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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Nintendo debuts 3DS screenshot sharing tool in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/20/nintendo-debuts-3ds-screenshot-sharing-tool-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/20/nintendo-debuts-3ds-screenshot-sharing-tool-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/20/nintendo-debuts-3ds-screenshot-sharing-tool-in-japan/#comments Nintendo debuts 3DS screenshot sharing tool in JapanNintendo has released a web tool for use in the 3DS' internet browser, which allows the user to share screenshots from compatible games on Twitter and Tumblr. So far, only Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Tomodachi Collection: New Life work with the service - our friends at Engadget attempted to upload a picture taken with the 3DS' camera and were given an error about "incompatible software."

No indication from Nintendo that a westernized version of the utility is in the works, but the Japanese tool still works on this side of the globe, provided you can either read Japanese, or have a lot patience and spare time. Folks interested in investigating should point their 3DS browsers to i.nintendo.net.

JoystiqNintendo debuts 3DS screenshot sharing tool in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsnintendonintendo-of-japanscreenshotssharingsocialsocial-networkingtumblrtwitterSat, 20 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA['World Tekken Federation' membership free with every copy of Tekken Tag Tournament 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/world-tekken-federation-membership-free-with-every-copy-of-tek/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/world-tekken-federation-membership-free-with-every-copy-of-tek/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/world-tekken-federation-membership-free-with-every-copy-of-tek/#comments Namco's planned social network tie-in for Tekken Tag Tournament 2 won't cost you a dime to enjoy beyond the initial purchase the game. World Tekken Federation integration - an online destination where players can link their PSN account or Xbox Live gamertag and see select stats in real-time - will be online and ready to go when Tekken Tag Tournament 2 launches on September 11.

World Tekken Federation gives Tekken Tag Tournament 2 players the opportunity to "track personal statistics against the world, create and manage teams with friends, compete in online events and discuss intricate strategies" with other Tekken Tag Tournament 2 players, the press release past the break says. Right now, that's all Namco's telling us about this planned stat-tracking and social service.

Continue reading 'World Tekken Federation' membership free with every copy of Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Joystiq'World Tekken Federation' membership free with every copy of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftnamco-bandaiplaystationps3socialsocial-networkingstat-trackingTekken-Tag-Tournament-2world-tekken-federationxboxFri, 31 Aug 2012 13:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Gface, Crytek-backed streaming game network, goes into beta]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/gface-crytek-backed-streaming-game-network-goes-into-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/gface-crytek-backed-streaming-game-network-goes-into-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/gface-crytek-backed-streaming-game-network-goes-into-beta/#comments No longer content with making incredibly technologically advanced games, Crytek is going after the casual space with a browser-based, social gaming platform called Gface (so that's what that trademark was for!), developed and maintained by an affiliate, also called Gface.

Gface is sort of like a game-focused Facebook: a cross-platform social network designed to facilitate playing casual or hardcore, 2D or 3D games with people, and finding more people to play with. Games are delivered through a plugin based on the "Seed Engine," enabling installation-free, streaming gameplay.

If you're interested in checking out Gface, the company is hosting signups for a closed beta. Maybe if you get in, you can find out what the games are!

JoystiqGface, Crytek-backed streaming game network, goes into beta originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crytekgfacemobilepcsocial-networkingstreamingSun, 05 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Iwata: 3DS is Nintendo 'priority,' even at the sake of short-term profitability]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/iwata-3ds-is-nintendo-priority-even-at-the-sake-of-short-ter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/iwata-3ds-is-nintendo-priority-even-at-the-sake-of-short-ter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/iwata-3ds-is-nintendo-priority-even-at-the-sake-of-short-ter/#comments In a recent Q&A following a semi-annual investor's meeting, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata laid out the company's plans for its slow-starting handheld, the 3DS. "We came to the conclusion that we needed to make that bold investment," Iwata explained, "instead of focusing just on this term's profitability, so that we would be able to make the Nintendo 3DS an important foundation for Nintendo for years to come." He added that the company expects the system's profitability to improve dramatically during the fiscal year ending March 2013.

Iwata mentioned that, falling in line with this strategy, unspecified 3DS games were delayed from the holiday release window to prevent being overlooked due to overcrowding. The only major first-party 3DS titles scheduled for the rest of the year are Super Mario 3D Land (November 13) and Mario Kart 7 (December 4).

He also discussed the company's plans to expand the eShop with an "add-on" marketplace for individual games, and the ability to access the store using PCs and Smartphones. You can read more about this initiative in our post from last week, though it lacks Iwata's almost comically tardy discovery of social networking platforms. He's kind of like your grandpa who just discovered Facebook, likes everything you post, and leaves embarrassing comments on all your pictures in all-caps.

JoystiqIwata: 3DS is Nintendo 'priority,' even at the sake of short-term profitability originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dseshopiwatanintendoprofitabilitySatoru-Iwatasocial-networkingTue, 01 Nov 2011 13:01:00 EST<![CDATA[CityVille launches on Google Plus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/cityville-launches-on-google-plus/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/cityville-launches-on-google-plus/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/cityville-launches-on-google-plus/#comments Google Plus' casual gaming cabinet may not be as fully stocked as the Facebook alternative, but one crucial missing piece of the puzzle has just been filled in: Megalithic social monolith Zynga has ported CityVille, their most popular Facebook game, to Google's fledgling platform.

The release comes shortly after the end of Google Plus' closed beta, and now that its e-doors are open to the public, we doubt this will be the end of Zynga's extra-Facebook expansion. Seeing as the company just posted a 95 percent drop in profit year over year, developing its products beyond its existing user base is a shrewd move.

JoystiqCityVille launches on Google Plus originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casual-gamingcityvillefacebookgooglegoogle-plusmacpcsocial-networkingzyngaWed, 28 Sep 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Real-world political campaigning headed to Farmville]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/real-world-political-campaigning-headed-to-farmville/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/real-world-political-campaigning-headed-to-farmville/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/real-world-political-campaigning-headed-to-farmville/#comments You can tell a lot about a person based on their agricultural lot in Farmville: For instance, one look at our fertile lands, and you'll know we're firm supporters of firm arugula, well-fed livestock and laying out pumpkin patches in the shapes of genitalia. Also, if you check back in a few months, you'll be able to tell how much we love ex-New York gubernatorial candidate and Rent is Too Damn High Party founder Jimmy McMillan, because we'll have his campaign signs plastered all over our farmgrounds.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, political marketing consultant Michael Hendrix says Farmville will allow players to post candidate signage and do door-to-door campaigning later this year. Hendrix works for the Michelle Bachmann presidential campaign, and didn't specify whether users could campaign for any other candidates. We've contacted Zynga to find out the specifics.

Also, we should be more specific: We're talking about campaigning for real-life political positions. Not the mayor of Farmville, a position we'd still probably vote to fill with Jimmy McMillan. (Come on, that facial hair? How could we not?)

JoystiqReal-world political campaigning headed to Farmville originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookfarmvillepcpoliticssocial-networkingzyngaMon, 26 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Words with Friends coming to Facebook]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/01/words-with-friends-coming-to-facebook/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/01/words-with-friends-coming-to-facebook/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/01/words-with-friends-coming-to-facebook/#comments What's the pleasure in absolutely humiliating your friends and family in a battle of verbal wits if you have no way of flaunting your spelling superiority to your other friends and family? Zynga has announced a perfect new channel for you to broadcast your Words with Friends victories: Facebook, which will receive its own version of the Scrabble-like application, complete with the social networking features you've come to expect from the platform.

No release date has been announced for the wildly popular mobile title's port, though Kotaku reports that when it does launch, it will be completely compatible with Words with Friends players on iOS and Android smartphones. Personally, we think Facebook players would have a distinct advantage in this scenario, considering they can have the Scrabulizer open with a single, dishonest click.

JoystiqWords with Friends coming to Facebook originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookpcscrabblesocial-networkingwords-with-friendszyngaZynga-With-FriendsMon, 01 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[OpenFeint sold for $104 million to GREE]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/openfeint-sold-for-104-million-to-gree/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/openfeint-sold-for-104-million-to-gree/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/openfeint-sold-for-104-million-to-gree/#comments GREE, arguably the largest social media company in Japan, has cut a check for $104 million to acquire mobile games (think iOS and Android) platform OpenFeint. The goal is to "build a global ecosystem of distribution channels for game developers" through the combined efforts of the two companies, both of which have told Develop that OpenFeint's brand and CEO will remain intact following the completion of the purchase.

OpenFeint currently touts a user base of 75 million across Android and iOS, and even saw a huge spike in new users and OpenFeint-compatible game downloads over the Christmas holiday. Along with GREE's 25 million users in Japan, the two will have access to nearly 100 million people. And yes, we did that math all on our own.

JoystiqOpenFeint sold for $104 million to GREE originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 01:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbusinessgreeiosmobilesocial-networkingWed, 27 Apr 2011 01:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Cooking Mama franchise stirs up Facebook with 'Friends Cafe']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/cooking-mama-franchise-stirs-up-facebook-with-friends-cafe/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/cooking-mama-franchise-stirs-up-facebook-with-friends-cafe/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/cooking-mama-franchise-stirs-up-facebook-with-friends-cafe/#comments We've already seen the meteoric rise of a social networking blockbuster in which the player cultivates and harvests rich acres of fresh produce -- it makes sense that we'd also witness the arrival of a social networking game in which that produce is prepared for human consumption. That's a niche which the Cooking Mama franchise will attempt to fill with its new Facebook iteration, Friends Cafe.

The Majesco-published game features the same food preparation gameplay the series is known for, as well as unlockable (or purchasable!) upgrades for your own personal kitchen or restaurant. Of course, such entrepreneurship requires persistence, as players who neglect their cafes will see them shut down. You can learn more about this heartbreaking process in Majesco's next Facebook-enabled title, Bank Foreclosing Mama.

JoystiqCooking Mama franchise stirs up Facebook with 'Friends Cafe' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cooking-Mamacooking-mama-friends-cafefacebookMajescopcsocial-networkingThu, 13 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Minecraft gets its own social network, Minecraftr]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/minecraft-gets-its-own-social-network-minecraftr/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/minecraft-gets-its-own-social-network-minecraftr/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/minecraft-gets-its-own-social-network-minecraftr/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Are you guys ready to hear about what might just be the trendiest website in the entirety of the deep, vast internet? Take the immense popularity of Minecraft, throw in a fully-featured, Facebook-esque social network, and then, for good measure, tack on a completely unnecessary consonant to the end of its name. What do you get? Minecraftr, a social hub designed to connect players of the constructive online title, allowing them to create groups, plan events, establish servers and chat through IRC and forums.

Though Minecraft certainly has its share of strengths, finding amateur builders like yourself is something of a chore for new players. If it takes off, Minecraftr might be a great way to wiggle your way into a community -- and then take its grand, intricate creations apart one brick at a time.

[Thanks, Chris!]

JoystiqMinecraft gets its own social network, Minecraftr originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Minecraftminecraftrpcsocial-networkingThu, 14 Oct 2010 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard: More growth ahead for WoW]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/blizzard-more-growth-ahead-for-wow/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/blizzard-more-growth-ahead-for-wow/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/blizzard-more-growth-ahead-for-wow/#comments VG247 met up with Blizzard Executive Vice President Frank Pearce in London to talk about StarCraft 2 and World of Warcraft. While it appears that WoW reached its peak with 11.5 million players, Pearce disagrees. "I don't think 11.5 million is a peak, necessarily," he says, "but there are certain things that we need to do and need to do well in order to see it go further." Those things include finally launching the Wrath of the Lich King expansion in China and bringing players back with the upcoming Cataclysm expansion in the US.

And while some have guessed that the release of StarCraft 2 might make a dent in WoW's player base, Pearce says he expects the opposite: StarCraft's Real ID social network system works across both games, and it may "potentially have a strong enough connection so that [someone playing StarCraft] may get a message from someone in WoW saying, 'Hey, come on over, we need a last person to fill our raid.'"

JoystiqBlizzard: More growth ahead for WoW originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 May 2010 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcataclysmfrank-pearcereal-idsocial-networkingstarcraft-2world-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingWed, 26 May 2010 09:51:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace launches Games Lab, aims to tackle social gaming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/myspace-launches-games-lab-aims-to-tackle-social-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/myspace-launches-games-lab-aims-to-tackle-social-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/myspace-launches-games-lab-aims-to-tackle-social-gaming/#comments Like a pokey little puppy, social network MySpace has announced that it's starting up a Games Lab to try and beef up the gaming space on the site. A pilot program has been underway for a while now with TheBroth and Meez, and MySpace has now announced Playdom as a partner in building the platform. Rival network Facebook has been growing in leaps and bounds, especially in the gaming space, but now MySpace wants to leapfrog its success on the music side into social games.

Will it work? There's a lot of money still to be made in social games, and there's no reason why MySpace couldn't grab its own piece of the pie. But MySpace is certainly coming late to the game, so if it can garner an audience, it'll likely be a fraction of what Facebook already has running.

JoystiqMySpace launches Games Lab, aims to tackle social gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 May 2010 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookkingdoms-of-camelotmeezmyspaceonlineplaydomsocial-gamessocial-gamingsocial-networkingthebrothTue, 25 May 2010 03:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook and Zynga make nice, announce long-term relationship]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/facebook-and-zynga-make-nice-announce-long-term-relationship/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/facebook-and-zynga-make-nice-announce-long-term-relationship/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/facebook-and-zynga-make-nice-announce-long-term-relationship/#comments A joint press release from Facebook and Farmville creator Zynga has announced that the two have entered into a "five-year strategic relationship," which "increases their shared commitment to social gaming on Facebook and expands use of Facebook Credits in Zynga's games." The new union likely comes as a response to reports that Zynga CEO Mark Pincus was considering leaving Facebook behind to start a new social gaming hub.

The terms of the relationship aren't being discussed, but we imagine a new agreement was reached regarding how much Facebook takes from purchases using the aforementioned Credits. We're likely to hear more about the specifics of this agreement in the coming weeks.

JoystiqFacebook and Zynga make nice, announce long-term relationship originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 May 2010 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agreementcasualfacebookfarmvillepartnershiprelationshipssocial-networkingzyngaTue, 18 May 2010 15:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Red Dead Redemption to get Rockstar Social Club exclusive challenges and more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/red-dead-redemption-to-get-rockstar-social-club-exclusive-challe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/red-dead-redemption-to-get-rockstar-social-club-exclusive-challe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/red-dead-redemption-to-get-rockstar-social-club-exclusive-challe/#comments Rockstar Games has unveiled how it will be using the Rockstar Social Club service for Red Dead Redemption, and cowboys (and girls) looking for a little extra horsin' around won't be disappointed. The Social Club is offering achievements and challenges on top of the game, so, for example, one early mission that has you horsedragging an outlaw around will have a target time, and Social Club members who beat that time will get access to a special "Guns Blazing" cheat that gives your shots the chance to light enemies on fire. There will also be game-wide challenges, including one later this month that will require everyone playing the game to hit a certain amount of money raised, with an Xbox Live or PlayStation Home avatar T-shirt as a prize.

There will also be community news, multiplayer events, special leaderboards and lots of stats tracked on the Social Club website. 100% completion is even "exclusively" in the Social Club, so presumably the only way you'll be able to know that you've done everything the West has to offer is to log on with a Rockstar Games account and find out. Kind of peculiar that information isn't in the game itself, no? At least signing up for the Social Club is free, so if you're planning to ride the plains next week, might as well do it now.

JoystiqRed Dead Redemption to get Rockstar Social Club exclusive challenges and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 May 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100-completionachievementschallengescheatsfriendsleaderboardMicrosoftmultiplayeronlinepsnred-dead-redemptionsocial-clubsocial-networkingXbox-360xbox-liveTue, 11 May 2010 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on: Blur (single player)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/10/hands-on-blur-single-player/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/10/hands-on-blur-single-player/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/10/hands-on-blur-single-player/#comments
click to enlarge

Bizarre Creations is known for its racing expertise, honed in the great Project Gotham Racing series, and their latest title, Blur, is no exception. The arcade sensibilities of Bizarre's own Geometry Wars and the underrated (I said it!) The Club add a few new colors to the mix, but the driving is as solid as ever -- as you'll know if you've been playing the multiplayer beta.

The real key to Blur, though, is the much-discussed social features. Bizarre has more or less perfected console racing over all of its past iterations, and so when we were invited to Activision HQ last week to check out Blur's single-player components, the focus wasn't so much on the how of racing, but the why.

Gallery: Blur (single-player)

Continue reading Hands-on: Blur (single player)

JoystiqHands-on: Blur (single player) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbizarre-creationsblurcommunity-eventshands-onMicrosoftmodern-warfare-2multiplayerracingsharesingle-playersocial-networkingtwitterXbox-360xbox-liveMon, 10 May 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA['FIFA Superstars' Facebook game is first big EA-brand social game created by Playfish]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/10/fifa-superstars-facebook-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/10/fifa-superstars-facebook-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/10/fifa-superstars-facebook-game/#commentsFiled under: , ,

EA Sports head Peter Moore has announced on his company blog that the label will be bringing FIFA Superstars to Facebook. The game is being created by social games developer Playfish, which EA purchased for a cool $300 million last fall. Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that the developer was working with a "well-known EA brand" for social networking platforms, and FIFA would certainly qualify as that project (despite The Sims being the best guess at the time).

Moore didn't offer up any concrete details about FIFA Superstars' gameplay in his post, but did comment that additional information would be coming "soon." Seeing as how the World Cup kicks off in just a month, on June 11, it's reasonable to assume we'll hear more from Moore on the topic before then.

Joystiq'FIFA Superstars' Facebook game is first big EA-brand social game created by Playfish originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 May 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browser-basedeaea-sportselectronic-artsfacebookfifafifa-superstarsplayfishsocial-gamessocial-gamingsocial-networkingMon, 10 May 2010 15:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Capcom joins OpenFeint social gaming network on the iPhone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/06/capcom-joins-openfeint-social-gaming-network-on-the-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/06/capcom-joins-openfeint-social-gaming-network-on-the-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/06/capcom-joins-openfeint-social-gaming-network-on-the-iphone/#comments While Microsoft has Xbox Live as an official network, and of course Sony has PlayStation Network, the iPhone doesn't yet have an official social gaming network, at least not until Apple's Game Center is unveiled later on this year. Until then, a company called OpenFeint has been connecting gamers on iPhones with leaderboards and achievements (which is why you'll often see their logo appear in your iPhone games). And while most of the developers signed on to OpenFeint so far have been pretty small, it's starting to reel in the big fish -- Capcom has signed on to hook its games up to the OpenFeint service.

The service will first appear in Capcom's Dark Void Zero and Hatchlings iPhone games, and both OpenFeint and Capcom say they are excited about the possibilities of working together. Of course, the release of Game Center may change the relationship, depending on what features Apple offers later this year. But OpenFeint says they're planning to offer services even on top of Game Center's planned featureset (Capcom has confirmed they want to use OpenFeint X, a platform for serving up virtual goods on the iPhone even beyond what Game Center will offer). So it sounds like even after Apple's official network is released later this year, Capcom will still have a use for its new partner.

JoystiqCapcom joins OpenFeint social gaming network on the iPhone originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecapcomgame-centeriPodleaderboardsnetworkingopenfeintsocial-networkingThu, 06 May 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony closes door on PlayStation Room]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/15/sony-closes-door-on-playstation-room/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/15/sony-closes-door-on-playstation-room/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/15/sony-closes-door-on-playstation-room/#commentsAt TGS last year, Sony introduced PlayStation Room, a Home-like social networking service for PSP that allowed players to create cute avatars, decorate virtual spaces, and interact with friends via chat and blogs. Today, following the end of a Japan-only closed beta, Sony announced that it's ceasing development on the service. That infinity symbol in the logo just got nicely ironic.

In the announcement, Sony thanked beta testers for their feedback and said that it planned to use the data gathered to enrich PlayStation Network services. Mind you, if said feedback resulted in the immediate closure of the project, it could't have been easy to read.

Gallery: PlayStation Room


[Via Siliconera]

JoystiqSony closes door on PlayStation Room originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanplaystation-roomroomsceisocial-networkingThu, 15 Apr 2010 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Game Center sparks light reactions from competing iPhone social network devs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/game-center-sparks-light-reactions-from-competing-devs/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/game-center-sparks-light-reactions-from-competing-devs/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/09/game-center-sparks-light-reactions-from-competing-devs/#comments
Yesterday, Apple announced Game Center, a social gaming service for iPhone. Pretty much everyone with an iPhone has reason to be delighted with this development, except for companies like OpenFeint and ngmoco, which already operate social network gaming services for iPhone in OpenFeint and Plus+, respectively. Are both companies freaking out? Not in public.

In a statement, OpenFeint positioned the OpenFeint X service, which allows iPhone devs to sell virtual goods, as the next step for its business. "OpenFeint X is currently built on top of OpenFeint and in the future it will also sit on Apple's Game Center social graph, achievements and leaderboards so developers and gamers don't miss a step," said OpenFeint CEO Jason Citron. "Apple is a key partner and we are delighted that they have validated the first half of the OpenFeint vision and we can now fulfill the second half: OpenFeint X and Virtual Goods based Social Games." Citron also promised to "continue to invest in OpenFeint" for the benefit of the games using the platform now and in the process of adding it.

ngmoco's Simon Jeffery released a statement indicating that Plus+ is also already moving in a similar direction. "ngmoco has anticipated this move from Apple for some time, and is happy to see a cleaner developer and consumer experience on the horizon," he said. "As we demonstrated at GDC 2010, Plus+ took a strategic shift in direction a few months ago toward being a service, and less about being a set of social gaming features." Plus+ is now focusing on "empowering monetisation and discoverability mechanisms for the development community," as evident in the service's support for player-created virtual item stores in We Rule.

If both OpenFeint and ngmoco are to become virtual goods platforms, they stand to benefit from Game Center -- in essence, they can allow Apple to handle all the matchmaking and friend list stuff, while they focus on building marketplaces to interact with Game Center. At least until iPhone OS 5 introduces a virtual goods marketplace.

[Via TUAW]

JoystiqGame Center sparks light reactions from competing iPhone social network devs originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Applegame-centeriphone-os-4iPodjason-citronngmocoopenfeintsimon-jefferysocial-networkingvirtual-goodsFri, 09 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Game Center is basically Xbox Live for your iPhone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/08/apple-game-center-is-basically-xbox-live-for-your-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/08/apple-game-center-is-basically-xbox-live-for-your-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/08/apple-game-center-is-basically-xbox-live-for-your-iphone/#comments We knew Apple was serious about treating the iPhone and iPod Touch as gaming devices, but at its iPhone OS 4 event (liveblog here) it just dropped the gauntlet: Game Center. "Gaming is extremely popular on the iPhone and iPod touch. We have 50,000 games," Apple's Scott Forstall trumpeted. "Let's compare that to the competition ... the PSP and DS ... we blow them out of the water." While we're not going to start pointing out relative quality differences here, we will say that iPhone now has one very powerful differentiator that neither the PSP nor DS have: "a social gaming network."

Forstall unveiled Game Center, which he said will make "gaming even better on the iPhone." With matchmaking, game invites, leaderboards and achievements, this is pretty much a carbon copy of Xbox Live, but on your phone (Windows Phone 7, beat to the punch!). This is a "dev preview for OS 4," which will be available today for you devs out there. Everyone else, you've gotta wait until "summer."

JoystiqGame Center is basically Xbox Live for your iPhone originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsapplegame-centeriphone-os-4iPodleaderboardsmatchmakingScott-Forstallsocial-networkingThu, 08 Apr 2010 13:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Hideo Kojima's Twitter feed goes bilingual, now in English]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/hideo-kojimas-twitter-feed-goes-bilingual-now-in-english/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/hideo-kojimas-twitter-feed-goes-bilingual-now-in-english/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/hideo-kojimas-twitter-feed-goes-bilingual-now-in-english/#comments Given our limited comprehension of the Japanese language, we were free to imagine Hideo Kojima's Twitter feed to be an outlet for the idiosyncratic developer's most outlandish, puzzling statements. However, an English-language version of his Twitter page is now up and running, revealing that Kojima is just an ordinary dude. Whod've thunk it?

Take, for example, this recent Tweet: "My stomach hurts, nose's running, and my hair is getting long." And then, following that, a picture of his hair. See? He's just like you or us, only when he's done posting self-shot pictures of himself on the internet, he gets back to making Metal Gear Solid games.

JoystiqHideo Kojima's Twitter feed goes bilingual, now in English originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hideo-kojimakojimakonamimetal-gear-solidsocial-networkingtwitterTue, 02 Mar 2010 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott re-enters games atmosphere with new social media project: Portalarium]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/17/richard-garriott-returns-to-gaming-with-portalarium/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/17/richard-garriott-returns-to-gaming-with-portalarium/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/17/richard-garriott-returns-to-gaming-with-portalarium/#comments Known spacefarer and castle-owner Richard Garriott isn't going to let a relatively unsuccessful MMORPG launch keep him down. Lord British himself, along with former NCSoft colleagues Dallas Snell, Fred Schmidt and Stephen Nichols, has revealed the launch of a "broad-based" social media company dubbed Portalarium. The outfit is working to first offer "online game apps" and then hopes to expand into "open learning, open health, open science/environment, open government and much more." Whatever that means.

The announcement was kind enough to detail the company's first big project: The Portalarium Player, a browser plug-in that allows games developed on a number of platforms (i.e., not just Flash) to work within the confines of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. Garriott is speaking more about the young company's future at D.I.C.E. -- so we'll flag him down later today to find out what gamers can expect from the studio. (At the very least, we hope to get some totally awesome space stories.)

JoystiqRichard Garriott re-enters games atmosphere with new social media project: Portalarium originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dice-2010dice-summit-2010facebookflashlord-britishmyspaceportalariumportalarium-playerrichard-garriottsocial-gamessocial-gamingsocial-mediasocial-networkingWed, 17 Feb 2010 13:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Zynga founder explains 'Facegroup' games to Charlie Rose]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/31/zynga-founder-explains-facegroup-games-to-charlie-rose/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/31/zynga-founder-explains-facegroup-games-to-charlie-rose/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/31/zynga-founder-explains-facegroup-games-to-charlie-rose/#comments Now hang on just a minute before you head off to the next post in search of funny game-related desserts or screenshots from that hot new blockbuster game. Charlie Rose is no Kevin Pereira, but the man's a broadcasting legend, so let's give him his due. And Zynga just raised $180 million for their social gaming empire, so it can buy and sell any number of your Pokemons. When Zynga founder Mark Pincus appears on the Charlie Rose Show, you whippersnappers should take a little notice!

After all, Zynga has not only been hiring up solid talent, but it also runs the bigger-than-you'd-believe Facebook games like Mafia Wars and FarmVille. Pincus tells the somewhat confused Rose that his company doesn't just want to roll in the venture cash; Zynga wants to create "an Internet treasure," and be recognized in the same way that brands like Google, Amazon, and Facebook are. You can watch the whole segment after the break. Bewarned: the video of two well-dressed men talking at a table doesn't feature any laser guns or girls in bikinis, but it does feature Rose holding up printouts of a virtual cafe created in his honor. Surreal.

Continue reading Zynga founder explains 'Facegroup' games to Charlie Rose

JoystiqZynga founder explains 'Facegroup' games to Charlie Rose originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charlie-rosecharlie-rose-showfacebookfarmvilleinvestmentkevin-pereiramafia-warsmoneyonlinesocial-networkingventurevirtual-cafezyngaThu, 31 Dec 2009 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare's Ray Muzyka on how to make single-player gaming more social]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/biowares-ray-muzyka-on-how-to-make-single-player-gaming-more-so/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/biowares-ray-muzyka-on-how-to-make-single-player-gaming-more-so/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/biowares-ray-muzyka-on-how-to-make-single-player-gaming-more-so/#comments The good folks at IncGamers had a chat with one of BioWare's founding medical doctors, Ray Muzyka, about the company's history of classic single-player gaming and its upcoming foray into the world of massively multiplayer with Star Wars: The Old Republic. Muzyka says that the line between solo and collective experiences is blurring: even traditionally single-player games are dipping into the vast realms of multiplayer co-op and competition through online social tools and downloadable content.

Speaking specifically, he says that Dragon Age: Origins is a good example, with online social features for what is definitely a single-player experience. And Mass Effect 2, he says, will explore these ideas through its own DLC. In fact, he outright guarantees us that BioWare is "planning more [DLC] than in Mass Effect 1." As players who couldn't get enough of the two packs on offer for the original game, that's Muzyka to our ears.

JoystiqBioWare's Ray Muzyka on how to make single-player gaming more social originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredlcdoctorsdownloadable-contentdragon-agefeaturesgreg-zeschukincgamersmass-effectmass-effect-2massively-multiplayerMicrosoftmmomultiplayeronlinephdray-muzykasingleplayersocialsocial-networkingstar-wars-the-old-republicuniversity-of-albertaXbox-360Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Game-related startups raise $600 million in 2009, down 36%]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/game-related-startups-raise-600-million-in-2009-down-36/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/game-related-startups-raise-600-million-in-2009-down-36/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/game-related-startups-raise-600-million-in-2009-down-36/#comments Game-related startup companies raised $600 million throughout 2009, according to GamesBeat's analysis. And while $600 million is a lot of money if you're, say, trying to sell a shooter based on the art of modern warfare, it's not quite that much when you're an up-and-coming game developer. Total investments in the field were actually down by 36% since last year. That's not a bubble bursting, but it does mean that startup investors might be a little more careful with their money in the year to come.

The biggest winners in the scene include Zynga, makers of Mafia Wars and a few other popular Facebook titles, who nabbed a big $180 million investment from a Russian technology company, and Playdom. You may not have played Sorority Life, the company's MySpace hit, but Lightspeed Venture Partners must have, because it invested $43 million in the company. If there's a theme here, it's social networking and online games: PopCap is probably the highest traditional game developer on the list, but even its $22.5 million investment was marked for putting its games on the web, mobile platforms, and social networks. Of course, that pull doesn't include the buck we gave them for Peggle.

JoystiqGame-related startups raise $600 million in 2009, down 36% originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dean-takahashifacebookgamesbeatinvestmentmafia-warsmoneymyspacepeggleplaydompopcappopcap-gamesscramblescramble-livesocial-networkingsorority-lifestartupvampireszyngaTue, 22 Dec 2009 09:15:00 EST<![CDATA[EA acquires social network game dev Playfish for $300 million]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/ea-acquires-social-network-game-dev-playfish-for-300-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/ea-acquires-social-network-game-dev-playfish-for-300-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/ea-acquires-social-network-game-dev-playfish-for-300-million/#comments As a number of "industry sources" reported last month, Electronic Arts has elected to add a new studio to its already expansive roster: Playfish, a prolific developer of free-to-play casual games on social networking sites like Facebook. The studio was bought out for about $275 million with an additional $25 million set aside for equity retention arrangements. Playfish is also set to receive another $100 million, should it manage to reach unspecified "performance milestones" before 2012.

Not only is that sum of money much higher than the $250 million total teased by the aforementioned analysts in October, it's ... well, it just seems like a lot of money to spend on a studio which actually developed a game called Bowling Buddies. However, considering Playfish's ten titles register 60 million active users and one billion play sessions every month, we suppose EA's making a sound investment. The times, dear friends -- they are a-changin'.

JoystiqEA acquires social network game dev Playfish for $300 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionbuyoutcasualEAElectronic-Artsfacebookplayfishsocial-networkingMon, 09 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Spore Islands launches on Facebook, prepare to drown in invites]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/spore-islands-launches-on-facebook-prepare-to-drown-in-invites/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/spore-islands-launches-on-facebook-prepare-to-drown-in-invites/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/spore-islands-launches-on-facebook-prepare-to-drown-in-invites/#comments You likely spend a great deal of your time on Facebook informing your so-called "friends" that, no, you don't want to see their farm, or join their mafia, or become a vampire, or fight their superhero, and so on. We're afraid you'll be adding a new form of denial to your repertoire: "No, I don't want to birth a species from the loam, and force it to fight against your species in an adorable Flash-based display of survival of the fittest." It's a tad verbose -- but if you're not interested in EA's Spore Islands Facebook app, you're going to be saying it a lot in the coming weeks.

If genetic engineering is your bag, Spore Islands sounds like a fairly robust offering -- well, as robust as games built into social networking sites get, anyways. Players can create a species, plunk them down on an island, watch them fight for territorial dominance, improve their stats through evolution, then move them to a friend's island to attempt a hostile takeover. You can check out the game for free on EA's Facebook page -- just go easy on the invites, okay?

JoystiqSpore Islands launches on Facebook, prepare to drown in invites originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaElectronic-Artsfacebookflashfreemaxisonlinesocial-networkingsporespore-islandsFri, 06 Nov 2009 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nyko Zoom Case for DSi unleashed upon the world]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/nyko-zoom-case-for-dsi-unleashed-upon-the-world/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/nyko-zoom-case-for-dsi-unleashed-upon-the-world/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/nyko-zoom-case-for-dsi-unleashed-upon-the-world/#comments
Click for 2x ZOOM! The last of Nyko's Big Three from E3 has hit the marketplace, and it's a doozy. The "Zoom Case" is, uh, well, it's a protective case for the DSi with, yep -- that's a gigantic camera lens attached to it. And would you look at that? Nyko saved up enough for a real-life model. She really helps to sell the image of a social networking enthusiast. Don't you think?

No, seriously, the Zoom Case "improves upon one of the landmark features of the DSi, enabling gamers to take higher quality images, which is perfect for the growing suite of social networking capabilities available on the platform," says Nyko marketing director Chris Arbogast.

Ohhh ... that explains it!

Gallery: Nyko Zoom Case (DSi)

JoystiqNyko Zoom Case for DSi unleashed upon the world originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cameraDSdsigive-me-sight-beyond-sightlensNintendonykophotographysocial-networkingzoom-caseThu, 29 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Study: Pricing and social features most important factors for game success]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/study-pricing-and-social-features-most-important-factors-for-ga/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/study-pricing-and-social-features-most-important-factors-for-ga/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/study-pricing-and-social-features-most-important-factors-for-ga/#comments Prepare yourselves, dear readers, to be blinded with science! Russell Beale and Matthew Bond, two industry analysts from the University of Birmingham, UK, recently conducted a study to see what factors mattered the most when determining video game review scores. What they found was that graphical fidelity and storytelling actually took a backseat to budget pricing, social networking features and family accessibility when it comes to racking up the ten-out-of-tens.

The article on NewScientist which reports on the study gives us no indication as to how it was conducted -- still, it's inspired us to create a casual video game based on MySpace, which will hit retail shelves at a cool $9.99. All that left to do now is drown in sweet, published accolades.

JoystiqStudy: Pricing and social features most important factors for game success originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budgetnewscientistpricingreviewsocial-networkingstudyukuniversity-of-birminghamSat, 12 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony: PS3 price cut not due to 'market conditions,' more social networking features on the way]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/sony-ps3-price-cut-not-due-to-market-conditions-more-social/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/sony-ps3-price-cut-not-due-to-market-conditions-more-social/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/sony-ps3-price-cut-not-due-to-market-conditions-more-social/#comments
Though the world economy is crumbling faster than a three-year-old sugar cookie lying on the floor of a jam-packed mosh pit, the recent cheapening of the PS3 shouldn't be attributed to current market conditions. Don't believe us? Perhaps you'll pay heed to the words of SCEE president Andrew House, who explained, "We are aware that consumers are watching their euros and pounds more carefully than before," but later added, "it would not be fair to say [the PS3 price cut] is a reaction to current market conditions." See? We told you.

This quote came in the middle of an interview with Financial Times -- an interview in which House would later mention that Sony is planning on implementing additional "social networking features" into the platform. Financial Times' write-up mentions a possible "tie-up with popular sites such as Facebook," but heck -- we'd be content with just being able to, y'know, talk to each other regardless of what games we're playing.

[Via Edge Online]

JoystiqSony: PS3 price cut not due to 'market conditions,' more social networking features on the way originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andrew-housecross-game-communicationfacebookmarketprice-cutps3-slimrecessionsocial-networkingMon, 24 Aug 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Last.fm on Xbox Live]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/28/interview-last-fm-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/28/interview-last-fm-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/28/interview-last-fm-on-xbox-live/#comments
Last week we published the first part of our Last.fm on Xbox Live interview, speaking with Christina DeRosa, a general manager for Xbox Live. Today, we present the second part, a conversation with Orlena Yeung, VP of Marketing at Last.fm. After the break, read Yeung's take from the Last.fm side of the deal, as she discusses a range of topics, including why her company is better than Pandora, its social media plans, and how audio scrobbling works in APB.

Gallery: Last.fm (Xbox 360)

Continue reading Interview: Last.fm on Xbox Live

JoystiqInterview: Last.fm on Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dashboarddashboard-updatedashboard-update-fall-2009interviewLast.fmmusicOrlena-Yeungradiosocial-networkingXBLXbox-LiveTue, 28 Jul 2009 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone app offers achievements for life, booyah!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/iphone-app-offers-achievements-for-life-booyah/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/iphone-app-offers-achievements-for-life-booyah/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/iphone-app-offers-achievements-for-life-booyah/#commentsWhat is the point of doing anything if you don't get achievements? Really, if you don't get points for it and proof on a public database, does it even count as having done something? We spent like an hour mowing the lawn yesterday in three-digit temperatures, for example, and nobody even knew about it until we told you -- just now.

A developer called Booyah, started by three ex-Blizzard employees, is bringing the all-important "cheevos" to daily life activities, with a free iPhone app called Booyah Society. The "game," set to launch today, allows players to create a custom avatar and log activities in 108 different categories (like "Food & Dining," "Fitness," and more -- with achievements based on writing short notes about what you've done in each category), earning credits for each achievement logged. The achievements can be private or public, shared with a friends list, and streamed to Facebook or Twitter.

Writing this post announcing this achievement game was the last "freebie" for us. From now on, we're not doing anything unless we get points for it.

JoystiqiPhone app offers achievements for life, booyah! originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsApplebooyahbooyah-societyiPodsocial-networkingMon, 27 Jul 2009 20:55:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace looks to games as 'missing piece of the equation']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/myspace-looks-to-games-as-missing-piece-of-the-equation/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/myspace-looks-to-games-as-missing-piece-of-the-equation/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/myspace-looks-to-games-as-missing-piece-of-the-equation/#comments
MySpace became a wretched hive of scum and villainy as soon as all decent people fled for the greener pastures of Facebook. But Jonathan Miller, of MySpace parent company News Corp, hopes that games are the answer to reinvigorating the site.

"None of the traditional media conglomerates are also significant video game players, so to speak, and I think that that's the missing piece of the equation, particularly when you see how much time is spent playing games online," Miller said during last week's Fortune Brainstorm: TECH conference (via Reuters).

It's a nice idea, but we're still not sure the video games MySpace could offer would be worth the dirty feeling we get every time we visit. Also, Facebook has Dolphin Olympics 2, so good luck beating that.

JoystiqMySpace looks to games as 'missing piece of the equation' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookmyspacesocial-networkingMon, 27 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Xbox Live on Last.fm]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/interview-xbox-live-on-last-fm/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/interview-xbox-live-on-last-fm/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/interview-xbox-live-on-last-fm/#comments
By now, you're aware of the news that Last.fm is coming to Xbox Live, along with Twitter and Facebook in a social media onslaught. We wanted to find out what that means for the service, so we spoke with Orlena Yeung, VP of Marketing at Last.fm (which was purchased by CBS two years ago for a big chunk of change), and Christina DeRosa, a general manager for Xbox Live, to find out how the experience will work on our consoles.

We've already reported on the planned Last.fm pricing, but read on after the break for DeRosa's take on the Xbox side of things, including her thoughts on a Pandora partnership, how Xbox will enhance Last.fm (Party Mode?), and where the service fits into the Xbox Live music channel that's in the works. (One interesting note: Xbox says that the console won't audio scrobble, while Last.fm says it will. We've reached out to both parties in search of a definitive answer.)

Update: Microsoft got back to us with the following information, "We circled back on this one and can confirm that music played in other parts of the dash will not be scrobbled. In other words, you can't put in an audio CD and scrobble." So, that's a bit of a bummer.

Gallery: Last.fm (Xbox 360)

Continue reading Interview: Xbox Live on Last.fm

JoystiqInterview: Xbox Live on Last.fm originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Christina-DeRosadashboard-updatedashboard-update-fall-2009Last.fmMicrosoftMusicSocialsocial-networkingXBLXbox-360Xbox-LiveWed, 22 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MI6: PS3-to-Facebook integration 'coming quicker than some may think' [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/mi6-ps3-to-facebook-integration-coming-quicker-than-some-may-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/mi6-ps3-to-facebook-integration-coming-quicker-than-some-may-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/mi6-ps3-to-facebook-integration-coming-quicker-than-some-may-t/#comments
Update: SCEA contacted us with this statement to clarify: "There's nothing imminent in the pipeline between PS3 and Facebook or any social media sites. The point Koller was making is that the day when the console market in general will have tighter integration with social media isn't too far off. SCEA is always evaluating opportunities that might expand where and how the PS3 community interacts."

The MI6 Games Marketing Summit is going on right now and our man on the scene, Randy Nelson, just dropped an interesting tidbit in our laps. During a panel titled "Casual to the Core: Redefining the Gaming Dynamic," SCEA's John Koller talked about social media and how it can affect the games space. When asked by panel moderator John Davison if there would ever be a point when someone could be playing PS3 and have it "spit out something to Facebook," Koller stated that plans are already afoot. He said that such functionality is "critical not just for marketing but for the types of games we're trying to develop. That day is coming quicker than some may think."

One must try to remain skeptical of this, however. Koller didn't say any specific Facebook implementation would be coming, and could have just been referring to social media interaction as a whole. Still, we must admit it's a great idea, if only for something small like real-time Trophy updates for your Facebook friends.

JoystiqMI6: PS3-to-Facebook integration 'coming quicker than some may think' [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookjohn-kollermi6-2009sceasocial-networkingSony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericaWed, 08 Apr 2009 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinity Ward Twitter page welcomes suggestions for 'Modern Warfare 2']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/01/infinity-ward-twitter-page-welcomes-suggestions-for-modern-warf/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/01/infinity-ward-twitter-page-welcomes-suggestions-for-modern-warf/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/01/infinity-ward-twitter-page-welcomes-suggestions-for-modern-warf/#comments
You'd think Infinity Ward, developer of various Call of Duty titles (including 2007's enormously popular Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare) would just come out and say it already. Between the not-so-clandestine Tweets from IF Community Manager Robert "Fourzerotwo" Bowling and Activision big boss Bobby Kotick outright announcing the title to a group of potential advertisers, we're pretty sure Modern Warfare 2 exists ... somewhere.

As if to add fuel to our already brightly burning fire, Infinity Ward recently created a Twitter page specifically for community contribution to their clearly in-progress game. Got something to tell Mr. Bowling and the rest of the folks hard at work on the next Modern Warfare game? Head over to your Twitter account and write in your under 140 character suggestion with a "#MW2" hashtag. And no, like you, we didn't know what a "hashtag" was until just now.

JoystiqInfinity Ward Twitter page welcomes suggestions for 'Modern Warfare 2' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbobby-kotickcall-of-dutyinfinity-wardmodern-warfaremodern-warfare-2robert-bowlingsocial-networkingtwitterSun, 01 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST