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[Langdell's 'Edge' trademark canceled by court order]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/langdells-edge-trademark-canceled-by-court-order/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/langdells-edge-trademark-canceled-by-court-order/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/langdells-edge-trademark-canceled-by-court-order/#comments Langdell's 'Edge' trademark canceled by court orderThe "Edge" trademark belonging to Edge Games founder Tim Langdell has been canceled by a court order, stripping Langdell of the ability to file suit against every other game developer and publisher who used the word "Edge" in any context.

Following a petition by DICE and EA (Mirror's Edge), the US Patent and Trademark Office officially issued notice of the cancelled registration on April 17, a process that has been ongoing since 2010. Two Tribes, publisher of Mobigame's Edge (pictured), celebrated by discounting all versions of the puzzle game 50%. Edge was taken down from the App Store repeatedly due to issues with the "Edge" trademark.

JoystiqLangdell's 'Edge' trademark canceled by court order originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidedgeedge-gamesiosipadmacmobilepctim-langdelltrademarkFri, 19 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Two Tribes invites seven-year-old to design Edge level, warms hearts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/two-tribes-invites-seven-year-old-to-design-edge-level-warms-he/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/two-tribes-invites-seven-year-old-to-design-edge-level-warms-he/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/two-tribes-invites-seven-year-old-to-design-edge-level-warms-he/#comments ImageTwo Tribes received a request for EDGE swag (Two Tribes made the PC/Mac version of the iOS game) from the father of a six-year-old superfan about to turn seven. Instead of simply handing over some material, however, the developer invited Zias to come in and build a level in Lego, which would then be put into the game.

Zias then came in, built a level out of blocks, and spent the day working with Two Tribes' level editor to implement it into the game. "It's not the way we normally design levels," said designer Hessel Bonenkamp, "and it might not be the best experience for the average player but to me it is fascinating. It also reminded me of my past self fiddling with levels for Wrecking Crew or filling pages and pages of grid paper with my own overworld for the original Legend of Zelda on the NES."

The level is available for the Steam version of EDGE today. Try it out, but be warned: if you don't say you love it, you're a monster.

JoystiqTwo Tribes invites seven-year-old to design Edge level, warms hearts originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgelevel-designpctwo-tribesFri, 01 Jun 2012 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Humble Bundle for Android includes mobile and home versions of Anomaly, World of Goo, more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/humble-bundle-for-android-includes-mobile-and-home-versions-of-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/humble-bundle-for-android-includes-mobile-and-home-versions-of-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/humble-bundle-for-android-includes-mobile-and-home-versions-of-a/#comments
No smartphone is safe from cheap indie games (unless it's a Blackberry). Just as the Steam mobile app goes out of beta, allowing unfortunate impulse purchases from iOS or Android devices, the Humble Indie Bundle has announced its first Android release, available now.

Under the same "pay whatever, support charity" pricing scheme as previous Humble Bundles, the Humble Bundle for Android offers Android versions of Anomaly: Warzone Earth, Osmos, and Edge, with a bonus copy of World of Goo available to anyone who exceeds the average payment.

All of these games are cross-platform, so you get them on your Android phone and Windows, OSX, and Linux. That's a pretty appealing deal for the price of however much you end up paying.

JoystiqHumble Bundle for Android includes mobile and home versions of Anomaly, World of Goo, more originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidanomaly-warzone-earthedgehumble-bundlehumble-indie-bundlemacmobileosmospcworld-of-gooTue, 31 Jan 2012 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Gaming holding $40K Killzone 3 tournament]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/virgin-gaming-holding-40k-killzone-3-tournament/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/virgin-gaming-holding-40k-killzone-3-tournament/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/virgin-gaming-holding-40k-killzone-3-tournament/#comments Virgin Gaming wants to give you up to $10,000! There's a catch, though ... if you want to rescue that loot from Sir Richard Branson's cavernous coffers, you first have to prove your dominance in the field of Killzone 3.

Qualifying rounds for the "Killzone 3 Edge Challenge" open June 27 for the team-based tournament, with $10K up for grabs by the winning team at the end of the six-week event. In addition, weekly stat-based weekly challenges will be posted on Virgin Gaming's site, with their cash prizes. The first challenge: get the most kills!

All told, Virgin is giving away $40,000 in this tournament, which is a promotional partnership between Virgin Gaming, Sony, and, nonsensically enough, Edge shave gel. Do you even shoot one uncovered face in Killzone 3? How do you know how close a Helghast's shave is?

JoystiqVirgin Gaming holding $40K Killzone 3 tournament originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgeKillzone-3killzone-3-edge-challengeplaystationps3tournamentvirgin-gamingWed, 22 Jun 2011 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect voice and gesture ads present a terrifying future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/kinect-voice-and-gesture-ads-present-a-terrifying-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/kinect-voice-and-gesture-ads-present-a-terrifying-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/kinect-voice-and-gesture-ads-present-a-terrifying-future/#comments Microsoft has officially revealed Nuads, a new advertising platform for the 360 dashboard which allows advertisers to add Kinect functionality to their ads. Here's how Microsoft's Mark Kroese presented it, related in horrifying detail by Edge:
His demonstration contained five suggestions for how advertisers can make use of the technology: social advocacy, in which an advert can be shared by the user simply saying "Xbox tweet"; request for information, where saying "Xbox more" will result in further details or discount codes being emailed to the user; near me, which will send a text message with directions to a nearest retailer when prompted with "Xbox near"; calendar reminders in response to "Xbox schedule"; and gesture-controlled voting. Kroese notes, however, that "the possibilities for advertisers are almost endless."
Alright! Cool tech, guys! But hey, we just want to be super clear about this: The first time the 360 listens to us order dinner and surreptitiously decides we want to tweet about the new "fresher, bolder flavor of Papa John's classic pizza sauce," we're going to smash the Kinect into little pieces and feed it to a goat. Just a heads up, you know, between friends.

JoystiqKinect voice and gesture ads present a terrifying future originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adsedgekinectmicrosoftnuadsxboxxbox-360-dashboardWed, 22 Jun 2011 13:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Future wins in UK 'Edge' trademark case against Tim Langdell]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/future-wins-in-uk-edge-trademark-case-against-tim-langdell/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/future-wins-in-uk-edge-trademark-case-against-tim-langdell/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/future-wins-in-uk-edge-trademark-case-against-tim-langdell/#commentsAnother blow has been struck against Tim Langdell's crumbling Edge Games trademark empire, with Future publishing winning a UK court case against him. Thanks to its Edge magazine, Future has had a long (and unwanted) association with Langdell for nearly two decades. The company took Langdell to court last year over breach of contract, breach of copyright and passing off (essentially misrepresenting one's products as belonging to someone else).

Future, which long ago reached a deal with Langdell to use the Edge name, took exception to Langdell's claims that his company Edge Games had any association with Edge magazine. Future also sought to stop Langdell's repeated and persistent use of a logo very similar to that of Edge magazine to promote Edge Games and its (largely nonexistent) products.

The proceedings of the case, excellently summarized by Rock, Paper, Shotgun, read like a television sitcom. The ruling of presiding Justice Proudman provides a litany of shenanigans and chicanery on Langdell's part, a list too long to reproduce here. The highlight -- if you can call it that -- is probably Langdell's attempt to prove that he actually designed the Edge logo two years prior to the magazine's existence. As evidence he presented a file on a 5.25" floppy disc he claimed was from 1991. The only problem: The file contained on the disc was made using Windows 95.

Head over to RPS for the full (and bizarre) story.

JoystiqFuture wins in UK 'Edge' trademark case against Tim Langdell originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgeedge-gamesiosiphonemobilepctim-langdellFri, 17 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Justice: Strip Langdell of 'Edge' trademarks, court proposes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/strip-langdell-of-edge-trademarks-court-proposes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/strip-langdell-of-edge-trademarks-court-proposes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/strip-langdell-of-edge-trademarks-court-proposes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In a followup to EA's legal victory against declared trademark "troll" Tim Langdell earlier this week, a U.S. district judge has proposed the cancellation of Langdell's trademarks filed with the Patent and Trademark Office. The trademarks are for various phrase combinations using the word "Edge" (e.g., "Cutting Edge"), confirms GamesIndustry.biz, and have been used by Langdell for years to force companies to change their game titles or pay settlements to him -- until EA stood up over the "Mirror's Edge" dispute.

Evidence provided by EA in its counterclaim showed that Langdell used doctored Edge magazine covers and box art to support his claim to the trademarks. The court's judgment to strip Langdell of his trademarks is currently pending agreement from EA and Langdell's legal teams (which is expected), but does not address possible criminal penalties that Langdell could be subject to through further litigation.

JoystiqFinal Justice: Strip Langdell of 'Edge' trademarks, court proposes originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaedgeedge-gamesjudgmentlawsuitlegaltim-langdelltrademarktrollingusptoThu, 07 Oct 2010 18:40:00 EST<![CDATA[EA wins 'Edge' trademark suit; court cites Langdell for 'trolling']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/ea-wins-edge-trademark-suit-court-cites-langdell-for-trollin/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/ea-wins-edge-trademark-suit-court-cites-langdell-for-trollin/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/ea-wins-edge-trademark-suit-court-cites-langdell-for-trollin/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Edge Games founder Tim Langdell may have picked on someone a little too big. According to court documents obtained by IndustryGamers, EA has won a crucial legal decision over Langdell, following a court's denial to grant his motion for an injunction that would have taken away the publisher's rights to the "Mirror's Edge" game title.

Since 2001, when he sought legal action against Namco for its "Soul Edge" game, Langdell has been filing lawsuits that target companies, including indie developer Mobigame, that incorporate the word "Edge" in their game titles. Langdell claims trademark rights to the word "Edge," staking his case against EA on the existence of his studio's fishy, "forthcoming" release, "MIRRORS a game by EDGE." (Prior to the release of Racers this year for PC, Edge Games had not published a game since 1994.)

The court, however, believes that Langdell lied to the US Patent and Trademark Office and has been "trolling" the industry for opportunities to license his dubious trademark. The court also suggests that these actions could warrant "criminal penalties."

JoystiqEA wins 'Edge' trademark suit; court cites Langdell for 'trolling' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaedgeedge-gameslawlawsuittim-langdelltrademarkTue, 05 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone game 'Edge' available again, temporarily discounted]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/iphone-game-edge-available-again-temporarily-discounted/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/iphone-game-edge-available-again-temporarily-discounted/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/iphone-game-edge-available-again-temporarily-discounted/#commentsMobigame's acclaimed cube-rolling iPhone puzzle game Edge has been removed and reinstated from the App Store several times thanks to ongoing legal troubles relating to Tim Langdell's aggressive claims to the word "Edge" in video games. Mobigame has now reacquired the rights to publish the game in the US and UK, which is great news for two reasons:
  1. You can buy the game now (obviously)
  2. To celebrate its return, Mobigame has dropped the price to 99 cents
The price is only good through May 10, so if you're interested, now's a good time to check it out. Besides, who knows how long it'll stay available this time? Check out a trailer after the break.



Continue reading iPhone game 'Edge' available again, temporarily discounted

JoystiqiPhone game 'Edge' available again, temporarily discounted originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 May 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app-storeAppleedgeiPodmobigamepuzzletim-langdellFri, 07 May 2010 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GameStop still evaluating customer 'loyalty opportunity' program]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/17/gamestop-still-evaluating-customer-loyalty-opportunity-program/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/17/gamestop-still-evaluating-customer-loyalty-opportunity-program/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/17/gamestop-still-evaluating-customer-loyalty-opportunity-program/#comments Back in 2009, we spotted a couple of GameStop surveys asking customers about the Edge card and a possible new rewards program. According to Gamervision's sources, the new rewards program will go into effect "by the end of this year." As detailed in the aforementioned surveys (and corroborated by GV's sources), the rewards program is said to feature two tiers, "one for everyone, and one that can only be earned by frequent use of the basic card."

We contacted GameStop corporate for comment and were told, "We are in the process of evaluating loyalty opportunities for our customers. As this is a work in progress, we are not going to comment on speculation to changes to our Edge card program." While certainly not confirmation of any changes taking place by the end of this year, it does affirm that the company is still considering altering the Edge card at some point in the future. For now, though, a new "rewards program" seems to be little more than a germinating idea.

[Thanks, Mike]

JoystiqGameStop still evaluating customer 'loyalty opportunity' program originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>discount-cardedgeedge-cardgamestopretailrewards-programWed, 17 Mar 2010 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Crysis 2 details abound in latest Edge]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/15/crysis-2-details-abound-in-latest-edge/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/15/crysis-2-details-abound-in-latest-edge/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/15/crysis-2-details-abound-in-latest-edge/#comments Make sure to buy a box of Wetnaps along with that copy of the new issue of Edge Magazine, because that thing's got Crysis 2 details leaking out if it all over the place. We already know the game will take place in New York, but according to the developer, it'll be "a New York City like none in games or cinema." Crytek is more interested in having the city environment act as a focus on the action rather than a big open sandbox, so while you'll see lots of the city above, you'll only be able to travel in "constrained freedom," or only about "three storeys up and down."

The magazine also contains info about the new Nanosuit 2, which seems to augment not only your physical powers, but sensory perception in various modes as well, giving you the ability to hear conversations at a distance or see directional bullet trails or x-rays. The suit can also increase your powers of memory, apparently, as the devs promise the game should have "five big things you'll remember forever." Oh no, wait, wrong switch -- it was set on the increased hype setting there. Our bad.

[Thanks, Peter!]

JoystiqCrysis 2 details abound in latest Edge originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crysis-2crytekdevsedgeedge-magazineMicrosoftmodesnanosuitnanosuit-2new-york-citypromiseXbox-360Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[All but one Future publication saw circulation dip in 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/12/all-but-one-future-publication-saw-circulation-dip-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/12/all-but-one-future-publication-saw-circulation-dip-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/12/all-but-one-future-publication-saw-circulation-dip-in-2009/#comments
[Image credit: benben]
Can you guess which of Future Publishing's nine magazines didn't lose readership in 2009? If your money was with Edge, you've got our permission to give yourself a nice big pat on the back. Go ahead, we'll wait. Done? Good. Like we were saying, the UK game mag publisher saw shrinking circulation numbers in 2009 -- the same year that saw the closure of PlayStation World by Future and the shuttering of long-running US gaming mag EGM by Ziff-Davis.

While Edge circulation numbers rose by (a somewhat meager) 109 readers, Games Master dropped by 6,636 (to 34,313), PC Zone by 7,666 (to 11,357), and Xbox World 360 by 5,156 (to 25,874). While those numbers might seem a bit on the low side, that has more to do with the smaller size/population of the UK than anything else (though, of course, dropping readership numbers don't mean good things for any publication house).

According to the GamesIndustry.biz report, Future blames the circulation drops on "slowing sales and ad spend [advertisers spending on print advertising]." We've dropped the entire list of circulation numbers after the break (care of the UK Audit Bureau of Circulations), should you be so inclined to peruse all the stats.

Continue reading All but one Future publication saw circulation dip in 2009

JoystiqAll but one Future publication saw circulation dip in 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audit-bureau-of-circulationsedgeegmfuturefuture-publishinggames-mastermagazinesmediaofficial-nintendo-magazineofficial-playstation-magazineofficial-xbox-360-magazinepc-gamerpc-zoneplaystation-3-magazineprintukxbox-world-360ziff-davisFri, 12 Feb 2010 00:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Director says next console Zelda will start with scale, go from there]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/director-says-next-console-zelda-will-start-with-scale-go-from/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/director-says-next-console-zelda-will-start-with-scale-go-from/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/director-says-next-console-zelda-will-start-with-scale-go-from/#comments Legend of Zelda series director Eiji Aonuma says in the latest Edge magazine that the scale of the upcoming Wii release is what's foremost in his team's mind during development. Twilight Princess, he says, was the first Zelda game where they went for a more realistic feel in terms of size and scope of the world, and yet he feels that they weren't quite able to adapt all of their gameplay ideas to that larger space. As opposed to the DS-based Spirit Tracks, which Aonuma says started out in a much more traditional place, and thus was a little easier to "realize."

Aonuma says his team is starting out with a larger, grander world in the new Wii Zelda, and from there hopes to fill it up with all sorts of Zelda-esque game ideas. He and the team may not have been able to do everything they wanted with the adult Link-sized Hyrule the first time around (not that it wasn't well-received anyway), but they're planning to give it another hookshot in the next game.

JoystiqDirector says next console Zelda will start with scale, go from there originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgeedge-magazineeiji-aonumalegend-of-zeldaLegend-of-Zelda-2010nintendospirit-trackszeldazelda-spirit-tracksTue, 22 Dec 2009 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie devs incorporate 'Edge' into titles to lure out Tim Langdell]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/indie-devs-incorporate-edge-into-titles-to-lure-out-tim-langde/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/indie-devs-incorporate-edge-into-titles-to-lure-out-tim-langde/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/indie-devs-incorporate-edge-into-titles-to-lure-out-tim-langde/#comments Indie developers are having a little fun at the expense of trademark troll Tim Langdell. As TouchArcade reports, several devs have created mock games to get under the skin of the abusive IP bugaboo, who pops up like a rabid prairie dog when a company uses the word "edge" in a video game. In response to Langdell's attack on Killer Edge Racing, several indie devs have jokingly renamed their games. Fez is now Fedge and Critter Crunch has vomited out Critter Credge.

In their posts on the name changes, the developers use the word "edge" as many times as is edgeingly possible to edge in there with edginess. Inspired by Langdell, we are currently discussing with our attorneys if we can trademark the words "war," "warfare," ... oh wait, "Mario," yes! That's where the infringement bucks really are.

JoystiqIndie devs incorporate 'Edge' into titles to lure out Tim Langdell originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleCapyCapybara-Gamescritter-crunchedgeelissfezindieiPodPuzzletim-langdellThu, 12 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge reveals LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/29/edge-reveals-lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/29/edge-reveals-lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/29/edge-reveals-lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias/#comments WiIWare aficionados, brace your hind quarters. UK gaming mag Edge has revealed (via N-Europe) that a sequel to Frontier's LostWinds is in the works, titled LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias. While most of the core gameplay elements in the sequel remain unchanged, Toku returns with one new ability: he can now change the seasons, turning Summer to Winter and vice versa.

There's no word on when the game will hit WiiWare right now, but if you live in the UK, you may want to check out the latest issue of Edge. The preview on LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias is apparently pretty extensive and, if you're wondering what all of the fuss is about, you still have time to check out the first game (which some of us think is quite excellent).

[Via Go Nintendo; thanks, Fernando!]

JoystiqEdge reveals LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgefrontierFrontier-Developmentslostwindslostwinds-winter-of-melodiasLostWinds-Winter-of-the-Melodiasn-europeNintendoPlatformerWiiwiiwareSat, 29 Aug 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Warner Bros. promotes exec following Midway acquisition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/01/warner-bros-promotes-exec-following-midway-acquisition/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/01/warner-bros-promotes-exec-following-midway-acquisition/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/01/warner-bros-promotes-exec-following-midway-acquisition/#commentsWarner Bros. executive Jeff Junge has a laundry list of valuable gaming credentials on his resume. From recently leading the acquisition of a failing Midway Games to an early investment in dark magic engine OnLive, and even spearheading the purchase of TT Games a couple of years back, Junge is no stranger to the game industry. And all that would help to explain why, late this week, Warner Bros. announced the promotion of Junge to senior VP of business management for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. The Home Entertainment Group includes, among many other things, the company's gaming division.

According to the release issued by WB, Junge will continue to "drive mergers and acquisitions" for the company. We've been told on good faith that neither "mergers" nor "acquisitions" are any type of automobile. How do you plan on driving them then, Mr. Junge? Hmmm?

[Via Edge]

JoystiqWarner Bros. promotes exec following Midway acquisition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessedgejeff-jungemidwayonlivett-gameswarner-broswarner-bros-interactivewarner-bros-interactive-entertainmentSat, 01 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge: Rage runs at 60fps on 360, 'just 20 to 30fps' on PS3 [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/30/edge-rage-running-at-60fps-on-360-just-20-to-30fps-on-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/30/edge-rage-running-at-60fps-on-360-just-20-to-30fps-on-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/30/edge-rage-running-at-60fps-on-360-just-20-to-30fps-on-ps3/#comments
CVG details an extensive 10-page feature on id Software's Rage in the latest issue of UK games magazine Edge. The piece includes confirmation by John Carmack that the Xbox 360 version of the game will run at a brisk 60 frames per second, but that he has found PS3 to be at a disadvantage to Microsoft's console in terms of rendering power. "The PS3 lags a little bit behind in terms of getting the performance out of it," he said.

As a result, Edge reports that the game runs at "just 20-30fps" on Sony's console. Carmack places the blame on the PS3's GPU -- the RSX -- saying that, "The rasterizer is just a little bit slower -- no two ways about that...the RSX is slower than what we have in the 360." He sees both consoles as being comparable in terms of raw processing power, however. "The CPU is about the same, but the 360 makes it easier to split things off," he told the magazine. "...that's what a lot of the work has been, splitting it all into jobs on the PS3."

Now, before you go making a comment you can't take back, know that the Edge article doesn't clarify whether or not the performance of the PS3 version will be improved prior to release. It's also telling that Carmack states that the PS3 is only "a little bit slower" than 360 in his findings -- if that's the case, we can't imagine that the finished will run at fully half the speed.

Update: Further comments from the Edge piece reveal that the developer is indeed aiming for parity between all platforms. "Everything is designed as a 60 hertz game. We expect this to be 60 hertz on every supported platform."

JoystiqEdge: Rage runs at 60fps on 360, 'just 20 to 30fps' on PS3 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgeid-softwarejohn-carmackrageThu, 30 Jul 2009 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge's sex scene of the year award goes to Overlord II]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/30/edges-sex-scene-of-the-year-award-goes-to-overlord-ii/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/30/edges-sex-scene-of-the-year-award-goes-to-overlord-ii/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/30/edges-sex-scene-of-the-year-award-goes-to-overlord-ii/#comments Wow, what an upset! Just seven months into the year, Edge has already picked its sex scene of the year, giving the four-way from darkly comic strategy actioner Overlord II the coveted prize over future competition like ... well, whatever's going to happen in Dragon Age: Origins.

But imagine our chagrin when we found out that the game had received the honor because of how little it actually showed? How are we supposed to derive any satisfaction without the digital breasts and mons pubis that we so richly deserve? To see for yourself, check out the video just after the break ... and yes, it's fairly safe for work (FSFW).

Continue reading Edge's sex scene of the year award goes to Overlord II

JoystiqEdge's sex scene of the year award goes to Overlord II originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>codemastersedgeMicrosoftoverlord-2sexXbox-360Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dave Perry talks Gaikai: 'Gamestop already hate me']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/dave-perry-talks-gaikai-gamestop-already-hate-me/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/dave-perry-talks-gaikai-gamestop-already-hate-me/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/dave-perry-talks-gaikai-gamestop-already-hate-me/#comments
Speaking at the Develop conference currently taking place in the UK, Gaikai's Dave Perry told Edge that the folks at video game retailer GameStop "already hate" him. "I've made so much money from their store [GameStop], so I can't be mean to them about that," he apologetically added, though he said he believes the industry is being pushed to digital distribution by GameStop's used game business model.

"I can be mean about their [GameStop's] used game policy, because they're pushing the industry to digital distribution perhaps faster than it would have gone," he responded, when asked how retail is reacting to his dark magic-powered Gaikai service. He doesn't necessarily see brick-and-mortar retail as his company's biggest hurdle though, saying, unsurprisingly, it's the smoke money. "We need to find a strategic partner who will add value ... somebody that wants to invest and can actually add something ... we want to find somebody who will really move the needle." Wait a minute -- Gaikai involves needles? Forget it!

JoystiqDave Perry talks Gaikai: 'Gamestop already hate me' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dave-perrydevelopdigital-distributionedgegaikaigamestopukWed, 15 Jul 2009 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge magazine subscribers receive coolest poster ever]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/10/edge-magazine-subscribers-receive-coolest-poster-ever/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/10/edge-magazine-subscribers-receive-coolest-poster-ever/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/10/edge-magazine-subscribers-receive-coolest-poster-ever/#comments
Seems like somewhat inconsequential news for us to report on, right? "Magazine subscribers get cool bonus item?" Who cares? Well, we care, you probably care, and anyone who has ever picked up a video game controller should care about the poster in question -- drawn by gaming obsessed artist Gary Lucken and packaged with the latest edition of Edge magazine, this pixelliustrated work of art contains references to every video game ever made.

Seriously, we were going to try to list the video games referenced in the poster (visible in somewhat higher res here), but really, it would probably be easier to list the games that aren't. Let's see ... Klax, and ... well, just Klax, we guess. Sorry, Klax!

JoystiqEdge magazine subscribers receive coolest poster ever originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artedgeedge-magazinepixelatedposterWed, 10 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[FFXIII producer says FF franchise 'straddles genre,' not just a JRPG]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/ffxiii-producer-says-ff-franchise-straddles-genre-not-just-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/ffxiii-producer-says-ff-franchise-straddles-genre-not-just-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/ffxiii-producer-says-ff-franchise-straddles-genre-not-just-a/#comments
Yoshinori Kitase, producer of Final Fantasy XIII, is getting older. Running into his 40s and still at the helm of one of Japan's biggest franchises, the man has been employed by Square Enix for 19 years now. In his time, he's headed up production of classics from Chrono Trigger to Final Fantasy VII to Kingdom Hearts. And you'd think, after all those games and all that time, the man wouldn't react bitterly if the newest entry in the FF series were characterized as a JRPG ... and you'd be wrong.

"There's a trend these days to strictly categorize games as western RPGs or Japanese RPGs, but Final Fantasy is something that we don't try to categorize as either/or," Kitase told Edge Magazine. Forgive us if we're mistaken here, but we were quite under the impression that the FF franchise more or less defined what a JRPG is. Continuing, he says, "For us, the game straddles genre." We're not sure what game he's playing, but early reports of the recently released FFXIII demo in Japan lead us to believe turn-based battles and spiky-haired androgynous characters are still par for the course. Guess we'll have to find out for ourselves when the game releases in North America sometime next year.

JoystiqFFXIII producer says FF franchise 'straddles genre,' not just a JRPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 May 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgeffxiiifinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-xiiijrpgsquare-enixyoshinori-kitaseTue, 05 May 2009 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[EA Sports' Peter Moore: Current PC business model isn't working for us]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/ea-sports-peter-moore-current-pc-business-model-isnt-working/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/ea-sports-peter-moore-current-pc-business-model-isnt-working/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/ea-sports-peter-moore-current-pc-business-model-isnt-working/#comments
If EA Sports head honcho Peter Moore knows one thing really well, it's handling controversy surrounding his particular division of EA and the PC games market. After getting in trouble last year with PC gaming football fans for choosing not to produce Madden '09 on PC, he's back in it this year, telling Edge Magazine, "The business model right now, shipping a physical disc for the PC, simply isn't working for us."

He's explained in the past his company's reasons for choosing as such, citing low sales numbers and PC gamers trending towards console sports gaming, and this time is no different. "I've got to find innovative ways to bring our content to life on the PC and online is the way that that's going to happen," he claims. Sounds like EA Sports has some digital distribution ideas up it's collective sleeve then, eh?

JoystiqEA Sports' Peter Moore: Current PC business model isn't working for us originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesseaea-sportseconomyedgeedge-magazineElectronic-Artsmaddenpeter-mooreThu, 30 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[85 million Final Fantasy games sold, global takeover imminent]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/23/85-million-final-fantasy-games-sold-global-takeover-imminent/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/23/85-million-final-fantasy-games-sold-global-takeover-imminent/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/23/85-million-final-fantasy-games-sold-global-takeover-imminent/#comments
Hot on the heels of yesterday's official acquisition of "the house that Lara built" (Eidos, folks), Square Enix has released a load of numbers on its biggest IPs -- including some that it just acquired yesterday. Unsurprisingly, the Final Fantasy series flies high above its brethren (in a fancy airship, of course) with over 85 million units moved over the series' lifetime. We imagine after the company releases its flurry of FFXIII titles, that number will jump considerably.

Among other details in the release is Dragon Quest's lifetime sales, reaching nearly 50 million units, and the Tomb Raider series showing up with 30 million units sold in the past 13 years. Also of note is Kane & Lynch: Dead Men selling nearly two million shameful, shameful copies. Can we expect the layoffs to stop for now?

[Via Edge]

Source (warning: PDF)

Joystiq85 million Final Fantasy games sold, global takeover imminent originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessdeus-exdragon-questedgeeidosffxiiifinal-fantasykane-and-lynchlegalsquare-enixThu, 23 Apr 2009 13:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge-Online team quits, too 'online' for Future, apparently]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/14/edge-online-team-quits-too-online-for-future-apparently/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/14/edge-online-team-quits-too-online-for-future-apparently/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/14/edge-online-team-quits-too-online-for-future-apparently/#comments
The editorial team for Edge-Online in the US has quit, in response to what former Editor-in-Chief Colin Campbell calls "a gumbo of old media thinking, rampant cost-cutting and ego-driven control mechanisms." Campbell explains on his new site, GameBizBlog, that a middle manager from Future UK told him last December that editorial control of Edge-Online would be transferred to England and Edge Magazine's print team. Campbell, Kris Graft and Rob Crossley all quit last Friday and Future announced their replacements this morning.

Campbell goes on to say that "the story of the game industry is now being told via lightning fast websites and blogs of phenomenal competence and editorial quality" and "trying to view online as some extension of print is just plain wrong." His piece becomes very "inside baseball" by the end and the comments are worth reading for those interested in the continuing discussion of online vs. print game media. If you're really interested in the "inside baseball" talk, the Edge-Online situation will likely be discussed on the Joystiq podcast this Friday.

[Image]

JoystiqEdge-Online team quits, too 'online' for Future, apparently originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgeedge-onlineTue, 14 Apr 2009 12:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge analyzes Wii, PS3 review scores]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/edge-analyzes-wii-ps3-review-scores/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/edge-analyzes-wii-ps3-review-scores/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/edge-analyzes-wii-ps3-review-scores/#comments
Following up its work with EEDAR on Xbox 360 review scores, Edge has now compiled similar data for both the PS3 and Wii. The idea is simple: Look at every game on each console and find out how many games scored either above 85 or below 65 on EEDAR's review scale. What results is a basic snapshot of the overall quality of games on each platform.

According to Edge and EEDAR's numbers, 17 percent of PS3 games have scored 85 or higher, while 30 percent are rated below 65. This compares favorably with the Xbox 360, which saw 13 percent of its titles above 85. The Wii sees only 4 percent of its titles rated 85 or higher, while a full 54 percent fell at or below 65.

Those who follow the industry can probably guess why Wii seems to attract a disproportionately large number of poorly reviewed games. Edge cites the low entry barrier for Wii developers, allowing more bad games to hit the market hoping to ride the Wii cash wave -- or, if you prefer not to mince words: shovelware. The report also points to developer difficulty in grasping the intricacies of Wii's control interface. Furthermore, the article posits that review scores don't really matter to the system's primarily casual audience.

Of course, the critical caveat concerning the analysis is that review scores are subjective. After all, one gamer's must-have is another's don't-bother. Just look at Fatal Frame IV.

Source - Games At-a-Glance: PS3 Quality
Source - Games At-a-Glance: Wii Quality

JoystiqEdge analyzes Wii, PS3 review scores originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgeeedarNintendoWiiWed, 08 Apr 2009 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge asks 'How good are Xbox games, really?']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/edge-asks-how-good-are-xbox-games-really/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/edge-asks-how-good-are-xbox-games-really/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/edge-asks-how-good-are-xbox-games-really/#comments
It's the moment we all dread: Opening a carefully wrapped video game gift from a non-gaming relative. The chances that you'll need to hang onto that gift receipt? Astronomically high -- unless they are given explicit buying instructions. Wishing to put a number to the above hypothesis, Edge and Electronic Entertainment Design and Research have teamed up to graph the Xbox 360 library based on Metacritic scores.

According to the research, 13% (48 titles) of all Xbox 360 software released in North America between 2005 and 2008 have received an average score of 85 or higher while 38% (136 titles) scored a 65 or lower. Of course, this stylish graph only means anything if you take stock in review scores -- and if you follow our WRUP posts, you know we don't. PS3 users don't fret -- EDGE and EEDAR are tackling the big black (on the outside, blu on the inside) box next week.

JoystiqEdge asks 'How good are Xbox games, really?' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgeeedarmetacriticMicrosoftstatisticsXbox-360Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Avalanche Studios developing 'open-world fantasy' AionGuard]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/13/avalanche-studios-developing-open-world-fantasy-aionguard/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/13/avalanche-studios-developing-open-world-fantasy-aionguard/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/13/avalanche-studios-developing-open-world-fantasy-aionguard/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Open-world fantasy news now, with Edge's latest issue taking a first look at "AionGuard," a new Lord of the Rings-inspired project from Avalanche Studios. According to the British mag, AionGuard follows the exploits of an army intent on capturing land that is otherwise "occupied by numerous mythical and magical creatures." As any band of armor-clad warriors will tell you, that's by far the worst kind of land to capture.

It inevitably leads to violence, which is probably why narrative director Odd Ahlgren says it's like "God Of War, but it's a lot more open and you have lots more choice in how to tackle these situations." He insists that the game isn't an RPG, however, and allays fears that action will revolve around grinding. The folks at Avalanche, who previously parachuted into the jungle with Just Cause, have yet to announce a publisher for the Xbox 360 and PS3 title.

Not that they should have trouble finding one -- it says here you'll also be able to pilot dragons. We'd be lairs liars if we said that didn't excite us.

JoystiqAvalanche Studios developing 'open-world fantasy' AionGuard originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AionGuardAvalancheAvalanche-StudiosDragonsEdgeFantasyJust-CausePS3Xbox-360Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:55:00 EST<![CDATA[We concur: Edge's most promising Wii games of 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/we-concur-edges-most-promising-wii-games-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/we-concur-edges-most-promising-wii-games-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/we-concur-edges-most-promising-wii-games-of-2009/#commentsFiled under:


We don't usually post about the various end-of-year lists that appear on other sites (we much prefer composing our own), but Edge's "ten most promising Wii titles of 2009" chart was so close to our own 2009 wishlist that we felt it warranted a nod.

Understandably, only super-confirmed 2009 releases are included, so this selection may change over time (if, say, a Fragile localization is announced, or No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle makes this year, or -- LOL -- we get a new Pilotwings), but so far we think this is spot-on. Check out which ten titles made the list after the break, and take note of the strong third-party showing!

Continue reading We concur: Edge's most promising Wii games of 2009

JoystiqWe concur: Edge's most promising Wii games of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009EdgeMon, 05 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A few more Uncharted 2 details from Edge]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/31/a-few-more-uncharted-2-details-from-edge/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/31/a-few-more-uncharted-2-details-from-edge/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/31/a-few-more-uncharted-2-details-from-edge/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Nathan Drake's disheveled mug has decided to grace yet another magazine cover, this time the latest issue of Edge. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the cover story, and to be honest, there isn't much here that we didn't already hear about from Game Informer or see from the leaked photos. Still, have at a few new pull quotes: According to Naughty Dog's Bruce Straley, the sneaking mechanic is "something more in the toolbox" that won't be required. "It's not Splinter Cell," he said. "It's choosing when and from where to enter combat."

Adding to the previously reported claim of "maxing out" the PlayStation 3's capabilities, the devs tease that the technology is strong enough to "allow an entire building to collapse while you're in it - and we can throw enemies in at the same time while that's happening." That better be in the final game a few times. This issue of Edge should be on newsstands now.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

JoystiqA few more Uncharted 2 details from Edge originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgenaughty-dogpreviewPS3uncharteduncharted-2uncharted-2-among-thievesuncharted-among-thievesWed, 31 Dec 2008 13:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Uncharted 2 details revealed in latest EDGE]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/uncharted-2-details-revealed-in-latest-edge/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/uncharted-2-details-revealed-in-latest-edge/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/uncharted-2-details-revealed-in-latest-edge/#commentsFiled under:


Those lucky so-and-sos at EDGE have had some eyes-on time with upcoming half-tuck-em-up Uncharted 2. The preview in the latest issue reveals a lot of backstory as well as quelling our fears about the potential of those stealth sections. Fans of Nathan Drake will be happy to hear that Uncharted 2 will delve further into his character, showing that while he's "affable and charming, he can also be a jerk."

No longer is Nathan on a quest for Francis Drake, instead he's turned his sights to Marco Polo, whose journey back to Europe from the court of Kublai Khan saw his 600-man fleet dwindle to just a dozen survivors. Ultimately Drake's journey will lead him to Tibet and an ancient city, which is said to house a gem that can grant wishes. The story in this game will allow for plenty of variety in the environments you'll be visiting.

Naughty Dog also clarifies what they mean by a "stealth mechanic," which put many people on edge when the game was announced. There is no intention of turning Uncharted into the next Splinter Cell; "stealth just gives you something more in the toolbox - another element, another choice that's available to you. Stealth or shooting - both choices are valid at any time." There's plenty more interesting stuff to read in the full article. It's certainly done a good job getting us even more excited about what's to come from Naughty Dog next year.

JoystiqUncharted 2 details revealed in latest EDGE originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EDGEnaughty-doguncharteduncharted-2Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge magazine GOTY '08: LittleBigPlanet]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/edge-magazine-goty-08-littlebigplanet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/edge-magazine-goty-08-littlebigplanet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/edge-magazine-goty-08-littlebigplanet/#commentsFiled under: , ,


UK-based Edge magazine's latest issue contains the publication's "best of" picks for 2008, and LittleBigPlanet is at the top of the heap. Sony's über-platformer took game of the year honors, edging out runners-up Grand Theft Auto IV and Fable 2. (Fun fact: all three contenders were UK-developed.)

LBP creator Media Molecule was recognized as 2008's best developer, while its creation also picked up the highest acclaim for innovation and visual design. (Yes, Halo 3's "best innovation" streak has finally been broken.) Edge also named winners for best audio design (Dead Space), best hardware (Xbox 360), best publisher (Microsoft Game Studios), and best online experience (Left 4 Dead).

JoystiqEdge magazine GOTY '08: LittleBigPlanet originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Actionawardsbest-of-2008dead-spaceedgefable-2grand-theft-auto-ivleft-4-deadLionheadLionhead-Studioslittlebigplanetmedia-moleculeMGSmicrosoft-game-studiosPS3RPGMon, 15 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese police bag themselves another pirate [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/japanese-police-bag-themselves-another-pirate/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/japanese-police-bag-themselves-another-pirate/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/japanese-police-bag-themselves-another-pirate/#commentsFiled under: ,

It looks like one prominent Japanese pirate may have emitted his last yarr. Police in Shikoku slapped the cuffs on a 57-year-old man who made a not-so-cool ¥1m ($10,700) from selling CycloDS and Edge flashcarts with micro SD cards and information on where to obtain copied game data. He was eventually arrested after selling a CD-ROM with a copy of Super Mario World and an illegally downloaded copy of Pokémon Platinum.

The Association of Copyright for Computer Software (ACCS) led an investigation on the case, and revealed that the culprit had many happy customers; comments such as "My children are happily playing away" appeared on his Yahoo! Auctions feedback page.

Two things that stand out about this story: the sizeable wad of cash this guy managed to generate before being caught, and his apparently respectable position in society -- according to the ACCS, he runs (ran) a cram school. We're guessing neither activity will feature heavily in his immediate future.

Update: Added further clarification.

JoystiqJapanese police bag themselves another pirate [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cyclo-ds-evolutionedgeflashcartjapanpiracyyarrWed, 03 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo pleads patience for 'core' games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/nintendo-pleads-patience-for-core-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/nintendo-pleads-patience-for-core-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/nintendo-pleads-patience-for-core-games/#commentsFiled under:


By now, we're all familiar with the chain of events that unfolded after E3. Nintendo showed off a bunch of games in its E3 2008 press conference that apparently didn't meet the expectations of the "hardcore" set. Said group immediately accused Nintendo of abandoning them. Nintendo stepped in to say that, no, titles for more serious gamers were currently being made, so keep your hair on.

Now, Nintendo has felt compelled to say it again, and warn us that we will have to wait for our treats. "We have developers working on popular core gaming franchises but we need longer to complete [them], approximately two to three years," the company stated in the latest issue of Edge, before adding that none will be ready to launch in early 2009.

So it's going to be at least late next year before we see any new Zelda, Mario, and presumably Pikmin also. Express your rage in the comments field below.

JoystiqNintendo pleads patience for 'core' games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualcoreedgehardcoremariopikminzeldaTue, 26 Aug 2008 16:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge proclaims Halo 3 most innovative game of 2007, 2008]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/edge-proclaims-halo-3-most-innovative-game-of-2007-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/edge-proclaims-halo-3-most-innovative-game-of-2007-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/edge-proclaims-halo-3-most-innovative-game-of-2007-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,

From a list of runners-up that included the likes of Grand Theft Auto IV, Portal, Super Mario Galaxy, and Wii Fit, UK games magazine Edge has awarded Halo 3 its 2008 "Edge Award for Interactive Innovation" with four months left in the year. The decision itself seems to lack a certain degree of, well, innovation, as Edge previously selected Halo 3 as the "Best Innovation" in games for ... 2007.

Upon bestowing this honor upon the game last year, Edge's staff stated, "[Bungie] built Halo 3 to express what its fans dreamt it could be: four player online co-op, a level editor, screenshots, and the best matchmaking system in the world." Eight months later, the game has garnered nearly identical equal praise, "From its Theater mode to Forge, and the way a party playing through Live can seamlessly manoeuvre between them, here is an experience that demonstrates an unparalleled understanding of the potential for console online play."

Could we be due for a Halo Three-peat in '09? Perhaps, if the trailblazing likes of Madden NFL 2009 or Soul Calibur IV don't make the short-list for this coveted honor.

JoystiqEdge proclaims Halo 3 most innovative game of 2007, 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardsbungieedgehalo-3halo3Xbox-360Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge: Nintendo tops industry's best publishers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/edge-nintendo-tops-industrys-best-publishers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/edge-nintendo-tops-industrys-best-publishers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/edge-nintendo-tops-industrys-best-publishers/#commentsFiled under:

The online edition of UK gaming magazine Edge, formerly Next Gen, has come forward with what the proprietors feel exemplifies the top 20 game publishers the industry has to offer. Based on what we're sure represents a complicated formula of revenue, momentum, catalog, and review scores, the magazine found Nintendo to be the absolute crème of the crop, though we imagine it'll be difficult to make out the company's acceptance speech from beneath all that money.

Other notables include Actilizzard and EA, which took home the silver and bronze medals, respectively, while Midway managed to break out of Arkham Asylum just in time to claim the list's 20th -- and final -- spot.

JoystiqEdge: Nintendo tops industry's best publishers originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardawardseaedgeelectronic-artselectronicartsmidwaynintendopublisherWed, 30 Jul 2008 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Next-gen.biz to become Edge Magazine Online]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/next-gen-biz-to-become-edge-magazine-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/next-gen-biz-to-become-edge-magazine-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/next-gen-biz-to-become-edge-magazine-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,


GamesIndustry.biz is reporting that Future's news portal Next-Gen.biz will be re-branded as the online version of the prestigious British magazine Edge on Monday, just in time for E3. There's no word on whether the change will affect the site's editorial focus, but Future spokesman Will Guyatt told GI.biz that the newly branded site will "do what Edge has done for year's in print, but online." Great news for those of us who love the magazine's thoughtful content but don't want to shell out the big bucks to import a subscription.

Next-Gen has been reprinting selected Edge magazine articles online since last May, and the magazine's previous web address currently redirects to Next-Gen's site. The move represents the re-death of the Next Generation brand, which was originally put out to pasture with the closing of the well-respected American magazine in 2001. On the plus side, when someone says "next-gen" from now on, we won't have to parse whether they mean the adjective or the web site. That was getting confusing!

JoystiqNext-gen.biz to become Edge Magazine Online originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EdgeFutureFuture-publishingmagazineNext GenerationNext-GenNextGenerationThu, 10 Jul 2008 17:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Other homebrew solutions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/other-homebrew-solutions/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/other-homebrew-solutions/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/other-homebrew-solutions/#commentsFiled under:

The following Slot-1 cards aren't as well-known or popular as the others, but they all run homebrew. Getting a less popular card may put you in danger of infrequent firmware updates, but for the most part if you just want to run homebrew programs, they'll do the trick. Of course, the prices speak in their favor as well.

Acekard 2
Slot-1 (All-in-one)
Also needed: MicroSD card
Price: $25
Find it: DealExtreme

The Acekard has excellent compatibility, and software in constant development by the group at the official message board. It doesn't have any of the fancy extra features of the Cyclo DS, but it has the feature of being quite cheap.

Edge
Slot-1 (All-in-one)
Also needed: MicroSD card
Price: $31
Find it: DealExtreme

The Edge card has a quick, easy-to-use menu interface, which can cycle instantly between three display modes. It also comes in a really cool triangular box. Not that that matters.

DS Top Toy
Slot-1 (All-in-one)
Also needed: MicroSD card
Price: $20
Find it: DealExtreme

The DSTT doesn't allow users to swap skins without removing and renaming files, and it has a slightly annoying menu (lacking alphabetical listing). It's been known to lag or freeze when loading a long list of files. But it works, runs homebrew, and is twenty dollars. Thirty with a bundled 2GB MicroSD card.

N5 Revolution
Slot-1 (All-in-one)
Also needed: MicroSD card
Price: $27
Find it: DealExtreme

It's an R4, but from an even more no-name company, and cheaper. Also, according to GBATemp, it has a nasty habit of killing people's MicroSD cards.

SuperCard DSONE
Slot-1 (All-in-one)
Also needed: MicroSD card
Price: $39
Find it: Leetmod

Be sure to get the "Version 3" or "SDHC" SuperCard DSONE, because it has been updated to support SDHC cards. The latest SuperCard has built-in emulators, but loads more slowly than other flash cards.

EZFlash V
Slot-1 (All-in-one)
Also needed: MicroSD card
Price: $28
Find it: DealExtreme

This is a popular card that, of course, interacts well with the EZFlash V 3-in-1 expansion card. It's also cheap and includes a stylus, a screen cleaner, and a keychain of some kind for some reason.

Jargon flying right over your head? Check out our homebrew glossary for more information!
plchldrtxt
R4
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JoystiqOther homebrew solutions originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 May 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acekarddsttedgeez-flash-vsupercardTue, 20 May 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Man chats about his $15k NES game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/man-chats-about-his-15k-nes-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/man-chats-about-his-15k-nes-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/man-chats-about-his-15k-nes-game/#commentsFiled under: ,

James Baker collects games, but probably not in the same way that any of us collect games. Baker recently coughed up $15,000 for one of the 26 gold-colored NES carts that were originally manufactured for the Nintendo World Championships in 1990 (only twelve are still accounted for) -- in fact, we're fairly certain that his is the cart we posted about recently.

Speaking to Edge about his latest acquisition, Baker confesses that spending so much on a single videogame is "pretty crazy," but also says that he "doesn't really see it purely as a videogame."

Not only is the guy richer than us, he's also a lot braver -- when he received the cart, he popped it into his NES to give it a go! "I didn't even need to blow on the end of it to get it to work," he said, nonchalantly. You better believe that playing such a game would be the last thing on our minds. Instead, we'd be handling it very delicately, and then only after washing our hands several times over.

(Fun fact: $15,000 would cover the cost of 1.5m Wii Points, which in turn could be used to purchase the whole of the current U.S. Virtual Console line-up -- more than ten times over.)

JoystiqMan chats about his $15k NES game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ebayedgefamicomnesnintendo-world-championshipsnintendo-world-championships-1990nwcnwc-90rareWed, 30 Apr 2008 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kojima's ideal MGS4 bites off more than PS3 can chew]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/kojimas-ideal-mgs4-bites-off-more-than-ps3-can-chew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/kojimas-ideal-mgs4-bites-off-more-than-ps3-can-chew/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/kojimas-ideal-mgs4-bites-off-more-than-ps3-can-chew/#commentsFiled under:


We weren't surprised to read in this month's Edge Magazine that Metal Gear Solid series creator, Hideo Kojima, isn't entirely satisfied with his latest creation. Why? That's just the nature of being an artist, especially one as famously exacting as Kojima. Every sequel to the Metal Gear series is another iteration; another re-tuning of an increasingly polished gameplay experience. So, when envisioning the fourth (and final?) chapter in the Metal Gear Solid saga on a brand new and as-yet-untested piece of hardware, Kojima shot for the moon, looking to "create something revolutionary." When confronted with the limitations of the actual PlayStation 3 hardware (it's human after all), Kojima says "we weren't really aware of what the full-spec PS3 offered - we were creating something we couldn't entirely see."

It's less a case of the PlayStation not being up to snuff (or, perhaps, of not living up to Sony's impossible-to-match marketing message) as it is with Kojima not being satisfied with technological limitations. He says, "The original vision was to go ten steps further, the reality was just one step, which isn't to say we didn't progress." We'll all get a chance to experience the technology that powers Metal Gear Solid 4 this Monday, when the Metal Gear Online beta goes live. Something tells us we won't be as dissapointed as Kojima is.

Check out the full ten-page MGS4 cover story in the May issue of Edge.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqKojima's ideal MGS4 bites off more than PS3 can chew originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EdgeHideo-KojimaMetal-gear-Solid-4Metal-Gear-Solid-4-Guns-of-the-PatriotsMGS4PS3Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Edge: Animal Crossing Wii is a social networking MMO]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/09/edge-animal-crossing-wii-is-a-social-networking-mmo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/09/edge-animal-crossing-wii-is-a-social-networking-mmo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/09/edge-animal-crossing-wii-is-a-social-networking-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Reputable European publication Edge magazine is reporting that the upcoming Animal Crossing for Nintendo Wii is indeed going the MMO route, as previously rumored by fellow Future Publishing siblings Next-Gen. "A Japanese source has confirmed to Edge that the upcoming Wii iteration of Animal Crossing is set to be a social networking MMO," reports the magazine.

No other details are known at the time, Nintendo has not provided any official confirmation. The article is found on page nine of the latest issue, which prominently features the PlayStation 3 on both the front and back covers.

JoystiqEdge: Animal Crossing Wii is a social networking MMO originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animal-crossingAnimal-Crossing-City-FolkAnimal-Crossing-MMOAnimal-Crossing-WiianimalcrossingDSedgenintendoNintendo-EADWiiFri, 09 Nov 2007 16:26:00 EST