Joystiq

Starhawk dev lays off 24, 'much smaller studio' to focus on first iOS title [Update]

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 19:40:00 EST

Update: Lightbox Interactive President Dylan Jobe has told Joystiq his company will see "a sizable reduction in staff." Twenty-four staff members have been informed that Friday will be their final day at the Texas-based developer. Jobe added that "all 24 of them are getting a severance package."

"Lay-offs always suck but they are an unfortunate reality of business sometimes. The best we can do is try and treat our people with respect during the shocking transition of a lay-off," he said.

Jobe says Lightbox will become a "much smaller studio" after the cuts as it focuses efforts on the development of its first game for iOS.

Original Story: There are rumblings that LightBox Interactive, the developer behind the PS3 exclusive Starhawk, will lay off most of its staff by Friday. 3D Realms founder (and previous layoff predictor) George Broussard tweets, "Good luck to my buddies at LightBox in Austin. Layoffs and rumors of near whole studio gone by Friday."

Yesterday LightBox Interactive president Dylan Jobe sent out an ominous tweet, reading, "And yeah, its time for another drink...." LightBox artist Jonathan Lindblom tweeted early this morning, "I feel like my brain has been taken out and passed around, I can't think straight, everything is muddled." Associate producer and community manager Pete MacKay tweeted his thoughts today as well: "And so another chapter closes on my life. Let's see where I go next! (taking suggestions)."

We've contacted LightBox Interactive for clarification.

Starhawk dev lays off 24, 'much smaller studio' to focus on first iOS title [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starhawk online pass grants free Warhawk download in Europe

David Hinkle — Wed, 09 May 2012 23:15:00 EST

There's a good chance a lot of Starhawk players haven't experienced the game that started it all, let alone for free. Every new copy of Starhawk comes bundled with a free copy of Warhawk (PSOne) in Europe.

It's part of the online pass voucher, which is visible on the back of the instruction booklet for Starhawk. Once you input the code and unlock online functionality, the original Warhawk will be added to your download list. Here in The States, however, you need to grab one of the first-run "limited editions" available exclusively at GameStop.

Starhawk online pass grants free Warhawk download in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 May 2012 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Latest Starhawk trailer showcases jetbikes, mech-jets

Jordan Mallory — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:45:00 EST

Similar to how combining peanut butter and chocolate dramatically improves both, Starhawk has discovered that combining jets and bikes, or jets and mechs, exponentially increases the level of wickedness associated with each craft.

Latest Starhawk trailer showcases jetbikes, mech-jets originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starhawk beta adds 32-player map, tanks, jetbikes

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST

The Starhawk beta has been updated to version 1.3, and the update comes packing lots of new goodies. First up is the Sidewinder Jetbike, a vehicle focused on speed an maneuverability. Next is the Ox Heavy Tank, a vehicle focused on being a tank. Finally, the update adds a new map, Planet Dust. Did we mention Planet Dust can accommodate 32 players? Because it can. See the update in action in the video above.

If that gets you all excited for some Starhawk, you might be interested in the limited edition trailer after the break.

Continue reading Starhawk beta adds 32-player map, tanks, jetbikes

Starhawk beta adds 32-player map, tanks, jetbikes originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starhawk lifts off on May 8, PS Plus beta starts today

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:45:00 EST

Starhawk will engage in all-out war on May 8, the PlayStation Blog announced today. It also reiterated that the game's "public beta" begins today for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

Those who purchased Uncharted 3 can fly into the beta January 31 in the US and February 1 in Europe. Normal ol' PSN accounts can try it out February 21, with Europe receiving access the following day. There are also opportunities to obtain beta codes from GameStop and IGN on February 7 and 14, respectively.

Sony also reminds: "a Beta is a real world 'in the wild' test of the core game systems and gameplay. It is NOT a demo. Most of the final game features are not included."

Starhawk lifts off on May 8, PS Plus beta starts today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starhawk beta goes public starting with PSN Plus subscribers next week

David Hinkle — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:40:00 EST

For the last few month, LightBox has been running a Starhawk private beta, which just concluded on January 3. Like a big bouncer guarding the door of your city's hot new club, the developer barred entry to all Joe and Jane Schmoes looking to get their taste of what's to come. Boys and girls, soon you'll have your chance: the beta's going public.

PlayStation Plus subscribers get first crack at the public demo starting next week on January 17 for the US and January 18 for Europe, PlayStation Blog reports. If you picked up Uncharted 3, you'll get a crack at the public beta two weeks later: January 31 in the US and February 1 in Europe. Finally, if you've got a regular ol' free PSN account, you can jump in on February 21, when the beta is open to all US users; European users get in on the following day.

If you were one of the lucky few to get into the private beta, you'll have access to the public beta starting next week, granted you didn't erase your original beta files.

Starhawk beta goes public starting with PSN Plus subscribers next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starhawk dev rethinking DLC strategy: It 'might be surprising'

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST

Starhawk will enter public beta soon in North America, Europe, Japan, Korea and Latin America, senior produer Harvard Bonin tells Respawn Action. The closed beta ended Jan. 3 and Bonin says the mix of veteran Warhawk and new players caught a lot of unsurprising bugs and balance issues, and that update 1.2 will fix a lot of these.

There are plans for "a bunch of" free DLC that "might be surprising," Bonin says, although he adds that he'd be "happy to take your money" for some of the planned content. "We rethought our DLC strategy and we'll reveal more about it as we get closer to release," he says.

More information on the Starhawk public beta will come "very soon," Bonin says, and the game will release "when it's damn good and ready."

Starhawk dev rethinking DLC strategy: It 'might be surprising' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starhawk beta invites start rolling out on Tuesday

David Hinkle — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:30:00 EST

You're only a few short days away from sampling Starhawk, folks! Well, okay, you have to be a veteran Warhawk player and have opted-in for the beta, but we're sure you already did that, right? At the very least, we're sure you'll get to check out some videos on YouTube.

But we digress. The PlayStation Blog reveals that Tuesday beta keys should be hitting anxious inboxes for the select few who'll be in the semi-private beta. If you don't see a key on Tuesday, don't fret: SCEA's Harvard Bonin says this will be a "slow rolled" beta -- as the beta chugs along, Sony will slowly be adding more players. So try to be patient!

Starhawk beta invites start rolling out on Tuesday originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starhawk launching a semi-public private beta for Warhawk veterans in November

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:30:00 EST

Lightbox Interactive is hosting a private beta for Starhawk in November, but with a twist -- this private beta will be selectively public. Lightbox will invite "a bunch of" dedicated Warhawk players to test out Starhawk this November, chosen by their rank in Warhawk, their community involvement and a few other undisclosed parameters, president Dylan Jobe said.

The public private beta will include access to a secure SCEA forum for players to discuss the game and ask questions of the Lightbox team, who will also post their PSN handles and be available for voice chat in-beta. If you're a Warkhawk beast with a clean record, look for an email with an invite soon.

Starhawk launching a semi-public private beta for Warhawk veterans in November originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starhawk makes a smooth transition into a new cutscene trailer

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:30:00 EST

Starhawk first got us excited with its E3 cinematic teaser, in a Borderlands, Halo, Red Dead Redemption, Terminator kind of way, and now LightBox Interactive is revealing more graphic goodness at Comic-Con, showing off the game's transitions between cutscenes and gameplay.

The video follows the story's introduction, featuring Emmett Graves, a mercenary with a special connection to both the overrun town of White Sands and the Outlaw who are holding it captive, making the game kind of like a backwards District 9 as well. But whatever we call it, Starhawk's transitions sure do look smooth here (also like Shaft).

Starhawk makes a smooth transition into a new cutscene trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starhawk takes Warhawk into the future on PS3

JC Fletcher — Fri, 13 May 2011 04:30:00 EST

You've probably heard the name before, but now Sony and LightBox Interactive have officially unveiled Starhawk, the follow-up to 2007's multiplayer-only PS3 game, Warhawk.

Due next year, Starhawk brings the on-foot and vehicle-based third-person shooter into a new setting -- desolate moons full of highly valued "rift energy." It also adds a single-player story mode and a new "Build and Battle" system that allows players to choose structures from a menu and drop them into the level as they fight, adding a layer of real-time strategy-esque gameplay.

You can see the first screens in our gallery, and a LightBox dev diary after the break. You can also read about the game in more detail in our hands-on preview!

Gallery: Starhawk (PS3)

Continue reading Starhawk takes Warhawk into the future on PS3

Starhawk takes Warhawk into the future on PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 May 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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