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[PS3 passes safety certification in China, valid to 2016]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/04/ps3-passes-safety-certification-in-china-valid-to-2016/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/04/ps3-passes-safety-certification-in-china-valid-to-2016/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/04/ps3-passes-safety-certification-in-china-valid-to-2016/#comments PS3 passes safety certification in China, valid to 2016The PlayStation 3 received regulatory approval in China via the China Compulsory Certificate, which outlines safety requirements for participation in the Chinese market. Sony was granted the Certificate in July and it is valid through 2016.

Consoles in general have been banned in China since 2000, though customers are able to purchase them as grey market imports - this means the consoles are legally bought and sold, though the transactions stem from third parties not affiliated with console manufacturers. Other consoles, such as China's own Eedoo, can be sold under the label of "home entertainment devices."

Last we heard of Sony scoping out the Chinese PS3 market, it signed a letter of intent to implement training and R & D buildings in Guangzhou province, and hinted at developing games in the region. July's Certificate doesn't guarantee PS3 sales in China, but it's certainly a step toward a console incursion in the Asian mainland.

JoystiqPS3 passes safety certification in China, valid to 2016 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 04 Nov 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>certificationchinachina-compulsory-certificateplaystationps3safetySun, 04 Nov 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[XBLA Minecraft's 'Skin Pack 3' features Half-Life and Awesomenauts skins]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/xbla-minecrafts-skin-pack-3-features-half-life-and-awesomenauts/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/xbla-minecrafts-skin-pack-3-features-half-life-and-awesomenauts/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/xbla-minecrafts-skin-pack-3-features-half-life-and-awesomenauts/#comments Minecraft getting HalfLife and Awesomenauts skinsIn addition to the recent 1.8.2 update for the Xbox Live version of Minecraft, there's even more content showing up soon. Specifically, a third character skin pack is set to come to the popular sandbox game. Like the first two packs, this one will contain quite a few new skins for Minecraft characters from other media, including content based on the Half-Life series and Awesomenauts. Sure, you could dig a hole as a dwarf, but why do that when you could do the same thing as a headcrab zombie?

There's no information yet, unfortunately, on when the update or the skin pack are coming out; both still need to finish going through Microsoft's certification system. But we'll expect to hear from Mojang and Microsoft as soon as the skins are ready for purchase -- probably in just a few days from now.

JoystiqXBLA Minecraft's 'Skin Pack 3' features Half-Life and Awesomenauts skins originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awesomenautscertificationdesignshalf-lifemicrosoftMinecraftmojangskinsskins-pack-3updatexboxWed, 17 Oct 2012 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Notch refuses to 'certify' Minecraft for closed Windows 8 platform]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/27/notch-refuses-to-certify-minecraft-for-closed-windows-8-platfo/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/27/notch-refuses-to-certify-minecraft-for-closed-windows-8-platfo/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/27/notch-refuses-to-certify-minecraft-for-closed-windows-8-platfo/#comments Notch I'd rather scrap Minecraft for Windows 8 than help with certificationMarkus 'Notch' Persson slammed Microsoft this morning for asking him to "help 'certify' Minecraft" for Windows 8. The Minecraft creator berated the company for, in his words, ruining the PC as an open platform. In his next tweet, Notch stated he'd prefer to not have Minecraft run on Windows 8 than to "play along," hoping such action might sway people away from the new OS.

While Notch being outspoken on his Twitter feed is nothing new, his outburst contrasts with the love he showered on Microsoft when Minecraft launched on Xbox Live Arcade. However, Notch made his views on Windows 8 known last month in a Reddit Q&A:
"I hope we can keep a lot of open and free platforms around. If Microsoft decides to lock down Windows 8, it would be very very bad for Indie games and competition in general.

"If we can keep open platforms around, there's going to be a lot of very interesting games in ten years, mixed in with the huge AAA games that we all love."
Windows 8 launches next month with a burly enough line-up, but now doubt hangs over whether or not Mojang's game will be compatible with the platform anytime soon.

JoystiqNotch refuses to 'certify' Minecraft for closed Windows 8 platform originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>certificationmicrosoftMinecraftnotchpcwindows-8Thu, 27 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Battleblock Theater is 'code complete' [Update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/battleblock-theater-passes-microsoft-certification-slated-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/battleblock-theater-passes-microsoft-certification-slated-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/battleblock-theater-passes-microsoft-certification-slated-for/#comments Battleblock Theater passes Microsoft certification, slated for 'this year'
Battleblock Theater, the long, long-awaited title from Castle Crashers developer The Behemoth, passed its code complete milestone just before San Diego Comic-Con kicked off last week, project manager Emil Ayoubkhan told us. We played a few rounds of Battleblock Theater at another fantastic installment of the Behemoth booth at the con.

Battleblock Theater still has no set release date, and has a few more stages to complete before The Behemoth gives it one. Right now the speed of development is "all on us," Ayoubkhan said, and every day is one step closer to a final version.

Update: The original story read that Battleblock Theater had passed Microsoft certification, and that The Behemoth planned to release it before the end of the year. We have received confirmation that this is not the current schedule, no matter how excitable anyone may have been at Comic-Con.

JoystiqBattleblock Theater is 'code complete' [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battleblock-theaterBehemothcertificationcomic-con-2012microsoftSDCC-2012The-BehemothXBLAxboxTue, 17 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Walking Dead shambles into certification this week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/the-walking-dead-shambles-into-certification-this-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/the-walking-dead-shambles-into-certification-this-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/the-walking-dead-shambles-into-certification-this-week/#comments The Walking Dead is getting closer -- grab the shotgun! -- and is expected to be submitted for certification on XBLA and PSN this week, with a release soon after, Telltale CEO Dan Connors told Digital Trend at GDC. Connors expects the certification process to take about six weeks, with the launch soon after, placing it in late April or May. He didn't specify the launch process for other platforms, including PC.

Telltale wants to capitalize on the "popularity" of the TV show, whose second season ends March 18, Digital Trend wrote. "Popularity" is of course a loaded term, but personally we've come to enjoy the show with a drinking game -- take a drink every time Lori is mad for a ridiculous reason; take two drinks every time an awkward silence lasts longer than four seconds; finish your drink every time someone shoots more bullets than their gun actually holds.

That said, we're looking forward to Telltale's adaptation; either we'll finally get to enjoy the comic in a new form, or we'll have to buy some more beer.

JoystiqThe Walking Dead shambles into certification this week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>certificationlaunchmicrosoftpcplaystationps3PSNrobert-kirkmanTelltaleTellTale-Gamesthe-walking-deadtvXBLAxboxMon, 12 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Super Meat Boy patched on XBLA, new levels to follow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/super-meat-boy-patched-on-xbla-new-levels-to-follow/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/super-meat-boy-patched-on-xbla-new-levels-to-follow/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/super-meat-boy-patched-on-xbla-new-levels-to-follow/#comments If you envision Microsoft's nebulous certification process as a sadistic Super Meat Boy level -- some lava pits here, a few saw blades everywhere -- you may understand why a tiny weakling of a file, less than 1MB in size, spent over 3 months attempting to survive the gauntlet unscathed. Yes, the Super Meat Boy patch, which should cover up all of the squishy protagonist's oozing faults (including that auto-save glitch), is now available on Xbox Live Arcade. Just launch the game to download it automatically.

With the XBLA version corrected, Team Meat can continue pushing new content to "Teh Internets," the in-game hub that hosts free, downloadable levels. Indie developer Gaijin Games is constructing a level pack for Commander Video, and Michael "Kayin" O'Reilly -- indefensibly evil creator of I Wanna Be The Guy -- is making some Kid-unfriendly levels. Team Meat's Edmund McMillen says that a pack remixing Super Meat Boy's best bits is also on the way. "We also have a few other devs lined up but we want to space level updates out a bit," he tells us.

The game's level editor and level portal will be live on Steam "as soon as possible," he adds, and "we will also have a few cool bits of info about the future of SMB around that time as well." So ... that's a lot of incoming levels. When you've conquered all of them, it'll be time to concern yourself with a different kind of certification -- that of your inevitable insanity.

JoystiqSuper Meat Boy patched on XBLA, new levels to follow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>certificationmicrosoftpatchsuper-meat-boyteam-meatxblaxboxTue, 01 Feb 2011 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castle Crashers jumps through another hoop, gets rated 'Teen']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/15/castle-crashers-jumps-through-another-hoop-gets-rated-teen/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/15/castle-crashers-jumps-through-another-hoop-gets-rated-teen/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/15/castle-crashers-jumps-through-another-hoop-gets-rated-teen/#commentsFiled under: ,


We love the Xbox Live Arcade Service (fanboy placation: we love the PlayStation Network and WiiWare too), but it's a well-known fact that there are a number of hurdles a finished game has to clear before it can find its way onto the imponderable internets. One of said hurdles, labeled "the rating process" is actually three-hundred feet tall, covered in flaming, poison-coated spikes, and surrounded by a moat filled with bull sharks in mating season. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Thankfully, in an act of incredible vaulting prowess, Behemoth's upcoming racist multiplayer beat-'em-up Castle Crashers recently cleared said hurdle, receiving a decisive "Teen" rating (the German judges, obviously confused and unimpressed, gave the effort a 7.5). There are a number of other hoops the adorable brawler must jump through before attaining that coveted XBLA certification, but we're hopeful that we'll be storming cartoon strongholds relatively soon.

JoystiqCastle Crashers jumps through another hoop, gets rated 'Teen' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behemothcastle-crasherscastlecrasherscertificationmicrosoftxblaXbox-360xbox-live-arcadexbox360xboxlivearcadeSun, 15 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Valve makes patch for Team Fortress 2 lag on 360]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/16/valve-makes-patch-for-team-fortress-2-lag-on-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/16/valve-makes-patch-for-team-fortress-2-lag-on-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/16/valve-makes-patch-for-team-fortress-2-lag-on-360/#commentsFiled under: ,


The only problem is that you don't have it yet. Valve knows that some of you playing the Orange Box have experienced lag while playing 8-on-8 or 6-on6 Team Fortress 2 games, and they've reacted quickly, making a title update for the game designed to fix the issues.

Now, the title update must make it through the gauntlet of Microsoft's certification process. Should it make it out alive, 1UP says you can probably expect the lag situation to be improved by this weekend or early next week. Good luck, little title update. We're rooting for you.

JoystiqValve makes patch for Team Fortress 2 lag on 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>certificationmicrosoftorangeboxteamfortress2valveXbox-360Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Worms 2D confirmed for Xbox Live Arcade]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/08/worms-2d-confirmed-for-xbox-live-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/08/worms-2d-confirmed-for-xbox-live-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/08/worms-2d-confirmed-for-xbox-live-arcade/#commentsFiled under: , ,

aargh, missed 'imTeam17 has completed a version of Worms for Xbox Live Arcade, returning the multiplayer strategy franchise to its 2D roots. In a recent forum post, creative and studio director Martyn Brown confirmed that the game has entered the final stage of certification and plans for announcing its launch will be discussed with Microsoft next week. But don't hold your breath for a holiday release; XBLA's lineup is firmly in place.

Team17's first downloadable title, Lemmings 2, will be available on PlayStation 3's service later this month.

[Via 1UP]

JoystiqWorms 2D confirmed for Xbox Live Arcade originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Nov 2006 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>certificationTeam17Team17-SoftwareWormsWorms-2007Worms-HDXBLAXbox-360Wed, 08 Nov 2006 18:55:00 EST