Joystiq

Madden 13 gets server-side fantasy drafts

Mike Suszek — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EST

EA Tiburon detailed the inclusion of fantasy drafts for online Connected Careers franchises for Madden 13 in a recent blog. The feature, which now allows players to run a 54-round fantasy draft when starting an online franchise-style league, was not initially included in the game's feature set, much to the dismay of many players.

EA Tiburon is "looking into adding similar functionality into offline Connected Careers in the future," so the fantasy draft feature is currently locked to online Connected Careers leagues, which can still be played as a single-player franchise.

Madden 13 gets server-side fantasy drafts originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Straight Right building two Wii U games that aren't Mass Effect 3

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 22:00:00 EST

Straight Right, the developer creating Mass Effect 3 for the Wii U, has two other Wii U games in its workshop, boss Tom Crago tells Eurogamer. One game is an original IP, while the other is "based on another big franchise," set to launch in 2013.

"We've made a number of bets on the Wii U, so we're certainly hoping that the platform comes strongly out of the gate," Crago says. "We've got two other titles in development. One of them is original, our own IP, and another is based on another big franchise that will come out in 2013. It's a big title and you will have heard of it."

Mass Effect 3 is slated to be a Wii U launch title, whenever that may be. Straight Right started work on the Wii U version months before Mass Effect 3 launched on other platforms in March.

"This is the biggest title we've worked on in a long time," Crago says. "There's a significant technical challenge bringing the game from its original format to the Wii U. It's a new, different and sophisticated piece of hardware, so there's a good deal of technical energy that's been expended making that happen."

Straight Right building two Wii U games that aren't Mass Effect 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember Me's plans extend to next-gen consoles, Capcom looking to build 'into a major franchise'

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST

When Nilin's finished exploring the Neo-Paris of Dontnod Entertainment's Remember Me, that likely won't be the last of her adventures. Capcom senior producer Mat Hart says that the publisher wants more than just a one game from Dontnod. "We're looking to build a long-lasting relationship with them [Dontnod] as a developer, and built this into a major franchise," Hart told me in an interview this week.

He was responding to a question about the game's release window - May 2013 - and the risk Capcom takes in launching a new IP during a very, very crowded release season. "The thing is, if you leave it too late into next year, then you are starting to straddle that line where you're starting to move into the next generation consoles. And what we wanna do is make sure we launch this on the current generation of consoles, to really sell it in, and establish it as a new IP. And then build the franchise out in line with the new consoles coming out."

New properties can be hard to find in the final years of a console cycle, with many publishers instead choosing to launch alongside new hardware. Hart understands that risk, of course, but pointed out that "there's a clear difference between a risk and gamble."

Specifically, he said, "You've seen the footage we've released of the game, and it's easy to see that Remember Me has the hallmark qualities of a top tier title. So we're very confident it competes in that particular landscape."

Gallery: Remember Me

Remember Me's plans extend to next-gen consoles, Capcom looking to build 'into a major franchise' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA Noire is 'a powerful new franchise' for Take-Two

Christopher Grant — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:50:00 EST

During this afternoon's Take-Two investor call, CEO Strauss Zelnick said that though he wasn't interested in comparing every new intellectual property to the "extraordinary success of Red Dead Redemption," Rockstar's latest has all the makings of a key franchise.

"We have every reason to believe L.A. Noire is another strong franchise for this company," Zelnick said. "No matter how you slice it, it's a very successful release and to be able to say that again is extraordinary." Of course, Rockstar's many successes colored much of the call, from the announcement that Red Dead Redemption has now sold over 8.5 million units to the news that Rockstar's core creatives have renewed their employment contracts. "And if it needs to be said, this management team is just immensely grateful to Rockstar for delivering another superb title," Zelnick reiterated to investors. "One can never take that for granted. The hit ratio for this group is nothing short of extraordinary."

When asked about downloadable content plans for L.A. Noire, Zelnick predictably side-stepped the question -- "We'll leave it to Rockstar to announce" any plans, he said -- but he again said that L.A. Noire is a "powerful new franchise" for Take-Two.

Earlier in the call, Zelnick defined Take-Two's strategy, saying, "the core of which is to produce and distribute a select number of triple-A titles and support them with add-on content distributed both on disc and digitally." He continued, "Add-on content generally produces incremental revenue and profits and keeps gamers engaged with our titles for longer periods of time, thereby extending the life of the product, increasing the value of the brand, and ultimately converting it into a franchise."

Following this math, L.A. Noire is going to need some more add-on content before it can really claim that "franchise" moniker ... So how about getting on the horn with the good people at Roger Rabbit Licensing, Inc.? No price is too high!

LA Noire is 'a powerful new franchise' for Take-Two originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 May 2011 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crytek sees a 'very long-running' franchise in Crysis

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST

Crysis 2 may still be on the horizon, but Crytek already sees a future in which Crysis is a vastly popular franchise with several sequels. "It's in our best interest to grow Crysis into a very long-running franchise. Maybe that means Crysis 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ... Crysis Infinity," executive producer Nathan Camarillo said in a recently published interview with Eurogamer. (We imagine Bam Margera doesn't show up until at least number seven, a la the Tony Hawk series.)

"It's the start of a new future for Crysis. We're taking it very seriously," Camarillo said, adding, "That's all I can really say about it. We wouldn't put this much effort into it if this were where it was ending. That doesn't make sense." And, despite earlier ambiguity, he further solidified the future of the series by outright stating, "We plan on growing it into a big franchise." So there you have it! Crysis 3? Confirmed ... alongside Crysis 12.

Crytek sees a 'very long-running' franchise in Crysis originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft reports fiscal Q3 sales of $679 million, hints at unannounced titles

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST

Sure, $679 million may sound like a lot of money (it sure does to us!), but when you're a company CEO reporting that number to investors and it's 2.7 percent lower than last year's equivalent time period ($697 million), it's not quite as impressive. And that's just what Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot had to do earlier today when the company reported its fiscal Q3 (October 1 through December 31) sales for 2009. Given the publisher's French HQ, we're not privy to the period's revenue until later this year.

In discussing plans for the upcoming year, the company cited "at least seven franchise titles" being launched this year, calling out this morning's (finally) officially-announced Ghost Recon: Future Soldier among others, leaving one (presumably unannounced) title unmentioned. The publisher then indicates "at least two new brands (R.U.S.E. has already been announced)" will see the light of day in 2010 -- leaving one unannounced new brand. Getting murkier yet, it appears "at least 5 online games" will be heading to the information superhighway, though only three are mentioned (yep, you guessed it -- that means two have yet to be revealed). With GDC, PAX East, and E3 not too far off (already?!), there's still plenty of 2010 left for announcements.

Ubisoft reports fiscal Q3 sales of $679 million, hints at unannounced titles originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darksiders, Saint's Row sequels from THQ in fiscal 2012

Mike Schramm — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST

THQ's Brian Farrell has revealed on today's investor conference call that the company is planning to revisit some of its most successful franchises as far away as the fiscal year of 2012 (which would be sometime after March 2011), including this year's bestseller Darksiders, and the popular Saint's Row franchise. Farrell says the company is looking to fiscal 2012 for "accelerated growth with three major core game titles scheduled: Warhammer 40k Space Marine, a sequel to Darksiders and the third generation of our popular Saint's Row franchise."

Given that these are more than a year away, we don't have any more information besides the fact that they're planned for release (Who will Darksiders ape next? Will Saint's Row finally solve all of those bugs?). But news of sequels for both games will be welcomed by their respective fans.

Darksiders, Saint's Row sequels from THQ in fiscal 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take-Two's Zelnick doesn't believe in annualized GTA

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:25:00 EST

If we took away one important lesson from Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick yesterday, during the company's investor call, it's this: it takes a lot of time to make "triple-A" games. That's why Zelnick isn't interested in annualizing the Grand Theft Auto franchise. "We don't feel that GTA oughta be an annualized franchise," he said, adding that he was "pleased" the series has been "testing new formats and new platforms" this year with two DLC expansions on Xbox Live and GTA: Chinatown Wars for DS and PSP.

Instead of pushing out a new GTA game every year, Zelnick explained that Take-Two is focused on the "balance between how long it takes to develop such an incredible title that meets consumer expectations and how long you need to make sure than an appetite has been both satisfied and whetted [for the next game]." He padded his point with phrases like "high profitability" and "resiliency of the franchise," though when taken to task over how the publisher expects to make money in a "non-GTA release year" -- and in light of projected, continued losses from its baseball franchise -- he responded, "We remain committed to that goal [of profitability] ... naturally, we are disappointed that we're not projecting to achieve that goal in 2010." Meanwhile, somewhere in California, Bobby Kotick laughed maniacally.

Take-Two's Zelnick doesn't believe in annualized GTA originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2 producer sees franchise expanding beyond a trilogy, maybe into WWII

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST

When asked whether or not the Assassin's Creed series would be getting a third installment, Assassin's Creed 2 producer Sébastien Puel thinks the answer almost goes without saying. "I'm often asked if we're doing a third game after ACII... I mean, we could do 35 of these," he (hopefully) exaggerates to Xbox World 360 in the mag's latest issue (via CVG). When the game's creative director told us the second game would be ending with a cliffhanger, we didn't know he meant we'd have to play 35 games to resolve it -- that's approximately 35,000 assassinated fools, by our estimations.

Explaining his hyperbole further, Puel admits that a female assassin isn't out of the question, even confirming "We've had discussions on that very topic." Still, the Ubisoft producer doesn't want to switch the protagonist's gender without a good reason. "World War II, the economies in England and France were run by women because the men were off fighting ... we don't want to just decide we want to change and have a female hero, as the first inspiration is always the time period." To read the full interview in its original context, pick up the latest issue of Xbox World 360 (if you're in the UK, that is).

Gallery: Assassin's Creed II

Assassin's Creed 2 producer sees franchise expanding beyond a trilogy, maybe into WWII originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard hiring for unannounced fifth project, might use new IP

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST

Blizzard has a quite a bit on its lavish, diamond-encrusted plate -- between Diablo III, Starcraft II, yet another expansion to World of Warcraft and a mysterious "next-gen MMO," you'd think it would be hesitant about taking on new projects. However, the company recently published a "Help Wanted" ad searching for two up-and-coming developers. The employment opportunity wasn't filed under the site's "Next-Gen MMO" category -- rather, it can be found under the infinitely titillating "Unannounced Project" section.

Even the most spot-on industry soothsayers haven't been able to predict what the project will be, though Blizzard COO Paul Sams has repeatedly stated the company's interest in starting up an entirely new franchise. The game is apparently temporarily running on the World of Warcraft engine until the aforementioned new hires can create an interface of their own -- an interface that hopefully won't include karts, and the inevitable racing of those karts.

Blizzard hiring for unannounced fifth project, might use new IP originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Animator: Rare not currently working on further retro revivals

Kyle Orland — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Retro, Microsoft Xbox 360

Bad news for anyone who wants a new version of Cobra Triangle. It seems that Rare isn't looking to bring back any more of its classic franchises "at the moment," according to Senior Animator Elissa Miller. In an interview with Britain's 360 Gamer (re-reported by CVG), Miller explained "we've always got to have a reason to revive a franchise, we don't do games just for the sake of them." Fair enough, but really, if you just wanted to make a new Snake, Rattle 'n' Roll just for the sake of making it, well, we wouldn't really mind. Honest.

Animator: Rare not currently working on further retro revivals originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft hopes I Am Alive can be 'another strong franchise'

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Action, Adventure

Well, of course it does. Ubisoft didn't get where it is today by throwing popular franchises like Splinter Cell away after a single use (although our neck-snapping pal Sam seems to have been misplaced recently), and you can be sure that the upcoming disaster survival adventure ... thing, I Am Alive, will be no different. "We hope it can be another strong franchise for our portfolio, alongside Prince Of Persia or Rayman Rabbids," the publisher's executive director, Alain Corre, told MCV. "It's a new baby for us - and we have big hopes."

Provided it's raised properly and doesn't turn into a snot-nosed brat who sticks Legos up his nose and puts his Altair action figures in the microwave, this baby could be the best kind of disaster to befall any company. Of course, we should probably wait until we've played the first one before we sign off on "I Am Still Alive," and "Seriously, Stop Trying to Kill Me You Stupid Planet."

Ubisoft hopes I Am Alive can be 'another strong franchise' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DICE currently working on 5 Battlefield games

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Action, First Person Shooters, Business

Though gravelly voiced soldiers are always keen to point out the many ways in which war has changed, it certainly hasn't ceased being profitable, least of all in the realm of video games. DICE, developer of EA's popular Battlefield franchise, has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that it currently has five related titles in development. Executive producer for DICE, Ben Cousins, was quite right when he said that's "more than you expect."

With Battlefield: Bad Company out this week and the free-to-play Battlefield: Heroes already impressing industry pundits, we're left speculating about three (maybe more?) additional titles. According to Cousin's comments made at GDC Paris, one will be a traditional game for consoles, while another will be a joint effort with Neowiz, aimed at Korea. As for the third title? We're predicting Battlefield: Field of Battle, a turn-based card game for the iPhone. What say you?

DICE currently working on 5 Battlefield games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Good representation

David Hinkle — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily

With Nintendo dominating both the console and handheld markets, their key franchises have installments on both platforms. Focusing on the DS, which key franchise do you believe has the best entry? Phantom Hourglass?

It would probably be New Super Mario Bros., for us. That game is pure Mario Bros. fun. But, what do you all think? Of all the entries in Nintendo franchises on the DS, which one is your favorite? Pokémon Diamond & Pearl? Let's hear it!

DS Daily: Good representation originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Characters we'd like to see in Mario Kart

David Hinkle — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Features

When you think about a franchise that has been around as long as Mario Kart, you see it's hard to validate each title as the series gets farther along. One of the ways to validate the game for fans has been to offer a complete and full roster of racers. Well, we're going to go through the characters we wished were in the games, yet woefully aren't. So read on and see what changes we would like to have happen to the roster in upcoming installments in the Mario Kart franchise!

Characters we'd like to see in Mario Kart originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamer Doc: new retail franchise targets Gamestop with themed stores

Kyle Orland — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business, Fashion

Gamers tired of being pushed around by game retail behemoth Gamestop can check out a potential ray of hope at this week's International Franchise Expo in Washington, D.C. There, game retailer Gamer Doc will be showing off new store prototypes that "will change the way the video game store is interpreted," according to a press release.

Strong words for a franchise that only has three outlets ~~nationwide~~ in development thus far [Updated with corrected wording on 4/11], but Gamer Doc seems eager to show off its new, FHA-designed stores, which it says will make customers "feel like they're walking into a video game, not a video game store." The three themed designs have been created to replicate "a first-person shooter battle zone, ... a futuristic "Borg Spaceship," [and] a carefree, cartoon-character atmosphere." Great news for anyone who's ever dreamed of buying video games from the Borg, we suppose ...

While we're a little skeptical that gimmicky store themes are really enough to drive a wedge into Gamestop's 5,000+ store dominance, we definitely support anyone trying to bring real competition to the game retail space. Godspeed, Gamer Doc.

Gamer Doc: new retail franchise targets Gamestop with themed stores originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reggie: Holiday blockbuster for the Wii to be revealed at E3

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo Wii

Unless you have some sort of parentally-enforced bedtime, or live in an Amish community that shuns the use of televisions, there's really no excuse to miss the piping-hot weekly episodes of Gametrailers TV on Spike. If you skipped last Friday's show, you missed some of the most exciting news to grace Nintendo fanboys' ears in quite some time -- the promise of an E3 unveiling of a Wii holiday blockbuster, delivered by the mountainous Reggie Fils-Aime.

"We are going to have great new content maximizing all our key franchises," Fils-Aime promised. "It's going to be a good second half." As host Geoff Keighley conjectured, a Donkey Kong Wii title is certainly a logical assumption, but our fingers are eternally crossed for Animal Crossing Wii. What first-party franchises do you hope The Reg was hinting at?

[Via Kotaku]

Reggie: Holiday blockbuster for the Wii to be revealed at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Franchise reboot

David Hinkle — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily

We were looking over the reviews that have come in so far for Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and we were thinking about how that franchise rebooted itself on the DS. Now, it didn't really need a reboot, nor is it 100% a reboot in the normal way we think of reboots, but it did take an established franchise and retool it for another platform. Now, whether it was a good retooling or a bad retooling remains to be seen.

But, we were wondering what other established franchises could use a reboot in this manner? What about a Crazy Taxi game on the DS that has you controlling an interactive steering wheel on the touch-screen or only turning with the shoulder buttons? What about a Sims game that allows you to control them only by barking commands through the microphone? How about a Space Channel 5 game redone with Ouendan controls?

What can you come up with?

DS Daily: Franchise reboot originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Dead Space details, including (surprise!) sequel possibilities

Ross Miller — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

Sure, Dead Space isn't out yet, but given its business-savvy publisher (Electronic Arts), talk of sequels is inevitable. Speaking to EuroGamer Germany, executive producer Glen Schofield explained how he envisioned the game as a franchise. "I'd love for this to become a well established franchise; we've created a huge and rich back story and universe, so other games could easily be made."

New details about the survival-horror game were also revealed. You play spaceship engineer Isaac Clarke, who stumbles upon space zombies on a routine mining vessel call. Your goal is to survive, rescue survivors, and probably kill monsters while you're at it. Schofield said that the game will feature in-game cutscenes (à la Half-Life) and upgradeable weapons and skill trees (à la BioShock). He also said that there will not be a cluttered HUD to distract immersion, which leads us to believe it might have something to do with those lights on the backpack seen in the concept art (pictured).

Schofield mentioned downloadable content, which is reportedly under way for the game (here's an idea: put that content in the game now and work on DLC after it goes gold). Dead Space, with fun hyperboles like "scariest video game ever," is expected this fall for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

New Dead Space details, including (surprise!) sequel possibilities originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Warm Up: Favorite Nintendo franchise?

Candace Savino — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Wii Warm Up

We've asked you what your favorite franchise is that has appeared on a Nintendo console, and we've also asked what your favorite games in certain Nintendo franchises are, but we've never asked the deep, dark question: What is your favorite Nintendo franchise? Mario, Zelda, Kirby, Metroid, Fire Emblem, and the list goes on -- there's so many good ones to choose from that we wonder which one you think is the absolute best. There's no runner ups, no honorable mentions, it's all or nothing here. So, man up and make a choice!

Wii Warm Up: Favorite Nintendo franchise? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii ain't afraid of no ghosts

Alisha Karabinus — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:10:00 EST

Filed under: News

Over a year ago, a British magazine compiled what seemed like a joking list of great possible ideas for Wii games -- and one of those is about to become a reality. Not long after a rumor surfaced of a beloved 80s franchise getting remade in gaming form, Game Informer revealed their December cover today, along with the meat behind that rumor: Ghostbusters is returning! And not in the typical lame, useless fashion we usually see with movie-based games, either; the game, which will be multi-platform, is being written by Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, and Dan Aykroyd as a follow-up to Ghostbusters I and II. They'll also be lending their voices to the production. We can't wait to hear more about this one, but for now, we're just going to hope desperately that some tender lovin' care goes into the Wii version, because it could be awesome with motion controls.

Wii ain't afraid of no ghosts originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Why do you (or don't you) play Zelda?

Alisha Karabinus — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily

For many of us, the Zelda franchise represents the pinnacle of gaming. Several entries in the series stand out as true classics, games that can be replayed again and again, and little things like graphics don't even enter in to the equation. However, we also know that for every Zelda fan out there, there's a gamer who just isn't into the series, or who has lost interest over the years. If this is you, we want to know why ... and if Phantom Hourglass has happened to tickle your fancy regardless.

If, like us, you're still neck deep in the Zelda franchise, what keeps you coming back?

DS Daily: Why do you (or don't you) play Zelda? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Stick a fork in it

Alisha Karabinus — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily

If Nintendo has anything, it's a lot of long-running franchises (oh, and also, giant piles of money). But should they all still be going? Deep in your secret heart, is there one you'd like to see retired? Maybe the games have taken a turn for the worse, or simply aren't fresh any longer. It's okay to complain sometimes, even if you love all things Nintendo. We'll still like you. So, if you have a beef, let it out, and tell us what you'd like to see disappear ... or at least experience a drastic overhaul.

DS Daily: Stick a fork in it originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Sep 2007 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today's potential franchise relaunch video: Crash Bandicoot

Zack Stern — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Mobile

Gameplay footage from Crash of the Titans held our interest for today's video pick. The upcoming Bandacoot adventure for all current platforms besides PS3 will be out this fall, and Crash fans may find a new title to love. (We're not talking about you, Action Pack.) Or is Crash looking a little too like The King for his own good?

See the new video after the break, and watch a longer GameTrailers developer interview, too.

Continue reading Today's potential franchise relaunch video: Crash Bandicoot

Today's potential franchise relaunch video: Crash Bandicoot originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: On sequels

Alisha Karabinus — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily

It seems as though every time a game is anything except an utter failure, someone decides that there should be a sequel (or six), with the exception of a few RPGs. Luckily, Square Enix pretty much has a lock on the RPG sequel, or we'd probably see more of those as well. From there, games often turn into full-fledged franchises, with a new title every year or so. So what do you think? Are we seeing too many sequels and franchises and not enough originality? Or do you actually prefer something familiar?

DS Daily: On sequels originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today's most re-sellable video: Lego Star Wars trailer

Zack Stern — Mon, 28 May 2007 00:05:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, Casual

While LucasArts says it's adding some new content, we fear that the upcoming Lego Star Wars game, Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga will just be a new name on an old title. Still, the humor in this series is worth a second look -- at least in cost-free trailer form -- and this ad for the game reminds us why we enjoy this unlikely franchise at all.

In time for the 30th anniversary, see epic Star Wars events reenacted with Legos after the break.

Continue reading Today's most re-sellable video: Lego Star Wars trailer

Today's most re-sellable video: Lego Star Wars trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 May 2007 00:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq impressions: SimCity DS

Zack Stern — Tue, 15 May 2007 05:05:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Retro, Simulations, Casual, Galleries

While SimCity DS was already released for -- having been developed by -- Japanese gamers, the simulation hasn't gotten much coverage for is upcoming American release. At a recent EA event, it was apparent that the title should get the recognition it deserves soon enough, with its June release.

Based approximately on SimCity 3000, SimCity DS seemed about as complicated as the most recent versions of the title. While the graphics represent a throwback to earlier SimCity games, the core gameplay is current. The title looks like it'll be a great match for portable simulation fans because of the touchscreen interface.

Gallery: SimCity DS

Continue reading Joystiq impressions: SimCity DS

Joystiq impressions: SimCity DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2007 05:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samba de Amigo coming to Wii? [update 1]

Jason Wishnov — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Rumors

There's a genius in the higher management of Sega who recently came to a revelation. "My God," he said, "we can make a crapload of money by bringing back popular franchises that find suitable uses for the Wiimote." And lo, his word became gospel, and now there's a tasty rumor on the horizon that his teachings are spreading far and wide: the classic arcade rhythm title Samba de Amigo may be coming to the Wii by year's end.

We don't need to tell you, of course, that the Wii was originally designed for the express purpose of shaking maracas. It's brilliant. If you're wondering how this title can compare to more traditional rhythm-based games, here are some wonderful YouTube clips for your enjoyment. Here's to you, Sega executive guy.

Update: Sorry, pesky little typos broke out of their cage.

Samba de Amigo coming to Wii? [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today's hottest game video: Hellboy trailer

Zack Stern — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Video

We plunge GameTrailers for today's video pick, a Hellboy trailer that makes us tentatively look forward to comic franchises again since the Neversoft Ghost Rider game that never was. Of course it's still just a trailer, and a lot can change before the game is released this summer. But Hellboy looks good, with its 3D engine rendering in a style that fits its comic history.

Judge for yourself after the break.

Continue reading Today's hottest game video: Hellboy trailer

Today's hottest game video: Hellboy trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Warm Up: Coming up next

Jason Wishnov — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Features

Here's a simple question: with all the AAA titles (supposedly) being released in 2007, which one are you actually looking forward to the most? Super Smash Bros. Brawl will certainly be a favorite, but recent hype and an unwavering faith in Miyamoto-san make us want to experience Super Mario Galaxy just a tad bit more. Maybe you're looking for the first truly-done-right first-person shooter on the Wii, courtesy of Metroid Prime 3, or perhaps you simply desire a return to a certain blue hedgehog's former glory in Sonic and the Secret Rings. Maybe we're wrong altogether. If you could have just one of the 2k7 games, which would it be? Which title can you just not live without?

Wii Warm Up: Coming up next originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Feb 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Warm Up: On franchises

Alisha Karabinus — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Controller, Features

Yesterday's news of a DDR game headed Wii-ward got us in the mood to speculate about what other established franchises would work well with the Wiimote. We don't mean ports that "make use" of the Wii controls, though that can be fun, too. We're talking about games that would be really, really perfect. Additionally, the news that DDR will require a dance mat as well as both the Wiimote and nunchuk opens up a world of peripheral possibilities. So what inventive ways can you think of to implement beloved franchises on our beloved console?

Wii Warm Up: On franchises originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 03 Feb 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mystery sequel to be announced shortly?

Jason Wishnov — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Rumors

Japanese mag Nintendo Dream (truly, if only such wondrous publications were here in America as well) has related a tantalizing morsel. According to a ghetto Google translation (check after the break), a successor to a famed and well-known Nintendo franchise is coming to a Wii near you. What could it be? Donkey Kong? Kid Icarus? Such teasing articles are better left unpublished; we lose sleep over this stuff, you know. Cold sweats in the middle of the night kind of stuff.

There will be no posts between 3 and 4 today, due to therapy sessions.

Continue reading Mystery sequel to be announced shortly?

Mystery sequel to be announced shortly? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo holds key to franchise longevity, profitability

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:23:00 EST

Filed under: Business

As noted earlier, a list published by UK newspaper The Independent reveals what many already assume; Nintendo's Mario is the best-selling franchise of all time. Coupled with the second best-selling franchise Pokémon (also a Nintendo property), the two series, which have sold a combined 348 million games worldwide, account for nearly 34% of the total sales of the top-twenty best-selling franchises; which include two additional Nintendo IPs ranked in the top ten, Donkey Kong and Zelda. So what's Nintendo's secret?

Cross-culture appeal, spin-offs (e.g., racers, sports titles, puzzlers), brand saturation (e.g., apparel, card games, TV shows), and E-ratings all appear part of a profitable formula built for the long haul.

Continue reading Nintendo holds key to franchise longevity, profitability

Nintendo holds key to franchise longevity, profitability originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Better on PSP

Steven Bailey — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 07:53:00 EST

Filed under: Killzone, Syphon Filter, Fan Stuff

Sony requires any game ported to the PSP to have extra content not found in other versions of that same title, but that's not what this post is about. A strange thing has happened to game franchises on the PSP, sometimes their best showing is on the portable. Can a franchise that you loathe be loved on the PSP? Well it has happened to me ...twice already.

Syphon Filter is a gaming series that I just couldn't stand on the Playstation or Playstation 2. I disliked the graphics, animation and gameplay of every version I tried. Even fams of Syphon Filter seemed to hate the last one that came out on PS2. So when a Syphon Filter game was announced on PSP, I was as interested in it as I was about castration. When reviews started to pour out that stating the game was incredible I lost respect for every reviewer that enjoyed it. Then one day while adding games to my Gamefly Q I decided to put Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror on the list. I didn't do it because I expected to enjoy the game, but rather so I could validate my hatred for the franchise.

Continued after the jump...

Continue reading Better on PSP

Better on PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Jan 2007 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA's Larry Probst on Wii and PSP development

Zack Stern — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 22:25:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Business

Newsweek's N'Gai Croal has posted two parts of his three-part interview with Larry Probst, CEO of EA. (Part three is due Friday.) Among a few other topics, Probst discusses publishing the same game on multiple platform, and how that strategy fits with -- or doesn't match -- the Wii and PSP.

Probst says that EA doesn't plan any original titles for the PSP; the company will continue making portable versions of its established franchises for that hand-held. The Wii should get 12 or 13 EA games next year, with two or three of them being original Wii titles. (Probst mentions that a Wii-specific version of The Sims fits that original category.)

While any EA support for Nintendo's console is good for gamers, two or three Wii-specific titles seems like a low target for the world's biggest publisher. Madden on the Wii takes a legitimate shot at using motion controls with an old franchise; we hope that EA can pull this off for all of its established titles. But wouldn't the Wii market be best served by shipping five or six original games in the year and skipping the ports? Or is that approach at the expense of EA's business model?

Read:
Loot: The Larry Probst Interview: Part I
Loot: The Larry Probst Interview: Part II

EA's Larry Probst on Wii and PSP development originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Nov 2006 22:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Steel 2 semi-confirmed

Jason Wishnov — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

Sorta kinda maybe. Everyone's favorite overly-hyped-shooter-with-glitchy-aiming-mechanisms-and-unintuitive-combat seems to be gearing up for another go. Ubisoft's Paris division has posted a big digital "Help Wanted" ad on the internet, whose transcript shall be withheld to save the reader from silly BabelFish translation errors. In any case, it asks for a game designer for the "continuation of the Red Steel franchise". There is no direct confirmation that the sequel will be on the Wii, but come on. It's pretty damn obvious.

One must wonder if the world really wants this. If they can iron out the bugs, improve level design, and add more realistic melee combat, maybe they'll have a winner. If not, we'll always have Super Smash Bros. Brawl to fall back on, right?

Red Steel 2 semi-confirmed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why gamers buy sequels

Zack Stern — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business

2old2play editorializes about sequels and why gamers keep buying them. Last year, EA released one all-new game among 25 sequels, which saved the company significant development costs on new titles. But the article makes an interesting guess about why gamers support a marketplace of sequels -- complicated controls.

Some gamers like adapting skills from the previous generation to the next version of the game, rather than re-learning everything. We often overlook the value in that familiarity; many gamers don't have time to start over with all-new titles. (We, of course, spend all day playing games.)

We always go back to the chicken-and-egg question of sequels -- are publishers producing sequels because gamers buy them, or are gamers buying them because they dominate the release lineup?

[Via digg]

Why gamers buy sequels originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Film and TV tie-in MMOs on the way

Jennie Lees — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO, Business

MMO platform startup Multiverse recently announced that movie-makers James Cameron and Jon Landau have joined its board of directors, and this has some interesting implications for the future of MMOs and other entertainment media. While movie tie-in games are ten a penny, and franchised MMOs lurk around every corner, Cameron has a more ambitious project up his sleeve.

The plan? Before releasing an upcoming sci-fi flick, Cameron intends to create a tie-in MMO that will get players hooked on the film's setting--think advergame, franchise and viral promotion rolled into one. Similarly, Multiverse is in talks with a TV network to create a related MMO that will help viewers get closer to their favourite characters.

The numbers look appealing; Multiverse's low-cost approach means that franchises and developers who have been shying away from the MMO bandwagon can jump without sacrificing millions of dollars on an experiment. However, this could have its downsides--we may end up seeing an endless parade of cookie-cutter MMOs that equate IP with instant revenue without much thought for gameplay or originality.

Hopefully this won't happen; it's up to Multiverse, and Cameron's novel tie-in, to set the scene for the future. Their MMOs will be competing with standalone franchised products, and it will be a battle for player revenue well worth witnessing. However, the big question is: when will Uwe Boll get wind of this?

Film and TV tie-in MMOs on the way originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Feb 2006 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Franchises: to MMOG or not to MMOG?

Jennie Lees — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Online, RPGs

What are the merits of making major intellectual properties, such as Star Trek or Harry Potter, into MMORPGs? This issue is being debated over at MMORPG.com, and there are some compelling arguments. From an investor's point of view, having an established fan base and well-trodden publicity channels means that the MMO comes with instant appeal.

However, the more high-profile the franchise, the more players expect out of it. Not everyone can be Captain Kirk or Harry Potter, and yet everyone wants to fulfil their daydreams. Worlds brought to life primarily in books might not turn out quite how fans expect them to; worlds visualised in movies have missing depth which needs addressing.

Fundamentally, as Dana Massey points out, it comes down to whether fans love the franchise because of its story, or because of its world. Harry Potter fans are caught up in Harry's story; Star Trek fans have an entire universe to play with. When checking out a new MMO's setting, ask yourself: do I care about this because of the famous characters, or because of the world?

[via Wonderland]

Franchises: to MMOG or not to MMOG? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Jan 2006 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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