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 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Bungie reveals its non-plan for E3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/26/bungie-reveals-its-non-plan-for-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/26/bungie-reveals-its-non-plan-for-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/26/bungie-reveals-its-non-plan-for-e3/#comments Bungie revealed its plan for E3 2012 in a community Q&A blog post on Friday. Or rather, its lack of plans for the annual trade show, as the company will not be there in any official capacity this year.

When asked about presenting their latest project at E3, the development team said they "never started one, and we're not going to be at E3 in any official capacity this year. Some of us will be there, lurking from booth to booth, but don't expect any announcements."

Word of Bungie's ongoing project, code-named "Destiny," leaked earlier this week in documents related to the court battle between Activision and former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella.

JoystiqBungie reveals its non-plan for E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 May 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bungiedestinye3-2012Sat, 26 May 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision/Bungie contract reveals four-game plan code-named 'Destiny', potential for new Marathon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/activision-bungie-contract-reveals-four-game-plan-code-named-de/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/activision-bungie-contract-reveals-four-game-plan-code-named-de/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/activision-bungie-contract-reveals-four-game-plan-code-named-de/#comments As a side effect of Activision's ongoing court battle with former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella, details of the company's deal with Bungie have been made public in documents posted by the LA Times.

According to the documents, Bungie has agreed to create four "sci-fantasy, action shooter games" in a project code-named "Destiny" (for which Bungie filed trademarks last year). The first will be an Xbox exclusive (360 with the option for its successor) in fall 2013 (versions for other systems would follow one year later) with followup games on Xbox successor, PS3 successor, and PC in 2015, 2017, and 2019. Four DLC expansions, code-named "Comet," are included in the deal, due fall 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

In the contract, Activision reserves the right to take over the "Destiny" property if Bungie fails to meet its requirements; however, it stipulates that it will not begin more "Destiny" projects until Bungie has completed its work.

The contract also gives Bungie the freedom to put five percent of its staff to work on a prototype for a new game referred to as "Marathon," with the team size allowed to grow after certain operating income. There are also rules governing how much of the company's staff can work on Bungie.Net, Halo Reach DLC and other projects.

That takes care of the next eight years or so of video game news. Who wants tacos?

JoystiqActivision/Bungie contract reveals four-game plan code-named 'Destiny', potential for new Marathon originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 May 2012 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbungiedestinymarathonmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxMon, 21 May 2012 19:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo stats blown out by Bungie as studio moves on]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/halo-stats-blown-out-by-bungie-as-studio-moves-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/halo-stats-blown-out-by-bungie-as-studio-moves-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/halo-stats-blown-out-by-bungie-as-studio-moves-on/#comments Bungie is out of the Halo stat-tracking biz, but says "so long and thanks for all the fish" with one last nuke of information. Since 2004, over 20.8 billion Halo matchmaking games have been played, with Halo 3 supplying a majority at 11.5 billion, at around 221 million games averaged monthly.

The studio gathered all the data up in a mega infographic, covering stats of the great battles between humanity and The Covenant, and Red vs. Blue. At the end of Bungie's oversight of the online war, the body count exceeded 136 billion, with over 43 billion assists.

Having moved on from Halo, Bungie is currently in a 10-year contract with Activision to produce ... something.

JoystiqHalo stats blown out by Bungie as studio moves on originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BungieHaloHalo-2Halo-3Halo-3-ODSTHalo-ReachmicrosoftxboxMon, 02 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo co-creator Alex Seropian founds Industrial Toys, focused on mobile]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/halo-co-creator-alex-seropian-founds-industrial-toys-focused-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/halo-co-creator-alex-seropian-founds-industrial-toys-focused-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/halo-co-creator-alex-seropian-founds-industrial-toys-focused-on/#comments Halo co-creator and Bungie co-founder Alex Seropian has embarked on yet another new venture. After founding Wideload Games almost ten years ago and then joining Disney Interactive as head of game development for a few years, Seropian has now started up a company named Industrial Toys. Along with "some kickass art talent from ex-Marvel and DC guys," as president Tim Harris (formerly of Seven Lights) puts it, Seropian and the rest of the company plan to make hardcore games for mobile platforms. "We're going deep on story and community and all sorts of nerdy goodness," says Harris.

While we have a while yet to wait on actual game products, the company has already jumped onto Twitter in a big way. It's also posting updates on Facebook, sharing some pictures of the HQ under construction in Los Angeles (those are network wires hanging from the ceiling). It all sounds exciting, and Seropian and friends certainly have pedigree enough to make something really interesting.

JoystiqHalo co-creator Alex Seropian founds Industrial Toys, focused on mobile originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alex-seropianbungieindustrial-toyslos-angelesmobileofficestartuptim-harrisThu, 23 Feb 2012 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Former Bungie president, Alex Seropian, leaves Disney Interactive]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/former-bungie-president-alex-seropian-leaves-disney-interactiv/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/former-bungie-president-alex-seropian-leaves-disney-interactiv/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/former-bungie-president-alex-seropian-leaves-disney-interactiv/#comments Alex Seropian -- who helped found developer Bungie in the 1990s -- has left Disney Interactive, where he was head of game development. After helping create the Halo franchise at Bungie, Seropian started his own studio, Wideload Games, which was then acquired by Disney when it hired Seropian in 2009 as a creative-development lead.

Disney has confirmed Seropian's departure and said he will be replaced by former Blizzard vice president Bill Roper, Game Informer reports. In 2003 Roper left Blizzard and founded Flagship Studios, which busted in 2008, and he was picked up by Cryptic Studios. In 2011, Roper left Cryptic to join Disney Interactive as vice president of the Marvel Franchise, which recently announced Marvel: Avengers Alliance coming to Facebook in Q1 this year.

JoystiqFormer Bungie president, Alex Seropian, leaves Disney Interactive originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alex-Seropianbill-roperBlizzardBungiedisneyDisney-InteractiveHalomicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationps3WideloadwiixboxTue, 07 Feb 2012 18:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie opposes SOPA, mostly because it 'sucks']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/bungie-opposes-sopa-mostly-because-it-sucks/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/bungie-opposes-sopa-mostly-because-it-sucks/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/bungie-opposes-sopa-mostly-because-it-sucks/#comments Everyone at Bungie thinks SOPA "sucks," according to a new post on its News board. Bungie, formerly of the Halo franchise, joins a growing list of developers and companies opposing SOPA, and urges its audience to take action against the bill.

"Bungie is opposed to any legislation that curtails free speech, stifles innovation, and prevents the open sharing of information on the Internet," Bungie's position reads. "SOPA fits that bill. If it passes, it will hurt our community, the gaming community at large, and it could very well cripple the kind of games we love to create and play.

"Just like online piracy, that would be downright criminal."

JoystiqBungie opposes SOPA, mostly because it 'sucks' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bungieiosipadiphonemicrosoftmobileplaystationps3sopaxboxFri, 13 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[12 Days of Joyswag: Halo Reach-themed Xbox 360, Halo Anniversary, and Turtle Beach PX5 headset]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/12-days-of-joyswag-halo-reach-themed-xbox-360-halo-anniversary/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/12-days-of-joyswag-halo-reach-themed-xbox-360-halo-anniversary/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/12-days-of-joyswag-halo-reach-themed-xbox-360-halo-anniversary/#comments Another year, another 12 days of holiday giveaways! Between now and Christmas Day, we're doing the one thing that makes us feel truly alive: giving. Specifically, we're giving you fine folks some of the swag we've managed to collect in our cluttered home offices. And the good will and merriment doesn't stop here! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for even more chances to win!

With just a few days left before Christmas, it's time to break out the big, Spartan-sized guns. We've got a 250GB Halo Reach-themed Xbox 360 S but since Halo Reach is sooo 2010, we're complementing it with a copy of this year's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. And if you want to take Anniversary online so you can relive the magic of the Magnum pistol, we're including Turtle Beach's top-of-the-line PX5 wireless headset. To give you a better chance of getting in on this haul, we're leaving entry open for three days; head past the break to learn how to enter.

Gallery: Halo: Reach Limited Edition Xbox 360 Bundle

Continue reading 12 Days of Joyswag: Halo Reach-themed Xbox 360, Halo Anniversary, and Turtle Beach PX5 headset

Joystiq12 Days of Joyswag: Halo Reach-themed Xbox 360, Halo Anniversary, and Turtle Beach PX5 headset originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12-days-of-joyswag-2011343-studiosbungiehalo-combat-evolved-anniversarymicrosoftxboxFri, 23 Dec 2011 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie's Marathon 2: Durandal heads to iOS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/bungies-marathon-2-durandal-heads-to-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/bungies-marathon-2-durandal-heads-to-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/bungies-marathon-2-durandal-heads-to-ios/#comments Talk to your children about rampancy today. Months after the release of the original Marathon on the iPad, Touch Arcade reports that Marathon 2: Durandal has been approved by Apple and will be launch for iOS on Thursday (i.e. tomorrow). Marathon 2 includes many features not found in the original, namely that it's a universal app, meaning it's playable across all iOS devices this time around, not just the iPad.

Furthermore, it supports Game Center, offers the same HD textures found in the Xbox Live Arcade version and features support for Joypad, and app that turns your iPod or iPhone into a game controller for the iPad.

As with the original Marathon release, Marathon 2 itself will be free, with optional extras like high resolution textures (presumably the HD textures mentioned above) and a cheat mode available for in-app purchase. Additionally, all of these new features will reportedly be added to the original Marathon via an update later this week, hopefully meaning it will no longer be confined solely to the iPad.

JoystiqBungie's Marathon 2: Durandal heads to iOS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungieiosipadiphoneMarathonMarathon-Durandalmobilerelease-dateWed, 14 Dec 2011 20:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Marathon trilogy now free through open-source project [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/marathon-trilogy-now-free-through-open-source-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/marathon-trilogy-now-free-through-open-source-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/marathon-trilogy-now-free-through-open-source-project/#comments In what we can only assume to be a charitable act made in the spirit of the holidays, the Aleph One engine, which powers Marathon 2: Durandal, Marathon Infinity and a fan remake of the original Marathon, is now available to download (alongside the aforementioned games) for free. The distribution of the engine -- assumedly approved by Bungie, who just shared it through the studio's Twitter account -- is made possible thanks to its GNU General Public License.

All three games are available for PC, Mac and Linux -- as well as the iPad, thanks to an open-source project completed this past summer -- so there's really no reason for you not to check them out. Unless, of course, you can only find satisfaction through thoroughly illegal piracy. We can role-play, if that makes it any easier. "No! Don't download all those games for free! That's illegal, you bad, bad buccaneer."

Update: As many of you have pointed out, this project has been around for some time -- today just marks the arrival of version 1.0. We apologize for being so very, very late to the party.

JoystiqMarathon trilogy now free through open-source project [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiefreegnulinuxmacMarathonMarathon-Durandalopen-sourcepcThu, 01 Dec 2011 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Deja Review: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/deja-review-halo-combat-evolved-anniversary/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/deja-review-halo-combat-evolved-anniversary/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/deja-review-halo-combat-evolved-anniversary/#commentsWe're of the firm opinion that your time is too precious, too valuable to be spent reading a full review for a game that was already reviewed many, many years ago. What's the point of applying a score to a game that's old enough to be enrolled in the sixth grade? That's why we invented Deja Review: A quick look at the new features and relative agelessness of remade, revived and re-released games.
He needs a weapon.
You never forget your first. Way back in 2001, halfway through my first year of college, my parents unexpectedly bought me an Xbox for Christmas. My first game was Dead or Alive 3, but the one I'll always remember was something called Halo: Combat Evolved. I'd never heard of it before, but the editors of my gaming magazine of choice -- EGM, as I recall -- gave it not one or two or three, but four 10 out of 10s.

I picked up a copy and the rest, as they say, is history. I played through the campaign alone, and again with friends, and again with my brother, and again with my then future in-laws. I played multiplayer at the only LAN party I've ever attended and I got slaughtered, falling countless times to the effortless pistol precision of friends-of-friends who were actually geekier than I was. But it didn't matter, because Halo was a blast.

Ten years later, it still is.

Gallery: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (Campaign)

Continue reading Deja Review: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

JoystiqDeja Review: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industriesbungiedeja-reviewhalo-combat-evolved-anniversarykinectmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiosxboxMon, 14 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[What's in a Name: Bungie Aerospace]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/whats-in-a-name-bungie-aerospace/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/whats-in-a-name-bungie-aerospace/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/whats-in-a-name-bungie-aerospace/#comments Bernard Yee is the Aerospace Portfolio Manager for Bungie, tasked with helping the newly independent studio expand into digitally distributed frontiers. He's previously worked on everything from EverQuest at Sony Online Entertainment to Rock Band at Harmonix.

The name came about a couple ways: There are a bunch of real space industry fans at Bungie; like when the shuttle launch happened, a bunch of people from the studio went down to Florida to watch it. So there's a bunch of aerospace engineering fans at the studio and I think the name came about partially from that.

There's an expression in Latin, and I forget what it is in Latin, but it's "to boldly go into the stars" [Ed: "per audacia ad astra"] and I think that saying sort of personified Bungie's feeling of being independent again. We could be cross-platform, we weren't tied to any specific console device anymore, we're getting to do something new with a big IP. And as specifically applied to Bungie Aerospace, the idea that there were a whole host of platforms like iOS and Android and PC/Steam and to a similar degree XBLA and PSN; that there were different game experiences being developed there.

It's almost like the mammals underfoot the dinosaurs, something interesting was happening. Bungie is a very technically capable studio and we clearly see the trajectory of these hardware devices. We understand the things that make Bungie a great game studio on console were going to be increasingly relevant in this space, with iOS devices. But it wasn't 100% transferable, right? The lessons we learned on console will be useful on the mobile platform but they're going to be different game experiences. Maybe the game sessions are 20 minutes instead of two hours. I think I remember reading that Torchlight's average game session was about 20 or 30 minutes. I would guess that Halo or Call of Duty's average is much longer.

The idea is that we want to understand this platform because it's relevant to us as game creators and there's a lot to learn. We wanted to do this as a way to grow Bungie's expertise and reach into other areas. That's where the Aerospace name came from.

Bungie Aerospace recently released its first title, Crimson: Steam Pirates, from developer Harebrained Schemes. It's available for iPad from the iOS App Store.

Like this feature? Be sure to check out the What's in a Name Archives.

JoystiqWhat's in a Name: Bungie Aerospace originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbernie-yeebungiebungie-aerospacecrimson-steam-piratesiosipadiphonemobilewhats-in-a-nameWed, 19 Oct 2011 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Crimson: Steam Pirates was made in 12 weeks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/crimson-steam-pirates-was-made-in-12-weeks/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/crimson-steam-pirates-was-made-in-12-weeks/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/crimson-steam-pirates-was-made-in-12-weeks/#comments Believe it or not, Bungie's latest didn't take that long to develop -- oh, you read the headline? Well, aren't you perceptive! Yes, Crimson: Steam Pirates (not to be confused with The Crimson Permanent Assurance) only took 12 weeks to create, believe it or not.

It's the subject of a Gamasutra postmortem by developer Harebrained Schemes' Aljernon Bolden, who worked in the trenches over those dozen weeks to create what is one of the top free iPad apps. His diatribe recounts the last month (it launched on September 1, remember?) and how a team of seven people was able to meet deadline. Did you know the game uses animations originally created as flipbook animations in Flash? Just one of the many interesting tidbits to be discovered!

Do yourself a favor and give it a read. It's not only a great read to learn how a first-time developer was able to come up with high-impact, low-cost solutions to achieve its goal, it's also fascinating stuff for budding developers -- and in this App store world we're living in, that should be at least 75 percent of you.

Gallery: Crimson: Steam Pirates

JoystiqCrimson: Steam Pirates was made in 12 weeks originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiebungie-aerospacebungie-aerospace-corporationcrimson-steam-piratesharebrained-schemesiosipadmobileSat, 01 Oct 2011 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Anniversary gets Headlong remake; Reach title update drops Sept. 21]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/14/halo-anniversary-gets-headlong-remake-reach-title-update-drops/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/14/halo-anniversary-gets-headlong-remake-reach-title-update-drops/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/14/halo-anniversary-gets-headlong-remake-reach-title-update-drops/#comments If you spent any considerable amount of time with Halo 2, then you've likely stomped around the Headlong map in your billion-dollar boots, helping to fertilize its soil with a few dead bodies. A new and improved version of that large-scale map, dubbed Breakneck, will ship with Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary, 343 Industries announced today.

Some graphical tweaks have been made, but you may notice some layout differences as well. That teleporter on the Blue base's balcony has been replaced with a man-cannon and some panels have been added up there for better cover when moving from building to building. Red side's had an extension added to the Engineering Hallway and lost a chunk of the ceiling in the Office.

343 also sent word on the next big title update for Halo: Reach, due on September 21. Initially, the title update won't change anything for you, but come October 4 a special beta playlist will become active with 4-on-4 Objective and Slayer game modes. Here is where 343 will monitor games so that it can continue to shape Reach.

Feel free to hop into our gallery below to check out shots of the new and improved Headlong Breakneck. You'll get a chance to see it in person when Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary launches on November 15.

Gallery: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (Breakneck map)

JoystiqHalo Anniversary gets Headlong remake; Reach title update drops Sept. 21 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industriesbreakneckbungiehalo-2halo-combat-evolved-anniversaryhalo-reachheadlongmicrosoftmultiplayerxboxWed, 14 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch Major League Gaming's Raleigh Championship Sunday, live on Joystiq!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/watch-major-league-gamings-raleigh-championship-sunday-live-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/watch-major-league-gamings-raleigh-championship-sunday-live-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/watch-major-league-gamings-raleigh-championship-sunday-live-on/#comments
Smell that? That gentle, wafting scent in the breeze? That unique blend of concession-stand popcorn, USB and pwn? It's a specific, enticing fragrance that can only mean one thing: It's time for Major League Gaming finals, and you can watch it all live on Joystiq!

All day today, teams from around the globe will be competing for thousands of dollars in prizes across 4 games: Starcraft 2, Halo: Reach, Black Ops, and making its MLG debut, League of Legends. It's an exciting day for pro-gaming, so strap on your beer hat and big foam finger and head on through for the day's full schedule.

Continue reading Watch Major League Gaming's Raleigh Championship Sunday, live on Joystiq!

JoystiqWatch Major League Gaming's Raleigh Championship Sunday, live on Joystiq! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionblack-opsBlizzardBungiecall-of-duty-black-opshalo-reachleague-of-legendslivemajor-league-gamingmicrosoftMLGpcplaystationps3riot-gamesstarcraft-2Starcraft-2-Wings-of-LibertyxboxSun, 28 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Anniversary adds 3 more maps, including PC version's 'Timberland']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/halo-anniversary-adds-3-more-maps-including-pc-versions-timbe/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/halo-anniversary-adds-3-more-maps-including-pc-versions-timbe/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/halo-anniversary-adds-3-more-maps-including-pc-versions-timbe/#comments Coniferous Reports from the frontlines of Halo Fest, as relayed by Major Nelson, have revealed three new multiplayer maps for the upcoming Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. The highlight of the bunch is probably Timberland, the pine-studded arena from the PC version of Halo (original version pictured), suitable for 8 to 16 players. Next up is Prisoner, a symmetrical map with bridges designed for 2-8 players.

Finally, a new Firefight map has been announced. Titled Installation 04, the map is based on the level "Halo" from the original game, which you might remember as the first level in which Master Chief set foot on the ring world (after crash landing).

Update: We also learned of a neat new feature of the additional Firefight map while perusing Halo Fest: While you hold off the hordes of Covenant, you'll be aided by AI-controlled Marines, further simulating the level from the original game. Just don't, you know, kill them, or else you'll lose valuable points, and also probably fractions of your soul, because that's murder.

JoystiqHalo Anniversary adds 3 more maps, including PC version's 'Timberland' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbungiecertain-affinityhalo-combat-evolved-anniversaryhalo-festhalo-fest-2011mapsmicrosoftpax-2011timberlandxboxFri, 26 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo: Reach title update coming in September, Armor Lock getting nerfed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/halo-reach-title-update-coming-in-september-armor-lock-getting/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/halo-reach-title-update-coming-in-september-armor-lock-getting/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/halo-reach-title-update-coming-in-september-armor-lock-getting/#comments At last night's Halo Fest event, we learned about a rather beefy title update to Halo: Reach that's set to launch sometime next month. The patch implements a number of significant (and, therefore, controversial) changes to the multiplayer title, with the biggest being the nerfing of the Armor Lock ability. Instead of making you an invulnerable juggernaut, Armor Lock now only prevents most of the damage done to you whilst locked, and no longer detaches stuck plasma grenades.

Other changes include: the addition of "Shield Bleed-through," whereby damage done to players with a fraction of their shield remaining can now be carried over to their remaining health; an option to remove reticle bloom; the removal of a player's ability to deflect an oncoming sword lunge by meleeing (unless they too are using a sword); and the wholesale buffing of the pistol, bringing it closer to parity with its Halo: Combat Evolved predecessor.

JoystiqHalo: Reach title update coming in September, Armor Lock getting nerfed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbungiehalohalo-festhalo-fest-2011Halo-Reachhalofest-2011microsoftpatchupdatexboxFri, 26 Aug 2011 12:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary supports 3D TVs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-supports-3d-tvs/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-supports-3d-tvs/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-supports-3d-tvs/#comments Microsoft has announced that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will have a 3D display mode. This confirms another piece of information from the report we gave you in February.

Demonstrated to us at the recent Gamescom event in Germany, Halo's 3D intensity is scalable and only works in the game's updated graphics mode. Producer Dan Ayoub claims the framerate will stay "consistent" with 3D activated, even when things get hectic.

The 3D experience will not be available in splitscreen co-op, nor when shifting over to Halo's original graphics engine. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will be available on November 15.

JoystiqHalo: Combat Evolved Anniversary supports 3D TVs originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industries3dBungieBungie-Studioshalo-combat-evolved-anniversarymicrosoftxboxFri, 26 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Bungie Aerospace project detailed, Crimson: Steam Pirates hits iPad next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/23/first-bungie-aerospace-project-detailed-crimson-steam-pirates/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/23/first-bungie-aerospace-project-detailed-crimson-steam-pirates/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/23/first-bungie-aerospace-project-detailed-crimson-steam-pirates/#comments The very first project setting sail under the Bungie Aerospace flag is Harebrained Schemes' Crimson: Steam Pirates and it's leaving port on September 1, with its compasses pointed towards the free-to-play frontiers of the iPad. Promising turn-based gameplay coupled with a "mystery" that, as mysteries are wont to do, needs uncovering, Crimson: Steam Pirates certainly has presentation in the bag.

But what else will your $0.00 buy you? The site details eight "voyages that begin the tale of Thomas Blood's adventures in the Caribbean," two "'Pass-and-Play' multiplayer scenarios," oodles of ships, subs, airships, and unique crew members, and of course, Bungie.net stats, Leaderboards, and the unavoidable Facebook integration. If you're wondering how anyone makes money off this would-be treasure hunt, it's simple: while the first eight missions are free-to-play, "Chapter 2, 'Tales of Captain Blood' will feature another eight missions for $1.99." That's what we call buried treasure.

Gallery: Crimson: Steam Pirates

JoystiqFirst Bungie Aerospace project detailed, Crimson: Steam Pirates hits iPad next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiebungie-aerospacecrimsoncrimson-steam-piratesharebrained-schemesiosiPadmobileTue, 23 Aug 2011 17:53:00 EST<![CDATA['Destiny' and 'Be Brave' trademarks officially in Bungie's hands]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/09/destiny-and-be-brave-trademarks-officially-in-bungies-hands/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/09/destiny-and-be-brave-trademarks-officially-in-bungies-hands/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/09/destiny-and-be-brave-trademarks-officially-in-bungies-hands/#comments We're still in the dark about Bungie's next game, but if it's nearly as compelling as the team's current project, "Guess Our Next Game," we're all in for a treat. Today's update comes from Halo.Bungie.Org, which reports that "Be Brave" and "Destiny" (previously trademarked to a dummy corporation owned by Bungie staffers) are now the official property of the company.

But wait, we've got more than legal maneuverings here! Misriah Solutions has put together a wonderfully thorough scouring of the new Bungie vidoc "O Brave New World" filled with plenty of eagle-eyed observations and just a little bit of conjecture.

Also, guys? It's a Call of Duty game. Accept it, embrace it, move on.

[Thanks, Josh.]

Joystiq'Destiny' and 'Be Brave' trademarks officially in Bungie's hands originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbe-bravebungiecall-of-dutycall-of-duty-ring-worldcall-of-duty-ring-world-reflex-editioncall-of-duty-ring-world-van-halendestinymicrosoftplaystationps3xboxTue, 09 Aug 2011 12:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie vidoc drops hints, possible art from new project]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/bungie-vidoc-drops-hints-possible-art-from-new-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/bungie-vidoc-drops-hints-possible-art-from-new-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/bungie-vidoc-drops-hints-possible-art-from-new-project/#comments "We wanna build a universe where any crazy shit can happen."

That's one of the few vague/tantalizing statements Bungie staffers make in the latest vidoc from the company: "O Brave New World." Though mainly a rumination on Halo, the nearly hour-long feature makes some passing nods at the "new thing." Including:

1. It's referred to at one point as "Tiger", a codename that's been kicked around for months.
2. A couple of brief scenes are shown while Tiger is being discussed. There's also a scene where two actors have movement and facial animations captured. They're possibly lifted from the new project, but that's pure speculation on our part.
3. The video closes with a picture of this logo which was previously attached to Bungie and the name "Destiny," which may or may not be the working title of an MMOFPS.
4. Bungie co-founder Jason Jones says "One of the reasons that Tiger is so intriguing to people in the studio is it's reaching players in a way we haven't before."

OK, so that's all we know. We'll now leave the speculation to you. Oh, and watch the video itself, of course. The Tiger stuff starts around 53:00, but the whole thing makes for a heck of a compelling story.

Gallery: Tiger/Destiny

JoystiqBungie vidoc drops hints, possible art from new project originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiedestinyhalomacmicrosoftpctigervidocxboxThu, 04 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Anniversary footage shows off Silent Cartographer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/22/halo-anniversary-footage-shows-off-silent-cartographer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/22/halo-anniversary-footage-shows-off-silent-cartographer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/22/halo-anniversary-footage-shows-off-silent-cartographer/#comments
As a special Comic-Con treat, Microsoft has unveiled more than four minutes of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary footage. Narrated by 343's Dan Ayoub, the video shows off the beloved "Silent Cartographer" level, which we saw earlier this year at E3.

There's a lot to see, most notably the game's ability to switch between the original and remastered graphics on the fly. Oh and, lest we forget, the mighty pistol is in there too.

JoystiqHalo Anniversary footage shows off Silent Cartographer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbungiehalohalo-combat-evolved-anniversarymicrosoftsdcc-2011xboxFri, 22 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Half-Minute Halo: An Interview with Jaime Griesemer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/14/half-minute-halo-an-interview-with-jaime-griesemer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/14/half-minute-halo-an-interview-with-jaime-griesemer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/14/half-minute-halo-an-interview-with-jaime-griesemer/#comments "In Halo 1, there was maybe 30 seconds of fun that happened over and over and over and over again. And so, if you can get 30 seconds of fun, you can pretty much stretch that out to be an entire game."

Or maybe even five games. The succinct secret to Halo's success, that half minute of fun, has long been a mantra repeated by developer Bungie, repurposed by game critics, and presumably whispered by Master Chief himself before he tosses a plasma grenade into a gathering of grunts. It's inoffensive, catchy and it sounds about right. Doesn't it?

"Yeah, it's probably the most famous thing I ever said," says game designer Jaime Griesemer. "For some reason it really resonated with the community and got quoted and repeated to the point where I would hear it from people that didn't realize where it had come from in the first place! Especially with journalists." Like many of you, Griesemer has heard the phrase on podcasts (yes, including The Joystiq Podcast) and read it in several articles, such as Clive Thompson's examination of Halo 3 playtesting in Wired. "Some of the guys at Bungie were calling me 'Mr. Thirty Seconds' for a while ... heh."

If only we had paid attention to Mr. Thirty Seconds for about, oh, 30 seconds longer.

Continue reading Half-Minute Halo: An Interview with Jaime Griesemer

JoystiqHalf-Minute Halo: An Interview with Jaime Griesemer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiehalohalo-2halo-3halo-3-odsthalo-combat-evolvedhalo-combat-evolved-anniversaryhalo-reachjaime-griesemermicrosoftsucker-punchsucker-punch-productionsxboxThu, 14 Jul 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dress your Avatar in Bungie finery for charity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/dress-your-avatar-in-bungie-finery-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/dress-your-avatar-in-bungie-finery-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/dress-your-avatar-in-bungie-finery-for-charity/#commentsBungie is a company that hardly needs any more exposure on Xbox Live, and Avatar clothing is something that hardly needs to be purchased by anyone, but exceptions can be made for good causes!

In honor of the developer's 20th anniversary, it's made new Bungie logo t-shirts available on the Avatar Marketplace for both male and female avatars. The proceeds from the 80 Microsoft Point ($1) purchase go to "charity" -- none is specified, but we would assume it's Bungie's own Foundation, which gives pre-loaded iPads to children's hospitals.

If you'd like to interact with Bungie in a more violent manner, the team is playing Halo: Reach all day (it's "Bungie Day") and giving away steaks.

[Thanks, David from Berkeley]

JoystiqDress your Avatar in Bungie finery for charity originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatar-clothingavatar-marketplacebungiecharitymicrosoftxblmxboxThu, 07 Jul 2011 15:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Marathon launches for free on iPad]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/marathon-launches-for-free-on-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/marathon-launches-for-free-on-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/marathon-launches-for-free-on-ipad/#comments This just doesn't feel right.

We just can't believe that today marks the release of a Bungie game. Where are the extravagant, well-produced trailers? Where are the gritty short films? Where are the unreasonably priced tiny pet helmets?

OK, sure, today's release is an iPad port of an older Bungie FPS called Marathon. And sure, it's free ($3.99 if you want the hi-res texture add-on). And it was technically fan-made. But can we really not get a single promotional tie-in? Melon Marathon Mountain Dew? Nothing?

JoystiqMarathon launches for free on iPad originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungieiosipadmarathonmobileThu, 07 Jul 2011 09:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision head Bobby Kotick positive but unsure on Vita; sees Wii U as 'really necessary' for Nintendo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/02/activision-head-bobby-kotick-positive-but-unsure-on-vita-sees-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/02/activision-head-bobby-kotick-positive-but-unsure-on-vita-sees-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/02/activision-head-bobby-kotick-positive-but-unsure-on-vita-sees-w/#comments When Bobby Kotick's not busy making appearances in major motion pictures alongside Brad Pitt, he heads up Call of Duty publisher Activision. And as head of one of the largest (if not the largest) third-party game publisher, what he says about the future of various consoles can have some major implications. It seems that, like Activision has done in the past with new platforms, Kotick's stance on both Nintendo's Wii U and Sony's PlayStation Vita is "very interested" with a heavy side of apprehension.

In an interview with The Guardian, Kotick spoke to his feelings on the PS Vita. "Technically, we're super excited about what we can do on it, it's really something incredible. The question is, where is the market?" While he's excited by the capability of the PS Vita, and his company has already pledged support, Kotick acknowledged the burgeoning smart phone market for games as well. "It's a really nice product and its very well differentiated from what you can get in even the most capable smartphone or tablet today," he professed.

As for Nintendo's Wii successor, the Wii U, Kotick said that Activision has had dev kits "for awhile now" and that, while Nintendo has yet to fully clarify its online system even to him, the console apparently makes "rich multiplayer games" a possibility -- a first for Nintendo, if true. As far as timing goes, Kotick stated that Nintendo's hardware reveal was a necessity. "For the kinds of games we create, it was becoming very difficult for us to support the Wii with the expectations that our gamers have ... from a development perspective, having a Nintendo device that is on parity with the other hardware from a graphics perspective was really necessary." As you might expect, Activision is apparently "very enthusiastic about it," though he wouldn't detail any specific titles in development at the publisher.

When pressed on new intellectual properties, Kotick deferred to Bungie's unannounced project, as well as "the new MMO from Blizzard" (the rarely spoken of "Titan" project). And as expected, he spoke ambiguously regarding this year's Guitar Hero franchise gutting. "Until we can deliver a really high level of innovation and tap into the high level of creativity and inspiration of the people we have making games, we won't put the products out," he admitted. "That goes for everything -- we've always subscribed to that philosophy." We're not sure that the last few Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk titles would back up Mr. Kotick's claim, but then we're not the corporate figurehead of an enormous public company.

JoystiqActivision head Bobby Kotick positive but unsure on Vita; sees Wii U as 'really necessary' for Nintendo originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardbobby-kotickbungiebungivisionguitar-hero-warriors-of-rocknintendoplaystationplaystation-vitaps-vitasonytony-hawkvitawii-uSat, 02 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie Aerospace a partner program with social, mobile devs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/bungie-aerospace-a-partner-program-with-social-mobile-devs/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/bungie-aerospace-a-partner-program-with-social-mobile-devs/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/bungie-aerospace-a-partner-program-with-social-mobile-devs/#comments If you were hoping that Bungie Aerospace would be a new action-packed game from the venerable Halo developer, well ... we don't think we could disappoint you more than we're about to right now.

Bungie Aerospace (the trademark for which first popped up in early 2010) is a partner program in which the AAA powerhouse will team with social and mobile devs, giving them "creative freedom and the resources they need, like access to the Bungie.net platform and an audience with the incredible Bungie community." The release stops short of calling Bungie the publisher of these products, but it certainly reads that way.

The first dev getting the Bungie bump is Seattle's Harebrained Schemes, a studio run by Jordan Weisman, of I Love Bees/FASA Interactive/Wizkids fame. It's an intriguing partnership, but we won't get our hands on the results until this summer when a game codenamed "Crimson" (which Aerospace trademarked in May) hits iOS and Android.

You know, we're excited by the news, but we can tell this isn't what some of you were hoping for. ... Hmm. Well, what if we told you "Crimson" has Master Chief in it?

It doesn't, but what if it did? (It doesn't.)

JoystiqBungie Aerospace a partner program with social, mobile devs originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbungiebungie-aerospacecrimsoncrimson-steam-piratesharebrained-schemesiosmobileThu, 30 Jun 2011 09:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie fan porting Marathon to iPad, Marathon Infinity going open source]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/marathon-to-ipad-marathon-infinity-going-ope/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/marathon-to-ipad-marathon-infinity-going-ope/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/marathon-to-ipad-marathon-infinity-going-ope/#comments Daniel Blezek has been working on an iPad port of Bungie's nearly 20-year-old franchise for quite some time now -- more or less since the iPad launched in January of 2010, he says. Years of perseverance, a loving family, and some basic technical chops allowed Blezek to complete the port recently. Bungie and Blezek expect it to arrive on the App Store any minute, pending Apple approval, for the low, low price of zero dollars.

If that weren't enough, Bungie has released the final game of the Marathon trilogy, Infinity, to the open source community, meaning it's likely to be included in the iPad App. Between the release of an iOS App recently and Marathon this week, it looks as though Bungie's support for the iOS platform is really up and running.

JoystiqBungie fan porting Marathon to iPad, Marathon Infinity going open source originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app-storebungiebungie-studiosdaniel-blezekiosipadMarathonMarathon-Durandalmarathon-infinitymarathon-trilogymobileopen-sourceFri, 24 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie gives out blue flaming helmets in Halo: Reach]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/23/bungie-gives-out-blue-flaming-helmets-in-halo-reach/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/23/bungie-gives-out-blue-flaming-helmets-in-halo-reach/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/23/bungie-gives-out-blue-flaming-helmets-in-halo-reach/#comments You know, when we think about heads on fire, we don't think about Bungie's illustrious flaming helmets in Halo. It's because we could never have one; we're not Bungie employees. Now we all can enjoy the loss of tactical advantage that only comes from having a head on fire!

Bungie's giving the flaming helmets in Halo: Reach (plus a special name plate) to anyone who registers on Bungie.net or through the recently released iOS app -- you have until "the close of Bungie Day" on July 7 to get yours. Oh, and if you're wondering about Bungie Aerospace, keep wondering: Bungie's still not talking.

Hit the jump for a PSA video produced by Bungie if you're looking for some more animated coverage.

Continue reading Bungie gives out blue flaming helmets in Halo: Reach

JoystiqBungie gives out blue flaming helmets in Halo: Reach originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20th-anniversaryanniversarybungiebungie-daybungie-studioshaloHalo-ReachmicrosoftxboxThu, 23 Jun 2011 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie celebrates 20 years with promise of Bungie Aerospace reveal, free iOS app]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/bungie-celebrates-20-years-with-promise-of-bungie-aerospace-reve/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/bungie-celebrates-20-years-with-promise-of-bungie-aerospace-reve/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/bungie-celebrates-20-years-with-promise-of-bungie-aerospace-reve/#comments It's hard to believe that the house that built Halo has been around for nearly 20 years, and only kicked off the past decade of Halo games halfway through its lifespan, but that's the case. The now-independent developer is celebrating the big two zero this year, and in typical Bungie fashion the studio will be offering a variety of special items to its fans, starting with an already released (and free) iOS app.

For those of you who without an iOS device, a whole mess of other things will be going down between June 23 and July 7 -- "Bungie Day" -- such as special additions to the Bungie store. And more importantly to us, the still mysterious "Bungie Aerospace" will be explained "in explicit detail. You can also win some totally serious actual steaks if you beat the Bungie dudes in Halo: Reach "by 20 kills or more" on July 7 -- a difficult feat for sure, but one worthy of earning the title "Steaktacular." The team will be in Reach multiplayer for all 24 hours of that day.

[Thanks, Tyler C]

JoystiqBungie celebrates 20 years with promise of Bungie Aerospace reveal, free iOS app originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20th-anniversaryapp-storebungiebungie-aerospacebungie-daybungie-mobilebungie-studiosiositunes-app-storemobilesteaktacularTue, 14 Jun 2011 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary vs Halo: Combat Evolved: FIGHT!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/07/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-vs-halo-combat-evolved-fight/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/07/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-vs-halo-combat-evolved-fight/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/07/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-vs-halo-combat-evolved-fight/#comments You've seen Halo: Combat Evolved. You've seen Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. But have you seen the two compared side-by-side? We've got you covered! As seen above and in the gallery below, the remastered version of the original Halo has seen some pretty enormous updates. Check out that lighting!

Continue reading Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary vs Halo: Combat Evolved: FIGHT!

JoystiqHalo: Combat Evolved Anniversary vs Halo: Combat Evolved: FIGHT! originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industriesbungiebungie-studioshalo-combat-evolvedhalo-combat-evolved-anniversarymicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiosmicrosoft-studiossaber-interactivexboxTue, 07 Jun 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It's a giant Master Chief and Mario made out of ... balloons]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/01/its-a-giant-master-chief-and-mario-made-out-of-balloons/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/01/its-a-giant-master-chief-and-mario-made-out-of-balloons/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/01/its-a-giant-master-chief-and-mario-made-out-of-balloons/#comments They said you were a joke. They said you'd never be a somebody. They said your love of latex and highly volatile, unstable objects would be your downfall. Yeah, well who's laughing now? You've just made a life-size balloon sculpture of Master Chief and now he's your best friend ever.

Continue reading It's a giant Master Chief and Mario made out of ... balloons

JoystiqIt's a giant Master Chief and Mario made out of ... balloons originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungieHalo-Reachmariomaster-chiefmicrosoftnintendosuper-mario-broswiixboxWed, 01 Jun 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo: Reach gets free demo, one-week Games on Demand price drop]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/halo-reach-gets-free-demo-one-week-games-on-demand-price-drop/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/halo-reach-gets-free-demo-one-week-games-on-demand-price-drop/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/halo-reach-gets-free-demo-one-week-games-on-demand-price-drop/#comments With over eight million units sold (and that was in January!), Kinect has proven to be a massive hit for Microsoft, strategically extending the hardcore Xbox 360 brand to a more casual audience. It's to this more casual Xbox audience that we now direct this here news post.

So you've wrapped up Kinect Adventures, aced every Dance Central track, and stomached more than a minute of Fighters Uncaged? If you were wondering what people did with these video game consoles before Kinect came along, we have the answer: It's called Halo: Reach and Microsoft wants to make sure you try it out. Starting today, the uninitiated can download a free demo for
Reach that includes the "Long Night of Solace" campaign mission, the Free for All Slayer and Headhunter multiplayer modes on the "Powerhouse" map, and Firefight on the "Overlook" map.

If you like what you see, you can unlock the entire game from the Games on Demand service for the reduced price of $39.99 (£39.99/€39.99) this week only. So put down that Game Boat, pick up a controller, and see what else your Xbox can do.

Gallery: Halo: Reach (demo)

JoystiqHalo: Reach gets free demo, one-week Games on Demand price drop originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 May 2011 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BungiedemoGames-on-DemandHalo-ReachmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosxboxTue, 24 May 2011 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[New logo, trademark lend credence to Bungie 'Destiny' project]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/new-logo-trademark-lend-credence-to-bungie-destiny-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/new-logo-trademark-lend-credence-to-bungie-destiny-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/new-logo-trademark-lend-credence-to-bungie-destiny-project/#comments Doing the detective work of any good fansite, HBO.org has turned up more evidence of the rumored "Destiny" MMOFPS in development at Bungie Studios / Bungie Aerospace / whatever Bungie wants to call itself. The site discovered that a company named "Podophobia Entertainment," formed by Bungie head Harold Ryan and music composer Marty O'Donnell, had registered a trademark for "Destiny" with the image seen above. The filing is classified under "Computer game software; Computer game software downloadable from a global computer network; Video game software; Virtual reality game software."

"Destiny" is just the latest in a series of filings by the Halo dev studio, most recently incorporating "Bungie Aerospace" and trademarking "Crimson" for use with "Computer game software downloadable from a global computer network; Computer game software for use on mobile and cellular phones; Downloadable computer game software via a global computer network and wireless devices." As you might expect, Bungie has remained quiet on the filings and has yet to respond to our requests for comment.

JoystiqNew logo, trademark lend credence to Bungie 'Destiny' project originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 May 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbungiebungie-studiosdestinyharold-ryanmarty-odonnellmmofpspodophobia-entertainmenttrademarkusptoThu, 19 May 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie Aerospace Corporation trademarks 'Crimson,' mystery continues]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/bungie-aerospace-corporation-trademarks-crimson-mystery-conti/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/bungie-aerospace-corporation-trademarks-crimson-mystery-conti/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/bungie-aerospace-corporation-trademarks-crimson-mystery-conti/#comments Bungie's trademark frenzy continues with the discovery of a trademark filing for "Crimson" within the past several days. GameSpot UK spotted the listing on the US Patent and Trademark Office website, which denotes "Crimson" as being "Computer game software downloadable from a global computer network; Computer game software for use on mobile and cellular phones; Downloadable computer game software via a global computer network and wireless devices." Presumably, whatever "Crimson" is won't be all three of those things.

Interestingly, the filing applies to newly incorporated Bungie Aerospace (rather than Bungie Studios proper), while Bungie's previous trademark applications were all filed by a proxy corporation (as to hide their origins). As with previous reports, we've contacted Bungie for a comment, but don't expect to hear much back. Nor do we expect to hear anything at E3, as the studio has specifically said it won't be attending this year's show.

JoystiqBungie Aerospace Corporation trademarks 'Crimson,' mystery continues originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiebungie-aerospacebungie-aerospace-corporationbungie-studioscrimsoncrimson-steam-piratestrademarkusptoThu, 12 May 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Bungie Aerospace' incorporates, according to filings]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/bungie-aerospace-incorporates-according-to-filings/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/bungie-aerospace-incorporates-according-to-filings/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/bungie-aerospace-incorporates-according-to-filings/#comments The halo of fog surrounding Bungie's mysterious "Bungie Aerospace" logo/trademark grows murkier with the recent discovery of filings in both Washington and Delaware for "Bungie Aerospace Corporation." HBO.org unearthed the Washington state filing, dated April 27 of this year, which notes the company's initial incorporation in business-friendly Delaware state just one week earlier on April 20.

Unlike the Delaware filing, the Washington one lists Bungie president Harold Ryan and head of strategy and corporate development Ondraus Jenkins as "governing persons" of the new for profit business. Rather than mirroring their current roles at Bungie, though, it appears that Ryan will be acting as "director" of Bungie Aerospace Corporation while Jenkins will be acting "president." Also listed is secretary director Allan Parsons, which is either a joke reference to The Alan Parsons Project, or an alternative name for executive producer Pete Parsons, or an outside hire with no Google-logged experience in the game industry (believe us, we tried).

Bungie Studios is currently working with Activision to develop a multiplatform title. Copyright filings and web domain registrations for several names from the summer of 2010 were also discovered earlier this year, though the studio has provided no clues as to what any of the filings mean. Bungie is also planning some form of private beta for a game (or games) that has yet to be announced.

Joystiq'Bungie Aerospace' incorporates, according to filings originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allan-parsonsbungiebungie-aerospacebungie-aerospace-corporationbungie-studioscorporationdelawareharold-ryanincorporatingincorporationondraus-jenkinswashingtonMon, 09 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Fest set to take place during PAX Prime 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/halo-fest-set-to-take-place-during-pax-prime-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/halo-fest-set-to-take-place-during-pax-prime-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/halo-fest-set-to-take-place-during-pax-prime-2011/#comments Already snagged one of the (quickly diminishing) passes for PAX Prime 2011 in Seattle? Little did you know that you were secretly buying your admission into a second, equally exciting event. At this year's original, Seattle-flavored Penny Arcade Expo, 343 Industries will turn the third floor annex of the convention center into "Halo Fest," an event the studio describes as "the largest and most expansive live Halo experience ever."

The event, which will celebrate the franchise's tenth anniversary, will also feature tournaments, panels and giveaways for stoppers-by. Best of all, your entry is guaranteed with a PAX Prime ticket, meaning you have literally no reason to stop by. Unless, of course, you don't like Halo. Or if you're super scared of heights. Three floors is awfully high up, you know.

JoystiqHalo Fest set to take place during PAX Prime 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 May 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiehalohalo-festHalo-Reachmicrosoftpaxpax-primepax-prime-2011seattlexboxTue, 03 May 2011 18:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Bleszinski: Master Chief passed on a Gears of War 3 cameo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/bleszinski-master-chief-passed-on-a-gears-of-war-3-cameo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/bleszinski-master-chief-passed-on-a-gears-of-war-3-cameo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/bleszinski-master-chief-passed-on-a-gears-of-war-3-cameo/#comments Curious as to why the Xbox 360's two biggest exclusive shooters never managed to fuse, forming some kind of chimera made of space armor and hilariously disproportionate guns? Wonder no more -- in a recent interview with Complex, Gears of War' designer Cliff Bleszinski revealed, "I actually approached Microsoft on getting Master Chief into the game, but those guys are kind of squeamish." He jokingly added, "If you had to break it down, I'd say that Gears is like Mortal Kombat and Halo is like Street Fighter."

From there, things get ... a little grisly. Bleszinski said, "if we were to get Master Chief, we'd get his model, put him in a COG suit, make it blow up, and do some test animation work. We'd have to see what his head looks like being blown to smithereens or how his arm would look getting sawed off." We're not sure the ol' arm-saw technique's gonna work on MC. After all, this is the same guy who can get shot point blank by a rocket-propelled grenade without suffering any structural damage.

JoystiqBleszinski: Master Chief passed on a Gears of War 3 cameo originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 May 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiecliff-bleszinskiepic-gamesGears-of-War-3master-chiefmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosxboxMon, 02 May 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fan-made Halo UNSC frigates dock at Minecraft station]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/fan-made-halo-unsc-frigates-dock-at-minecraft-station/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/fan-made-halo-unsc-frigates-dock-at-minecraft-station/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/fan-made-halo-unsc-frigates-dock-at-minecraft-station/#comments At this point in Minecraft's life, we expect every gigantic space ship from every sci-fi property has been recreated. Imagine our surprise then when we looked through our records and found no documented UNSC frigates from Halo. That changes now.

Seen above is the work of Minecraft forum user Garified, who constructed not one but two UNSC frigates in the game -- one large-scale and one a bit smaller -- modeled after Halo: Reach's UNSC Savannah. We think you'll agree: kudos are most certainly in order.

JoystiqFan-made Halo UNSC frigates dock at Minecraft station originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industriesbungiegarifiedhalo-reachmicrosoftMinecraftMojang-Specificationsnotchpcunscunsc-savannahxboxTue, 26 Apr 2011 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie Beta Tester program relaunches]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/20/bungie-beta-tester-program-relaunches/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/20/bungie-beta-tester-program-relaunches/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/20/bungie-beta-tester-program-relaunches/#comments Bungie is hard at work on something right now -- that's for sure. What that something is, however, remains the big question. You might be one of the first people to actually answer that -- but, having sworn on your life, be unable to tell anyone -- should you get picked by the studio to participate in its forthcoming beta-testing program.

Launched last November and relaunched this week, the "Bungie Beta Tester" signup survey is currently live on the company's official site, asking all types of generic questions about participants' gaming habits. Given the generality of the questions, we didn't glean much from signing up. We did learn, though, that Grand Theft Auto is part of the "driving/fighting/shooting" genre. Thanks, Bungie!

It's unclear whether this signup round has anything to do with the beta signup emails that the studio sent out earlier this year to select site members. We've asked Bungie for clarification.

JoystiqBungie Beta Tester program relaunches originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabungiebungie-beta-testerbungie-studiosmicrosoftplaystationps3xboxWed, 20 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[April Fools: Bungie docks the Pimps at Sea on Facebook]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/01/april-fools-bungie-docks-the-pimps-at-sea-on-facebook/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/01/april-fools-bungie-docks-the-pimps-at-sea-on-facebook/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/01/april-fools-bungie-docks-the-pimps-at-sea-on-facebook/#comments Bungie's classic Pimps at Sea series has seen its highs and lows during its storied history -- Pimps at Sea 64, Call of Pimps: Sea Warfare, Ar Tonelico Navale: Pimps of Ar Sea El -- but fans are assuredly in for a treat with the company's latest iteration: PimpsVille for Facebook! Bungie COO "and trans-media marketing guru" Pete Parsons explains the new project by saying, "I was talking to Mark Zuckerberg yesterday - who just so happens to be a really close friend of mine - and he said Facebook has something like 500 million users. I'm thinking if we can get one dollar from every one of those guys, we can easily make a billion dollars." Truer words, Pete!

No time has been given for the launch of PimpsVille, but we imagine that Bungie will wanna get out ahead of kids going on summer vacation. Or it'll never come out, because it's totally fake, but you never know. Weirder things have happened, right?

JoystiqApril Fools: Bungie docks the Pimps at Sea on Facebook originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>april-foolsapril-fools-2011bungiebungie-studiosfacebookmacpcpete-parsonspimps-at-seapimpsvilleFri, 01 Apr 2011 19:40:00 EST