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[Gatling Gears out on XBLA and PSN this May]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/gatling-gears-out-on-xbla-and-psn-this-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/gatling-gears-out-on-xbla-and-psn-this-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/gatling-gears-out-on-xbla-and-psn-this-may/#comments Though the trailer for Vanguard's twin stick shooter Gatling Gears is too brief to contain much visual meat, there's one announcement that makes it worth viewing. As revealed in the video (posted just after the jump!), the game's due out on XBLA May 11, and PSN May 18.

Continue reading Gatling Gears out on XBLA and PSN this May

JoystiqGatling Gears out on XBLA and PSN this May originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ea-partnersGatling-Gearsmicrosoftplaystationps3psnrelease-datevanguardvanguard-entertainmentxblaxboxFri, 22 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet Mass Effect 2's Vanguard class: for those who love to rush 'n attack]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/06/mass-effect-2-vanguard-class/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/06/mass-effect-2-vanguard-class/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/06/mass-effect-2-vanguard-class/#comments Maybe, "if you love intense close-range combat," you should be looking elsewhere to release your pent-up rage. However, if you love intense close-range combat using an extremely tactical power -- and don't mind taking breaks for drawn-out conversation -- then perhaps Mass Effect 2's Vanguard combat class fits well with your particular proclivities.

Still not clicking? Have you tried the Engineer? He, uh, fixes stuff ... with his killer robots.

Gallery: Mass Effect 2: Engineer Class

JoystiqMeet Mass Effect 2's Vanguard class: for those who love to rush 'n attack originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareclasseseaElectronic-Artsmass-effectmass-effect-2MicrosofttrailervanguardvideoXbox-360Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WTF: Fable characters in Sonic Racing and other oddities from alleged Sega leak]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/22/wtf-fable-characters-in-sonic-racing-and-other-oddities-from-al/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/22/wtf-fable-characters-in-sonic-racing-and-other-oddities-from-al/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/22/wtf-fable-characters-in-sonic-racing-and-other-oddities-from-al/#comments
Among the truckloads of possibly legit megatons included in the alleged leaked minutes from a meeting between Sega of America and Sony Computer Entertainment America, a number of notable gaffes and oddities can be found. Besides wondering if "characters from [the] Rare or Fable universes" should be included in Sonic Racing, it appears that Sega may be interested in assigning all of its properties a PlayStation Home-room. Oh, and a product evaluator thought Alpha Protocol felt "barely RPG" -- final analysis: make it even more Mass Effect-y.

Additionally, the mention of PS2 games as downloadable content on PSN makes us reminisce all the way back to mid-2006 when the idea first popped up on our radar --- surely, this isn't why Sony removed built-in backwards compatibility? And either the person taking minutes was daydreaming or knows something we don't, as reference is made to "Eidos' Batman" featuring "PS3/PSP interoperability" support -- a Batman or related DC Comics PSP game then? Juicer still, that little mention comes right after talk of a project named "Vanquish" and a possible PSP iteration of the currently shelved Aliens: Colonial Marines that Gearbox Software is working on. Also, Sony is eager to check out that hopefully not-so-crappy Thor game soon (suggestion: make it less Iron Man 2-y).

The cherry on top comes in the form of what we've been calling around the Joystiq water cooler: "Sonic and the Inverted Castle." Found under the "Sonic Anniversary" subhead, the note taker jots down, "SCEA would love PSN exclusive power ups/different game modes (like Castlevania's flip it over/backwards)." Actually, we believe that's Missy Elliott who puts the thing down, flips it and reverses it, thank you very much.

JoystiqWTF: Fable characters in Sonic Racing and other oddities from alleged Sega leak originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesalpha-protocolbatman-arkham-asylumeidosfablegearbox-softwarehomeleaksplaystation-homepsnrarerumorsceasegasonicsonic-and-sega-all-stars-racingSony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericavanguardTue, 22 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE acquires Vanguard dev Sigil Games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/soe-acquires-vanguard-dev-sigil-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/soe-acquires-vanguard-dev-sigil-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/soe-acquires-vanguard-dev-sigil-games/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sony Online Entertainment has announced that it is acquiring Sigil Games Online, makers of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. The acquisition had been referenced by Sigil CEO Brad McQuaid earlier this month, citing less-than-desirable results with the MMO.

According to SOE president John Smedly, approximately 50 people from Sigil will be brought over to keep working on Vanguard. McQuaid will serve as consultant to SOE and creative advisor for the title. Sigil VP David Gilbertson will be "directly responsible for the day-to-day management" of Vanguard as well as the Sigil Carlsbad office.

Citing the lambasted New Game Enhancement controversy with Star Wars Galaxies, Smedley said that any major changes will come from the team themselves and not SOE. Smedley also mentioned that they will be listening to the players for idea on improvement, and said they will soon be opening up forums for the game. Smedley did say that they plan on "spending a lot of time cleaning up legacy issues" and improving performance.

Smedley said that the plan is to support Vanguard "for many years to come," and to expect content upgrades as part of the subscription service as well as future expansion packs. "But right now," he said, "the focus is on making sure Vanguard is running the way it should be."

JoystiqSOE acquires Vanguard dev Sigil Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2007 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PCsigilsoesonysony online entertainmentSonyOnlineEntertainmentvanguardWed, 16 May 2007 14:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Sigil to have closer relationship relationship with Sony]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/01/sigil-says-sony-and-us-will-have-a-much-tighter-relationship/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/01/sigil-says-sony-and-us-will-have-a-much-tighter-relationship/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/01/sigil-says-sony-and-us-will-have-a-much-tighter-relationship/#commentsIsn't love great? Sigil games online, makers of the semi-popular Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, have noticed that their not doing as well as they initially thought. In fact, they've come to the point that Sigil's CEO, Brad McQuaid, has admitted that Sony Online Entertainment is thinking about taking the extra step and acquiring the company. He said that in the acquisition, "SOE is going to be getting more involved with Sigil and Vanguard - our relationship is going to become even tighter - much tighter, [so that the game can] both continue to be worked on and improved and debugged and optimized."

Vanguard isn't reaching mass-market appeal for a variety of reasons, says McQuaid. One is the marketing campaign -- the game doesn't require as much team effort and time as, say, Everquest. This wasn't explained very well. Also, the specs requirement were too high for early January 2007. He thinks a re-launch would be the best, with a new campaign and tweaked system. How will they do that? If Sigil gets funded and supported. Thus, the Sony Online Entertainment talks. Will we see Vanguard coming to the PS3? Who knows. We'll keep on this, since acquisitions are great.

JoystiqSigil to have closer relationship relationship with Sony originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 May 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PlayStation 3Playstation3PS3Saga of HeroesSagaOfHeroesSigilSOESonySony Online EntertainmentSonyOnlineEntertainmentVanguardTue, 01 May 2007 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Because you need to know more about Medal of Honor]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/because-you-need-to-know-more-about-medal-of-honor/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/because-you-need-to-know-more-about-medal-of-honor/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/because-you-need-to-know-more-about-medal-of-honor/#commentsFiled under:



Curious about Medal of Honor: Vanguard and just how it's going to play on the Wii? You know we're here for you! After the jump you'll find a video that not only shows off some of the gameplay footage, but gives you a little rundown on how to pull off the maneuvers with the Wii remote. Now if only we could magic some online play in there! Unfortunately, our powers are limited.

And as a small bit of trivia that is completely worthless to you, this very blogger shares the root of her name with one of the weapons in the game.

Continue reading Because you need to know more about Medal of Honor

JoystiqBecause you need to know more about Medal of Honor originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fpskarabiner 98kKarabiner98kMedal of HonorMedalOfHonorNintendoVanguardvideoWiiWWIITue, 27 Mar 2007 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE's Vanguard rushes to retail Jan. 30]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/11/soes-vanguard-rushes-to-retail-jan-30/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/11/soes-vanguard-rushes-to-retail-jan-30/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/11/soes-vanguard-rushes-to-retail-jan-30/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

paul revere stylesSOE and Sigil have upturned some eyebrows today with the announcement that their MMORPG Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will be released on January 30; just two weeks after Blizzard drops the World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade expansion. While it seems like poor timing for any new MMO franchise to enter the market, there's also pervading doubt that Vanguard has been thoroughly beta tested.

SOE has already become (somewhat) infamous for a string of ill-received alterations to its big brands, notably EverQuest and Star Wars Galaxies. If Vanguard is indeed rushed, such a careless release would only deal further damage to the studio's image.

JoystiqSOE's Vanguard rushes to retail Jan. 30 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BetaMMORPGPCSaga of HeroesSagaOfHeroesSegaSigilSOEVanguardThu, 11 Jan 2007 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Medal of Honor Vanguard announced for Wii, PS2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/19/medal-of-honor-vanguard-announced-for-wii-ps2/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/19/medal-of-honor-vanguard-announced-for-wii-ps2/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/19/medal-of-honor-vanguard-announced-for-wii-ps2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

will he earn the medal?Just announced Medal of Honor Vanguard looks to replace Airborne in Wii and PlayStation 2's early 2007 lineups. Rest assured, Vanguard is not a poorly disguised rehash; that's not to say it will offer much beyond WWII shooter standards -- unless you're a sucker for motion controls (on Wii, not PS2).

It appears that there will be some loose correlation between the Vanguard and Airborne plotlines, as both games focus on characters in the 82nd Airborne Division and share common mission locales, like Sicily. The "Vanguard" name implies players will be engaging in operations at the very front of the frontline (even behind enemy lines). It's unclear when EA decided to nix development of Airborne for Wii and PS2 and go for a wholly different tie-in -- perhaps it was the top-secret plan all along. In any event, it's for the best, as Wii and PS2 versions of Airborne wouldn't hold up against their Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC counterparts. Here's to hoping Vanguard gets the deserved attention it needs, earning its place as co-heir to the Medal of Honor franchise.

JoystiqMedal of Honor Vanguard announced for Wii, PS2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>36082nd Airborne Division82ndAirborneDivisionAirborneEAElectronic ArtsElectronic-ArtsElectronicArtsFPSMedal of HonorMedal of Honor AirborneMedal of Honor VanguardMedalOfHonorMedalOfHonorAirborneMedalOfHonorVanguardPS2PS3VanguardWiiWorld War IIWorldWarIiWWIIXbox 360Xbox360Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Deep Silver offers loads of new media for GC 2006]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/23/deep-silver-offers-loads-of-new-media-for-gc-2006/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/23/deep-silver-offers-loads-of-new-media-for-gc-2006/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/23/deep-silver-offers-loads-of-new-media-for-gc-2006/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Deep Silver releases tons of screens for Games Con
WorthPlaying has posted dozens of new screens and trailers from games that will be distributed by Deep Silver in Europe. The German publisher made these visuals available as part of their marketing efforts for this week's Games Convention 2006 in Leipzig. Among the games represented are future North American releases Gothic 3, Mage Knight Apocalypse, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, and expansion packs SpellForce 2: Dragon Storm and EverQuest II: Echoes of Faydwer.

JoystiqDeep Silver offers loads of new media for GC 2006 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Aug 2006 20:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deep silverdragon stormEchoes of FaydwerEverQuest IIgames convention 2006gc 2006Gothic 3leipzigMage Knight ApocalypsePCsaga of heroesSpellforce 2vanguardWed, 23 Aug 2006 20:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Was Microsoft's vision for Vanguard Vista exclusive? [Update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/16/was-microsofts-vision-for-vanguard-vista-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/16/was-microsofts-vision-for-vanguard-vista-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/16/was-microsofts-vision-for-vanguard-vista-exclusive/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sigil Games, developers of the upcoming MMORPG Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, shocked quite a few people by announcing that they were buying the publishing rights from Microsoft so that they could co-publish the title with Sony Online Entertainment. We've already provided some speculation about what the "varying visions and direction for the title's development" between Microsoft and Sigil were, but a tipster (who asked to remain unnamed) from E3 provides another possible reason for the split.

Our tipster claims to have spoken to several developers working at Sigil and at another development company that has Microsoft as a publisher -- we'd say the meat of the tip is on the same level of credibility as someone saying that the Government is tapping your phone (yes, I made a political joke -- the first comment to judge my political affiliation wins my apathy!).

According to our tipster, Microsoft intended to make Vanguard a Vista-exclusive title and Sigil didn't like it. The fact that XP users wouldn't have been able to play the game (limiting the user base quite drastically) and Windows Vista's notoriously slippery release date being the obvious disadvantages of such a move on the part of Sigil. If true, the motivation for Microsoft would have been that the title would be the first MMO to take advantage of Live Anywhere, Microsoft's online games platform which blends Xbox 360, PC and mobile phone devices: more Vista sales = profit!

It's credible that Microsoft wanted to use Vanguard as the first MMO to work with Live Anywhere but that Sigil didn't want its game to be Microsoft's guinea pig and therefore bought the publishing rights. With Vista around the corner, Microsoft wants to provide as much incentive for gamers to upgrade and by making big name games playable exclusively on Vista it can gain that incentive. At the very least we get a kick out of discussing the vague PR explanations of the reasons behind leaving a game's publisher during the beta stage. It's impossible for us to believe that simple, meaningless "varying visions" caused this massive, late in the game move.

Update 1: Brad McQuaid (Sigil CEO, creator of MMORPG Everquest) responds by saying "false rumor", but Joystiq commentator Jack Slater cleverly rebukes: "personally I would just deny everything if I was him, as there is no legal obligation for me to tell the truth on the forums but there is likely a legal obligation to keep the reason for leaving Microsoft undisclosed." Meanwhile, Ctrl+Alt+Del daydreams about how the meeting between McQuiad, Microsoft and Sony went. Funny stuff.

JoystiqWas Microsoft's vision for Vanguard Vista exclusive? [Update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 May 2006 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>E3GossipHalo 2Halo2Live AnywhereLiveAnywhereMicrosoftMMOMMORPGPCPS3RumorSaga of HeroesSagaOfHeroesSCEESigilSigil GamesSigilGamesSonySony-Computer-Entertainment-EuropeVanguardVanguard: Saga of HeroesVanguard:SagaOfHeroesVistaVista-exclusiveXbox-360XPTue, 16 May 2006 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Splitsville for Microsoft and Sigil after "varying visions"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/06/splitsvillemsftsigil/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/06/splitsvillemsftsigil/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/06/splitsvillemsftsigil/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sigil Games Online, developers of upcoming MMORPG Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, announced today that they'd be co-publishing the game with Sony Online Entertainment after "it became clear that [Microsoft Games Studios] and Sigil had varying visions and direction for the title's development," according to Brad McQuaid, CEO of Sigil Games Online, as quoted in a company press release on the break-up.

It's rare that a game in beta switches publishers. We have no inside information, but a little digging makes it clear that something's not quite right fresh in Denmark. At least one high-profile game designer recently quit, and Sigil's CEO has been defending the game from legions of WoW Fanboys doubters that have been questioning whether it'll ever be commercially viable.

The surest sign that the game may be in choppy waters is the fact that McQuaid's now doing business with SOE after his high-profile departure from the same company in the fall of 2001. According to MMOG-community gossip circulating at the time, this departure was also the result of diverging creative visions between McQuaid and Sony on the evolution of Everquest, the successful MMORPG that McQuaid co-founded and designed.

Smart observers suggest that the culprit behind all of the churn und drama is the tremendous success of World of Warcraft. To wit: how will Vanguard fare against WoW and the other bajillion MMOGs slated for release? For reaction to this announcement from MMORPG insiders, check the FoH forums, where the unruly mob is being characteristically brutal. Even the President of Sony Online Entertainment is trolled into doing some damage control.

JoystiqSplitsville for Microsoft and Sigil after "varying visions" originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 May 2006 00:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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