Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Greenberg teases Xbox reveal, says E3 is 'all about the games']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/greenberg-teases-xbox-reveal-says-e3-is-all-about-the-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/greenberg-teases-xbox-reveal-says-e3-is-all-about-the-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/greenberg-teases-xbox-reveal-says-e3-is-all-about-the-games/#comments Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business Chief of Staff Aaron Greenberg recently stopped by the Major Nelson podcast to discuss next week's Xbox reveal event and how Microsoft will show its "vision for the future of games."

"We're really going to tell one story across two events. So we're going to start on the 21st and really that's about revealing the next Xbox platform, really our vision for the future of games, the future of entertainment. We definitely have a lot of surprises planned." Greenberg then specifically called out Call of Duty: Ghosts, which will have its next-generation engine demoed during the Microsoft event.

"People are going to get a great inside look at really the making of the new platform and the team that's brought it to life," Greenberg added. "I mean, to be honest it's really about the team, the people here. That's why we're inviting people to campus, we're going to bring them behind the scenes a little bit. We've never done this before and so it's really exciting to be able to do that. But I think it's a lot of laying the foundation - probably the best way to describe it - and then just a couple of weeks later we go to E3."

Greenberg concluded that more will be shown at E3 and after, leading into this holiday season. "E3 is all about the games. At E3, I mean, if you're a gamer, it's going to be tons of exclusives, world premieres and obviously even beyond that we have a lot to share between then and this holiday."

The Xbox event takes place on May 21 at Microsoft's Redmond campus, located in Washington state. Be sure to have your browser locked to Joystiq starting at 1pm ET (6pm GMT, 10am PT) for all of the scoops, commentary and neatly organized words you've come to expect.

JoystiqGreenberg teases Xbox reveal, says E3 is 'all about the games' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaron-greenberge3e3-2013major-nelsonmicrosoftnext-xboxxboxxbox-revealFri, 17 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam is king in service wars, Humble Store a sleeping giant, indies say]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/steam-is-king-in-service-wars-humble-store-a-sleeping-giant-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/steam-is-king-in-service-wars-humble-store-a-sleeping-giant-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/steam-is-king-in-service-wars-humble-store-a-sleeping-giant-in/#commentsSteam is king in service wars, Humble Store a sleeping giant, indies say Twenty-one randomly selected indie developers walk into a digital room and ponder the question, "Which online distribution system has been the most effective for your games?"

If this were the set-up to a joke, the punchline would probably be, "Facebook." But for many indie developers, the question of which platform to publish their games on is a very serious one, with potentially dire consequences. Pared down, platform success is all about accessibility, upload and support, and in terms of those factors, there's a clear, unsurprising favorite: Steam.

But maybe not for long.

I asked 21 indie developers this question, and while the majority mentioned Steam in the same casual manner that begets an unchallenged king, there were consistent whispers of other platforms doing things well, perhaps even better than Steam, from a backend perspective. One of these platforms was the Humble Store, which received the second-highest number of solid votes and a handful of positive shout-outs.

"I owe pretty much my entire survival the last few years to iOS, the Humble Store, and to a lesser extent Android and Steam," Adam Saltsman, the creator of Canabalt, said. But iOS ran into some bad censorship issues, Android had discoverability problems and Steam was "obviously" too closed, he said. If Saltsman could choose just one of those platforms to release his next game on, it would be, "Humble Store," hands-down.

Continue reading Steam is king in service wars, Humble Store a sleeping giant, indies say

JoystiqSteam is king in service wars, Humble Store a sleeping giant, indies say originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 May 2013 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androideShophumble-storeiosipadiphonemicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3PSNSTEAMvitawii-uXBLAxbligxboxTue, 14 May 2013 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Ouya launch delayed to June 25, controller defect being fixed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/ouya-launch-delayed-to-june-25-controller-defect-being-fixed/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/ouya-launch-delayed-to-june-25-controller-defect-being-fixed/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/ouya-launch-delayed-to-june-25-controller-defect-being-fixed/#comments The Ouya isn't going to make its planned June 4 launch. The diminutive Android console will now launch on June 25. Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman tells Joystiq that the decision was made in order to meet high demand at retail.

"We've had incredibly positive reactions from our retail partners, and so in order to meet their greater than expected demand, we decided to shift the launch date by a couple of weeks - three weeks - which will allow us to create more units and, basically, have more units on store shelves in June."

Uhrman also addressed one of Ouya's stickier issues, notably that the controller's buttons can get stuck underneath its faceplate. The problem has already been fixed, she says, and has been implemented in production. The solution: larger button holes. "I don't know what the exact millimeter is, but we've increased the size just a little bit, so now the buttons don't stick under it. We made that change very early so all the units are being produced with those larger button holes." The corrected controllers will ship alongside Ouya's retail launch units.

We followed up with Ouya and were told that the new controllers are already being shipped to Kickstarter backers as well. When asked if those who already received a defective controller would get a replacement, a representative told us, "If backers have a problem with their controller, we will work with them to resolve the issue via customer service."

We'll have more on the Ouya's upcoming launch later today.

Continue reading Ouya launch delayed to June 25, controller defect being fixed

JoystiqOuya launch delayed to June 25, controller defect being fixed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 May 2013 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidjulie-uhrmanmobileouyaThu, 09 May 2013 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Navigating The Realm: How two studios are building an adventure]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/the-realm-kickstarter-feature/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/the-realm-kickstarter-feature/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/the-realm-kickstarter-feature/#comments Apart from some gorgeous concept art, some game design mock-ups and a look at its Unity-powered innards, we haven't really seen much of The Realm. You'd be forgiven for thinking it was a brand new project, but planning for the point-and-click adventure began over a year ago.

Art studio Atomhawk Design, which has produced art for games like Mortal Kombat, Dead Island, Driver: San Francisco and Enslaved, began working on the concept for The Realm 18 months ago. Meanwhile, Lantern Interactive technical director Tom Szirtes was looking for a new project. "I met up with [Atomhawk creative director Ron Ashtiani], who I used to work with at a company called Computer Artworks, and we've remained friends for a long time. We met at GDC in San Francisco actually, last March, and he was showing me the graphics that they'd made."

"So I suggested, 'Okay, let's try and make a game out of this.' And so that's really where it started off." It began as a part-time project, but eventually became a full-time endeavor. It became clear that the two studios couldn't make The Realm into the game they wanted it to be without some help, and so they turned to Kickstarter.

Gallery: The Realm

Continue reading Navigating The Realm: How two studios are building an adventure

JoystiqNavigating The Realm: How two studios are building an adventure originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atomhawkatomhawk-designlantern-interactivemacpcthe-realmWed, 08 May 2013 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Rex Rocket zooms past funding goal, dev looks to the future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/rex-rocket-zooms-past-funding-goal-dev-looks-to-the-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/rex-rocket-zooms-past-funding-goal-dev-looks-to-the-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/rex-rocket-zooms-past-funding-goal-dev-looks-to-the-future/#commentsRex Rocket zooms past funding goal, dev looks to the future The last week as been "pretty amazing," says developer Rob Maher. His team - composed of himself, programmer Tyler Bud and composer Nigel "Saskrotch" Shields - just got Rex Rocket funded on Kickstarter. It was a small goal compared to other Kickstarter projects, just $6,000, but to Maher it's monumental. "I mean it's kind of a dream come true for us to put our game up on Kickstarter and have it supported by all these different people, and it's really been exciting for myself and the team."

Rex Rocket draws from Maher and Bud's Nintendo-fueled childhood, taking cues from Mega Man, Metroid and Mario, telling the story of a has-been hero drawn once more into the line of fire. Now, with the project fully funded, Maher and the team can focus on the game full-time. There are still 20 days left to earn more, however, and the team has big plans, including possibly achieving another dream, seeing Rex Rocket published on a Nintendo platform. And, even now, before the Rex Rocket Kickstarter is closed, Maher is planning the team's next game, Blossom Tales.

But let's take it one thing at a time.

Gallery: Rex Rocket

Continue reading Rex Rocket zooms past funding goal, dev looks to the future

JoystiqRex Rocket zooms past funding goal, dev looks to the future originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 May 2013 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsandroidiosipadiphonekickstartermacmobilenintendopcplaystationps3rex-rocketwii-uTue, 07 May 2013 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lessons from Metroid: Spending some time with A.N.N.E.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/anne-kickstarter-moise-breton-interview/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/anne-kickstarter-moise-breton-interview/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/anne-kickstarter-moise-breton-interview/#comments Lessons from Metroid Spending some time with ANNEAt the opening of Super Metroid, a gunship rockets through space, eventually descending to the surface of the planet Zebes. A hatch opens, and bounty hunter Samus Aran slowly rises from the ship amidst the rain and lightning of an alien world. It's one of the most memorable moments of the 16-bit era, but it left Moise Breton with a question: Why doesn't she ever get back in the ship?

Last September, after Moise (Mo for short) left Activision's Quebec Spider-Man studio, Beenox, he decided to find the answer. The result is A.N.N.E., a game that cobbles together and improves upon some of Mo's favorite video game ideas. A 2D, open-world adventure, ANNE pulls inspirations from a broad spectrum of games, including Metroid, Mega Man, Contra, Gradius and Cave Story - though the latter is mostly coincidence, he says. Much like Samus, our robotic hero, Number 25, uses his abilities to take down enemies, finding numerous upgrades and uncovering new areas along the way. Unlike Samus, his ship is a constant companion, transporting him from place to place, blasting monsters from the sky and forging new paths.

After launching a Kickstarter and posting an impressive reveal trailer, things have "exploded all at once," Mo tells me, and he's very excited. Based on the short demo I played, you should be too.

Gallery: ANNE

Continue reading Lessons from Metroid: Spending some time with A.N.N.E.

JoystiqLessons from Metroid: Spending some time with A.N.N.E. originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>annegamesbymokickstartermacmoise-bretonnintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3vitawii-uFri, 26 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Total War: Arena's ongoing quest to reshape competitive strategy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/total-war-arena-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/total-war-arena-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/total-war-arena-preview/#comments Creative Assembly has a good thing going with its Total War franchise. For seven games now, it's been remarkable successful at combining real-time tactics and turn-based strategy, making money and consistently expanding its studio. Their next game, Rome 2: Total War, a sequel to the most beloved game in the franchise, is as close to a sure thing as exists in the game industry. But the game after that? That's Total War: Arena, announced at the Game Developers Conference, and it's a major risk, one with even greater potential reward.

Create Assembly has enough confidence in its games and its audience that the reveal wasn't a movie or demo of the game. Instead, it used a set of abstract illustrations to demonstrate its ideas for Arena. A few of these examples used Rome 2 assets, and that game will provide the initial base for Arena, but it wasn't graphics that were announced.

Total War: Arena will be an online battle between teams of a maximum of ten players apiece, with the individual players controlling up to three units. It will be free-to-play, with in-game experience and currency used to upgrade your units or purchase new ones. The monetization scheme will be based on purchasing "accelerators" which will help you gain experience and/or currency quicker, as opposed to pay-to-win or gated content.

Continue reading Total War: Arena's ongoing quest to reshape competitive strategy

JoystiqTotal War: Arena's ongoing quest to reshape competitive strategy originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pcthe-creative-assemblytotal-wartotal-war-arenaThu, 25 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rebuilding Scrooge's money bin: WayForward dives into DuckTales Remastered]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/ducktales-remastered-wayforward-interview/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/ducktales-remastered-wayforward-interview/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/ducktales-remastered-wayforward-interview/#comments Rebuilding Scrooge's money bin WayForward dives into DuckTales RemasteredFans of classic gaming tend to be a little overprotective of their favorites, so you can bet all of us obsessive weirdos breathed a sigh of relief when DuckTales Remastered landed in the best possible hands. And while I can't comment on the final product - or even a portion of it - there's no denying that the devs at WayForward know how to put together a solid platformer, with the same expressive, 2D graphics that drew so many of us to the medium back in the 8-bit days.

Barring the impossible scenario of reuniting the original game's tiny team (none of whom still work at Capcom some 24 years later), it's hard to think of a more appropriate match than WayForward meets DuckTales.

Still, when dealing with such a compact and complete package like Capcom's unassuming 1989 classic, the smallest tweak or change could result in a total upheaval of the experience that renewed hurtful Scottish stereotypes for a generation of Nintendo-addicted children. To assuage my fears, I recently spoke with three key members of the DuckTales Remastered team about reviving that special brand of Capcom/Disney magic for our modern world.

Continue reading Rebuilding Scrooge's money bin: WayForward dives into DuckTales Remastered

JoystiqRebuilding Scrooge's money bin: WayForward dives into DuckTales Remastered originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcomducktales-remasteredmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3wayforwardwii-uxboxWed, 24 Apr 2013 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Kellee Santiago on Ouya, wrangling developers, dubstep]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/kellee-santiago-on-ouya-wrangling-developers-dubstep/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/kellee-santiago-on-ouya-wrangling-developers-dubstep/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/kellee-santiago-on-ouya-wrangling-developers-dubstep/#comments Apart from patching up software and hardware issues, the Ouya's biggest hurdle is the same one that every new console faces: Games. That's where Kellee Santiago comes in. Santiago made a name for herself with thatgamecompany, the studio behind Flow, Flower and Journey. After departing thatgamecompany in 2012, she joined Ouya earlier this year as its head of developer relations. That makes it her job to both work with Ouya's current developers, reach out to new ones and, perhaps most importantly, help curate the content on the Ouya store.

"One of the, I would say, main goals for the console is to create an ecosystem in which any developer can find the right audience for their game through Ouya." That means creating a system that is "naturally diverse" to begin with, she says, and "taking a look at what are our early developers naturally gravitating to. What is [the] content we want to get onto the platform in order to increase the diversity of our portfolio."

That also means avoiding "the trap that many new distribution channels can fall into, which is sort of feeding into the early successes of the games that were accepted by the initial audience of the platform." That's easier said than done, and Ouya has a handful of battles to fight.

Continue reading Kellee Santiago on Ouya, wrangling developers, dubstep

JoystiqKellee Santiago on Ouya, wrangling developers, dubstep originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidKellee-SantiagomobileouyaMon, 22 Apr 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New 3DS Zelda falls after 'A Link to the Past']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/17/new-3ds-zelda-falls-after-a-link-to-the-past/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/17/new-3ds-zelda-falls-after-a-link-to-the-past/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/17/new-3ds-zelda-falls-after-a-link-to-the-past/#comments
Nintendo is still mulling over an official North American title for this holiday's new Legend of Zelda game, announced for the 3DS this morning. It shares a world and narrative continuity with A Link to the Past, the SNES adventure that has steeped in adoration since the early '90s. To simply call it "A Link to the Past 2" might invoke extraordinary scrutiny, just as it might trigger appropriate nostalgia.

"There is a '2' in the Japanese title," said Bill Trinen, Director of Product Marketing at Nintendo of America, in an interview with Joystiq. "So, yeah, I think as I described today, it's an all-new game, it is an all-new story." In his new outing, Link has the ability to flatten himself and slide across dungeon walls like a piece of living graffiti.

"From a story perspective there are connections," Trinen said, "so it does fall after A Link to the Past. And it's set in the same world, but introduces that new gameplay mechanic. So, yeah, I guess by that definition ..."

Yup, let's go with sequel. Quick, to the timeline!

JoystiqNew 3DS Zelda falls after 'A Link to the Past' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Apr 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsbill-trinennintendothe-legend-of-zeldathe-legend-of-zelda-a-link-to-the-pastthe-legend-of-zelda-a-link-to-the-past-2Wed, 17 Apr 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hotline Miami's Cactus on the price of freeware development]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/hotline-miamis-cactus-on-the-price-of-freeware-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/hotline-miamis-cactus-on-the-price-of-freeware-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/hotline-miamis-cactus-on-the-price-of-freeware-development/#comments Hotline Miami's Cactus on the price of freeware game developmentHotline Miami designer Jonatan Söderström - perhaps better known by his prickly development alias, Cactus - began his career in freeware, developing smaller, experimental games that anyone with the appropriate hardware could download and play at any time, game-development hippie-communism style. Some of his games include Norrland, Shotgun Ninja, Psychosomnium, Minubeat, Clean Asia! and Keyboard Drumset Fucking Werewolf. That last one, created in three weeks in October 2011, features art by Hotline Miami co-creator Dennis Wedin.

Together, Wedin and Söderström form Dennaton Games, and they are part of the rising cult of indie superstars. But the draw of fame and fortune wasn't why Söderström stopped making freeware games.

"I didn't want to become homeless," Söderström told Joystiq at GDC. By February of this year, Hotline Miami clocked 300,000 PC sales, and PS3 and Vita ports by Abstraction Games are currently "pretty much done," expected to hit in May, Wedin said. Söderström isn't in danger of being homeless right now. Still, reverting to freeware development poses an interesting challenge.

"I kind of want to start doing freeware games again, but when you put so much work into something that turns out really good, it feels hard to do smaller things that won't be as good," Söderström said. It's all about "finding the inspiration to do something that seems worthwhile," he continued. "When you work on a big game for a long while, you start thinking in ideas that only work if they are big. It's difficult to turn to the other mindset, especially when you are still working on the next big thing."

Dennaton is digging into development on the sequel to Hotline Miami, a large game with parallel plots taking place in the early 90s, and after that Wedin and Söderström have ideas for fresh IPs. They'll probably be bigger games, even if Dennaton doesn't intend for them to be.

"Hotline Miami wasn't meant to be big," Wedin said.

JoystiqHotline Miami's Cactus on the price of freeware development originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dennaton-gamesdennis-wedinfreewarehotline-miamiIndiejonatan-soderstrommacpcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3vitaTue, 02 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Path of Exile version 1.0 is six months away, one expansion per year after]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/path-of-exile-version-1-0-is-six-months-away-one-expansion-per/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/path-of-exile-version-1-0-is-six-months-away-one-expansion-per/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/path-of-exile-version-1-0-is-six-months-away-one-expansion-per/#comments Path of Exile plans version 10 in six months, and then one expansion per yearThe free-to-play action RPG Path of Exile went into open beta this past January, and the next step is putting together a version 1.0, Grinding Gear Games co-founder Chris Wilson told us this week at GDC 2013. Starting with about 250,000 registered players, the game has since grown up to around 2 million, with the devs fixing bugs and providing weekly patches since then.

The weekly patches, which have been adding new skills and items to the game, will continue to roll out. But version 1.0 is going to be the game's full release, when the "open beta" tag comes off, and the game "will be reviewable," according to Wilson. The update will add a full story to the game's Act 3, including lots of new monsters and items, and "do the stuff we had to cut corners on" throughout the game's development, Wilson said.

After that, "we intend to do expansions over the next five to ten years," Wilson told us. The team has no set plans for releases, and if they can put a major feature together in less time, then Wilson says they'll do it. The game already had a lot of success with "races," which are special events that challenge players to speedrun the game under special conditions. But in general, he said, given the current player base, "adding a new act to the game is probably a once a year thing."

JoystiqPath of Exile version 1.0 is six months away, one expansion per year after originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgchris-wilsonexpansionsfree-to-playgdcgdc-2013gdc2013grinding-gears-gamespatchpath-of-exilepcreleaseupdatesSat, 30 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Sentimental process behind GungHo's PSOne Imports]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/the-sentimental-process-behind-gunghos-psone-imports/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/the-sentimental-process-behind-gunghos-psone-imports/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/the-sentimental-process-behind-gunghos-psone-imports/#comments Gungho part 2I was impressed with Gungho Online Entertainment's first batch of PSOne Import games, partly for symbolic reasons: they were all interesting games, yes, but they were also numerous, and Gungho CEO Jun Iwasaki told me the company had plans to release more. Imports, in my mind, are the most potentially exciting aspect of legacy download services, as companies can cheaply bring over games that wouldn't have big enough audiences to justify a localization, much less a spot on shelves.

Gungho's second batch of imports crosses an important milestone on the path to comprehensive import catalogues by adding text-heavy games to the lineup. Most PS3 or Vita owners won't even be able to play dating game Sentimental Graffiti, due to the pages and pages of Japanese text required to enjoy it.

"Our approach is to bring over as many games as possible as long as we can secure the licenses to publish them in North America and Europe," CEO Jun Iwasaki told me in an email interview. As this batch of games shows, "as many games as possible" could mean almost anything!

Of course, a small group of bilingual gamers will be delighted by things like Sentimental Graffiti, as will people hoping to improve their Japanese reading comprehension through video games. And releasing games that don't really make sense to release is a step toward getting them out there indiscriminately - the true iTunes of retro games.

Continue reading The Sentimental process behind GungHo's PSOne Imports

JoystiqThe Sentimental process behind GungHo's PSOne Imports originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gungho-online-entertainmentplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspsonyvitaFri, 15 Mar 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[thatinterview with thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/12/thatinterview-with-thatgamecompany-co-founder-jenova-chen/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/12/thatinterview-with-thatgamecompany-co-founder-jenova-chen/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/12/thatinterview-with-thatgamecompany-co-founder-jenova-chen/#comments In a relatively quiet, upstairs nook of the rain-soaked Palmer Events Center in Austin, TX, thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen and I sat down to discuss Journey, his company's future and his thoughts on free-to-play business models, among other things.

For Chen, 2012 was an auspicious year. Journey was a critical smash hit, earning top honors at DICE and a five-award sweep at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts game awards, among other illustrious achievements. Beyond its success with the press, however, Journey's release represented an even larger milestone for Chen and thatgamecompany: The developer's three-game exclusivity agreement with Sony had come to an end.

Continue reading thatinterview with thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen

Joystiqthatinterview with thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flowflowerjenova-chenjourneySXSW-2013thatgamecompanyTue, 12 Mar 2013 18:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Bringing horror out of stasis in Dead Space 3's 'Awakened' DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/07/bringing-horror-out-of-stasis-in-dead-space-3s-awakened-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/07/bringing-horror-out-of-stasis-in-dead-space-3s-awakened-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/07/bringing-horror-out-of-stasis-in-dead-space-3s-awakened-dlc/#comments Bringing horror out of stasis in Dead Space 3's 'Awakened' DLCIf there's any worry at Visceral Games over criticisms that Dead Space 3 strays too far from its horror roots, no one is talking about it. On the contrary, producer Shereif Fattouh seemed completely optimistic about the game's reception and its place within the Dead Space universe during a recent preview of the upcoming 'Awakened' add-on content.

"Whenever you release a title, you're gonna get the positives and negatives. We as a dev team are really proud of the game we made. We feel it was very true to the franchise and we're excited to put it out," Fattouh told Joystiq. "There are people that have criticisms, and that's everybody's right. For us, we put a lot of our heart and soul into the game and we feel it's enjoyable."

Fattouh's description of Awakened paints the picture of a campaign add-on that hews closer to the spirit of previous entries in the series. The 'creep factor' was indeed high in our hands-on demo, which sends Isaac back to the CMS Terra Nova's Conning Tower, after it's been overrun by a Necromorph-worshipping cult of scarification practitioners. Strange symbols and unsettling altars that mash together human corpses with Necro parts line the walls.

"We had a vision for what we wanted to make with our DLC," Fattouh explained. "The nice thing about it is it kind of married into what some of the more hardcore community guys were asking for. They didn't feel that there was as much horror as they would have liked [in Dead Space 3]."

Gallery: Dead Space 3 'Awakened' DLC (03/07/2013)

Continue reading Bringing horror out of stasis in Dead Space 3's 'Awakened' DLC

JoystiqBringing horror out of stasis in Dead Space 3's 'Awakened' DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Awakeneddead-space-3DLCDownloadable-ContentEAElectronic-Artsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3Shereif-FattouhVisceral-GamesxboxThu, 07 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War: Judgment's scribes recount the narrative process]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/gears-of-war-judgments-scribes-recount-the-narrative-process/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/gears-of-war-judgments-scribes-recount-the-narrative-process/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/gears-of-war-judgments-scribes-recount-the-narrative-process/#comments During a preview event last week, I asked Rob Auten and author Tom Bissell, the writers and one pair of "many parents" for Gears of War: Judgment, about the gig and how they were going to instill some drama into a franchise whose calling card is killing underground-dwelling monster men.

Gallery: Gears of War: Judgment (3/4/13)

Continue reading Gears of War: Judgment's scribes recount the narrative process

JoystiqGears of War: Judgment's scribes recount the narrative process originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-war-judgmentmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiospeople-can-flyrob-autentom-bissellxboxMon, 04 Mar 2013 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag 'pushing hard' for more assassinations, less hand-holding]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/assassins-creed-4-black-flag-pushing-hard-for-more-assassina/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/assassins-creed-4-black-flag-pushing-hard-for-more-assassina/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/assassins-creed-4-black-flag-pushing-hard-for-more-assassina/#comments It has become necessary to ask about the prevalence of assassination in a series called Assassin's Creed. Ubisoft's massive franchise has grown to encompass different developers, protagonists, historical contexts, and design ideals. The central thrust of the hidden blade has been obscured by an ever-growing stack of systems, plots and economies, some of which suit the business of killing - and some that allow you to manufacture and sell barrels.

"Yes, we are a pirate game, and we advertise ourselves as a pirate game. It's even in our title," says Ashraf Ismail, Game Director at Ubisoft Montreal for Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. "But it's an Assassin's Creed game, and this is very important, because this is how we're able to build a pirate game. We have this really solid foundation that is the core and the heart of the experience. The story is about a guy who is an assassin and the conflict he goes through to become this guy. We actually have more assassinations than AC1 had."

Following a presentation at Ubi's offices in San Francisco, Ismail explains the "older philosophy" of Assassin's Creed as an important consideration for Black Flag, even if appearances suggest otherwise. "This is something we did learn, we do listen to our fans a lot," Ismail says. "We know that in AC3 there was a lot more handholding done, and we do want to go back to an older philosophy where we just present you with a simple objective and we let you choose the gameplay you want."

Continue reading Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag 'pushing hard' for more assassinations, less hand-holding

JoystiqAssassin's Creed 4: Black Flag 'pushing hard' for more assassinations, less hand-holding originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 06:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-4assassins-creed-4-black-flagmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3ubisoftUbisoft-Montrealwii-uxboxMon, 04 Mar 2013 06:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Tactical Intervention: Born out of Counter-Strike and insecurity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/tactical-intervention-born-out-of-counter-strike-and-insecurity/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/tactical-intervention-born-out-of-counter-strike-and-insecurity/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/tactical-intervention-born-out-of-counter-strike-and-insecurity/#comments Tactical Intervention Born out of CounterStrike and insecurity"I never really expected it to last this long," Minh Le tells me over video chat. "It" is Counter-Strike, a mod Le helped create alongside Jess Cliffe in the late 1990s. Since the two-man team and its creation was acquired by Valve in 2000, Counter-Strike has continued to expand, with new, standalone versions landing on almost every major video game platform.

Le, known in the mod community as 'Gooseman,' is still surprised by its popularity.

"I started back in 1999, and back then it was just this mod," Le tells me. "It really, really shocks me. Part of the reason I think it has evolved, even to this day and maintained its strength is because of community involvement."

Le hasn't kept track of updates to Counter-Strike - or its subsequent sequels - since his final days at Valve, as he's now busy working on a new project inspired by lessons he learned and goals he wanted to accomplish with the original mod: a new, free-to-play shooter dubbed Tactical Intervention. Counter-Strike, though made popular by its classic bomb mode and no-respawn deathmatch style, was meant to be remembered for other modes that fans never quite gravitated toward, like VIP and Hostage missions. With enhancements to make those modes better than he was able to achieve in Counter-Strike, Tactical Intervention is closer to being unleashed.

Gallery: Tactical Intervention

Continue reading Tactical Intervention: Born out of Counter-Strike and insecurity

JoystiqTactical Intervention: Born out of Counter-Strike and insecurity originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FIX-KoreaMinh-LeOGPlanetpctactical-interventionThu, 28 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Uncharted 3 multiplayer goes free-to-play, available today on the PSN]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/uncharted-3-multiplayer-goes-free-to-play-available-today-on-th/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/uncharted-3-multiplayer-goes-free-to-play-available-today-on-th/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/uncharted-3-multiplayer-goes-free-to-play-available-today-on-th/#comments
This week, Naughty Dog will try its hand at the free-to-play market by making the multiplayer component of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception available for all to download.

As a standalone PSN download, the free-to-play version of Uncharted 3's multiplayer introduces a host of microtransactions for players to compile the online version of Uncharted 3 they want to play, with the first 15 levels of competitive multiplayer available for free.

Naughty Dog lead game designer Robert Cogburn told Joystiq that the studio's plan to go free-to-play is an attempt to accomplish two goals: reinvigorate the pool of Uncharted 3 players and test the freemium waters.

Some of the transactions available, according to Cogburn, include raising the level cap to 25 or removing it completely. Cooperative content won't be included in the free-to-play version of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, rather the 'Co-op Arena' and 'Adventure' modes have been split into their own separate pieces of premium downloadable content in the new free version.

For game owner completionists, the 'Game of the Year' edition of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception will be available to purchase digitally, eschewing the franchise's adventure into the world of microtransactions all together.

Gallery: Uncharted 3 (multiplayer)

Continue reading Uncharted 3 multiplayer goes free-to-play, available today on the PSN

JoystiqUncharted 3 multiplayer goes free-to-play, available today on the PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>free-to-playplaystationps3uncharted-3uncharted-3-drakes-deceptionTue, 26 Feb 2013 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and the power of customization]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/monster-hunter-3-ultimate-and-the-power-of-customization/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/monster-hunter-3-ultimate-and-the-power-of-customization/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/monster-hunter-3-ultimate-and-the-power-of-customization/#comments Those who don't own a 3DS or Wii may not be familiar with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate - it's an updated version of 2010's Monster Hunter Tri, coming to both the Wii U and 3DS in North America.

Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto says the Wii U update is a logical fit based on Wii U's dual-screen setup. "When we decided to make the game on the Wii U, we actually brought out the game on 3DS first - the 3DS version of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate came out in Japan about a year ago, so the game was designed from the very beginning to have that two-screen interaction. So when we made the game - although it was based on Monster Hunter Tri - we felt like we had put so much new content into the game that it deserved the chance to be played by more and more people. The Wii U was a perfect fit because of the fact it has the two screens and you're able to do cross-compatibility between the 3DS and the Wii U. It just made a lot of sense for us to bring that experience into the living room, into the HD realm."

Gallery: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (2/14/13)

Wii UWii UWii UWii UWii U

Continue reading Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and the power of customization

JoystiqMonster Hunter 3 Ultimate and the power of customization originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscapcommonster-hunter-3-ultimatenintendowii-uTue, 19 Feb 2013 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[From city-builder roles to caring for citizens in SimCity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/from-city-builder-roles-to-caring-for-citizens-in-simcity/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/from-city-builder-roles-to-caring-for-citizens-in-simcity/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/from-city-builder-roles-to-caring-for-citizens-in-simcity/#comments SimCity's peoplefocused play exposes the shortfalls of past gamesRegions are the beating heart of Maxis Games' upcoming SimCity revival. The always-online game places a lot of emphasis on community, but it's less about the global fellowship and more about the ties that bind neighboring cities together.

Players face a choice when they're first starting out: break ground in a small region with only two or three city-sized plots of land to develop ,or jump into a more expansive location, one that supports as many as 16 cities. The cost/benefit for each choice is simple enough to break down; it's the difference between carving out your own, private space in the world versus leaving the door open for other players to join.

All of SimCity's regions are created in-house at Maxis - there's no plan to let players mold their own regions - and each plot of claimable land comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. A helpful status bar pop-up points out which resources are and aren't available when an unclaimed plot is highlighted, so you know what you're getting before you settle on a civilization site.

Maxis has been working to test against a whole galaxy of possibilities in the run-up to SimCity's March 5, 2013, release. It's to the point that sizable portions of the working day at the studio are now devoted purely to play, with staffers being assigned to a range of discrete city-builder roles.

"It's hard to go into every nook and cranny of the game because there's just so much. The breadth of the game is really large," lead designer Stone Librande told Joystiq. "We have different designers who are assigned to different tasks. Like, 'You're making university town, you're making casino town, you're making ore and coal mining town.'"

Gallery: SimCIty (02/19/2013)

Continue reading From city-builder roles to caring for citizens in SimCity

JoystiqFrom city-builder roles to caring for citizens in SimCity originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAEA-MaxisElectronic-ArtsmacMaxispcsimcity-2013simcity-5Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Oddball world of Fuse: Splicing the Insomniac DNA with Smash TV]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/oddball-world-of-fuse-splicing-the-insomniac-dna-with-smash-tv/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/oddball-world-of-fuse-splicing-the-insomniac-dna-with-smash-tv/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/oddball-world-of-fuse-splicing-the-insomniac-dna-with-smash-tv/#comments Oddball world of Fuse Splicing the Insomniac DNA with Smash TVFuse is a difficult game to preview; it's a busy experience with plenty of interconnected systems and a HUD that brims over with symbols, numbers and meters of various sorts. Insomniac's coming shooter thumbs its nose at the current era of clean user interfaces, which attempt to disguise vital information in natural ways, in favor of the bright-as-can-be notices found in old-school arcade games. It's a retro style that, in the face of modern titles, feels decidedly fresh. Further complicating the experience is the ever-present nature of your squad, working together as a foursome set out to destroy enemy lines.

The trick with Fuse is that the four-person squad is always present: whether you're playing with friends, computer-controlled bots, or a mixture of the two. Fuse features a "Leap" system, allowing players to jump quickly between each character to command their unique skills. Insomniac says its goal is to give players the opportunity to fill every role.

"We've built this game from the ground up with that in mind," Insomniac president and CEO Ted Price tells Joystiq. "We wanted to make sure that there are always four characters in the game but you can have just as much fun by yourself, or with one friend, two friends, or three friends. So that's been our design mantra from the very beginning."

Gallery: Fuse (02/18/2013)

Continue reading Oddball world of Fuse: Splicing the Insomniac DNA with Smash TV

JoystiqOddball world of Fuse: Splicing the Insomniac DNA with Smash TV originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAEA-PartnersElectronic-ArtsfuseInsomniacInsomniac-Gamesmicrosoftoverstrikeplaystationps3xboxTue, 19 Feb 2013 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Resident Evil: Revelations HD port driven by fan feedback]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/resident-evil-revelations-hd-port-driven-by-fan-feedback/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/resident-evil-revelations-hd-port-driven-by-fan-feedback/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/resident-evil-revelations-hd-port-driven-by-fan-feedback/#comments "When we worked on the 3DS version, we were completely targeting the 3DS. We didn't start in HD, scale down, and now we're scaling up - we worked to the exact 3DS specs," Tsukasa Takenaka, producer on Resident Evil: Revelations HD told Joystiq at a recent Capcom event. "Development was also going on Mercenaries so the team wouldn't have had the capacity to be working on anything above the resolution of the 3DS screen, just to have the assets. At the time there was no plan for consoles - the console version was only decided after the 3DS launch and after we received fan and critic feedback on the game."

Takenaka said that the port was largely driven by fan feedback, specifically from two segments of people: those who wanted to play it on the big screen, and those who didn't own a 3DS.

Gallery: Resident Evil: Revelations (2/14/13)

Continue reading Resident Evil: Revelations HD port driven by fan feedback

JoystiqResident Evil: Revelations HD port driven by fan feedback originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftnintendopcplaystationps3resident-evil-revelationswii-uxboxMon, 18 Feb 2013 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Recapping Bungie's 'Destiny' reveal]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/recapping-bungies-destiny-reveal/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/recapping-bungies-destiny-reveal/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/recapping-bungies-destiny-reveal/#comments
After a day of Bungie-related content, we present you with an easy-to-use recap of today's Destiny reveal. As an added bonus, we've developed a lengthy video feature - as seen above - with associate editor David Hinkle and myself discussing the reveal and answering as many questions as we could. If you prefer to watch your previews, Joystiq has you covered.

JoystiqRecapping Bungie's 'Destiny' reveal originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 17 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBungiedestinymicrosoftplaystationps3xboxSun, 17 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Destiny in the stars: Exploring Bungie's 10-year plan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/destiny-in-the-stars-exploring-bungies-10-year-plan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/destiny-in-the-stars-exploring-bungies-10-year-plan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/destiny-in-the-stars-exploring-bungies-10-year-plan/#comments The expansive frontier and promises of Bungie's 'Destiny'Within the hollowed-out remains of a former bowling alley and movie theater, the creators of the Halo franchise huddle en masse at their headquarters in Bellevue, Washington, working on a new project. Inked to a decade-long agreement with publishing giant Activision - and dodging rumors and leaked documents for nearly two years - Bungie has finally revealed Destiny.

A first-person console shooter set within a persistent world, Destiny takes place in a future-vision of our own solar system: A great peace beamed across the system, after civilization spanned the galaxy.

"But it didn't last," a teaser trailer featuring concept art revealed.

Hit by an unknown force that nearly wipes out all of humanity, Earth's survivors take salvation under a mysterious orb that hovers over a part of the planet. This orb, referred to as "The Traveler," is roof to the final safe haven for humans. But as time passes and humanity begins to lift itself out of extinction, they learn they are not alone.

"Strange, deadly creatures have occupied our old worlds. And they're pressing hard against the city, probing for a weakness, trying to stamp us out for good." As a Guardian of Earth's last city, players will be able to wield some of The Traveler's power and set out to rid the galaxy of aggressors.

"If you can find a way to save the city, to reclaim all that we have lost, you will become legend. If you fail, the last light of civilization will go out."

Gallery: Destiny (Concept Art: 02/17/2013)

Continue reading Destiny in the stars: Exploring Bungie's 10-year plan

JoystiqDestiny in the stars: Exploring Bungie's 10-year plan originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 17 Feb 2013 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionBungiedestinymicrosoftplaystationps3xboxSun, 17 Feb 2013 13:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Why hooligans have a place in Need for Speed: Most Wanted]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/why-hooligans-have-a-place-in-need-for-speed-most-wanted/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/why-hooligans-have-a-place-in-need-for-speed-most-wanted/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/why-hooligans-have-a-place-in-need-for-speed-most-wanted/#comments
Need for Speed: Most Wanted's online play is equal parts chaos and confusion, going against the normal regimented competitions and controlled environments found in other racing games. Criterion Games creative director Alex Ward says this design is part of the studio's "philosophy" for online play.

In Most Wanted online, players are called to a meeting area before an event starts, without much warning or information. Unless you've played the particular event before, you have no idea what to do and - as mentioned in Joystiq's review - there's nothing stopping other players from foiling each other before the event starts.

"The philosophy there is that we know people are utter degenerate hooligans online," Ward says - and the actions of these "hooligans," as he calls them, is a "valid" part of the overall online experience.

Gallery: Need for Speed: Most Wanted (Wii U)

Continue reading Why hooligans have a place in Need for Speed: Most Wanted

JoystiqWhy hooligans have a place in Need for Speed: Most Wanted originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alex-wardcriterioncriterion-gameseamicrosoftneed-for-speed-most-wanted-2012nintendopcplaystationps3wii-uxboxFri, 15 Feb 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Toys for Bob and Vicarious Visions on keeping annual Skylanders 'magic' alive]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/toys-for-bob-and-vicarious-visions-on-keeping-annual-skylanders/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/toys-for-bob-and-vicarious-visions-on-keeping-annual-skylanders/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/toys-for-bob-and-vicarious-visions-on-keeping-annual-skylanders/#comments Skylanders Trying to stay ahead of the curve as an annual franchise
Since first launching in 2011, Activision has turned its toy-powered gaming franchise Skylanders into an annual release. The third game in the series, Skylanders: Swap Force, is set to arrive this fall and will allow players to mix-and-match parts of 16 new toys for over 250 in game character combinations.

Despite the franchise's success, solidifying it as an annual title in Activision's portfolio, it may not be immune to its new schedule. Activision has walked this road before, with the once-popular Guitar Hero franchise buckling under its own weight of too many releases in too short a time period. But Paul Reiche, Studio President at Toys for Bob [above, left], believes that innovation is the key to growing the franchise; innovation that will keep the "magic" alive for children.

"The way that we're going to succeed is by ensuring that every year we have a meaningful innovation both in the toys and in the software as well," Reiche told Joystiq. Though Toys for Bob first developed Skylanders and launched its successor, Skylanders Giants, in 2012, developer Vicarious Visions has taken over to help the third entry in the series - a studio that developed ports and iOS games in the Skylanders universe and, at one time, helped Activision port the Guitar Hero franchise to mobile and Nintendo platforms.

Continue reading Toys for Bob and Vicarious Visions on keeping annual Skylanders 'magic' alive

JoystiqToys for Bob and Vicarious Visions on keeping annual Skylanders 'magic' alive originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3skylanders-swap-forceToys-for-BobVicarious-Visionswiiwii-uxboxWed, 06 Feb 2013 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Awakened returns with a new design strategy and funding goal: You]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/04/awakened-returns-with-a-new-design-strategy-and-funding-goal-yo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/04/awakened-returns-with-a-new-design-strategy-and-funding-goal-yo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/04/awakened-returns-with-a-new-design-strategy-and-funding-goal-yo/#comments Awakened returns with a new design strategy and funding goal YouIn November 2010, Phosphor Games was quietly shopping around a project called Awakened, a super-hero action title heavy on character customization and creative chaos. As part of its publisher pitch, Phosphor made a demo video for Awakened; it was rough and never meant for public consumption. It showed a city on the brink of man-made annihilation, tanks patrolling streets littered with blood, bodies and fire, and a cast of seemingly ordinary people with supernatural abilities: invisibility, force push, mind control, electric shock, on-demand armor, stealth, accuracy, a tornado.

In January 2011, the video leaked.

"We didn't actually intend it to go out," Phosphor Games director Chip Sineni looks back on the day the video broke on YouTube. "We were kind of embarrassed because it was very rough and there was a lot of stuff that just wasn't ready to show to the public. We were really surprised by how many people were supportive of it."

The video, rough as Sineni thought it was, resonated with the gaming audience in a big way. Publishers loved it, too - just not enough to pick up the project. Awakened fell to the back of Phosphor's priorities and out of the gaming industry's eye as the company focused on developing smaller, lucrative games, such as Horn and Dark Meadow for iOS. However, in the few years since Awakened burst into public consciousness, video game funding has evolved, and Phosphor may not need publisher approval to get the game off the ground. All it needs now is something it believes it has already proven - community interest - and somewhere to channel that support.

Awakened has turned to Kickstarter.

Continue reading Awakened returns with a new design strategy and funding goal: You

JoystiqAwakened returns with a new design strategy and funding goal: You originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awakenedherokickstarterMidwaypcphosphorphosphor-gamesproject-awakenedMon, 04 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Antichamber: How a game of impossible spaces came together]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/antichamber-how-a-game-of-impossible-spaces-came-together/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/antichamber-how-a-game-of-impossible-spaces-came-together/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/antichamber-how-a-game-of-impossible-spaces-came-together/#comments ImageIn 2009, Alexander Bruce took a week off from his university studies in Australia to fly to Tokyo and present his Unreal Tournament 3 mod, Hazard: The Journey of Life, at Tokyo Game Show's experimental games summit, Sense of Wonder Night. It was his first official recognition as a developer and Hazard was still a hobby project, something Bruce had worked on in his spare time over the previous six months, based off prototypes he'd messed around with since 2006.

In the years following Sense of Wonder Night 2009, Bruce's updated, full-game version of Hazard - now called Antichamber - won more than 20 honors, including the award for Technical Excellence at the Independent Games Festival 2012. More notable, however, was that Antichamber launched on Steam yesterday, January 31, 2013, and quickly claimed the No. 1 spot across the entire service.

"Pretty much everything I've ever made somehow found its way into the final version of Antichamber," Bruce told me.

Continue reading Antichamber: How a game of impossible spaces came together

JoystiqAntichamber: How a game of impossible spaces came together originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alexander-bruceantichamberIndiepcFri, 01 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seeking good looks and plenty of cash in Killzone Mercenary]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/seeking-good-looks-and-plenty-of-cash-in-killzone-mercenary/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/seeking-good-looks-and-plenty-of-cash-in-killzone-mercenary/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/seeking-good-looks-and-plenty-of-cash-in-killzone-mercenary/#comments An argument in favor of good looks and money in Killzone MercenaryMy first impression of Killzone Mercenary has a few upsetting implications. Developer Guerrilla Cambridge (formerly SCE Cambridge) has somehow translated the Killzone Engine to the PlayStation Vita with such fidelity that I wonder if I'll even want to go back to the isometric strategy universe of Killzone Liberation - perhaps my favorite PSP game.

If Killzone 2 helped set the bar for graphics early in the PlayStation 3's life, then Mercenary has been handed the torch for Sony's handheld. Perhaps one of the best examples of the device's power, Killzone Mercenary almost seamlessly executes with sharp environments and high-quality animation. Though there is some recognizable pop-in to textures as you move through the environment, it's never jarring - even in a preview build, which I'd expect to look worse than the final game when it ships in September.

"The most difficult thing, honestly, was untangling all the code from Killzone 3," Guerrilla Cambridge Senior Producer Mark Green tells me about bringing the Killzone Engine to the Vita.

But good looks aren't the only thing Killzone Mercenary has going for it; this game is all about the money.

Gallery: Killzone: Mercenary

Continue reading Seeking good looks and plenty of cash in Killzone Mercenary

JoystiqSeeking good looks and plenty of cash in Killzone Mercenary originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Guerrilla-CambridgeGuerrilla-Gameskillzone-mercenaryplaystationplaystation-vitavitaFri, 01 Feb 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Media Molecule's Tearaway is an adorable arts and crafts adventure]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/media-molecules-tearaway-is-an-adorable-arts-and-crafts-adventu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/media-molecules-tearaway-is-an-adorable-arts-and-crafts-adventu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/media-molecules-tearaway-is-an-adorable-arts-and-crafts-adventu/#comments tearawayDeveloper Media Molecule has standardized adorable in the high-def console generation, introducing gamers to Sackboy and friends with the creation-focused LittleBigPlanet. The UK-based studio's newest concoction follows a similar strand of cuteness, commanding "awwwwwws" throughout the demo of Tearaway - Media Molecule's first foray onto the PlayStation Vita.

Tearaway follows 'The Messenger' - played by the lovable and customizable male cutout, Iota, or his female paper counterpart, Atoi - on a quest to deliver a message to the player. As either of the two characters, you'll explore a wondrous world crafted from colorful paper and propped up with globs of glue, gusts of wind, and strategic folds.

At its heart, Tearaway is a 3D platformer. You won't be developing your own levels or actions in Tearaway, but navigate through the imagination of the small, roughly fifteen-person team handling the studio's handheld debut.

Gallery: Tearaway (01/30/2013)

Continue reading Media Molecule's Tearaway is an adorable arts and crafts adventure

JoystiqMedia Molecule's Tearaway is an adorable arts and crafts adventure originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Media-Moleculeplaystationplaystation-vitatearawayvitaThu, 31 Jan 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sine Mora vets form 'Prior Games,' mobile series to precede shmup]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/sine-mora-vets-form-prior-games-mobile-series-to-precede-shmu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/sine-mora-vets-form-prior-games-mobile-series-to-precede-shmu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/sine-mora-vets-form-prior-games-mobile-series-to-precede-shmu/#comments 'Prior Games' formed from Sine Mora staff, iOS series to precede shmupPrior Games is a new developer composed of former Digital Reality creative director Theodore Reiker, along with "key talent" from the Hungarian studio and other new staff. At Digital Reality they were most recently known for the excellent side-scrolling shooter Sine Mora, developed and published as a collaboration with Grasshopper Manufacture.

In an interview with Joystiq, Reiker revealed that the new team will return to the shmup genre in 2014, with another "Japanese-Hungarian co-development" codenamed Project Verona. "It will be more conservative in its gameplay and less ambiguous in its storytelling," Reiker notes, though he adds that it will also branch out from the conventions of the genre.

But before that larger-scale project, Prior is working on a series of "microgames" for phones and tablets, with presentation inspired by Nintendo's minimal bit.Generations and Art Style series. The first game is Rotolla (above), coming to iOS in early February. As Reiker describes it, it's "a hybrid of Tetris' gameplay and our mad love of hexagons since Super Hexagon." The title is a dual-language portmanteau of "rotation" and motolla, the Hungarian word for a spinner's weasel. It also features an original soundtrack from "company friend" Akira Yamaoka.

"Our plan is to release four microgames this year and a second wave of three titles next year," Reiker told us - all with simple visuals, to keep the scope of the project manageable.
"We are a small company and we do not want to grow beyond 15 persons," Reiker explained. "We would like to keep the 'manufacture' feeling even if the company size is limiting the scope of our output."

JoystiqSine Mora vets form 'Prior Games,' mobile series to precede shmup originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosiphonemobileprior-gamesproject-veronarotollatheodore-reikerTue, 29 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Melodies at mealtime: Behind The Electric Bends, Q-Games' lunch break band]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/melodies-at-mealtime-behind-the-electric-bends-q-games-lunch/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/melodies-at-mealtime-behind-the-electric-bends-q-games-lunch/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/melodies-at-mealtime-behind-the-electric-bends-q-games-lunch/#comments Melodies at mealtime Behind The Electric Bends, QGames' lunch break bandFor many, the lunch break is an escape: a reliable block of time to retreat from the rigors of work, and a much-needed respite in an otherwise stressful day. But for several employees of Kyoto, Japan-based Q-Games - the studio behind the PixelJunk series and co-developer of Star Fox 64 3D - it's the time each day in which one creative (albeit professional) outlet is briefly shut down in favor of another.

It's when the game creators become a troupe of improvisational musicians, laying down sprawling, electronic-tinged odysseys with titles like "Echoes Infinite" and "Mesmantra," most of which are quickly shared online.

Nearing its first full year of existence, The Electric Bends has six recurring members, well over 100 recordings, and three albums, with additional releases on the horizon. Amid heavy work on PixelJunk 1-6, how does the game industry's preeminent lunch break band keep the beat with just an hour-or-so a day to play together?

Continue reading Melodies at mealtime: Behind The Electric Bends, Q-Games' lunch break band

JoystiqMelodies at mealtime: Behind The Electric Bends, Q-Games' lunch break band originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dylan-CuthbertPixelJunkQ-GamesThe-Electric-BendsTue, 29 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tomm Hulett looks WayForward, and looks back on Silent Hill]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/tomm-hulett-looks-wayforward-and-looks-back-on-silent-hill/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/tomm-hulett-looks-wayforward-and-looks-back-on-silent-hill/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/tomm-hulett-looks-wayforward-and-looks-back-on-silent-hill/#comments Tomm Hulett looks WayForward, and looks back on Silent HillSpeaking to Joystiq, former Silent Hill producer Tomm Hulett has confirmed his move from Konami to developer WayForward. He also told us the nature of his new job.

"I'm a Director, which means I set the creative vision for the game, and then work with everyone else to make sure we surpass it!" Hulett said. "In layman's terms, I get paid to talk about games all day." As for the specific games he's talking about all day, or working on: "Ha! Nice try."

Continue reading Tomm Hulett looks WayForward, and looks back on Silent Hill

JoystiqTomm Hulett looks WayForward, and looks back on Silent Hill originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>tomm-hulettWayForwardMon, 28 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Comfort and stability: Unraveling the appeal of Tales of Xillia]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/comfort-and-stability-unraveling-the-appeal-of-tales-of-xillia/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/comfort-and-stability-unraveling-the-appeal-of-tales-of-xillia/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/comfort-and-stability-unraveling-the-appeal-of-tales-of-xillia/#comments Comfort and stability Unraveling the appeal of Tales of XilliaIt was around fifteen years ago now that a good friend of mine urged me to try out Tales of Destiny, which had recently come out on the PlayStation.

"I really like the characters, and it's funny," he told me. Pretty soon, he was finding ways to incorporate the characters in his fan-fiction, his favorite being the 16-year-old master swordsman Leon Magnus. He wasn't alone.

The Tales franchise has grown by leaps and bounds over the years, going from bona fide cult favorite to one of the most successful JRPG franchises this side of Final Fantasy. Unlike its competitors, the Tales series has been mostly content to stay the course over the past ten years or so. That remains the case for Tales of Xillia, which will please its now very vocal fanbase, even if it won't make many waves outside of the RPG community.

Gallery: Tales of Xillia (1/22/13)

Continue reading Comfort and stability: Unraveling the appeal of Tales of Xillia

JoystiqComfort and stability: Unraveling the appeal of Tales of Xillia originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hideo-babaplaystationps3tales-of-xilliaWed, 23 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mission to evolve StarCraft 2 with 'Heart of the Swarm']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/22/mission-to-evolve-starcraft-2-with-heart-of-the-swarm/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/22/mission-to-evolve-starcraft-2-with-heart-of-the-swarm/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/22/mission-to-evolve-starcraft-2-with-heart-of-the-swarm/#comments Mission to evolve Starcraft 2 for Heart of the SwarmIt was nearly five years ago now that we heard Starcraft 2 wouldn't be one game, but three: The long awaited sequel would become a trilogy, cemented into a three-year release schedule, with each iteration following a new race in the series. Though Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty arrived to critical and commercial acclaim in the summer of 2010, Blizzard is only now making its trilogy concept a reality. Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm is almost done, and set to be released this March.

Blizzard showed off the first three missions of Heart of the Swarm this past week (and the studio has been running multiplayer beta additions and features for quite some time), and from our experience it's becoming clear the second release in this trilogy isn't a simple expansion pack. With the Zerg-focused Heart of the Swarm, the Irvine-based company has crafted something new within the renowned Starcraft tradition; a game intensely focused on the Zerg, their units and abilities, and of course the story of their Queen, Kerrigan.

Gallery: Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm

Continue reading Mission to evolve StarCraft 2 with 'Heart of the Swarm'

JoystiqMission to evolve StarCraft 2 with 'Heart of the Swarm' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-entertainmentdustin-browderkerriganladdermacpcstarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarmTue, 22 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lightning Returns: Carrying the adventure solo as Final Fantasy's 'first female protagonist']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/lightning-returns-carrying-the-adventure-solo-as-final-fantasy/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/lightning-returns-carrying-the-adventure-solo-as-final-fantasy/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/lightning-returns-carrying-the-adventure-solo-as-final-fantasy/#comments Lightning Returns Attempting to carry the adventure as Final Fantasy's 'first female protagonist'Lightning is Final Fantasy's first female lead, at least according to Square Enix.

This may come as a surprise to fans of Final Fantasy VI, which ostensibly starred Terra, the amnesiac magic user who gradually discovers her roots as an esper. But Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII director and series veteran Motomu Toriyama (who came in on Final Fantasy VII, it should be mentioned) has an explanation.

"We feel that every person within the party [in Final Fantasy VI] is a main character, but we feel Lightning is very impactful as the main female protagonist in the Final Fantasy series." Toriyama says. "Not only is she the first female protagonist, she is very powerful, cool, calm, and collected. So we believe that is another attractive feature of hers."

Toriyama says the goal is to flesh Lightning out and make her more than a high-flying Cloud expy: "Upon considering the development of Lightning Returns, throughout this Lightning Saga she has been depicted as this cool and powerful woman, but by the same measure she's been so cool that she's also come off as aloof. We want to expand on her character some so we can have everyone fall in love with her even more."

"Love" might be a bit strong in this instance. She was certainly one of Final Fantasy XIII's more successful elements, but her overall lack of depth made it too difficult to really become attached to her as a character. Still, when Final Fantasy XIII-2 arrived last year, Toriyama says that Square Enix heard from fans who wondered when Lightning would be back in a starring role. Hence, Lightning Returns.

Gallery: Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

Continue reading Lightning Returns: Carrying the adventure solo as Final Fantasy's 'first female protagonist'

JoystiqLightning Returns: Carrying the adventure solo as Final Fantasy's 'first female protagonist' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lightning-returns-final-fantasy-xiiimicrosoftplaystationps3Square-EnixxboxFri, 18 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Disney reaches into the Toy Box with the new Infinity platform]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/16/disney-reaches-into-the-toy-box-with-the-new-infinity-platform/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/16/disney-reaches-into-the-toy-box-with-the-new-infinity-platform/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/16/disney-reaches-into-the-toy-box-with-the-new-infinity-platform/#comments The signs were all there in the rumors leading up to yesterday's big Disney Infinity reveal in Los Angeles. Disney's been working on a new gaming "platform," designed to bring all of its properties together in one IP spanning across multiple consoles and outlets. But the one note we missed was the most important: this game is connected to a series of real toys that interact with Disney's digital worlds, Skylanders-style.

There are a few important differences, but the similarities between Activision's enormously popular toys-into-games platform and Disney's new Infinity initiative are quite striking. Both are inspired by smaller developers with big ideas: Toys for Bob on the Activision side, and Avalanche Software on Disney's, which developed the "Toy Box" idea in a much smaller form as part of the Toy Story 3 game. Both are big, expandable product lines with lots of options for console (and eventually mobile) titles, and both take retail-friendly physical toys and tie them directly into engagement-friendly video game experiences.

Oh, and both franchises are probably going to make their owners lots and lots of money.

Gallery: Disney Infinity

Continue reading Disney reaches into the Toy Box with the new Infinity platform

JoystiqDisney reaches into the Toy Box with the new Infinity platform originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avalancheavalanche-softwaredisneydisney-infinityinfinityinterviewjohn-daymicrosoftmobilenintendopcplatformplaystationproducerps3skylanderstoyswiiwii-uxboxWed, 16 Jan 2013 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/hit-list-qanda-supergiant-games-studio-director-amir-rao/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/hit-list-qanda-supergiant-games-studio-director-amir-rao/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/hit-list-qanda-supergiant-games-studio-director-amir-rao/#comments 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: Supergiant's Amir Rao.

Hit List Q&A Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao
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

JoystiqHit 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]]>aiasamir-raohit-listmicrosoftmobilepcsupergiant-gamesxboxMon, 07 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Austin Wintory's journey to the 2013 Grammys]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/27/austin-wintorys-journey-to-the-2013-grammys/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/27/austin-wintorys-journey-to-the-2013-grammys/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/27/austin-wintorys-journey-to-the-2013-grammys/#comments Austin WintoryOn the day Grammy nominations were scheduled to be announced, Austin Wintory didn't get much work done. As the composer for Journey, Wintory had an inkling that he might be nominated in Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, and he was distracted all day, constantly refreshing the Grammy page, scanning for his name. By evening the list still wasn't posted and he gave up on trying to focus. He got in his car, determined to go home, make dinner and then check the page again.

"The instant I got in my car, my email started blinking. Of all people, it was from my friend Christopher Tin, emailing me to say 'CONGRATULATIONS' - in all caps."

Tin won the first Grammy for a piece of video game music, Civilization 4's "Baba Yetu," in 2011. He and Wintory had been friends for years. When Wintory saw that email, he quickly called Tin and the subsequent conversation went something like this:

"What are you - are you on the website?" Wintory asked Tin. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, I'm looking right at it! There you are!" Tin replied. And then, after a second, the situation dawned on him. "Wait a minute - you didn't know this already?"

"No! I'm in my car right now."

"Oh, this is perfect."

Just then Wintory's phone began buzzing, beeping and possibly sobbing under the barrage of emails, texts and calls from friends and well-wishers. Two weeks later, Wintory agrees with Tin's assessment of events.

"As fate had it, I heard from Chris himself," he says. "I had no foresight, I had absolutely no plan, and yet in hindsight, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Continue reading Austin Wintory's journey to the 2013 Grammys

JoystiqAustin Wintory's journey to the 2013 Grammys originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013-grammysAustin-Wintorycomposergrammy-awardsgrammysjourneyleisure-suit-larryleisure-suit-larry-in-the-land-of-the-lounge-lizardsmicrosoftmonacomusicpcplaystationps3xboxThu, 27 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST