Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Divinity: Original Sin is a prequel to Divine Divinity, due 2013]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/divinity-original-sin-is-a-prequel-to-divine-divinity-due-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/divinity-original-sin-is-a-prequel-to-divine-divinity-due-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/divinity-original-sin-is-a-prequel-to-divine-divinity-due-2013/#comments Image
Belgium-based Larian Studios has announced that it will release a new title in the popular Divinity RPG series, called Divinity: Original Sin. Due out in the first quarter of 2013, Original Sin will serve as a prequel to Divine Divinity, feature two main playable characters in turn-based combat, and come with co-op multiplayer and an adventure building kit that players can use to create and share content online. The game will arrive on PC and Mac.

You can see more about the title on the official site, or browse through the gallery of screenshots below. Larian will be showing off Original Sin and Dragon Commander (another upcoming Divinity-based title) at E3 this year, so we'll see them up close in about a week.

Gallery: Divinity: Original Sin (5/29/2012)

JoystiqDivinity: Original Sin is a prequel to Divine Divinity, due 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 May 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementdivinitydivinity-original-sinlarian-studiosmacpcprequelTue, 29 May 2012 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Slant Six outs first original IP, Strata Scavenger]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/slant-six-outs-first-original-ip-strata-scavenger/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/slant-six-outs-first-original-ip-strata-scavenger/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/slant-six-outs-first-original-ip-strata-scavenger/#commentsThe developer of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Slant Six Games, isn't letting a few underwhelming reviews bring it down, boldly moving on with an announcement of its own original IP, Strata Scavenger. Strata is due out in 2013, according to its Slant Six product page, which features a single image, seen to the left, of a futuristic aerial device patrolling a fiery cityscape.

Strata is Slant Six's first original IP, backed in part by the Canadian Media Fund, who handed over $1 million to see the title created "based on its creative and technical innovation," its description reads. Slant Six worked previously on Socom Confrontation, Fireteam Bravo 3 and Tactical Strike, before tackling Operation Raccoon City -- into the ground, some would say.

There's a distinct berth between shooting zombies and participating in an interstellar, science-fictional universe, and perhaps Slant Six's new original title is the breakout we've all been waiting for.

JoystiqSlant Six outs first original IP, Strata Scavenger originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementmicrosoftoriginal-ippcplaystationps3sci-fislant-sixStrata-ScavengerxboxWed, 21 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA['The Boondock Saints Video Game' officially announced at SXSW Interactive]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/the-boondock-saints-video-game-officially-announced-at-sxsw-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/the-boondock-saints-video-game-officially-announced-at-sxsw-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/the-boondock-saints-video-game-officially-announced-at-sxsw-in/#comments The Boondock Saints Video Game has just been announced at during a panel at the SXSW Interactive festival in Austin, TX. After a solid hour of women asking the film's cast to sign various parts of their bodies (seriously), an extremely brief trailer was shown for the title, which consisted of a camera fly-through of a seedy alleyway and two motionless character models of the Saints.

Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus and David Della Rocco are contributing their voices to their respective characters, and will be part of the game's ongoing creative process, but beyond that no further information was given regarding platform availability or an expected release window.

Gallery: The Boondock Saints (McGinty's Alley art)

Joystiq'The Boondock Saints Video Game' officially announced at SXSW Interactive originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementBoondock-SaintsCritical-Mass-InteractiveDavid-Della-RoccoNorman-ReedusSean-Patrick-FlanerySXSW-2012Sun, 11 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends announced by Atari]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/test-drive-ferrari-racing-legends-announced-by-atari/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/test-drive-ferrari-racing-legends-announced-by-atari/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/test-drive-ferrari-racing-legends-announced-by-atari/#comments
Atari has announced a new version of Test Drive, but instead of the open-world, tropical setting of the two Unlimited iterations, this time the franchise is headed back to the race track. Test Drive Ferrari Racing Legends will focus on Ferrari's history across almost all of the racing disciplines, including Formula One, rally racing, and GT. There will be over 50 different Ferrari vehicles to drive, and each will show off full realistic interior and exterior models, as well as damage effects, which means Atari didn't skimp on the Ferrari licensing budget.

The game should be out for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC later on this spring. Too bad the company didn't stick with the more fantasy-based version of the Test Drive series, this time based exclusively on night drives in Africa; They could have named the game the Starry Atari Ferrari Safari. Don't like that joke? Sorry.

JoystiqTest Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends announced by Atari originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>africaannouncementatarimicrosoftpcplaystationps3safaritest-drive-ferraritest-drive-ferrari-challengexboxSat, 04 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Paradox Interactive announces A Game of Dwarves, reveals new Magicka concepts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/paradox-interactive-announces-a-game-of-dwarves-reveals-new-mag/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/paradox-interactive-announces-a-game-of-dwarves-reveals-new-mag/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/paradox-interactive-announces-a-game-of-dwarves-reveals-new-mag/#comments Swedish developer Paradox Interactive held an annual convention in its hometown of Stockholm last week, and took the opportunity to announce a brand new title by Zeal Game Studios called A Game of Dwarves. As you can see from the trailer above, the Game has sort of a casual Dwarf Fortress feel, allowing you to build, upgrade, and improve a dwarven clan's headquarters, while also looting and battling whatever mysterious foes happen to be living beneath it.

We hope that trailer announcer gets over that sore throat he seems to have, though; that's one heck of a frog. A Game of Dwarves is due out later this year on PC and PSN -- you can see some screenshots, along with some brand new concept art from the also-announced Magicka expansion, in the galleries below.

Gallery: A Game of Dwarves (1/24/12)


Gallery: Magicka: The Other Side of the Coin (Concept Art)

JoystiqParadox Interactive announces A Game of Dwarves, reveals new Magicka concepts originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-game-of-dwarvesannouncementexpansionmagickamagicka-the-other-side-of-the-coinparadox-interactivepcplaystationps3stockholm-swedenthe-other-side-of-the-coinTue, 24 Jan 2012 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Riot CEO Brandon Beck on forging success with League of Legends]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/26/riot-ceo-brandon-beck-on-forging-success-with-league-of-legends/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/26/riot-ceo-brandon-beck-on-forging-success-with-league-of-legends/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/26/riot-ceo-brandon-beck-on-forging-success-with-league-of-legends/#comments Riot Games has announced player numbers for its extremely popular League of Legends title, and they're pretty phenomenal. With over 15 million registered players, the Defense of the Ancients-style online multiplayer RTS can now brush shoulders with games like Blizzard's World of Warcraft (12 million players), Call of Duty (13 million players on Xbox Live), and The Sims (16 million copies sold), as one of the biggest PC games in history. Granted, as a free-to-play title that relies on microtransactions for revenue, League of Legends has more access to a wider audience than games driven by retail sales or subscriptions. But there's no question at all that this is a huge and exceptionally popular game.

Joystiq got to talk with CEO and co-founder of Riot Brandon Beck about today's announcement, and he says that even the company was surprised by how big LoL (as it's called in shorthand) has gotten. "The growth of the League of Legends community far exceeded our expectations," he tells us. "We are proud of the numbers we are hitting on our platform and are confident our fantastic team can continue to grow and evolve our PvP.net technology to handle even greater numbers."

Continue reading Riot CEO Brandon Beck on forging success with League of Legends

JoystiqRiot CEO Brandon Beck on forging success with League of Legends originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementbrandon-beckconcurrentleague-of-legendspcplayer-baseplayersriot-gamesseason-oneTue, 26 Jul 2011 08:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Magic Pixel Games formed by THQ, EA, Activision vets]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/magic-pixel-games-formed-by-thq-ea-activision-vets/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/magic-pixel-games-formed-by-thq-ea-activision-vets/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/magic-pixel-games-formed-by-thq-ea-activision-vets/#comments Though some companies are characterized as being chock-full of "movers and shakers," we can't think of a company more deserving of the phrase than the newly formed development studio Magic Pixel Games. According to the developer's press release announcement, the team is composed of THQ, Electronic Arts and Activision veterans, including Boom Blox lead engineer Jeff Dixon and senior development director Mark Tsai. The announcement adds that the team possesses an "unparalleled grasp of human motion and physics to create unforgettable motion gaming experiences on console platforms."

What does that mean? Well, it probably means that Magic Pixel's first big title is going to incorporate some kind of motion controller. What else does it mean? It means that everyone knows there knows how to physically move their own bodies, which is a handy skill for any living being. More specific details about their upcoming projects should surface soon -- the press release also promises that Magic Pixel's debut title will launch this holiday season.

Continue reading Magic Pixel Games formed by THQ, EA, Activision vets

JoystiqMagic Pixel Games formed by THQ, EA, Activision vets originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionannouncementBoom-Bloxdevelopereamagic-pixel-gamesmotion-controlthqThu, 02 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Grasshopper announcing new title next month]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/28/grasshopper-announcing-new-title-next-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/28/grasshopper-announcing-new-title-next-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/28/grasshopper-announcing-new-title-next-month/#comments Suda51's Japanese dev studio, Grasshopper Manufacture, is working on a ton of stuff. Between Shadows of the Damned, Sine Mora, codename D and an uannounced NGP project, we have to imagine the folks at Grasshopper don't have much free time. Regardless, the studio will take a timeout on March 30 to host a Ustream event, during which Grasshopper will announce a new game -- perhaps that NGP title?

Dubbed "Grasstream 2: Travis vs. Garcia" (named for the main characters of No More Heroes and Shadows of the Damned), the event will feature frank discussion from Suda51 on Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, an acoustic performance of music from No More Heroes, the aforementioned "new game announce," and "hands-on impressions" of said game from "Vanilla Beans and model/gamer Kayo Sato." Yes, really.

Continue reading Grasshopper announcing new title next month

JoystiqGrasshopper announcing new title next month originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementgrasshopper-manufactureGrasstream-2-Travis-vs-Garciasuda-51suda51ustreamMon, 28 Feb 2011 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Darkness 2 coming fall 2011, Digital Extremes behind the wheel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/the-darkness-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/the-darkness-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/the-darkness-2/#comments Today, there's good news and bad news for fans of Starbreeze's underappreciated 2007 comic book-based shooter, The Darkness. First, the good news: A sequel, The Darkness 2, has just been announced for fall 2011, reuniting players with Darkness-packing mobster Jackie Estacado; and the bad news: Original developer Starbreeze is out, rumored to be busy with a Syndicate reboot for EA, and relatively unproven Digital Extremes (Dark Sector, anyone?) is in.

The sequel promises more of what made the original such a delight: giant Demon Arms and "stylistic violence." The Darkness 2 marketing team got their hands on the game and came up with "Quad-Wielding," which seems as sellable as any other first-person gimmick. "The Darkness II breaks out of the sea of conventional first-person shooters," the press release reads, "with its fervid Quad-Wielding gameplay, which will allow players to slash, grab, and throw objects and enemies with their Demon Arms while simultaneously firing two weapons."

That's all well and good, but how cool is the game? For that, we'll turn to the admittedly biased Marc Silvestri, founder and CEO of Top Cow Productions and co-creator of The Darkness comics. "So often disappointed when a favorite character gives birth to a lame movie or video game, us fans have come to expect the worst," Silvestri said. "And sometimes we get it. But not with The Darkness II. Yeah, call me biased [Ed's note: We did!], but this second installment of Jackie Estacado's epic saga is - in my humble opinion - one of the most brutally cool games I've ever played. 2K Games hammered this one out of the park."

As convincing as that sounds, we'll reserve our judgment until we get our hands (and yes, our Demon Arms) on the title.

Gallery: The Darkness 2

Continue reading The Darkness 2 coming fall 2011, Digital Extremes behind the wheel

JoystiqThe Darkness 2 coming fall 2011, Digital Extremes behind the wheel originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2K-GamesannouncementDigital-Extremesfpsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3the-darkness-2xboxTue, 08 Feb 2011 09:05:00 EST<![CDATA[2K Games to stream 'something big' from PAX tomorrow morning]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/2k-games-to-stream-something-big-from-pax-tomorrow-morning/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/2k-games-to-stream-something-big-from-pax-tomorrow-morning/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/2k-games-to-stream-something-big-from-pax-tomorrow-morning/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Oh boy -- yes, this certainly seems like an announcement for an announcement, and you know how much we love those (not at all). But 2K Games' blog has posted that "something big is going to happen at the 2K Games booth" this weekend for PAX 2010, and it's got everyone riled up. If nothing else, just consider this a PSA that there will be a live stream starting tomorrow morning at 10AM PDT, in which we'll supposedly see "something big." An elephant? An Ubisoft Toronto game? Tom Hanks after a wish?

If it helps (it doesn't), Duke Nukem co-creator George Broussard has tweeted a link to a picture of pigs flying, which some folks have taken to mean that Duke Nukem For.. -- oh, never mind, we can't even bring ourselves to say its name. Let's just all wait patiently until the live stream starts tomorrow, and then we won't be disappointed when 2K announces that it has convinced President Christoph Hartmann to attend PAX in a silly gorilla suit.

Joystiq2K Games to stream 'something big' from PAX tomorrow morning originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-gamesannouncementlivestreampax-2010pax2010pcustreamThu, 02 Sep 2010 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[THQ's 'Kids, Family and Casual' branch revealing new project next Tuesday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/09/thqs-kids-family-and-casual-branch-revealing-new-project-nex/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/09/thqs-kids-family-and-casual-branch-revealing-new-project-nex/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/09/thqs-kids-family-and-casual-branch-revealing-new-project-nex/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're the least bit worried about the massive workload THQ seems to have taken on -- seriously, just look at that chart -- you may want to avert your eyes from this particular story. During the publisher's investors call earlier today, CEO Brian Farrell explained that the company "will be unveiling an innovative new product a week from tomorrow in New York," later adding "we look forward to its launch this holiday season."

A representative from THQ explained that this new project is being developed by the "Kids, Family and Casual" (or K.F.C.) management branch of the studio, likely ruling out the chance that this unannounced project is that Saints Row MMO you've always dreamed of. We've contacted THQ to see if we can get any additional details about the project. Like, for instance, will it be crispy, or original? Can we assume it will be finger lickin' good? Will it come with its own secret blend of herbs and spices?

JoystiqTHQ's 'Kids, Family and Casual' branch revealing new project next Tuesday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementbrian-farrellcasualfamilykidsthqMon, 09 Aug 2010 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft Store website lists Kinect for $149.99]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/22/microsoft-store-website-lists-kinect-for-149-99/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/22/microsoft-store-website-lists-kinect-for-149-99/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/22/microsoft-store-website-lists-kinect-for-149-99/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Yet another retailer has listed the Kinect add-on for the Xbox 360 at a price of $149.99, but this time, it's a little different: the price is on Microsoft's own site. Over on the Microsoft Store, the "Kinect Sensor for Xbox 360" is clearly listed (and available for preorder on November 4) at $149.99. We've screencapped the image above, just in case it gets removed in the future.

Of course, this still doesn't confirm the price for certain -- the retail side may have no more inside information from the company than any other retailer does, and may be simply listing what it expects the price to be. Or, the price may have gone live early accidentally, pending an official announcement. Either way, throw another piece of evidence on the pile for a $149.99 price on Microsoft's controller-free gaming system.

[Thanks, Michael!]

JoystiqMicrosoft Store website lists Kinect for $149.99 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 01:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementkinectmicrosoftmicrosoft-storepricingproject-natalretailerxboxTue, 22 Jun 2010 01:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Sega announces Sonic Colors, coming to Wii and DS in late 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/sega-announces-sonic-colors-coming-to-wii-and-ds-in-late-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/sega-announces-sonic-colors-coming-to-wii-and-ds-in-late-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/sega-announces-sonic-colors-coming-to-wii-and-ds-in-late-2010/#comments Man, Sega's just full of surprises, isn't it? Earlier today, the company announced Sonic Colors (or Colours, if you live in a country that spells that word that ridiculous way). a new platformer featuring the blue hedgehog and his new troupe of polychromatic friends. Sonic will have to navigate a sci-fi themed amusement park to thwart the plans of -- who else -- Dr. Eggman by saving multicolored aliens, each of which bestow a certain special ability upon the series' attitude-filled protagonist. That sounds like it has the propensity be be more colorful and trippy than a Flaming Lips concert.

According to Sega Europe's blog, the game is set to drop for Wii and DS in late 2010. You can check out an extremely brief announcement trailer posted after the break.

[Thanks, RupeeClock]

Continue reading Sega announces Sonic Colors, coming to Wii and DS in late 2010

JoystiqSega announces Sonic Colors, coming to Wii and DS in late 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 May 2010 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementDSNintendoplatformsegasonicsonic-colorsWiiWed, 26 May 2010 11:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Dave Perry details Gaikai's server plan, teases E3 announcement]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/dave-perry-details-gaikais-server-plan-teases-e3-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/dave-perry-details-gaikais-server-plan-teases-e3-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/dave-perry-details-gaikais-server-plan-teases-e3-announcement/#comments Dave Perry is dreaming big with his Gaikai streaming service. He went into a little more detail on just how it will at work at today's LA Games Conference. The company is still planning to kick off its service with 300 data centers, and while he admits it will have "much more traffic than the servers can handle," Gaikai will limit early users to those closest to the centers. If you're close enough to the server to have only about 5-10 milliseconds of lag, you'll get in. If not, Perry told Joystiq, then you won't even see the embedded window -- but your request will be logged anyway. That way, he said, Gaikai will be able to track not just where people are using the service, but where they want to use it. If a bunch of users in Alaska try to play, but can't connect because they're too far away, then "we know we're losing money in Alaska," he says, and Gaikai will set up more datacenters there.

Perry says Gaikai will help with security as well -- he suggested that companies might even be able to release their E3 demos to the world just during the week of the event, allowing press or the public to play them online for a limited time, with the code securely held on Gaikai's servers. It's all speculation at this point, though -- a service like that won't be ready to go by this year's E3 in June. But stay tuned anyway: Perry also promised us an announcement about Gaikai at E3. "We got some cool stuff to show off," he confirmed with a knowing nod.

JoystiqDave Perry details Gaikai's server plan, teases E3 announcement originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alaskaannouncementclouddata-centersdave-perrydavid-perrye3e3-2010gaikaila-games-conferencela-games-conference-2010lagc2010requestservicestreamingThu, 29 Apr 2010 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Natal game 'River Rush' revealed by film writer James Gunn]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/natal-game-river-rush-revealed-by-film-writer-james-gunn/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/natal-game-river-rush-revealed-by-film-writer-james-gunn/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/natal-game-river-rush-revealed-by-film-writer-james-gunn/#comments What is Project Natal's "River Rush" game, you ask? Well, it sounds an awful lot like Wii Sports Resort's canoe-paddling game, albeit minus the whole "physical controller" thing. Hollywood writer James Gunn (Dawn of the Dead, Slither) got to demo the game at a media preview held by Microsoft recently in Los Angeles, where the company was showing off its latest consumer offerings -- from Project Natal to the Courier to Halo: Reach (Gunn says he "was slaughtered instantly and numerous times by the Microsoft employees playing when they're supposed to be working" of Reach) -- and couldn't help but share his feelings about the experience with the world via his blog.

Gunn describes River Rush as "a game where you stand side by side in a river raft, so it's two people playing at once ... to move right, you have to step right; to move left, you have to step left." The game also features a jumping mechanic that, as you might guess, involves players actually leaping into the air. "As you rush down right rapids, you have to jump up and slap floating stars in the air -- the whole raft jumps up every time you do." You'll forgive our reticence, but it only takes one life lesson to learn that jumping into the air blindly near friends and expensive technology almost always results in bad memories. We've asked Microsoft for more information, but the chances of that before the company's E3 press event are about as likely as us going upstream without a paddle.

[Thanks, Jonathan Dixon]

JoystiqNatal game 'River Rush' revealed by film writer James Gunn originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementcourierhalo-reachjames-gunnMicrosoftproject-natalriver-rushwii-sports-resortXbox-360Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone OS 4 news coming Apr. 8 [updated]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/iphone-os-4-news-coming-this-friday/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/iphone-os-4-news-coming-this-friday/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/iphone-os-4-news-coming-this-friday/#comments Hot off the launch of the iPad this past weekend, Apple this morning announced an event at its Cupertino campus unveiling the fourth iteration of the iPhone OS this Thursday, Engadget reports. Other than the cryptic image you see above offering the press a "sneak peek into the future of iPhone OS," details are ... well, non-existent about what will be unveiled. That said, last time Apple held one of these soirées, the company announced in-game purchasing functionality for its developers.

We know there's a ton of functionality for gaming we'd like to see added into the platform (multi-tasking anyone?), but we're more interested in what you want added in the forthcoming update. So we've put together a poll below and encourage those of you who choose the "Other" option to drop your idea in the comments section. Engadget will be liveblogging the event and we'll have all the gaming news rounded up for you when the presser goes down at 1PM ET on April 8 (oh man, that's later this week!).

[Update: Date corrected.]

View Poll

JoystiqiPhone OS 4 news coming Apr. 8 [updated] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementappleeventiphone-osiphone-os-4iPodosMon, 05 Apr 2010 16:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY edition coming to NA in May]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/batman-arkham-asylum-goty-edition-coming-to-na-in-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/batman-arkham-asylum-goty-edition-coming-to-na-in-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/batman-arkham-asylum-goty-edition-coming-to-na-in-may/#comments Whew, that was a close one. We were really hoping to get another opportunity to purchase Batman: Arkham Asylum again, but it seemed Rocksteady and Eidos had planned to keep the game's Game of the Year edition exclusively overseas. Fortunately, it seems they've changed their minds -- an Eidos press release just confirmed that the expanded version of the game (which includes four extra challenge maps and 3D support) will be getting a stateside release.

Whether you missed out on 2009's surprise superhero smash hit, or whether you were just disappointed by its lack of extra dimensions, you'll be able to get your fix when Batman GOTY ships sometime in May.

JoystiqBatman: Arkham Asylum GOTY edition coming to NA in May originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementbatmanbatman-arkham-asylumbatman-arkham-asylum-game-of-the-year-editioneidosgame-of-the-yearMicrosoftrelease-daterocksteadyusXbox-360Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Sunsoft announces Blaster Master: Overdrive, coming to WiiWare next week [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/06/sunsoft-announces-blaster-master-overdrive-coming-to-wiiware-n/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/06/sunsoft-announces-blaster-master-overdrive-coming-to-wiiware-n/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/06/sunsoft-announces-blaster-master-overdrive-coming-to-wiiware-n/#comments Oh, Sunsoft, you shouldn't have. Here we were, thinking no news from this day would cause our hearts to swell in our chests, sending us into fits of nostalgic joy. Then you come along and announce that a new installment in the long-dormant Blaster Master franchise not only exists, but is coming out in two days.

Yes, according to a recent Sunsoft press release, Monday's WiiWare update will see the addition of Blaster Master: Overdrive, a sequel to the NES classic, priced at 1000 Wii Points. Like the original, Overdrive features both side-scrolling and top-down action sequences. Looking at the images posted on Sunsoft's official site, it certainly seems to retain the same charm of the first game -- if it also preserves the original Blaster Master's completely awesome theme song, we might not be able to stop ourselves from purchasing the game two or three times over.

Update: We've added the trailer after the break in all it's YouTube glory.

Continue reading Sunsoft announces Blaster Master: Overdrive, coming to WiiWare next week [update]

JoystiqSunsoft announces Blaster Master: Overdrive, coming to WiiWare next week [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementblaster-masterblaster-master-overdriveGaijinworksNintendorelease-datesunsoftWiiwiiwareSat, 06 Feb 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Platinum Games' fourth game to be announced on this week's GTTV]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/platinum-games-fourth-game-to-be-announced-on-this-weeks-gttv/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/platinum-games-fourth-game-to-be-announced-on-this-weeks-gttv/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/platinum-games-fourth-game-to-be-announced-on-this-weeks-gttv/#comments Here were are again, folks, for another edition of "Turn a Tweet Into a Full Post." This time we've got word from the always exciting Twitter feed of Geoff Keighley that this week's episode of GameTrailers TV will reveal the fourth game from Japanese developer Platinum Games. So far, after inking a publishing deal with Sega in 2008 for four games, all we've heard of the mysterious fourth title is that it will be headed up by Resident Evil designer Shinji Mikami.

Considering the somewhat confusing wording of Keighley's tweet, we asked the man himself to clarify what we're going to see on Thursday evening. "It's an exclusive reveal trailer for the game inside the show this week. The news breaks during GTTV on Thursday night. We're really excited to have the Japanese developers/publishers working with us on reveals like this." He also pointed out that this countdown on Platinum Games' Japanese website has been counting down towards Thursday's reveal -- aha! For all the steaming hot scoops, you'll have to peep the show when it airs this Thursday evening/Friday morning at 12:30AM ET.

JoystiqPlatinum Games' fourth game to be announced on this week's GTTV originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementgametrailers-tvgeoff-keighleygttvplatinum-gamesrevealshinji-mikamitwitterMon, 25 Jan 2010 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom Games Canada enters the Age of Caron]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/09/funcom-games-canada-enters-the-age-of-caron/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/09/funcom-games-canada-enters-the-age-of-caron/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/09/funcom-games-canada-enters-the-age-of-caron/#comments What to do when you're coming off a year of huge losses but still planning to reinvigorate the company? Get yourself a new CEO! That's what Age of Conan's Funcom did, announcing that Miguel Caron would be stepping into the position at Funcom Games Canada. Caron has been working in Quebec with Lyrtech, an audio and video processing company, as well as with IT firms like BCM International and NoWire Telecom.

Given his background in reducing IT costs and raising market share in the realm of digital communications, we'd guess he's got his job cut out for him at Funcom. The company says it's aiming to expand operations in Montreal, far away from its humble roots in Norway, so we'll see if Caron can summon some Cimmerian strength and get things moving in the right direction over there.

[Via Massively]

JoystiqFuncom Games Canada enters the Age of Caron originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanAge-of-Conan-Hyborian-AdventresannouncementceoEidos-Interactivefuncomfuncom-games-canadaMicrosoftmiquel-caronmmosweet-robotthe-secret-worldXbox-360Sat, 09 Jan 2010 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NinjaBee shows concepts for new XBLA game, playable with Avatars]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/ninjabee-shows-concepts-for-new-xbla-game-playable-with-avatars/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/ninjabee-shows-concepts-for-new-xbla-game-playable-with-avatars/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/ninjabee-shows-concepts-for-new-xbla-game-playable-with-avatars/#comments NinjaBee (makers of A Kingdom for Keflings, Band of Bugs and the underrated Outpost Kaloki X) has announced that it's working on a brand new title for Xbox Live Arcade, one that will allow you to play with your Mickey ear-wearing Xbox Live Avatar. There's no actual information about the game yet (not even a title, although we know it's not Ancients of Ooga, another NinjaBee game in progress), but as you can see from the concept art posted on its blog, there's an airship, a cute bird and a dragon involved. So: a cross between Final Fantasy, Twitter and Lair? Actually, we'd totally play that.

NinjaBee says an official announcement is coming at the end of the month, and it'll be releasing new concept art every week until then, so stay tuned for more.

JoystiqNinjaBee shows concepts for new XBLA game, playable with Avatars originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementavatarconcept-artdownloadablegameMicrosoftninjabeereleasexblaXbox-360xbox-avatarsxbox-live-arcadeTue, 05 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIII announcement possibly due on Nov. 13]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/08/final-fantasy-xiii-announcement-possibly-due-on-nov-13/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/08/final-fantasy-xiii-announcement-possibly-due-on-nov-13/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/08/final-fantasy-xiii-announcement-possibly-due-on-nov-13/#comments "A Henchmen Inventor Tent Unto."

Before reading on, why not try to solve that puzzle for yourself? It's an anagram, which means you can mess the letters about to spell a secret message. Here's a hint: It was posted by Square Enix as a tease for Final Fantasy XIII, meaning it probably has something to do with that game. What's that? "A Chevron Non-nineteenth Mutt?" We suppose that's a pretty good guess, but unfortunately, it's the wrongest thing ever. A Final Fan-site recently had better luck uncovering the message's true meaning: "Announcement Nov Thirteenth."

The nature of this "announcement" is still up in the air, though our money's on an official North American release date for the super-anticipated RPG. Though, considering the speed at which the series is growing now, we wouldn't be surprised if Squeenix went ahead and dropped the Final Fantasy XV bomb on us.

JoystiqFinal Fantasy XIII announcement possibly due on Nov. 13 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anagramsannouncementfinal-fantasy-xiiiMicrosoftrpgsquare-enixXbox-360Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Famitsu reveals Darius Burst for PSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/29/famitsu-reveals-darius-burst-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/29/famitsu-reveals-darius-burst-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/29/famitsu-reveals-darius-burst-for-psp/#comments
According to the latest pages of Famitsu (Via Examiner), Taito will be bringing a new game in the Darius series to PSP. The latest in the classic 2D horizontal-shooter franchise is titled Darius Burst, and marks the first time the series has been tapped for a title since Darius R landed on GameBoy Advance systems in Japan nearly a decade ago.

Famitsu notes Darius Burst will feature 11 levels, with non-linear paths throughout the stages -- splitting each initial level into two paths for players to choose. If you love shmups like we love shmups then you should be giddy about Taito's decision and hopeful the title will see a North American release.

JoystiqFamitsu reveals Darius Burst for PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementdariusdarius-burstjapanshmupshmupstaitoSat, 29 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The best of WoW.com: August 18-26, 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/27/the-best-of-wow-com-august-18-26-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/27/the-best-of-wow-com-august-18-26-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/27/the-best-of-wow-com-august-18-26-2009/#commentsFiled under: , ,


What a week it has been in the World of Warcraft. Last weekend in Anaheim, Blizzard held BlizzCon, a convention of over 20,000 people, and announced the third expansion of the world's biggest MMO: Cataclysm. New races, new levels, new systems and instances, and oh yeah: the entire world will explode thanks to the return of a very evil and very angry dragon.

Here's our most popular posts from the past seven days to catch you up.

News

Features

JoystiqThe best of WoW.com: August 18-26, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementarchaeologyblizzardblizzconblizzcon-2009conventionexpansionfeaturesguild-levelingnewspatch-3.2.0apath-of-the-titansworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmwow-comThu, 27 Aug 2009 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIII Japanese release date announce coming soon (seriously)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/08/final-fantasy-xiii-japanese-release-date-announce-coming-soon-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/08/final-fantasy-xiii-japanese-release-date-announce-coming-soon-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/08/final-fantasy-xiii-japanese-release-date-announce-coming-soon-s/#comments
We're not going on much here, so we'll give you the facts right up front -- Square Enix prez Yoichi Wada recently told IT Media regarding the release of Final Fantasy XIII that "We'll be making an announcement in a few weeks." As Kotaku reports, the unsurprisingly non-descript wording leads us to believe that the announcement in scheduled for late September's Tokyo Game Show.

Unfortunately, the rest of the planet will have to lay in wait as the release date will likely only be for the Japanese semi-exclusive PlayStation 3 version still set to drop this year. We'd like to take this time to thank Square Enix for not completely wasting our time (and more importantly, yours) with an arbitrary countdown that may or may not result in the release of actual information.

[Via Kotaku]

Gallery: Final Fantasy XIII

JoystiqFinal Fantasy XIII Japanese release date announce coming soon (seriously) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementfinal-fantasy-xiiiit-mediajapankotakurelease-datesquare-enixyoichi-wadaSat, 08 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twilight MMO to stop female interest in reality, threaten human race [Update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/29/twilight-mmo-to-stop-female-interest-in-reality-threatens-human/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/29/twilight-mmo-to-stop-female-interest-in-reality-threatens-human/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/29/twilight-mmo-to-stop-female-interest-in-reality-threatens-human/#comments Update: As some of our commenters point out, the so-called Twilight Video Game appears to be a few undying fans with a thirst for more Twilight content. A MySpace image discovered by a commenter reveals the game is nothing more than a digital love letter to the series from a few college fans. Twilight MMO not confirmed, the world lives for another day.

Hold on to your coffin! A game based on the book (and now film) series Twilight is currently in development. Threatening to keep women across the world glued to their computer for eternity, details on the game are slim. According to the official Twilight: The Video Game website, the title is an MMO-style "interactive experience" with the ability to relive key moments from the books Twilight, New Moon and Midnight Sun.

What we do know is that the Twilight video game will allow players to jump into the free-roaming world as human, vampire or werewolf (why would anyone pick human?), encounter characters from the franchise, and decorate a home with collectible knickknacks and tchotchkes (à la The Sims, but with less direct sunlight). Should be interesting if you're a fan of the novels, but prepare to be hated by Harry Potter fans everywhere who are still waiting for an MMO to call their own.

[Via Massively]

JoystiqTwilight MMO to stop female interest in reality, threaten human race [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementmidnight-sunmmonew-moontwilighttwilight-mmoWed, 29 Jul 2009 10:48:00 EST<![CDATA[ACE Team announces Zeno Clash sequel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/ace-team-announces-zeno-clash-sequel/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/ace-team-announces-zeno-clash-sequel/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/ace-team-announces-zeno-clash-sequel/#comments
Indie developer ACE Team has revealed it is hard at work on a sequel to the IGF-nominated PC fighting-FPS, Zeno Clash. According to the dev's latest blog entry, the team has begun planning a Source-powered follow-up, which will continue the story of Ghat -- a hero with amnesia, banished for setting off an explosion that kills an influential Golem known as Father-Mother.

Zeno Clash 2 will take place after the events of the first title. If you're a fan of first-person melee combat (a la Breakdown and/or Condemned), make sure to check out Zeno Clash. It's creative and insane.

JoystiqACE Team announces Zeno Clash sequel originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 May 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ace-teamannouncementaward-nominatedsequelzeno-clashzeno-clash-2Wed, 20 May 2009 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Sony may make global announcement on Tuesday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/sony-to-make-a-global-announcement-on-tuesday/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/sony-to-make-a-global-announcement-on-tuesday/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/sony-to-make-a-global-announcement-on-tuesday/#comments Australian trade magazine Smarthouse reports that it's received word regarding a "global announcement" from Sony on Tuesday, possibly concerning the PS3. Kotaku states that it has also received word -- apparently from Sony itself -- that a big announcement is imminent, but the site speculates that it could be for a PS2 price drop -- which we received evidence of this evening.

There's no more information to go on, at this stage, so the big reveal could be anything. A PS3 price cut has been on the cards for some time, but each Sony Computer Entertainment region sets its own price independently, and we've never seen a simultaneous global price drop happen before.

If there truly is a global announcement, it could be regarding almost anything, like a God of War III release date. That would be "global," right?

[Via 1Up]

JoystiqRumor: Sony may make global announcement on Tuesday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementsonyMon, 30 Mar 2009 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Incoming Kingdom Hearts announcement next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/26/rumor-incoming-kingdom-hearts-announcement-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/26/rumor-incoming-kingdom-hearts-announcement-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/26/rumor-incoming-kingdom-hearts-announcement-next-week/#comments
Did you know that Tetsuya Nomura never sleeps? When the Square Enix designer isn't working on Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts Coded and Final Fantasy Versus XIII, he can usually be found talking to interviewers. One such tête à tête, which can apparently be found in the latest issue of Japanese mag Famitsu (translated by HeartStation), indicates that there may be even more work on Nomura's plate than we thought, as he says that Square Enix will be making an announcement regarding the Kingdom Hearts series sometime next week.

We know what we'd like to hear (Kingdom Hearts 3!), but we're not holding our breath. Alternatively, it could be an announcement regarding Coded coming to the West (possibly via the iPhone?) or a new handheld title. Whatever it may be, we'll be keeping an eye out next week for further info.

[Via KH Insider]

JoystiqRumor: Incoming Kingdom Hearts announcement next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementfamitsukingdom-heartsrumorsquare-enixtetsuya-nomuraThu, 26 Mar 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tecmo announces new game announcement]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/12/tecmo-announces-new-game-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/12/tecmo-announces-new-game-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/12/tecmo-announces-new-game-announcement/#comments
Tecmo recently invited us to its upcoming new game announcement, taking place on March 24th. According to the invite, this will be the greatest "_____" game ever. Logic tells us that the new game announcement will be a continuation of one of Tecmo's franchises. Could this be the greatest Dead or Alive game ever? Maybe it's the greatest Ninja Gaiden game ever? Better yet, it might be the best Rygar game ever, dethroning the recently released Wii version.

We may not know what Tecmo is planning to announce, but we're confident the game will be for either the PS3 or PSP. Why? Tecmo's announcement will take place at the PlayStation Store in San Francisco. If the company's upcoming game is a PlayStation exclusive, it continues Tecmo's newly-found love affair with Sony -- the company is currently working on Undead Knights and Quantum Theory as PlayStation exclusives.

JoystiqTecmo announces new game announcement originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementmetreonplaystation-storetecmoThu, 12 Mar 2009 12:14:00 EST<![CDATA[This Is Vegas announced, insert Spartan joke here]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/this-is-vegas-announced-insert-spartan-joke-here/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/this-is-vegas-announced-insert-spartan-joke-here/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/this-is-vegas-announced-insert-spartan-joke-here/#commentsFiled under: ,


Ah, reality. It can get pretty boring sometimes. Especially if you live in a place like Tulsa, Oklahoma (sorry Richard). Thankfully Midway knows your life is as boring as clicking refresh on X3F all day and announced This is Vegas. Combining Grand Theft Auto, Second Life and, well, Vegas, This is Vegas allows players to experience the wild desert wonderland and find out what people mean when they say "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." According to the official site, This is Vegas puts players in the role of a business man visiting the strip who will have to rise to the top and create a vast empire by reigniting the adult playground, drive the fastest cars and prove your power with weapons or via fisticuffs. The open world playground is being developed by the in house Midway team at Surreal Software and is slated for a Winter 2008 release on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. Also, always double-down on 11.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqThis Is Vegas announced, insert Spartan joke here originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2008-releasesannouncementmidwaysurreal-softwarethis-is-vegasvirtual-worldwinter-2008Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Sony has 'big bang' announcement Oct. 12]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/30/rumor-sony-has-big-bang-announcement-oct-12/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/30/rumor-sony-has-big-bang-announcement-oct-12/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/30/rumor-sony-has-big-bang-announcement-oct-12/#commentsFiled under:

GamePro France is reporting that Sony has plans for a "big bang" announcement set for Oct. 12. While rumors and speculation have been filling message boards across the internet, we feel safe to say this announcement will probably focus on the mysterious 40GB PlayStation 3.

Let's take a look at the recent events surrounding Sony's new model:
We'll, can't be happy enough for Oct. 12 to come so we can finally get some real answers, but who knows, Sony could announce a new JetMoto game, right?

[via N4G]

JoystiqRumor: Sony has 'big bang' announcement Oct. 12 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>40gbannouncementrumorsSun, 30 Sep 2007 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Warm Up: The coming 'surprise']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/wii-warm-up-the-coming-surprise/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/wii-warm-up-the-coming-surprise/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/wii-warm-up-the-coming-surprise/#commentsFiled under: ,

Possible megaton alert! Cue the excitement -- or the yawns; your mileage with these announcements-about-announcements may vary. NoA President Reggie Fils-Aime dropped a not-so-subtle hint that we'll be seeing something special on our Wiis come September. A surprise, and just for us! He even says it'll be a good surprise; awesome, says us, because that's the best kind. It's probably not the Check Mii Out channel, because he was talking about that in the same breath in his interview with Game Head's Geoff Keighley. So what could it be? Perhaps an early peek at WiiWare? Some of you thought such a thing could be possible (though not quite that early). A channel we haven't heard about? Maybe demos? Get your speculation on.

JoystiqWii Warm Up: The coming 'surprise' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementreggiefils-aimeseptemberwiiconnect24wiiwareWed, 25 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WipEout PS3 announcement announced for August]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/21/wipeout-ps3-announcement-announced-for-august/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/21/wipeout-ps3-announcement-announced-for-august/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/21/wipeout-ps3-announcement-announced-for-august/#commentsFiled under:


It's the in thing nowadays. Collector's editions, countdowns and announcements for upcoming announcements. Not one to be left out Tony Buckley, in an interview with Kikizo.com, jumped on the bandwagon. When asked about potential HD versions of WipEout he states "I think WipEout in HD would be stonking! ... It's obvious we're doing a WipEout for the PS3 but... well, there will be an announcement in August."

Stonking indeed! Having WipEout in 1080p would make our heads explode. WipEout Pulse for the PSP is looking excellent so we are looking forward to finding out exactly what Studio Liverpool has up its sleeves in a couple of months time.

JoystiqWipEout PS3 announcement announced for August originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementstudio liverpoolStudioLiverpoolwipeoutThu, 21 Jun 2007 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mysterious poem hides new game announcement]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/mysterious-poem-hides-new-game-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/mysterious-poem-hides-new-game-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/mysterious-poem-hides-new-game-announcement/#commentsFiled under:

Recently the folks at Eurogamer received a mysterious piece of paper (ok, it's a JPEG image) from a free-range game developer in the dark alleyways of the UK. According to the shadowy figure, the poem and images hold the secret to a new game announcement. But first, we have to figure it out. Our only clues are the image and the following text:

The words provide the clues.
The letters points to three cities of Gaia.
The intricate web holds secrets to the dream of fallen earth.

The poem reads:

A GRIM, ODD, ARCANE SKY
ANY GOD, I MARK SACRED
A MASKED CRY ADORING
A DREAMY, SICK DRAGON

Our first guess, Lamb Chop's Play-Along ... The Game, didn't hold up to closer scrutiny. We're confident our readers can unearth the mystery, however. The game will be revealed tomorrow, so get crackin'!

Continue reading Mysterious poem hides new game announcement

JoystiqMysterious poem hides new game announcement originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2007 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementeurogamerriddleThu, 10 May 2007 11:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Starcraft 2 possible, but Blizzard's hiding something]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/26/rumor-starcraft-2-possible-but-blizzards-hiding-something/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/26/rumor-starcraft-2-possible-but-blizzards-hiding-something/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/26/rumor-starcraft-2-possible-but-blizzards-hiding-something/#commentsFiled under: , ,

TeamLiquid has apparently translated a post from a Korean website which claims that "according to the game developers," Blizzard will announce Starcraft 2 at Blizzard's World Wide Invitational (WWI) to be held in South Korea. If you've paid any attention to Korea and Starcraft you'll know it's no joke over there. Our "hardcore" gets air quotes compared to Korea's hardcore, which should actually have just been written in all caps, bolded and italicized. Although we have absolutely no idea about the legitimacy of this Starcraft 2 information, we do know that there is a megaton announcement planned around May 19.

Speaking with Joystiq, Blizzard wouldn't confirm Starcraft 2, but said they are planning on making a huge announcement at the WWI. Starcraft 2 had previously been hinted by Blizzard's VP of business development. Obviously announcing Starcraft 2 in Korea is only appropriate, as matches are held in stadiums, carried on television and are practically a national sport. This way, Blizzard can announce the next WoW expansion at min-E3 and then save the Diablo 3 announcement for BlizzCon. So if sometime around May 19 you suddenly feel a disturbance in the force and millions of people screaming, that's just South Korea imploding from the news that Starcraft 2 is coming.

[Via EvilAvatar]

JoystiqRumor: Starcraft 2 possible, but Blizzard's hiding something originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementblizzardkoreaPCstarcraftThu, 26 Apr 2007 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[UK's The Times becomes WoW pusher this Saturday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/uks-the-times-becomes-wow-pusher-this-saturday/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/uks-the-times-becomes-wow-pusher-this-saturday/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/uks-the-times-becomes-wow-pusher-this-saturday/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This Saturday, UK newspaper The Times will offer readers a disc with a 14-day trial of World of Warcraft. The edition will also include an eight-page guide to the game. Like a good drug dealer, Blizzard knows that you just have to give a customer that first hit of WoW to keep them coming back for more. The only real difference between a drug dealer and Blizzard is that dealers can't advertise in The Times -- well, not legally.

We can certainly expect Blizzard to start using more unorthodox approaches in growing their customer base. With 8.5 million WoW players, they've got plenty of money to blow on marketing now and continue the march toward the mind-blowing 10 million user mark. Blizzard is sure to announce their upcoming WoW expansion in the next few months, along with whatever new title they're working on.

JoystiqUK's The Times becomes WoW pusher this Saturday originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictionannouncementdrugsnew gamePCpushingthe timesTheTimesworld of warcraftTue, 27 Mar 2007 09:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Creepy Sega developer kidnap video hints at April release?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/creepy-sega-developer-kidnap-video-hints-at-april-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/creepy-sega-developer-kidnap-video-hints-at-april-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/27/creepy-sega-developer-kidnap-video-hints-at-april-release/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sensitivity to grainy videos of torture will determine if you want to see an alleged Sega viral marketing video found after the break about their big April shocker announcement . Sega Nerds thinks this is an official viral marketing campaign by Sega, but we're not sure. The Nerds say this isn't the strangest marketing tactic ever used by the company.

Nothing about the video jumps out as an obvious announcement. A man is tied to a chair wearing a bunny mask with two pseudo-Geisha girls flanking him. The first thing that happens is the girls wax the victim's leg. He screams that he wont tell what the April release is. Then a man in a monkey mask pops out the right side with scissors, the camera tilts down and the man cuts off one of the mask's rabbit ears to the sounds of screaming. Finally they torture the victim with James Blunt's You're Beautiful. Once again, depending on your sensitivity the video is after the break. So, are there any hints in the video about the April release or is it all just a weird ploy for attention?

Continue reading Creepy Sega developer kidnap video hints at April release?

JoystiqCreepy Sega developer kidnap video hints at April release? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementmarketingnightssegaviralTue, 27 Mar 2007 01:24:00 EST<![CDATA[IslandofRhodes.org, elaborate fake or new announcement?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/24/islandofrhodes-org-elaborate-fake-or-new-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/24/islandofrhodes-org-elaborate-fake-or-new-announcement/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/24/islandofrhodes-org-elaborate-fake-or-new-announcement/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The jury is out if this is brilliant viral marketing or the simple fact that when millions of people play a game they'll eventually find something hidden -- but the timing is a little too convenient. In a video for God of War II (found after the break) a player works their way to a 999,999 hit combination. When reaching the achievement a URL pops onto the screen (0:43 mark in video) for IslandofRhodes.org. The website shows a countdown to April 11 with Kratos' menacing face watching over a burning field.

Although we have our crack team of Joystiq video analysts pouring over the video frame by frame trying to figure out if it's a complete hoax, if real, we're going to go with the website has something to do with Kratos' upcoming PSP adventure. Although that would be strange considering whatever the site is, the game it's promoting is rated M. According to the ESRB, they have not yet rated God of War for PSP. So Joystiq nation, does that website show up when you hit 999,999 and what does it all mean?

[Thanks Wine]

Continue reading IslandofRhodes.org, elaborate fake or new announcement?

JoystiqIslandofRhodes.org, elaborate fake or new announcement? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementcityofrhodes.orggod of warGodOfWarislandofrhodesPS2PS3PSPviral marketingSat, 24 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SimCity DS not just for the Japanese anymore]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/simcity-ds-not-just-for-the-japanese-anymore/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/simcity-ds-not-just-for-the-japanese-anymore/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/01/simcity-ds-not-just-for-the-japanese-anymore/#commentsFiled under:

We've been waiting for this announcement a while now. In a very irregular press release from EA Japan this morning, originally causing us to think this was a hoax or accidental release, we contacted an equally confused EA rep and confirmed SimCity DS is going global. She let us know that the information distribution is being handled outside of EA's corporate HQ -- hence the confusion. The rep only had one screen to show us of the English version and told us that the game will be out in June.

SimCity DS will allow players to put out fires by blowing on the DS's microphone, "wireless data exchange," sign off on proclamations using the stylus and do all the other things that urban planning junkies have been experiencing with the series for 20 years. The game is expected to be rated AO due to intense scenes of sexuality and violence -- oh please, it's SimCity!

JoystiqSimCity DS not just for the Japanese anymore originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Mar 2007 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accidentannouncementsimcity dsSimcityDsusaThu, 01 Mar 2007 01:00:00 EST