Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Behold: Halo Wars box arthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/behold-halo-wars-box-art/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/behold-halo-wars-box-art/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/behold-halo-wars-box-art/#commentsFiled under: ,

halo wars
click to enlarge

Well, we've got a box (from the same team that doodled the Halo 2 and Halo 3 art, no less). That's a start. Unfortunately, we're no closer to nailing down a release date for Halo Wars. The "first half of 2009" is where the date stands.

Gallery: Halo Wars (Leipzig 2008)

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]]>box-artbreakingnewsensemble-studioshalohalo-warsmicrosoft-game-studiosrtsJames Ransom-Wiley2008-08-25T12:15:00+00:00Dyack: Too Human campaign will take "around fifteen hours"http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/dyack-too-human-campaign-will-take-around-fifteen-hours/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/dyack-too-human-campaign-will-take-around-fifteen-hours/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/dyack-too-human-campaign-will-take-around-fifteen-hours/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If there was a magic ratio between the amount of time that a game is in development and the length of the final product, many of us would assume that the first installment in Silicon Knight's Norse-inspired trilogy, Too Human, would take roughly ten months to complete. However, Silicon founder Denis Dyack has expressed his concerns with lengthy games in the past, so it should come as no surprise that in a recent interview with gaming site Kikizo, Dyack explained that your first playthrough of his upcoming action/RPG hybrid should take "around fifteen hours".

Dyack goes on to explain that in order to hit level fifty (the game's level cap) might take between fifty and eighty hours, and searching for the game's "epic loot" will tack even more time to the title. If the length of Silicon's quickly approaching title doesn't interest you, perhaps Dyack's mad vision of a one-console future, discussed in the same interview, might catch your attention -- if only to make you furiously wonder what a console civil war would look like.

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]]>denis-dyackkikizomicrosoft-game-studiosnorsesilicon-knightstoo-humanGriffin McElroy2008-08-09T19:30:00+00:00MGS inks 'perpetual' license for Havok techhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/mgs-inks-perpetual-license-for-havok-tech/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/mgs-inks-perpetual-license-for-havok-tech/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/mgs-inks-perpetual-license-for-havok-tech/#commentsFiled under:


It's not the size of your explosion that matters, but rather how many random objects you can send flying about in realistic fashion. Microsoft Game Studios today announced a new "perpetual licensing agreement" with the physics connoisseurs at Havok, opening up the middleware outfit's suite of current and future tech to MGS and its development partners. Perpetual, you say? Sounds like someone is over their puppy love and is ready for a real commitment.

Havok's reputation for overturning tables in dramatic fashion is well known. A number of Microsoft's titles, both internally developed and published, utilize the technology already, giving us reason to believe that whatever Microsoft Game Studios has up its sleeves next, it's sure to have exploding barrels aplenty.

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]]>havokmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiosmiddlewarephysicsJason Dobson2008-08-06T22:00:00+00:00Half of Rare working on secret projectshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/half-of-rare-working-on-secret-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/half-of-rare-working-on-secret-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/half-of-rare-working-on-secret-projects/#commentsFiled under:


We know that lots of developers are working on "secret" projects, which is a punchy, journalist-fooling way of saying "unannounced." But there really aren't any companies' secret projects we're as interested in as Rare's, as they could either be the continuation of a beloved favorite series, or the continuation of a kick in the groin. (We're looking at you, Kameo.)

Speaking with Videogamer.com last week, Rare's Nick Burton noted that about half of the studio was currently unaccounted for on the release schedule. For those of you that don't speak developer, that means that Rare's letting you go to sleep tonight dreaming of a new Killer Instinct and (good) Perfect Dark, but you can expect to wake up to find the head of Grabbed by the Ghoulies in your bed.

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]]>Microsoft-Game-Studiosperfect-dark-zerorareJustin McElroy2008-08-05T22:00:00+00:00Rumor: Peter Jackson's Halo project still staffing uphttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/rumor-peter-jacksons-halo-project-still-staffing-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/rumor-peter-jacksons-halo-project-still-staffing-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/rumor-peter-jacksons-halo-project-still-staffing-up/#commentsFiled under:

That's funny - we could have sworn it was August, not April. It was four months ago, after all, that we reported on Microsoft Game Studios' hiring push for director Peter Jackson's mysterious Halo universe project. Yet we're still seeing postings for what appear to be positions on the game's development team. In this case it's a biggie: creative director.

A new recruitment listing on Gamasutra states that "Microsoft Game Studios' Halo team is looking for a superstar Creative Director to help develop a new experience in the Halo universe." Of course, this could be another new Halo project, but further reading reveals otherwise. Additional responsibilities listed include "[partnering] with key Hollywood talent to collaboratively craft a masterful game experience," and "[collaborating] with game play designers, story writers, game writers, and said external luminary to deliver on a unique game in the Halo universe." We'll give you one guess who the "said external luminary is," and their name rhymes with "Eter Ackson."

[Via 1UP]

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]]>halomicrosoft-game-studiospeter-jacksonRandy Nelson2008-08-01T21:25:00+00:00Hands on: Gears of War 2 multiplayerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/hands-on-gears-of-war-2-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/hands-on-gears-of-war-2-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/hands-on-gears-of-war-2-multiplayer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Microsoft held a special Gears of War 2 reception at E3 on Monday, giving eager journalists a chance to play the game's multiplayer modes and test their mettle against other journalists. We're proud to say that we managed quite well against our competition, slamming active reloads all the while, though that's perhaps beside the point. You all want to hear about Gears 2, not about how awesome we are at it. Read on for our hands on impressions.

Gallery: E308: Microsoft Gears of War 2 Reception



First, there is one thing that absolutely must be said: Gears of War 2 plays an awful lot like Gears of War. It doesn't reinvent the wheel. Picking up Gears of War 2 isn't like trying to learn a new language. You still roadie run with the A button. You still take cover, dive, roll, swat turn and chainsaw. Hell, adjusting to Gears of War 2 isn't even as difficult as adjusting to Halo 3 after playing Halo 2.

None of that, however, is a bad thing. Far from it. This is an expansion of the multiplayer offering from the first game, and thus far the choices made seem to be good ones. The most important expansion to the formula is the inclusion of several new gametypes. Each game type adds significantly to the Gears repertoire and gives the multiplayer that extra oomph that was lacking in the first go around, and by 'oomph' we mean team dynamics.



Whereas the first Gears centered mostly around variants of deathmatch game types, Gears of War 2 has plenty of modes that stress and, yes, require team cooperation. Honestly, we had trouble coming up with a personal favorite. We've all heard about "meatflag" which is actually called Submission, but it really must be played to be appreciated. Submission is simply the Gears variant of capture the flag with one glorious twist, the flag is a human being. Specifically, the flag is a mean, crotchety old man with a shotgun (in my game, his name was Chaps ... seriously). As you may have guessed, he doesn't want to be captured and he will kill you to prevent it. The meatflag must first be subdued, held hostage, and then dragged to the capture point.

One of the unique aspects of this game type is that it actually empowers the flag carrier, unlike most shooters. In a game like Halo, the flag carrier is essentially a sitting duck -- an unarmed sitting duck with slower movement speed. The meatflag will definitely slow you down in Gears 2 (a lot), but it also absorbs bullets, making the flag carrier much harder to kill so long as he keeps facing the enemy. The flag carrier can even take shots back at the enemy using any one handed weapon (including the new burst shot pistol, more on that later).

Of course, it's in the best interest of the team to protect the flag carrier. There is another twist though. If the flag carrier is killed or incapacitated, the hostage will spring back to life, shotgun in tow. Rather than simply warping back to the flag base, the old man will run back, shooting anyone in his way. More than once I found myself carrying the flag, only to be knocked over by a smoke grenade, thus losing my prisoner. The prisoner, naturally, takes the opportunity to blow me and my teammates away as we are blinded by smoke. Good stuff.



We also got to try out Wingman, which pits five teams of two against each other in a deathmatch. As you might expect, your survival depends on working closely with your teammate. This means covering him when he goes in for that chainsaw kill and being there to revive him if he's downed. With five competing teams, no one is safe. You may find yourself trying to pick off a team that's busy fending off another attack only to find that another team is now attacking you from behind. Wingman is definitely one of the most quickly paced games we played.

Next, we played Guardian. In Guardian, a leader is designated for each team. You have to keep him alive, much like the Assassination game type in the original Gears of War. The catch here is that killing a team's leader eliminates that team's ability to respawn. In other words, if you want to keep playing, you have to keep your leader alive. This simple change keeps the game from devolving into team deathmatch, which often happened in the original. The top scorer on each team becomes the leader in the following match.

Along with the new game types, we also got to see the new maps Avalanche and Day One, both of which featured some great set pieces. Day One features a giant Seeder that erupts from the center of the map, making the ground shake. Avalanche features -- what else -- an avalanche that occurs a few minutes into play. The match begins with both teams atop walls on either side of a courtyard. On top of a gazebo in the middle of the courtyard -- too high for players to reach -- is a Boomshot grenade launcher. Once the avalanche hits, the courtyard is completely filled with snow, putting the top of the gazebo -- and the Boomshot -- at ground level with the outer walls. The best part is that the avalanche causes a nearly complete white out of the screen, sending both teams blindly rushing for the Boomshot. Again, good stuff. Oh, you'd best be careful not to be inside the courtyard when the avalanche hits too. Not if you like living anyway. On a side note, the maps we saw did have a certain amount of destructible scenery though, as far as we could tell, it was completely cosmetic. No strategic destruction here.



Finally, we tried out the Horde multiplayer mode. Horde is a cooperative multiplayer mode that has COG soldiers fending off wave after wave of Locust soldiers. Horde is essentially an arcade style mode with scores awarded for killing enemies and multipliers awarded based on difficulty. We saw some particularly nasty Locusts in this mode. Called Butchers, these Locusts are huge and carry a very hefty blade that rests somewhere between a meat cleaver and a machete. Yeah, they don't go down easy. Also seen in this mode (and regular multiplayer) is a new mortar weapon. One of the more complicated weapons, it requires players to take aim with the left trigger, planting the mortar in place. Once planted, trajectory is adjusted by holding the right trigger. The longer its held, the more horizontal the trajectory. If it sounds like it's hard to aim, it's because it is. Once the shells hit though, the explosion is mighty impressive and devastating to anything caught in the blast. One last note on weapons, the burst fire machine pistol (we didn't catch its name) is very satisfying and a must for anyone using a hostage as a shield. One active reload and the machine pistol cuts through enemies like butter.

After considerable time with the game, it definitely looks like Gears fans are in for a treat when the game launches this November. Let's just hope that all of this gameplay holds up when it's being played over Xbox Live and not on a closed network at E3.

Update: Be sure to check out X3F's impressions of the game as well, including plenty of details we couldn't get to.

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]]>e3-08e3-2008e308epicepic-gamesgears-of-war-2joystiqfeaturesmgsmicrosoft-game-studiosRichard Mitchell2008-07-15T10:00:00+00:00New Banjo-Kazooie vid fuels Xbox 360 motion controller speculation [update]http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/new-banjo-kazooie-vid-fuels-xbox-360-motion-controller-speculati/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/new-banjo-kazooie-vid-fuels-xbox-360-motion-controller-speculati/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/new-banjo-kazooie-vid-fuels-xbox-360-motion-controller-speculati/#commentsFiled under: ,

kazooie
About 4 minutes into a new Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts developer commentary video, Microsoft Game Studios creative director Ken Lobb drops the line, "So you basically grab with the wrench and then you twist the controller around and it'll move different things in the game." Twist, you say? Earlier, we catch Kazooie doing just that: twisting an Xbox 360 controller (recreated above; full video embedded after the break). So what do we make of all this?

Well, there's that nagging rumor of some Abracadabra action going on behind closed doors at Microsoft, with Rare allegedly being one of the first studios to waggle the magic wand before passing it up for Vision cam support in the upcoming XBLA title, The Fast & The Furriest. It's not much of a stretch to assume that if Microsoft is to unveil a motion controller (say, next week!), Banjo-Kazooie could be one of the first titles to support the new feature. Waggletech(R) isn't exactly cutting edge or expensive, so a hardware manufacturer can essentially tack on motion sensitivity at any point (to varying degrees of success).

One theory suggests that Microsoft could install motion control into preexisting gamepads with an add-on device; perhaps a modified battery pack that also plugs into the headset port. Bundle the gizmo with Banjo-Kazooie, and you've got yourself a tried and true practice. Case closed? Certainly not.

Update: Microsoft has this to say.

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]]>banjo-kazooiebanjo-kazooie-nuts-and-boltsken-lobbmicrosoft-game-studiosmotion-sensingrareJames Ransom-Wiley2008-07-09T12:58:00+00:00MGS Europe: Simultaneous 360/PC releases like shooting ourselves in the foothttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/mgs-europe-simultaneous-360-pc-releases-like-shooting-ourselves/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/mgs-europe-simultaneous-360-pc-releases-like-shooting-ourselves/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/mgs-europe-simultaneous-360-pc-releases-like-shooting-ourselves/#commentsFiled under: , ,


News from the MGS we haven't heard from in a while now, with Microsoft Game Studios Europe explaining why simultaneous releases on the Xbox 360 and PC don't always make business sense. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Peter Zetterberg, business development manager for MGS Europe, described such releases as the equivalent of placing a bullet in the foot.

"On a global scale the Windows Vista business is as important as our Xbox 360 business. But in Germany for example, we want more gamers to buy our Xbox 360," Zetterberg said. "If we launch a game that is on 360 and PC simultaneously, we basically shoot ourselves in the foot by allowing the German market to choose to play the PC version - because they are more likely to buy that than spend their money on the Xbox 360."

Though the absence of immediate consumer choice is always regrettable, the sharing of exclusives between two platforms will inevitably put the least popular one at a disadvantage. After all, why would you purchase an Xbox 360 if the game you want would work just fine, if not better, on your Vista PC? Microsoft isn't just leaving the PC with leftovers, though, as Zetterberg adds that the publisher is always looking to tweak its business model to allow for a "multitude" of independent titles "under an MGS flag." Kinda like PC Live Arcade ... hey, whatever happened to that?

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]]>EuropeMicrosoft-Game-StudiosPCXbox-360Ludwig Kietzmann2008-07-01T10:54:00+00:00Rumor: Elite Beat-dev iNiS developing Xbox 360's 'Lips' karaoke gamehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/rumor-elite-beat-dev-inis-developing-xbox-360s-lips-karaoke/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/rumor-elite-beat-dev-inis-developing-xbox-360s-lips-karaoke/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/rumor-elite-beat-dev-inis-developing-xbox-360s-lips-karaoke/#commentsFiled under:


While the thread on this rumor is pretty thin, we wanted to share it with you anyways, being clear about its origins. After yesterday's rumor-splosion gave us some more potentially accurate info on Lips - the Xbox 360's answer to PS3's SingStar - we received an unverified tip which appeared to originate from within Microsoft, which told us that the Microsoft Game Studios-published title was being developed by iNiS, the Japanese dev best known for its Elite Beat Agents and Ouendan Nintendo DS games.

So, to recap: Microsoft is working on a karaoke game codenamed "Lips" - that's a rumor. The developer working on the game is iNiS - also a rumor. That iNiS has a long history of making music and rhythm games and that it's co-founder Keiichi Yano confirmed that the developer was in fact working on an unnamed Xbox 360 game - those are both facts. We'll (hopefully) put the rest of the puzzle together four weeks from today when Microsoft holds their E3 press conference. If you've got any more information, we're all ears about Lips.

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]]>iNiSkaraokeLipsMicrosoft-Game-StudiosRumorChristopher Grant2008-06-16T15:14:00+00:00Halo Wars release strategy: 'when it's done'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/14/halo-wars-release-strategy-when-its-done/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/14/halo-wars-release-strategy-when-its-done/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/14/halo-wars-release-strategy-when-its-done/#commentsFiled under: ,

If we had a dollar for every time we've heard the phrase "our game will ship when it's done" from a developer, we'd have enough money to ... buy Halo Wars when it's eventually released. Despite MS tagging the game as one of it's biggies for '08 back in January, the Ensemble Studios developed RTS set in Master Chief's 'hood is seeming a little more iffy for this year.

First off, the game missed the recent Xbox Spring Showcase in May. Now Graham Somers, Ensemble's community manager, has uttered the words "when," "it's," and "done" one after another in an interview with Halo Wars Addict. Somers' answer came when asked if the game will hit in 2008 or 2009.

We have been seeing a pickup in new details on the game recently - which is promising - and will hopefully have something more solid to go on than those three dreaded words come E3 next month. That said, can someone please put a dollar in the jar labeled "WID" on their way out? Thanks.

[Via X3F]

Gallery: Halo Wars

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]]>ensemble-studioshalohalo-warsmicrosoft-game-studiosmicrosoftgamestudiosRandy Nelson2008-06-14T03:00:00+00:00Shane Kim in his new role: talks 'mass market' Xbox appealhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/shane-kim-in-his-new-role-talks-mass-market-xbox-appeal/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/shane-kim-in-his-new-role-talks-mass-market-xbox-appeal/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/shane-kim-in-his-new-role-talks-mass-market-xbox-appeal/#commentsFiled under: ,


Following yesterday's game of musical executive chairs inside Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business - wherein Shane Kim ordered a brand new chair for his newly created office of corporate vice president of Strategy and Business Development, while Phil Spencer adopted Kim's old chair as the new general manager of Microsoft Game Studios - Next-Gen spoke with the two execs about their new roles. Unsurprisingly, Kim is the focus of the interview, and he offered a handful of forward-facing statements, fitting with his new strategic role.

When asked if MGS could publish another title as popular as Halo 3, Kim says the chances are "really good" explaining, "We've got the talent, we've got people who are always on the lookout for new ideas and talent, and most importantly we have the commitment and the will to create those hits." Even more telling, Kim puts that new title to use, addressing the strategy of appealing to a new mainstream market: "For us, our opportunity is much like the industry's opportunity: How do we make what we do mass market? How do we make it a mainstream form of entertainment?" Sounds like Kim was bumped upstairs to help Xbox get some of that Wii money, no?

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]]>MGSMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosShane-KimChristopher Grant2008-06-13T19:51:00+00:00Kim promoted out of Microsoft Game Studios, Spencer takes reinshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/kim-promoted-out-of-microsoft-game-studio-spencer-takes-reins/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/kim-promoted-out-of-microsoft-game-studio-spencer-takes-reins/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/kim-promoted-out-of-microsoft-game-studio-spencer-takes-reins/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Changes are afoot within Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, with Microsoft Games Studios lead, Shane Kim, being promoted to the newly created role of "corporate vice president of Strategy and Business Development." According to Microsoft's press release, such a grand title is furnished on someone who will "explore new growth opportunities" and look after "future external relationships and partnerships." We imagine Mr. Kim's new role will also provide some sort of assistant trained to tell him as soon as a new Resident Evil game is announced.

Taking over Kim's role will be Phil Spencer, former general manager of Microsoft Games Studios Europe. Spencer will foster new franchises that "aim to attract new audiences" and keep an eye on all that "Gears of War" and "Fable" stuff the kids are so into these days.

Both fellows will report directly to senior vice president of Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business, Don Mattrick. Also announced in the same press release: Jeff "Jeff Bell" Bell is bailin'.

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]]>breakingnewsMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosPhil-SpencerShane-KimLudwig Kietzmann2008-06-12T14:56:00+00:00Xbox marketing chief Jeff Bell leaves Microsofthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/xbox-marketing-chief-jeff-bell-leaves-microsoft/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/xbox-marketing-chief-jeff-bell-leaves-microsoft/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/xbox-marketing-chief-jeff-bell-leaves-microsoft/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yes, Jeff Bell fans (or as you're known on the street, "Jeff Bell fans"), you read that right: Jeff Bell, VP of global marketing, is leaving Microsoft to "pursue a passion outside entertainment." Bell will remain with the company through the summer. You may remember Jeff Bell as the ghetto fabulous exec who tried to sound hood, or from his turn as a rad internet troll or, most likely, from the time we totally turned the corner and fell in love with the guy.

Filling in for Jeff Bell at Microsoft until a replacement is found will be Matt Barlow, Charlotte Stuyvenberg and Jim Merrick. Filling in in our hearts? Nobody. We know of no better way to say goodbye than to listen to Jeff Bell sing Rush's "Tom Sawyer" one last time, right after the break.

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]]>breakingnewsjeff-bellmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiosJustin McElroy2008-06-12T14:41:00+00:00'Defense is important' in Ninja Gaiden IIhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/defense-is-important-in-ninja-gaiden-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/defense-is-important-in-ninja-gaiden-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/defense-is-important-in-ninja-gaiden-2/#commentsFiled under: ,

See? It's not just about flipping out and killing people and slashing enemies into the air and tossing shurikens into their faces and lopping off limbs and doing totally sweet combos like that one where you kick the guy in the head before chopping him into pieces and then running up the wall because you're the ultimate unstoppable mammal. Sometimes you just have to calm down and defend yourself. If the sage advice conveyed by the above video isn't enough, you have until June 3rd to view the clips after the break and get educated on the ways of the ninja.

Remember: Ninjas fight ALL the time.



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]]>ItagakiMicrosoft-Game-StudiosNinja-Gaiden-2Team-NinjaLudwig Kietzmann2008-05-26T19:30:00+00:00Microsoft: PGR5 could be driven by Forza devhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/microsoft-pgr5-could-be-driven-by-forza-dev/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/microsoft-pgr5-could-be-driven-by-forza-dev/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/microsoft-pgr5-could-be-driven-by-forza-dev/#commentsFiled under: ,

When Project Gotham Racing dev Bizarre Creations was scooped up by Activision last year, many 360 owners were left wondering what would become of the system's flagship racing franchise. Speaking to Kikizo, Microsoft Game Studios VP Shane Kim provided one possible (and likely) scenario: put Forza Motorsports 2 team Turn 10 behind the wheel.

Kim says that MS is eager for Turn 10 to branch out and "do more creative execution in the racing space." (Read: more than just hardcore racing sims.) Kim expressed a desire to take "a fresh creative approach" to a fifth game in the series, and, to that end, proposed imagining "a future where [Turn 10] would develop a new version of Project Gotham Racing." We humbly suggest that - should they get the gig - Turn 10 replace Kudos with actual MS points.

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]]>forzamicrosoft-game-studiospgrproject-gotham-racingshane-kimturn-10Randy Nelson2008-05-22T14:58:00+00:00GDC08: No gold drops in Fable 2, new co-op detailshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/gdc08-no-gold-drops-in-fable-2-new-co-op-details/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/gdc08-no-gold-drops-in-fable-2-new-co-op-details/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/gdc08-no-gold-drops-in-fable-2-new-co-op-details/#commentsFiled under: ,


In a soon to be published interview with X3F, Fable 2 creator Peter Molyneux revealed some new details concerning Fable 2 co-op and how players will earn money in the game. First and foremost, Molyneux noted that there are no gold drops in Fable 2. In other words, monsters don't drop large bags of cash when they die (which is somewhat more realistic really). Instead, Fable 2 will have players earn money the old fashioned way: working for it. There are a range of jobs available to players such as being a blacksmith, assassin or woodsman. There is also one other job which specifically concerns cooperative play: henchman. Co-op players will become the henchman when they visit the worlds of other players. How exactly a player earns money as a henchman wasn't discussed. It raises some interesting questions such as whether or not the main player will actually have to pay henchmen, for example. Finally, when asked about whether or not male characters will be able to impregnate their female co-op partners, Molyneux noted "it's certainly an interesting idea," adding, "no promises." We hope the feature makes it into the game, because we're dying to have CliffyB's digital baby.

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]]>fable-2fable2gdc08lionheadlionhead-studiosmicrosoft-game-studiosRichard Mitchell2008-02-22T16:30:00+00:00GDC08: Ninja Gaiden II demon-strationhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-ninja-gaiden-ii-demonstration/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-ninja-gaiden-ii-demonstration/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-ninja-gaiden-ii-demonstration/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We nearly missed the Gears of War 2 announcement at the end of Microsoft's GDC keynote because of this surprise Ninja Gaiden II demonstration. By the time it finished, we had completely lost consciousness due to an increasingly violent series of glee seizures -- or gleezures. If you plan on watching the direct-feed footage of Team Ninja's forthcoming kill-em-up, we'd advise you to sit well away from coworkers and small children should your delight suddenly begin manifesting in wild arm flailing and uncontrollable pelvic thrusts.

Protip: We find that thinking about the awful June 2008 release date has an immediate calming effect.

Gallery: GDC08: Ninja Gaiden II

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]]>ItagakiMicrosoft-Game-StudiosNinja-Gaiden-2Ninja-Gaiden-IINinjaGaiden2Team-NinjaTeamNinjaTomonobu-ItagakiLudwig Kietzmann2008-02-20T18:30:00+00:00GDC08: Microsoft and Epic announce Gears of War 2 for Nov. '08http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-microsoft-and-epic-announce-gears-of-war-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-microsoft-and-epic-announce-gears-of-war-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-microsoft-and-epic-announce-gears-of-war-2/#commentsFiled under: ,


In what could only be considered as good news for the franchise's cult following, Microsoft and Epic Games have announced their intention to give Gears of War another go. Despite only scraping by with a couple of million units sold, Microsoft is determined to help the motley bunch of macho marines break into the niche shooter market with an Xbox 360 sequel, Gears of War 2.

The game was officially announced by Epic's CliffyB during Microsoft's GDC keynote entitled, "A Future Wide Open: Unleashing the Creative Commnunity ... and then give them Chainsaws." The game will be coming exclusively to the Xbox 360 in November, 2008. We'll bring you more information as soon as we can get it.

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]]>BreakingNewsCliffyBEpicEpic-GamesEpicGamesGDC08Gears-of-WarGears-of-War-2GearsofWarMark-ReinMicrosoft-Game-StudiosLudwig Kietzmann2008-02-20T14:40:00+00:00DICE 08: Shane Kim Q&A from AAA to Xboyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/08/dice-08-shane-kim-qanda-from-aaa-to-xboy/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/08/dice-08-shane-kim-qanda-from-aaa-to-xboy/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/08/dice-08-shane-kim-qanda-from-aaa-to-xboy/#commentsFiled under: ,

In a lengthy and comprehensive Q&A conducted by New York Time's games journo Seth Schiesel with Microsoft Game Studios' veep Shane Kim at the D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas, the two go a couple rounds hitting on everything from big AAA titles like Halo, to ActiBlizzion, to the departure of the Bs (Bungie, Bizarre, BioWare), all the way over to the long-rumored (and so far totally fictitious) Xboy.

Gamasutra was there to detail all the good bits in a lengthy writeup that we'd be doing you a total disservice by trying to condense. Check it: digital downloads, Vista-only PC games, console war winners, third-party sales, mass-market appeal, Grand Theft Auto IV, console lifespan, PS3 growth in Europe ...

... phew. See? Comprehensive.

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]]>DICEDICE-08Microsoft-Game-StudiosShane-KimXboyChristopher Grant2008-02-08T14:10:00+00:00Mass Effect DLC to 'Bring Down the Sky' on March 10http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/mass-effect-dlc-to-bring-down-the-sky-on-march-10/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/mass-effect-dlc-to-bring-down-the-sky-on-march-10/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/mass-effect-dlc-to-bring-down-the-sky-on-march-10/#commentsFiled under: ,


BioWare has unveiled the first in a series of downloadable add-ons to its interstellar epic of planetary exploration and interspecies cavorting, Mass Effect. Warping onto the Xbox Live Marketplace on Monday, March 10th, "Bring Down the Sky" expands the game's rich universe by adding a new uncharted world and an alien race mentioned but never seen in the award-winning central campaign.

It seems an extremist group of Batarians, who sadly look nothing like the gigantic space bats we envisioned them to be, has taken control of a mobile asteroid station and set it on a collision course with a nearby colony. Since you'll have absolutely none of that, you'll download the adventure for 400 MS Points ($5) and put an end to the crisis within "approximately 90 minutes." If saving Terra Nova isn't reward enough, there are 50 Gamerscore points in it for you.

Gallery: Mass Effect DLC - Bring Down the Sky

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]]>BiowareBreakingNewsEAMass-EffectMassEffectMicrosoft-Game-StudiosLudwig Kietzmann2008-02-06T12:13:00+00:00