Joystiq

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z trailers won't cost you an arm and a leg

David Hinkle — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:59:00 EST

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z stars Yaiba Kamikaze, a ninja killed by primary series star Ryu Hayabusa during a duel. We're not sure how Yaiba came back from the dead, but at least we can see how he died.

Continue reading Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z trailers won't cost you an arm and a leg

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z trailers won't cost you an arm and a leg originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch Brian Provinciano's Retro City Rampage talk from GDC

David Hinkle — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:00:00 EST

One of our favorite talks from GDC was Brian Provinciano's session, in which the indie developer discussed bringing his game, Retro City Rampage, to just about every platform known to man. It's a valuable talk for many reasons, giving a clear picture of what it's like working with The Big Three[TM] and the types of hurdles a determined indie developer will inevitably hit.

Provinciano's determination to port Grand Theft Auto 3 to NES hardware escalated into a love letter to video games and pop culture. While Provinciano hasn't announced his next project yet, he says we should expect more humorous open-world games.

Watch Brian Provinciano's Retro City Rampage talk from GDC originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alan Wake's American Nightmare drops price to $10 on XBLA

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:00:00 EST

Alan Wake's American Nightmare, the standalone follow-up to the original psychological action thriller, is now 800 Microsoft Points ($10) on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The game was previously 1200 MSP ($15), which continues to be its price on Steam.

Developer Remedy has moved on to Quantum Break, but there is the possibility that Mr. Wake's influence will be felt in the upcoming game.

Gallery: Alan Wake's American Nightmare (2/20/12)

Alan Wake's American Nightmare drops price to $10 on XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panzer Dragoon creator wants to make Crimson Dragon RPG

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:30:00 EST

If Crimson Dragon is successful, developer Grounding Inc. hopes it will become a franchise, creator Yukio Futatsugi told Joystiq during E3. When asked if he would ever return to role-playing games, Futatsugi told us he'd like to see Crimson Dragon spun out into a full-fledged RPG.

Futatsugi is best known for creating the Panzer Dragoon series, notably the much loved but hard to find RPG, Panzer Dragoon Saga, so the prospect of a Crimson Dragon RPG should be an exciting one for fans.

Right now the team is focused solely on finishing the current game, he said, but the story and atmosphere of Crimson Dragon have been crafted in such a way that it could easily be turned into an RPG. Grounding already has many team members who worked on the likes of Panzer Dragoon Saga and Panzer Dragoon Orta, including Crimson Dragon's programming lead, design lead, art lead and sound team. When the decision was made to bring Crimson Dragon to Xbox One, the team also acquired the art designer from Futatsugi's original Xbox cult classic, Phantom Dust.

Of course, few people have played Panzer Dragoon Saga, and many may not understand what all the fuss is about. The game was released at the end of the Sega Saturn's lifecycle, and only 30,000 copies were produced for North America. I asked Futatsugi if he'd like to see Panzer Dragoon Saga re-released as a downloadable game, especially given Sega's recent retro push with games like Jet Set Radio and Nights.

He would like to see Saga re-released, he said, and the subject comes up from time to time at the Grounding offices. Usually, these discussions end with the team realizing that the game would be very difficult to remake. Still, Futatsugi said he would love to play it again.

Panzer Dragoon creator wants to make Crimson Dragon RPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crytek dips its beautiful toes into iOS waters with 'The Collectibles'

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:00:00 EST

Crytek is building an overhead, tactical action game called The Collectibles for iOS devices, 9 to 5 Mac reports. Crytek demoed The Collectibles at WWDC last week, played with a new, MFi-supported controller, the site says. MFi is Apple's new program that opens up the iOS SDK for game controller hardware and accessories.

The Collectibles has players command a team of five through the ruins of war in a jungle environment, as shown by a series of screenshots with the report. The Collectibles allows for touchscreen or controller play, or both simultaneously for some features.

The Collectibles doesn't officially exist yet. Crytek's most recent foray into our headlines was with Ryse: Son of Rome, a third-person action game coming to Xbox One. We got a chance to play it during E3 and found it more aggressive than expected.

Crytek dips its beautiful toes into iOS waters with 'The Collectibles' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oculus Rift secures $16 million in first round of investor funding

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST

The first round of investor funding for Oculus Rift brought in $16 million, with contributions from Spark Capital, Matrix Partners, Founders Fund and Formation 8, the Oculus team announced today. This funding is separate from the Oculus Rift Kickstarter campaign, which asked for $250,000 and concluded with $2.4 million in September.

Spark founder Santo Politi and Matrix general partner Antonio Rodriguez are now on the board of directors for Oculus Rift, after they led the first funding round.

"In this business, there are only a few rare companies that can so perfectly embody the future you read about in science fiction novels," Rodriguez says in a press release. "What Palmer, Brendan and the team are building at Oculus so closely matches the Metaverse, we had to be part of it. Working with them to get this platform to market at scale will be enormously exciting."

A mere $16 million gets you access to the Metaverse. Not bad.

Continue reading Oculus Rift secures $16 million in first round of investor funding

Oculus Rift secures $16 million in first round of investor funding originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Surgeon Simulator 2013 adds support for Oculus Rift, Razer Hydra

Danny Cowan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:00:00 EST

Surgeon Simulator 2013 will soon support the Oculus Rift and Razer Hydra peripherals, adding a new layer of immersion to Bossa Studios' PC medical malpractice sim.

In Surgeon Simulator 2013, players attempt vital organ transplants from a first-person perspective using an intentionally awkward control scheme. It suffices to say that if you're squeamish, head-tracking and motion-sensing peripherals won't make the experience any less nauseating.

The peripheral-enhanced version of Surgeon Simulator 2013 will be playable at Rezzed 2013 in Birmingham on June 22 and 23. An update adding official support for the Oculus Rift and Razer Hydra will be released to the public "soon."

Show full PR text

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE YOUR EYES. BE NIGEL, ON OCULUS RIFT!

Bossa Studios puts meat on the bones: Surgeon Simulator 2013TM now supports cutting-edge peripherals, playable at Rezzed show this weekend

London, 17 June 2013 - Bossa Studios announced today that Surgeon Simulator 2013 will soon support the hotly anticipated Oculus Rift[TM] and the Razer Hydra(R), taking surgery to the next level of mayhem and creating the most immersive operating theatre experience ever. In addition, the game will be playable with the hardware at the Rezzed Show at the NEC in Birmingham on June 22 and 23 2013.

Released on Steam in April 2013 at £6.99 (or equivalent), Surgeon Simulator 2013 has quickly become nothing short of a phenomenon. The original prototype - developed in just 48 hours at the 2013 Global Game Jam in January 13 - challenged players to complete a heart transplant using a combination of keyboard and mouse actions, armed only with an arsenal of clumsy and inappropriate tools and a hapless hand that was diabolical to control.

Set to release soon and with development kits already with Kickstarter backers, the Oculus Rift allows players to step into game. It was one of the big hits at this year's E3 show in Los Angeles, impressing the audience with its stereoscopic 3D experience and a huge field of view.

For additional information on the game, please visit the following links:

Official game site: www.surgeonsimulator2013.com
Twitter: @surgeonsim2013
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OfficialSurgeonSimulator2013
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com//app/233720

About Bossa Studios

London-based Bossa Studios is led by a team of veterans from the worlds of gaming and entertainment. Proud creators of BAFTA-winning Monstermind, and the BAFTA-nominated Merlin: The Game, Bossa Studios has revolutionised the social gaming market. Its achievements of developing and publishing innovative games resulted in it being awarded the Develop Excellence Award for best 'New Studio' in 2012. As part of Shine Group, the Studio is also developing new transmedia experiences.
www.bossastudios.com

Surgeon Simulator 2013 adds support for Oculus Rift, Razer Hydra originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May NPD: 3DS steals top console spot

Mike Schramm — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:40:00 EST

The Nintendo 3DS finally edged out the Xbox 360 in May 2013 as the best selling console across hardware and portables, according to the NPD's monthly report on the retail sector.

In what the NPD claims was a slow month overall, the 3DS landed three different games on the top 10 (including Donkey Kong Country Returns at number three, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon at number five, and Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes at number 10), and saw a sixty percent growth in software sales overall since last May. 3DS hardware sales were only even year-over-year, but that was enough to finally supplant the Xbox 360 as the top-selling platform.

The other consoles didn't fare quite so well, with Injustice: Gods Among Us keeping the top spot for video game sales. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 jumped back up into the number two spot, and Battlefield 3 reappeared at number nine. Metro: Last Light had a relatively successful showing in the number six spot, while Trion's Defiance MMO fell right off the list, after starting off at number five in April.

Accessories saw a six-percent drop to $115.3 million, according to the NPD, with most of that money coming from Skylanders.

Continue reading May NPD: 3DS steals top console spot

May NPD: 3DS steals top console spot originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Cave drops in on iOS this summer

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:30:00 EST

The Cave, Double Fine's latest adventure game, is heading to iOS, Touchgen reports, citing a hands-on preview at E3 last week. Sega published The Cave on PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U in January, but clearly that's not enough, and the game is due out this summer on iOS.

The Cave on iOS doesn't have virtual analog sticks or buttons, but allows the player to tap and drag characters around the map, and choose characters with a poke on their respective icons along the bottom of the screen, the hands-on report notes.

The Cave features seven characters with murky morals and, at times, even murkier gameplay, we found. There's no word on how much the iOS version will cost, but the price shouldn't be any steeper than the walls of that deep, dark, sentient cave.

The Cave drops in on iOS this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brad Muir on building trust with Double Fine's Massive Chalice

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:05:00 EST

Double Fine is using a second (and already successful) Kickstarter to produce "Massive Chalice," an ambitious turn-based strategy game that hinges on the lineage of your kingdom. Project lead Brad Muir is candid about the early delta between the game's promises - allowing you to produce and raise multiple generations of heroes in a war against demons - and the reality anticipated by those committed to its crowdfunding drive, which exists independently of that for Broken Age.

"We're gonna mess up in public, and that's a little bit scary, but it's also like - I think it helps build trust too," Muir told me during E3 last week. "We're totally fallible, and we're gonna trip up, but we'll figure it out and we're gonna make the game the best game it can be."

Muir also responded to fears from backers who have yet to see the fruition of Double Fine's previous Kickstarter project, Broken Age, and expressed enthusiasm over developing a game with "the doors wide open on the studio."

Brad Muir on building trust with Double Fine's Massive Chalice originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New CD Projekt Red studio to focus on 'smaller' games

Danny Cowan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EST

The Witcher series developer CD Projekt Red is opening a new office in Kraków, Poland, according to a recent job posting at the company's website.

Managing director Adam Badowski confirmed with Gamasutra that the new 20-person studio will head up a smaller project while CD Projekt Red's core Warsaw-based team develops The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077.

"This July we are opening an office in Krakow," Badowski said. "As we informed in our strategy outlook some time ago, aside from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077, the studio aims to develop two smaller (approximately 20h of gameplay) premium quality titles. Consisting of 20 people, the core team in Kraków will be responsible for developing one of these games."

CD Projekt Red previously announced plans to expand its catalog with a variety of smaller-budget multiplatform games through 2015. Further details regarding these projects are not yet known.

New CD Projekt Red studio to focus on 'smaller' games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now Playing: June 17-23, 2013

Steven Wong — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:15:00 EST

Jump into the ultimate retro-style meta RPG experience this week with The Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition...

Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:

Continue reading Now Playing: June 17-23, 2013

Now Playing: June 17-23, 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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State of Decay MMO sequel, Class4, in limbo at Microsoft

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST

State of Decay developer Undead Labs can't begin working on its follow-up game, an MMO called Class4, until it agrees with Microsoft on a series of terms about future technology, support and goals, Undead's community director Sanya Weathers told Eurogamer.

Microsoft owns the IP for Class4, following a deal that funded and developed State of Decay, Weathers said: "We cannot begin working on Class4 without a greenlight from Microsoft ... and a mutually agreeable contract." Undead is still talking with Microsoft about the specifics of Class4.

State of Decay was originally called Class3, and Undead viewed it as the first step toward that larger MMO project, Undead founder Jeff Strain told us in 2011. "The minute-by-minute core of the game will all be there in Class3," Strain said. "The only thing it won't have is the massive player participation the sequel will have."

Today, Weathers explained the negotiations with Microsoft regarding Class4. "We have to agree on where we think the technology is going to be in a few years (since the game will take a few years to develop); we have to agree that we have the same goals; and we have to agree on how we'll collectively run and support the final game," Weathers said.

State of Decay is doing well - since its launch on June 5, it's been crowned the fastest-selling original game on Xbox Live Arcade, ever, with 500,000 sales. We found State of Decay's premise and vibe to be tense (in a mostly good way), but we ran into some technical issues that Undead is currently having problems patching.

State of Decay MMO sequel, Class4, in limbo at Microsoft originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dota 2 to launch before August 7, ahead of The International

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST

Dota 2 is due to launch this summer in its full form throughout North America and Europe, Valve's VP of Marketing Doug Lombardi tells Gamespot. It will hit before this year's The International championship, which runs August 7 - 11 at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, Washington. This is the third installment of Dota 2's The International tournament, which offers a prize of $1 million for the Dota 2 team that proves it's the best in the world.

Dota 2 entered beta in 2011, and nearly anyone can now purchase an early access key and start playing immediately. The early access key costs $30 and adds some downloadable goodies, though Dota 2 is a free-to-play game and it should live up to that descriptor when it goes live sometime before August.

Dota 2 to launch before August 7, ahead of The International originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 hosts a party of one

Bob Mackey — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:00:00 EST

No development process has been as interesting to watch than the multi-game pile-up known as Final Fantasy 13. It's not that these RPGs have been of poor quality, per se; they just represent the totality of Square Enix's resource mismanagement during the first HD generation of consoles. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Lightning Returns wasn't the only Final Fantasy 13-related product on the show floor during E3 2013, as Square unveiled the long-awaited Versus 13 under an entirely new (though slightly predictable) name: Final Fantasy 15.

This rebranding - combined with the Final Fantasy 13 name getting second billing to its lead character - provides some compelling evidence that the developer might be a little ashamed of that "lucky" number these days.

Gallery: Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (E3 2013)

Continue reading Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 hosts a party of one

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 hosts a party of one originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS Plus freebies this week: Saints Row: The Third, Gods Eater Burst

David Hinkle — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST

When the PlayStation Store updates tomorrow, both Saints Row: The Third and Gods Eater Burst will be available as free downloads. Saints Row is a PS3 game, while Gods Eater Burst initially launched on PSP but is also compatible with PS Vita.

Last week at E3, Sony detailed plans for PlayStation Plus moving forward. While it's required for online multiplayer on PS4, it won't be necessary for video services or certain free-to-play games, and won't see a price increase during its transition to next-gen.

PS Plus freebies this week: Saints Row: The Third, Gods Eater Burst originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS4 PlanetSide 2, DC Universe Online will not require PlayStation Plus

Danny Cowan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST

The free-to-play MMOs DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2 will not require a PlayStation Plus subscription to play when they hit the PS4 later this year, publisher Sony Online Entertainment confirmed with Polygon during E3 last week.

Sony announced during E3 that a PlayStation Plus membership is required for online multiplayer in PS4 games, leading some to question whether free-to-play games would be exempt from the platform's subscription requirements.

"As far as free-to-play games are concerned, it's a publisher's decision whether they put it inside or outside of the PlayStation Plus requirements," Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida said.

Yoshida additionally confirmed that the PS4 versions of Zombie Studios' Blacklight: Retribution and Digital Extremes' Warframe will be free-to-play, and will not require a PlayStation Plus subscription to play.

PS4 PlanetSide 2, DC Universe Online will not require PlayStation Plus originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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State of Decay sells over half a million copies, update being re-patched

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:30:00 EST

State of Decay has sold over half a million copies since launching on Xbox Live Arcade on June 5. This makes the Undead Labs developed game the fastest selling original title ever on Xbox Live Arcade, according to Microsoft.

But everything isn't headshots and restful nights with State of Decay, as the game's first title update did experience some hiccups. XBLA Fans reports the patch on Friday night didn't do everything as intended. Undead Labs' founder Jeff Strain went to the company forums and said, "Reports started coming in that other bugs we had verified internally as fixed were apparently not fixed on the live version of the game." No word yet when that patch will be patched.

The game is currently in development for a PC release on Steam. Strain says Undead Labs "just need to integrate with the Steam platform and add native support for keyboard and mouse control."

State of Decay sells over half a million copies, update being re-patched originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox boss says $500 Xbox One is 'over-delivering on value,' name-drops Halo 5

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST

The $500 price tag for the Xbox One elicited audible gasps during Microsoft's E3 press conference. Speaking to Bloomberg, Xbox head Don Mattrick defended the hefty price, saying that Microsoft is "over-delivering on value" with the Xbox One.

"It's a lower number than some of the analysts had forecasted," Mattrick said. "We're over-delivering value against other choices, I think, consumers can get. Any modern product these days, you look at it [and] $499 isn't a ridiculous price point. We're delivering thousands of dollars of value to people, so I think that they're going to love it when they use it."

What will convince consumers to opt for Xbox One, he said, is the breadth of services the console will have available. Specifically, he mentioned Twitch streaming, Skype and SmartGlass.

During the same interview, Mattrick also referred to the next Halo game as Halo 5. At Microsoft's E3 press briefing, a reveal trailer referred to the game simply as "Halo."

Xbox boss says $500 Xbox One is 'over-delivering on value,' name-drops Halo 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Co-opinion: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (E3 2013)

David Hinkle — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST

This is Co-Opinion, where two Joystiq editors play a game and discuss their experience.

Dave Hinkle: As far as piggy back rides go, I think I've had the best one of my life in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Wii U. You made me feel safe during our E3 demo, Jordan. You protected me.

Jordan Mallory: Well it's Donkey Kong's responsibility to protect the well-being of his little nephew Diddy, Dave. There are a lot of dangerous viking walruses and perilous pits around this tropical paradise.

Gallery: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (E3 2013)

Continue reading Co-opinion: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (E3 2013)

Co-opinion: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (E3 2013) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft: Xbox One games are $60

David Hinkle — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST

Xbox One will not see an increase in games pricing. New Xbox One games will cost $60 each, Microsoft has told GameSpot, continuing the pricing model established with the Xbox 360.

As for the competition, Sony's Jack Tretton has stated that pricing on PS4 games will range between $.99 and $60. Wii U games are also priced at $60, a $10 increase over the suggested price of games on the Wii.

Microsoft: Xbox One games are $60 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hometown Story hopes to recapture that Harvest Moon magic

Bob Mackey — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:30:00 EST

The Natsume booth feels more than a little out of place amid the murder and mayhem that defines the E3 show floor experience. For those weary of the pulsing music, constant explosions and gruff voice-overs blasting from every ear-level speaker in sight, Natsume's display of gentle, colorful games about farming and fishing can feel like an oasis from sensory overload.

While they've dabbled in just abut every genre known to man, an unexpected game called Harvest Moon - which hit the SNES long after it withered on the vine - has since become Natsume's strongest brand, with 19 prime series games to date. There's no end in sight for this strangely compelling series, though its creator Yasuhiro Wada has moved on to a new IP called Hometown Story, which he hopes will have the same longevity as the series that introduced the curious addictiveness of simulating mundane tasks years before The Sims.

Gallery: Hometown Story (E3 2013)

Continue reading Hometown Story hopes to recapture that Harvest Moon magic

Hometown Story hopes to recapture that Harvest Moon magic originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: IO Interactive cancels projects, loses half of staff to layoffs

Danny Cowan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST

Hitman series developer IO Interactive has cut its staff by almost 50 percent after a recent round of layoffs, the studio announced in a statement released to Develop.

Speaking to Develop, a spokesperson for IO Interactive confirmed that the company has canceled many of its current projects in order to focus its efforts on a new Hitman game, which is currently in pre-production.

Previously, the Square Enix-owned studio had developed games such as Mini Ninjas and Kane & Lynch. Its most recent release, Hitman: Absolution, launched last year for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms.

"We are making significant changes at IO Interactive as we align our business against a changing and challenging market," the statement reads.

"Hannes Seifert, formerly Production Director for 3 years at the studio, will take over the position of Studio Head at IO. The studio will focus resolutely on the future vision for the Hitman franchise and is in pre-production on a new triple-A Hitman project.

"However we have taken the difficult decision to cancel other studio projects and initiatives at IO and reduce the workforce in this studio, which will impact almost half of the employees currently at IO, as we make internal adjustments to face the challenges of today's market."

"For those affected, we are extremely grateful for the hard work which they have contributed, and where it's possible and appropriate to relocate staff to open positions at other studios within the group, we will try to do so. We are also reaching out to other companies for outplacement opportunities. We sincerely wish them well in their future careers."

Report: IO Interactive cancels projects, loses half of staff to layoffs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Awesomenauts boxed collector's edition headed to UK

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:30:00 EST

Awesomenauts is getting physical in the UK. Merge Games is giving the PC version the collector's edition treatment, tossing in a handful of goodies with a boxed version of Ronimo's excellent 2D MOBA. The collector's edition includes the Awesomenauts soundtrack, the Costume Party DLC pack, a sticker and a an extra gift key to share the game with a friend.

The Awesomenauts Collector's Edition is set to be released on June 28 for £19.95. It's available for pre-order now from Amazon UK and directly from Merge Games. Merge is currently offering a £2 discount and, incidentally, will ship the game worldwide.

Continue reading Awesomenauts boxed collector's edition headed to UK

Awesomenauts boxed collector's edition headed to UK originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beyonce settles lawsuit with Gate Five over Starpower: Beyonce

David Hinkle — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST

Pop star Beyonce Knowles and development studio Gate Five have settled a years-long legal battle over a proposed game called Starpower: Beyonce. Gate Five's lawyer Peter Gallagher told the New York Post the two sides settled "amicably," though he added "I can't discuss the terms of the settlement, but it was resolved."

The dispute started in 2011, when Beyonce was sued by Gate Five for an alleged "extortionate demand" for greater financial compensation (see: cash money) during a "crucial moment" in the production of Starpower: Beyonce. Beyonce tried to appeal the lawsuit several times over the past few years.

Beyonce settles lawsuit with Gate Five over Starpower: Beyonce originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA: Dead Space team working on something new, series not dead

David Hinkle — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST

Despite being "an important IP to EA," there is no new Dead Space game in development; instead, Visceral Games is working on something else right now. "Is that team working on a Dead Space game today? No they're not," EA executive vice president Patrick Soderlund told Eurogamer at E3 last week.

"They're working on something else very exciting. You have to think of it from that perspective. Is it better to put them on the fourth version of a game they've done three previous versions of before? Or is it better to put them on something new that they want to build, that they have passion for?" This isn't the end for Dead Space, however, as Söderlund reiterates that it's "a brand that is close to Electronic Arts' heart."

"I am of the utmost opinion that we have to put the best possible games in the hands of our fans," Söderlund added. "How you get to a great game, the first thing you need is a great development team that have a passion for building what they're building. That's a simple parameter. Everything else follows. Money, time, everything else follows. It's less relevant. That's ultimately how you get success. It's as simple as that."

Dead Space 3, which launched earlier this year, failed to meet EA's sales expectations at launch and has had fewer sales than Dead Space 2.

EA: Dead Space team working on something new, series not dead originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Superman defends Tamriel in Skyrim at the Movies

David Hinkle — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:30:00 EST

The problem with movies is that none of them take place in Skyrim. This is Skyrim at the Movies, a take on the classic tale of Superman created by animation outfit Tyrannicon with Chris Hardwick playing the Man of Steel himself.

Superman defends Tamriel in Skyrim at the Movies originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Antichamber trips the Oculus Rift

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:00:00 EST

Indie hit Antichamber is already a mind-bending monster, but now add some Oculus Rift and you've got a "trapped on the holodeck" episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. That's what computer science student Vaecon has done in this VR conversion of the game.

"It's interesting seeing that someone has gone ahead and done this, and I guess I really need to go and get it up and supported officially," said Antichamber developer Alexander Bruce when we pointed out the video to him.

"I have an Oculus dev kit at home, but haven't yet run the game on it myself. I tried watching that video using the good old cross-eyed method, but it was pretty much the same as seeing the game normally. The lack of textures in the game makes it really difficult to see any real sense of depth."

At least Antichamber looks like a more cerebral and calm Oculus experience than some of the whiplash inducing games we've seen use the tech.

Antichamber trips the Oculus Rift originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commander, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is on iOS June 20

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:02:00 EST

XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be available on iOS devices this Thursday, June 20, for $19.99. Commanders of the XCOM Project will now have mobile access across iPad 2+, iPhone 4S+ and fifth generation iPod touch devices.

The iOS XCOM is a the PC experience with the exception of the head-to-head multiplayer, which will be added at a later time as a free update.

Gallery: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (iOS)

Commander, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is on iOS June 20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Last of Us is the first in UK

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:00:00 EST

The Last of Us represented several accomplishments during its first week of sale in the UK, where it took the number one spot on the region's sales chart. According to Chart Track, the game is the first Sony exclusive to take the top spot since Uncharted: Golden Abyss on Vita in early 2012. It's also the third fastest selling game of 2013 behind Bioshock Infinite and the "weak" Tomb Raider, along with being the biggest launch for a new intellectual property since L.A Noire in 2011. Overall, a fine start to developer Naughty Dog's swan song for PlayStation 3.

The cash infusions for the UK retail market didn't end with The Last of Us, as Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Leaf debuted in second and became (wow, y'all love your Tom Nook debt programs) the biggest non-Mario 3DS launch ever. The UK top ten indentured to Tom Nook can be found after the break.

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The Last of Us is the first in UK originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stiq Figures, June 3 - 9: Ocarina of Time edition

Mike Suszek — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:30:00 EST

Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter.

Now that another E3 is in the bag, we're taking some time this week on Stiq Figures to look back at a trailer for a game shown off at E3 1997 by Nintendo. That game is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and the video is kind of a mess and may not be from that E3 in particular, but still captures the excitement surrounding the game's November 1998 release.

Isn't it refreshing to watch a trailer that includes lots of in-game action? Those were the days.

Continue reading Stiq Figures, June 3 - 9: Ocarina of Time edition

Stiq Figures, June 3 - 9: Ocarina of Time edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lewis Black pokes at the Kinect on The Daily Show

Mike Suszek — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST

Comedian Lewis Black took to his "Back in Black" segment on Comedy Central's The Daily Show to discuss what he sees as growing privacy concerns related to Microsoft's Xbox One. Black specifically pokes fun at the expected improvements to the Kinect's detection capabilities.

Privacy concerns related to the Kinect were addressed by Microsoft earlier this month, which said that users "will determine how responsive and personalized your Xbox One is to you and your family during setup." Black's satirical take on the Kinect, as with his comments related to other products such as Google Glass, still make for an entertaining video to check out, not one to take at face value. Be warned, the video also contains mature language.

Lewis Black pokes at the Kinect on The Daily Show originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Banned Xbox One accounts will retain access to purchased games

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EST

Users banned on Xbox One will not lose access to the games they've purchased, Director of Programming Larry Hyrb (Major Nelson, colloquially) told Reddit Games during an E3 video interview.

This became a popular question following an Xbox Support Twitter answer from June 13 that read, "If your account is banned, you also forfeit the licenses to any games that have licenses tied to it as listed in the ToU." The question specified Xbox One, but later, Xbox Support said this answer was in reference to Xbox 360.

Major Nelson had a clear answer for future banned users on Xbox One: "Absolutely not, you will always have access to the games you purchased."

As for what will happen if, down the road, Xbox One's authentication servers are shut down, Major Nelson couldn't say. "I'll get the real answer, I just don't know it yet," he said.

Banned Xbox One accounts will retain access to purchased games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DayZ creator considering PS4, Xbox One after PC, has an early favorite

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST

Dean Hall is focused on launching the PC version of his zombie-infested baby, DayZ, but he's talked with both Sony and Microsoft about the PS4 and Xbox One, too. Nothing's set in stone, but Hall "absolutely" likes Sony's approach to indies; he's turned off by Microsoft's ban on self-publishing and history of charging thousands for game updates.

"Sony lets you self-publish and they don't make you pay for updates," Hall told Eurogamer. "Microsoft requires you to have a publisher. They have no digital distribution strategy and they require you to pay $10,000, or whatever it is, for updates."

Hall mentioned potential console releases for DayZ back in April, and said he'd already met with Sony in particular. Sony was "obviously interested," Hall said, though he didn't mention next-gen at the time.

Last week Hall said that once the PC version is good to go, a PS4 iteration is "definitely" something he'd look at. "But we have to do the PC version first," he said. "Once we get the alpha out, that's a good time for us to run it up on a [PS4] dev kit and see what happens."

Hall isn't counting Xbox One completely out, but he still has some unanswered questions about developing for Microsoft's console: "I like what I saw on the Xbox in a lot of cases as well. I'm not shitting on them. I'm kind of hopeful that Microsoft has just forgot to talk about its indie support. Maybe I'm being a bit naive."

Last we heard, the DayZ alpha was scheduled for June (that's this month) at the earliest.

DayZ creator considering PS4, Xbox One after PC, has an early favorite originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Antichamber half-off on Steam today, soundtrack now available

Mike Suszek — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST

Antichamber is on sale for $10 on Steam for today only. If you are only interested in hearing Antichamber, the soundtrack for the game is now available on BandCamp for $6, as well as a four-track "Meditation Walk" ambient album by Antichamber Sound Designer Robin Arnott for $4.

The soundtrack, provided by Siddhartha Barnhoorn, features nine tracks in total. You can purchase both albums in a special double album pack for $8 through BandCamp.

Antichamber half-off on Steam today, soundtrack now available originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crowdfund Bookie, June 9 - 15: Pixel Press, Tek Recon, Energy Hook

Mike Suszek — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:30:00 EST

The Crowdfund Bookie crunches data from select successful Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns that ended during the week and produces pretty charts for you to look at.

This week in crowdfunding, the Kickstarter campaigns for Pixel Press, Spintires, Tek Recon, Energy Hook, Paranormal: The Town and Terrashift Tactics ended.

Platforming game creator app Pixel Press earned the most money this week ($108,950), and had the most backers of the group, with 2,256 people funding the project. Tek Recon, an augmented reality FPS app for those that still love tangible, Nerf-like soft projectile guns had the highest average pledge per person, with each funder averaging $130.33.

Check out the results and our charts after the break.

Continue reading Crowdfund Bookie, June 9 - 15: Pixel Press, Tek Recon, Energy Hook

Crowdfund Bookie, June 9 - 15: Pixel Press, Tek Recon, Energy Hook originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Total War: Rome 2 is a 'completely reworked vision' from The Creative Assembly

Mike Schramm — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:30:00 EST

Rome: Total War is one of those games that a certain, very dedicated audience loves, while the rest of the gaming world is left outside admiring the craft but not quite understanding the dedication. The first Rome: Total War was critically acclaimed and spawned a line of expansions and updates, and now strategy giants The Creative Assembly are returning to the game with a full sequel, not to mention switching around the title to Total War: Rome 2.

What's different? "Just about everything, really," says lead battle designer Jamie Ferguson during an interview at E3 2013. "In the ten years since we did Rome 1, we've completely overhauled the game. The game engine isn't even the same."

TCA has released a number of Total War sequels and spinoffs throughout periods of history, and updated the original title with new features and systems already. But even despite those improvements, Ferguson says the new game has even more updates and improvements. "When we call it Rome 2, it might be a bit of a misnomer in a way," he says. "We might call it Rome Redux, I guess. It's a completely reworked vision of the game."

Gallery: Total War: Rome 2 (E3 2013)

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Total War: Rome 2 is a 'completely reworked vision' from The Creative Assembly originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is wrapping up E3

Mike Suszek — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 22:30:00 EST

We did it, readers. We survived E3 2013. While we still have plenty of leftover goodies from the week to deliver to you (our content ovens have been pre-heating all day), now seems like as good a time as ever to reflect on the news from the week. The EA, Ubisoft, Microsoft and Sony press conferences had a number of big moments that we'll be discussing for a long time, for starters. We've already wrapped up E3 2013 with our friends at Engadget, and your input has fueled plenty of discussions for weeks to come.

So, this wouldn't be fun unless we had you folks help wrap up E3 with us, right? This week's Wrapup question is: What was your favorite announcement, game or moment from E3? While you wrap E3 2013 up in a neat little package, check out last week's webcomics and vote for your favorite after the break! Thank you for sticking with us through this hectic week!

Comic Review: E3 2013 (Brawl in the Family)
Aftermath (Penny Arcade)
All for One (Virtual Shackles)
Passion Ignition (Life in Aggro)
Control Freak (Hejibits)
About that (Corpse Run)

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Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is wrapping up E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nyko keeps your second screen experience close at hand

Richard Mitchell — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST

There are always a lot of buzzwords and phrases at E3. One of the big ones at this year's show was the "second screen experience," using phones and tablets to enhance a game in one way or another. Whether it's through Microsoft's SmartGlass or Sony's PlayStation app, it seems that one screen just isn't enough for next-generation games.

Spotting this trend, Nyko was on the scene at E3 to showcase one of its cleverer peripherals, the Smart Clip. Attached to an Xbox 360, Xbox One or PlayStation 4 controller, the Smart Clip adds a cradle for mobile phones - similar to the Moga Pro controller. We were told it would accommodate anything up to and including a Samsung Galaxy Note 2. It seemed kind of silly in person, but we couldn't deny the convenience of it, especially if second screen gaming becomes ubiquitous in the next few years.

Nyko has created some other accessories for the PS4 and Xbox One as well. Both consoles exclusively use HDMI for audio and video, so Nyko is preparing an HDMI pass-through adapter that will allow users to connect audio receivers and headphones that require traditional red and white RCA inputs. Finally, Nyko is crafting controller charging docks for both consoles.

Gallery: Nyko PlayStation 4 and Xbox One Accessories (E3 2013)

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Nyko keeps your second screen experience close at hand originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seen@E3: The Evil Within's terrifying blockhead

Richard Mitchell — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EST

Pyramids don't have a monopoly on terrifying head shapes, at least not if The Evil Within has anything to say about it. You might be wondering what's inside this fellow's safe-head. We got as close as we dared to take a few pictures and, frankly, we're not sure we want to know.

Gallery: The Evil Within (Box Man)

Seen@E3: The Evil Within's terrifying blockhead originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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