Joystiq

TimeGate sues SouthPeak for alleged breaches in publishing agreement

Justin McElroy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST

Chalk up another frustrated party accusing SouthPeak of wrongdoing. The company has been sued by Section 8 developer TimeGate, which alleges that the publisher has withheld royalty payments and entered into a PS3 licensing deal on the game with Russian company IC, an arrangement that TimeGate claims SouthPeak had no right to make.

In legal documents obtained by Joystiq, TimeGate also alleges that this SouthPeak T-shirt promotion was unauthorized, that the publisher had mislead TimeGate about sales figures and that the publisher has stated it should not have to adhere to TimeGate's original agreement, as it had been made with Gamecock, which SouthPeak purchased in late 2008. We've reached out to SouthPeak for comment.

If you prefer your language far more formal, the lawsuit puts it like this: "[SouthPeak] failed to provide a sufficient sales report, withheld royalty payments and did not adhere to the obligation to act in good faith and fair dealing when they established the sham transaction in order to deprive TimeGate of royalties despite the special relationship between the parties and being in a position of trust."

No specific amount is mentioned in the suit, with TimeGate asking only for "compensatory damages in an amount to be determined" following an independent audit of Section 8's sales.

TimeGate sues SouthPeak for alleged breaches in publishing agreement originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SouthPeak doubles game sales in 2009 amid dropping profits

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:30:00 EST

Though SouthPeak is keen to point out that its net revenues rose from last year by $7.2 million, the company's profits for the year remain firmly in the red, with a $12.1 million posted loss for the 2009 fiscal year ending June 30. SouthPeak's loss report comes confusingly paired with a 100% increase in units sold from fiscal year 2008 (from 1.2 to 2.4 million units) -- 2009's posted $12.1 net loss gets explained away by "approximately $12.5 million invested in game development and intellectual property for future title releases," among other things.

The report also allows "$1.6 million of expenses relating to the Gamecock acquisition," hopefully some of which went to paying Gamecock debt now owed by SouthPeak -- this on top of another $4.6 million or so for "charges relating to write-downs on software values and sequel right values to certain titles." Unsurprisingly, the publisher hopes that upcoming titles Two Worlds 2 and My Baby: First Steps, as well as a "highly-anticipated sequel to Dementium," will bolster its next fiscal year. We're just hoping the games the company does sell will actually garner some profit this time around.

SouthPeak doubles game sales in 2009 amid dropping profits originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamecock acquisition goes south - vendors accuse SouthPeak of not paying up

Ludwig Kietzmann — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST

Created by industry entrepreneurs Mike Wilson, Rick Stults and Harry Miller, the Gamecock Media Group set out to buck-buck-buck the trend -- a perceived sequence of retreads, rehashes and remakes that characterized a rapidly expanding games industry. The games were undoubtedly indie, the choices bizarre and the rooster costumes touted by Wilson and the gang were just plain weird. But not nearly as weird as the David vs. Goliath scenario that ended with the lowly rock slinger shaking hands with his imposing foe.

But in October of 2008, SouthPeak Interactive Corporation stepped out of the role of opposition, instead donning the chivalrous and sharply dressed persona of corporate savior. A shaky economy had compelled Gamecock's main investor to tighten the belt, an act which former Gamecock CEO (and subsequent co-founder of Devolver Digital) Mike Wilson deemed a swift and unexpected crisis. "He and his board decided that with their main business bleeding so badly, they needed to cut off anything 'ancillary'," Wilson said, "such as his investment in outside businesses, one of which was our company." With the timing sitting uncomfortably close to the Christmas rush and promising titles like Legendary and Mushroom Men on the verge of completion, Gamecock needed help.

"And suddenly there was NO money. So, we literally had to find someone to acquire us immediately ... someone who knew the business, could see the imminent revenues versus liabilities, and move very fast." And for a Goliath, SouthPeak was pretty fast. "A week later, we were bought, and all we could do was put on a happy face and hope for the best."

Continue reading Gamecock acquisition goes south - vendors accuse SouthPeak of not paying up

Gamecock acquisition goes south - vendors accuse SouthPeak of not paying up originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get your one-liner in Serious Sam HD by using Twitter

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:00:00 EST

(click to Sam-size)

Here's the thing -- we already told you pretty much everything you need to know in the headline up top. Sure, we could expand on it a bit and tell you that the company producing Serious Sam HD, Devolver Digital, will be accepting entries via its Twitter account from July 15 to July 30. We could remind you that the producers are Gamecock and Gathering of Developers veterans Mike Wilson and Harry Miller -- known for storming Ken Levine and spawning Hail to the Chimp.

We could even let you know that the only way to find out if your one-liner is going to be voiced by Serious Sam voice actor John J. Dick is to follow the aforementioned Devolver Twitter account or the game's publisher's account, Majesco, in "early August." But why would we do all that?

... Dammit!

Gallery: Serious Sam: The First Encounter HD

Get your one-liner in Serious Sam HD by using Twitter originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamecock, Gathering of Developers founders re-emerge as Devolver Digital

Christopher Grant — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:45:00 EST

Following the sale of Gamecock to Southpeak last October, merry pranksters - and co-founders of both Gamecock and Gathering of Developers - Mike Wilson and Harry Miller have re-emerged as Devolver Digital. Devolver Digital is described as "a brand new production and publishing company based in Austin, Texas, specialising in delivering top quality entertainment to gamers worldwide at affordable prices by any and all means available."

First spotted by Big Download this morning, tucked away in the Serious Sam XBLA remake news, Wilson confirmed his and Miller's involvement in the startup telling our sister site, "We're basically acting as the production company for the XBLA game, since we are not an official MSFT publisher yet, and will be publishing the PC version of the games." Video game historians will recall that Gathering of Developers published the original Serious Sam in 2001 and Croteam retains the intellectual property rights, giving them the ability to work with Wilson and Miller on this latest incarnation of the blow-up-big-things simulator. Majesco is serving as publisher of the XBLA release, which will be released "late summer" for 1200 Microsoft Points ($15).

Gallery: Serious Sam: The First Encounter HD

Gamecock, Gathering of Developers founders re-emerge as Devolver Digital originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirates vs. Ninjas (vs. Mushroom Men) Dodgeball coming May 12

JC Fletcher — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST

SouthPeak just announced a release date for the retail Wii version of its XBLA sports/fighting/party game, Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball. Obviously the game didn't make its winter release, but finally, on May 12, Wii owners will be able to pit internet memes against each other, in order to determine, once and for all, who can take a hit to the face better. With the Wii version, naturally, you'll be able to use motion control to deliver those hits to faces.

According to the game's official site, the Wii version allows you to pick between the following teams: Pirates, Ninjas (of course!), Zombies, Robots, Aliens, Monsters ... and Mushroom Men. We missed those guys!

Pirates vs. Ninjas (vs. Mushroom Men) Dodgeball coming May 12 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Velvet Assassin coming April 28, Achievements revealed

Justin McElroy — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:15:00 EST

We don't understand the types who want to dig through achievement lists before a game's even out. Though they're occasionally enlightening, they're far more often spoilery, dull or just plain confusing. This list of Velvet Assassin achievements is no exception.

So, why are we taking up your precious bytes with this article? Well, the achievement list from 360sync also includes the official release date for the game: April 28. So, you know ... plan accordingly.

Gallery: Velvet Assassin

Velvet Assassin coming April 28, Achievements revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firefly delays Dungeon Hero, says game 'lives on'

Jason Dobson — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST

Now, there's no easy way to break this to you, so we're just going to come out and say it. Dungeon Hero, one of the last remaining remnants of Gamecock's feathery empire, has been delayed. For how long, we can't say, though Firefly Studios assures us that the tongue-in-cheek dungeon crawler still "lives on."

According to the developer, Gamecock's purchase last October "created a number of challenges" for Firefly, forcing the company to put off the game's eventual release. Still, the dev has confidence in the property, writing on its site that in addition to Dungeon Hero, the studio is also working on "a couple of exciting projects built around the Dungeon Hero universe." Firefly also teases that it may be announcing a new Stronghold game in the "very near future." Until then, keep your chin up. It's not all bad.

Firefly delays Dungeon Hero, says game 'lives on' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Renegade Kid buries Dracula, working on something new

Jason Dobson — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:02:00 EST

Moon developer Renegade Kid has pulled its fangs out of the Count's supple neck, revealing in a post on the company's website that the secret "Dracula" game it had been working on with Gamecock "is no longer in development."

The post goes on to say that the IP is still owned by Renegade Kid, and the company is open the revisiting the project "should an opportunity to resurrect Son of the Dragon present itself in the future." Having only now become aware of the game's true name, with little else known of the rumored Wii project beyond some early artwork from last August it's difficult to feel too drained by this news.

The same goes for Renegade Kid, it seems, with studio boss Jools Watsham brushing aside the news with a standard 'no comment,' telling us instead that the studio's "current focus is on the development of our new game, which we'll have more news on soon." Whatever it is, we hope his excitement is enough to pull the stake out of players' broken hearts.

Renegade Kid buries Dracula, working on something new originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Velvet Assassin box art is explosive, leathery

Dustin Burg — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST

click to experience enlargementSouthpeak Games and Replay Studios' Velvet Assassin has been taking the whole stealth concept a bit too literal, remaining quiet about game specifics and release date details. But that doesn't mean the box art has to stay hidden. Viewable here, the packaging artwork is one part BOOM!, equal part black leather and a dash of average.

We're also informed that our good friend Peter Chung (who really isn't our pal, but we fantasize to be our drinking buddy) partnered with SouthPeak by putting together a 15+ page graphic novel that will be gifted to those who pre-order Velvet Assassin at GameStop. Chung will also contribute to the game's sure to be sexually charged storyline.

Did we mention this game remains too stealth for our liking?

Velvet Assassin box art is explosive, leathery originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Gamecock founder in talks to purchase Hardcore Gamer mag

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business

We always secretly enjoyed the low-brow hijinx the fellas over at Gamecock Media Group frequently found themselves carrying out -- particularly the monkeyshines of the indie dev's CEO, Mike Wilson. We were appropriately bummed when Gamecock was bought out by publisher Southpeak, but we had an inkling that we hadn't seen the last of Wilson. If recent rumors are true, he'll be making a reappearance soon enough, bringing his inimitable brand of tomfoolery to the esteemed realm of gaming journalism.

Of course, Wilson couldn't enter said realm under unremarkable circumstances -- New York Times recently ran an article about Hardcore Gamer, the mag that was on the eBay auction block earlier in the month, in which they revealed that "an entrepreneur who had recently sold his video game business" purchased the mag minutes before the auction closed. Wilson, who fits this mold, confirmed to Kotaku that he has been in talks with the mag's owner, but denied that he was dropping the 42 G's required to purchase it.

Whatever dealings that did go down are expected to be finalized by the end of this week -- hopefully, we'll be finding out more about the fate of Hardcore Gamer (and Wilson's presumptive involvement) soon.

Rumor: Gamecock founder in talks to purchase Hardcore Gamer mag originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh snap! Mushroom Men dev has Deadly words

JC Fletcher — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: News

In an interview with MTV Multiplayer, Dan Borth, lead developer on Red Fly Studio's Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars, offers his thoughts on the market for "core" Wii games, his own game's chances on a system dominated by Wii Fit and such, and designing a game to be accessible to a wide and varied audience.

Oh, and he calls out Deadly Creatures. When asked if he's familiar with Rainbow Studios' critter-based brawler, Borth responded with: "I have heard about Deadly Creatures. I have many opinions on that game, especially how it came into being right after THQ received our pitch document for Mushroom Men. I will let you draw your own conclusions."

We can't say if there really was any such malevolent behavior behind the conception of Deadly Creatures, but oh snap just the same. And while we may not have seen a parallel before, now that he mentions it, they're both 3D action/fighting games about small creatures adventuring, unseen, in the human world. But we still think Creatures could turn out awesome.

Oh snap! Mushroom Men dev has Deadly words originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Renegade Kid teases new project

Chris Greenhough — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Video

We like Renegade Kid. As the name behind Dementium (flawed, but still fun and hella scary) and the extremely promising Moon, the studio is shaping up to be one of the success stories of this generation.

And now they're coming back with a brand new game for the DS! Or the Wii! We don't really know, because if Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham tells us anything about this new project, somebody will probably have to kill him, or something. All he'll reveal is that the project is "the game I'm most excited about ever in my career." Wow. For what it's worth, we snooped around on Renegade Kid's job postings page like the ace sleuths that we are, and found them looking for a DS level designer.

Those minor, minor clues aside, it's a mystery for now, but going on past form, there's a chance some very cool 3D technology will be involved.

Renegade Kid teases new project originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One legendary Legendary demo now on the XBLM

Dustin Burg — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live Marketplace

Today, Spark Unlimited figured they'd gift us with a surprising, out of nowhere gift that has left us in the awkward position of not having anything to give back.

The gift, a 748MB Legendary demo that can be downloaded via the Xbox Live Marketplace. And seeing that this demo was sprung on us so suddenly, the only holiday gift we can give in return would be our actual downloading of the demo. So, that'll have to do. You've been gifted a Legendary demo, now gift back by actually playing it. It's only right.

[Via Major Nelson]

One legendary Legendary demo now on the XBLM originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The provocative outfits of Velvet Assassin

Dustin Burg — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

Replay Studios' Velvet Assassin will be making its way to retail sometime in 2009 and to tide us over the holidays, were were just sent a rather revealing set of pictures. Umm, very revealing.

Viewable in the gallery below are pictures and descriptions of four different outfits Violet will strategically wear during her Nazi busting adventures in Velvet Assassin. And before you question the need for having four different outfits, ask yourself a few simple questions: When isn't leather a good thing? How much do you enjoy night dresses?

The provocative outfits of Velvet Assassin originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview: Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars

Chris Greenhough — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Metareview

We've been raving about Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars for the best part of a year. Starved of a top-drawer platformer since Mario did his thing in oh-seven, hopes are high in these parts for Red Fly's platformer. The big question: can the gameplay match the undoubtedly stellar art design (as seen in the latest trailer above)? Let's copy and paste text to find out together:

Official Nintendo Magazine UK (86%) provides the most effusive review to date: "It'd have a Gold Award but for the camera. That aside, it's pretty wonderful." [Dec 2008, p.75]

Game Informer (58%) is less enamored (in its really, really short review): "Mushroom Men has a few things going for it, like cool characters and clever sound design. Unfortunately, none of the good stuff has any bearing on the gameplay, which is a total mess. The camera is awful, the level designs are boring, and combat is comprised of whipping the remote around and hoping that you hit something."

Nintendo Power (80%) found it to be vintage platforming fungi: "If you're hungry for some classic 3-D platforming, Mushroom Men is definitely worth checking out." [Holiday 2008, p.84]

1UP (C) thinks it's just a pretty face, and is reminded of generic PS1 platformers (surely it's not as bad as Croc?): "The rich presentation fills out its role in the game just fine, but the core mechanics simply can't back it up. Visually intriguing environments break down to straightforward platforming and switch-flipping puzzles; inspired design rears its head every now and then, but -- by and large -- Mushroom Men's stages are anything but progressive, falling right alongside a forgotten swath of PS1 platformers."

Metareview: Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mushroom Men: Radical Weapons for Tiny Overkill

JC Fletcher — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Screens

We conclude our exploration of Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars' freaky arsenal this week with two categories of weapons: thrusting weapons and Radical! Weapons. The idea of a thrusting weapon is fairly simple to understand: it's a pointy thing of some kind on a stick, and your mushroom uses it to poke at stuff.

Radical! Weapons are special weapons that have limited ammunition and are used at certain specific points in a level to obscure a hole in the wall or otherwise destroy an area that is the source of repeated enemy spawns. They're slightly more sadistic and demented than the normal weapons. And by "sadistic and demented" we mean "a flamethrower made from a match, a whistle, an aspirator, and a football bobblehead."

Mushroom Men: Radical Weapons for Tiny Overkill originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mushroom Men: Delay of the Fungi

Alisha Karabinus — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

We've been gearing up for the Rise of the Fungi, prepping our weapons, messing up perfectly good clothing, and what do we get for our efforts? The DS title, originally slated for, uh, last month, has been delayed. Surprised? Not if you were paying attention, but happily, we can report that the game is now scheduled for December 2. Let's just hope Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi doesn't get lost in the holiday crush. We've got our fingers crossed for this one.

Mushroom Men: Delay of the Fungi originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mushroom Men: The Spore Wait

JC Fletcher — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: News

Unfortunately, we can no longer claim that Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars is one of the most promising games of this fall -- not because we've changed our minds about the game or anything, but because it's no longer a game of this fall. Gamecock announced that both the DS and Wii Mushroom Men games have been delayed to December 2nd. The Spore Wars was originally planned for this month, following an October release of the DS Rise of the Fungi.

Provided that Mushroom Men actually comes out this holiday season, it could do well as the only major platformer being released on the Wii (that doesn't star a werehog). Or we could be wrong and it could be swallowed by the mass of holiday releases in general! The point is, one of those processes will begin in December.

Mushroom Men: The Spore Wait originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mushroom Men: Rise of the Exploding Canisters

JC Fletcher — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Screens

The final installment in our look at the hacked-together weapons in Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi on the DS brings some more second-generation weapons -- items that a Mushroom Man thought was okay at killing other mushrooms, but could be better. And then in come the compressed air canisters and electric motors. It takes a big brain to come up with this kind of stuff, and luckily Mushroom Men happen to have enormous, umbrella-shaped canopies in which to hold said brains.

Have a look around our Mushroom Men weapons gallery to learn the "recipes" behind the game's hand-crafted mini-disasterpieces. In addition, two new screenshots from the DS game can be found in our main Mushroom Men gallery.

Mushroom Men: Rise of the Exploding Canisters originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mushroom Men and Mushroom Minigames

JC Fletcher — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: Screens

Screens of Red Fly Studio's Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars are, in general, a joy to look at, not just because of technically lovely graphics, but because of creepy mood lighting and the ridiculous detail that went into modeling the mundane world in which the little guys wage their battles. We have kind of a systematic distrust of screenshots, but we've seen Mushroom Men and we can confirm that it looks great.

These screens feature the same level we've seen previously, but it's the one with the giant mutated bunnies, so we don't mind. We're looking forward to the game's release so we can see more environments, though. There's also a puzzle-based minigame that appears to be based on Pipe Dream -- we're guessing it's the one on the minigame menu titled "Morel Mine Car." We'll try not to dwell on it. Nothing wrong with minigames, but we really hope we aren't forced to play Pipe Dream.

Mushroom Men and Mushroom Minigames originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mushroom Men: The Tools of the Spore Wars -- Part 2: Slashing

JC Fletcher — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Screens

Our second set of weapons from Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars shows how a resourceful mushroom can turn everyday items into slashing weapons. There was always potential for extreme pain in items like bottle caps and pull tabs; it just took the right amount of good old alien-ray-enhanced ingenuity to realize that potential in the form of weaponry. Yes, pretty much the first thing these mushrooms have done after gaining intelligence is to learn how to kill each other. Oh, well, it works out for us, because we'll get to play a game with all these cool weapons in it.

In addition to the seven new items in our weapons gallery, our main Mushroom Men gallery has two new screenshots.

Mushroom Men: The Tools of the Spore Wars -- Part 2: Slashing originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Fly talks Mushroom Men

Chris Greenhough — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Screens

We're amazed that Red Fly has managed to finish Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars in time for its November 11th release. Whenever we check in on the game, someone from the studio always seems to be showing the press the latest build, or taking gamers behind the scenes, or chatting to us. Sincerely though, we appreciate the attention, chaps (and Shiggy never returns our calls).

Interactions Design Lead James Clarendon is the latest to be thrust in front of the camera and show off Red Fly's baby, and a mighty fine job he does too. Amongst other things, Clarendon shows us the tutorial level, the clever home-made weapons, the slightly grotesque life meter, and the "SCAV" system. You may have seen much of this before if you've been following the game closely, but now it's all condensed into this one walkthrough. And when is it not a good time to watch Mushroom Men? Never, that's when.

[Via press release]

Red Fly talks Mushroom Men originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mushroom Men: Improvised Arsenal of the Fungi

JC Fletcher — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Screens

Last week on Wii Fanboy, we featured some of the crazy weapons that can be cobbled together in Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars. Its side-scrolling DS cohort, Rise of the Fungi, features the same SCAV system for building an artillery out of garbage and found items, and this week we'll have a look at some of the options your sentient mushroom pal can use to defend himself from other mushroom tribes, environmental hazards, and mutant insects. There's also a new screen from Rise of the Fungi.

Some of the weapons in this week's gallery are second-generation SCAV items -- two items crammed together to make one weapon, then augmented with extra junk added to remake them into something more deadly.

Mushroom Men: Improvised Arsenal of the Fungi originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SouthPeak buys Gamecock

Justin McElroy — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:55:00 EST

Filed under: Business

Tired of the pranks of Gamecock staffers, like rushing the stage when Ken Levine got his VGA or charging money for Hail to the Chimp? Well, it seems like you won't have them to kick around anymore: SouthPeak, the publisher of a slew of adventure games and some second-tier console releases, announced this morning that they had acquired the Gamecock Media Group.

With the frequency of consolidation in the industry, we're sad to see any independent company bought out, but this one sucks double, because CEO Mike Wilson is such an interesting character to have around. We only wish Gamecock had done their talking with their games instead of their comical hats.

SouthPeak buys Gamecock originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mushroom Men: The Tools of the Spore Wars

JC Fletcher — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:21:00 EST

Filed under: News, Screens

Easily one of the most interesting aspects of Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars is its weapon creation system. Since your mushroom warriors are teensy, everyday household items and junk found on the ground can be made into deadly weapons. Mushroom Men's "SCAV" system allows you to combine found items into various types of weapons.

This week, we have an exclusive gallery featuring examples of the game's "bashing" weapons -- heavy melee weapons built from seemingly useless items like a pipe, sardine can keys, and even a toy Viking. It's almost guaranteed to give you a new way to look at your living room: as an ad-hoc arsenal in the making. In our main Mushroom Men gallery, we've also got a few new in-game screenshots!

Mushroom Men: The Tools of the Spore Wars originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kicking over some Mushroom Men

Alisha Karabinus — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Screens

The latest screens from the quirky Mushroom Men have forced us to ponder a number of alternate titles for the forthcoming title from Red Fly Studio. Les Claypool's Mushroom Men would work, or Trash Men, Pool Floaty Men or Sumo Men, or -- no, actually, Mushroom Men works best. This entire post goes a long way toward explaining why we write about video games rather than writing actual video games. Just go look at the screens.

And yes, JC, that does appear to be a jackalope.

Kicking over some Mushroom Men originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese hospitals want Dementium off store shelves

Chris Greenhough — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

Dementium: The Ward hit Japan this year (along with a colorful launch event for the game), yet is now enduring its first public outcry in the country. According to Yahoo! News (and Google's translation tools), the Japanese Association of Psychiatric Hospitals has requested that the title be removed from shops instantly, arguing that the game could instigate "discrimination and prejudice" against sufferers of psychiatric disorders.

Interchannel distributes the game in Japan, and has yet to comment, but Mike Wilson of [U.S. publisher] Gamecock did proffer a view to MTV Multiplayer, stating that the criticism is down to a "lack of understanding or appreciation (and therefore fear of) games outside our little sub-culture." He also confessed to being "thrilled" by the extra attention the game has enjoyed as a result; as the game failed to penetrate the Japanese top 30, we know what he means.

[Via MTV Multiplayer]

Japanese hospitals want Dementium off store shelves originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Velvet Assassin delayed until early 2009

Jason Dobson — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Gamecock's Velvet Assassin needs to polish its blades a bit longer before it's ready. Previously announced as a fall release, the silky stealth-action title stumbled on something in the shadows, falling back until sometime early next year.

According to Eurogamer, the move was made to make both the European and US launches more in line, while giving German dev Replay Studios more time to iron out any wrinkles in the fabric instead of rushing to add to the glut of an already crowded holiday shopping season.

Velvet Assassin delayed until early 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Velvet Assassin eyes a 2009 release

Dustin Burg — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: News

In an effort to stay clear of the jam packed holiday releases and give themselves more development time, Replay Studios has just revealed that ~~Sabotage~~ Velvet Assassin has been pushed back into early 2009. Previously, Velvet Assassin and her stealthy moves were supposed to release to retail sometime this Fall. Maybe 2009 will be the year of the Velvet Assassin? Maybe? Possibly? No? Eh?

Velvet Assassin eyes a 2009 release originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: Putting on our thinking caps in Mushroom Men

JC Fletcher — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Features

Gamecock graciously sent a preview copy of Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi, allowing me to play it in an environment as non-E3-like as possible: my own home. And now, playing through it again, I've found that the only real problem I had with my initial playthrough isn't actually a problem at all. Which leaves nothing but cool platforming. I played through the initial few levels and found my mushroom hero guy saving the world by, uh, knocking over some cans! And moving a shoe full of mosquitoes! And then a fish got in my way and I couldn't make any more progress. Fish.

What won't come through in screens is just how nice the game looks. The bizarre lighting effects and high framerate lend Mushroom Men an extraordinarily crisp appearance that is especially nice for DS 3D.

Continue reading Preview: Putting on our thinking caps in Mushroom Men

Preview: Putting on our thinking caps in Mushroom Men originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Gin Rummy, Shred Nebula, Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: X3F TV

XBLA is packed to the brim this week with three full releases landing on the Xbox 360's download service. All told, we have Gin Rummy, Shred Nebula, and Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball. One of them is a wacky sports game, one is a space shooter, and one is a card game. See if you can guess which is which! Failing that, you could always just watch the latest episode and find out if any of these are worth your time and money.

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X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Gin Rummy, Shred Nebula, Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBLA triplets are born: PvN Dodgeball, Shred Nebula, Gin Rummy

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live Arcade

It was once rare for Xbox Live Arcade to receive two games in a single week. Heck, it was once rare for XBLA to receive one game in a single week. And here we are, getting three in one week. All told we have Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball, Shred Nebula, and Gin Rummy. So, we've got a party sports game, a space shooter and a card game. The only question now is whether or not anyone will want to open their wallents after the veritable treasure trove of games that dropped in August. Both PvN Dodgeball and Shred Nebula will set you back 800 Microsoft Points. Gin Rummy is a mere 400. All three are now available on Marketplace for your perusal.

Gallery: Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball (XBLA)

Gallery: Shred Nebula (XBLA)

XBLA triplets are born: PvN Dodgeball, Shred Nebula, Gin Rummy originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on: PvN Dodgeball's new multiplayer modes

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Xbox Live Arcade, X3F Features

We recently got a chance to play some dodgeball with Blazing Lizard. Specifically, we're talking about the company's new Xbox Live Arcade game, Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball. Even more specifically, we got a chance to try out the game's various multiplayer modes. Those following the game may recall that originally the game was to contain only a no-rules, non-traditional version of dodgeball, but Blazing Lizard decided to delay the title in order to add some more traditional modes. We got to try out both of these new modes as well as the original free form mode known as Combat Dodgeball. Read on for our hands-on impressions of each mode.

Hands-on: PvN Dodgeball's new multiplayer modes originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBLA Threefer this week: Shred Nebula, PvN Dodgeball, Gin Rummy

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live Arcade

This week on Xbox Live Arcade we get not one, not two, but three new games. Lined up in a row -- like so many ducks -- we have:

Shred Nebula (800 / $10)
Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball (800 / $10)
Gin Rummy (400 / $5)

Shred Nebula is a space shooter that utilizes strafing mechanics instead of the twin-stick format we've become used to in games like Geometry Wars. It also boasts online dogfights for 8 players. Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball is ... um ... dodgeball. It now sports three different gameplay modes -- in addition to the single-player story mode -- and can be played by up to 8 players. Finally, there's Gin Rummy, which is ... Gin Rummy. It supports 4 players online and contains six different versions of Rummy.

Will any of these wind up on your digital shelf?

Source -- Shred Nebula on Xbox.com
Source -- Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball on Xbox.com
Source -- Gin Rummy on Xbox.com (not live as of this posting)

XBLA Threefer this week: Shred Nebula, PvN Dodgeball, Gin Rummy originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Wednesday: XBLA dodges balls, plays cards and ... shreds nebulas?

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

We don't even know what that means, honestly. What you just read is the nonsensical result of Microsoft deciding to unleash three thematically varied games on Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday. How are we supposed to tie a space shooter, a card game and a meme-based dodgeball game into a coherent headline? Oh, and just wait till you get to the part where we explain what each game entails. Here we go:

The showdown between pirates and ninjas (also, robots and zombies) begins in earnest with the release of Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball, a lighthearted celebration of long-dead cultures and non-fatal projectiles. The game and its 8-player online matches can be had for 800 ($10).

Similarly priced is Shred Nebula, which immediately defies expectations by being utterly devoid of guitar-playing space clouds. In fact, it offers "deep multiplayer space combat" for up to eight players online, along with Adventure, Score Attack and Deathmatch modes.

Finally, there's the online-capable and sufficiently self-explanatory Gin Rummy for 400 ($5). That about does it for this paragraph.

Gallery: Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball

Gallery: Shred Nebula (XBLA)

This Wednesday: XBLA dodges balls, plays cards and ... shreds nebulas? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Renegade Kid releases art for mysterious new game

JC Fletcher — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:38:00 EST

Filed under: News

Dementium: The Ward and Moon developers Renegade Kid have announced that they're partnering again with Gamecock for their next game. The platform isn't explicitly specified for this new project (nor is anything else), but Renegade Kid has references to their "next original title for the Wii" in job postings, and only the Wii and DS logos appear on their website, so it's a fairly short logical jump to assign this new game to the Wii.

The new game is based on "one of the biggest horror icons of all time," and, like the platform, it doesn't seem too hard to figure out. The cool stencil-style teaser art features a caped character, a full moon, and a bunch of bats. The Gamecock logo is even sporting some little fangs! Also the character appears to have Texas for a hand, but that may not be related to the character's lore.

[Via IGN]

Renegade Kid releases art for mysterious new game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball Wii: it's official

JC Fletcher — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: News, Screens

Gamecock pseudo-unofficially confirmed the existence of a Wii version of the Xbox Live Arcade Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball during E3. Today, they sent out an official press release announcing their intent to release the Wii Dodgeball this winter.

Aside from the obvious difference in which box you turn on to play it, the Wii version of the meme-off will feature new teams (we're hoping for bloggers), new game types including story and challenge modes, and multiple control schemes.

Included in the press release are the first three screens, which look, unsurprisingly, like the Xbox game in lower resolution. Which, for the simple, cartoony environments and character models, is just fine.

Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball Wii: it's official originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball coming to Wii

Justin McElroy — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Sports

Just a week or so before the game lands on XBLA, we get word that Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball will be coming to the Wii this winter. In addition to eight-player, seven-team pirate-on-ninja action, the Wii version will include "all-new story and challenge modes, along with several customized control schemes." We don't know how much they'll be asking, but with the 800 point XBLA asking price, we're hoping for "not a heck of a lot more than $10."

Wow, PS2, PSP and now XBLA. What can't you port onto that thing?

Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball coming to Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Legendary officially out by end of September

Majed Athab — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: New Releases, News

Don't be fooled, "end of September" is not being vague ... It just sounds much nicer than saying "September 30" -- which just so happens to be the exact release date. You can expect to see the Pandora's Box FPS, Legendary, out on store shelves by then. In the meantime, you can spend the time waiting for that day by reading our hands-on, and by having a little preview of the 96-page Legendary graphic novel. See a pic of that after the break.

Continue reading Legendary officially out by end of September

Legendary officially out by end of September originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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