Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Monument Valley made $5.8 million, over 80 percent on iOS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/monument-valley-made-5-8-million-over-80-percent-on-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/monument-valley-made-5-8-million-over-80-percent-on-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/monument-valley-made-5-8-million-over-80-percent-on-ios/#comments Monument Valley developer Ustwo earned $5,858,625 from sales for the game as of this past Monday, as highlighted in a fancy infographic breaking down the puzzle game's earnings. Of that revenue, 81.7 percent was earned on iOS, compared to 13.9 percent on Android (where it was released about a month later) and 4.3 percent on Amazon. Ustwo says Monument Valley was installed on over 10 million unique devices, though its profits come from 2,440,076 official sales.

The original game took $852,000 to develop while its eight-level Forgotten Shores update cost the developer $549,000. It first arrived on iOS in April 2014 and recouped its development costed in its first week; Ustwo has now clarified that its launch day on the App Store amounted to $145,530 in revenue.
[Image: Ustwo]

JoystiqMonument Valley made $5.8 million, over 80 percent on iOS originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2015 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddataIndieiosipadiphonemobilemonument-valleypiracyprofitspuzzlerevenuesalesustwoustwo-studioThu, 15 Jan 2015 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Ludwig's picks of 2014]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/best-of-the-rest-ludwigs-picks-of-2014/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/best-of-the-rest-ludwigs-picks-of-2014/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/best-of-the-rest-ludwigs-picks-of-2014/#commentsATTENTION: The year 2014 has concluded its temporal self-destruct sequence. If you are among the escapees, please join us in salvaging and preserving the best games from the irradiated chrono-debris.

Jazzpunk

Jazzpunk is likely to be misunderstood, or impossible to understand, by design. You could say explanation comes as an insult to its eccentricity.

The gist of it is that you're a spy completing missions in a surreal, robot-dominated world, the kind you might dream up after dozing off in the middle of a late-night Leslie Nielsen movie marathon. And while the convoluted wordplay wouldn't feel out of place in a Zucker spoof - in Japan, for example, you're asked if you prefer kimonos or kistereos - the barbs of reality are what really make Jazzpunk stick.

Take its odd vision of dystopia, which is regularly mocked through one-off minigames (like a first-person shooter dubbed ... Wedding Quake). Here, you can put on a special visor that lets you see and blast nonsensical Wi-Fi passwords as they dance in the air around you. I mean, that's weird, but ... think about it. The concept is kind of weird to begin with, right here on Earth. Taken as a form of escapism, then, Jazzpunk is silly without taking you too far from the truth.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Ludwig's picks of 2014

JoystiqBest of the Rest: Ludwig's picks of 2014 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-of-the-rest-2014crossy-roaddonkey-kong-country-tropical-freezeforza-horizon-2gods-will-be-watchingiosipadiphonejazzpunkjoystiq-best-of-2014macmicrosoftmobilemonument-valleynidhoggnintendopcplaystationps3ps4recommendedroundaboutstarwhal-just-the-tiptitanfallwatch-dogswii-uxboxxbox-oneWed, 07 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Monument Valley dev: 5% of Android players paid to play]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/06/monument-valley-dev-5-of-android-players-paid-to-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/06/monument-valley-dev-5-of-android-players-paid-to-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/06/monument-valley-dev-5-of-android-players-paid-to-play/#comments Monument Valley developer Ustwo revealed that only five percent of the game's installs on Android are "paid for." It divulged "interesting data" about the game in recent tweets, clarifying that a "small number" of the other 95 percent of installs were legitimate. Additionally, the data does not account for the one promotional day in which Monument Valley was free on the Amazon Store. By comparison, Ustwo said that 40 percent of the installs for the game on iOS were paid for.

Piracy isn't a new problem for the Android platform, as indicated by games such as Lucky Frame's Gentlemen!. The Edinburgh, Scotland-based independent developer announced in August 2013 that just 144 of the 50,000 downloads for Gentlemen! on Android were legitimate. Ustwo first launched Monument Valley on iOS in April 2014 before it arrived on Android one month later. The game reached one million copies sold in July after having recouped its development costs after one week on the App Store. It received eight new levels on iOS in November and earned a year-end award from Apple last month.
[Image: Ustwo]

JoystiqMonument Valley dev: 5% of Android players paid to play originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Jan 2015 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidgoogle-playmobilemonument-valleypiracypuzzleustwoTue, 06 Jan 2015 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Monument Valley, Threes! receive Apple year-end awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/12/08/monument-valley-threes-receive-apple-year-end-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/12/08/monument-valley-threes-receive-apple-year-end-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/12/08/monument-valley-threes-receive-apple-year-end-awards/#comments It's the year of the puzzler on mobile, as Apple awards the numerical master class of Threes! and visually luxe Monument Valley with game of the year nods. The gorgeous platformer Leo's Fortune was the runner-up iPhone game of the year.

If these awards seem like deja vu, that's because these games also won Apple Design Awards back in July. Monument Valley received an expansion pack recently, Eschering more players to check out the perception puzzler.

JoystiqMonument Valley, Threes! receive Apple year-end awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Dec 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleiosipadiphonemobilemonument-valleythreesMon, 08 Dec 2014 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Monument Valley gets eight new levels on iOS today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/11/12/monument-valley-gets-eight-new-levels-on-ios-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/11/12/monument-valley-gets-eight-new-levels-on-ios-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/11/12/monument-valley-gets-eight-new-levels-on-ios-today/#comments Pretty puzzler Monument Valley received a new set of levels today called Forgotten Shores. The pack is available as a $1.99 in-app purchase for iOS, opening up eight additional levels for players to solve. The new levels slot between the game's original final two acts, operating as a "director's cut" of sorts, executive producer Dan Gray told Wired.

Forgotten Shores explores a few new gameplay ideas that developer Ustwo didn't fit into the original 10 levels, resulting in more steps to complete the latest puzzles. As designer David Fernández Huerta put it, the developer is "asking the player to think ahead a bit more" in Forgotten Shores. Gray also noted that Monument Valley recently celebrated 1.4 million downloads since its April launch, a steady climb since it hit one million downloads in July. As for Android players, the Forgotten Shores update will be available "very soon," Ustwo noted on Twitter.
[Image: Ustwo Games]

Continue reading Monument Valley gets eight new levels on iOS today

JoystiqMonument Valley gets eight new levels on iOS today originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Nov 2014 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onbonus-levelsDLCin-app-purchasesiosipadiphoneLevelsmobilemonument-valleypuzzleupdateustwoustwo-studioWed, 12 Nov 2014 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A peak at one of Monument Valley's new levels]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/15/a-peak-at-one-of-monument-valleys-new-levels/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/15/a-peak-at-one-of-monument-valleys-new-levels/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/15/a-peak-at-one-of-monument-valleys-new-levels/#comments Yes, that is a pun in the headline. Thank you for noticing.

Monument Valley is getting new "lost scenes" designed to double the average gameplay time of 90 minutes, and this is one of those levels. Well, it's part of one of those levels, as this one appears to be fairly grand. Developer ustwo shared the photo on Twitter (view it in full below).

There's no word on a launch window for the new levels. Monument Valley recouped its cost of development in one week, reached 1 million sales in four months and won an Apple Design Award since launching in April.

Continue reading A peak at one of Monument Valley's new levels

JoystiqA peak at one of Monument Valley's new levels originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidiosipadiphonemobilemonument-valleyustwoMon, 15 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Award-winning Monument Valley recouped costs in one week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/11/monument-valley-recouped-costs-in-one-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/11/monument-valley-recouped-costs-in-one-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/11/monument-valley-recouped-costs-in-one-week/#comments Monument Valley, winner of an Apple Design Award and an all-around beautiful brain-buster, made back its development costs after just one week on the App Store, Lead Designer Ken Wong said during a presentation at GDC Europe. Even though it's a $4 app and it launched alongside other premium games, including Hitman: Go, FTL and Leo's Fortune, Monument Valley crested 1 million sales within four months.

"Now, that doesn't make us rich by any measure, but we made our money back and it means that the team can stay together and make another creative, crazy project with complete creative freedom," Wong said. "This is all we ever really wanted, not to get rich, but to be sustainable."

Continue reading Award-winning Monument Valley recouped costs in one week

JoystiqAward-winning Monument Valley recouped costs in one week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Aug 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidgamescom-2014gdc-europe-2014iosipadiphoneken-wongmobilemonument-valleysalesustwoMon, 11 Aug 2014 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bend your brain for 2 bucks with Monument Valley]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/30/bend-your-brain-for-2-bucks-with-monument-valley/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/30/bend-your-brain-for-2-bucks-with-monument-valley/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/30/bend-your-brain-for-2-bucks-with-monument-valley/#comments Monument Valley, the physics-bending and fantastical puzzle game, is on sale for $2 on Google Play, down from its normal price of $4. This is the game's first sale on Android.

Monument Valley took home an Apple Design Award (and a lot of players' hearts) this year, and it recently passed 1 million in sales. Developer ustwo plans to release "lost scenes" for the game that should double its current playtime of 90 minutes or so. The scenes are due out in the fall, though whether they'll be paid or free is still up in the fresh monument air.
[Image: ustwo]

JoystiqBend your brain for 2 bucks with Monument Valley originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Jul 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidmobilemonument-valleysaleustwoWed, 30 Jul 2014 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More than 1 million sales are comin' round Monument Valley]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/19/more-than-1-million-sales-are-comin-round-monument-valley/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/19/more-than-1-million-sales-are-comin-round-monument-valley/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/19/more-than-1-million-sales-are-comin-round-monument-valley/#comments Monument Valley, an Apple Design Award-winning game that twists player perspective like an MC Escher painting twists stairs, has surpassed more than one million sales. We're not sure what that number means to a game that cares nothing for the laws of physics, but developer ustwo seems pleased enough to start planning for post-release content.

Producer Dan Gray told TechCrunch that the team plans to double the average gameplay time of 90 minutes with additional "lost scenes" for the game. Gray wasn't sure if these scenes would be sold or free to download, but either way they'll take place outside of the main story. Ustwo is aiming to release the extra levels sometime in the fall.

If you're not sure what all the fuss is about, Monument Valley - along with its fellow Design Award winners - is on sale in the iTunes store.
[Image: ustwo]

JoystiqMore than 1 million sales are comin' round Monument Valley originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Jul 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidapple-design-awardsindieiosipadiphonemobilemonument-valleysalesustwoSat, 19 Jul 2014 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple Design Award sale discounts Threes, Monument Valley, and more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/10/apple-design-award-sale-discounts-threes-monument-valley-and-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/10/apple-design-award-sale-discounts-threes-monument-valley-and-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/10/apple-design-award-sale-discounts-threes-monument-valley-and-m/#comments The iTunes App Store is hosting an unannounced sale on several Apple Design Award-winning apps, giving frugal players the opportunity to check out some of the best games to hit iOS devices this year.

Featured games are Asher Vollmer's sliding number-cruncher Threes (99 cents), ustwo's perspective-shifting adventure game Monument Valley ($1.99), and Denis Mikan's touchscreen puzzler Blek (99 cents).

Other award-nominated sale highlights include Tengami ($1.99), Eliss Infinity (99 cents), and Lost Toys ($1.99). There's no word as to when these app discounts will expire, so grab 'em while you can.
[Image: ustwo]

JoystiqApple Design Award sale discounts Threes, Monument Valley, and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Jul 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple-design-awardsblekeliss-infinityiosipadiphonelost-toysmobilemonument-valleytengamithreesThu, 10 Jul 2014 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit List Q&A: Monument Valley designer Ken Wong]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/25/hit-list-qanda-monument-valley-designer-ken-wong/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/25/hit-list-qanda-monument-valley-designer-ken-wong/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/25/hit-list-qanda-monument-valley-designer-ken-wong/#comments In the "Hit List" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the video game industry's top talents describe their current gaming addictions, their most anticipated releases and more. This week: Ken Wong, lead designer of Monument Valley.

Ken Wong served as lead designer on ustwo's recent mobile hit Monument Valley. An Australian living in London, his previous work also includes the art direction of Alice: Madness Returns at Spicy Horse and his solo indie project, Hackycat.

Wong will be presenting at the upcoming D.I.C.E. Europe conference in a session titled, "Games without gamers." He will discuss how core gamers have supported the games industry and pushed it into new territory for decades, but fresh opportunities and challenges await if designers try to attract new audiences. In creating Monument Valley ustwo sought to create a meaningful, rich experience for audiences beyond the 'gamer' by replacing tropes and overused patterns with a focus on user experience.

Continue reading Hit List Q&A: Monument Valley designer Ken Wong

JoystiqHit List Q&A: Monument Valley designer Ken Wong originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jun 2014 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasandroidhit-listiosipadiphoneken-wongmobilemonument-valleyWed, 25 Jun 2014 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Threes, Device 6 take home Apple Design Awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/03/threes-device-6-take-home-apple-design-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/03/threes-device-6-take-home-apple-design-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/03/threes-device-6-take-home-apple-design-awards/#comments Apple doled out its Design Awards earlier today, giving its stylish, pearl white nod to several games. Alongside lifestyle apps like Cinemagraph Pro and Sky Guide, Apple recognized Threes, Device 6, Blek, Monument Valley and Leo's Fortune for combining design and technology in "creative, compelling, and powerful ways."

Apple praised each of the games, calling Threes "intuitive, charming, broadly appealing, and bewitchingly addictive." Device 6 was labeled "mesmerizing and immersive," Blek was said to engage both left and right hemispheres of the brain, and Monument Valley was compared to experiencing a museum. Finally, Leo's Fortune was hailed as "intricate and nuanced."

Works for us. We just love having good games to play.
[Image:Simogo]

JoystiqThrees, Device 6 take home Apple Design Awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jun 2014 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1337-and-senriappleapple-design-awardsblekdevice-6iosipadiphonekunabi-brotherleos-fortunemobilemonument-valleysimogosirvothreesustwo-studioTue, 03 Jun 2014 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Illusory puzzler Monument Valley out now on Android]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/14/illusory-puzzler-monument-valley-out-now-on-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/14/illusory-puzzler-monument-valley-out-now-on-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/14/illusory-puzzler-monument-valley-out-now-on-android/#comments Ustwo's playable optical illusion Monument Valley is now available for Android devices, following up on a successful launch last month in the iTunes App Store.

Monument Valley challenges players to explore fantasy worlds filled with unlikely architecture, sussing out illusory patterns as they solve puzzles and traverse tricky level geometry. Developer Ustwo recently revealed that the game earned over 500,000 downloads following its iOS debut in April.

Monument Valley is priced at $3.99.

[Image: Ustwo]

JoystiqIllusory puzzler Monument Valley out now on Android originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 May 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidindiemobilemonument-valleyustwoWed, 14 May 2014 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Monument Valley debuts two trailers to tide you over until launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/04/02/monument-valley-debuts-two-trailers-to-tide-you-over-until-launc/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/04/02/monument-valley-debuts-two-trailers-to-tide-you-over-until-launc/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/04/02/monument-valley-debuts-two-trailers-to-tide-you-over-until-launc/#comments

Monument Valley developer ustwo has revealed that the colorful indie adventure will make its iOS debut on Friday, April 4.

To celebrate the announcement, ustwo has also issued two trailers for the game. The first, which you can see above, stands as Monument Valley's first official gameplay trailer, though with that near-term release date, it doubles as a launch trailer. As you can see, Monument Valley's stages are optically challenging tributes to the mind-bending work of M.C. Escher. The game's protagonist, the adorably angular Princess Ida, is tasked with navigating each of these geometrically impossible levels in her ongoing search for forgiveness.

The second clip, which can be found past the break, offers a polished behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Monument Valley, which translates to just over four minutes of indie developers explaining their motivation for creating the attractive, off-kilter adventure.

Unfortunately lacking from ustwo's announcement is a price point for Monument Valley.
[Image: ustwo]

Continue reading Monument Valley debuts two trailers to tide you over until launch

JoystiqMonument Valley debuts two trailers to tide you over until launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleindieiosipadiphonemobilemonument-valleyustwoWed, 02 Apr 2014 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Monument Valley finds beauty in impossibility, beta sign ups now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/12/11/monument-valley-finds-beauty-in-impossibility-beta-sign-ups-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/12/11/monument-valley-finds-beauty-in-impossibility-beta-sign-ups-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/12/11/monument-valley-finds-beauty-in-impossibility-beta-sign-ups-now/#comments

Monument Valley is an optical illusion presented as a game - or a game presented as an optical illusion - starring Princess Ida as she travels alone, seeking forgiveness for a past misdeed. The levels twist and turn to create impossible pathways and shapes, allowing Ida to travel where she needs to go. It's due out on mobile devices "soon" from indie developer ustwo, and beta registration is live now directly through the studio.

Ustwo's past work includes mobile game Whale Trail and a handheld game with a murky history called Papa Quash. Ustwo pulled Papa Quash from the App Store last year following a cloning controversy - the game was commissioned by a third party to play like JS Joust, but it wasn't sanctioned by that game's creator, Die Gute Fabrik. The air was cleared in May and Die Gute Fabrik Lead Designer Douglas Wilson said he didn't harbor any ill will toward Ustwo.

Monument Valley takes cues from the mind-melting art of MC Escher, with gameplay influences from Zelda and Myst. That sounds like the right kind of inspiration to us.

JoystiqMonument Valley finds beauty in impossibility, beta sign ups now originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadmc-eschermobilemonument-valleyustwoWed, 11 Dec 2013 15:30:00 EST