Joystiq

Limbo Vita outsourced to LittleBigPlanet dev Double Eleven [Update: 'This year']

Sinan Kubba — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST

Playdead is outsourcing the just announced Vita version of Limbo to Double Eleven, the UK team who co-developed LittleBigPlanet for the Sony portable. Speaking to Joystiq, Playdead CEO Dino Patti said his studio is excited about the monochromatic puzzle-platformer's first "mobile launch," even though outsourcing is an unusual step.

"This version of the game is for the first time being made externally," Patti told us. "In the way we work there is normally no room for outsourcing, but the talented team at Double Eleven has convinced us that this is the right decision."

Patti continued, "Together we are working hard to give the mobile players exactly the same experience the PS3 players have had on the living room TV."

Shacknews learned there could be a PS Plus promotion involved. Playdead also told Shacknews that the Vita port won't support cross-play features.

Update: Patti expects the Vita port of Limbo to hit "this year," he told Joystiq at last night's PlayStation Indie Arcade. The port won't support any touchscreen gameplay.

Limbo Vita outsourced to LittleBigPlanet dev Double Eleven [Update: 'This year'] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frozen Synapse: Tactics plans its move to PSN in 2013

David Hinkle — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:30:00 EST

Mode 7's indie darling Frozen Synapse will be ported to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita courtesy of developer Double Eleven, whose work you may recall from LittleBigPlanet Vita. The port, titled Frozen Synapse: Tactics, will be available for download on PSN sometime this year.

Frozen Synapse is a turn-based tactical game where players manage units of varying weaponry and skill sets in an attempt to defeat the enemy team's squad; however, unlike most turn-based games, all player actions in Frozen Synapse resolve simultaneously. Once each player sets all their moves, the game then plays it all out at the same time - an atypical yet incredibly original take on the tactics genre.

Frozen Synapse: Tactics plans its move to PSN in 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LittleBigPlanet Vita's street date lifted, no online until tomorrow

Sinan Kubba — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST

Originally listed for a September 25 release, copies of LittleBigPlanet Vita are popping up on retail shelves early after Sony lifted the game's street date. Speaking to Game Informer, Sony confirmed the street date is now a "launch date" and retailers can sell the game early.

Sony then made an official announcement, noting the game has no online functionality until tomorrow when the servers go live. Compared to the statement given to Game Informer, the wording is more suggestive of certain retailers selling the game early outside of Sony's control. It reads:

"Production on LittleBigPlanet PlayStation Vita was completed earlier than expected, and due to the excitement from our retail partners, some have decided to put it on shelves as soon as the product was received. You'll still be able to fully enjoy all the offline features of the game, but the servers will not go live until September 18th. We apologize for any confusion this may cause and will keep you posted on any further updates."

While LittleBigPlanet Vita officially launches next Tuesday, it's available at certain retailers now including some GameStop outlets, as confirmed by NeoGAF users. It may well be worth the early hunt, with our review deeming the Vita entry the best LittleBigPlanet yet.

LittleBigPlanet Vita's street date lifted, no online until tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LittleBigPlanet Vita review: Small wonders

Steve Watts — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 11:30:00 EST

Counting portable iterations and spin-offs, Sackboy has made a new game appearance every year since the LittleBigPlanet franchise was born. It's been easy to grow fatigued, adorable as he may be, especially as the series' major improvements came to its creative tools instead of its platforming chops. For the Vita version, co-developers Double Eleven and Tarsier Studios must have been studying the series' progression closely and taking notes, as they have produced the best LittleBigPlanet game to date.

That's not to say that it's terribly different from its predecessors. You'll still find the same physics-based platforming, robust building tools, and customization options as before. Rather than redefining the franchise, LittleBigPlanet Vita is more of a "greatest hits" compendium of everything Media Molecule built in previous incarnations, with a few welcome bits of tinkering to improve the already-strong formula.

Gallery: LittleBigPlanet Vita (9/12/12)

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LittleBigPlanet Vita review: Small wonders originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Finding the right touch in LittleBigPlanet Vita

Steve Watts — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:00:00 EST

While PlayStation Vita games output gorgeous visuals on its screen, use of its alternate control mechanisms - like touch and tilt - have often felt flat. But our recent experience with LittleBigPlanet Vita has reinvigorated our interest in tapping and tumbling about with our Sony handheld. Somehow it seems fitting that the first-party series known for its creativity is the one to show developers how to use touch correctly.

The touch and tilt features in LittleBigPlanet seems additive to the experience, rather than wasted, unnecessary, or tacked on - a typical error of such functions. And since you're reaching in the adorable and tiny world, impacting small objects in aid to your little sack-person, the conceit of touch makes perfect sense within the LBP theme.

Gallery: LittleBigPlanet Vita (Gamescom 2011)

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Finding the right touch in LittleBigPlanet Vita originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LittleBigPlanet Vita box art is as joyous as you'd expect

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:30:00 EST

Media Molecule revealed the box art for LittleBigPlanet Vita, shown in its full glory below (that Sack Boy is naked, after all). The LBP team also dropped a behind-the-scenes video that describes how the collaboration between Media Molecule and developer Tarsier, well, developed.

Continue reading LittleBigPlanet Vita box art is as joyous as you'd expect

LittleBigPlanet Vita box art is as joyous as you'd expect originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 May 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LittleBigPlanet Vita beta now accepting applications

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:45:00 EST

The beta for LittleBigPlanet on Vita is gearing up, and Sony is inviting interested players to enroll in the test run right here. Sony promises "many of you" will have the opportunity to participate in the beta. The enrollment form consists of simple questions, such as "Which LittleBigPlanet games have you played before?" and asks if you've created levels in any of the LittleBigPlanet titles.

It also asks, "Do you own a PS Vita?" For those looking to get in the Vita beta, we think that may be the only question with a wrong answer.

LittleBigPlanet Vita beta now accepting applications originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 May 2012 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LittleBigPlanet Vita dev signs exclusivity deal with Sony

JC Fletcher — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:50:00 EST

Sony has added another LittleBigPlanet developer to its collection. Franchise originator Media Molecule became a Sony-exclusive first party in 2010, and now PlayStation Vita LBP developer Double Eleven is joining them in the exclusive club, though through a contract and not outright ownership.

Double Eleven has signed a deal with Sony in which the developer, formed by ex-Rockstar Leeds lead engineers, will create games exclusively for SCEE. That includes LittleBigPlanet, along with "new titles for Sony platforms" -- mostly the Vita, we assume, given the studio's predilection for handheld gaming.

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LittleBigPlanet Vita dev signs exclusivity deal with Sony originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Rockstar vets Lee Hutchinson and Matt Shepcar on their new studio, Double 11

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST

Having put to bed a past with Rockstar Leeds -- and helping to turn out a laundry list of triple-A titles, including the portable Grand Theft Autos, while working there -- lead engineer turned studio director Lee Hutchinson and soon to be ex-lead programmer Matt Shepcar recently announced their new development studio: Double 11. Like so many other game devs these days, the two grew tired of big-budget projects with huge staffs, leaving in favor of creating their own smaller, mobile titles. "Our small size also means that every single team member is of paramount importance to their success or failure," the pair told Joystiq in an interview this afternoon.

That isn't to say that the two have any complaints with Rockstar relating to the recent quality of life allegations. "We had a great time working at the Leeds studio and there are a lot of really talented people there," they told us. Hutchinson further expanded on his time at Rockstar to Develop. "Rockstar Leeds and the spouse allegations had no effect on our decisions to leave." In fact, we asked the two how they'd feel about working with Rockstar again in the future, and they told us, "We'd love to work with Rockstar again ... our split was very amicable and we hope Gordon [Hall] would consider working with us again in the future."

To find out more about the studio's plans -- including a prospective Summer release for the its first game and where we might find said game, not to mention an explanation of the "Double 11" name -- join us past the break.

Continue reading Interview: Rockstar vets Lee Hutchinson and Matt Shepcar on their new studio, Double 11

Interview: Rockstar vets Lee Hutchinson and Matt Shepcar on their new studio, Double 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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