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[Journey takes 'Game of the Year' at DICE awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/journey-takes-game-of-the-year-at-dice-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/journey-takes-game-of-the-year-at-dice-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/journey-takes-game-of-the-year-at-dice-awards/#comments Austin WintoryJourney took a long walk through the DICE awards this evening and scooped up eight accolades along the way. We can't help but agree with the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. The 16th annual DICE awards also recognized The Walking Dead with four awards.

Valve co-founder and overlord Gabe Newell became the 17th inductee into the AIAS Hall of Fame (he also totally ignored the "no denim" rule of the awards show). Also, Infocom co-founders Dave Lebling and Marc Blank receive the 2013 AIAS Pioneer Award.

All the winners can can be found listed after the break.

Continue reading Journey takes 'Game of the Year' at DICE awards

JoystiqJourney takes 'Game of the Year' at DICE awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Feb 2013 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIASDICE-2013dice-awardsjourneymicrosoftpcplaystationps3the-walking-deadxboxFri, 08 Feb 2013 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Frank O'Connor, 343 franchise development director]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/07/hit-list-qanda-frank-oconnor-343-franchise-development-director/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/07/hit-list-qanda-frank-oconnor-343-franchise-development-director/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/07/hit-list-qanda-frank-oconnor-343-franchise-development-director/#comments In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: 343's Franchise Development Director Frank O'Connor.

Hit List Q&A Frank O' Connor
Frank O'Connor has worked in and around the gaming industry for about twenty years, starting in the gaming press in the UK, where he edited and wrote for several magazines before making the move to the States. After several years working on games publications here, he took an opportunity to work at Bungie studios as a community manager, working on consumer relations, marketing efforts and game fiction.

When Bungie spun out of Microsoft during Halo Reach, he decided to stay with the Halo franchise and has been there since the inception of 343 Industries. He's lived through every single console and computer game transition, and he is just as excited about the impending one as he was when Pong gave way to the Atari 2600.

At Frank's forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session with Microsoft Game Studios/343 Industries' Executive Producer Kiki Wolfkill, Frank will co-present on "Changing the Universe - Three for Three." This session will explore the trials, tribulations, and opportunities in building and rebuilding a cultural phenomenon, expanding a beloved universe into live action and transmedia storytelling, all while creating a AAA-game studio from scratch.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Frank O'Connor, 343 franchise development director

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Frank O'Connor, 343 franchise development director originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343343-industriesaiasdice-2013frank-o-connorhalo-4microsoftmicrosoft-studiosxboxThu, 07 Feb 2013 12:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Matthew Lee Johnston]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/hit-list-qanda-matthew-lee-johnston/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/hit-list-qanda-matthew-lee-johnston/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/hit-list-qanda-matthew-lee-johnston/#comments In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Matthew Lee Johnston.

Hit List Q&A Matthew Lee Johnson,
Matthew Lee Johnston is an eighteen-year veteran of the video game industry and in that time has contributed to over 50 shipped titles. His first project was Microsoft Golf 2.0, and his most recent was Plants Vs. Zombies 2.

At the 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit today, Matt will be moderating a panel titled, "Secret Sauce: Disruption on the Mobile Frontier." Joining him on the panel will be Halfbrick CMO Phil Larsen (Fruit Ninja, Jetpack Joyride), Spry Fox CEO David Edery (Triple Town) and Backflip Studios CEO Julian Farrior (Dragonvale). This is a session where outspoken and independent developers, who have innovated in the mobile market, tell the big guys how they snuck up behind them and grabbed their earnings last year. We'll get behind-the-scenes access to the designs, principles, and methods that allowed these studios to disrupt the entire balance of the traditional video game marketplace in less than two years by dominating the mobile space with some great entertainment.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Matthew Lee Johnston

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Matthew Lee Johnston originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiaseahit-listmatt-lee-johnstonmatthew-lee-johnsonplants-vs-zombies-2popcapWed, 06 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[J.J. Abrams and Gabe Newell to duel in DICE 2013 opening keynote]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/j-j-abrams-and-gabe-newell-to-duel-in-dice-2013-opening-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/j-j-abrams-and-gabe-newell-to-duel-in-dice-2013-opening-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/j-j-abrams-and-gabe-newell-to-duel-in-dice-2013-opening-keynote/#comments J.J. Abrams, prolific film director and dual-wielder of beloved franchises, will headline the opening keynote of the 2013 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit alongside Valve co-founder Gabe Newell. The Star Wars/Star Trek director will bring his cinematic perspective and flair to a discussion entitled "Storytelling Across Platforms: Who Benefits Most, the Audience or the Player?" on February 6.

"J.J. thoughtfully weaves together suspense, action, emotion, and fun into every one of his projects - elements every game developer aspires to capture as well," said Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences President Martin Rae. "Each year, the D.I.C.E. Summit sets the tone for the year ahead in games and adding J.J. and Gabe's shared insights is a natural fit as we see all forms of entertainment converge."

The D.I.C.E. Summit will have a host of talks swirling around the impending entertainment singularity, and run from February 5 until February 8 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The D.I.C.E. Awards, which seek to honor the best games released over the past year, will take place on February 7.

Continue reading J.J. Abrams and Gabe Newell to duel in DICE 2013 opening keynote

JoystiqJ.J. Abrams and Gabe Newell to duel in DICE 2013 opening keynote originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasand-you-get-a-lens-flaredice-2013everybody-gets-a-lens-flaregabe-newelljj-abramsstar-trekstar-warsvalveMon, 28 Jan 2013 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Glen Schofield, co-founder of Sledgehammer Games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/22/hit-list-qanda-glen-schofield-co-founder-of-sledgehammer-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/22/hit-list-qanda-glen-schofield-co-founder-of-sledgehammer-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/22/hit-list-qanda-glen-schofield-co-founder-of-sledgehammer-games/#comments In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Sledgehammer Games co-founder Glen Schofield.

Hit List Q&A Glen Schofield, cofounder of Sledgehammer Games
Glen Schofield is co-founder and studio head of Sledgehammer Games, co-developer of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. A visionary in the video game business for more than 20 years, Glen started his career as an artist and art director for Absolute Entertainment. He also served as the general manager of EA's Visceral Games Studio and was the creator and executive producer of the award winning Dead Space. Glen is credited in over 50 games that together have grossed more than $3 billion in revenues.

Art has been an important part of Glen's life from a young age. He started taking art lessons early on, eventually earning a BFA (he also holds an MBA) and began his professional career as a freelance illustrator before entering the world of video games. In his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, Glen will discuss "The Art of Inspiration." He will speak about how he draws inspiration from anything and anywhere and how that has influenced his work as a game developer on a day-to-day basis.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Glen Schofield, co-founder of Sledgehammer Games

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Glen Schofield, co-founder of Sledgehammer Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiascall-of-dutycall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3glen-schofieldhit-listsledgehammer-gamesTue, 22 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/17/hit-list-qanda-wargaming-ceo-victor-kislyi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/17/hit-list-qanda-wargaming-ceo-victor-kislyi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/17/hit-list-qanda-wargaming-ceo-victor-kislyi/#comments In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi.

Hit List Q&A Some Guy
Outspoken entrepreneur, passionate video game developer, and the Person of the Year 2012 according to GamesIndustry International, Victor Kislyi is the man behind the blockbuster World of Tanks, the Massive Assault Series, and the upcoming World of Warplanes and World of Warships action MMO games.

In 1998, Victor established Wargaming, eventually leading the company from its strategy gaming roots to its current position as a leading global interactive entertainment conglomerate with over 1,300 employees and 11 offices in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Victor leads the team, setting design philosophy and strategy and boosting the company with his experience and enthusiasm. Under his expert care Wargaming is now working on four MMO games and building the Wargaming.net service - the epicenter of a battle-driven gaming universe that would unite all company's projects under a single multiplayer ecosystem.

At his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, Victor will speak on "The Evolution of Free-To-Play: From Tanks To Beyond." Without growth there is only stagnation. While "free-to play" has taken the gaming industry by storm, it's becoming more and more apparent that an evolution of the business model is necessary in order to truly adapt to the needs of gamers and consumers. He will walk D.I.C.E. attendees through his vision of the free-to-play market as it stands today, as well as his thoughts and ideas on how it must grow in the future in order to remain viable.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiashit-listvictor-kislyiwargamingThu, 17 Jan 2013 16:55:00 EST<![CDATA[2013 DICE Award nominations led by Journey, Walking Dead, Far Cry 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/2013-dice-award-nominations-led-by-journey-walking-dead-far-cr/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/2013-dice-award-nominations-led-by-journey-walking-dead-far-cr/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/2013-dice-award-nominations-led-by-journey-walking-dead-far-cr/#comments The nominations have been announced for the 16th annual DICE Awards, and Journey leads the pack with nods in 11 categories including outstanding achievement in music composition, outstanding achievement in game direction and overall game of the year. The Walking Dead, Far Cry 3 and Halo 4 have each racked up eight, seven and six nominations, respectively. Dishonored and Borderlands 2 each pulling in five nods.

In addition to Journey, contenders for game of the year include The Walking Dead, Far Cry 3, Borderlands 2 and XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

The DICE Awards will take place on February 7 at 10:30pm ET, during the 2013 DICE summit, and will be hosted by Chris Hardwick of The Nerdist and Talking Dead. The event will be streamed live on Machinima. You can read the full list of nominations right here.

Continue reading 2013 DICE Award nominations led by Journey, Walking Dead, Far Cry 3

Joystiq2013 DICE Award nominations led by Journey, Walking Dead, Far Cry 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsAIASdicedice-2013dice-awardsjourneymicrosoftnintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3vitaxboxMon, 14 Jan 2013 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Warren Spector, Creative Director and Founder of Junction Point]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/10/hit-list-qanda-warren-spector-creative-director-and-founder-of-j/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/10/hit-list-qanda-warren-spector-creative-director-and-founder-of-j/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/10/hit-list-qanda-warren-spector-creative-director-and-founder-of-j/#comments In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Junction Point's Warren Spector.

Hit List Q&A Warren Spector
Warren Spector, veteran electronic game designer/producer, heads up video game developer Junction Point Studios, a division of Disney Interactive. Warren has worked in the game industry since 1983. After six years at Steve Jackson Games and TSR, creating pen-and-paper games, he joined computer game developer Origin Systems where he produced several games including Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, Ultima Underworld 2: Labyrinth of Worlds, System Shock, Ultima VII: Part 2, Serpent Isle, Wings of Glory, Bad Blood, Ultima Worlds of Adventure: Martian Dreams, Cybermage and others.

After seven years with Origin, Warren did a brief stint with LookingGlass Technologies before founding Ion Storm's Austin, Texas studio in 1997. At Ion Storm, he produced and directed the award-winning, genre-bending Deus Ex. He later oversaw development of Deus Ex: Invisible War, released in 2003, and Thief: Deadly Shadows, released in 2004. That year, he left Ion Storm to found Junction Point Studios, developing concepts for a variety of video game and motion picture partners before being acquired, in 2007, by The Walt Disney Company. There he directed Disney Epic Mickey, released in 2010. A sequel, Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, was released in November 2012.

In his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, Warren will be speaking on "Hey, You kids! Get Outta My Yard! or The Graying of Gaming."

"Used to be, games were largely the domain of youngsters - kids played them and 'kids' (relatively speaking) made them," Spector says. "Nowadays, things are different. Gamers are everywhere, coming in all ages and genders, and developers have grown up, too. In this talk, I will address the impact of aging on gamers, on developers and on our medium. How does the graying of gaming affect Game Content, Player Commitment, Design Philosophy, Gaming Platforms, Mainstream Media Interactions and, generally speaking, The Future. This talk will be a personal look backwards and forwards that will, I hope, offer something for kids and adults, boys and girls, men and women, whatever their relationship may be with games as pastime, as art or as business."

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Warren Spector, Creative Director and Founder of Junction Point

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Warren Spector, Creative Director and Founder of Junction Point originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiashit-listjunction-pointmicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3warren-spectorwiiwii-uxboxThu, 10 Jan 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/hit-list-qanda-supergiant-games-studio-director-amir-rao/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/hit-list-qanda-supergiant-games-studio-director-amir-rao/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/hit-list-qanda-supergiant-games-studio-director-amir-rao/#comments In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Supergiant's Amir Rao.

Hit List Q&A Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao
Amir Rao is the Studio Director for Supergiant Games, the team behind the AIAS award-winning downloadable game Bastion, which was released on Xbox Live Arcade, Steam, Mac, Linux, Chrome and iOS. Prior to Supergiant Games, Amir worked at Electronic Arts Los Angeles as a designer on Command & Conquer 3 and Red Alert 3.

At the upcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit Amir will be speaking on the topic, "Multiplatformism." Over the course of a year, Supergiant Games shipped its award-winning game Bastion on six different platforms with three fundamentally different user interface paradigms. This session covers the design tenets that emerged in translating Bastion from controller to keyboard to touch. The talk will explore Superigant Games' ethos behind picking platforms, while considering if the future of elegant design is truly interface agnostic.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasamir-raohit-listmicrosoftmobilepcsupergiant-gamesxboxMon, 07 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: David Cage, founder of Quantic Dream]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/19/hit-list-qanda-david-cage-founder-of-quantic-dream/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/19/hit-list-qanda-david-cage-founder-of-quantic-dream/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/19/hit-list-qanda-david-cage-founder-of-quantic-dream/#comments In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Quantic Dream's David Cage.

Hit List Q&A David Cage, founder of Quantic Dream
David Cage founded Quantic Dream in 1997, with the ambition of using interactivity as a new means of expression. He developed a creative vision based upon emotion, innovation and immersive storytelling. After his first video game Omikron featuring famous singer David Bowie, the game Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) received great critical acclaim and won several awards worldwide. In 2010, Heavy Rain, a dark thriller produced by Sony, met critical acclaim and commercial success, selling over 2.3 million units to date. Heavy Rain was the winner of three Interactive Achievement Awards in 2011 (now called the D.I.C.E. Awards) - Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering, Outstanding Innovation in Gaming, and Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

In 2012, Cage launched a new tech demo called KARA, featuring an android girl with an actress who delivered a stunning acting performance. Quantic Dream is currently in production of Beyond, a game written and directed by David Cage, starring actress Ellen Page. The game, produced by Sony exclusively on PlayStation 3, will be released in 2013.

In his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, Cage will be speaking on "The Peter Pan Syndrome: The Industry that Refused to Grow Up." In a significantly changing landscape dominated by franchises, where new devices with 89c games get more and more of consumers' attention, the video game industry is confronted with a massive challenge. A new console cycle is about to start, new business models and platforms appear while creativity and risk taking has never been lower.

The game industry, having always refused to grow up, is now confronted with a new dilemma: evolve or stagnate. The first and most important revolution to start is about content. Based on his experience and fifteen years in the industry developing original content, David Cage will explain in a passionate, thought-provoking presentation (with a French accent) his vision for content in the future and why he believes it is the key to expanding our market and finally become a mature industry.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: David Cage, founder of Quantic Dream

JoystiqHit List Q&A: David Cage, founder of Quantic Dream originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasbeyond-two-soulsdavid-cagehit-listmoveplaystationps3quantic-dreamWed, 19 Dec 2012 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Xavier Poix, Ubisoft Annecy, Montpellier and Paris managing director]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/13/hit-list-qanda-xavier-poix-ubisoft-annecy-montpellier-and-paris/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/13/hit-list-qanda-xavier-poix-ubisoft-annecy-montpellier-and-paris/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/13/hit-list-qanda-xavier-poix-ubisoft-annecy-montpellier-and-paris/#comments In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Ubisoft's Xavier Poix.

Hit List Q&A Xavier Poix, Ubisoft Annecy, Montpellier and Paris managing director
Xavier Poix is Managing Director of Ubisoft's Annecy, Montpellier and Paris studios. Xavier joined Ubisoft in 1998 on the business side, becoming Sales Director for France before moving into production. He was Director of Ubisoft Montpellier and producer of the game for Peter Jackson's King Kong before taking his current role. Under Xavier's management, Ubisoft's French studios have become synonymous with launch titles for new platforms, such as Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Red Steel, and ZombiU. Their creative talent is at the origin of blockbuster brands (Raving Rabbids, Just Dance), critically acclaimed original IP (From Dust), and demonstrating that license-based titles and quality gaming experiences are not incompatible (The Adventures of TinTin, Michael Jackson The Experience). Having recently finished development on several Wii U launch titles as well as Assassin's Creed 3 multiplayer, the French studios are working on new titles, including Rayman Legends, and continue to infuse creativity and innovation into Ubisoft's brands.

At his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session, he will be addressing the topic - "Developing the Future: leveraging new technology to change the way we play." Putting new tech in the hands of developers inevitably results in exciting new ideas. And when that tech is revolutionary, it can change paradigms and make us question the fundamentals of how we play. Building on the personal of experience of overseeing Ubisoft titles that offered audiences a new way of interacting with the game - and each other - this talk explores certain trends that could mark and potentially change our perspective of gaming in the near future.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Xavier Poix, Ubisoft Annecy, Montpellier and Paris managing director

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Xavier Poix, Ubisoft Annecy, Montpellier and Paris managing director originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiashit-listubisoftxavier-poixThu, 13 Dec 2012 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Jesse Schell, Schell Games CEO]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/hit-list-qanda-jesse-schell-schell-games-ceo/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/hit-list-qanda-jesse-schell-schell-games-ceo/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/hit-list-qanda-jesse-schell-schell-games-ceo/#commentsIn the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Schell Games CEO Jesse Schell.
Hit List Q&A Jesse Schell, Schell Games CEO
A note from the AIAS:
Jesse is the CEO of Schell Games, the largest videogame studio in Pennsylvania. He also serves as Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Entertainment Technology at Carnegie Mellon University. Jesse has worked on a wide variety of innovative game and simulation projects for both entertainment and education, but he is best known for his award winning book The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses and for Beyond Facebook, a talk at the 2010 DICE Summit where he described a future where games and life become indistinguishable. He is a former chair of the International Game Developers Association, and in 2004 he was named one of the world's Top 100 Young Innovators by MIT Technology Review. Before starting his own company, Jesse was the Creative Director of the Walt Disney Imagineering Virtual Reality Studio, which helped to develop interactive theme park attractions as well as Toontown Online, the first massively multiplayer game for children. Before that, he worked as writer, director, performer, juggler, comedian, and circus artist for both Freihofer's Mime Circus and the Juggler's Guild.

Jesse will be speaking at the 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit on "The Secret Mechanisms." The world of game design is changing. New systems of distribution and payment are making even seasoned designers feel naïve. The key to understanding what business models and what game concepts will work is to understand the human mind, for the mind is the medium in which game designers work. Far from an inert surface, the human mind has thousands of complex mechanisms that determine a game's success or failure. Continuing the theme of Jesse's landmark 2010 DICE talk, this talk gathers mechanisms from far and wide: art, psychology, advertising, music, architecture, poetry, science, storytelling - nothing is off-limits, and special attention is paid to the mechanisms that can help us understand how to live, thrive, and survive in this post-retail world of game development.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Jesse Schell, Schell Games CEO

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Jesse Schell, Schell Games CEO originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiashit-listjesse-schellpcschell-gamesWed, 28 Nov 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Valve's Gabe Newell inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/15/valves-gabe-newell-inducted-into-aias-hall-of-fame/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/15/valves-gabe-newell-inducted-into-aias-hall-of-fame/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/15/valves-gabe-newell-inducted-into-aias-hall-of-fame/#comments Valve's Gabe Newell inducted into AIAS Hall of FameGabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve, is the 17th inductee into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame, earning the title for 2013. Newell joins Shigeru Miyamoto, Sid Meier, John Carmack, Michael Morhaime, Drs. Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuck, and Tim Sweeney, among others, in the AIAS Hall of Fame.

Newell will also be a keynote speaker for Thursday's conference at the 2013 DICE Summit. Epic Games President Mike Capps will present Newell with the Hall of Fame Award at the 2013 DICE Awards.

"Gabe is a living legend of the video games industry, and his relentless focus on customer experience has made our whole industry a better place," Capps says. "Valve's unconventional success is an inspiration for us all, and I couldn't be more pleased to present Gabe's Hall of Fame award."

Continue reading Valve's Gabe Newell inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame

JoystiqValve's Gabe Newell inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesAIASaias-hall-of-fameDICEdice-summitdice-summit-2013gabe-newellvalvevalve-softwareThu, 15 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DICE Award nominations for 2013 open]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/dice-award-nominations-open/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/dice-award-nominations-open/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/dice-award-nominations-open/#commentsPssst, academy members, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences currently has submissions open for the DICE awards. So, go ahead and start submitting titles for the annual awards show. You've got until 5PM Pacific on Monday, December 3. Nominees will be announced the week of January 21, 2013. The actual awards show is February 7 at the Hard Rock Casino in Vegas.

Pssst, non academy members, here's your chance to tell voting members the games you think should be nominated. The DICE awards, previously known as the Interactive Achievement Awards, is the most legit awards show this industry has all year. So, go ahead and drop some ideas in the comments below. We're pretty sure some members will use it as a crib sheet.

Continue reading DICE Award nominations for 2013 open

JoystiqDICE Award nominations for 2013 open originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesAIASdice-2013microsoftpcplaystationps3xboxFri, 09 Nov 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany President]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/hit-list-qanda-jenova-chen-thatgamecompany-president/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/hit-list-qanda-jenova-chen-thatgamecompany-president/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/hit-list-qanda-jenova-chen-thatgamecompany-president/#commentsIn the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: thatgamecompany President Jenova Chen.
Hit List Q&A Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany President
A note from the AIAS:

Jenova Chen is President & Creative Director for thatgamecompany (TGC). TGC is best known for creating experimental, artistic, and accessible games that touch players on an emotional level. TGC designed and developed the award-winning PSN titles flOw, Flower, and, most recently, Journey.

At the upcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit conference, Jenova will be speaking on: Emotion Oriented Interactive Entertainment - Inspirations and Theories Behind Journey. Jenova learned many valuable lessons on what went well and how to do better on his quest to create games that deliver a lasting emotional impact. Jenova will discuss TGC's founding design philosophy and share some of the lessons he and his team gleaned from TGC's past six years developing three innovative downloadable games.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany President

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany President originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiashit-listjenova-chenjourneypcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspsonythatgamecompanyvitaWed, 07 Nov 2012 13:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Randy Pitchford, Gearbox Software President]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/24/hit-list-qanda-randy-pitchford-gearbox-software-president/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/24/hit-list-qanda-randy-pitchford-gearbox-software-president/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/24/hit-list-qanda-randy-pitchford-gearbox-software-president/#commentsIn the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Gearbox Software President Randy Pitchford.
A note from the AIAS:
Randy Pitchford is co-founder, owner and President of Gearbox Software. Randy served as Executive Producer and in creative and development capacities in the creation of Gearbox Software's award winning, best-selling original franchises Brothers in Arms and Borderlands. Under Randy's leadership, Gearbox Software has also developed a string of hits with sequels, expansions, and original games for many of the industry's most credible franchises and in 2010 acquired Duke Nukem to add to its stable of properties. Before the launch of Borderlands 2 on September 18, 2012, Gearbox Software games have sold over 30 million units earning more than $1 billion in gross revenues.

What many do not know is that prior to game development, Randy was a professional magician. In his forthcoming 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit session titled "Video Games Are Magic," Randy will explore how the lessons of magical performance apply to our industry. Along the way, he'll demonstrate and expose specific techniques, methods and ideas from magic that illustrate how the art of illusion has a lot in common with the art of interactive entertainment and leave his audience with tools that are useful and applicable from the executive level to the design level of our craft.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Randy Pitchford, Gearbox Software President

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Randy Pitchford, Gearbox Software President originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasborderlands-2gearboxgearbox-softwarehit-listmicrosoftpcplaystationps3randy-pitchfordxboxWed, 24 Oct 2012 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Into The Pixel 2012 submissions open until April 20]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/into-the-pixel-2012-submissions-open-until-april-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/into-the-pixel-2012-submissions-open-until-april-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/into-the-pixel-2012-submissions-open-until-april-20/#comments The submission window is currently open for game artists to submit their work and get a little recognition at the Into The Pixel exhibit. The gallery, now in its ninth year, is sponsored by The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), and will debut at this year's E3 in June.

Submissions are open until April 20. Artists should keep in mind that entries must be from a game they worked on, and that's out or in the process of launching. Art doesn't have to be submitted by AIAS or ESA members. This means indies should take the opportunity to submit their concept art and diversify the pieces usually displayed at the exhibit.

Continue reading Into The Pixel 2012 submissions open until April 20

JoystiqInto The Pixel 2012 submissions open until April 20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIASESAinto-the-pixelFri, 30 Mar 2012 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Closure wins 2012 Indie Game Challenge at DICE]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/closure-wins-2012-indie-game-challenge-at-dice/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/closure-wins-2012-indie-game-challenge-at-dice/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/closure-wins-2012-indie-game-challenge-at-dice/#comments Closure won the third annual Indie Game Challenge at this year's DICE show in Las Vegas. The clever puzzle platformer, which works off the premise that only illuminated objects exist in the game world, has players manipulating lights to solve challenge rooms. The team will receive $100,000 for taking the top prize, sponsored by The Guildhall at SMU, GameStop and the AIAS. The game will be available soon on PSN.

Other category winners included Symphony for technical achievement, The Bridge for achievements in art direction and gameplay, and Nitronic Rush received the "Gamer's Choice Award." The teams receive $2,500 for each category.

Check out all ten of this year's talented nominees by heading over to the Indie Game Challenge site.

JoystiqClosure wins 2012 Indie Game Challenge at DICE originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasclosuredice-2012gamestopindie-game-challengeplaystationps3Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Skyrim snags another best of show gong at 15th annual AIAS awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/skyrim-snags-another-best-of-show-award-at-15th-annual-aias-awar/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/skyrim-snags-another-best-of-show-award-at-15th-annual-aias-awar/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/skyrim-snags-another-best-of-show-award-at-15th-annual-aias-awar/#comments Like the sun rising in the East or our daily tribute to the almighty caffeine deity, we've come to expect writing a post at least once a week announcing yet another award for Skyrim. This week is no different, with Skyrim taking top honors at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards in Las Vegas last evening.

The studio took home five awards in total for the dragon-infested, open-world RPG, alongside fellow multiple award winners Uncharted 3 and Portal 2. We've dropped a full list of winners after the break, but before you head there allow us to be outraged for you that Skyward Sword didn't win any awards. Outrage! How could they? Etc.

Continue reading Skyrim snags another best of show gong at 15th annual AIAS awards

JoystiqSkyrim snags another best of show gong at 15th annual AIAS awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasaias-awardsawardsawards-showdicedice-2012elder-scrolls-5interactive-achievement-awardsskyrimthe-elder-scrolls-v-skyrimFri, 10 Feb 2012 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Uncharted 3 leads AIAS 2011 award nominations]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/uncharted-3-leads-aias-2011-award-nominations/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/uncharted-3-leads-aias-2011-award-nominations/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/uncharted-3-leads-aias-2011-award-nominations/#comments We've already told you what our favorite games of 2011 are, but the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences apparently needed a bit more time to ruminate on the matter. The final awards will be given at the annual DICE summit in Las Vegas on February 9, giving us all tons of time to pressure the AIAS into giving Rayman Origins the awards for Outstanding Animation and Outstanding Art Direction.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is the belle of the ball this year, with a total of 12 nominations across several categories. Other notable titles include Portal 2 (10 nominations) L.A. Noire (9 nominations), Bastion (3 nominations), and Battlefield 3 (6 nominations). 2010's top game from the AIAS was Mass Effect 2, which walked away with awards in the RPG and storytelling categories.

Jay Mohr will be hosting again -- here's his monologue from last year -- and the entire show will be streamed online through GameSpot, starting at 7:30pm PT/10:30pm ET. Or you could buy a plane ticket and fly to Vegas, hoping to somehow sneak in. We wouldn't suggest that, though, as your time and money can be better spent petitioning for Rayman Origins.

Hit the jump for the full list of this year's nominees.

Continue reading Uncharted 3 leads AIAS 2011 award nominations

JoystiqUncharted 3 leads AIAS 2011 award nominations originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsacademy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesaiasandroiddsiosipadiphonekinectmacmicrosoftmobilemovenintendopcplaystationps3pspsonyuncharted-3uncharted-3-drakes-deceptionwiixboxThu, 12 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic's Tim Sweeney being inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/08/epics-tim-sweeney-being-inducted-into-aias-hall-of-fame/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/08/epics-tim-sweeney-being-inducted-into-aias-hall-of-fame/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/08/epics-tim-sweeney-being-inducted-into-aias-hall-of-fame/#comments The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences has announced the 16th inductee to its Hall of Fame, a catalog which already contains literal game-changers like Peter Molyneux, Sid Meier and Will Wright. To be added to that list during the Interactive Achievement Awards at the 2012 D.I.C.E. Summit in February: Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney. You've almost certainly heard of him -- if not, you've definitely heard of the Unreal Engine, which he helped create. If you haven't heard of that, what is wrong with you?

The Interactive Achievement Awards, which will be presented February 9, will see Epic VP Mark Rein bestowing the honor upon Sweeney. We anticipate that his speech will include humorous jabs at one or more of Sweeney's lesser-known idiosyncrasies, as well as a heart-touching stanza about how he's not just a good boss, but a great friend. We're getting a little choked up just thinking about it.

JoystiqEpic's Tim Sweeney being inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasepicepic-gameshall-of-fameiaaInteractive-Achievement-Awardsmark-reinmicrosoftpcplaystationps3tim-sweeneyxboxThu, 08 Dec 2011 13:25:00 EST<![CDATA[AIAS Awards and DICE sessions now available on Xbox Live]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/02/aias-awards-and-dice-sessions-now-available-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/02/aias-awards-and-dice-sessions-now-available-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/02/aias-awards-and-dice-sessions-now-available-on-xbox-live/#comments If you couldn't make it out to Vegas for the DICE Summit earlier this year (and our in-depth coverage wasn't in enough depth for you), worry not -- Xbox Live has your back. By going to the GamerTV channel in the Video Marketplace, you can watch parts of the Academy of Interactive Achievement awards show, as well as highlighted sessions from the summit for free. Interactive entertainment-related sessions from Richard "Lord British" Garriott, the director of Kung Fu Panda, and oceanographer Dr. Dave Gallo are all available for viewing.

Not included: the expensive Las Vegas hotel room and overpriced buffet you would have if you were there live. But you can watch the awards show itself, and see some of your favorite games win those AIAS awards all over again.

JoystiqAIAS Awards and DICE sessions now available on Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasaias-awardsdice-2011microsoftvideo-marketplacexboxxbox-liveSat, 02 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Limbo, Inertia! win 2011 Indie Game Challenge at DICE]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/limbo-inertia-win-2011-indie-game-challenge-at-dice/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/limbo-inertia-win-2011-indie-game-challenge-at-dice/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/limbo-inertia-win-2011-indie-game-challenge-at-dice/#comments Limbo and Xbox Indie title Inertia! have won the second annual Indie Game Challenge at DICE. Sponsored by The Guildhall at SMU, GameStop and the AIAS, the winners will each receive $100,000 and an EEDAR DesignMetrics title research assessment valued at $15,000.

Limbo, which we felt was one of the best games of 2010, took the grand prize in the "professional" category, along with another prize of $2,500 for achievement in art direction

Inertia!, available through Xbox Live Indies for $1, won in the "non-professional" category and also took awards for technical achievement, achievement in gameplay and "gamer's choice," for a total of an extra $15,000 in prize money. The game was created by Team Hermes, an eight person team of now-graduated students from The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University. Three members of the team, Evan Skarin, Michelle Hayden and Brandon Stephens, have started Inertia Studios, while the rest have already taken jobs at established studios.

To check out all the talented nominees, head on over to the Indie Game Challenge site and watch the videos.

JoystiqLimbo, Inertia! win 2011 Indie Game Challenge at DICE originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 01:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasgamestopindie-game-challengeinertialimbomicrosoftxboxSat, 12 Feb 2011 01:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Mass Effect 2 wins GOTY, RPG, storytelling awards at DICE 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/mass-effect-2-wins-goty-rpg-story-awards-at-dice-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/mass-effect-2-wins-goty-rpg-story-awards-at-dice-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/mass-effect-2-wins-goty-rpg-story-awards-at-dice-2011/#comments Tonight's 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (i.e., the DICE awards) saw Mass Effect 2 cruise off with honors for Game of the Year, RPG of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in Story. However, Red Dead Redemption ended up with more trophies, riding away with wins for Action Game of the Year and Outstanding Character Performance, along with Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction, Art Direction and Gameplay Engineering.

The portable and casual categories were filled with rage, as God of War: Ghost of Sparta won the award for Portable Game of the Year, while Casual Game of the Year went to the ferocious fowls of Angry Birds HD.

Check out the full list of award recipients after the break.

Continue reading Mass Effect 2 wins GOTY, RPG, storytelling awards at DICE 2011

JoystiqMass Effect 2 wins GOTY, RPG, storytelling awards at DICE 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 01:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIASangry-birdsawardsbiowareDICEDICE-2011eaElectronic-Artsgod-of-wargod-of-war-ghost-of-spartaMass-Effect-2microsoftpcplaystationps3Ready-At-Dawnred-dead-redemptionRockstar-GamesRockstar-San-DiegoRoviosceasonyxboxFri, 11 Feb 2011 01:46:00 EST<![CDATA[AIAS Hall of Fame 'Game Changers' confess pro mistakes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/aias-hall-of-fame-game-changers-confess-pro-mistakes/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/aias-hall-of-fame-game-changers-confess-pro-mistakes/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/aias-hall-of-fame-game-changers-confess-pro-mistakes/#comments Kicking off DICE 2011, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences invited Hall of Fame "game changers" to speak on a variety of topics, moderated by New York Times writer Seth Schiesel. Things got introspective when the panel discussed design decisions they wish they could take back, or a plan that didn't work out as well as they thought it would.

BioWare's Dr. Greg Zeschuk, who will be inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame this year with business partner Dr. Ray Muzyka, said that about 10 or 12 years ago he made a pitch video for Five Fingers of Death. It was going to be a kung-fu game set in the Baldur's Gate universe. Cutscenes would have have been too expensive to produce, so Zeschuk spent several weeks re-dubbing old kung-fu movies using his own voice. When the tape went out he recalls several companies laughed them off.

If anyone happens to have a copy of that tape, there are several video upload sites we'd be more than happy to recommend.

Continue reading AIAS Hall of Fame 'Game Changers' confess pro mistakes

JoystiqAIAS Hall of Fame 'Game Changers' confess pro mistakes originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasaias-hall-of-famebaldurs-gatebiowarebruce-shelleydice-2011five-fingers-of-deathgreg-zeschukmark-cernymike-morhaimepcray-muzykaThu, 10 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AIAS Hall of Famers delivering 2011 D.I.C.E. Summit keynote]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/aias-hall-of-famers-delivering-2011-d-i-c-e-summit-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/aias-hall-of-famers-delivering-2011-d-i-c-e-summit-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/aias-hall-of-famers-delivering-2011-d-i-c-e-summit-keynote/#comments So, you've only got a few hours set aside this year with which to absorb illumination from some of the gaming industry's smartest folks? You won't find a more efficient way to satisfy your needs than the 2011 D.I.C.E. Summit keynote panel, which will feature the shared wisdom of a number of Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Famers from years past. (And years current!)

Presenters include Blizzard president Mike Morhaime, Grandfather of the RTS genre Bruce Shelley, Cerny Games president Mike Cerny and BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk. If you can make it to the panel on the evening of February 9, we're pretty sure that you'll possess all the knowledge you'll need to create the industry's next big game. At the very least, you'll have some inspiration for some awesome last names for said game's characters.

Continue reading AIAS Hall of Famers delivering 2011 D.I.C.E. Summit keynote

JoystiqAIAS Hall of Famers delivering 2011 D.I.C.E. Summit keynote originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIASaias-hall-of-famebiowareblizzarddicedice-summitdice-summit-2011greg-zeschukkeynoteMike-Morhaimeray-muzykaSun, 30 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' annual Pioneer Award going to Bill Budge]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/22/academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciences-annual-pioneer-award-g/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/22/academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciences-annual-pioneer-award-g/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/22/academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciences-annual-pioneer-award-g/#comments We're not sure why, but every year, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) feels compelled to award one prominent contributor to the gaming industry with recognition for their proficiency with wild frontier survival. We're talking about raccoon cap-wearing, log cabin-living souls who, with little provocation, will load up their family's small Conestoga wagon and ship out for parts west, which -- wait, you mean the AIAS Pioneer Award has nothing to do with literal pioneering? We're a little disappointed, if we're being honest.

This year's pioneer award (which will be handed out during the DICE 2011 Interactive Achievement Awards on February 10) will go to Bill Budge, an illustrious creator of engines for other people to create their own games and experiences, such as the 3-D Game Tool and Pinball Construction Set -- one of EA's earliest titles. He's also done stints with Sony Computer Entertainment and EA, and he currently works at Google, helping to improve the world of browser-based gaming.

Also, he knows the proper way to open and neutralize a rattlesnake bite. We think. Probably.

Continue reading Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' annual Pioneer Award going to Bill Budge

JoystiqAcademy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' annual Pioneer Award going to Bill Budge originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3-d-game-toolaiasbill-budgedice-2011Interactive-Achievement-Awardsmacpinball-construction-setSat, 22 Jan 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[G4 live streaming DICE awards, broadcasting edited version]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/g4-live-streaming-dice-awards-broadcasting-edited-version/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/g4-live-streaming-dice-awards-broadcasting-edited-version/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/g4-live-streaming-dice-awards-broadcasting-edited-version/#comments The 14th annual Interactive Achievement Awards (i.e., the DICE awards) will be broadcast on G4 this year. The show, hosted again by funnyman Jay Mohr, will air in a one-hour edited format across the television waves on Saturday, February 12 at 4PM ET/PT. However, the show will also be streamed live, and unedited, on the interwebs at G4tv.com/DICE, beginning at 7:30 PT (10:30 ET) on Thursday, February 10.

We'd recommend checking out the unedited clips from last year for an idea of the "insider" jokes and stuff that's not likely to make its way to broadcast.

JoystiqG4 live streaming DICE awards, broadcasting edited version originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIASAIIDICE-2011dice-awardsG4microsoftnintendopcplaystationps3wiixboxThu, 13 Jan 2011 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare doctors add 'AIAS Hall of Fame' to credentials]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/18/bioware-doctors-add-aias-hall-of-fame-to-credentials/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/18/bioware-doctors-add-aias-hall-of-fame-to-credentials/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/18/bioware-doctors-add-aias-hall-of-fame-to-credentials/#comments BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk will be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) Hall of Fame. Muzyka and Zeschuk will be the fourteenth and fifteenth (they can quibble about which is which) members in the hall of fame, which includes folks like Mike Cerny, Mike Morhaime and Dani Bunten. This is the first time the award has been given to a pair.

"The Doctors," as they are referred to in the industry, took the leap from medicine to game design and have been more than marginally successful, heading up the studio that created top-tier franchises Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. The awards will be presented to the pair by Epic Games prez Mike Capps at the 2011 D.I.C.E. Summit in February. We really hope someone chooses the renegade option when the duo get up to accept their awards.

JoystiqBioWare doctors add 'AIAS Hall of Fame' to credentials originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIASaias-hall-of-fameBioWareDICE-2011greg-zeschukmass-effect-3microsoftpcplaystationps3ray-muzykaxboxSat, 18 Dec 2010 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joseph Olin steps down as AIAS president, replaced by Martin Rae]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/joseph-olin-steps-down-as-aias-president-replaced-by-martin-rae/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/joseph-olin-steps-down-as-aias-president-replaced-by-martin-rae/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/joseph-olin-steps-down-as-aias-president-replaced-by-martin-rae/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Joseph Olin (pictured), president of the The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, has announced he's stepping down to "pursue new opportunities." Part of his AIAS duties included hosting DICE and the Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the 13th installment of which took place back in February and was streamed through IFC.com.

Taking over the role as AIAS president will be Martin Rae, who will work with Olin throughout the remainder of the year to ensure the 10th annual DICE Summit and subsequent 14th installment in the Annual Interactive Achievement Awards both go off without a hitch. Rae's track record consists of time spent as CEO of Sunleaf Studios, a "virtual world/Internet game company" and time spent at Boss Entertainment, working with both Boss Game Studios and The Electric Playground.

For the full press release, head past the break.

Continue reading Joseph Olin steps down as AIAS president, replaced by Martin Rae

JoystiqJoseph Olin steps down as AIAS president, replaced by Martin Rae originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesAIASDICE-2011interactive-arts-and-sciencesjoseph-olinmartin-raeMon, 04 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DICE awards now on IFC.com, check out the Jay Mohr monologue here]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/dice-awards-now-on-ifc-com-check-out-the-jay-mohr-monologue-her/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/dice-awards-now-on-ifc-com-check-out-the-jay-mohr-monologue-her/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/dice-awards-now-on-ifc-com-check-out-the-jay-mohr-monologue-her/#comments If you missed the live stream of the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (i.e., the DICE awards), and don't want to wait for the "broadcast premiere" this Friday, the whole thing is available now in chunks on IFC.com. The first two clips cover Jay Mohr's (Gary Unmarried, Action, Go, Mr. Nikki Cox) 40-minute monologue, while the rest is the awards ceremony -- and, well, the "Indiana Jones sequel" Mohr wanted swept those.

The reason we decided to drop the Mohr monologue after the break was because we're guessing there will be "edits" for TV, including some inside jokes about Richard Garriott and Bobby Kotick (in particular, the 6:45 mark during the second clip). We're not sure if the general television audience will "get it," but we trust that you all will.

Continue reading DICE awards now on IFC.com, check out the Jay Mohr monologue here

JoystiqDICE awards now on IFC.com, check out the Jay Mohr monologue here originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIASDICEdice-2010dice-awardsifcifc.comInteractive-Achievement-Awardsjay-mohrWed, 24 Feb 2010 00:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Dan Connors answers 10 Questions from the Academy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/dan-connors-answers-10-questions-from-the-academy/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/dan-connors-answers-10-questions-from-the-academy/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/dan-connors-answers-10-questions-from-the-academy/#comments And now, 10 Questions from the Academy: A weekly feature from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences wherein significant figures in the video game industry provide their input on past trends, current events, and future challenges and goals for the entertainment software community.
Dan Connors is a member of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. He works for episodic gaming developer Telltale Games.


AIAS: What's your favorite part of game development?
Dan Connors: Between Alpha and Beta, because it is the time where you get a sense for what the game will be. It is also the time where the ability to iterate quickly pays off the most.

What's the one problem of game development you wish you could instantly solve?
 Ego Inflation. It leads to situations where individuals become so invested in their specialty, or in being right on every individual point, that they lose sight of the greater need of the team and the product.

Are games important?
Games like all forms of entertainment communicate the myths and stories of our age to many people in our society, most of whom are in their formative years. So, like it or not, they are important. I also think as games continue to evolve they will be used for all kinds things like teaching social skills, training athletes and helping sick people. As a programmer once said to me in response to a feature request, "Anything's possible," of course he also said, "With enough time and budget."

How do you measure success?
 Against the plan of course. This assumes a well thought out plan that is getting you towards the ultimate vision.

Continue reading Dan Connors answers 10 Questions from the Academy

JoystiqDan Connors answers 10 Questions from the Academy originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-Questions-from-the-AcademyAIASDan-ConnorsTelltale-GamesFri, 19 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DICE 2010: Uncharted 2 wins like everything at Interactive Achievement Awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/uncharted-2-wins-like-everything-at-interactive-achievement-awar/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/uncharted-2-wins-like-everything-at-interactive-achievement-awar/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/uncharted-2-wins-like-everything-at-interactive-achievement-awar/#comments When we awarded Uncharted 2 our top spot in 2010, we simply thought we were aligning ourselves with other people with impeccable taste; however, after reading the results from last night's 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (i.e., the DICE awards) we've discovered that we've also aligned ourselves with the entire video game development community. While we only bestowed a single award on Naughty Dog's latest outing, the Academy dropped ten awards on ol' Nathan Drake and friends, including Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering ... oh, and Game of the Year. (Pictured above: Some of the Naughty Dog team, visibly exhausted from climbing up to the stage ten times.)

While Uncharted 2 was the hands-down "winner" last night, there were 17 other awards handed out (some of which we're sure Uncharted would have won, had it been eligible). Other familiar names on the list (which can be found in its entirety after the break) include: Batman: Arkham Asylum, with three awards; Scribblenauts, with three awards; Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, with two awards; and Brütal Legend, with two awards.

Congratulations to all the winners. Oh, and let's just give Naughty Dog all its awards at once from now on; it's tough to make award-winning games without any cartilage in your knees.

Continue reading DICE 2010: Uncharted 2 wins like everything at Interactive Achievement Awards

JoystiqDICE 2010: Uncharted 2 wins like everything at Interactive Achievement Awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIASawardsDICEDICE-2010Uncharted-2Uncharted-2-Among-ThievesFri, 19 Feb 2010 09:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Joseph Olin discusses DICE awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/interview-joseph-olin-discusses-dice-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/interview-joseph-olin-discusses-dice-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/interview-joseph-olin-discusses-dice-awards/#comments Joseph Olin, president of the The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, is a busy, busy man this week. Hosting DICE and getting ready for the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards tonight, which will be streamed on IFC.com (and shown on IFC's cable TV network the following week). We were curious to know a little more about what the academy has planned for its public image and who Olin is rooting for tonight.

Joystiq: Do we call it the Interactive Achievement Awards ... or do we say I.A. awards?

Joseph Olin: Interactive Achievement Awards. I think most people just give them the moniker "The DICE Awards." Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain certainly sums up why people make games. I'm comfortable with that.

Is this the first year the show will be streamed live?

Actually, this will be the third year it'll be streamed live. But, last year our good friends at IGN had a problem with their uplink relay on their end. So we were streaming and nothing went. So they captured and were about 30 minutes behind. As we all know, the internet is a flawless piece of technology and as reliable as the mail. So, yes, we're excited about IFC streaming it this year because they have a much better track record of streaming their content.

So, we should say this is the first year IFC is streaming it?

This is the first year IFC is streaming it live. Then the highlights show will be on the following Friday, the 26th.

Continue reading Interview: Joseph Olin discusses DICE awards

JoystiqInterview: Joseph Olin discusses DICE awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesaiasdice-2010iaaInteractive-Achievement-Awardsjoseph-olinThu, 18 Feb 2010 13:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Into the Pixel goes into the auction on eBay]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/into-the-pixel-goes-into-the-auction-on-ebay/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/into-the-pixel-goes-into-the-auction-on-ebay/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/into-the-pixel-goes-into-the-auction-on-ebay/#comments Hey, you remember the Into the Pixel exhibit at last year's E3, right? Oh, no, that's right, they don't allow the plebes in. Had you been lucky enough to grace it with your stares, you'd have found a "jury-curated exhibition of video game art created by published video and computer game artists." And now that very same art can be found gracing the pages of eBay, as the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has opened up bidding on a smattering of pieces (starting yesterday and running through February 20).

Featuring art from games like Flower and Fable 2, the proceeds will help to fund the AIAS' scholarship programs. The bidding has most certainly begun, though most pieces remain at their initial $100 opening bid as of publishing. If you're looking to snap up one of these snappy pieces, we'd suggest you get bidding sooner rather than later!

JoystiqInto the Pixel goes into the auction on eBay originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesActionaiasartauctionDSebayfable-2Flowerinto-the-pixelLionheadLionhead-StudiosMGSMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosNintendoPSNRPGSCEASonySony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericaThatGameCompanyWiixblaXbox-360Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kotick to keynote DICE Summit Sessions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/kotick-to-keynote-dice-summit-sessions/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/kotick-to-keynote-dice-summit-sessions/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/kotick-to-keynote-dice-summit-sessions/#commentsLast time we heard from Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, he was explaining how terrible one of his company's franchises was. He's previously joked about increasing prices even further. If you want to be there when he issues his next great Quotick, you should go to the DICE summit -- or, barring that, wait five minutes for shocked journalists to pass it along.

The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences announced that Kotick will open the Summit Sessions with a talk about "how creative talent drives the video game industry." That is, creative talent who is not having any fun.

"Activision Blizzard is home to some of the most talented developers in our industry and we are thrilled to have Bobby's insight on how great games are built upon great talent," AIAS president Joseph Olin said. Kotick's talk will take place Thursday, February 18.

JoystiqKotick to keynote DICE Summit Sessions originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionaiasbobby-kotickdice-2010dice-summitdice-summit-2010Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nathan Drake hoping to take home more shiny trinkets at AIAS awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/nathan-drake-hoping-to-take-home-more-shiny-trinkets-at-aias-awa/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/nathan-drake-hoping-to-take-home-more-shiny-trinkets-at-aias-awa/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/nathan-drake-hoping-to-take-home-more-shiny-trinkets-at-aias-awa/#comments We're in the thick of awards season, and video games are no exception. The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences has announced its finalists for the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards ("The 'Racties" -- we're kidding but that's what they should be called), and, as you might have guessed, award hog Uncharted 2: Among Thieves leads the pack with 15 nominations. The rest of the nominees include more of the usual suspects from 2009: Assassin's Creed II with 10 noms, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with nine and Batman: Arkham Asylum with eight. This year's awards also features three new categories, including Outstanding Achievement in Game Design and Portable and Social Networking Games of the Year.

You can find a list of selected categories and their nominees after the break, or check out the Academy's full list in PDF form. The awards will be given out at the DICE Summit on February 18 in Las Vegas, where Activision's Bobby Kotick is scheduled to keynote. We can only guess that he'll go all Kanye on the podium if Modern Warfare 2 doesn't win.

Continue reading Nathan Drake hoping to take home more shiny trinkets at AIAS awards

JoystiqNathan Drake hoping to take home more shiny trinkets at AIAS awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesaiasassassins-creed-2batman-arkham-asylumbobby-kotickcall-of-duty-modern-warfare-2dice-2010dice-summitdice-summit-2010gyromancer-got-robbedinteractive-achievement-awardsthe-ractiesuncharted-2Uncharted-2-Among-ThievesThu, 21 Jan 2010 21:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Marble Madness creator Mark Cerny to be inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/16/marble-madness-creator-mark-cerny-to-be-inducted-into-aias-hall/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/16/marble-madness-creator-mark-cerny-to-be-inducted-into-aias-hall/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/16/marble-madness-creator-mark-cerny-to-be-inducted-into-aias-hall/#comments It may have been a quarter century since Mark Cerny's groundbreaking arcade game Marble Madness was first developed, but this year the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences will give the influential developer an induction into its Hall of Fame. On February 18 in Las Vegas, Cerny will become the 13th member of the AIAS' small club -- a club that includes development bigwigs like Will Wright and Shigeru Miyamoto, among others.

For those of you who don't know, Cerny's been hard at work behind the scenes of some of our favorite games throughout the years. The developer's had a hand in everything from Sonic 2 through God of War 3, with his influential "Cerny Method" of tenacious development being passed down to modern day big boys like Insomniac's Ted Price and Naughty Dog's Evan Wells. "Mark has left an indelible mark on all of the games he's been a part of, the developers that he's collaborated with, and most importantly the individuals that he's worked along-side of," Wells said in the press release (warning: PDF link). For Cerny's part, he said he's "thrilled to accept this award" and humbly offloaded some respect to past colleagues that he's "had the pleasure to work with over the years." We're looking forward to witnessing the "Cerny Method" in action during his acceptance speech, wherein he only allows himself 30 seconds to catch our interest before reevaluating the entire thing.

JoystiqMarble Madness creator Mark Cerny to be inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesaiasaias-hall-of-fameevan-wellsgod-of-war-3hall-of-fameinsomniacmarble-madnessmark-cernynaughty-dogsegashigeru-miyamototed-pricewill-wrightSat, 16 Jan 2010 03:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Matias Myllyrinne answers 10 Questions from the Academy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/29/matias-myllyrinne-answers-10-questions-from-the-academy/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/29/matias-myllyrinne-answers-10-questions-from-the-academy/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/29/matias-myllyrinne-answers-10-questions-from-the-academy/#comments And now, 10 Questions from the Academy: A weekly feature from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences wherein significant figures in the video game industry provide their input on past trends, current events, and future challenges and goals for the entertainment software community.
Matias Myllyrinne is a member of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences and will speak at the D.I.C.E. Summit in 2010. He works for Remedy, and told Joystiq that the developer's latest game, Alan Wake, is "done" and is just being "polished" before its "Spring 2010" release.

AIAS: What's your favorite part of game development?
Matias Myllyrinne: Shipping. We are so close with Alan Wake and it has taken a while. I would really like to share what we have done with the world. No other feeling can match the exhilaration of seeing years of work come to closure.

How do you measure success?
As for, success in games. it's easy - units sold and Metacritic. In any form of entertainment, if the audience likes what you create and it sells - that's what counts in the end.

Professionally, success is defined by the success of those around me. Are my partners aligned with me and taking part in good business, is my team creative, empowered and financially secure and are my shareholders seeing good long term strategic direction. Personally, I am successful if I am doing new things, enjoying a balanced life with the job I love and all the other interesting things the world has to offer.

Continue reading Matias Myllyrinne answers 10 Questions from the Academy

JoystiqMatias Myllyrinne answers 10 Questions from the Academy originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-Questions-from-the-AcademyAIASMatias-MyllyrinneRemedyRemedy-EntertainmentTue, 29 Dec 2009 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Brian Reynolds answers 10 Questions from the Academy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/brian-reynolds-answers-10-questions-from-the-academy/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/brian-reynolds-answers-10-questions-from-the-academy/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/brian-reynolds-answers-10-questions-from-the-academy/#comments And now, 10 Questions from the Academy: A weekly feature from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences wherein significant figures in the video game industry provide their input on past trends, current events, and future challenges and goals for the entertainment software community.
Brian Reynolds is a member of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences and will speak at the D.I.C.E. Summit in 2010. After working with Sid Meier at both MicroProse and Firaxis, Reynolds went on to create Big Huge Games, where he served as CEO until the sale of the company to 38 Studios earlier this year. He now heads up the newly established social gaming team at Zynga East in Baltimore.

AIAS: What's your favorite part of game development?
Brian Reynolds: The last 25% of the project, when you're polishing and tuning the thing to make it perfect for release. Of course it's never actually "perfect," but the game starts to feel like a real game rather than a prototype - all the parts start working well together and you finally realize "hey now we have something I want to play!"

What game are you most jealous of?
Half Life 2 - totally wish I had meaningful skills for making games like that. It's got such an amazing combination of good writing, good technology, good level design, and just overall great craftsmanship.

Continue reading Brian Reynolds answers 10 Questions from the Academy

JoystiqBrian Reynolds answers 10 Questions from the Academy originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-Questions-from-the-AcademyAIASBrian-ReynoldsZyngaZynga-EastSun, 13 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST