Joystiq

Quake 4 is up for download on Macs

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST

Quake 4 has been around the console block for almost a decade, and no, that's not an insult. For the first time since its initial launch in 2005, Quake 4 is available to download through the Mac App Store, GameAgent and other distribution hubs for $19.99.

Quake 4 offers cross-platform PC-Mac play, so even if you're late to the party and on a Mac (two handicaps, we like to call it) you'll be able to strap in and take out some Strogg.

Quake 4 is up for download on Macs originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA's DeMartini claims Origin has 'never been about' competing with Steam

Mike Schramm — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:30:00 EST

In a recent forum post, David DeMartini, EA's Senior VP of Global E-Commerce, expressed that gamers should be able to buy EA titles on any site they want, including Steam ... unless, that is, Steam doesn't want them to. Last month's disappearance of Crysis 2 from Valve's service, DeMartini explained, was actually the result of a business deal whereby certain DLC for the game couldn't appear on Steam, and thus Valve removed the title from its service completely.

The veep went on to say that EA's Origin platform is a choice for game buyers, not an exclusive outlet for all of the publisher's content going forward. Along with its developers, EA is "working to integrate more and more between the game and Origin," but DeMartini is "absolutely not at this point saying, 'hey, it's Origin versus Steam.' It's never been about that."

However, DeMartini's words and EA's actions don't exactly line up. According to the company's policy, EA wants to "continue offering our games for sale on all major download sites." Star Wars: The Old Republic doesn't count, it seems, as that title will only be available for download from its Origin service.

EA's DeMartini claims Origin has 'never been about' competing with Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former Titan Quest devs announce Grim Dawn

Mike Schramm — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:00:00 EST

Crate Entertainment is a company made up of the old Iron Lore team that worked on Titan Quest, arguably the most popular of the Diablo clones to come out in the past few years. Crate has finally announced its latest project, and it's Grim Dawn, another action RPG (it even namedrops Diablo in the description) set in the world of Cairn, where two forces have "decimated human civiliation" and are "warping the very fabric of reality." Sounds appropriately epic, though as long as there's plenty of loot, we're not too bothered.

Five classes? Check. Skill trees? Check. A crafting system and co-op multiplayer? Check and check. Considering that even the same Titan Quest engine and toolset are being used, Grim Dawn doesn't sound too far off the hack-and-slash loot-hunting reservation. But that's not a bad thing -- we'll have to see if it plans to mix up the tried-and-true formula as it moves toward a planned digital release in 2011.

Former Titan Quest devs announce Grim Dawn originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Only 35 songs from Guitar Hero World Tour work with GH5 [update]

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST

Update: It appears as though Activision itself has answered the question of what songs specifically are importable into Guitar Hero 5 from World Tour (35 songs) as well as Smash Hits (21 songs), via the Activision Customer Support Center. The full list of songs available from each game has been dropped after the break -- thanks to everyone for sending this in!

We can't lie to you, friends -- when Activision claimed songs from last year's Guitar Hero World Tour would be playable in this year's Guitar Hero 5, we were skeptical. It seems that skepticism proved right, as USA Today reveals that a hair over one third of GHWT's tracks can be downloaded into the new game. Specifically, just 35 of World Tour's 86 tracks are playable in GH5, with an unspecified amount of Guitar Hero Smash Hits tracks available "later this Fall." The licensing fee for those 35 tracks is 280/$3.50 for Xbox 360 and PS3, though it remains unclear whether or not that fee would include Smash Hits' tracks when those are released.

We've asked Activision for clarification of which tracks specifically are available in GH5 and when Smash Hits will be ready for download, but unfortunately were told that we'd get a release tomorrow with "tons of details." So this is where we crowdsource things -- Guitar Hero 5 owners in the Joystiq Biomass[TM], please let us know which 35 of Guitar Hero World Tour's 86 tracks are playable! Our inbox is always open!

Continue reading Report: Only 35 songs from Guitar Hero World Tour work with GH5 [update]

Report: Only 35 songs from Guitar Hero World Tour work with GH5 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon to offer GameTap-esque service in the Northeast starting this summer

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:45:00 EST

Announced today and starting "this summer," Verizon will be offering "more than 1,400" PC games through its broadband service, for $9.99 per month. The service boasts a variety of games, ranging from Bejeweled to Splinter Cell, allowing customers to play the games over an internet connection or download the games directly to their computers -- provided the computer is connected to the internet, that is, presumably for license verification.

For now, the service is only going to be offered in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York, with no word on when other areas will be able to sign up. Between OnLive, Steam, GameTap, and now this, that digital download future we're all expecting seems to be more feasible every day. We've contacted Verizon for more information on the service and will update you accordingly as more news comes in.

Verizon to offer GameTap-esque service in the Northeast starting this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Burn Zombie Burn dev praises PSN for allowing closer consumer communication

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:30:00 EST

Open for nearly two years at this point, Kuju-owned, digital distribution-focused doublesix studios has begun to get a foothold in the burgeoning digital landscape. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz this week, studio head James Brooksby said he and his studio prefer the direct consumer communication offered when working with the PlayStation Network over Microsoft's Xbox Live.

"We listened to what people were saying and ... it will have features that people have asked for ... [when] we do our first expansion pack [it'll be] actually tailored according to what people are looking for," Brooksby said, noting, in his work with XBLA on the upcoming Southpark game, that Microsoft handles the community communication all by it's lonesome. "We're developing it for them and it's their relationship to take to the consumer and carry on," Brooksby says of the company. Though considering the recent closing of Microsoft's Gamerscore Blog, we're betting that relationship will fall more into the hands of the developer/publisher as time moves forward.

Burn Zombie Burn dev praises PSN for allowing closer consumer communication originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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