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[Philosony: Raise high the downloads, gamers!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/18/philosony-raise-high-the-downloads-gamers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/18/philosony-raise-high-the-downloads-gamers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/18/philosony-raise-high-the-downloads-gamers/#commentsFiled under:


This is the second of a two-part column on digital distribution and its effect on the psychology of your average gamer. In part one we discussed the pros and cons of replacing physical discs and game boxes with digital downloads. This week we discuss the way our gaming habits themselves, from the type of games we play to the time we spend playing them, may be affected by digital downloads.

It looks like Sony Japan has finally gotten hip to the idea that when it comes to portable systems digital distribution is the way to go. Heck I've taken plenty of advantage of the UMD Legacy archives for my PSP. After all, there's nothing portable about lugging around a physical library of discs just in case you happen to get the urge to bludgeon an undead abortion in public. There are many arguments in favor of digital distribution for handhelds, particularly as handhelds fit well with the type of "quick-fix" games that most original property digital downloads tend to be. But this column isn't about what makes a good handheld title. It's about what sort of games we want crowing up space on our 80 60 40 20GB hard drives.

Continue reading Philosony: Raise high the downloads, gamers!

JoystiqPhilosony: Raise high the downloads, gamers! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital distributionDigitalDistributiondlcjoystiqfeaturesphilosonySat, 18 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony cans Connect, pumps up PlayStation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/19/sony-cans-connect-pumps-up-playstation/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/19/sony-cans-connect-pumps-up-playstation/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/19/sony-cans-connect-pumps-up-playstation/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Literally dozens of loyal Sony Connect users were sent into mourning yesterday by a PaidContent.org story announcing the proprietary music and video download service will be shut down in the coming months. The staff of 80 behind the online store will be transferred over to the PlayStation side of the company, a rather convenient move considering Sony is preparing to launch a new PSP Store later this year.

We know what you're thinking, but don't worry, the eBook division of the service will stay up for those of you who prefer reading books on an LCD screen.

[Via PSPFanboy]

JoystiqSony cans Connect, pumps up PlayStation originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>connectdigitaldigital distributionDigitalDistributionDLCdownloadsplaystationPS3pspPSP storePspStoresonyTue, 19 Jun 2007 10:28:00 EST<![CDATA[The difficulty of contact in game sex]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/11/the-difficulty-of-contact-in-game-sex/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/11/the-difficulty-of-contact-in-game-sex/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/11/the-difficulty-of-contact-in-game-sex/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Making sex games is tough. Between political issues, the ESRB's ratings board, cultural differences and technical issues -- it's a war zone. Brenda Brathwaite, the encyclopedia for sex in the industry, held a few roundtables about different aspects of sex over the course of GDC. The first day was about the business side of things and one of the major conclusions was if there is anything holding back sex-based games in the industry it's collision detection software.

Some of the designers in the room had worked on fighting games and explained grapples that you see in games are all canned. Simon Strange, a designer on Godzilla: Destroy all Monsters, said, "Single point of contact between two people in games is already difficult enough. If you're going to have people having sex, there is ultimate contact. How do you support their weight? There are multiple points of contact. That is the difficulty."

Continue reading The difficulty of contact in game sex

JoystiqThe difficulty of contact in game sex originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 Mar 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brathwaitedigital distributionGDCgdc07naughty americasex in gamesSexInGamesvirtually jennaSun, 11 Mar 2007 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW: Burning Crusade digital distribution]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/03/wow-burning-crusade-digital-distribution/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/03/wow-burning-crusade-digital-distribution/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/03/wow-burning-crusade-digital-distribution/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Well, this explains why Blizzard kept stalling on answering our distribution questions. Blizzard began very quietly offering World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade through digital distribution this week.

The offer is made every time you start up WoW, so it's not like players who decided to ignore the launch have that option anymore. The expansion costs $39.99 online, the same as in the the stores, preventing the need for pesky poisonous outdoor air to enter one's lungs.

The digital distribution question about WoW has been floating around since The Burning Crusade was announced. Guess it was nice for Blizzard to give the brick and mortar stores a chance before they totally cut them off and made their use in Burning Crusade distribution obsolete. Other than those who need the box to feel complete, what's the point of getting the Burning Crusade in a store now? Not to mention that this shows Blizzard will use a similar tactic in future expansions.

JoystiqWoW: Burning Crusade digital distribution originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 03 Feb 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burning crusadedigital distributionPCworld of warcraftwowSat, 03 Feb 2007 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii to get original downloadable titles, 'Game Channel' possible]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/26/wii-to-get-original-downloadable-titles-game-channel-possible/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/26/wii-to-get-original-downloadable-titles-game-channel-possible/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/26/wii-to-get-original-downloadable-titles-game-channel-possible/#commentsFiled under: , ,

wiiRemarks made by Hudson Entertainment director of marketing John Lee, during an interview with Game Informer, have sparked rumor that a 'Game Channel,' dealing in original downloadable titles, could be headed to Wii. Lee didn't make any specific implications, but did cleverly acknowledge that Nintendo had plans to distribute original downloadable games. When asked if Hudson had plans to do so, Lee claimed, "No," but added, "However, in the future, you should rephrase that question to: Are there any plans to launch original content on some downloadable service on the Wii, and you might get a different answer."

CVG brought the issue up with Nintendo, which responded, "We cannot confirm at this time in what format the new content will be delivered, but in the future there will be original games available for download through the Wii Shop." While still unconfirmed, it's likely that Nintendo could launch a new Channel to further separate original games, once purchased from Wii Shop Channel, from Virtual Console fare. We also suspect that most of these new offerings will utilize the Wiimote (and Nunchuk) instead of the Classic Controller.

JoystiqWii to get original downloadable titles, 'Game Channel' possible originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Jan 2007 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Classic ControllerClassicControllerDigital DistributionDigitalDistributionDownloadDownloadableIndependentIndieNunchukVirtual ConsoleVirtualConsoleWiiWii RemoteWii ShopWii Shop ChannelWiimoteWiiRemoteWiiShopWiiShopChannelFri, 26 Jan 2007 09:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Aspyr Media updates, digital distribution plans (Macworld Expo)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/12/aspyr-media-updates-digital-distribution-plans-macworld-expo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/12/aspyr-media-updates-digital-distribution-plans-macworld-expo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/12/aspyr-media-updates-digital-distribution-plans-macworld-expo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Mac games mainstay, Aspyr Media is showing of its latest and upcoming titles at the Macworld Expo. Easily the company with the most Mac game releases in recent years, Aspyr will ship the Mac version of its Best in Show, Prey to retailers next week, with Star Wars: Empire At War next on the company's Mac list. Aspyr also reminded us its PC and PS2 title, The Shield, will also ship to stores next week.

In addition to upcoming games, we learned more about the company's Game Agent digital distribution service for Mac gamers. Currently a method of testing Mac hardware to see if new games will run, Game Agent will be relaunched this year to offer a back catalog of Aspyr titles that don't fit on retail shelves.

The Mac-only service -- at least initially -- will sell older titles mostly as-is, although some may be updated to work better with the latest version of OS X on a case-by-case basis. OS 9 games, however, will be unlikely to be updated to Mac OS X versions, and Aspyr may not offer those games at all.

Aspyr wants to include as many games as possible, but it needs to clear the rights for its older Mac titles, most of which were PC ports. We asked about the potential for small Mac developers to sell games though the service, and we were told that may happen, but that's not the focus. Instead, marketing director, Leah Heck told us Aspyr first wants to "give people access to the back catalog and make it easy to play."

JoystiqAspyr Media updates, digital distribution plans (Macworld Expo) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aspyraspyr mediaAspyrMediadigital distributionDigitalDistributiongame agentGameAgentleah heckLeahHeckMacmacworldexpo07PCPS2star wars: empire at warStarWars:EmpireAtWarthe shieldTheShieldFri, 12 Jan 2007 08:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Seagate - the answer to digital distribution?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/seagate-the-answer-to-digital-distribution/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/seagate-the-answer-to-digital-distribution/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/seagate-the-answer-to-digital-distribution/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When thinking of gaming, the companies that make the storage medium are rarely thought of. Seagate, however, is offering up an interesting view of the future; a future that could effect the way we buy our games.

According to Seagate, they are working on a technology that will drastically increase the amount of data we store on hard drives. Using a technology called heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), the company expects to be able to shove 50 TB of information into a single square inch of drive space, or around 300 TB of information on a standard 3.5" drive. With that kind of space, the entire Library of Congress can be stored ... without any compression.

The technology is expected to become commercially viable in a scant three years, by 2010. This means we may be seeing the Xbox 720 and PS4 being entirely based around digital distribution or fully installed console games, mostly eliminating ugly load times and noisy disk drives. With that kind of space, we may never have to worry about filling it up; 300 TB can hold around 6,144 50 GB Blu-ray disks (or the entire Library of PS through PS3 games that could ever be created with room to spare).

JoystiqSeagate - the answer to digital distribution? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big hard driveBigHardDrivedigital distributionDigitalDistributionhard drivehard drive sizeHardDriveHardDriveSizelarge hard driveLargeHardDrivePS3PS4TBterrabyteXbox 360Xbox 720Xbox-360Xbox360Xbox720Tue, 02 Jan 2007 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[HD Movies on Marketplace? It could happen]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/03/hd-movies-on-marketplace-it-could-happen/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/03/hd-movies-on-marketplace-it-could-happen/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/03/hd-movies-on-marketplace-it-could-happen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Nothing like a nice juicy rumor to keep you going through the weekend. This week's rumor is a doozy. Originating on an obscure blog called, ahem, Shsibae, the rumor goes a little something like-a this: Microsoft will soon be offering full-length high definition movies over the 360 Marketplace. Rentals would supposedly cost $4. Buying them outright is a possibility too, though the price is undetermined. The service would launch with over 1000+ hours of available video. For the uninitiated, 1000 hours is a lot of hours.

Now, the idea of downloadable movies on 360 is nothing new. In fact, we've been downloading high def clips ever since the console launched. Still, we've heard rumors of more substantial downloads for a long time. Die-hard 360 fanboys will recall the rumors of a DirecTV blade being added to the dash and another rumor of IPTV support. So, what makes this rumor different? One, Bill Gates thinks digital distribution is the future, even saying that HD DVDs and Blu-Ray will be the last generation of physical media. Two, that mysterious Video Marketplace button that was added in the Fall dash update might be more than we thought.

Of course, there are plenty of reasons why it won't work, with the most obvious being the 360's 20 gig hard drive. 20 gigs just isn't enough space for a collection of HD movies and all game related data. Unless Microsoft was lying when they denied the existence of a 100 gig hard drive, or they have some sort of streaming solution planned, the 360 really isn't the best place to keep your movies.

Still, from a business standpoint, it makes sense. Sony is offering similar services, and Microsoft has been quick to update the 360 in order to compete (1080p anyone?). And there is one more thing that adds credence to this obscure rumor: it's not there anymore. The rumor has been removed from Shsibae. Did MS ask them to take down the news, or did Shsibae know the internet would jump all over it? Only time will tell.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqHD Movies on Marketplace? It could happen originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Nov 2006 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital distributionDigitalDistributiondirect tvDirectTvhd dvdhd moviesHdDvdHdMoviesiptvrumorFri, 03 Nov 2006 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[What Dave Perry wants from a PSP redesign]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/28/what-dave-perry-wants-from-a-psp-redesign/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/28/what-dave-perry-wants-from-a-psp-redesign/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/28/what-dave-perry-wants-from-a-psp-redesign/#commentsFiled under:

Dave Perry, the respected creator of games like Earthworm Jim, recently went on record to SPOnG about what he'd like in a potential PSP redesign. He starts by describing the system as "a great little machine, but the price is a major barrier. The American public like $149 to $99 for handhelds." Lowering the price would be substantial in getting more PSPs out there. Mr. Perry has a lot of ideas, some great, and some not-so-much:
  • He proclaims Sony should "make the PSP with a clamshell design, to protect that lovely screen, and they should have made the screen at least DVD resolution." A screen that's 480p would certainly be far pricier to manufacture than Sony's current screen, no?
  • "I would also kill off the UMD disc, remove it entirely and shrink the device size." But that would get rid of compatibility with old PSP games. Maybe for PSP2?
  • Mr. Perry gets a boner for digital distribution, and for good reason: "Embracing digital distribution... would bring movies and games back to the PSP in a sensible way. Then I can buy movies or games for less (ZERO cost of goods), keeping the library safely stored on my PC, picking the ones I want to watch next, and all I have to do is sync. If they wanted to be forward thinking, they could offer modern features like game demos, trial music from new artists, item sales, vast customization of items, characters and in-game objects from databases too vast to store on the PSP." As seen by the popularity of downloadable demos, it's clear that PSP owners want to download games to boot from Memory Stick. The eventual popularity of PSone game downloads may lead Sony to start thinking about offering full PSP titles digitally, saving gamers from UMD costs, and UMD loading times.
  • Homebrew can actually help Sony, according to Mr. Perry: "Did user-created content hurt YouTube? Why not open the PSP? Welcome indie games, welcome development, get the users promoting the device... I bet Sony tries to tell you it doesn't matter. Well, if you type "Sony PSP hack" into Google, there are now 8.6 MILLION pages dedicated to the subject."
I completely agree that Sony should be supporting homebrew developers on the platform. In fact, embracing the development community might've prevented the popularity of illegal emulators and ISO programs. Sony could've kept a watchful eye, instead of dividing the community between those that actually play new games, and those that pirate games. One of the greatest attributes of the PSP is that it can connect to a PC, and you can move files between them both. Digital distribution of more demos and games will be key for all PSP owners, and I hope Sony gets working on it.

[Via kikizo]

JoystiqWhat Dave Perry wants from a PSP redesign originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Oct 2006 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dave perryDavePerrydavid perryDavidPerrydigital distributionDigitalDistributionearthworm jimEarthwormJimredesignspongSat, 28 Oct 2006 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Triton users to get replacement copy of Prey]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/11/triton-users-to-get-replacement-copy-of-prey/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/11/triton-users-to-get-replacement-copy-of-prey/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/11/triton-users-to-get-replacement-copy-of-prey/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With digital distributor Triton now six feet under, those who purchased Prey are now unable to use their copies. Fortunately, 3D Realms has already set into motion a solution: by sending the disenfranchised boxed copies of Prey to their credit card addresses. Furthermore, Triton staff member OBWANDO promised that they're trying to get a patch through that removes the downloaded copy's dependency on Triton.

Tipster James raises an interesting question: what would happen if Steam shut down? Presumably, Valve would give enough of a warning to distribute patches that allow the games to work without Steam, but the Triton incident reveals some unintended ramifications of digital distribution.

[Thanks, James]

JoystiqTriton users to get replacement copy of Prey originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Oct 2006 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d realms3dRealmsdigital distributionDigitalDistributionPCpreytritonWed, 11 Oct 2006 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RoboBlitz hitting Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/10/roboblitz-hitting-steam-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/10/roboblitz-hitting-steam-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/10/roboblitz-hitting-steam-soon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The proficient program plumbers at Valve have issued a press release announcing the imminent arrival of RoboBlitz on their digital distribution network, Steam. Developed by Naked Sky Entertainment and powered by Unreal Engine 3, the action game is largely comprised of physics, explosions, robots and maladjusted space pirates (it says here). Tian Mu, CEO of Naked Sky, explains that after realizing how hot Steam was, he simply needed to have his game all over it.

"Steam is an attractive platform for the release of RoboBlitz. We're looking forward to being able to release to Steam's huge PC audience. Additionally, we have long-term plans to expand RoboBlitz with new content. Through Steam, we have a great avenue for delivering the game and updates directly to over 10 million gamers' PCs."

RoboBlitz will see release in the "coming weeks," most likely alongside the previously announced Xbox Live Arcade version. The game is priced at $14.99 on Steam -- that roughly translates to 1200 MS Points on the Xbox 360, should the price remain the same on both platforms. Check out the (fairly old) trailer after the break.

Continue reading RoboBlitz hitting Steam

JoystiqRoboBlitz hitting Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Oct 2006 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Digital distributionDigitalDistributiondownload gamesDownloadGamesGabe NewellGabeNewellNaked Sky EntertainmentNakedSkyEntertainmentPCRoboBlitzSteamValveXbox-360Tue, 10 Oct 2006 19:25:00 EST<![CDATA[New tech puts the squeeze on texture files]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/05/new-tech-puts-the-squeeze-on-texture-files/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/05/new-tech-puts-the-squeeze-on-texture-files/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/05/new-tech-puts-the-squeeze-on-texture-files/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A company called Allegorithmic recently held a presentation at London's Game Developers Conference and briefly talked about their advanced texture compression technology. The uninterestingly named ProFX and MaP Zone 2 programs aim to reduce the size of in-game texture files by up to 70% -- with no image quality lost. One of the games utilizing the technology turns out to be Roboblitz which, like every other Xbox Live Arcade game, is expected to come in at under 50MB. Allegorithmic's software supposedly reduced the entire game's collection of textures to a size less than 280KB.

Efficient compression techniques, if implemented correctly, could easily be seen as a way to obviate the initial need for new storage mediums such as HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. However, the Bit-Tech article points out that designers are just as likely to fill the extra space to create even more rich and varied textures. Instead, the biggest winnner would be the world of digital distribution. Though broadband speeds are constantly increasing, nobody likes waiting for a progress bar to fill. Casual or arcade games could certainly benefit greatly from smaller overall file sizes as they vie for your limited time and attention.

[Via PS3 Fanboy, thanks to everyone that sent this in.]

JoystiqNew tech puts the squeeze on texture files originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Oct 2006 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blu-RaycompressionDigital distributionDigitalDistributionGDCHD-DVDPCPS3WiiXbox-360Thu, 05 Oct 2006 21:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Which is it, Sony? "Blu-ray is dead!" or "Long live Blu-ray!"?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/03/sony-sez-blu-ray-is-dead-long-live-blu-ray-we-say-whuh/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/03/sony-sez-blu-ray-is-dead-long-live-blu-ray-we-say-whuh/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/03/sony-sez-blu-ray-is-dead-long-live-blu-ray-we-say-whuh/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sony needs to get its story straight.

On the one hand, there's Ken Kutaragi, top chihuahua of Sony Computer Entertainment, who says that the PlayStation 3 has a product life span of 10 years. One full decade! Long live Blu-ray!

On the other hand, there's Jamie MacDonald, VP of SCE Worldwide Studios Europe, who claims that digital distribution will overtake physical media (such as Blu-ray discs) within five years. Blu-ray is dead!

What's going on here? Is Blu-ray a tax on people too thick to subtract five from ten?

Well, SCE's MacDonald backtracked a little bit, explaining to GameDaily, "The thing about Blu-ray discs - and this is the crucial thing - is that not any time soon will you be able to download the amount of content you need for a big triple-A title down a typical 2, 4 meg broadband connection. That's not going to happen now or in the next year."

Tell that to Fios users, MacDonald. 30Mbps downstream will chew thru one of them fancy Blu-ray discs pretty fast. The real question is how long it'll be before the rest of us have access to fiber in the home.

JoystiqWhich is it, Sony? "Blu-ray is dead!" or "Long live Blu-ray!"? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Oct 2006 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raybrbrddddigital distributionplaystationplaystation 3psps3sonyTue, 03 Oct 2006 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Hey Nintendo, make the switch to paper boxes permanent!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/28/hey-nintendo-make-the-switch-to-paper-boxes-permanent/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/28/hey-nintendo-make-the-switch-to-paper-boxes-permanent/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/28/hey-nintendo-make-the-switch-to-paper-boxes-permanent/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Nintendo's apologizing to European customers because they've had to temporarily switch to cardboard game boxes as a result of shortages afflicting that territory, according to Gamasutra's David Jenkins. Nintendo, ever sensitive to gamer needs (and we can't fault them there), is tossing a coupon into paper boxes offering customers a plastic case once supply issues have been resolved.

We admit, those are some high quality plastic cases, but c'mon. The DS cartridge is tiny and holds just 128 megabytes of content. Does it really need to ship with plastic that weighs many times more than the product (3.5 grams)? It's environmentally irresponsible. We understand that large game cases help titles fight for attention on a retail shelf, but there's no reason that they can't do that fighting using more responsible materials.

Comprised of bits, games should be the most environmentally-friendly products to distribute. Nintendo (and other industry players) should use this opportunity to examine packaging.

JoystiqHey Nintendo, make the switch to paper boxes permanent! originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Sep 2006 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cartridgedddigital distributiondsds litendsnintendoThu, 28 Sep 2006 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The economics of Live Arcade development]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/21/the-economics-of-live-arcade-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/21/the-economics-of-live-arcade-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/21/the-economics-of-live-arcade-development/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Proponents of digital distribution have long argued that cutting out the retail middleman would allow more money to go directly to a game's developer, letting lower-budget games thrive. Now that Xbox Live Arcade is approaching its first anniversary, how are developers of top-selling games like Marble Blast Ultra making out?

Not horribly, but not amazingly either, according to GarageGames' Jeff Tunnel In a post on his Making It Big in Games blog, Tunnel breaks down the publicly available information on game budgets, Microsoft's distribution fees and game sales to come up with a rough estimate of a $780,000 net for a game like Marble Blast Ultra. As Tunnel puts it "if you are a starving Indie developer this sounds like an infinite amount of money. But, in the world of publishers, this is not considered a big hit."

Tunnel also mentions that XBLA development budgets are expanding quickly, following a trend in traditionally distributed games. Soon, Tunnel predicts, a $300,000 budget will be considered cheap for a Live Arcade game -- food for thought for anyone hoping to jump into 360 development with nothing but a $99 XNA license and a dream.

[Via Edge Online]

JoystiqThe economics of Live Arcade development originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital distributionDigitalDistributionlive arcadeLiveArcademarble blast ultraMarbleBlastUltraretailXBLAxboxXbox-360Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony says: PSP will become a virtual PS3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/01/sony-says-psp-will-become-a-virtual-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/01/sony-says-psp-will-become-a-virtual-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/01/sony-says-psp-will-become-a-virtual-ps3/#commentsFiled under: ,


Sony Computer Entertainment corporate executive Izumi Kawanishi shared some insights today in a report titled "PSP will become a virtual PS3." The article goes over emulating PS1 games on the handheld, and the obvious difficulties in translating some games that involve using more than one analog stick and use more shoulder buttons. According to Sony, emulation was always technically possible, but only now is the broadband penetration high enough to warrant 600MB downloads for players. "We felt that there was now an environment where true e-Distribution could be realized."

It appears that e-distribution of games is a high-priority for Sony. Services like Steam (PC) are becoming more and more popular with users and publishers, and Sony understands the appeal for many of us. Downloadable demos will be a continued trend for all kinds of games: PS3, PSP and PS1. Also, it was confirmed that you will not need a PS3 to download content to your PSP (for those that were worried).

But the future of digital distribution doesn't stop there:

Continue reading Sony says: PSP will become a virtual PS3

JoystiqSony says: PSP will become a virtual PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Sep 2006 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Valve has been busy piling up games with hearts of gold in their increasingly popular, and increasingly cramped, Steam bordello. With the recent additions of Introversion's DEFCON and seventeen members of the burgeoning PopCap clan, Steam is really (steaming up/under pressure/on fire). Sure, a little service called Xbox Live ain't doing so poorly, but they're not delivering highly anticipated AAA retail titles yet, so there.

Today, Valve announced a deal with Ubisoft to distribute their Source-based, first-person RPG, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic over Steam. More importantly, the release will be simultaneous with the retail release this October. Unlike Half-Life 2, which is distributed digitally over Steam and in stores by EA, Valve does not own this property, they're just the messengers. Ubisoft is acknowledging the demand for digitally distributed AAA content and using the largest platform they can find to promote it. We're still waiting on governement-distributed protein pills and personal submarines, but the third pillar of our future vision is now realized.

Check out a video of Dark Messiah, and today's press release, after the break.

Continue reading Ubisoft shares Dark Messiah of M&M with Steam

JoystiqUbisoft shares Dark Messiah of M&M with Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Aug 2006 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dark MessiahDark Messiah of Might and MagicDarkMessiahDarkMessiahOfMightAndMagicDigital distributionDigitalDistributionMacMight and MagicMightAndMagicPCSourceSteamUbisoftValveThu, 31 Aug 2006 18:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision CEO plays down potential of online distribution [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/21/activision-ceo-plays-down-potential-of-online-distribution/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/21/activision-ceo-plays-down-potential-of-online-distribution/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/21/activision-ceo-plays-down-potential-of-online-distribution/#commentsFiled under: ,

Bobby Kotick, the chief executive officer of Activision, stated that he believes digital distribution of full games is "so far in the future that it's almost incomprehensible as an opportunity" in the New York Times article we reported on the other day. He cites the current limits of consumer internet bandwidth and the size of hard drives as the primary concern. However, Mr. Kotick believes that there is a great opportunity for purchasing and downloading smaller add-on content like "characters, new weapons, new missions or auctioning off places".

We mainly agree with Mr. Kotick's thoughts regarding the adoption of mainstream digital distribution being a while off. Even though broadband adoption and availability numbers (soon, 99.6% of the UK will have access to 4-8Mbps DSL) are increasing, figures from December 2005 suggest that only 15-20% of Japanese, American and British people actually own a high speed internet line. Those numbers need to be closer to the level that television enjoys if mainstream on-demand digital distribution is to work.

However, the market for smaller games and episodes of larger commercial games which can be distributed entirely over the internet is on the verge of exploding; Half-Life: Episodes and Geometry Wars being the early signs. Writing off the internet as a medium for distributing games would be a bad move for many publishers, after all, the early bird gets the loyal customer! Services like Steam, GameTap and Xbox Live Arcade are already beginning to capture the mindshare of savvy gamers (i.e. gamers that are too lazy to walk to the store, lol, jk!), so if publishers want to maintain control of what they do best (publishing games), then surely they should be doing everything they can to get in first before the bogeyman middleman does.

[Image credit: Gamasutra]

Update: clarified statement regarding adoption of broadband by consumers.

JoystiqActivision CEO plays down potential of online distribution [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jun 2006 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DigitalDistribution
GamesIndustry.biz reports that Sony is considering a digital distribution service that would bring popular PSone and PS2 titles to the PS3, rivaling Nintendo's downloadable back-catalogue plans for the Revolution. Unnamed sources claim that Sony has been discussing the technical requirements needed to provide this service, and in turn, investigating the possibility of remastering select PS2 games so that latter parts of a game can be streamed over a network while earlier segments are being played. It comes as little surprise that Sony is interested in jumping on the digital distribution bandwagon, but the company will have to overcome some hurdles if the effort is to come to fruition.

It should also be noted that plans to introduce a digital distribution service that supports downloadable PSone titles on the PS2 have also been tossed around.

[Thanks, steve]

JoystiqPlayStation 3 could feature downloadable PSone, PS2 games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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