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[Cliff Bleszinski to host GDC Awards, Schatz returns for IGF Awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/cliff-bleszinski-to-host-gdc-awards-schatz-returns-for-igf-awar/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/cliff-bleszinski-to-host-gdc-awards-schatz-returns-for-igf-awar/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/cliff-bleszinski-to-host-gdc-awards-schatz-returns-for-igf-awar/#comments Planning to attend GDC? If you are, you'll get to see everyone's favorite design director of Epic Games, Cliff Bleszinski, host the 12th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, replacing Double Fine's Tim Schafer as host. The Independent Games Festival Awards is kicking it old-school with 2007-2009's host, Andy Schatz of Monaco, winner of the Seumas McNally Grand Prize and Excellence in Design awards in 2010's IGF.

Peruse the list of finalists for both award shows right here, and look for winners to be announced March 7 from GDC.

JoystiqCliff Bleszinski to host GDC Awards, Schatz returns for IGF Awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andy-schatzawardscliff-bleszinskiCliffyBgame-developers-choice-awardsGDCgdc-2012igfmacmicrosoftmobilemonacopcplaystationPocketwatch-Gamesps3xboxTue, 17 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch the Gears of War 3 trailer right now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/watch-the-gears-of-war-3-trailer-right-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/watch-the-gears-of-war-3-trailer-right-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/watch-the-gears-of-war-3-trailer-right-now/#commentsWhy wait for Cliff Bleszinski to debut Gears of War 3 on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon? Here's the trailer for the "worst-kept secret in the video game industry," posted to the Late Night website (and embedded above) ... before it's appeared on television. The trailer is prefaced by some banter with Mister B about his vintage Nintendo Power appearance and what makes a great game.

The new game has playable female soldiers in it! Take that, Crackdown 2! Don't worry, it's still jam-packed with men who look like refrigerators and mellow music, like the famous Gears of War trailer (in this case, Sun Kil Moon's "Heron Blue"). Other elements mentioned by Cliff include new weapons and new aliens -- "crazy tentacle monsters" with mutating ability. Bleszinski said GOW3 will arrive "probably around April 8" -- one year after his Late Night appearance was supposed to be shown. Wouldn't that have been nice marketing? Oh, well.

Update: Official release date is April 5, 2011. And catch Cliff's Late Night appearance after the break.

Gallery: Gears of War 3

Continue reading Watch the Gears of War 3 trailer right now

JoystiqWatch the Gears of War 3 trailer right now originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffy-bCliffyBepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-3Jimmy-Fallonlate-nightlate-night-with-jimmy-fallonMicrosofttrailervideoXbox-360Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:08:00 EST<![CDATA[CliffyB: 'Two upcoming games' on Monday's Late Night; Us: It's totally Bulletstorm and Gears of War 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/cliffyb-two-upcoming-games-on-mondays-late-night-us-its-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/cliffyb-two-upcoming-games-on-mondays-late-night-us-its-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/cliffyb-two-upcoming-games-on-mondays-late-night-us-its-t/#comments When Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski got bumped from last night's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon because of a Justin Bieber-shaped "scheduling conflict," someone forgot to tell the Xbox Dashboard programming team who, inadvertently, spoiled Mr. B's big reveal: Gears of War 3. Re-booked for Monday's show with no big reveal has left Epic Games with only one alternative: reveal a second game!

CliffyB took to Twitter with the following comment: "NEWSFLASH: Two announcements about two upcoming games on Monday. BOOM!" Lucky for them, Epic has a second game that's just about ready for its close-up, People Can Fly's Bulletstorm.

Now, he didn't say specifically that Bulletstorm would be the second "upcoming" game, but the pieces are certainly in place. Take, for example, the cover of next month's Game Informer magazine, which can already be found floating around various corners of the internet. Of course, Epic could simply be following Nintendo's lucrative Pokemon strategy and releasing two editions of Gears of War 3. If so, might we suggest Gears of War 3 Brown and Gears of War 3 Gray?

[Update: Not ones to let some internet scans steal their story, the Game Informer crew has come right out and said it, albeit a few days earlier than planned: "The latest issue of Game Informer Magazine [has a] world-exclusive look at People Can Fly's upcoming shooter, Bulletstorm." They've got some higher-res art too, if you're interested.]

JoystiqCliffyB: 'Two upcoming games' on Monday's Late Night; Us: It's totally Bulletstorm and Gears of War 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BulletstormCliff-BleszinskiCliffyBEAEA-PartnersElectronic-ArtsEpicEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3Jimmy-FallonMicrosoftPeople-Can-FlyXbox-360Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:48:00 EST<![CDATA[VGA 2009: Cliff Bleszinski teases new projects, more to come 'when the weather's warm']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/vga-2009-cliff-bleszinski-teases-new-projects-more-to-come-wh/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/vga-2009-cliff-bleszinski-teases-new-projects-more-to-come-wh/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/vga-2009-cliff-bleszinski-teases-new-projects-more-to-come-wh/#comments This past Saturday brought us the Spike TV Video Game Awards and - before experiencing the litany of world exclusives that awaited us inside - we spent some time outside cruising the red carpet and talking (briefly!) to many of the game developers and talent. We squeezed them for information as fast as we could while simultaneously wishing them holiday cheer and good tidings. Yes, it was as awkward as it sounds. Here's what we learned from Epic's Cliff Bleszinski.

So you segued from Gears into Shadow Complex ... what are you working on now?

I can't tell you that! It's actually quite agonizing for me right now, because there's a bunch of awesome shit we're working on, but I can't say a damn thing about it no matter how many alcoholic beverages you might try and feed me! Well, maybe if you bribe me with hookers and blow, that might work.

Shadow Complex will be on sale during the holidays. Was that Microsoft's idea or Epic's?

Microsoft is doing that promo. They're doing some other stuff as well to help drive the holiday sales. I mean, in this day and age look how crammed Christmas is, and it's like March is the new holiday. Everybody's moved out to March. I think it's good because the good games will rise, and the bad games will sink, right? I was getting tired of the fact that everyone had to cram everything into the holiday season. Hopefully we'll get some quality releases in March that will do well, and the gaming industry can sell more than 80% of its games outside of a three month period.

What are you playing right now?

I'm playing the hell out of Modern Warfare 2 and I hate those guys, because those guys are so awesome. Uncharted 2 I beat, which was absolutely stellar. Borderlands co-op is amazing ... that's the only way to play, really. I gush about it not just because it's our engine but because Randy and those guys are good friends, and it's the kind of game I really want to play. It's the perfect blending of the shooter and the RPG.

So when will we hear about this "awesome shit"?

Maybe sometime when the weather's warm, you'll be hearing something.

JoystiqVGA 2009: Cliff Bleszinski teases new projects, more to come 'when the weather's warm' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffybEpicGears-of-WarinterviewMicrosoftred-carpetShadow-Complexspike-vga-2009vga-2009Xbox-360Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Bleszinski sees RPGs as key to the shooter's future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/06/the-next-gears-of-war-could-feature-rpg-elements/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/06/the-next-gears-of-war-could-feature-rpg-elements/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/06/the-next-gears-of-war-could-feature-rpg-elements/#comments
Look, we know, alright? Cliff "Not CliffyB" Bleszinski has a lot to say, and as such, he ends up in the headlines a bit more than anyone could expect. But how can we resist when he says such interesting stuff, like what he said during a recent interview with Develop. He dropped some pretty serious hints about the future of shooters -- and in turn, his own franchise, Gears of War. "I had a conversation with Harvey Smith - one of the lead designers on Deus Ex - and said to him the future of shooters is RPGs," the Cliffster said during the interview. "He said he completely agreed."

So, Deus Ex of War with RPG elements confirmed? Not quite. Bleszinski made sure to mention immediately afterward, "One could wean that from the comments I made earlier about the future of shooters is RPGs and see where things are going with us. It depends on where things go." Here's hoping "things go" right back to work on the game and less of the gum flapping!

(Just joshin' ya, Cliffy. We still love you.)

JoystiqBleszinski sees RPGs as key to the shooter's future originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffy-bcliffybdeus-exdevelopgears-of-warharvey-smithrpgMon, 06 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Cliff Bleszinski explains why there are so many bald space marines]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/cliff-bleszinski-explains-why-there-are-so-many-bald-space-marin/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/cliff-bleszinski-explains-why-there-are-so-many-bald-space-marin/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/cliff-bleszinski-explains-why-there-are-so-many-bald-space-marin/#comments
If you think Unreal Engine 3 games feature too much gray and brown, laden with "pillars and girders," all being stomped around on by bald space marines, Cliff "Young Clifford" Bleszinski wants you to blame the tech. Speaking with Develop recently, the man that birthed Marcus Fenix said, "The technology of this generation just happens to be very good at rendering metals and stones and dramatic lighting." He argues that "translucent effects" are much harder to pull of with the technology given and as such, "the tech is good at showing off armor and it's not that good at doing hair ... that's why we have bald space marines."

Though we'd argue that there are lots of bald men in our lives who happen to not be space marines -- CheapyD and Dr. Manhattan prime among them -- we can appreciate how Marcus Fenix may be more equipped to take down the Locust than an omnipotent blue man. Wait a minute! Interestingly, Bleszinski also notes during the interview that he's got "like five projects going on right now" -- we're counting Shadow Complex and another (still unannounced) Gears of War, which leaves three unannounced projects? Something is afoot at Epic Games. And it almost certainly involves bald space marines.

JoystiqCliff Bleszinski explains why there are so many bald space marines originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheapydcliff-bleszinskicliffybdevelopdr-manhattanepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-2marcus-fenixMicrosoftshadow-complexunreal-engine-3Xbox-360Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The rise and fall of @cliffy_b]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/the-rise-and-fall-of-cliffy_b/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/the-rise-and-fall-of-cliffy_b/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/the-rise-and-fall-of-cliffy_b/#comments
At some point during the short life of Twitter's @cliffy_b, a mockumentary version of Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski, the joke became a little too real for some people and it had to be shut down. Matthew Downham, who we've actually featured before in spoofs where he fails hard at games, along with his friend, Austin Brown, were the men behind the false Bleszinski. Today he posted the full explanation of the birth and death of @cliffy_b.

Downham explains the duo never intended any malice with @cliffy_b, that the character, a clear goof on the extroverted designer, was meant to be an over-the-top version of a gaming personality they admired. The joke was going along fine, until one particular tweet was taken a bit too seriously. Although Downham avoids what the post was, it was probably the tweet heard round the Gears community: "After much testing, it looks like matchmaking is permanently broken ... There are new maps though, only 800 Microsoft Points!" That's when the Epic lawyers had Twitter kill the fake Mr. Bleszinski. The story stands as a good metric on how some lines -- especially involving money and multi-million dollar franchises -- are dangerous to cross.

JoystiqThe rise and fall of @cliffy_b originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffybdownhamepicgears-of-war-2mark-reinmatthew-rex-downhamMicrosoftXbox-360Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Silence CliffyB]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/video-silence-cliffyb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/video-silence-cliffyb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/video-silence-cliffyb/#commentsFiled under:


It's hard to really call video game designers celebrities. Sure, most of the people reading the Joystiq network can tell you who Shigeru Miyamoto is, but his isn't exactly a household name. There is, however, at least one game designer who acts like a celebrity, and that's Cliff "Formerly CliffyB" Bleszinski, designer of the Gears of War series. Like many celebrities, it seems Cliff is willing to share his thoughts on any subject, even voting. Sarcastic Gamer has had enough, and has created the parody "Silence CliffyB," which sends up Cliff's constant quips.

That's not important though. What is important is that the video also sends up the various gaming outlets and blogs that cover Cliff's shenanigans. Specifically, the video shows a snapshot of this very blog. We're totally in a video, and that's awesome. Find the video after the break.

Continue reading Video: Silence CliffyB

JoystiqVideo: Silence CliffyB originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffybsilence-cliffybWed, 03 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nega-Review: Gears of War 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/nega-review-gears-of-war-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/nega-review-gears-of-war-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/nega-review-gears-of-war-2/#commentsFiled under: ,

"Don't expect the perfect shooter" out of Gears of War 2." (3) "There's a lack of depth here -- an amalgam of recycled mechanics and ideas that ... never really gets anywhere." (1) "The game has what seems to be a disappointing lack of polish, what with the minor glitches that have crept in." (6) "The execution is frustrating" (1) and "one can't help but think that the team is still honing its level design, its pacing, its combat and its storytelling." (3)

"Overall, Gears of War 2 is ... essentially the same as its predecessor." (6) "It's as if the original Gears has gotten a face-lift, and been expanded upon, without much real change." (1) "The game's opening teaser ... could have been sliced out of the original title" (4) and "the basic gameplay, with the focus on taking cover and precise re-loading, as well as the dismal gray visual design, is little changed from the first Gears." (2) "The whole freshness and aspect of 'new' that came with the first game won't really come across here." (6)

The game's "major shortcoming is a mawkish and cliche-ridden story." (2) "The characters [are] as macho and stereotypical as ever," (3) and "so uninspired you can almost predict their next response or action -- usually some variation of a grim, determined assertion of their physical prowess." (1) "Do we really have to have the shit-scared new cadet who's barely old enough to shave, the general giving a rah rah speech consisting entirely of jingoistic clichés, and the loud-mouthed hick who calls his rig Betty (and has a fetishistic love for it)?" (3) "There's barely a single character beat that isn't cringe-inducing." (2)

Continue reading Nega-Review: Gears of War 2

JoystiqNega-Review: Gears of War 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffybepicgears-of-war-2gearsfwar2gow2Xbox-360Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Clifford B: Betas are like one-night stands ]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/clifford-b-betas-are-like-one-night-stands/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/clifford-b-betas-are-like-one-night-stands/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/clifford-b-betas-are-like-one-night-stands/#commentsFiled under: ,


First, let us say we love Clifford Bleszinski. With that out of the way, we would offer him this bit of sage advice: If you want people to take you seriously, asking them to not call you CliffyB anymore is a great Step 1. But Step 2 should almost certainly be to stop saying things like, "A beta is like hooking up with a girl just to say, 'yeah, I f*cked her.' I know that sounds crude, but it's the honest-to-God truth. Once you play a beta, you can check it off your list - you can say, 'yeah, I played it.'"

There's more to that quote in a GamePro interview that you really have to read right here, we just didn't want you to think we were taking anything out of context. Credibility, ahoy!

JoystiqClifford B: Betas are like one-night stands originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betacliffybdemoepicgears-of-wargears-of-war-2Xbox-360Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The New Yorker profiles Cliff Bleszinski]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/27/the-new-yorker-profiles-cliff-bleszinski/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/27/the-new-yorker-profiles-cliff-bleszinski/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/27/the-new-yorker-profiles-cliff-bleszinski/#commentsFiled under: ,


"His current haircut is short and cowlicked, his bangs twirled up into a tiny moussed horn. He was wearing what in my high school would have been called 'exchange-student jeans'-obviously expensive but slightly the wrong color and of a somehow non-American cut." After a brief period of alarm, thinking someone had stolen and published our romantic Cliff Bleszinski novella, it came to our attention that The New Yorker had posted a lengthy profile on Mr. Gears of War himself.

Packed with biographical information and sensual descriptions of Bleszinksi's earlobes, the article provides an interesting glimpse at a man who has set out to make game design "a little cooler." Check it out and get to know the man responsible for your recently developed chainsaw fetish a little better.

[Thanks, mn]

JoystiqThe New Yorker profiles Cliff Bleszinski originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cliff-BleszinskiCliffyBEpic-GamesGears-of-WarGears-of-War-2UnrealXbox-360Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA['CliffyB' defends Too Human from critics]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/cliffyb-defends-too-human-from-critics/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/cliffyb-defends-too-human-from-critics/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/cliffyb-defends-too-human-from-critics/#commentsFiled under: , ,

[Update 2: The Giant Bomb user formerly known as CliffyB has changed his user name based on a request from the Giant Bomb staff. Seems this was a case of mistaken/overtaken internet identity. Joystiq regrets the error.]

[Update: It seems there's some doubt as to whether or not this review was actually written by Mr. Bleszinski or just some Giant bomb user who took his common online moniker. Either way, the review is still an interesting, alternative look at the game. We're looking into it and we'll update as warranted.]

After so much hype and so many years in development, many were surprised by the lackluster critical reception for Silicon Knights' Too Human. Count among the surprised Epic Games' Cliff "Don't call me CliffyB anymore" Bleszinski, who defended the game from its harshest critics in a recent Giant Bomb reader review.

Bleszinski says he found the game more engrossing than either BioShock or Call of Duty 4, pouring 16 straight hours into it on his first sit down and readying for a second playthrough after a 42-hour quest. While admitting that the story "isn't God's gift to writing," Bleszinski still insists it compares favorably to a lot of other video games. His main beef, though, is with critics who derided the game's combat as too simple simply because they weren't willing to delve into what Bleszinski sees as some complex strategic depth. "It will require some attention to learn," he warns, "If this is too much to ask, do not fret. There is always the Wii." Ouch!

The full review goes into an insane amount of detail on Bleszinski's experience with the game. Check it out if you're interested in a well informed, decidedly different perspective on this epic.

Joystiq'CliffyB' defends Too Human from critics originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bleszinskicliff-bleszinskicliffyBcriticsdyacksilicon-knightstoo-humanXbox-360Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[X08: Cliff talks Gears of War 2 achievements, Seriously 2.0]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/x08-cliff-talks-gears-of-war-2-achievements-seriously-2-0/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/x08-cliff-talks-gears-of-war-2-achievements-seriously-2-0/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/x08-cliff-talks-gears-of-war-2-achievements-seriously-2-0/#commentsFiled under: ,


In an interview with Gears of War 2 lead designer Cliff Bleszinski at X08 in Toronto, Canada, we learned of an upgraded version of the original "Seriously" achievement, first seen in the popular franchise's previous installment. The achievement, "Seriously 2.0," requires 100,000 kills across the single and multiplayer campaign of the anticipated title. Yikes!

Stay tuned for the entire interview where Cliff reveals his thoughts on the single-player experience, Gears of War 2's Horde mode (first revealed at E3 2008), Too Human and, err, his desire to pee. Yeah, he went there.

JoystiqX08: Cliff talks Gears of War 2 achievements, Seriously 2.0 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsCliffyBEpic-Gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-2gow2X08Xbox-360Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:57:00 EST<![CDATA[New Gears of War 2 footage from Gamestop tournament]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/new-gears-of-war-2-footage-from-gamestop-tournament/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/new-gears-of-war-2-footage-from-gamestop-tournament/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/new-gears-of-war-2-footage-from-gamestop-tournament/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Joystiq has obtained a video that's set to air at the start of Gamestop's Gears of War midnight tournaments tomorrow. The video contains an introduction by Cliff Bleszinski as well as "never-before-seen footage" from Gears of War 2. Is your interest piqued? Video embedded after the break.

Gallery: Gears of War 2

Continue reading New Gears of War 2 footage from Gamestop tournament

JoystiqNew Gears of War 2 footage from Gamestop tournament originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingnewscliff-Bleszinskicliffybgamestopgears-of-wargears-of-war-2Xbox-360Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft E3 2008 press conference: Let's play bingo!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/microsoft-e3-2008-press-conference-lets-play-bingo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/microsoft-e3-2008-press-conference-lets-play-bingo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/microsoft-e3-2008-press-conference-lets-play-bingo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



XNA Games
Launch Deets
Fable 2
Online Co-op
Alan Wake
Demoed
Secret
Rare Game
60 GIG
Hard Drive

Gears 2
4 player Co-op
Halo
Chronicles
Too Human
XBLM Demo
Rock Band 2
On Stage
Bungie Talks
New Game

Dashboard
Reborn
J Allard
Returns
FREE SPACE
Avatars!
Cliff Appears
With Lancer
Metal Gear
Online

Xbox 360
Price-Cut
'LIPS'
Revealed
Halo Wars
Release Date
Eternal
Darkness 2
Third Party
Xbox 360

Xbox Live
Goes Free
Dishwasher
Released
New
X360 SKU
Motion
Controller
Top Secret
XBLA Games

In anticipation of next week's E3 Media and Business Summit, we've prepared bingo cards for each of the big press conferences, filled with some likely (and some not-so-likely) predictions for what each of the big three console makers intends to announce at arguably the biggest trade shows of the year.

Today's card is for Microsoft (special thanks to X3F). We're going out on a limb and giving Avatars away as the free space. Click on each of the slides above for more information about our predictions. Microsoft's E3 press conference is scheduled for next Monday at 10:30 am PT (that's 1:30 pm Joystiq Time / ET). As always, we'll be liveblogging the event, so you can play along in real-time with us.

Stay tuned for more press conference bingo cards in the days leading up to the conference. (Also: check out our bingo card for Sony's press conference.)

Download a copy (PNG file) and play along!

Update: Only hours after we post this ... N2, you hit my battleship!

JoystiqMicrosoft E3 2008 press conference: Let's play bingo! originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatarsbingobungiecliffybdishwasher-samuraie3e3-2008e3-2008-bingoe3-bingoeternal-darkness-2gears-of-war-2halo-chronicleshalo-warslipsmarketplacemetal-gearmetal-gear-onlinemicrosoftpeter-jacksonrock-band-2too-humanxblaxblmXboxXbox-360xbox-livexbox-live-arcadeThu, 10 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get your daily dose of murder with this Gears of War 2 Multiplayer preview]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/get-your-daily-dose-of-murder-with-this-gears-of-war-2-multiplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/get-your-daily-dose-of-murder-with-this-gears-of-war-2-multiplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/get-your-daily-dose-of-murder-with-this-gears-of-war-2-multiplay/#commentsFiled under: ,


While most of the "new" gameplay elements and maps discussed in the above preview for Gears of War 2 aren't really "new" to the video game news consuming populous, it's still nice to see some of the game's fresh features in action. The preview is fairly comprehensive -- there's looks at some of the soon-to-be-covered-in-gore locales, the new gametypes (we absolutely cannot wait for meatflag), chainsaw duels, new weapons and executions, and brand new, colorful ways of describing acts of grisly violence from the game's all-growed-up iconic lead designer, Cliff Bleszinski. We can't think of a better way to spend eight and a half minutes of a Sunday afternoon than to watch beefy combatants get halved.

JoystiqGet your daily dose of murder with this Gears of War 2 Multiplayer preview originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chainsawcliff-bleszinskicliffybepicepicgamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-2multiplayerpreviewXbox-360Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 2 multiplayer detail explosion]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/gears-of-war-2-multiplayer-detail-explosion/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/gears-of-war-2-multiplayer-detail-explosion/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/gears-of-war-2-multiplayer-detail-explosion/#commentsFiled under:

The July issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly has an extensive 13-page blowout of Gears of War 2 multiplayer details. Earlier last week, some information leaked from and article in X360 Magazine, but the EGM cover-story by outgoing editorial director Dan Hsu includes a world of new information ripe for the picking.

Some information between the X360 and EGM article is slightly different. Most notably, some of the buttons involved in getting rid of a downed enemy are strangely different. However, since we don't talk about Gears 2 enough around here, we have all the info you need here.

From new weapon stats, the possibility of bots and the ability to blow you and your enemies up with a diabolical grenade--here is the newest info from EGM's fantastic July cover story. The issue also includes an extensive interview with Cliff Bleszinski, so any Gears fan should check it out.

All the info we got from EGM's cover story, after the jump!

Continue reading Gears of War 2 multiplayer detail explosion

JoystiqGears of War 2 multiplayer detail explosion originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 May 2008 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffybdan-hsuegmelectronic-gaming-monthlyepicepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-2gowgow2Wed, 28 May 2008 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 2 details emerge from X360 magazine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/gears-of-war-2-details-emerge-from-x360-magazine/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/gears-of-war-2-details-emerge-from-x360-magazine/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/gears-of-war-2-details-emerge-from-x360-magazine/#commentsFiled under: ,


Though other shooters have surpassed it in terms of Xbox Live activity, we still hold a dear, dear place in our heart for the multiplayer portion of Gears of War -- a place intricately carved by an enemy chainsaw. Sure, the character advancement of Call of Duty 4 and Vegas 2 led to a more compelling overall experience, but they lacked a certain panache that only a well-timed curb stomp can supply.

Imagine our excitement when we caught wind of the intimidating flood of details for the sequel's multiplayer component in the upcoming issue of UK's X360 magazine. There's a full list of said details on our Microsoft-related sister site, but to inspire you to continue reading, here's a few tantalizing buzzwords you'll find behind that link: Meatflag, Poison gas grenade, Flamethrower, Ten person multiplayer, Chainsaw duels, and last but certainly not least, Verandas. If that didn't sell you, we don't know what will.

[Via X3F]

JoystiqGears of War 2 details emerge from X360 magazine originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 May 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffybdetailsepicgears-of-wargears-of-war-2gowgow2meatflagmicrosoftmultiplayerpreviewx360Xbox-360Sat, 24 May 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[2008 Yearbook: Microsoft Game Studios]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/23/yearbook-2008-microsoft-game-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/23/yearbook-2008-microsoft-game-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/23/yearbook-2008-microsoft-game-studios/#commentsFiled under:


After a solid year for the Xbox 360 in 2007 many thought the system could never showcase the same amount of quality exclusives in a single year.

In the 2008 Microsoft Game Studios Yearbook, we've compiled a list of this year's graduating class with a detailed account of each title's current status and the stories surrounding them.

From heartbreaking cancellations, surprise feature announcements and expected sequels, the 2008 MGS Yearbook is filled with fun facts and information on your soon-to-be favorite titles. Also included in the yearbook are special joke awards given to each title that releases in 2008 that poke fun at the details most commonly argued about in the comments.

From Ninja Gaiden II to Alan Wake, the 2008 Microsoft Game Studios Yearbook will have something for everyone.

Ladies and gentlemen allow us to introduce the 2008 Microsoft Game Studios graduating class ...

Joystiq2008 Yearbook: Microsoft Game Studios originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 May 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2008-releases2009-releasesalan-wakebanjo-kazooiebanjo-kazooie-3banjo-kazooie-nuts-and-boltsbungiebungie-studioscanceledcancelledcliff-bleszinskicliffybcrypticcryptic-studiosdennis-dyackepic-gamesfable-2featurefrank-o-connorfrankiegears-of-wargears-of-war-2gowgow2halohalo-3halo-warsjoystiqfeaturesmarvelmarvel-universe-onlinemicrosoft-game-studiosngng2ninja-gaiden-2peter-jacksonpeter-jackson-projectpeter-molyneuxremedysilicon-knightstomonobu-itagakitoo-humanunreal-engine-3viva-pinataviva-pinata-2viva-pinata-trouble-in-paradiseyearbook-08Fri, 23 May 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bleszinski gets questioned on all things Gears 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/bleszinski-gets-questioned-on-all-things-gears-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/bleszinski-gets-questioned-on-all-things-gears-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/bleszinski-gets-questioned-on-all-things-gears-2/#commentsFiled under: ,

Epic's Cliff Bleszinski recently sat down with GameDaily for a feature called 10 Questions, where an esteemed member of the gaming industry is asked ten fan submitted questions. Cliff was thrown Q's from everything related to breaking into the industry, why he ditched a Dodge Viper and how to make it in today's gaming world.

Of course Gears of War 2 was a hot topic and fans asked how it will stand-up to it's Game of the Year winning predecessor. "With the sequel, we're able to significantly streamline the online experience with a far more robust package that enables players to kick more ass online with their friends," Cliff answered.

Without giving away too much information on the single-player experience, Cliff said the game must throw more interesting scenarios at players in between combat situations to stay fresh, "In Gears 2, we've got dozens of surprises in every level that will keep people talking for months to come."

With changes to Epic's premier gaming engine fans wondered how updates to Unreal Engine 3 will change the Gears experience. While Cliff was tight-lipped, he assured gamers the environments would add to the experience with a wider capacity for damage. "Players will really feel like they're in a sci-fi multiplayer version of Black Hawk Down."

Gears of War 2 hits Xbox 360 this Novemeber.

JoystiqBleszinski gets questioned on all things Gears 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 May 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffybepicepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-2gowThu, 22 May 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Squad commands axed for Gears of War 2, other answers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/squad-commands-axed-for-gears-of-war-2-other-answers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/squad-commands-axed-for-gears-of-war-2-other-answers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/squad-commands-axed-for-gears-of-war-2-other-answers/#commentsFiled under: ,

Gears of War 2 designer Cliff "Don't Call Me CliffyB" Bleszinski (note: yes, we have turned his name into a text macro to avoid misspellings) has confirmed with Microsoft's Gamerscore blog that the squad-based commands of the original game have been axed for the sequel.

Bleszinski also talked about the chainsaw vs. chainsaw system, which is not random like the original but based on whoever hits the B button the most. "I didn't want it to be quick time event because I think I'm kind of tired of those in most games," he said. In the video embedded above, he also talked about the use of the crowd system for epic battles and what he likes to label the "summer blockbuster type video game experience." Gears of War 2 is due this November.

Gears of War 2 was just one of the many games Microsoft showed off at this year's Xbox 360 Spring Showcase. Check out our coverage of the event, including new screenshots and hands-on impressions.

JoystiqSquad commands axed for Gears of War 2, other answers originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 May 2008 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffybepicepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-2Xbox-360Thu, 22 May 2008 13:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Cliff Bleszinski gets serious, kills CliffyB]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/cliff-bleszinski-gets-serious-kills-cliffyb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/cliff-bleszinski-gets-serious-kills-cliffyb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/cliff-bleszinski-gets-serious-kills-cliffyb/#commentsFiled under:


Today marks a sad day for gaming journalists as we're forced to learn the proper spelling of Gears of War 2 lead designer Cliff Blezinski, um, Kowalski, crap, Bleszinski, there we go. Speaking with MTV Multiplayer blogger Steven Totilo, Cliff confirmed that he would be dropping his CliffyB moniker, which he's used since the 90's.

It's "time to grow up a bit," Cliff wrote in a note stating the nickname doesn't suit his 30-something lifestyle and that he's more focused on working to perfect Gears of War 2 and doesn't have time for silly nicknames. At least nicknames he'll publicly endorse.

Pour one out for CliffyB folks, it was a wild ride.

JoystiqCliff Bleszinski gets serious, kills CliffyB originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 May 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffybepicepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-2gowgow2Wed, 21 May 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cliff Bleszinski is done being CliffyB]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/cliff-bleszinski-is-done-being-cliffyb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/cliff-bleszinski-is-done-being-cliffyb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/cliff-bleszinski-is-done-being-cliffyb/#commentsFiled under:


CliffyB is no more. Wait, wait, don't cry. The Gears of War designer didn't give himself brain damage in a freak hair dye accident or anything. (Although we're still haranguing him about his use of plutonium-based styling gels. It's not worth it, man!) No, Cliff Bleszinski just doesn't want to be called CliffyB anymore, telling MTV that it's "time to grow up a bit."

Sadly, in learning today how to spell Cliff's last name, we had to forget the spelling of another game designer's surname. We mention this only so you know who to blame when we start talking about BioShock designer KennyL.

JoystiqCliff Bleszinski is done being CliffyB originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 May 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffybepic-gamesWed, 21 May 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CliffyB: Gears of War 2 co-op will be "bigger and better" etc.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/cliffyb-gears-of-war-2-co-op-will-be-bigger-and-better-etc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/cliffyb-gears-of-war-2-co-op-will-be-bigger-and-better-etc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/cliffyb-gears-of-war-2-co-op-will-be-bigger-and-better-etc/#commentsFiled under: ,


Alright, that's it. Nobody is allowed to describe any aspect of their game as "bigger and better" anymore. Let's try and expand that promotional vocabulary, people. Let's go for, "Hey, my game is greater and grander!" Or perhaps, "My game's online mode is sicker and more substantial!"

That's roughly what Epic designer, CliffyB, had to say about Gears of War 2's cooperative mode when Shacknews asked about four-player action. "We're not announcing anything about co-op at this time, we'll probably get around to it around E3 time, but rest assured, it will be bigger and better," he teased.

On a related note, Bleszinski did tell us that the saw-tastic sequel's multiplayer mode would at least benefit from a party system this time around. "I think that if we were not to have a feature like that, it would probably be a pretty big f*ckup." As for missing out on four-player Locust culling? That would be a bigger and better f*ckup, surely.

JoystiqCliffyB: Gears of War 2 co-op will be "bigger and better" etc. originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 May 2008 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CliffyBEpicEpic-GamesGears-of-WarGears-of-War-2UnrealXbox-360Wed, 14 May 2008 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interview: CliffyB talks Gears of War 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/joystiq-interview-cliffyb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/joystiq-interview-cliffyb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/joystiq-interview-cliffyb/#commentsFiled under: ,


After briefly discussing our unique spelling and French heritage ("Joy-stique," Cliffy exclaimed!) and commiserating about being confused with other companies (apparently, he gets asked if he works for Epyx, the now long-gone publisher of Summer Games) with Epic designer and Chief Gears Dude Cliff Bleszinski (that's CliffyB to you kids), we got down to the serious business of talking about Gears of War 2: The Gears-ening.

Gears 2. It's coming out. We know it's bigger, it's badder, it's more badass.

Getting tired of hearing that yet?

We've heard it a couple times. Our question is, what was the number one thing in Gears 1 you wanted to change? What did you make that you knew you could do better?

Continue reading Joystiq interview: CliffyB talks Gears of War 2

JoystiqJoystiq interview: CliffyB talks Gears of War 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 May 2008 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffybepicgears-of-wargears-of-war-2Xbox-360Wed, 14 May 2008 11:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic's Mark Rein and CliffyB explain PC gaming 'disarray']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/02/epics-mark-rein-and-cliffyb-explain-pc-gaming-disarray/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/02/epics-mark-rein-and-cliffyb-explain-pc-gaming-disarray/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/02/epics-mark-rein-and-cliffyb-explain-pc-gaming-disarray/#commentsFiled under:


Gears of War creator and faux-chainsaw-gun wielder Cliff Blezinski made some pretty disparaging (if not slightly true) comments about the state of PC gaming to MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo at last month's DICE summit in Las Vegas -- leading to to his illustrated immolation on a webcomic a few of you have probably heard of. At GDC, StevieT got another chance to sit down with CliffyB, this time with fellow Epic bigwig Mark Rein (MarkyR?) to flesh out the problems plaguing the PC gaming industry.

The two never backtrack on CliffyB's original statement, but they do express their fervent support for the PC Gaming Alliance -- a sentiment which will hopefully cause anti-console gamers to dismantle any ballistic weaponry they may have pointed at Cliffy's residence. We do so want a Gears of War 3.

JoystiqEpic's Mark Rein and CliffyB explain PC gaming 'disarray' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffblezinskicliffybdisarrayepicmarkreinpcpcgaminalliancestephentotilototiloSun, 02 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Dennis Dyack is worried about GDC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-dennis-dyack-is-worried-about-gdc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-dennis-dyack-is-worried-about-gdc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-dennis-dyack-is-worried-about-gdc/#commentsFiled under:


During the Game Developers Conference, 1UP.com was able to record interviews with developers in the guise of their weekly 1UP Yours podcast, one such episode was with outspoken Silicon Knights boss Dennis Dyack. In the episode on February 21, Dyack outlined his worries for the future of GDC based on the marketing spin put on the, "once sacred," developer gathering.

"I worry about GDC [because] how many talks are you learning something versus when somebody is trying to sell you a product?" Dyack asked the crew made up of editors Garnett Lee, Shane Bettenhausen, Bryan Intihar and former 1UPer Mark MacDonald. "Are we calling this the Game Developers Conference [or] are we calling it the Game Demo Convention?"

Continue reading GDC08: Dennis Dyack is worried about GDC

JoystiqGDC08: Dennis Dyack is worried about GDC originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1UP-yoursarrow-pointing-downcliff-bleszinskicliffybdennis-dyackepic-gamesgamespotgdc08gdc08fanboygears-of-war-2jeff-gertsmannken-levinelawsuitryan-davissilicon-knightstoo-humanunreal-engine-3Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq video interview: Epic Games' Mark Rein, Tim Sweeney and CliffyB]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/joystiq-video-interview-epic-games-mark-rein-tim-sweeney-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/joystiq-video-interview-epic-games-mark-rein-tim-sweeney-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/joystiq-video-interview-epic-games-mark-rein-tim-sweeney-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Video thumbnail. Click to play
Click To Play

Update: If the video looks choppy, use this link.

We got to stop by the Epic Games booth following Microsoft's press conference Wednesday, where Gears of War 2 was (surprise!) announced, to talk with VP Mark Rein, CEO/Technical Director Tim Sweeney, and CliffyB. Watch as we get "no comment" after "no comment" about other GoW 2 details (there will be more to see coming soon, promise Rein) and stay tuned towards the ends where Cliffy talks about his lancer and the Microsoft's flashy unveiling. Check out the video courtesy of Mahalo Daily.

JoystiqJoystiq video interview: Epic Games' Mark Rein, Tim Sweeney and CliffyB originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffy-bcliffybepicepic-gamesgdcgdc08gears-of-wargears-of-war-2gow2mark-reinPCPS3tim-sweeneyXbox-360Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Microsoft and Epic announce Gears of War 2 for Nov. '08]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-microsoft-and-epic-announce-gears-of-war-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-microsoft-and-epic-announce-gears-of-war-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-microsoft-and-epic-announce-gears-of-war-2/#commentsFiled under: ,


In what could only be considered as good news for the franchise's cult following, Microsoft and Epic Games have announced their intention to give Gears of War another go. Despite only scraping by with a couple of million units sold, Microsoft is determined to help the motley bunch of macho marines break into the niche shooter market with an Xbox 360 sequel, Gears of War 2.

The game was officially announced by Epic's CliffyB during Microsoft's GDC keynote entitled, "A Future Wide Open: Unleashing the Creative Commnunity ... and then give them Chainsaws." The game will be coming exclusively to the Xbox 360 in November, 2008. We'll bring you more information as soon as we can get it.

JoystiqGDC08: Microsoft and Epic announce Gears of War 2 for Nov. '08 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BreakingNewsCliffyBEpicEpic-GamesEpicGamesGDCGDC08Gears-of-WarGears-of-War-2GearsofWarMark-ReinMicrosoft-Game-StudiosXbox-360Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[CliffyB loves his chainsaw gun, and his toys]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/cliffyb-loves-his-chainsaw-gun-and-his-toys/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/cliffyb-loves-his-chainsaw-gun-and-his-toys/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/cliffyb-loves-his-chainsaw-gun-and-his-toys/#commentsFiled under: , ,


ToyFare Magazine recently did a feature on the 50 greatest fictional weapons of all time, listing the Gears of War Lancer chainsaw gun among the ranks of the Green Lantern's ring, Thor's hammer, and Megatron (you know, when he's in gun form).

And when sexy bachelor designer CliffyB learned that one of his weapons made the list, he did what any of us would have proudly done: totally geeked out and sent in pictures of his toy collection.

A brief interview with Mr. Bleszinski reveals his favorite items in the collection, the all-importance of combining chainsaws and guns, as well as the undeniable truth that nothing is worthwhile until they've made action figures of it. So true, CliffyB. So true.

JoystiqCliffyB loves his chainsaw gun, and his toys originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffy-bcliffybgears-of-wargearsofwartoysXbox-360Thu, 06 Dec 2007 07:55:00 EST<![CDATA[CliffyB wants charismatic Marcus for Gears movie]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/04/cliffyb-wants-charismatic-marcus-for-gears-movie/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/04/cliffyb-wants-charismatic-marcus-for-gears-movie/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/04/cliffyb-wants-charismatic-marcus-for-gears-movie/#commentsFiled under: ,

Speaking with GameDaily, Gears of War maestro Clff Bleszinski recently discussed the upcoming film adaptation of the mammoth new franchise. While he gives the typical spiel about how much care is going into creating the film and how the screenwriter knows everything about the game (that's what they said about Silent Hill, remember), his comments on the casting prove to be the most interesting. Specifically, CliffyB notes that the man who plays Marcus Fenix should not be someone who is "buff or six foot five," but rather someone who is "charismatic." According to Cliffy, the important part of casting Marcus is that whoever plays him can act. A shocking and innovative idea, we know, but it just might work. Hit the "read" link for the full interview and details on the upcoming movie.

[Via Joystiq. Image credit: ICHB]

JoystiqCliffyB wants charismatic Marcus for Gears movie originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffybepicgears-of-wargowThu, 04 Oct 2007 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CliffyB's top priority for movie Marcus: Charisma]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/04/cliffybs-top-priority-for-movie-marcus-charisma/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/04/cliffybs-top-priority-for-movie-marcus-charisma/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/04/cliffybs-top-priority-for-movie-marcus-charisma/#commentsFiled under: , ,


And no, not Charisma Carpenter, though, yes, that would be an inspired bit of casting. No, the man behind Gears of War said that the film version of Marcus Fenix should be able to light up a room with his charm ... even if it doesn't look like he could lift a Lancer above his head.

"I get a lot of forum posts where Gears fans tell us we need to cast this wrestler as Marcus. I don't give a f**k if the guy's buff or six foot five," CliffyB. told GameDaily BIZ. "What matters most is that this guy is charismatic and he can act and is somebody compelling that you want to watch on screen. The Rock is the rare exception of a wrestler who is that charismatic that he can carry a movie. If they cast four mongoloid wrestlers in Gears and they're just as exciting to watch as paint dry on the screen, nobody's going to go see it."

The Rock, huh? ... Do you hear that? That's the sound of bloggers across the planet Googling screen captures of The Game Plan.

JoystiqCliffyB's top priority for movie Marcus: Charisma originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffybgearsofwarmarcusfenixmoviesXbox-360Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:55:00 EST<![CDATA[BioShock is Cliffy's GOTY]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/bioshock-is-cliffys-goty/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/bioshock-is-cliffys-goty/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/bioshock-is-cliffys-goty/#commentsFiled under:

Cliffy B has been busy busily working up a storm in North Carolina as of late, probably working on a super secret project (ahem, Gears of War 2). But all that busyness doesn't stop him from giving his thoughts on the industry's blockbuster games and giving out his official Cliffy B game of the year honors to none other than BioShock.

Over on CliffyB.com, Mr. Cliff gives his brutally honest yet professional take on BioShock discussing the good (art design, story narration and evil dudes who make you feel bad about yourself) along with the bad (somewhat sloppy telekinesis and annoying bees who don't make honey). Overall though, Cliffy thinks that this Unreal Engine 3 based game deserves game of the year honors for perfecting the blend of gameplay and immersive story that all next gen game should strive for. But then again it's only September and Cliffy has yet to play Halo 3, so we'll see if he retracts his GOTY honors next week. We kid, we kid Cliffy, BioShock is good times and we all know it (ahem, Halo 3).

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqBioShock is Cliffy's GOTY originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2kgamesbioshockcliffybepicepic-gamesMon, 17 Sep 2007 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Cliffy B: BioShock is my game of the year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/cliffy-b-bioshock-is-my-game-of-the-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/cliffy-b-bioshock-is-my-game-of-the-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/cliffy-b-bioshock-is-my-game-of-the-year/#commentsFiled under: ,


You know why people like Cliffy B? No, it's not just the stylish locks and game design skills (though that's part of it, make no mistake). It's his honesty. It's the forthrightness, for example, to call BioShock his Game of the Year in September of a year when he is releasing a game of his own. That's the kind of guy we look up to.

The man behind Gears of War gives a frank, funny take on the game (which was made with Epic's technology) over at his blog. Although he's dumping heaps of praise on the game, Cliffy's also honest enough to admit there are some things he doesn't like, including forcing his enemies to be covered in bees. We're still curious about the GOTY distinction though. Either he's as honest as we think, "Except for My Game" was implied in the award title or, maybe, it's just a subtle hint that Unreal Tournament 3 really, really isn't guaranteed to come out in November.

JoystiqCliffy B: BioShock is my game of the year originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioshockcliffybgearsofwarunrealtournament3Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Cliffy B's adolescent story inspires comedic skit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/06/cliffy-bs-adolescent-story-inspires-comedic-skit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/06/cliffy-bs-adolescent-story-inspires-comedic-skit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/06/cliffy-bs-adolescent-story-inspires-comedic-skit/#commentsFiled under:


We knew Cliffy B liked the spotlight, but we didn't know he also enjoyed comedic improv. The other night, during a DSI Comedy Theatre performance in North Carolina, the improv crew invited Cliffy B on stage to tell of his childhood, his Nintendo roots, and how badass he thought the Nintendo Power Glove was back in the day. As expected, Cliff's storytelling is pretty darn good, but the improv crews' rendition of his story leaves us scratching our heads a little. No matter, it's Cliffy B taking the stage, so be amazed and give the storytelling and improv a watch. Video ever so conveniently embedded above.

[Via Digg]

JoystiqCliffy B's adolescent story inspires comedic skit originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jul 2007 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffy bCliffyBepicepic gamesEpicGamesgears of warGearsOfWarFri, 06 Jul 2007 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Today's most standup video: CliffyB, the comedian]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/06/todays-most-standup-video-cliffyb-the-comedian/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/06/todays-most-standup-video-cliffyb-the-comedian/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/06/todays-most-standup-video-cliffyb-the-comedian/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You know the old saying: game designers always want to be comedians, and comedians always want to be game designers. As part of DSI Comedy Theater, Gears of War creator CliffyB provided humorous anecdotes on his childhood and what drove him to the Nintendo World Championship. The troupe provides performance inspired by CliffyB's stories.

We don't want to spoil any of it, so go on and check it out yourself. Video embedded after the break.

Continue reading Today's most standup video: CliffyB, the comedian

JoystiqToday's most standup video: CliffyB, the comedian originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jul 2007 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffy bCliffyBgears of warGearsOfWarhottest videoHottestVideonintendoFri, 06 Jul 2007 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GoW's new Annex gametype to feature respawning [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/gows-new-annex-gametype-to-feature-respawning/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/gows-new-annex-gametype-to-feature-respawning/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/gows-new-annex-gametype-to-feature-respawning/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yesterday, on Epic's official Gears of War forums, Cliffy B decided to shake things up a little. On the forums there has been a lot of discussion about the addition of the new Annex gametype and how it'll end up working. So, in one of the Annex threads, Cliffy B came to the rescue by stirring the speculation pot and simply posting a one word answer to what Annex will include, "::respawning::". Yup, that's all Cliffy posted, but it is one post that could change how we think of Gears as it pertains to Annex.

So, let's recap. Annex will probably be a territory or land grab based game and will be the only gametype to include a respawn feature. Anyone excited about the twist on traditional Gears gameplay or do you shun Epic and vow to never play Annex ... ever?

Update 1: It's official, Annex details revealed.

JoystiqGoW's new Annex gametype to feature respawning [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffy bCliffyBepicepic gamesEpicGamesgearsgears of warGearsOfWargowWed, 04 Apr 2007 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[CliffyB will executive produce Gears of War film]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/cliffyb-will-executive-producer-gears-of-war-film/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/cliffyb-will-executive-producer-gears-of-war-film/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/cliffyb-will-executive-producer-gears-of-war-film/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Gears of War creator CliffyB will serve as an executive producer to the film adaptation, according to Mark Rein, Vice President of Epic Games. Speaking to Game Invasion at Midway's Gamer Day, Rein also explained that it was Jay Wilbur, the other Epic Game VP, who worked with Creative Artists Agency to negotiate the deal.

Having the creator of the franchise in such a prominent position is sure to satiate purists to the game, but so far we have seen only minimal plot that could not be stretched to a feature length. And CliffyB's production role may not give him too much influence, for better or worse -- after serving as executive producer for the latest film adaptation of his work, Frank Miller has decided to serve as director on his roles from now on.

No director has been announced, but the treatment was done by Stuart Beattie, scribe of Collateral, which bodes well. New Line won the rights to create the film, but we're still hesitant to call it will still come to fruition or fall through the cracks like Halo did.

[Thanks, Frank]

JoystiqCliffyB will executive produce Gears of War film originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliffy bCliffyBepicepic gamesEpicGamesgears of warGearsOfWarmark reinMarkReinnew lineNewLinereinXbox-360Thu, 22 Mar 2007 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Post-release GoW interview with the Bleszinski bros.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/post-release-gow-interview-with-the-bleszinski-bros/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/post-release-gow-interview-with-the-bleszinski-bros/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/post-release-gow-interview-with-the-bleszinski-bros/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're like us, you can never get too much Gears of War coverage or too many Cliffy B interviews. The other day Gearheads of War founder Tyler Bleszinski interviewed his brother Cliff after their recent Friday Night FragFest. Tyler asks some of the typical questions about the Gears universe and the game's success, but gets other information from Cliffy we haven't heard before. Cliffy discusses the cliche sci-fi storyline, delves into what his favorite maps and weapons are (Fuel Depot and the torque bow), but still refuses to confirm a sequel or a time frame for when new content will be released. He's kind of like a clam that just won't open even though we know he's holding a pretty pearl inside. Just crack already! Overall, it's a darn good interview with dashes of brotherly love sprinkled throughout ... check it out.

JoystiqPost-release GoW interview with the Bleszinski bros. originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff BleszinskiCliffBleszinskicliffy bCliffyBepicepic gamesEpicGamesgearsgears of warGearsOfWargowThu, 22 Mar 2007 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Should game designers get celebritized?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/19/should-game-designers-get-celebritized/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/19/should-game-designers-get-celebritized/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/19/should-game-designers-get-celebritized/#commentsFiled under: ,

Quick, name ten famous game designers. OK, now name ten famous movie directors. Which list took you longer? Even if you're a serious gamer, the list of movie directors probably came out quicker. Patrick Dugan helps explain why in an excellent post on the small but growing phenomenon of the celebrity game designer.

While movie studios often sell a movie as the singular vision of a single auteur, games or more often sold as products than statements. With games, "it was far simpler to associate that content with a genre, or better yet, a franchise brand, than it was to associate it with a personality," as Dugan puts it.

Perhaps this is for the best. After all, most modern games are produced by a large group of people, not just a celebrity designer that can serve as a public face for the project. Even this is changing, though, with high profile, independent projects like flOw and Super Columbine Massacre RPG being closely associated with a single designer (Jenova Chen and Danny Ledonne, respectively). In an internet world where anyone can easily make and distribute a game, literally anyone can be a celebrity designer.

Personally, we just hope this growing trend of attention for the people behind the games doesn't grow into outright celebrity worship. The line between respect for a designer's vision and Us Weekly style obsession with everything they do isn't as thick as you might think.

[Via Raph]

JoystiqShould game designers get celebritized? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Mar 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>celbritycelebrityCliffyBdesigndesignerfacepopularitywell-knownMon, 19 Mar 2007 14:00:00 EST