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[Minecraft XBLA was profitable within an hour, broke digital sale records]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/minecraft-xbla-was-profitable-within-an-hour/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/minecraft-xbla-was-profitable-within-an-hour/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/minecraft-xbla-was-profitable-within-an-hour/#comments ImageMinecraft is digging its own grave with its latest release on XBLA -- and by "grave" we mean "lavish, gold-plated throne room with indoor pool and grape-feeding robots." Minecraft was profitable within an hour of its launch on XBLA, developer Markus "Notch" Persson tweeted today. That's on top of Notch's multi-million-dollar PC version.

Based on leaderboard participation numbers, Minecraft sold more than 400,000 copies in 24 hours, Notch said. Minecraft broke digital sales records for the console, selling more than any other XBLA title in its first day, according to Microsoft.

Earlier today, Notch tweeted that he had sales numbers for Minecraft (turns out they were the above leaderboard figures), which sparked a conversation about the inner workings of XBLA developer contracts with Fez's Polytron. Polytron still doesn't know Fez's exact numbers, even though it came out a month ago.

"Standard procedure" according to Polytron is "you find out how much you sold when you get your first check three-four months later." Notch thought getting immediate numbers was standard, but he avoided contract negotiation and doesn't know what it says on the subject, he replied.

Minecraft also gets free updates, "which is something every other developer on the platform is told is simply not an option," Polytron wrote. Notch replied: "We had to fight for that, and we got a limited number of them. Not sure why they don't like it."

We may have discovered Notch's hidden talent and secret to his success: fighting for something in a contract while avoiding contract negotiation, and winning.

Continue reading Minecraft XBLA was profitable within an hour, broke digital sale records

JoystiqMinecraft XBLA was profitable within an hour, broke digital sale records originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contractfezmicrosoftMinecraftmojangnotchpolytronsalesXBLAxboxThu, 10 May 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How the community solved Fez's hardest puzzle]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/how-the-community-solved-fezs-hardest-puzzle/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/how-the-community-solved-fezs-hardest-puzzle/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/how-the-community-solved-fezs-hardest-puzzle/#comments Fez players be forewarned, the following contains spoilers. Stay far, far away if you want to uncover all of Fez's secrets for yourself. With that out of the way, dedicated fans know that collecting cubes is only half of Fez. The other half is solving puzzles, some of which hide their solutions in plain sight, while others taunt players with obtuse, seemingly indecipherable clues.

Continue reading How the community solved Fez's hardest puzzle

JoystiqHow the community solved Fez's hardest puzzle originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityFezmicrosoftpolytronpolytron-corporationxboxxbox-liveXbox-Live-ArcadeFri, 20 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Fez soundtrack now available for purchase, free streaming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/psa-fez-soundtrack-now-available-for-purchase-free-streaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/psa-fez-soundtrack-now-available-for-purchase-free-streaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/psa-fez-soundtrack-now-available-for-purchase-free-streaming/#comments ImageFez keeping you up at night? Do you struggle to sleep as the solutions to puzzles maliciously circle around in your brain, refusing to take shape? You might as well compliment the madness with the full Fez soundtrack. You can now stream the entire album for free, or secure a download for a measly seven bucks.

Composed by Rich Vreeland (A.K.A. Disasterpeace), the soundtrack features 26 deliciously lo-fi tracks. Go ahead and give it a listen. At least then you can convince your friends that it's not just playing in your head.

JoystiqPSA: Fez soundtrack now available for purchase, free streaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disasterpeaceFezmicrosoftmusicpolytronpolytron-corporationrich-vreelandsoundtrackxboxFri, 20 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[FEZ topped XBLA activity charts last week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/fez-topped-xbla-activity-charts-last-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/fez-topped-xbla-activity-charts-last-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/fez-topped-xbla-activity-charts-last-week/#comments Despite being released on a Friday, the long-awaited Fez topped the Xbox Live Arcade activity charts last week. We're just glad that so many people have discovered what we already know: Fez is a pretty good game. Skullgirls and I Am Alive came in second and third on the XBLA charts, respectively.

On the Xbox 360 retail game side, Major Nelson reports that Modern Warfare 3 yet again maintained dominance. It was followed by Black Ops and FIFA 12. If only some company could figure out a way to combine Call of Duty and soccer ... hey, it worked for Mega Man!

Finally, on the Games for Windows Live activity list - we're just kidding. Nobody cares about what's being played on Games for Windows Live.

JoystiqFEZ topped XBLA activity charts last week originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftpolytronxblaxboxxbox-live-activityxbox-live-arcadeWed, 18 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Metareview: Fez]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/15/metareview-fez/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/15/metareview-fez/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/15/metareview-fez/#comments
Fez is already on track to be this year's indie darling among critics, like Braid, Limbo or Super Meat Boy before it. Heck, it received awards before it ever launched. We called Fez "joyful" and entirely worth its protracted development. We aren't alone.
  • Eurogamer (100/100): "It's during this stage that you'll seriously tackle the game's many secrets - all handily marked, but not at all spoiled, on the head-spinning 3D map screen. Think Miyamoto, Kojima or Schafer at their most impish: treasure maps, invisible platforms, secret messages delivered in unexpected ways, puns and tricks of the light."
  • OXM (95/100): "For an experience that could've drowned in an overreliance on using familiar signposts from what's come before it, Fez succeeds in celebrating the past in a smart, joyous way that has us incredibly excited for gaming's future."
  • Edge (90/100): "Draw lines between distant landmarks; forge connections that reveal the logic of a set piece; untangle the story in short, gleeful bursts. The route you pick through Polytron's floating world is nearly impossible to verbalise, while its puzzles resolve themselves in your mind unexpectedly, in clear, wordless chunks. There's really no language to cover many of the things you get up to in Fez. For a videogame in 2012, that may be the ultimate endorsement."
  • Gamespot (80/100): "Fez goes far deeper than the simple platformer it initially appears as, and figuring out the solutions to the many puzzles is an experience that harks back to a time when games weren't scared of taking off the leash and letting you run wild. Invest time in Fez's colorful world, and enjoy the wealth of incredible ideas buried within. "

JoystiqMetareview: Fez originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FezMetareviewmetareviewsmicrosoftpolytronpolytron-corporationxboxSun, 15 Apr 2012 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez devs aware of 'nasty' bugs, working with Microsoft to resolve]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/14/fez-devs-aware-of-nasty-bugs-working-with-microsoft-to-resolv/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/14/fez-devs-aware-of-nasty-bugs-working-with-microsoft-to-resolv/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/14/fez-devs-aware-of-nasty-bugs-working-with-microsoft-to-resolv/#comments ImageFez programmer Renaud Bedard notes "twenty thousand people" have played the game in the past 24 hours, more than have in its five years of development, adding: "So, as it happens, bugs popped up. Some pretty serious."

Bedard mentions that a "small subset" of older Xboxen with smaller hard drives can't run the game. He also notes the game has problems running off a USB stick and that in a "rare situation" - by exiting the game from the "wall village" interiors - a save file can corrupt. He admits it's "nasty stuff."

"We will be working internally and with Microsoft on those issues and let you know more later. It makes sense to issue a patch, but we don't currently have an ETA on it."

Those experiencing "game-breaking problems" should let Polytronic know by email.

"Sorry, and thanks for understanding!" He concludes, "And we're thrilled to see that the vast majority of you are enjoying the game as it was meant to be."

JoystiqFez devs aware of 'nasty' bugs, working with Microsoft to resolve originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftpolytronpolytron-corporationxboxSat, 14 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Fez finally for really real available to buy and play and everything]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/fez-out-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/fez-out-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/fez-out-now/#comments
Ready to get your Z-axis adventures on, all the while wearing an adorable (and potentially magical) hat? Polytron's Fez is finally (finally) available for you to do just that via Xbox Live Arcade. Better yet? It's just $10!

But you haven't heard of Fez, you say? Well, frankly, that's kinda weird. We're saying we think you're kinda weird. If that is the case, however, there's a brand new launch trailer for Fez just above so you can learn all about it. Oh, and hey, we think it's pretty great, in case that wasn't already clear.

JoystiqPSA: Fez finally for really real available to buy and play and everything originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftphil-fishpolytronpolytron-corporationpsapublic-service-announcementrelease-datexblaxboxxbox-live-arcadeFri, 13 Apr 2012 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez review: Hats off]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/fez-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/fez-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/fez-review/#comments
Image
Whenever a game is hyped to stratospheric proportions, many times over a course of years, it enters a volatile realm of public reception.

When a game has won numerous awards before its launch, is one half of an industry documentary, and is developed by an outspoken, opinionated man, it resides in a universe of its own and players are relegated to describe it in one of two ways: with blazing praise or incendiary criticism.

Fez is on fire, and it burns with a brilliant, red-hot, yellow-tasseled flame.

Continue reading Fez review: Hats off

JoystiqFez review: Hats off originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FezHatmicrosoftphil-fishpolytronRenaud-Bedardtrixelsxblaxboxxbox-liveThu, 12 Apr 2012 16:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie Game: The Movie heads to NYC on May 17]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/indie-game-the-movie-heads-to-nyc-on-may-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/indie-game-the-movie-heads-to-nyc-on-may-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/indie-game-the-movie-heads-to-nyc-on-may-17/#comments We've already seen the maximum thrills version of Indie Game: The Movie. Next month, you'll get a chance to sit down and soak in the more serious, real-life version of the film -- if you live in or around New York, that is.

On May 17, Indie Game: The Movie will have two screenings in New York City: a 7:30pm showing and a 9:45pm showing, both at the IFC Center. Filmmakers Lisanne Pajot and James Swirsky will also be in attendance and plan on conducting a post-screening Q&A session with attendees. Tickets are available for purchase right now.

JoystiqIndie Game: The Movie heads to NYC on May 17 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezindie-game-the-movienycTue, 10 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Listen to the Fez soundtrack now for 3 dimensions of audible awesome]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/listen-to-the-fez-soundtrack-now-for-3-dimensions-of-audible-awe/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/listen-to-the-fez-soundtrack-now-for-3-dimensions-of-audible-awe/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/listen-to-the-fez-soundtrack-now-for-3-dimensions-of-audible-awe/#comments ImageFez is officially and finally coming out on Friday, April 13, but half of the highly anticipated experience is available now: The Fez soundtrack from Disasterpeace is available in its entirety via Spotify right now, or for pre-order and sampling on Bandcamp.

Before anyone says, "Wutevs not every1 has been waiting 4 Fez for 5 yrs STFU u guise," the soundtrack is currently number one on Bandcamp, so it's not completely off the mainstream radar. Personally, we've been listening to the soundtrack all day and already we feel more well-rounded.

JoystiqListen to the Fez soundtrack now for 3 dimensions of audible awesome originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BandCampFezmicrosoftphil-fishpolytronsoundtrackspotifyxboxTue, 10 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez hits XBLA on April 13 for 800 MSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/fez-hits-xbla-on-april-13-for-800-msp/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/fez-hits-xbla-on-april-13-for-800-msp/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/fez-hits-xbla-on-april-13-for-800-msp/#comments Xbox Live Arcade finally becomes a glorified Fez dispenser on Friday, April 13th. Polytron just blasted out the release date and ten-dollar price point for its perplexing play on perspective -- and we've decided that we now want all such announcements embedded inside exuberant and weirdly hypnotic graphics.

The game's lengthy development time and subsequent trials in Microsoft certification have been dominant talking points until now, and they're joined by an unusual Friday launch date on Xbox Live Arcade. If you want to learn more about the man behind Fez, be sure to read about our afternoon spent with one Phil Fish.

JoystiqFez hits XBLA on April 13 for 800 MSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftphil-fishpolytronrelease-datexblaxboxWed, 28 Mar 2012 20:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Gain some perspective with this new Fez trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/gain-some-perspective-with-this-new-fez-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/gain-some-perspective-with-this-new-fez-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/gain-some-perspective-with-this-new-fez-trailer/#comments
Fez's concept of 2D platforming in a 3D space sounds simple on paper, but you have to see its execution in motion to really, really wrap your head around it. Thankfully, we've got six minutes of said motion after the break.

JoystiqGain some perspective with this new Fez trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezgameplaymicrosoftpolytronpolytron-corporationxboxWed, 14 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fezes are cool: An afternoon with Phil Fish]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/fezes-are-cool-an-afternoon-with-phil-fish/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/fezes-are-cool-an-afternoon-with-phil-fish/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/fezes-are-cool-an-afternoon-with-phil-fish/#comments Amidst the gridlocked, city-wide pandemonium that is SXSW Interactive, I was able to rescue Fez's lead designer and artist Phil Fish from a pack of ravenous, business-card waving fans long enough for an interview. We set up at the quiet end of the Palmer Events Center's glass-lined second floor, standing at a chest high, sidewalk cafe-esque table overlooking Zilker Park. It had been raining for two days straight, but that morning the clouds had parted and festival attendees were treated to one of the few gorgeous spring afternoons Texas will get this year.

Fez has missed its most recently announced release window of Q1 2012, but the fact that the game is undergoing Microsoft certification means that it'll be out relatively soon. "We almost made it to Q1," Fish said. "We entered certification like two weeks ago, but we actually just failed it, which is kinda standard. Pretty much everybody fails their first cert."

Microsoft has a two-month window in which it can release Fez once it has gone gold, and Fish wants to make sure it happens as quickly as possible. "We're trying to put pressure on them to release it as soon as possible because the zeitgeist is really good right now, with the movie starting to get a lot of play and the award. And, also, it's been five years. I don't want to wait another two months after that."

Continue reading Fezes are cool: An afternoon with Phil Fish

JoystiqFezes are cool: An afternoon with Phil Fish originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FezIGFigf-2012indie-game-the-movieKickstarterLisanne-PajotmicrosoftPhil-FishPolytronpolytron-corporationsummer-of-arcadeSXSW-2012XBLAxboxTue, 13 Mar 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Phil Fish's next game won't be on XBLA, might be Kickstarter'd]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/phil-fishs-next-game-wont-be-on-xbla-might-be-kickstarterd/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/phil-fishs-next-game-wont-be-on-xbla-might-be-kickstarterd/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/phil-fishs-next-game-wont-be-on-xbla-might-be-kickstarterd/#comments Fez may just now be undergoing the certification process at Microsoft, but that doesn't mean designer Phil Fish is resting on his laurels. Quite the contrary, in fact; Fish's next project is already in its formative stages, and he's so anxious to begin work that he may use Kickstarter to fund it. Whatever that project might be, however, it won't be an XBLA game.

"Well, our next project is going to be not for XBLA," Fish told us during SXSW Interactive, in response to a question regarding Fez's limited XBLA exclusivity, and the possibility of a similar arrangement for his next title. "I think it's unfortunate that Microsoft works that way, but like I said [during the panel] we gave them what they wanted and they've been backing us up the whole time. I'm sure you've heard many horror stories of people working with XBLA; they've been nothing but understanding and supporting of us this whole entire time."

It's been three months since Fish's work on Fez ended; the game is still being debugged by other members of the team, but in his capacity as a designer he's finished. He hasn't quite known what to do with himself in the interim, and that restlessness has lead him and his team to heavily consider Kickstarter for their next project.

"It's going to take a while before we get money from Microsoft, and I want to get started on this project that I'm making with a couple people, a larger team than just me and another guy," Fish said. "We wouldn't need much and we wouldn't ask for much, but I assume we'll get more than we ask for, having just won the grand prize and Fez about to come out."

The campaign wouldn't start until after the release of Fez, which Fish is concerned about: "I'm afraid people might take [the Kickstarter] the wrong way. Like, 'Why do you need a Kickstarter, you just made Fez?' Yeah, but it takes five months before we get paid, maybe, it's totally variable, but at least three months. The best case scenario is we get paid three months after the release. I don't want to wait three months."

JoystiqPhil Fish's next game won't be on XBLA, might be Kickstarter'd originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FezKickstarterPhil-Fishpolytronpolytron-corporationSXSW-2012XBLAMon, 12 Mar 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez wins 2012 IGF 'Seumas McNally Grand Prize']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/fez-wins-2012-igf-seumas-mcnally-grand-prize/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/fez-wins-2012-igf-seumas-mcnally-grand-prize/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/fez-wins-2012-igf-seumas-mcnally-grand-prize/#comments The dust has settled and only one independently developed title is left standing. Seconds ago Fez was announced as the winner of the 'Seumas McNally Grand Prize' at the 14th annual Independent Games Festival Awards.

This is the second IGF award for the Polytron-developed title. In 2008, Fez took home the IGF award for excellence in art. After nearly five years of development, Fez is undergoing certification for release on Xbox Live Arcade.

JoystiqFez wins 2012 IGF 'Seumas McNally Grand Prize' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezgdc-2012igf-2012independent-games-festivalmicrosoftxboxWed, 07 Mar 2012 22:22:00 EST<![CDATA[One reason Fez has taken five years to make, has already won awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/one-reason-fez-has-taken-five-years-to-make-has-already-won-awa/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/one-reason-fez-has-taken-five-years-to-make-has-already-won-awa/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/one-reason-fez-has-taken-five-years-to-make-has-already-won-awa/#comments Seeing Fez's technical postmortem directly before a screening of Indie Game: The Movie offered a jilted experience, one from developer Renaud Bedard, who presents the game's pitfalls in its most practical terms, and the other from a dramatic 15-foot projection of Phil Fish's muttonchops, who assure us that re-re-creating Fez was and continues to be a truly personal, life-altering experience.

Fez has been in development for almost five years and is now officially undergoing Microsoft certification -- the most the public (or press) has played is in demo form, yet Fez has been widely anticipated since its IGF win in 2008, a scenario that Indie Game: The Movie explores on a deeply human level. Bedard explains it in more technical terms. Way more technical terms.

Bedard and Fish created their own editor for Fez, called the Fezzer, and designed what they deemed "trixels," blocks like voxels but at 16x16x16, or as Bedard described it, four 2D views creating one 3D world. Instead of a standard 2D tile set, Bedard built 3D "triles" -- 302 of them -- in 17 trile sets. Fez will have 157 isolated levels, and these triles make up all of them.

Fez stars Gomez, a 2D character wandering a 3D world, and it also features a 4D character, Dot the tesseract. Dot is a 4D hypercube fairy that Bedard created using faux 4D to 3D projections with 96 vertices and 144 triangles, lending her the feeling that she knows more about the Fez universe as a whole, which she does.

Both Bedard and on-screen Fish agree that Fez has been a long time coming.

"The fact that Fez was such a long project means that we kept upgrading," Bedard said. "Fez is our first game, our first project. It's hard to manage the fact that you want the game to be perfect."

JoystiqOne reason Fez has taken five years to make, has already won awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezgdc-2012microsoftphil-fishpostmortemReanud-Bedardtechnicaltechnical-postmortemxboxTue, 06 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez hits XBLA on May 2 [Update: Nope!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/26/fez-hits-xbla-on-may-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/26/fez-hits-xbla-on-may-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/26/fez-hits-xbla-on-may-2/#comments Update: Turns out the date Microsoft has listed for Fez is completely wrong. Polytron's Phil Fish has informed us that Fez has no set release date, that the May 2, 2012 date listed on the Xbox Live Marketplace is incorrect, and that the game hasn't even been certified by Microsoft. We sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding and have reached out to Microsoft for comment.

It's been a long time coming, but it looks like the wait for Polytron's Fez is finally nearing its end. The adorable pixel art indie darling will arrive on May 2, according to the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Originally slated to launch in 2009, Fez's development has been characterized by repeated delays, as well as accolades from the indie-gaming community. It is also one of the titles featured in Indie Game: The Movie, which is an official selection at this year's SXSW Film festival. Here's hoping the game can download in less time than it took to develop.

[Thanks, Freakservo!]

JoystiqFez hits XBLA on May 2 [Update: Nope!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftpolytronrelease-dateXBLAxboxSun, 26 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[IGF 2012 Audience Award voting now open]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/igf-2012-audience-award-voting-now-open/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/igf-2012-audience-award-voting-now-open/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/igf-2012-audience-award-voting-now-open/#comments Despite being into awards shows before they were cool, we're hoping you're not above voting for this year's Independent Game Festival "Audience Award." Voting has just kicked off for 2012's entrants, which comprise all finalist games across all IGF 2012 categories (yes, the list once again includes Fez).

Should you choose to cast your favor towards any particular game, you'll want to head to this particularly yellow form and fill things out before February 19. Once you've done as much, we're told a verification email will come through to make sure you're not an evil robot. If you are, in fact, not an evil robot, things should go swimmingly.

JoystiqIGF 2012 Audience Award voting now open originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidaudience-awardFezgdcgdc-2012igfigf-2012independent-games-festivalindependent-games-festival-2012iosipadiphonemacmicrosoftmobilemovepcplaystationps3xboxMon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It's getting there: Fez rated by ESRB]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/its-getting-there-fez-rated-by-esrb/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/its-getting-there-fez-rated-by-esrb/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/its-getting-there-fez-rated-by-esrb/#comments Phil Fish's Fez contractions continue, with the game finally being rated by the ESRB. It was also rated by Europe's PEGI board in December, but has yet to hit the Australian boards. So, expect labor to last for a little while longer.

The long-in-development (yet award-winning) game now has a release window of "early 2012." If you order cigars from Cuba for the birth, feel free to go with the cheap shipping option.

JoystiqIt's getting there: Fez rated by ESRB originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ESRBFezmicrosoftPolytronxboxMon, 30 Jan 2012 18:35:00 EST<![CDATA['Everything's happening now:' Indie Game: The Movie at Sundance]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/everythings-happening-now-indie-game-the-movie-at-sundance/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/everythings-happening-now-indie-game-the-movie-at-sundance/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/everythings-happening-now-indie-game-the-movie-at-sundance/#comments In many ways, documentaries are not truly tools for documenting events. Instead, many documentaries choose to delve into the minds of their subjects, presenting not documentation, but something else entirely -- an up-close trip into the human psyche.

During one such moment from Indie Game: The Movie, which I caught at a screening at the Sundance film festival, game designer Phil Fish states that if he couldn't finish his long-awaited game Fez, he would commit suicide. The camera remains on him for an awkward moment, and the line draws a number of uncomfortable chuckles from the audience. He seems to rethink his outrageous statement and then states once more: "I will kill myself."

This attitude for the most part represents the majority of the film. Focusing primarily on the development and production of Fez and Super Meat Boy, Indie Game is really the story of obsessed developers pouring their insecurities and hearts and souls into a game, without leaving much, if anything, for themselves.

Gallery: Indie Game: The Movie

Continue reading 'Everything's happening now:' Indie Game: The Movie at Sundance

Joystiq'Everything's happening now:' Indie Game: The Movie at Sundance originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>braidedmund-mcmillenFezindie-game-the-moviejames-swirskyjon-blowjonathan-blowlisanne-pajotsundance-film-festivalsundance-film-festival-2012super-meat-boyteam-meattommy-refenesMon, 30 Jan 2012 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie Game: The Movie premieres tomorrow at Sundance, here's a Fish]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/indie-game-the-movie-premieres-tomorrow-at-sundance-heres-a-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/indie-game-the-movie-premieres-tomorrow-at-sundance-heres-a-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/indie-game-the-movie-premieres-tomorrow-at-sundance-heres-a-f/#comments

Indie Game: The Movie is preparing for its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, which begins tomorrow in Park City, Utah, and runs through the 29th. Indie Game: The Movie has five screenings at Sundance, and it's offering a glimpse at developer Phil Fish's own premiere of Fez right here.

JoystiqIndie Game: The Movie premieres tomorrow at Sundance, here's a Fish originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezindie-game-the-moviephil-fishsundanceWed, 18 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez rated in Europe, the four-year wait is almost over]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/fez-rated-in-europe-the-four-year-wait-is-almost-over/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/fez-rated-in-europe-the-four-year-wait-is-almost-over/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/fez-rated-in-europe-the-four-year-wait-is-almost-over/#comments Fez is finally showing signs of imminent birth, with this being the equivalent of "water breaking," as Europe's PEGI board recently classified the game for Xbox Live. XBLAfans took note of the rating, a step which has yet to occur with the Australian Board or the States' ESRB.

The unreleased -- yet award-winning -- game currently has a release window of "early 2012." Now, if we all eat our vegetables and wash behind our ears every night, that launch window may actually stick.

JoystiqFez rated in Europe, the four-year wait is almost over originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>europeFezmicrosoftpegiphil-fishpolytronxboxThu, 29 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie Game: The Movie showing at SXSW, creators hosting panel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/indie-game-the-movie-showing-at-sxsw-creators-hosting-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/indie-game-the-movie-showing-at-sxsw-creators-hosting-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/indie-game-the-movie-showing-at-sxsw-creators-hosting-panel/#comments Can't make it out to the Sundance film festival to check out the world premiere of the crowdsource-funded documentary Indie Game: The Movie? There's no need to worry, assuming you can score passes to SXSW instead; the film will have a showing at the SXSW ScreenBurn Arcade (March 9 - 11) and SXSW Film (March 9 - 17) next year (clap, clap, clap, clap) deep in the heart of Austin, Texas.

The conference will also host a panel presented by IG:TM creators James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot, along with Phil Fish, the creator of Fez, one of the titular indie games. The whole thing is so full-circular, we might just faint.

JoystiqIndie Game: The Movie showing at SXSW, creators hosting panel originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>documentaryFezfilmindieindie-game-the-moviemicrosoftmoviepcplaystationps3sxswsxsw-2012sxsw-screenburn-arcadexboxFri, 16 Dec 2011 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez, Johann Sebastian Joust win at the IndieCade 2011 awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/fez-johann-sebastian-joust-win-at-the-indiecade-2011-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/fez-johann-sebastian-joust-win-at-the-indiecade-2011-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/fez-johann-sebastian-joust-win-at-the-indiecade-2011-awards/#comments The 2011 IndieCade Awards were held in Santa Monica last evening and, in a pretty informal event, Phil Fish's Fez came away with the biggest wins of the night. It received two awards, one for Story/World Design, and the second for the Best in Show prize. Johann Sebastian Joust, a physical game that challenges players to hold PlayStation Move controllers still while getting audio feedback in musical form, also picked up two awards: one for Best Technology, and another award for Impact on the community.

Tom Sennett's manic Deepak Fights Robots won the award for best Gameplay Design, Superbrothers' Sword and Sworcery EP picked up the award for Visuals, and Proteus, in which players are offered up a musical environment to explore, won for best Sound. Interaction went to German physical game Ordnungswissenschaft, and the Special Recognition award went to side-scrolling puzzler platformer The Swapper.

The ceremony itself was short but wacky. Presenters like Samm Levine and Martin Starr (of TV's "Freaks and Geeks"), as well as web video stars Team Unicorn and Sandeep Parikh, cracked sometimes awkward jokes, while the indie developers themselves acted (unsurprisingly) indie. Joust's team used one of their awards speeches to silently demo the game, and Tom Sennett took the stage to simply announce, "I'm Tom Sennett, and I don't give a fuck!" Fish himself (above) laughed maniacally after winning his second award, and then joked that he thought the Canadian Sword and Sworcery team was going to win. "Take that, Toronto!" he joked.

We'll be at IndieCade over the rest of the weekend, so stay tuned for more coverage.

JoystiqFez, Johann Sebastian Joust win at the IndieCade 2011 awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardsfezindiecadeindiecade-2011johann-sebastian-joustjoustmobilepcphysical-gamesplaystationps3sword-and-sworcery-epwinnersFri, 07 Oct 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez delayed (again) to early 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/fez-delayed-again-to-early-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/fez-delayed-again-to-early-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/fez-delayed-again-to-early-2012/#comments Another Fez tease, another delay. Fez creator Phil Fish has posted this video on Vimeo, a "long screenshot" showing off one of the game's intriguing 3D environments. As with everything else we've seen of the game, it looks pretty amazing, combining great colors and design work with the 2D/3D ...

Wait, what? Oh crap. Fish just tweeted, buried in between parentheses of what we can only assume to be shame, that the game's been delayed yet again. It won't be out until at least 2012. So don't enjoy that video too much -- we're not sure if we can stand the wait that much longer.

JoystiqFez delayed (again) to early 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>datedelayearly-2012Fezmicrosoftpcphil-fishxboxThu, 29 Sep 2011 19:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez was inspired by Ico's minimalism and 'lonely isolation']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/fez-was-inspired-by-icos-minimalism-and-lonely-isolation/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/fez-was-inspired-by-icos-minimalism-and-lonely-isolation/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/fez-was-inspired-by-icos-minimalism-and-lonely-isolation/#comments Polytron's Fez has been such a long time coming, designer Phil Fish explained at Fantastic Arcade this weekend (where Fez won the above Audience Choice award), because "we've had no points of reference for what our 2D/3D 'moment to moment' play is." While there are other games that involve moving from 2D into 3D space, like Echochrome and Crush, they "don't work like Fez at all," he said.

As Fish has worked to figure out how Fez does work, he's removed a lot of features from the game that he began to see as cruft. "There used to be a billion different things in Fez that didn't have to do with the core mechanic of rotation," Fish said. "We used to have the concept of weight: objects had different weights; if a vase was empty you could fill it with water to trigger a switch ... It was nothing to do with flipping between 2D and 3D."

Other lost concepts included health, which Fish resisted removing at first simply because he liked the classic look of a heart meter on the screen. But it wasn't necessary in a game with no enemies. Both the "design by subtraction" mindset and the lack of enemies are inspired by Ico, he said. Fumito Ueda's game design philosophy informed his, as did Ico's "nostalgic, lonely isolation." He also cites Mario, Zelda, and Myst games as inspirations.

JoystiqFez was inspired by Ico's minimalism and 'lonely isolation' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftphil-fishpolytronxblaxboxWed, 28 Sep 2011 15:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Indiecade 2011 finalists announced, include Fez, Skulls of the Shogun and Sword and Sworcery]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/indiecade-2011-finalists-announced-include-fez-skulls-of-the-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/indiecade-2011-finalists-announced-include-fez-skulls-of-the-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/indiecade-2011-finalists-announced-include-fez-skulls-of-the-s/#comments Fez is an IndieCade 2011 finalist. The IndieCade Festival has announced its list of finalists for next month's event in Culver City, California, and it's going to be a packed house. There are no fewer than 36 indie titles on the list. From bigger profile titles like Bit.Trip Flux, Fez, and the XBLA-bound Skulls of the Shogun to smaller affairs like the great Desktop Dungeons and the five-year-old powered Sissy's Magical Ponycorn Adventure, the festival's games run the gamut.

There will be developers from all over the world at the event, and all of the finalist games will be playable at the festival on October 8-9, with the last 10 awards being passed out at a Red Carpet Awards ceremony on October 6.

The finalists were chosen from 446 submissions to the festival by group of 100 jurors. Past IndieCade finalists have found lots of success, either as downloadable titles on PC, or even indie releases on XBLA or PSN. And with the quality in this year's list, that trend will likely continue.

Continue reading Indiecade 2011 finalists announced, include Fez, Skulls of the Shogun and Sword and Sworcery

JoystiqIndiecade 2011 finalists announced, include Fez, Skulls of the Shogun and Sword and Sworcery originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardsfezfinalistsindiecade-2011indiecade2011microsoftmobilepcplaystationps3skulls-of-the-shogunxboxThu, 15 Sep 2011 20:55:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 10 says these are the best indie games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/09/pax-10-says-these-are-the-best-indie-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/09/pax-10-says-these-are-the-best-indie-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/09/pax-10-says-these-are-the-best-indie-games/#comments The top 10 indie games in the entire world have been selected as this year's PAX 10, each of them winning some free booth space at PAX Prime from August 26-28 in Washington. Chosen as the "best in gameplay, originality and overall fun-factor," winners include Atom Zombie Smasher, Jamestown, Fez and seven others you're probably not cool enough to have heard of.

Find out who won (and by process of elimination, who lost) according to the press release after the jump.

Continue reading PAX 10 says these are the best indie games

JoystiqPAX 10 says these are the best indie games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Jul 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antichamberatom-zombie-smasherFezIndiemicrosoftmobilePAX-10PAX-PrimePAX-Prime-2011pcxboxSat, 09 Jul 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez on WiiWare not 'worth our time and effort,' dev says]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/30/fez-on-wiiware-not-worth-our-time-and-effort-dev-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/30/fez-on-wiiware-not-worth-our-time-and-effort-dev-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/30/fez-on-wiiware-not-worth-our-time-and-effort-dev-says/#comments It's pretty likely that Fez won't be gracing WiiWare, judging from some not-so-nice things one of the developers had to say regarding Nintendo's platform. Phil Fish, the game's co-creator, told Destructoid back at PAX East that "WiiWare just wouldn't be worth our time and effort," and described it as "a dismal system" that he avoids as both a consumer and a developer. "No demos? F*ck off," he concluded. Of course, there are demos on WiiWare now, but for years that wasn't the case.

When questioned on the possibility of 3DS, Fish commented that anything he'd produce would have to be a different game entirely -- kinda like Super Hypercube, his stereoscopic 3D game. It's hardly a confirmation, but we're fairly certain the man doesn't go around winking and nudging people, willy-nilly. That'd be weird!

JoystiqFez on WiiWare not 'worth our time and effort,' dev says originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdsFeznintendopolytron-corporationwiiwiiwareWed, 30 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Indies react: PAX East as a showcase for small studios]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/indies-react-pax-east-as-a-showcase-for-small-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/indies-react-pax-east-as-a-showcase-for-small-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/indies-react-pax-east-as-a-showcase-for-small-studios/#comments Like so many PAX shows before it, this year's PAX East showcased a ton of indie games -- the gaming equivalent of a Williamsburg dubstep show, if you will. In our experience at this year's event, larger industry players like EA and Bethesda showed off their titles with hired hands and private theater viewings, choosing to exhibit older demos rather than new content.

The indies and smaller studios, on the other hand, were out in force. Beyond bringing playable versions of their games to the show -- even Fez was playable, for the first time in several years of development -- the indie studios brought themselves. They continued the tradition of directly engaging with attendees and, often, solicited game-testing feedback on the fly.

"I approached PAX East as a three-day playtest session. I learned so much about what works and what doesn't just from standing in the back and observing how people played the game," Fez co-developer Phil Fish told Joystiq. "It's also an amazing morale boost to be told by so many people that your game is great."

Continue reading Indies react: PAX East as a showcase for small studios

JoystiqIndies react: PAX East as a showcase for small studios originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>albert-reedalex-schwartzbastiondemiurge-studioseitan-glinertfallen-frontierFezfire-hose-gamesgreg-kasavinmacmichael-wilfordmichel-bastienmicrosoftmobilemoonshot-gamespax-eastpax-east-2011pcphil-fishplaystationpolytron-corporationps3robert-khooshoot-many-robotsslam-bolt-scrapperssmuggle-trucksupergiant-gamesthe-gunstringertwisted-pixelxboxTue, 22 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez footage is positively magical]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/fez-footage-is-positively-magical/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/fez-footage-is-positively-magical/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/fez-footage-is-positively-magical/#comments After the break you will find nearly six minutes of gameplay footage from Fez. It looks, in short, pretty magical. We suggest you watch it as often as possible. You could start right now. That would be a good choice.

Continue reading Fez footage is positively magical

JoystiqFez footage is positively magical originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftpolytronpolytron-corporationxblaxboxxbox-liveWed, 16 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez preview: It's the little things]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/fez-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/fez-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/fez-preview/#comments Fez is not just a platformer. Nor is it just a puzzle-platformer. Fez is an experience. A crazy experience that's clearly the product of some eccentric and passionate game developers -- two, in fact, who are all that comprise Polytron Corporation, the game's Montreal-based developer.

Fez is what happens when you mix fancy, high-end modern consoles with 16-bit-era graphics, and put two guys with very serious detail obsession in control. In short, Fez is very, very impressive.

Continue reading Fez preview: It's the little things

JoystiqFez preview: It's the little things originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftpax-east-2011phil-fishpolytronpolytron-corporationtrapdoorxblaxboxMon, 14 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez being co-published by Trapdoor]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/13/fez-being-co-published-by-trapdoor/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/13/fez-being-co-published-by-trapdoor/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/13/fez-being-co-published-by-trapdoor/#comments Before jumping around Villageville with Gomez in Polytron's Fez at PAX East, we couldn't help but notice a bright logo for relatively unknown developer Trapdoor. This might not be so strange if it weren't for the fact that Trapdoor itself isn't a game publisher -- and its own XBLA/PSN/Steam game Warp is being published with EA Partners.

When asked about the surprise splash screen, Trapdoor founder Ken Schachter explained it by saying, "We should be issuing a press release this week, but the gist of it is that we're going to be announcing that we're co-publishing Fez."

That said, given Trapdoor's ability to co-publish Fez, we wondered why the studio isn't publishing its own game, Warp. "We met with a bunch of publishers, and we weighed a bunch of options, but at the end of the day we were really impressed with the team at EA, and with what they had to bring to the table," Schachter told us. He further explained, "Basically, with regards to EA Partners, they've been really great about letting us be and focus on the creative part. And really just work on our game, and retain ownership of our IP. And they have a world class business, marketing, and PR team. And that's really the best of both worlds."

As previously announced, Warp is expected to launch this summer, while Fez should arrive at some point later this year.

JoystiqFez being co-published by Trapdoor originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Mar 2011 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-partnerselectronic-artsFezken-schachtermicrosoftpax-eastpax-east-2011polytronpolytron-corporationtrapdoorxblaxboxSun, 13 Mar 2011 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez playable at PAX East, visible in this trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/11/fez-playable-at-pax-east-visible-in-this-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/11/fez-playable-at-pax-east-visible-in-this-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/11/fez-playable-at-pax-east-visible-in-this-trailer/#comments If you're at PAX East this weekend, you'll finally get the opportunity to play Polytron's perspective-shifting XBLA platformer, Fez, in booth 1118. We're guessing there's going to be a line. But even if you don't get to play it, you can enjoy a new trailer released for the occasion.

Continue reading Fez playable at PAX East, visible in this trailer

JoystiqFez playable at PAX East, visible in this trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftpax-east-2011polytronxboxFri, 11 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez: The first two and a half minutes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/fez-the-first-two-and-a-half-minutes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/fez-the-first-two-and-a-half-minutes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/fez-the-first-two-and-a-half-minutes/#comments At a time when many are wearing Santa hats, Polytron Corporation would like us to pause a moment (two and a half minutes, actually) to consider the fez. Actually: Fez, proper noun. The developer has released a video of the opening to its anticipated indie game as a holiday surprise. Swell, right?

Continue reading Fez: The first two and a half minutes

JoystiqFez: The first two and a half minutes originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezindiemicrosoftpolytron-corporationxblaxboxFri, 17 Dec 2010 21:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez shows off gameplay, still in development]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/02/fez-shows-off-gameplay-still-in-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/02/fez-shows-off-gameplay-still-in-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/02/fez-shows-off-gameplay-still-in-development/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Hey, remember Fez, the little mind- and dimension-twisting indie platformer that was due out in 2009 2010 sometime in the future? Apparently that's still true -- developer Phil Fish has shared a brand new gameplay video on Twitter today, and you can watch it right after the break. The lead character's name is Gomez, according to the video's description, and the game will take him "a voyage of discovery into the mysterious 3rd dimension." Sounds fun, but when's it out?

Fish doesn't say that, but he does confirm that the game "does indeed appear not to be an elaborate prank." Cute. Normally we wouldn't allow ourselves to be strung along like this on so little information, but this video has changed our perspective just enough for us to stay patient for this one a little longer. Weird how that works.

Continue reading Fez shows off gameplay, still in development

JoystiqFez shows off gameplay, still in development originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developerfezmicrosoftphil-fishpolytron-corporationxboxSat, 02 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie devs incorporate 'Edge' into titles to lure out Tim Langdell]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/indie-devs-incorporate-edge-into-titles-to-lure-out-tim-langde/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/indie-devs-incorporate-edge-into-titles-to-lure-out-tim-langde/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/indie-devs-incorporate-edge-into-titles-to-lure-out-tim-langde/#comments Indie developers are having a little fun at the expense of trademark troll Tim Langdell. As TouchArcade reports, several devs have created mock games to get under the skin of the abusive IP bugaboo, who pops up like a rabid prairie dog when a company uses the word "edge" in a video game. In response to Langdell's attack on Killer Edge Racing, several indie devs have jokingly renamed their games. Fez is now Fedge and Critter Crunch has vomited out Critter Credge.

In their posts on the name changes, the developers use the word "edge" as many times as is edgeingly possible to edge in there with edginess. Inspired by Langdell, we are currently discussing with our attorneys if we can trademark the words "war," "warfare," ... oh wait, "Mario," yes! That's where the infringement bucks really are.

JoystiqIndie devs incorporate 'Edge' into titles to lure out Tim Langdell originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleCapyCapybara-Gamescritter-crunchedgeelissfezindieiPodPuzzletim-langdellThu, 12 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Austin GDC 2009: Phil Fish offers first public demo of Fez]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/15/austin-gdc-2009-phil-fish-offers-first-public-demo-of-fez/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/15/austin-gdc-2009-phil-fish-offers-first-public-demo-of-fez/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/15/austin-gdc-2009-phil-fish-offers-first-public-demo-of-fez/#commentsCapping off the "The New Indie Hotness" panel at Austin GDC, Polytron's Phil Fish played an early version of the multidimensional XBLA platformer, Fez, for the audience. Though there were a few issues related to the pre-release state of the game -- specifically, Fish claimed that some platforms were disappearing -- we saw enough to know that this is something to continue following!

Fez plays sort of like Super Paper Mario, but with more of an emphasis on optical illusions. It appears as a 2D sidescrolling platformer most of the time, but at any time the player can rotate the entire world 90 degrees along a vertical axis. This allows the player to use optical illusions to navigate the game world. For example, Fish climbed a ladder up the side of one platform, and then rotated the world to reveal another identical platform several yards away. By rotating again, the perspective shifted such that it looked like the ladder was connected to the second platform -- and so it was, and Fish emerged atop the once-distant platform.

In another example, Fish tossed a bomb onto a moving platform to expose the entrance to a cave. He walked to the entrance, and then rotated the world 180 degrees to reveal the other side of the rock structure into which the cave had been cut, granting him immediate access to the other side.

When Fish paused, we noticed a "leaderboards" item in the pause menu. We don't know as yet what the leaderboards will compare, but at least they'll be there.

JoystiqAustin GDC 2009: Phil Fish offers first public demo of Fez originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austin-gdc-2009fezMicrosoftplatformerpolytronxblaXbox-360Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Thank the Canadian government for these great games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/09/thank-the-canadian-government-for-these-great-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/09/thank-the-canadian-government-for-these-great-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/09/thank-the-canadian-government-for-these-great-games/#comments
Ever heard of Fez? How about N+? DeathSpank, maybe? If any of these games are near and dear to you like they are to us (we're looking at you, N+), then you have the Canadian government to thank. Government funding towards game development in Canada helped make each of the aforementioned games come to fruition, according to Gamasutra.

Similar initiatives are being proposed or practiced in many US cities, however, the Canadian government has a long history of promoting game development in the country. It even gave DeathSpank developer Hothead Games over a half million dollars -- to develop a game named DeathSpank! Though it'd be nice to say that such quality stuff was being developed in our backyards, we'll take what we can get. Good games are good games, no?

JoystiqThank the Canadian government for these great games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canadadeathspankfezgamasutragame-developmentgovernment-fundinghotheadhothead-gamesn Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez coming to XBLA in 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/fez-coming-to-xbla-in-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/fez-coming-to-xbla-in-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/fez-coming-to-xbla-in-2010/#comments
With just the simple image you see above, developer Polytron announced that its dimensional-shifting platformer Fez would arrive on the Xbox Live Arcade platform at some point next year. Though we've seen a date of 2009 in a previous trailer, the teaser image is the best indication we've had so far in terms of a concrete platform for the game.

Though we can't say it's a huge surprise (we spotted an Xbox "A" button in the game back in March), it's nice to have it officially official.

JoystiqFez coming to XBLA in 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fezindiMicrosoftphil-fishplatformerxblaXbox-360Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:05:00 EST