimed tomato toss. We have no idea how well this type of technology would work, but our deep, deep fondness for Mike and the 'Bots makes us more than a little interested in how SCEA is planning on using it.

[Via Siliconera]

Bayonetta might need a backpack for all those guns

by Ben Gilbert { 3 days ago }

Knowing now that we won't be able to get our hands on a retail copy of Bayonetta on this side of the Pacific until January 5, it's hard not to be frustrated when the game's publisher releases more footage reminding us how much fun the combat is. It might be incredibly silly that she has guns on her feet, sure, but they're guns on her feet. It makes the thought of kicking an enemy all the more enticing!

It's also just plain nice to see a trailer for this game that focuses on how the gameplay works, rather than on its hyper-sexualized main character. Also: she fires a bazooka at a demon wearing a tuba. If that's your kind of thing.

Gallery: Bayonetta

Arc System Works porting BlazBlue to PSP

by JC Fletcher { 3 days ago }

The giant HD sprites of Arc System Works' fighter BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger will be shrunk down a bit. Famitsu has announced that Arc System Works is preparing a PSP port of the fighter. The portable release, out in Japan on February 25, will feature all the characters from the console game, and ad-hoc multiplayer for up to four. It'll also include a new Legion Mode in which players fight to gain territory on a game board. No screens or scans have been released yet.

Considering the prolific nature of Blazblue's predecessor, the Guilty Gear series, and the fact that there's already an updated version of the original game on the way to arcades, don't expect this to be the only port of Blazblue.

Wal-Mart offering $100 gift card with purchase of Xbox 360 Arcade

by Griffin McElroy { 3 days ago }

Black Friday isn't the only day in November where prices are eviscerated and sweet deals are distributed like confetti at a Flaming Lips concert. Wal-Mart has begun posting ads for a batch of sales being offered this coming Saturday morning -- one of which will be particularly intriguing to the prospective holiday console buyers among you. While supplies last (and we assume they won't last long), anyone who purchases a $199 Xbox 360 Arcade bundle will receive a $100 gift card to boot.

A free Benjamin's worth of Wal-Mart products? That's enough to buy a couple of games for your new system! And it's only $35 short of the price of an Xbox 360 120GB hard drive! Or, you could buy two Xbox 360 Arcade bundles, and then have enough in gift card money to get a third one -- plus another $100 gift card -- for free! It seems we've beaten the system, as it were. Wal-Mart, consider yourself outfoxed.

[Via Engadget]

Q&A: Jordan Mechner and Jerry Bruckheimer on 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time'

by Kevin Kelly { 3 days ago }

Download the HD trailer

The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time movie won't be in theaters until May 2010, but the marketing winds are already picking up with the release of the first full-length trailer (above) -- and it looks ... kinda good. What's more, the original game's creator, Jordan Mechner, has filed an application for the trademark, "Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands," suggesting that a new game could be in the works. More recent remarks, like those found in this Q&A, seem to indicate that an announcement from Ubisoft is coming shortly.

We attended a group Q&A session with Mechner and movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer last week during the unveiling of the trailer and heard about the legacy of the franchise, casting of Jake Gyllenhaal, plans for a movie sequel, Easter eggs hidden on-screen, and hints of a new game. Leap across the break for the full discussion.

Gallery: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Film)

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Braid coming to PS3 next week, November 12

by Andrew Yoon { 3 days ago }

It only took 15 months, but Braid has finally found its way to the PlayStation Network. Jonathan Blow's critically acclaimed puzzle-platformer may be late, but its time-shifting gameplay mechanics certainly make the old adage "better late than never" all the more apropos.

The Hothead-developed port will be available on the North American PlayStation Store on November 12th, "with a European version to be announced shortly thereafter." The PSN version of Braid will cost $14.99, the same price as its XBLA equivalent.

Gallery: Braid (PS3)

Alice 2 'teaser' not officially sanctioned

by Justin McElroy { 3 days ago }

On Monday, we brought you an awfully official-looking teaser trailer for a follow-up to American McGee's Alice, which was announced in February. Now, via his blog, McGee is debunking the cool stop-motion clip, saying, "I wanted to clear up any confusion ... it was unofficial, and does not represent any of the final art direction or story elements in Alice 2." It's worth noting that when we attempted to verify the clip's authenticity on Monday, we tracked the site (the now-missing www.returnofalice.com) back to American McGee, so the confusion is pretty understandable.

The "fan" that created the video, Troy Morgan, is an accomplished artist who has worked with the developer in the past. Morgan says he created the ad on spec as an ad pitch to EA, though it appears not to have been picked up. It's a pity, because the clip was just starting to get us excited for a return to (evil) Wonderland.

iPhone App Store tops 100K items, 2 billion downloads

by Alexander Sliwinski { 3 days ago }

Apple's App Store has attained over 100,000 ~~fart simulators~~ apps and blown by the two billion download mark. GI.biz reports that games make up 19.6 percent of the store's content. EA Mobile VP Travis Boatman notes that the store, which is now available in 77 countries, has allowed his company to make high quality games that "have been a huge success with customers."

If Gameloft's sales figures are any indication, the App Store shows no signs of slowing down in the game department. Now, if only that alleged iPhone app piracy rate could be brought under control.

New Darksiders trailer unleashes Mayhem, sore throats

by Griffin McElroy { 3 days ago }

You might become entranced by the grandiose visuals featured in the latest trailer for Darksiders, which we've posted above -- however, don't let your sense of sight get you too distracted from the video's sounds. It might be too soon to say, but it looks like Darksiders could be the most gravelly-voiced video game in the history of the industry. Seriously, even the woman briefly featured in the above trailer makes Solid Snake sound like Dakota Fanning.

Check out the trailer, but keep in mind that it comes to us from the mysterious land of Europe, explaining the release date of "08/01/2010" which appears at the end of the video. See, they do dates backwards in that continent. Just like they do democracy.

Hands-on: Firecore Classic Console

by Justin McElroy { 3 days ago }

From the Wii's Virtual Console to Xbox Live Arcade, there are all kinds of ways to play classic Genesis games these days. But the Firecore Classic Console offers something just a little closer to the original experience. Though this standalone console comes pre-loaded with 20 games, it also accepts all your old carts and comes packed with two dead ringers for the Genesis pad.

As you'll see in the above video, we recently put the machine through its paces and came away reasonably impressed, especially considering the $44 price tag.

DICE receives fan letter in thanks of Bad Company 2 dedicated servers

by Alexander Sliwinski { 3 days ago }

Edward

of New Jersey was so happy with DICE's decision to support dedicated servers for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 that he sent the company a $60 check. Although it's pretty hard to look up the

family of New Jersey to ask Eddie why he sent the money, we'll guess it had something to do with Infinity Ward's decision to not allow dedicated PC servers for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

As for what DICE plans to spend the money on, Battlefield Producer Gordon Van Dyke gave no indications. Some Battlefield 1943 maps would be nice. The intern could probably get it done for $60, right?

Rumor: Car punching returns in Super Street Fighter IV

by Justin McElroy { 3 days ago }

While Street Fighter may be the perfect symbol of man's inhumanity to man, we always considered SFII's bonus stage (which used the punching of a car as a John Henry-esque metaphor for the struggle to maintain humanity in the face of an industrial age) as the more poignant symbolism. Capcom appears to agree, as some new Famitsu scans seem to indicate that the car-punching bonus stage will return in Super Street Fighter IV.

Also depicted is the barrel smashing mini-game, though that doesn't represent anything ... except that it's fun to smash barrels.

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