Joystiq

Defense Grid 2 development under way, coming first half of 2014

David Hinkle — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST

Hidden Path Entertainment has announced development of Defense Grid 2 is currently underway, with a targeted launch on Steam for PC, Mac and Linux in the first half of 2014.

When the Defense Grid 2 Kickstarter campaign launched, the team at Hidden Path Entertainment didn't know exactly if they'd be able to produce a sequel. The campaign had a goal of $250,000, which was met, but the team was really looking for $1 million to fund a full sequel. Hidden Path fell short of that goal but thanks to an angel investor, the sequel is now under way.

The $250,000 goal of the Defense Grid 2 Kickstarter campaign was to fund Defense Grid: Containment, an expansion pack to the original Defense Grid: The Awakening. Hidden Path shipped the expansion earlier this year, which caught the eye of the unknown investor who secured funding for Defense Grid 2.

"You guys supported us, an investor saw your support, saw us make promises to you, saw us keep those promises to you and, after Containment shipped, they decided to partner with us and invest in Defense Grid 2 so that we have enough money to make the game," CEO Jeff Pobst says. COO Jim Garbarini added that Defense Grid 2 is "fully funded and moving forward." Kickstarter backers will receive a free copy of Defense Grid 2 when it ships, the duo confirmed.

Defense Grid: The Awakening is a tower-defense game that made its debut in 2008 on the PC and was ported to the Xbox 360 the following year. In the game, players must defend military bases from waves of encroaching alien enemies through strategic placement of defense towers.

Defense Grid 2 development under way, coming first half of 2014 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Defense Grid: Containment set for Jan. 23 launch

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:15:00 EST

Defense Grid: Containment, originally expected in December, now has a solid release date of January 23. Containment is an expansion to the tower defense game Defense Grid: The Awakening.

It includes 8 levels that bridge the gap between The Awakening and its upcoming sequel, and features voice work from Ming-Na Wen of ER (and Mulan) fame, as well as Alan Tudyk of being Alan Tudyk fame. Furthermore, Containment includes four user-created maps chosen from the Defense Grid community.

Last year, Containment began as a Kickstarter project to help fund Defense Grid 2. While the project did surpass its $250,000 goal, it never hit the cool $1 million that developer Hidden Path sought to fully fund a sequel. Project backers will still receive Defense Grid 2 whenever it is completed.

Containment will be available on Steam for $5 individually, or as part of a bundle with Defense Grid and all of its DLC for $20.

Gallery: Defense Grid - Containment

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Defense Grid: Containment set for Jan. 23 launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Counter-Strike GO is half-price on Xbox Live today

Sinan Kubba — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 13:00:00 EST

After a stash of on-sale games in yesterday's deal, today's Xbox Live Countdown to 2013 sale is suffering with the old post-Xmas-Day hangover. It's managed to drag itself on to the couch, but it's only brought a half-price Counter-Strike Global Offensive with it before dozing into a drooling slumber on the arm rest.

Nonetheless, the XBLA version of Counter-Strike GO can be yours for 600 MSP today. Back in August, Xav gave the PC version 4 out of 5 stars in his review, praising it for extending the Counter-Strike legacy of "simpler multiplayer action."

Counter-Strike GO is half-price on Xbox Live today originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Dec 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Counter-Strike Global Offensive review: Come at the king, you best not miss

Xav de Matos — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:00:00 EST

At a certain point, developer Valve became the new Capcom and Counter-Strike became its Street Fighter 2. Rather than take the series in a completely new direction, Valve has decided instead to make adjustments to Counter-Strike over time and release it in various versions across multiple platforms over the years.

What has worked in the past - and works again here - is that these adjustments never bump up against the franchise's key element: the simple culture of good versus evil. It's terrorists versus counter-terrorists, and that's it. There's a simplicity to the formula that modern multiplayer shooters have recoiled from. Today, it's all about progression of the individual player, which often pushes them away from what should be a team-oriented experience. Counter-Strike has always nailed the team dynamic, because going it alone is a much riskier proposition when a single spawn is in the balance.

There are certainly some new elements in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but they are based on classic components found in Counter-Strike's culture.

Gallery: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (9/22/11)

Continue reading Counter-Strike Global Offensive review: Come at the king, you best not miss

Counter-Strike Global Offensive review: Come at the king, you best not miss originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Full Counter-Strike: Global Offensive trailer uses more ammo

Mike Suszek — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST

In case you missed the Source Filmmaker-based teaser trailer for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, we have the extended version right here. The game is heading to PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 this coming Tuesday, August 21.

Full Counter-Strike: Global Offensive trailer uses more ammo originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive gets zombie mod ready for launch

Xav de Matos — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 22:30:00 EST

When Counter-Strike: Global Offensive launches next week, it's bringing brain-loving zombies with it. In collaboration with a mod team at Plaguefest.com, Valve has revealed that a Zombie Mod for CS:GO will be available alongside the game's launch - specifically for PC - on August 21.

"It was important to us as we developed CS:GO to make sure it was as moddable and extensible as any CS game," a blog post on the official Counter-Strike site noted earlier today. "So this is just one of the many mods that will be available in the coming months."

Though the post was light on details, it did add that lovers of CS:GO and movies should tune into GameTrailers TV tonight on Spike TV at 1am ET/10pm PT. It's probably Counter-Strike related, but we're still holding out hope for Gabe Newell's home movies.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive gets zombie mod ready for launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Defense Grid 2 being funded by Kickstarter

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST

Been hoping for a sequel to the indie tower defense darling Defense Grid? Now is your chance to directly contribute to the possibility, as funding is now open for Defense Grid 2 on Kickstarter. "But wait," you say, "wasn't the original Defense Grid super popular?" According to developer Hidden Path's CEO Jeff Pobst, Defense Grid: The Awakening was definitely a "success, even beyond what we had hoped." That said, Pobst adds that a Defense Grid sequel is just "too small" for publishers to care, hence the Kickstarter.

It's important to note, however, that the project's goal of $250,000 will not fully fund Defense Grid 2, but rather an expansion to the original game, featuring the first part of the Defense Grid 2 story. At $500,000 the original Defense Grid will be "remastered" in the Defense Grid 2 engine and will receive a multiplayer mode. At $750,000 will fund a level editor for Defense Grid along with Mac and Linux versions. In order to fully fund the sequel on PC, Hidden Path is looking for a cool $1 million.

Of course, there are lots of rewards up for grabs, notably those offered by some rather high-level partners, Razer and AMD. Razer is offering its Naga Hex mice while AMD is putting up some Radeon HD 6770 graphics cards (not exactly AMD's high-end solution). Both companies are "helping out" on the project and will be "supporting" it throughout. Whether this is limited to technical support or includes financial support as well is unclear. We've contacted Hidden Path to learn more.

As of this writing, the project has passed $130,000.

Update: Hidden Path has informed Joystiq that, while AMD and Razer are providing Kickstarter rewards and technical support, they are not providing financial support to the project.

Defense Grid 2 being funded by Kickstarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Wednesday: Defense Grid awakens Yo-Ho KaBlammo on XBLA

David Hinkle — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:51:00 EST

This week's XBLA offerings are a pair of 800 ($10) titles, reports Major Nelson: Defense Grid: The Awakening and Yo-Ho KaBlammo. Each title is a bit heavy on the combat, with Defense Grid offering plenty of tower defense action, and Yo-Ho KaBlammo taking to the seas for some free-for-all naval combat. That sounds all well and good, but whatever happened to killing 'em with kindness? What would Gandhi say?

This Wednesday: Defense Grid awakens Yo-Ho KaBlammo on XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBLA bets on a Wits and Wagers release this week

Dustin Burg — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live Arcade

Coming off a a week long Xbox Live Arcade drought, Microsoft just announced that the board game based Wits and Wagers will be releasing to the XBLA this Wednesday, May 7th. W00t!

For 800 Microsoft points, players will be treated to a trivia game unlike any other, where players bet on who they believe knows the correct answer. With over 700 questions, a quirky presentation, up to six players online, local play and big button controller support, Wits and Wagers may fill that social trivia void you feel inside.

XBLA bets on a Wits and Wagers release this week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 May 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You can bet that Wits and Wagers is XBLA bound

Dustin Burg — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Xbox Live Arcade, Game announcements

Again, our trusty friend the ESRB has come to the rescue in fulling our insatiable appetite for upcoming (and totally unannounced) XBLA games with their latest listing for Wits and Wagers.

Wits and Wagers will be a title developed by the crew over at Hidden Path Entertainment and solely for the Xbox 360. In general, Wits and Wagers is a board game where players answer trivia and place bets on which guess is closest to the actual answer. Simple enough. Though, we're curious to see how well Hidden Path can pull off a game like Wits and Wagers seeing that their only experience on the 360 is an XNA demo and creating a trivia game isn't the easiest genre to make entertaining. It doesn't really matter though. We're just proud that we discovered another upcoming XBLA game long before its announcement. We so cool!

You can bet that Wits and Wagers is XBLA bound originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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