Joystiq

Sony completely revises list of PS4 EU studios, down from 53 to 30 [updates]

Sinan Kubba — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:15:00 EST

Sony made wholesale corrections to the list of European/PAL companies confirmed as PS4 developers and publishers, reducing the list of named studios from 53 to 28. Curiouser, not one of the developers and publishers named on the previous list makes an appearance on the new roll call. A spokesperson for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe confirmed to us the first list, sent out last week, was erroneous, and this new one is correct. There are no revisions for any other regions.

The new list removes a number of significant names, including Mojang (Minecraft), Rovio (Angry Birds), Frozenbyte, Criterion Games, and City Interactive. In their stead are some new noteworthy studios, such as CD Projekt, who've confirmed The Witcher 3 as a PS4 game. Also included are Bohemia Interactive, Deep Silver, Ninja Theory, IO Interactive, Codemasters, 2K Games, and Sumo Digital. The full list can be found after the break.

We've reached out to a number of studios for comment. Mojang's Daniel Kaplan reiterated to us the comments he gave to Gamasutra, saying his studio hasn't decided anything yet, and that the error is "confusion from Sony's side." Gamasutra's article also confirms Super Crate Box developer Vlambeer and Skulls of the Shogun creator 17-Bit, both included in the original list, as not currently working on anything for the PS4.

A spokesperson for Monsters (probably) Stole My Princess developer Mediatonic, included in the original list but not in the corrected one, told us he couldn't make any comment on his studio and PS4 development. Meanwhile, Sumo Digital's inclusion adds weight to the rumor the British studio is working on LittleBigPlanet 3, but for the PS4. When approached previously about LBP3, a studio representative told Joystiq, "No comment."

Update 1: A spokesperson for 505 Games tells us the Italian company is "definitely" planning to publish games on the PS4. 505 Games was in the original list of European/PAL PS4 developers and publishers, but not the revised list. The spokesperson noted the company's logo appears in the image showcasing PS4 partners, as shown during last week's event, as do many of the names in the revised list.

Update 2: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe informs us the list of European PS4 studios has been further revised. Two more studios are now present in the form of Criterion Games and Ghost Games (an EA studio) - both were in the original list of 53. That takes the tally of confirmed European studios up to 30.

Continue reading Sony completely revises list of PS4 EU studios, down from 53 to 30 [updates]

Sony completely revises list of PS4 EU studios, down from 53 to 30 [updates] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Foul Play brings Vaudeville and fisticuffs to XBLA in Q1 2013

Sinan Kubba — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST

Vaudevillian brawler Foul Play is coming to Xbox Live Arcade in Q1 2013, Mediatonic Games told Joystiq. Creative Director Paul Croft wouldn't confirm a final price point, but suggested it may be "£10," which could likely equate to 1200 Microsoft Points. It will support online and local two-player co-op.

Foul Play is about Baron Dashforth, a Victorian demon-hunter who's recounting his epic life story in a stage show. It's on the stage that the gameplay takes place in the form of mock fights, with one player as Dashforth and the other his trusty sidekick Scampwick. As the top-hatted, monocle-sporting Dashforth bashes adversaries about with his cane, messages of 'ACCEPTABLE!' and 'GOOD SHOW!' light up the screen. "It's very, very British," mused Croft, before taking a long sip of his Earl Grey as he returned to his Times crossword*.

Gallery: Foul Play

Continue reading Foul Play brings Vaudeville and fisticuffs to XBLA in Q1 2013

Foul Play brings Vaudeville and fisticuffs to XBLA in Q1 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doctor Who author Oli Smith joins Mediatonic as Creative Writer/Producer

Jordan Mallory — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:30:00 EST

The Doctor is in, or at least, one of his writers is. Mediatonic, the London-based developer that gave us Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess, announced today that author Oli Smith has joined their ranks as a Creative Writer and Producer.

Smith, who has penned two Doctor Who novels and four Doctor Who games, will be filling a "key position in the studio's design process" by creating characters and storylines for the company's proprietary IPs, as well as overseeing creative direction for licensed titles. When asked for a comment, Smith entered a large blue box which promptly disappeared before our very eyes.

Continue reading Doctor Who author Oli Smith joins Mediatonic as Creative Writer/Producer

Doctor Who author Oli Smith joins Mediatonic as Creative Writer/Producer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess was almost The Waterfall of the Dirty Gods

JC Fletcher — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:30:00 EST

On Gamasutra, Mediatonic's Jim Griffiths and Paul Croft wrote a postmortem for Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess, the amusingly-named jumping vampire game that started on PlayStation Minis before, yes, hopping to Xbox Live Indie Games.

When the game was first conceived, there wasn't even the faint possibility of monsters having stolen any princesses. "The Waterfall of the Dirty Gods was our original concept pitch," the developers explained, "where the player needed to climb to the top of several different waterfalls and ring their bell to stop the gods from washing their filthy bodies in the water and polluting the waterfall." The player controlled a monkey with a bell that could be used as a grappling hook.

Once the concept was in place, the team prototyped in Flash while simultaneously building the PSP game. After its launch, Mediatonic decided to rebuild it in XNA for release on the Indie Games platform.

"A big benefit of doing a 360 version is that we could use HD assets and remain within the file footprint restriction, making it the "prettiest" version, Griffiths and Croft said. "Ultimately, though, the prime reason for the 360 version was simple curiosity in adding another platform to our portfolio." And now you (probably) know the rest of the story!

Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess was almost The Waterfall of the Dirty Gods originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mediatonic investing 300K Euros in new Housemarque game

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 02:00:00 EST

Housemarque's still celebrating in the afterglow of its recently released, well-received PSN title Dead Nation -- but the Finnish developer isn't resting on its zombified laurels. The studio has secured a €300 thousand investment from fellow Finnish company Mediatonic. According to Arctic Startup, the investment will bankroll development on a whole new title: A downloadable "family game of skill and wits," due out sometime next year.

That sounds like a far, far cry from Housemarque's current announced project, the Ubis Outland -- though it seems bizarre that the studio's 20-some-strong development team would be working on two projects simultaneously. We've contacted Housemarque to see if they'll comment on where that sweet, sweet cashflow is going.

Mediatonic investing 300K Euros in new Housemarque game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Who's That Flying into a new release date?!

JC Fletcher — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 07:00:00 EST

Mediatonic's quirky PlayStation Minis shmup, Who's That Flying?!, was originally supposed to hit PSN in October. In response to a freezing glitch, the developer scrapped the October release plans, putting a question mark (and an exclamation point, why not) on the expected date.

Now, having resolved the issue, Mediatonic has announced new dates for the shooter's PSN release: November 16 in North America and November 17 in Europe. So, just a week until we get to definitively answer the question in the game's title -- oh, wait, it's the "Guardian of Earth" (we knew that who that!). Well, we still have playing the game to look forward to.

Who's That Flying into a new release date?! originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess now (definitely) on Xbox Live Indie Games

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Mediatonic has announced that its PlayStation Mini, Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess, has finally made the move to Xbox Live Indie Games. The vertical platformer can be had for 240 MSP ($3). If you're squeamish about killing (likely) guilty monsters, a free trial version is also available. If you're unfamiliar with the Duke and his incredible jumping prowess, check out a trailer after the break.

Continue reading Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess now (definitely) on Xbox Live Indie Games

Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess now (definitely) on Xbox Live Indie Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mediatonic's new PSN Mini asks: Who's That Flying?!

JC Fletcher — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Mediatonic, developer of Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess, has announced the second PSP game to use "WTF" as an abbreviation: Who's That Flying?! (The first was Work Time Fun, of course!) This upcoming Minis game (playable on PSP and PS3) is a horizontal shmup in which the "Guardian of Earth" uses its "HYPER-POWERED LASER ARM" to protect the world from "Doom Beasts."

The game also includes a tower defense element: rather than simply avoiding enemies and shooting what you can, you must limit the number of flying enemies that get past your invulnerable character, in order to stop them from destroying cities.

We'll be able to play this bizarre hybrid-genre game ("with courtroom drama and intrigue!") in early September.

Mediatonic's new PSN Mini asks: Who's That Flying?! originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess jumping to Xbox Live Indie Games

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

If Mediatonic's platform-climbing Mini, Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess has turned the Xbox fanboy within you positively green with envy, you'll be pleased to learn the title will soon make the leap to the Xbox Live Indie Games storefront. This announcement came in the form of a subtle teaser on the game's official site, which states that it's "coming soon" to the indie-friendly platform. No more specific price or release date info accompanied the update.

The Mini has received fairly good remarks from its critics on its native platform -- hopefully it won't lose any of its charm (or, more importantly, its uncertainty) in translation.

Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess jumping to Xbox Live Indie Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess hits PSN today

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:20:00 EST

If you're a fan of platform jumping, uncertainty, and radical injustices, you might be a fan of the most recent addition to the PSP (and PS3) Minis platform: Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess. The game puts you in the shoes of the accusatory Duke, who spends his days climbing platforms while beating the crap out of his underlings whom he's positive have absconded with his soul mate. Probably. In all likelihood. Perhaps.

The game's available to purchase on the PSN today for $4.99. Just be aware that with your purchase, you're supporting monster stereotyping. Are you really cool with that?

Gallery: Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess

Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess hits PSN today originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess definitely being released Apr. 22

JC Fletcher — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST

Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess, the PSP Mini about unfortunate anti-monster racial profiling, has been given a release date of April 22 -- which publisher Mediatonic has confirmed is worldwide. The game, playable on both PSP and PS3, stars the Duke, who goes on an ill-researched quest to rescue his princess, jumping endlessly upward through vertically scrolling levels, and beating up every presumed guilty monster he sees (hint: all of them).

To see the game in (unfair) action, check out the trailer after the break. It features random wings, Castlevania-esque music, and monster piledrivers! You'll probably enjoy watching it.

Gallery: Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess

Continue reading Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess definitely being released Apr. 22

Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess definitely being released Apr. 22 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess coming soon to PSP Minis

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:15:00 EST

While we personally believe that there's no room for uncertainty when it comes to royal kidnappings, we suppose it's appropriate in the case of Mediatonic's recently announced PSP Mini, Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess. Keep it straight -- there's no doubt whether a princess has been stolen. She definitely has. The parenthetical modifier in the middle of that title is referring to the Monsters, who may or may not have stolen said Princess. Even without any prior knowledge of the heist, we'd bet they were somehow involved.

We digress! In M(P)SMP, you play as The Duke, who reacts unfavorably to the disappearance of his beloved princess, and begins pummeling random monsters in an attempt to rescue said heiress. We expect monster sympathizers worldwide to get their dander up when this one launches on the PSN sometime in February.

Gallery: Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess

Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess coming soon to PSP Minis originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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