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[Project Awakened on hold due to 'alternate funding options,' donors receiving refunds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/04/project-awakened-on-hold-due-to-alternate-funding-options-don/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/04/project-awakened-on-hold-due-to-alternate-funding-options-don/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/04/project-awakened-on-hold-due-to-alternate-funding-options-don/#comments Phosphor Games has cancelled its self-powered crowdfunding initiative for Project Awakened and will be issuing refunds to everyone that has contributed to the drive thus far, according to a missive of the game's official website.

"At this time we need to put our funding endeavor on hold effective immediately. Everyone who pledged money will be receiving a full refund," the message reads. "There have been some alternative funding options that have recently been presented to us, so please continue to keep an eye out on our Facebook page for future updates."

Phosphor turned to DIY crowdfunding after its initial efforts to raise capital on Kickstarter fell short of the company's goal.

JoystiqProject Awakened on hold due to 'alternate funding options,' donors receiving refunds originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcancellationcrowdfundingfinancefundingkickstarterpcphosphor-gamesproject-awakenedrefundSat, 04 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Glitch cancels 3,000 BioShock Infinite pre-orders at Best Buy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/05/report-glitch-cancels-3-000-bioshock-infinite-pre-orders-at-bes/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/05/report-glitch-cancels-3-000-bioshock-infinite-pre-orders-at-bes/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/05/report-glitch-cancels-3-000-bioshock-infinite-pre-orders-at-bes/#comments Report Glitch cancels 3,000 BioShock Infinite preorders at Best BuyLast night an issue struck 3,000 customers who pre-ordered BioShock Infinite at Best Buy, effectively canceling their orders, Side Questing reports. The glitch hit pre-orders for both PS3 and Xbox 360, predominantly online transactions.

It's a fixable problem; Best Buy asks anyone who pre-ordered to check their emails and call customer service if their order is canceled. Best Buy offers a $10 gift card to each affected customer, so make sure to ask for that if you run into the problem. After your heart settles back into a normal rhythm and you stop screaming about how you'll miss all the sweet Sky-Hook action this March, of course.

JoystiqReport: Glitch cancels 3,000 BioShock Infinite pre-orders at Best Buy originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Best-Buybioshock-infinitecanceledmicrosoftplaystationpre-orderpre-ordersps3xboxTue, 05 Feb 2013 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare was working on a spy game, 'Agent,' in 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/bioware-was-working-on-a-spy-game-agent-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/bioware-was-working-on-a-spy-game-agent-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/bioware-was-working-on-a-spy-game-agent-in-2009/#comments BioWare was working on a spy game, 'Agent,' in 2009Way back in the olden days of 2009, BioWare co-founder Trent Oster started work on a new, PS3-exclusive spy game called Agent, which "failed to survive the recession," Oster told Eurogamer. Agent was a mix of Jason Bourne and 007, Oster said, though we detected a hint of Deus Ex in his description as well:

"The concept was to do the other half of GoldenEye," Oster said. "The idea being that James Bond isn't just a gun that walks around the world and shoots people. He's a suave manipulator, he's a talented martial artist, he's a secret agent. We wanted to cross that 007 with Jason Bourne, where he's been modified in some way; you're not sure what, but he's definitely deadly.

"We really wanted to push the acting side, the digital acting. We really wanted to be very high drama, very intense scenes. I always think of the scene in the second Bourne movie where Jason Bourne's choking the guy out with a book and he's right in his face and it's this very intense moment. That was one of the key things we wanted to carry off."

No, Agent didn't have anything to do with the PS3-exclusive game that Rockstar announced in 2009, also dubbed Agent. EA "didn't believe in the concept" for BioWare's game and Agent was sent off on a mission from which it'd never return: counting all the grains of sand on a windy beach. Or just the recycle bin.

JoystiqBioWare was working on a spy game, 'Agent,' in 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>007agentBioWarecanceledGoldenEyeJason-Bourneplaystationps3Trent-OsterThu, 06 Dec 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA['Redemption' appears to be Crytek's canceled PS3, Xbox 360 game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/redemption-appears-to-be-cryteks-canceled-ps3-xbox-360-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/redemption-appears-to-be-cryteks-canceled-ps3-xbox-360-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/redemption-appears-to-be-cryteks-canceled-ps3-xbox-360-game/#comments HIT 1ST Crytek was apparently making this game called 'Redemption'Art director Eric Cochonneau worked at Crytek from 2005 to 2009, during which time he was "responsible for the art direction on an undisclosed AAA title for Xbox 360 and PS3," and not many other games, according to his resume. That in mind, Cochonneau's portfolio shows off a large batch of detailed screenshots and concept art for a canceled PS3 and Xbox 360 game called Redemption.

Redemption appears to be a forest-bound, gun-loaded romp featuring scary men and a young girl as a companion character. It's set in eastern Europe, if the cars are anything to judge by. The main character, a surly middle-aged man, has a custom pistol and his enemies have an arsenal of high-powered weaponry.

While the characters are all in concept stages, the environments are at "visual benchmark" stages, complete with 3D renders of the game's water particle effects.

We've contacted Crytek for more information about Redemption. Check out the entire gallery for yourself at Cochonneau's portfolio.

Joystiq'Redemption' appears to be Crytek's canceled PS3, Xbox 360 game originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledCrytekeastern-europeforestmicrosoftplaystationps3redemptionxboxTue, 28 Aug 2012 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Canceled Mojang project was a first-person shooter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/26/canceled-mojang-project-was-a-first-person-shooter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/26/canceled-mojang-project-was-a-first-person-shooter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/26/canceled-mojang-project-was-a-first-person-shooter/#comments That project Mojang canceled was a firstperson shooterMojang, the studio in front of the man behind Minecraft, was working on a first-person shooter with another company, Markus "Notch" Persson tells Joystiq. The collaboration and the project itself is now completely dead, Notch confirms, following today's news of a mysterious cancellation.

The FPS was killed off in the prototype stage, not because it wasn't turning into a good game, but because Mojang "did not want more external dependencies," Notch says. "The success of Minecraft meant we could focus on projects fully owned by us."

Future collaborations aren't out of the question for Mojang, as long as they're "not to make money. If there are other reasons to collaborate, maybe!"

Here's a reason: Portal guns in Minecraft.

JoystiqCanceled Mojang project was a first-person shooter originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcollaborationfirst-person-shooterfpsmacmicrosoftMinecraftmojangpcxboxThu, 26 Jul 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Canned Sony projects including The Getaway 3, Heavenly Sword 2 found in artist's reel, CV]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/canned-sony-projects-including-the-getaway-3-heavenly-sword-2-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/canned-sony-projects-including-the-getaway-3-heavenly-sword-2-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/canned-sony-projects-including-the-getaway-3-heavenly-sword-2-f/#comments
Image
Former Sony lead artist Martin Binfield touched a few projects that never saw fruition, including The Getaway 3, and his showreel shows off bits of these before they were shelved. The Getaway 3 footage in Binfield's above reel is pulled from the game's E3 trailer, while canceled PS3 science-fiction and lifestyle projects demonstrate rocket-fueled space travel and the joys of being a single father, respectively.

Heavenly Sword 2 is listed on Binfield's CV as canceled in 2008. He was the character animation team lead on the first Heavenly Sword.

JoystiqCanned Sony projects including The Getaway 3, Heavenly Sword 2 found in artist's reel, CV originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcannedHeavenly-Swordheavenly-sword-2martin-binfieldplaystationps3pspsonythe-getaway-3Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Uncharted 3's discarded level ideas]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/uncharted-3s-discarded-level-ideas/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/uncharted-3s-discarded-level-ideas/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/uncharted-3s-discarded-level-ideas/#comments ImageUncharted 3 didn't just pop out of Naughty Dog's studio, polished and fully formed, without any work from the developers themselves. Part of that "work" process involves pitching and sometimes discarding a level idea or two -- or 12. Naughty Dog has released a dozen images of the Uncharted 3 that could have been, along with a brief description of each, to IGN.

One canceled level is the "Foggy Forest," pictured above, which transformed into the French Chateau setting in the final game, with less mist and early-morning light. "The Sand Pit" had Sandlantis hidden in a desert sinkhole and the "Floating Reservoir" would have seen Drake fight his way up the inside of an oil reservoir in the shipyard.

Check out all of the would-have-been, could-have-been ideas here.

JoystiqUncharted 3's discarded level ideas originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceleddevelopmentdiscarded-featuresLevelsplaystationps3uncharted-3uncharted-3-drakes-deceptionWed, 11 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Insomniac reveals canceled 1080Pinball, 'the most realistic pinball simulation ever']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/insomniac-reveals-canceled-1080pinball-the-most-realistic-pin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/insomniac-reveals-canceled-1080pinball-the-most-realistic-pin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/insomniac-reveals-canceled-1080pinball-the-most-realistic-pin/#comments Insomniac has posted a timeline entry on its Facebook page detailing a pinball game it worked on, but never released. 1080Pinball was the name attached to the project-in-progress, and one of the featured tables was named Captain Starfire, after the handsome chap above. You can see what looks like an in-game screenshot on the official timeline post, along with some concept art.

The blurb says the game was designed to be "the most realistic pinball simulation ever," complete with actual material physics and graphics running at in 60fps at 1080p (as you might have guessed from the title). There was also going to be a "Gran Turismo level of progression," designed to build as much replay value as possible.

This, says Insomniac, also explains the whole (pin)Ballz phenomenon, and the company's fascination with pinball in general. The developer will discuss the abandoned game on a future podcast. As for whether it'll ever return, Insomniac says, "The Zen Pinball games do a fantastic job anyways."

JoystiqInsomniac reveals canceled 1080Pinball, 'the most realistic pinball simulation ever' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1080pinballcanceledcompanydesigngameinsomniac-gamespinballpinballzplaystationps3Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bethesda has no comment on Prey 2 cancellation rumor]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/24/bethesda-has-no-comment-on-prey-2-cancellation-rumor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/24/bethesda-has-no-comment-on-prey-2-cancellation-rumor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/24/bethesda-has-no-comment-on-prey-2-cancellation-rumor/#comments Publisher Bethesda has no statement on the rumor that Prey 2 has been canceled, a story which gained significant traction yesterday. Dutch site PSFocus reported that the game, in development at Human Head Studios, was kaput and that an official announcement would be made next week.

The last time Prey 2 showed up on our radar in a significant capacity was around GamesCom last August. As IGN notes, GDC talks planned for the game were cut a few weeks before the show.

This isn't the first time this year a high-profile Bethesda title made its way into the rumored cancellation mill, as DOOM 4 went through the experience twice in six month. The difference? Bethesda flat-out stated "DOOM 4 isn't cancelled."

Gallery: Prey 2 (Gamescom 2011)

JoystiqBethesda has no comment on Prey 2 cancellation rumor originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdaBethesda-Softworkscanceledcancellationhuman-head-studiosprey-2zenimax-mediaSat, 24 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Mass Effect Team Assault' was a canned multiplayer FPS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/mass-effect-team-assault-was-a-canned-multiplayer-fps/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/mass-effect-team-assault-was-a-canned-multiplayer-fps/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/mass-effect-team-assault-was-a-canned-multiplayer-fps/#comments In 2010, BioWare Montreal was developing a competitive, multiplayer first-person shooter called Mass Effect Team Assault, but it was reshaped into the third-person co-op mode that shipped in Mass Effect 3, according to a Kotaku report based on the iPad app The Final Hours of Mass Effect 3.

Mass Effect Team Assault saw four months of production before being presented to the Mass Effect hierarchy and transforming into Mass Effect 3's multiplayer skirmish mode.

Joystiq'Mass Effect Team Assault' was a canned multiplayer FPS originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWarecanceledfpsmass-effect-3Mass-Effect-Team-Assaultmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxThu, 15 Mar 2012 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Bastion's canceled feature: 'Find a shoe? Plant it.']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/bastions-canceled-feature-find-a-shoe-plant-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/bastions-canceled-feature-find-a-shoe-plant-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/bastions-canceled-feature-find-a-shoe-plant-it/#comments Supergiant Games spent one year working on a "rich gardening feature" for Bastion that the entire team was "really excited about," but was eventually cut from the game, designer Amir Rao said at GDC. The final version of Bastion demonstrates the team's obsession with plants, but gardening itself was set to play a pivotal role in exploration and players' overall sense of accomplishment, Rao said, breaking it down into four functions:
  1. Players would find seeds for story items and worlds
  2. Planters on the Bastion would open up gradually, limiting how many seeds could be planted
  3. Plants would be watered with blue "cores"
  4. They would sprout and the fruit would offer its item, world, etc.
Gardening in Bastion faced a slew of problems, but mostly the seeds had no aesthetic connection to the final plant -- "What does a 'hammer plant' look like?" Rao asked -- and Supergiant eventually realized that they were solving the wrong problem. What Bastion really needed was a menu.

JoystiqBastion's canceled feature: 'Find a shoe? Plant it.' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Amir-Raobastioncanceledgardeninggdc-2012microsoftpcsupergiant-gamesxboxTue, 06 Mar 2012 15:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Gotham by Gaslight featured beefy London Batman, gameplay vid reveals]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/gotham-by-gaslight-featured-beefy-london-batman-gameplay-vid-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/gotham-by-gaslight-featured-beefy-london-batman-gameplay-vid-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/gotham-by-gaslight-featured-beefy-london-batman-gameplay-vid-re/#comments It must be terrifying to be a developer on a game that's just barely greenlit, facing down publisher meetings that could make or break all the hard work you've put into a particular project. Come to think of it, the stress and constant panicked feeling would probably be similar to how the prostitutes in London felt every nightfall during Jack the Ripper's heyday. Maybe.

F.3.A.R. developer Day 1 Studios knows how both of those things feel, to some extent, having begun work on Gotham by Gaslight, a steampunk-inspired adaptation of a one-shot Batman graphic novel, only to have it canceled shortly after. We previously got a peek at some concept art for the title, and now Siliconera has uncovered an animation test that it says comes from someone at Day 1.

Check out the burly Batman's flowing cloak as he strides around a dark London setting right here.

JoystiqGotham by Gaslight featured beefy London Batman, gameplay vid reveals originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animationBatmancanceledDay-1-Studiosgotham-by-gaslightmicrosofttestWarner-BrosxboxMon, 27 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Killzone PSN version 'delayed indefinitely' [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/killzone-remake-shot-down-as-delayed-indefinitely/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/killzone-remake-shot-down-as-delayed-indefinitely/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/killzone-remake-shot-down-as-delayed-indefinitely/#comments[Update: This post erroneously referred to this version of Killzone as a "remake" for PS3, but it was intended to refer to the PSN re-release of the PlayStation 2 game. We apologize for contributing to the 'ghastly confusion.]

Killzone the First was scheduled to become a downloadable PSN game in late January, but has since been "delayed indefinitely," according to the official Killzone Twitter account.

Killzone franchise creators Guerrilla Games are currently working on the next entry in the series, as well as a still-unnamed "new IP."

JoystiqKillzone PSN version 'delayed indefinitely' [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledguerrilla-gameshd-remakeKillzoneplaystationps3remaketwitterWed, 08 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The RPG/RTS that Irrational never made: 'Dungeon Duel']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/23/the-rpg-rts-that-irrational-never-made-dungeon-duel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/23/the-rpg-rts-that-irrational-never-made-dungeon-duel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/23/the-rpg-rts-that-irrational-never-made-dungeon-duel/#comments Back in 2002, the folks leading up development of next year's highly anticipated, high-flying FPS, BioShock Infinite, were hard at work on a game that never made it off the ground. It was a role-playing game crossed with a real-time strategy title, and it was aimed at consoles. As revealed on the Irrational Games blog, the game was known as "Dungeon Duel" never got past the concept stage.

The gameplay seems to be a mix of dungeon crawl and card-based strategy, with cards representing actual monsters and spells rather than operating on a numbers level. Combat was described as both "fast-paced" and "real-time," though the design doc fails to go into too much detail -- it's an early pitch, after all. A handful of concept art shots and in-game artwork were also made available, which you can see over on the Irrational blog.

JoystiqThe RPG/RTS that Irrational never made: 'Dungeon Duel' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-gamescanceledcancelleddungeon-duelirrationalirrational-gamesrpgrtsFri, 23 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Urgent help needed to resurrect Mega Man Legends 3, says local paper ad]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/urgent-help-needed-to-resurrect-mega-man-legends-3-says-local-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/urgent-help-needed-to-resurrect-mega-man-legends-3-says-local-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/urgent-help-needed-to-resurrect-mega-man-legends-3-says-local-p/#comments You can't squash the spirit of "100,000 Strong for Bringing Back Mega Man Legends 3," an online activist group that hasn't yet amassed its titular display of quantitative strength. The message is already reaching far and wide through a dedicated blog, Facebook page and coverage on outlets like this one, but what of the inattentive, uninformed supporters-to-be in Lagrange, Topeka and Shipshewana, Michigan?

Group member Paul Barrett posted a photo of his own grassroots effort to override Capcom's culling of Mega Man projects. "Urgent help needed!" reads the ad, placed in Tuesday's issue of The Gateway Shopper, a paper local to Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana. It politely asks for help in undoing the events of "the worst day in gaming history."

Even if only an (utterly optimistic) eighth of newspaper readers join the cause -- it appears The Gateway Shopper has a current circulation of 9,838 -- the group must still inch its way toward the halfway mark of 50,000 supporters. Of course, now that the paper's online, its effect has been considerably magnified.

Hey, don't blame us for digging out a speck of hope. We're already disheartened that, for many people, MML is gradually devolving into FML.

Continue reading Urgent help needed to resurrect Mega Man Legends 3, says local paper ad

JoystiqUrgent help needed to resurrect Mega Man Legends 3, says local paper ad originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscanceledcapcommega-man-legends-3mega-man-legends-3-projectnintendopetitionWed, 21 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Puzzle Quest 2 canceled for PSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/puzzle-quest-2-canceled-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/puzzle-quest-2-canceled-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/puzzle-quest-2-canceled-for-psp/#comments From PSN-only to the void, Puzzle Quest 2 for PSP has met with the ultimate skull chain combo. Steve Fawkner, CEO and president of Infinite Interactive, confirms on his Facebook account that the PSP version has been canceled.

"After Firemint's acquisition of Infinite, and EA's acquisition of Firemint, so many people have moved around, that I find myself without enough manpower to finish it," Fawkner writes. "I would also like to point out that it was nothing to do with EA and/or Firemint that it has been cancelled - they have been excellent in giving me enough time and freedom to get it done... this is just a very unfortunate logistical problem where key people are no longer available to work on it."

Fawkner claims there was "ONE sound bug remaining to be fixed, and it would have been good to go." He won't give up hope entirely, but admits that finishing the project is "unlikely to happen." So, um, anyone with working knowledge of PSP development want to help a brother out?

JoystiqPuzzle Quest 2 canceled for PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcancelledinfinite-interactiveplaystationpsppuzzle-quest-2sonysteve-fawknerThu, 21 Jul 2011 10:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix's canceled top-down shooter Project Dropship revealed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/square-enixs-canceled-top-down-shooter-project-dropship-reveale/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/square-enixs-canceled-top-down-shooter-project-dropship-reveale/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/square-enixs-canceled-top-down-shooter-project-dropship-reveale/#comments Footage of a downloadable title that was purportedly in the works at Square Enix's Los Angeles-based studio is being featured on Siliconera. The Western-themed top-down shooter, titled Project Dropship, was not formally announced before its quiet cancellation, but based on the footage it looks like it was fairly far along in development. It also looks and sounds like it had a Firefly thing going for it, which is really, really working for us.

Or, rather, it would have worked for us. Now it just makes us sad that nobody's made a Firefly game yet. What gives, entire video game industry?

Continue reading Square Enix's canceled top-down shooter Project Dropship revealed

JoystiqSquare Enix's canceled top-down shooter Project Dropship revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledmicrosoftplaystationproject-dropshipps3psnsquare-enixxblaxboxThu, 30 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Wet sequel dries up, canceled]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/wet-sequel-dries-up-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/wet-sequel-dries-up-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/wet-sequel-dries-up-canceled/#comments Wet 2 Wet 2 was confirmed to be in development last November, but it would seem that's as far as the sequel is going to get. Siliconera points to the LinkedIn profile (now appended) of a former Behaviour Interactive employee that had listed the title as canceled. The site also notes that around March or April of this year several employees working on Wet 2 left for other companies. Another LinkedIn profile of a current Behaviour employee notes Wet 2 as a past project.

Bethesda, which published the first Wet game, told us today, "We are not publishing Wet 2." Behaviour had yet to respond to our request for comment as of publishing.

JoystiqRumor: Wet sequel dries up, canceled originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 May 2011 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behaviourBehaviour-InteractiveBethesda-SoftworkscanceledcancellationWet-2Tue, 17 May 2011 16:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Footage of canceled 'Sonic Extreme' hoverboarding game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/footage-of-canceled-sonic-extreme-hoverboarding-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/footage-of-canceled-sonic-extreme-hoverboarding-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/footage-of-canceled-sonic-extreme-hoverboarding-game/#comments YouTube user ProtonX3 has released a series of videos demonstrating a reportedly canceled Sonic the Hedgehog hoverboarding game for the original Xbox, entitled Sonic Extreme (not to be confused with Sonic X-Treme). Not to cast any aspersions on the potential merits of the game, but the same engine was also used to create a skateboarding game starring anthropomorphic thumbs (also canceled, apparently). But hey, it probably would've been better than Sonic Free Riders, right?

Check out some footage after the break and find a lot more on ProtonX3's YouTube channel.

Continue reading Footage of canceled 'Sonic Extreme' hoverboarding game

JoystiqFootage of canceled 'Sonic Extreme' hoverboarding game originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledmicrosoftsonic-extremesonic-the-hedgehogxboxMon, 02 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Duke Nukem: Critical Mass trailer skips the PSP version for good reason]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/duke-nukem-critical-mass-trailer-skips-the-psp-version-for-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/duke-nukem-critical-mass-trailer-skips-the-psp-version-for-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/duke-nukem-critical-mass-trailer-skips-the-psp-version-for-good/#comments After a mysterious quiet period (which is totally uncharacteristic for a Duke Nukem game), Deep Silver and Apogee are planning to release Duke Nukem: Critical Mass for DS this week in Europe and next month in North America. You can see it in action in the trailer after the break, and, well ... it looks like a thoroughly humiliating experience, narrated by Jon St. John.

Surprisingly, the press release accompanying the trailer says that the PSP version is coming out at the same time -- but Deep Silver informs us that it was actually canceled. So if you're in Europe and in line for Critical Mass on PSP ... go home.

Continue reading Duke Nukem: Critical Mass trailer skips the PSP version for good reason

JoystiqDuke Nukem: Critical Mass trailer skips the PSP version for good reason originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apogeecanceleddeep-silverdsduke-nukemduke-nukem-critical-massnintendoplaystationpspsonyvideoThu, 07 Apr 2011 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE confirms studio closures, cancels The Agency]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/soe-confirms-studio-closures-cancels-the-agency/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/soe-confirms-studio-closures-cancels-the-agency/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/soe-confirms-studio-closures-cancels-the-agency/#comments Following earlier reports of studio closures and mass layoffs, Sony Online Entertainment has issued an official statement regarding its "strategic decision to reduce costs and streamline its global workforce." The company confirmed the closings of its Denver, Seattle and Tucson studios and the elimination of 205 jobs.

Additionally, SOE announced the cancellation of The Agency, the long-delayed, cross-platform spy MMO under development at SOE Seattle. The company said it's discontinuing production of the title to "focus development resources on delivering two new MMOs based on its renowned PlanetSide and EverQuest properties, while also maintaining its current portfolio of online games."

SOE added that the Denver and Tucson studios' projects would be transitioned over to its San Diego headquarters. The company's full statement is posted after the break.

Continue reading SOE confirms studio closures, cancels The Agency

JoystiqSOE confirms studio closures, cancels The Agency originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcancellationclosureeverquestlayoffspcplanetsideplaystationps3soesoe-denversoe-seattlesoe-tucsonsony-online-entertainmentthe-agencyThu, 31 Mar 2011 14:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Mega Man Universe canceled]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/mega-man-universe-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/mega-man-universe-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/mega-man-universe-canceled/#comments Capcom has posted an apology and notice of cancelation on the official Japanese website for Mega Man Universe, an odd DIY Mega Man game that was scheduled to launch on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network later this year. The retro-styled platformer was a cheeky amalgam of remade Mega Man 2 levels, customizable characters (including the crooked caricature from the North American Mega Man 1 box art) and user-created levels.

According to Capcom's notice, the decision to extinguish Mega Man Universe was given impetus by "various circumstances." Those may involve the departure of Mega Man creator and Universe conceptual lead Keiji Inafune, who left Capcom in October 2010. We've requested further comment from Capcom.

JoystiqMega Man Universe canceled originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcapcomkeiji-inafuneMega-Man-Universemicrosoftplaystationps3psnxblaxboxThu, 31 Mar 2011 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hudson 3DS titles listed as canceled in latest Famitsu]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/hudson-3ds-titles-listed-as-canceled-in-latest-famitsu/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/hudson-3ds-titles-listed-as-canceled-in-latest-famitsu/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/hudson-3ds-titles-listed-as-canceled-in-latest-famitsu/#comments This week's Famitsu notes that several Hudson 3DS titles have been canned, according to Andriasang. The current list includes some of the planned 3DS titles like Bomberman, Bonk and Omega Five, which were all announced last October.

Hudson has gone through a serious shift since the Konami takeover earlier this year. Konami is set to take full control of the company and replace Hudson's CEO with its own next week.

Update: A Konami spokesperson tells Wired the publisher hasn't "distributed any official list of Hudson products yet."

JoystiqHudson 3DS titles listed as canceled in latest Famitsu originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3DSBonkcanceleddsfamitsuHudsonjapanKonaminintendoOmega-FiveWed, 23 Mar 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA['Bourne Ascendancy' was canceled Starbreeze game, corroborates ex-dev]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/bourne-ascendancy-was-canceled-starbreeze-game-corroborates-e/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/bourne-ascendancy-was-canceled-starbreeze-game-corroborates-e/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/bourne-ascendancy-was-canceled-starbreeze-game-corroborates-e/#comments According to one-time Starbreeze Studios game director Mikael Lindgren, a Jason Bourne game was indeed the studio's reported cancellation a year ago. Posting on his freelance game designer company site, Zoetropa, Lindgren lists "The Bourne Ascendancy (Cancelled)" on his resume, referring to himself as Starbreeze game director for the apparent EA-published project. (On his LinkedIn page, Lindgren dates his most recent stint at Starbreeze from August 2009 through April 2010 -- right about when Starbreeze confirmed the unnamed game cancellation.)

Lindgren's claim of The Bourne Ascendancy cancellation is further evidence that Starbreeze's surviving EA collaboration -- codenamed "Project RedLime" -- is the rumored Syndicate reboot. A series of trademarks and a US Copyright Office document previously linked the two companies to a possible Syndicate game. Last month, Starbreeze licensed Unreal Engine 3 for long-term use, presumably replacing its heralded proprietary game engine -- which powered its Chronicles of Riddick series and The Darkness -- for current and future projects.

Lindgren's resume also reveals a canned Avalanche Studios' game under the working title "Arcadia" that was to be published by THQ. He credits himself as a senior designer for the game and notes his Avalanche tenure as November 2007 - March 2008 on LinkedIn. It's likely that Arcadia was one of two reported publishing contracts lost by Avalanche that led to the studio's significant downsizing in late 2008.

[Pictured: Partial screencap of Mikael Lindgren's "Resume" page on Zoetropa.com]

Joystiq'Bourne Ascendancy' was canceled Starbreeze game, corroborates ex-dev originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadiaavalanche-studiosbourne-ascendancyBourneUltimatumcanceledcancellationeamikael-lindgrenproject-redlimestarbreezethqzoetropaMon, 14 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Yakuza: Of the End, Motorstorm: Apocalypse delayed in Japan; Disaster Report 4 canceled]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/yakuza-of-the-end-motorstorm-apocalypse-delayed-in-japan-dis/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/yakuza-of-the-end-motorstorm-apocalypse-delayed-in-japan-dis/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/yakuza-of-the-end-motorstorm-apocalypse-delayed-in-japan-dis/#comments Citing "various circumstances," both Sega and Sony have announced delays of major game releases, reports Andriasang, while Irem has outright canceled Disaster Report 4. Sega announced that Yakuza: Of the End has been pushed back to a "TBA" release date in Japan, while Sony has altered the MotorStorm: Apocalypse launch to "TBA," as well. both titles were scheduled to be released in Japan this Thursday, March 17.

While neither company directly cited the massive earthquake and devastating tsunami that struck Japan on March 11 as the cause of the delays, it's evident that the disaster prompted the moves; though it's unknown if the reasons extend beyond the two games' disaster-themed premises. Andriasang also reports that Sony has temporarily closed its PlayStation repair and information center, located in one of the worst hit areas of Japan, the Miyagi Prefecture. Just yesterday, Square Enix temporarily shut down the Final Fantasy XI and XIV servers to conserve power in the country.

Meanwhile, Irem has canceled Disaster Report 4 without citing a specific reason, according to Andriasang. As the title suggests, DR4 centers around players escaping a city that has just suffered a devastating earthquake. Both DR4 and Yakuza: Of the End were only announced for release in Japan.

It's unclear at this point whether MotorStorm: Apocalypse is still on track to launch across Europe this week, as SCEE told GameSpot UK, "[The game's release is] under discussion at the moment. We'll get back to you when we know more." (The game's release in New Zealand was previously delayed following the severe earthquake that struck Christchurch last month.) The North American launch was set for April 12 two months ago.

To find out more about how you can help those affected in Japan by the past week's events, head over to RedCross.org.

JoystiqYakuza: Of the End, Motorstorm: Apocalypse delayed in Japan; Disaster Report 4 canceled originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcancellationdelaysdisaster-report-4earthquakeiremjapanmotorstorm-apocalypseplaystationps3scesegasony-computer-entertainmentyakuza-of-the-endMon, 14 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Totally crazy, totally canceled indie games, and the people who made them]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/totally-crazy-totally-canceled-indie-games-and-the-people-who/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/totally-crazy-totally-canceled-indie-games-and-the-people-who/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/totally-crazy-totally-canceled-indie-games-and-the-people-who/#comments From World of Goo dev Kyle Gabler to Plants vs. Zombies director George Fan (and everything in between), GDC's "The Failure Workshop" panel was full of thrills. Each of the panel's developers brought a project that never managed to make our acquaintance, offering a detailed explanation of what went wrong.

Gabler, of 2D Boy, kicked the chair out from under his studio's robot-based sidescroller Robot and the Cities That Built Him when he and his cohorts finally decided that it simply wasn't very fun. After months of mock-ups and brainstorming, the game was finally turned into a fairly basic prototype (playable here) that sealed the project's untimely fate.

Continue reading Totally crazy, totally canceled indie games, and the people who made them

JoystiqTotally crazy, totally canceled indie games, and the people who made them originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boybrad-wardellcanceledcancellationcat-and-mouse-foosballchris-heckerdefinition-sixelemental-war-of-magicflashbang-studiosgdcgdc-2011george-fankyle-gablermatthew-wegnermobileoff-road-velociraptor-safarioff-road-velociraptor-safari-hdpcpopcap-gamesrobot-and-the-cities-that-built-himthe-failure-workshopThu, 03 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Super Meat Boy misses jump to Wii (falls into chainsaw)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/super-meat-boy-wii-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/super-meat-boy-wii-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/super-meat-boy-wii-canceled/#comments Team Meat today finally laid to rest the troubled Wii version of Super Meat Boy. "We really tried hard to make this happen but not one publisher we talked to thought a retail budget title for the Wii would be profitable at this point in the Wii's life cycle," reads a missive on the Team Meat Blog, "and we totally understand that."

Initially planned as a WiiWare title, the Wii version of SMB grew beyond the size constraints of Nintendo's digital platform, and so Team Meat began to look into a box-copy release. Perhaps its spirit will live on in the "Ultra Edition" of SMB for PC.

JoystiqSuper Meat Boy misses jump to Wii (falls into chainsaw) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcancellationnintendosuper-meat-boyteam-meatwiiWed, 02 Mar 2011 11:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Panasonic cancels Jungle gaming device production]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/panasonic-jungle-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/panasonic-jungle-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/panasonic-jungle-canceled/#comments If you don't remember Panasonic's Jungle, you're not alone. A glance at the online-enabled, portable gaming device's official Twitter feed shows that Panasonic forgot about it, too. There's not been a single update since the device was first unveiled in early October, pining for the affections of MMO players seeking to take titles like Stellar Dawn, Battlestar Galactica and RuneScape on the go.

Surprising no one, Reuters is now reporting that the ill-advised device is officially canceled. "Panasonic decided to suspend further development due to changes in the market and in our own strategic direction," the company said. That "strategic direction," apparently, is to not make a device so few would have wanted.

Of course, some folks already told you so:
"This looks like a non-starter." -Billy Pidegon, M2 Research

"I just don't think Panasonic has the right pieces to compete in this space." -David Cole, DFC Intelligence

"The absence of strong third-party support will most certainly end in failure." -Jesse Divnich, EEDAR

JoystiqPanasonic cancels Jungle gaming device production originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledjunglemmopanasonicpanasonic-junglepcthe-jungleTue, 01 Mar 2011 10:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Alleged screens of canceled 2005 Diablo 3 are heavenly]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/alleged-screens-of-canceled-2005-diablo-3-are-heavenly/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/alleged-screens-of-canceled-2005-diablo-3-are-heavenly/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/alleged-screens-of-canceled-2005-diablo-3-are-heavenly/#comments In internet time, 2005 might as well be the last century. Christopher Nolan was just beginning to tackle a new series of Batman films, many Joystiq writers hadn't even begun their illustrious careers and Blizzard North was rumored to be hard at work on Diablo 3. That is until Blizzard North was closed and most of its staff relocated to Blizzard's HQ in California, of course. Even with the closure, there was still a rumor floating around that a new Diablo would be shown at BlizzCon, a Diablo that actually took place in a Heaven being invaded by Hell.

While none of us will ever play that Diablo 3, Kotaku has nabbed some screenshots allegedly taken from the canceled project. Examining the screens, it certainly looks like the Heaven plot was a reality. It also appears that Blizzard North had abandoned Diablo's traditional 2D isometric graphics in favor of a full 3D world, which isn't surprising given the runaway success of World of Warcraft. Hit the source link for more screens.

JoystiqAlleged screens of canceled 2005 Diablo 3 are heavenly originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2005blizzardblizzard-northcanceleddiablo-3diablo-iiiMacPcThu, 17 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EA prunes My Garden from 3DS lineup [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/16/my-garden-3ds-cancelled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/16/my-garden-3ds-cancelled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/16/my-garden-3ds-cancelled/#commentsMy Garden, EA's flora management simulator for 3DS, has been canceled. EA announced the death of what was supposed to be a 3DS launch title during an event in New York City today.

Though we currently don't have an official explanation for the game's cancellation, it's not hard to see why EA stopped watering this one: In our preview of My Garden several months ago, we described it as a "lifeless" game with a "jumpy framerate," "unresponsive controls" and "uncomfortable" 3D visuals.

Update: EA's official statement on the cancellation: "EA has decided to cancel Gardens for the Nintendo 3DS. We didn't feel the title would attract a large audience on that platform. EA is supporting the launch of the Nintendo 3DS with Spring releases of Madden NFL and The Sims."

JoystiqEA prunes My Garden from 3DS lineup [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcancellationdseamy-gardennintendoWed, 16 Feb 2011 17:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision axing Guitar Hero and True Crime; Freestyle Games reportedly hit with layoffs [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/report-activision-axing-guitar-hero-and-true-crime-freestyle-g/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/report-activision-axing-guitar-hero-and-true-crime-freestyle-g/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/report-activision-axing-guitar-hero-and-true-crime-freestyle-g/#comments Despite a recent cover story in EGM, United Front's True Crime: Hong Kong won't make it to retail. Activision's latest earnings report confirms the game's cancellation, as well as the end of the Guitar Hero franchise.

"Due to continued declines in the music genre, the company will disband Activision Publishing's Guitar Hero business unit and discontinue development on its Guitar Hero game for 2011," Activision said in its financial statement. The statement goes on to confirm the cancellation of True Crime. "The company also will stop development on True Crime: Hong Kong. These decisions are based on the desire to focus on the greatest opportunities that the company currently has to create the world's best interactive entertainment experiences."

Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg went into a bit more detail on today's investor call:
"Despite a remarkable 92 rating on DJ Hero 2, a widely well-regarded Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, as well as a 90-plus rated release from our most direct competitor [Rock Band 3], demand for peripheral-based music games declined at a dramatic pace. Given the considerable licensing and manufacturing costs associated with this genre, we simply cannot make these games profitably based on current economics and demand. Instead, what we'll do is focus our time and energies on marketing and supporting our strong catalog of titles and downloadable content, especially to new consumers as the installed base for hardware continues to grow."
Hirshberg continued, saying that True Crime's development, "was't going to lead to a title at or near the top of the competitive open-world genre." To put things more directly, Hirshberg added, "To be blunt, it just wasn't going to be good enough."

If that weren't enough bad news, Eurogamer also reports that DJ Hero developer Freestyle Games has suffered "severe layoffs," though it's unclear whether the rhythm series has been affected by the alleged redundancies. We'll update this post as we learn more.

[Update: An earlier version of this post was based solely on Eurogamer's report, which has since been partially confirmed by Activision.]

[Update 2: United Front Games has commented on the cancellation of True Crime]

Continue reading Activision axing Guitar Hero and True Crime; Freestyle Games reportedly hit with layoffs [update]

JoystiqActivision axing Guitar Hero and True Crime; Freestyle Games reportedly hit with layoffs [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncanceledcancellationdj-herofreestyle-gamesguitar-heroguitar-hero-riplayoffsmicrosoftneversoftpcplaystationps3True-CrimeTrue-Crime-Hong-Kongunited-frontunited-front-gamesxboxWed, 09 Feb 2011 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Company of Heroes Online, WWE Online canceled]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/company-of-heroes-online-wwe-online-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/company-of-heroes-online-wwe-online-canceled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/company-of-heroes-online-wwe-online-canceled/#commentsThis morning, we reported that THQ would "evaluate the next steps for the Company of Heroes series" after the March 31 conclusion of the Company of Heroes Online beta. We now know that whatever those next steps are, they won't include Company of Heroes Online.

The latest THQ earnings report notes that the company has "reevaluated its strategy of adapting certain Western content for free-to-play online games in Asian markets." And, as a result of that reevaluation, it has canceled Company of Heroes Online and WWE Online. COH Online was originally announced as a South Korean release in partnership with Windysoft, and WWE Online was only intended for release in Asia.

In an investor phone call, THQ CEO Brian Farrell explained the decision, claiming that THQ's focus is on "developing great content, most of it IP owned by THQ. And the concept of converting some of these concepts for a market -- though Korea's still a great market -- it just wasn't the top of our list for focus." He noted that THQ's "small" Korean office has also been closed.

JoystiqCompany of Heroes Online, WWE Online canceled originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcancellationcompany-of-heroes-onlinefy-2011pcq3relic-entertainmentthqvertigo-gameswwe-onlineWed, 02 Feb 2011 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Square's unreleased Aliens game for Famicom Disk System uncovered]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/15/squares-unreleased-aliens-game-for-famicom-disk-system-uncovere/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/15/squares-unreleased-aliens-game-for-famicom-disk-system-uncovere/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/15/squares-unreleased-aliens-game-for-famicom-disk-system-uncovere/#comments Man, what is it about the Aliens franchise that makes its video game adaptations so easily cancelable? Long, long before Obsidian's Aliens RPG ended up on the cutting room floor, Square had its own unreleased entry into the franchise: A 1987 side-scrolling action game for the Famicom Disk System (the disk-loading NES attachment which never quite made it stateside).

A ROM for the canned title recently appeared online; you can check out some footage from an emulated version of the game over at 1UP. It actually doesn't look too terrible -- though back in 1987, we really only had room in our hearts for one unstoppable, alien-obliterating heroine, and that room was totally already spoken for.

JoystiqSquare's unreleased Aliens game for Famicom Disk System uncovered originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienscanceledfamicomfamicom-disk-systemnessquareSquare-EnixSat, 15 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA['Hero' looks like it could have been Midway's 'inFamous']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/hero-looks-like-it-could-have-been-midways-infamous/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/hero-looks-like-it-could-have-been-midways-infamous/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/hero-looks-like-it-could-have-been-midways-infamous/#comments Last week we got a tiny, one-image glimpse of Midway Chicago's game-that-could-have-been, Hero. Now we get a better picture of what the title might have looked like, thanks to the portfolio of Tae Young Choi, a concept artist at Midway who worked alongside Stephan Martiniere, the former staffer responsible for the release of last week's image.

There are also some small tidbits regarding the game's design to be gleaned from Choi's site, including that there were going to be multiple (presumably playable) characters, each possessing unique super powers. From Choi's descriptions of his drawings, we know that the katana-wielding hero (seen above, fighting an enemy on the wing of Air Force One) could "jump really high," and that at least three other heroes were planned: one that could control water; one that could generate a force field; and a "dumb strong" character with a tail.

Choi also hints at one possible cause for the mass destruction visible in the gameworld: an out-of-control laser beam coming from a satellite that's "cutting everything." Unfortunately, the game itself was cut before we ever got a chance to see it in action. Visit Choi's site to peep some additional concept art.

Joystiq'Hero' looks like it could have been Midway's 'inFamous' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artcanceledconcept-artheromidwaymidway-chicagotae-young-choiTue, 11 Jan 2011 18:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Canceled 'Day to Night' Midway game unearthed in concept art]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/canceled-day-to-night-midway-game-unearthed-in-concept-art/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/canceled-day-to-night-midway-game-unearthed-in-concept-art/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/canceled-day-to-night-midway-game-unearthed-in-concept-art/#comments Former Midway background artist Brian Beppu was at one point drawing up concepts for a PlayStation 2-era game named Day to Night. As the title suggests, Day to Night looks like it was going to be some type of zombie game -- as seen in the concept panels above, a hobbled humanoid approaches a gentleman who appears to be a cowboy in snowy woods. A handful of environments are also on display, varying from a cheap roadside motel to a graveyard overtaken by jungle brush.

Given the fact that this art is now nearly a decade old, Day to Night likely lost its shot at becoming a finished product before Midway's less than successful final years. Little else is known about the title, in fact, so feel free to shoot us a tip if you know more.

Gallery: Day to Night

JoystiqCanceled 'Day to Night' Midway game unearthed in concept art originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-beppucanceledcancellationcancelledconceptconcept-artday-to-nightmidwayTue, 04 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Super Meat Boy WiiWare canceled, retail 'looking grim']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/23/super-meat-boy-wiiware-canceled-retail-looking-grim/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/23/super-meat-boy-wiiware-canceled-retail-looking-grim/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/23/super-meat-boy-wiiware-canceled-retail-looking-grim/#comments The saga of the WiiWare version of Super Meat Boy has come to an abrupt, disappointing end, with Team Meat tweeting today that the project has been canceled altogether. The team is still considering retail, but adds that the possibility is "also looking grim." We've contacted Team Meat for further comment. Keep an eye here for updates as we get them.

JoystiqSuper Meat Boy WiiWare canceled, retail 'looking grim' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cancelednintendosuper-meat-boyTeam-MeatwiiwiiwareThu, 23 Dec 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lorne Lanning laments 'The Brutal Ballad of Fangus Klot' that never was]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/the-brutal-ballad-of-fangus-klot/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/the-brutal-ballad-of-fangus-klot/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/the-brutal-ballad-of-fangus-klot/#comments Game Informer has posted its recent print interview with Oddworld Inhabitants founder Lorne Lanning, a (five-years-later) followup to the magazine's April 2005 announcement of The Brutal Ballad of Fangus Klot, OWI's would-be effort to delve further into the "more hardcore" elements of the Oddworld ... world.

After finding the situation with EA (which published OWI's Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath on Xbox in 2005) "unworkable," Lanning recounted, OWI turned to Majesco to fund and publish the Fangus project, another Xbox game built on Stranger's core framework. But only a month after the game's announcement, "the shenanigans started" and OWI shut down its development studio. "Sometimes developers get fired by publishers and sometimes developers fire publishers," Lanning said coyly, "and that's probably all I should say about it."

Publisher "incompetence" aside, Fangus did sound like an odd pitch: A "close to the Earth" dog-man herdsman turned "pit fighting" slave -- to the Russian-like cat mafia -- who escapes his years-long imprisonment a hardened killer dead set on vengeance and the liberation of his people ("the timeless mythical battle between cats and dogs," in other words). Also, Fangus has terminal rabies and "would control a flock of ravenous sheep-like creatures to take down enemies and solve puzzles," according to GI's description. "We wanted it to be really hardcore," Lanning concluded.

Continue reading Lorne Lanning laments 'The Brutal Ballad of Fangus Klot' that never was

JoystiqLorne Lanning laments 'The Brutal Ballad of Fangus Klot' that never was originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brutal-ballad-of-fangus-klotbusiness-modelscanceledcancellationcancelledfree-to-playfreemiumlorne-lanningmajescomicrosoftoddworldoddworld-inhabitantssocial-gamesxboxMon, 22 Nov 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Team Ninja's Dead or Alive: Code Cronus and Project Progressive canceled]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/team-ninjas-dead-or-alive-code-cronus-and-project-progressive/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/team-ninjas-dead-or-alive-code-cronus-and-project-progressive/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/team-ninjas-dead-or-alive-code-cronus-and-project-progressive/#commentsFor Dead or Alive: Code Cronus, the long-delayed action game from Team Ninja, there is no longer any question as to its status. It's just "Dead: Code Cronus," now. Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi confirmed the project's cancellation in an interview with Famitsu (translated by Andriasang). After all these years, Hayashi said, "It was just on the framework level." Also on the chopping block: "Project Progressive," mentioned in passing in this 2007 interview with former Master Ninja Tomonobu Itagaki.

These two dropped projects aren't the only evidence that Team Ninja is looking forward. "We're developing [Ninja Gaiden 3] with the idea of restarting at the beginning, saying, 'We'd like to make the action game that's most interesting for the current era.' With this meaning, it's going to be a game that's not bound by the past more than necessary. Of course, we will be valuing the past," Hayashi said, "but in a good meaning we'd like to make it into a game that's not tied down by the past." The image released at TGS actually holds vague clues about the content of Ninja Gaiden 3. Hayashi teased that Ryu Hayabusa "seems to be doing something with [his] right hand," which is covered with unnatural-looking blood.

Team Ninja also has Dead or Alive: Dimensions and Ni-Oh in the works. Hayashi expects Dimensions to be released first, followed by Ninja Gaiden 3.

JoystiqTeam Ninja's Dead or Alive: Code Cronus and Project Progressive canceled originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canceledcancellationdead-or-alivedead-or-alive-code-cronusmicrosoftni-ohninja-gaiden-3playstationps3team-ninjaxboxyosuke-hayashiFri, 05 Nov 2010 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[See gameplay 'target' footage of Spielberg's canceled Project LMNO]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/see-gameplay-target-footage-of-spielbergs-canceled-project-lm/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/see-gameplay-target-footage-of-spielbergs-canceled-project-lm/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/see-gameplay-target-footage-of-spielbergs-canceled-project-lm/#comments It's common practice for developers to create "target" footage of their games early in the development process in order to give their artists and designers something to shoot for. Following its look back at the now-canceled collaboration between EA and director Steven Spielberg, Project LMNO, 1UP has posted what it says is target gameplay footage from the cooperative "escape" game.

It's a (very) brief clip, but it clearly shows the A.I.-driven future girl "Eve" from a first-person perspective, and actions that imply that it's the player's character looking at her. The player sniffs a rose that's sitting in a vase on the table of the diner they appear to be in, and passes it to her. Eve smells it next, showing a range of reactions on her face, then abruptly bolts from the table when a sinister black Humvee pulls up outside. This is presumably the beginning of an escape sequence, and sees Eve performing inhuman acrobatic moves to traverse the restaurant.

The footage is clearly pre-rendered, and it's not much to go on, but it's unquestionably neat to see what Project LMNO could have looked like. You can see for yourself just after the break.

Continue reading See gameplay 'target' footage of Spielberg's canceled Project LMNO

JoystiqSee gameplay 'target' footage of Spielberg's canceled Project LMNO originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Arkane-Studioscanceledeaea-blueprintEA-Los-AngelesEALAElectronic-Artsfrostbite-enginelmnoMatt-SentellmicrosoftMike-VerduNeil-Youngpcplaystationproject-lmnops3Randy-Smithspielbergsteven-spielbergThe-Escape-Artistunreal-engineunreal-engine-3xboxThu, 04 Nov 2010 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[1UP examines Spielberg's LMNO, the game that 'tried to do too much']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/1up-examines-spielbergs-lmno/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/1up-examines-spielbergs-lmno/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/1up-examines-spielbergs-lmno/#comments If EA and the Steven Spielberg couldn't pull of a first-person hybrid built on "escape gameplay" and driven by an emotional co-op dynamic, featuring an AI-controlled partner -- spoiler alert -- from the future, whose character evolution was to be determined by non-verbal interaction with the player, then who could pull it off? Probably no one. "LMNO," as this project was code-named, was officially canned by EA last month -- and it's been dead for at least a year, according to 1UP's new in-depth investigation into the game.

The report -- and definitely read the whole thing -- is a compelling tale in and of itself: the inside scoop on a big-budget experiment (a "hyper-replayable" 2- to 3-hour game with no multiplayer) that would later morph into an Uncharted clone (complete with "an alien version of Megan Fox"), dubbed The Escape Artist, before being canceled altogether. But the LMNO story is also a striking reminder of just how inflexible AAA game development has become.

EA tried admirably to invest in new IP several years ago, but its actually released games didn't provide the returns the publisher had expected from consumers. Had it come together as original designers Doug Church and Randy Smith once envisioned, LMNO could have been EA's most ambitious original IP to date. Instead, it fell apart as the industry fell back on iteration (you know, "sequelitis") and made jaw-dropping investments in socially-networked casual gaming as the path to future profitability.

LMNO once carried the heavy burden of being the video game that would finally "make you cry." Assuming that the industry has yet to recognize this milestone as having been achieved, the mission now seems better suited for an indie developer with nothing to lose; one free from the concerns of the corporate goliath: namely, staying in business.

[Pictured: Pre-Megan Fox "Eve" character concept; source: 1UP]

Joystiq1UP examines Spielberg's LMNO, the game that 'tried to do too much' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Arkane-StudioscanceledDoug-ChurchEAEA-BlueprintEA-Los-AngelesEALAFrostbite-EngineLMNOMatt-SentellmicrosoftMike-VerduNeil-YoungpcplaystationProject-LMNOps3Randy-SmithSpeilbergSteven-SpeilbergThe-Escape-ArtistUnreal-EngineUnreal-Engine-3xboxTue, 02 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST