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[Quantum Conundrum's latest trailer blows the doors off time, our minds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/quantum-conundrums-latest-trailer-blows-the-doors-off-time-our/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/quantum-conundrums-latest-trailer-blows-the-doors-off-time-our/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/quantum-conundrums-latest-trailer-blows-the-doors-off-time-our/#comments Image
Quantum Conundrum's more than just fluffy pillows and super heavy stuff. It's also all about ripping apart space and time itself at your whim, with the helpful aid of a glove-enabled "shift device," as demonstrated in the trailer above.

JoystiqQuantum Conundrum's latest trailer blows the doors off time, our minds originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightairtight-gamesgameplaykim-swiftmicrosoftpcplaystationps3quantum-conundrumsquare-enixtrailerxboxThu, 17 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Airtight Games' Kim Swift discusses Portal comparisons and the democratic origin of Quantum Conundrum]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/airtight-games-kim-swift-discusses-portal-comparisons-and-the-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/airtight-games-kim-swift-discusses-portal-comparisons-and-the-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/airtight-games-kim-swift-discusses-portal-comparisons-and-the-d/#comments "All I care about is, 'Is the game fun? Are players gonna pick it up and have a good time?' That, first and foremost, is my job," ex-Valve developer (Portal, Left 4 Dead) and current Airtight Games creative lead Kim Swift declared to me in a pre-NY Comic Con interview last week. She was referring to her current project, Quantum Conundrum, and its similarity to her past work on Portal. I was wondering if she worried that her first big game might color perceptions about her latest, similarly-sized game -- is it just more of the same?

"Making first-person puzzle games is what I like to do," Swift said. "And there aren't a whole lot of games ... there's Portal, and that's about it. So, to me, this is the kind of game that I want to play myself." She told me that the idea for QC had come about before arriving at Airtight, and when the opportunity came to head up a team as creative lead, she jumped at the chance. But she also didn't want to be a totalitarian monster.

"Once I had gotten my team together, I didn't just wanna say, 'Hey, we're making this game, dammit! It's gonna be the way I say it's gonna be!'" Swift explained. Rather, the team members created individual "one-sheets" which would then be voted on by the whole group. As it turns out, Quantum Conundrum won out. "It just happens that this one came out on top just because it was really easy to implement right away and test," she added.

The game's room-based puzzles and play on dimensional mechanics make it "modular" -- as in, individual components can be easily swapped out for others and quickly tested. This kind of development structure allows for quick iteration, a value prized among game developers. It also makes things like DLC all the more possible, which already makes sense for a game like Quantum Conundrum. Whether gamers will be demanding more after the game ships "early" next year remains to be seen, but what I saw had a lot of promise.

Gallery: Quantum Conundrum (PAX 2011)

JoystiqAirtight Games' Kim Swift discusses Portal comparisons and the democratic origin of Quantum Conundrum originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightairtight-gameskim-swiftmicrosoftnyccnycc-2011pcplaystationportalps3quantum-conundrumsquare-enixxboxThu, 20 Oct 2011 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Kim Swift fills us in on Airtight Games' silent 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/kim-swift-fills-us-in-on-airtight-games-silent-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/kim-swift-fills-us-in-on-airtight-games-silent-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/kim-swift-fills-us-in-on-airtight-games-silent-2010/#comments After Airtight Games' last project, Dark Void, failed to succeed with critics and at retail, the studio crept back into relative quiet for the majority of 2010. Aside from a job listing popping up late in the year for "several AAA titles," and the high-profile hire of Portal lead Kim Swift just before Dark Void's launch, the studio kept mum all the way until this past summer.

Just before PAX, however, Japanese publisher Square Enix teased a big reveal for Swift's promised game. Days later, Quantum Conundrum was announced -- another first-person puzzler -- leaving us to wonder what else the studio might be working on. "There are currently two projects at Airtight: ours, and another unannounced project," Swift told me during a pre-New York Comic Con preview for Square's titles. "I can't speak to what the game is," she added (unsurprisingly).

The Airtight Games site offers only a bit more assistance in divining the studio's other project, calling it, "another ambitious AAA title in a genre that is both unique and refreshingly unexplored," and teasing the image above. Swift did tell me that 16 folks at Airtight out of approximately 50 are currently head-down on Quantum Conundrum, leaving a sizable team for other things.

And those 35 or so people have had plenty of time to get started, if development of the studio's other, "mid-sized" project is any indication. "We've technically been working on [Quantum Conundrum] for a year, but we didn't really go into production until maybe like, six, seven months ago. Not long," Swift explained with a laugh. "You'd be surprised at how many things 16 folks can make."

AG's official site also promises "more news and announcements in the near future," so perhaps the studio is ready to fully awake from its year-long silence.

JoystiqKim Swift fills us in on Airtight Games' silent 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightairtight-gameskim-swiftmicrosoftpcplaystationps3quantum-conundrumxboxThu, 13 Oct 2011 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Let's play the blame game: Inafune on what went wrong with Capcom's original IP push]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/lets-play-the-blame-game-inafune-on-what-went-wrong-with-capco/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/lets-play-the-blame-game-inafune-on-what-went-wrong-with-capco/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/lets-play-the-blame-game-inafune-on-what-went-wrong-with-capco/#comments In the latter half of 2009 and early 2010, Capcom released two major retail games in collaboration with prominent Western devs: Crimson Skies dev Airtight Games created Dark Void, and gun-for-hire Grin rebooted Bionic Commando. Those two games, however, were prominent sales flops. One even contributed to the eventual closure of Swedish dev Grin.

For its part, Capcom promptly returned to its tried and true franchises, with a lineup today featuring many more sequels than back in 2009. At the time, Mega Man co-creator Keiji Inafune was overseeing production on Capcom's retail titles, and when I spoke with him this past week at the Tokyo Game Show, I wanted to know what went wrong. Beyond sales, neither game was particularly loved by critics, especially Dark Void.

"[It's] very, very simple: The publisher was Japanese and the developer was foreign. Even inside Japan, when you work in two different companies, they always blame each other for any small mistakes, so that's pretty much what happened in those two games -- blaming each other," Inafune explained. He went on to compare those development experiences with that of Dead Rising -- a game that has since become a major franchise for Capcom, not to mention a commercial success.

Continue reading Let's play the blame game: Inafune on what went wrong with Capcom's original IP push

JoystiqLet's play the blame game: Inafune on what went wrong with Capcom's original IP push originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightairtight-gamesbionic-commandoDark-Voidgrinkeiji-inafunemicrosoftpcplaystationps3tgstgs-2011tokyo-game-showtokyo-game-show-2011xboxMon, 19 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Airtight Games working on multiplatform Unreal-based game, plus others]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/airtight-games-working-on-multiplatform-unreal-based-game-plus/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/airtight-games-working-on-multiplatform-unreal-based-game-plus/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/airtight-games-working-on-multiplatform-unreal-based-game-plus/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dark Void and Crimson Skies developer Airtight Games is nose down on "several new AAA titles for a variety of markets," and a job listing on Gamasutra indicates that at least one is headed for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. The developer is seeking "an experienced Senior Environment Artist" for work on the unannounced title, with an "excellent understanding of art production for next-gen games" and is "highly skilled in Maya and/or XSI, Photoshop, Mudbox, and the Unreal 3 Engine."

Otherwise, the listing provides little in the way of hints as to what the unannounced game could be. With ex-Portal lead Kim Swift on board, though, we're expecting greatness. But no pressure!

JoystiqAirtight Games working on multiplatform Unreal-based game, plus others originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightairtight-gamesmicrosoftpcplaystationps3unannouncedxboxWed, 13 Oct 2010 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Portal lead Kim Swift heads to Airtight Games for 'new, unnamed project']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/07/portal-lead-kim-swift-heads-to-airtight-games-for-new-unnamed/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/07/portal-lead-kim-swift-heads-to-airtight-games-for-new-unnamed/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/07/portal-lead-kim-swift-heads-to-airtight-games-for-new-unnamed/#commentsBest known for her work on Joystiq's 2007 Game of the Year, Portal, Valve's Kim Swift is reportedly leaving her current position for Dark Void developer Airtight Games. According to Develop, she'll be heading up a team of developers working on a "new, unnamed project" for the US-based company. Airtight prez Jim Deal says that he's "thrilled to work with Kim," and that "her addition to the team represents a strategic move ... into new and broader gaming markets."

Swift's team will be tasked with creating "games aimed at a more diverse audience" -- a challenge Swift appears ready to handle. "I've learned so much and had some amazing experiences at Valve, but when I heard I had the opportunity to work on innovative titles with my friends over at Airtight, I couldn't pass it up." And now we wait (and hope) for the puzzle-based air combat game that's sure to come of this partnership.

JoystiqPortal lead Kim Swift heads to Airtight Games for 'new, unnamed project' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightairtight-gamesbusinessdark-voiddeveloperhiringjim-dealkim-swiftportalquantum-conundrumvalvevalve-softwareMon, 07 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Void pre-order bonus: A gold jetpack!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/01/dark-void-pre-order-bonus-a-gold-jetpack/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/01/dark-void-pre-order-bonus-a-gold-jetpack/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/01/dark-void-pre-order-bonus-a-gold-jetpack/#commentsDid you know that at this very minute, millions of people worldwide are sitting on a fortune in gold? It's true! And you could be one of them! Capcom wants to help increase your gold treasures by one full jetpack, offering the item as a pre-order bonus with Dark Void when it lands on GameStop shelves early next year.

Rather than be way boring and send out a press release (though Capcom did that too), we've got the full faux commercial you see above, hilariously detailing the bonus; though a bit of gameplay of the jetpack can be found on the promo's website.

"My life used to be miserable and meaningless, but thanks to GOLD4JETPACK.com, I don't cry myself to sleep anymore!" Thanks GOLD4JETPACK.com!

Gallery: Dark Void

JoystiqDark Void pre-order bonus: A gold jetpack! originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightairtight-gamescapcomdark-voidgamestopgold-jetpackgold4jetpack.comMicrosoftpre-orderXbox-360Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[New Dark Void videos are jet-packed with action]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/02/new-dark-void-videos-are-jet-packed-with-action/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/02/new-dark-void-videos-are-jet-packed-with-action/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/02/new-dark-void-videos-are-jet-packed-with-action/#commentsRecently, MonsterVine.com posted four gameplay videos of Airtight Games' Dark Void and, truth be told, we think it's high time that jet-propelled transportation became the norm.

You can view all four aerial combat videos after the fold. The footage is full of nifty 180-degree turns, mounting sequences that add a welcome bit of variety, and plenty of technological evil to destroy. That said, we would really like to see an expanded color palette, because as much as we like gray and blue, visual variety is always a good thing.

[Via Capcom Blog]

Continue reading New Dark Void videos are jet-packed with action

JoystiqNew Dark Void videos are jet-packed with action originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightairtight-gamescapcomdark-voidMicrosoftXbox-360Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Crimson Skies return uncertain, Dark Void for now [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/crimson-skies-return-flight-delayed-by-dark-void/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/crimson-skies-return-flight-delayed-by-dark-void/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/crimson-skies-return-flight-delayed-by-dark-void/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Update: Just for clarification, this is in no way a confirmation that a sequel to Crimson Skies is being entertained by Airtight or any other developer at this point, as much as we may wish it to be so. Jose Perez has not actually commented on any sort of timeframe for a potential sequel and has only said that Airtight is open to the idea of revisiting the franchise. Airtight is currently developing Dark Void, which may or may not be preventing the studio from working on a new Crimson Skies, or any other title for that matter. What follows is pure speculation.

Continue reading Crimson Skies return uncertain, Dark Void for now [update]

JoystiqCrimson Skies return uncertain, Dark Void for now [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 May 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightcrimson-skiesdark-voidPS3smith-and-tinkerXboxXbox-360Thu, 22 May 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Crimson Skies may fly high again]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/26/crimson-skies-may-fly-high-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/26/crimson-skies-may-fly-high-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/26/crimson-skies-may-fly-high-again/#commentsFiled under: ,


In the April issue of OXM the Rumor Mole speculates about a sequel to semi-breakout hit Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. The rumor fueling evidence on a sequel comes straight from developer Airtight Games' website. Their website lists numerous ex-Crimson Skies employees under their company bios section and also shows off prototype images/videos that include objects eerily familiar to the Crimson Skies world. Need more proof? Under Airtight's current projects section they say that they are "working with one of the industry's leading publishers on a major unannounced title". Suspicious we say. Suspicious.

True or not, there is definitely a possibility that a Crimson Skies sequel in the works. But even if the game is in development we aren't expecting to see this game releasing anytime soon. So, anyone up for a little high flying sequel?

[Via GameFaqs, Thanks SeNiLe911]

JoystiqCrimson Skies may fly high again originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtightairtight gamesAirtightGamescrimson skiescrimson skies 2crimson skies high road to revengeCrimsonSkiesCrimsonSkies2CrimsonSkiesHighRoadToRevengerumorThu, 26 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EST