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[EA opening DICE Los Angeles studio]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/ea-opening-dice-los-angeles-studio/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/ea-opening-dice-los-angeles-studio/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/ea-opening-dice-los-angeles-studio/#commentsEA opening DICE Los Angeles studio EA is bringing a new DICE studio to Los Angeles, and it's expected to be a key part in the creation of new Star Wars games. As the Wall Street Journal reports, DICE LA hopes to take advantage of the area's "extreme talent pool," a pool Activision is already knee-deep in via Infinity Ward and Treyarch, both based in California. DICE LA plans to employ 60 members by the end of 2013, and is keen to bring the very best to the studio.

"There is an extreme talent pool over [there] that we want to be a part of," DICE General Manager Karl-Magnus Troedsson told WSJ. "It's no secret our main competitor is there."

Troedsson didn't reveal just how much the company is investing in the new studio. The news comes after what's been an eventful month for EA. The company announced 900 layoffs due to restructuring, estimated to be 10 percent of its then workforce. However, EA is clearly looking to build big on the platform of exclusive rights to Star Wars games.

[Image Source: @Battlefield]

JoystiqEA opening DICE Los Angeles studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DICEdice-laEAstar-warsWed, 15 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The first 5 minutes of Star Wars recreated in Minecraft]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-first-5-minutes-of-star-wars-recreated-in-minecraft/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-first-5-minutes-of-star-wars-recreated-in-minecraft/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-first-5-minutes-of-star-wars-recreated-in-minecraft/#comments
This is the introduction to Star Wars, done entirely within Minecraft. Warning: Do not watch while eating a Hot Pocket, lest you explode into a supernova of pure nerdiness.

JoystiqThe first 5 minutes of Star Wars recreated in Minecraft originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>macMinecraftmojangpcstar-warsThu, 09 May 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LucasFilm registers domains for 'Star Wars Rebels,' 'Wookie Hunters' and others]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/lucasfilm-registers-domains-for-star-wars-rebels-wookie-hunt/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/lucasfilm-registers-domains-for-star-wars-rebels-wookie-hunt/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/lucasfilm-registers-domains-for-star-wars-rebels-wookie-hunt/#commentsLucasFilm registers many domans for 'Star Wars Rebels,' 'Wookie Hunters' and others LucasFilm has registered a gaggle of domains for heretofore unannounced Star Wars projects, and while there are indications that at least some of them may be video games of some sort, whether that's a good thing depends on how you feel about Gungans.

The domains, which include StarWarsRebels.com, StarWarsWolfPack.com, WookieHunters.com and WolfPackAdventures.net (among others) were all registered by LucasFilm on May 6, the same day EA announced its exclusive agreement with Disney for all things Star Wars. That proximity, coupled with the fact that three of the domains appear to represent a series of Gungan Frontier sequels, indicate that all of these projects may be interactive in nature. Hit up the source link for a full list of the registered addresses.

JoystiqLucasFilm registers domains for 'Star Wars Rebels,' 'Wookie Hunters' and others originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bothan-spiesgungan-frontier-2gungan-frontier-3gungan-frontier-4lucasfilmorder-67star-warsstar-wars-alliancestar-wars-rebelsstar-wars-wolf-packwolf-pack-adventureswookie-huntersWed, 08 May 2013 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[No Star Wars games in FY 2014, EA says]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/no-star-wars-games-in-fy-2014-ea-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/no-star-wars-games-in-fy-2014-ea-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/no-star-wars-games-in-fy-2014-ea-says/#comments EA won't launch a Star Wars game during its 2014 fiscal year - April 2013 to March 2014 - EA said during an investor call today. Yesterday EA announced it had signed an exclusive, multi-year deal with Disney to develop and publish games in the Star Wars universe.

EA released its FY 2013 results today, complete with expectations for 2014 that put net revenue at $3.50 billion. This is based on the launch of 11 games and 15 mobile titles, EA Labels President Frank Gibeau said. In FY 2013, EA saw a net revenue of $3.797 billion, down from $4.143 billion in 2012.

Gibeau called out the next Battlefield, FIFA, Madden, NBA Live and Need for Speed games as next-gen titles. It's notable that NBA Live is on the schedule at all, considering that series' rocky launch history.

"In fiscal 14, we will release 11 major titles across consoles, and on the PC. This includes our core sports titles," EA Labels President Frank Gibeau said, before listing the following franchises and games:

Continue reading No Star Wars games in FY 2014, EA says

JoystiqNo Star Wars games in FY 2014, EA says originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 May 2013 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androideaElectronic-Artsfinancialsfy-2014iosipadiphonemacmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3Star-Warsvitawii-uxboxTue, 07 May 2013 18:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Avalanche was 'almost' signed to make 'massive Star Wars open world game']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/avalanche-was-almost-signed-to-make-massive-star-wars-open-wo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/avalanche-was-almost-signed-to-make-massive-star-wars-open-wo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/avalanche-was-almost-signed-to-make-massive-star-wars-open-wo/#commentsAvalanche was 'almost' signed to make 'massive Star Wars open world game' At some point between 2005 and 2009, Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios "almost" signed with LucasArts on a "massive, open world" Star Wars game, according to former Avalanche Studio Manager Oskar Burman and current Chief Creative Officer Christofer Sundberg.

In the wake of EA, including DICE, obtaining exclusive rights to make Star Wars games, Burman tweeted, "Actually, wanting to work with SW goes deep in Swe [Sweden]. Long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, we almost got that deal when I was at Avalanche."

Avalanche founder Sundberg replied, "If they had given us the deal back then LucasArts would be alive today. A massive SW open world game! We would have rocked it."

Burman, currently General Manager at Rovio Stockholm, worked at Avalanche between April 2005 and May 2009. It's unclear if the deal in question was set aside as LucasArts made Star Wars 1313 an internal project, or if it relates to something separate.

When LucasArts and 1313's demise was announced last month, Sundberg tweeted that staff working on the game had told him it needed another two years to be completed.

When approached, an Avalanche spokesperson declined to comment.

JoystiqAvalanche was 'almost' signed to make 'massive Star Wars open world game' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avalanche-studioslucasartsstar-warsTue, 07 May 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA obtains exclusive rights to Star Wars]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/ea-disney-exclusive-rights-star-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/ea-disney-exclusive-rights-star-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/ea-disney-exclusive-rights-star-wars/#commentsEA obtains exclusive rights to Star Wars
Electronic Arts and the Walt Disney Company, which obtained the Star Wars franchise as part of its $4.05 billion acquisition of LucasFilm last year, have signed a multi-year exclusive licensing agreement to develop and publish Star Wars games.


"While we don't have any details to share today on specific titles, our development teams are already brimming with design ideas," said EA Labels President Frank Gibeau. "The EA Studios that will develop these games are some of the most innovative and popular creative teams in the world, and include DICE and Visceral, in addition to the BioWare team, which is already developing for the Star Wars franchise."

The financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed. EA will develop and publish new Star Wars games for the "core gaming audience" across all interactive platforms and "most popular game genres." Disney will retain certain rights to mobile, social, tablet and online games.

JoystiqEA obtains exclusive rights to Star Wars originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 May 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disneyDisney-Interactiveeaelectronic-artsLucasArtslucasfilmstar-warsMon, 06 May 2013 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Dev shares prototype footage of never-made Star Wars fighting game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/dev-shares-prototype-footage-of-never-made-star-wars-fighting-ga/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/dev-shares-prototype-footage-of-never-made-star-wars-fighting-ga/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/dev-shares-prototype-footage-of-never-made-star-wars-fighting-ga/#comments Tsui shares pitch footage of nevermade Star Wars fighting gameJosh Tsui, current president of Robomodo and veteran game developer on titles like Mortal Kombat 4, Fight Night Round 3, and Tony Hawk Shred, has shared some video on Twitter of an old prototype for a Star Wars-based fighting game.

The footage, which you can watch in full below, features Anakin Skywalker and Darth Maul going at it with lightsabers, hacking away and using the force for throws until one of them is able to skewer the other.

As the description on the video says, the footage is fairly "repetitive," but it was simply designed to show off all of the potential moves a game like this could make. There was a presentation paired with the video as well, and Tsui says it was part of a pitch for a new game back when he was working at Studio Gigante in Chicago. We'd say his team might want to return to the idea for the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII, but perhaps it's better if the Jedi knights stay away from fighting games in general.

Continue reading Dev shares prototype footage of never-made Star Wars fighting game

JoystiqDev shares prototype footage of never-made Star Wars fighting game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developersfightingjosh-tsuimicrosoftnever-madepcpitchpitchedstar-warsstar-wars-fighting-gamestudio-gigantevideovimeoxboxFri, 15 Feb 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Empire Strikes Back with pinball table]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/14/empire-strikes-back-with-pinball-table/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/14/empire-strikes-back-with-pinball-table/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/14/empire-strikes-back-with-pinball-table/#comments

Here's a better look at Zen Studios' "Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" table for its upcoming Star Wars Pinball. We're not going to lie and say we aren't just a little disappointed we're not locking balls by knocking them into a tauntaun belly.

Continue reading Empire Strikes Back with pinball table

JoystiqEmpire Strikes Back with pinball table originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftpinball-fx-2playstationps3star-warsstar-wars-pinballxboxzen-pinballThu, 14 Feb 2013 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Obsidian has a new Star Wars game pitch for Disney]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/obsidian-has-a-new-star-wars-game-pitch-for-disney/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/obsidian-has-a-new-star-wars-game-pitch-for-disney/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/obsidian-has-a-new-star-wars-game-pitch-for-disney/#comments Obsidian Entertainment, developer of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2, has an idea for a new Star Wars game, and is eager to pitch it to new IP holder Disney.

"We pitched a between-Episode III and Episode IV game [to previous Star Wars owner LucasArts]," Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart told RPS. "Because we think that timeframe is super interesting. It's the fall of the Republic, the extermination of the Jedi, it's Obi-Wan going off and making sure Luke is OK. You have the Sith, but you have the extermination of all Force users except for very, very few. So it was an interesting time to set a game, and you know, Chris Avellone came up with a really cool story."

Obsidian hasn't brought its pitch to Disney yet, but it plans to present this same concept - which LucasArts was enthusiastic about before it was sold to the company."We haven't [talked with Disney yet]," Urquhart said. "We're kind of waiting for the smoke to clear. But that's one of my next big things to do."

JoystiqObsidian has a new Star Wars game pitch for Disney originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disneyFeargus-UrquhartObsidian-Entertainmentstar-warsFri, 08 Feb 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[J.J. Abrams and Gabe Newell to duel in DICE 2013 opening keynote]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/j-j-abrams-and-gabe-newell-to-duel-in-dice-2013-opening-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/j-j-abrams-and-gabe-newell-to-duel-in-dice-2013-opening-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/j-j-abrams-and-gabe-newell-to-duel-in-dice-2013-opening-keynote/#comments J.J. Abrams, prolific film director and dual-wielder of beloved franchises, will headline the opening keynote of the 2013 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit alongside Valve co-founder Gabe Newell. The Star Wars/Star Trek director will bring his cinematic perspective and flair to a discussion entitled "Storytelling Across Platforms: Who Benefits Most, the Audience or the Player?" on February 6.

"J.J. thoughtfully weaves together suspense, action, emotion, and fun into every one of his projects - elements every game developer aspires to capture as well," said Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences President Martin Rae. "Each year, the D.I.C.E. Summit sets the tone for the year ahead in games and adding J.J. and Gabe's shared insights is a natural fit as we see all forms of entertainment converge."

The D.I.C.E. Summit will have a host of talks swirling around the impending entertainment singularity, and run from February 5 until February 8 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The D.I.C.E. Awards, which seek to honor the best games released over the past year, will take place on February 7.

Continue reading J.J. Abrams and Gabe Newell to duel in DICE 2013 opening keynote

JoystiqJ.J. Abrams and Gabe Newell to duel in DICE 2013 opening keynote originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasand-you-get-a-lens-flaredice-2013everybody-gets-a-lens-flaregabe-newelljj-abramsstar-trekstar-warsvalveMon, 28 Jan 2013 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy enrolls in Mac App Store, cross-platform on Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/25/star-wars-jedi-knight-jedi-academy-enrolls-in-mac-app-store-cr/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/25/star-wars-jedi-knight-jedi-academy-enrolls-in-mac-app-store-cr/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/25/star-wars-jedi-knight-jedi-academy-enrolls-in-mac-app-store-cr/#comments Star Wars Jedi Knight Jedi Academy enrolls in Mac App Store, now crossplatform on Steam Aspyr has ported Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy to Mac, available today through the Mac App Store or as a cross-platform Steam Play game. Tuition for the Jedi Academy will set Padawans - and whatever the Sith equivalent of a Padawan is - back $9.99.

Of course, if you've already purchased the Windows version on Steam, you get access to the Mac port as part of that initial purchase. Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy requires OS X 10.7.5 or higher - if you're looking to enroll in a real Jedi class, you should probably think about moving to New York.

JoystiqStar Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy enrolls in Mac App Store, cross-platform on Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aspyrlucasartsmacstar-warsstar-wars-jedi-knightstar-wars-jedi-knight-jedi-academysteam-playsteamplayFri, 25 Jan 2013 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Star Wars Battlefront Online concept art leaked out]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/15/rumor-star-wars-battlefront-online-concept-art-leaked-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/15/rumor-star-wars-battlefront-online-concept-art-leaked-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/15/rumor-star-wars-battlefront-online-concept-art-leaked-out/#comments Canceled Star Wars Battlefront Online concept art leaksSlant Six, developer of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, was rumored to be working on Star Wars: Battlefront Online before being hit with layoffs in April 2010 (not to be confused with the studio's layoffs from June of this year). The rumored project was canceled, and leaked concept art pieces supposedly from that game were recently found by Siliconera, such as the one seen above, which can be seen at the source link below.

While it's nice to look at what could have been, Slant Six ultimately survived and launched free-to-play and Activision Mobile-published iOS game The Bowling Dead in late November this year.

JoystiqRumor: Star Wars Battlefront Online concept art leaked out originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Dec 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>concept-artleakedLucasArtsslant-sixslant-six-gamesStar-Warsstar-wars-battlefront-onlineSat, 15 Dec 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Angry Birds Star Wars lands on the planet Hoth]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/angry-birds-star-wars-lands-on-the-planet-hoth/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/angry-birds-star-wars-lands-on-the-planet-hoth/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/angry-birds-star-wars-lands-on-the-planet-hoth/#comments
A free update for Angry Birds Star Wars adds the iconic planet Hoth to the game. Pigs - even giant mechanical ones - aren't exactly suited for the slippery ice tundras of the frozen planet. If only the Empire were capable of such slapstick, maybe the Rebels wouldn't hate them so much!

JoystiqAngry Birds Star Wars lands on the planet Hoth originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidangry-birdsangry-birds-star-warshothiosipadiphonemacmobilepcstar-warsWed, 28 Nov 2012 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Disney acquires Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion, LucasArts included]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/disney-acquires-lucasfilm-for-4-05-billion-lucasarts-included/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/disney-acquires-lucasfilm-for-4-05-billion-lucasarts-included/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/disney-acquires-lucasfilm-for-4-05-billion-lucasarts-included/#comments Disney acquires Lucasfilm for $405 billion, LucasArts includedDisney has just announced its purchase of Lucasfilm Limited, the umbrella corporation responsible for all things Star Wars, Indiana Jones and pretty much anything else George Lucas has ever had his hand in. The purchase will set ol' Walt back $4.05 billion.

Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound and LucasArts are all included in the purchase price, meaning that Disney has not only found a way to profit from the production of movies that it isn't making, but also how to get Jar-Jar Binks into a Kingdom Hearts game.

The company also announced that Star Wars 7 exists and is aiming for a 2015 release date, which makes this the most insane thing ever. Lucasfilm co-chairman Kathleen Kennedy will become president of Lucasfilm under Disney, and will also act as executive producer on "new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant."

JoystiqDisney acquires Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion, LucasArts included originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionbuyoutDisneygeorge-lucasindiana-jonesIndustrial-light-and-magickingdom-heartsLucasArtsLucasfilmpurchaseskywalker-soundstar-warsstar-wars-7Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Angry Birds and Star Wars joining forces in a series of products]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/07/angry-birds-and-star-wars-joining-forces-in-a-series-of-products/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/07/angry-birds-and-star-wars-joining-forces-in-a-series-of-products/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/07/angry-birds-and-star-wars-joining-forces-in-a-series-of-products/#comments Angry Birds and Star Wars joining forces in a series of productsWhile the teaser from earlier this week indicated that a downloadable Star Wars-themed Angry Birds game was on the way from Rovio, the Idlehands blog published leaked images of upcoming board games and figures that mash up the two brands.

The above image for a Star Wars Angry Birds Jenga game by Hasbro was also listed on Amazon.de. Rovio is scheduled to hold an event Monday in New York, where more information on these products may be revealed.

JoystiqAngry Birds and Star Wars joining forces in a series of products originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 07 Oct 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angry-birdsangry-birds-trilogyhasbroRovioStar-WarsSun, 07 Oct 2012 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back's Hoth battle recreated in Minecraft]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/26/star-wars-the-empire-strikes-backs-battle-for-hoth-minecraft/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/26/star-wars-the-empire-strikes-backs-battle-for-hoth-minecraft/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/26/star-wars-the-empire-strikes-backs-battle-for-hoth-minecraft/#comments
You can make just about anything in Minecraft - like the classic Hoth battle scene from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Continue reading Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back's Hoth battle recreated in Minecraft

JoystiqStar Wars: The Empire Strikes Back's Hoth battle recreated in Minecraft originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hothMinecraftpcstar-warsthe-empire-strikes-backWed, 26 Sep 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Pitchford: Borderlands 2 DLC may skate on the sand a la Star Wars]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/pitchford-borderlands-2-dlc-may-skate-on-the-sand-a-la-star-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/pitchford-borderlands-2-dlc-may-skate-on-the-sand-a-la-star-war/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/pitchford-borderlands-2-dlc-may-skate-on-the-sand-a-la-star-war/#comments Pitchford hints at coming DLC for Borderlands 2We expect a stream of quality downloadable content post-launch for Borderlands 2, if DLC for the first game is anything to judge by. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford teased fans at a panel during Gearbox Software Community Day in Dallas, saying the team is channeling Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for one piece of content.

"I've always wanted to ride a sail barge and drive a Sand Skiff," Pitchford said. "I've always wanted to do that, and we've got some cool stuff that's along those lines."

Borderlands 2 will have four pieces of DLC by June 2013, available for $10 each, or all together for $30 as part of the season pass.

JoystiqPitchford: Borderlands 2 DLC may skate on the sand a la Star Wars originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>borderlands-2DLCmicrosoftpcplaystationps3Randy-PitchfordReturn-of-the-jedisand-skiffseason-passStar-WarsxboxSun, 16 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Star Wars: First Assault' trademark, domains filed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/star-wars-first-assault-trademark-domains-filed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/star-wars-first-assault-trademark-domains-filed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/star-wars-first-assault-trademark-domains-filed/#comments ImageLucasfilm has filed trademark applications and obtained domains for "Star Wars: First Assault," the second time this year the company has failed at stealth ops. Fusible lists all the multimedia applications (including "interactive video games") the filing seeks to cover. No specific details are yet available on the project.

Eurogamer swings for the fences that it could be related to the third Battlefront game, rumored to be under development at Spark Unlimited. Battlefront 3 has been in some form of vapor state for years, with a rumor percolating back in February that the project was now at Spark Unlimited.

Star Wars 1313, a mature take on the the mostly PG universe, was revealed earlier this year through the same sneaky domain and trademark fumbling.

Joystiq'Star Wars: First Assault' trademark, domains filed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>LucasArtsstar-warsstar-wars-first-assaulttrademarkWed, 29 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Here's an hour of Star Wars Battlefront 3 footage]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/05/heres-an-hour-of-star-wars-battlefront-3-footage/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/05/heres-an-hour-of-star-wars-battlefront-3-footage/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/05/heres-an-hour-of-star-wars-battlefront-3-footage/#comments
Look, it's not our job to go around and re-open old wounds, and then pour salt in those wounds, and then smear mud on your salty wound and say "Aww, baby gonna cry? Cry baby gonna cry?", but sometimes such cruelty is an unavoidable consequence of our responsibility to share the truth, at all times.

The video above contains roughly an hour of footage from an alpha build of Star Wars Battlefront 3, compiled and commentated upon by Past to Present Online. While very obviously far from finished, the game's promise is clearly evident - the enormity of the Cloud City alone is enough to make us pine for what could have been.

As you'll recall, Free Radical Design essentially finished Battlefront 3 way back in 2008, but management changes at LucasArts doomed the project, despite being in the final stages of QA testing. If you (understandably) don't have a full hour to devote to footage from a cancelled Star Wars game, try skipping to this vehicle section on Bespin, which is a good encapsulation of how rough this build was.

JoystiqHere's an hour of Star Wars Battlefront 3 footage originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphabattlefront-3leaked-footageLucasArtsstar-warsstar-wars-battlefront-3Thu, 05 Jul 2012 11:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic's 1.3 update arrives today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/star-wars-the-old-republics-1-3-update-arrives-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/star-wars-the-old-republics-1-3-update-arrives-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/star-wars-the-old-republics-1-3-update-arrives-today/#comments Star Wars The Old Republic gets 13 update in maintenance tonightStar Wars: The Old Republic's patch 1.3 has been in the news for a while, but the wait for it is finally over. After extended maintenance on the game from midnight to 4am PDT last night, the "Allies" update is up now.

Those new features include the Group Finder tool, which is something that SW:TOR players have been seeking since launch. There's also the Legacy System, for players with more than one character, and Adaptive Gear, which is armor that can be modded in combat for other abilities. If you've been out of the game for lack of one of these features, now's the time to jump back in.

JoystiqStar Wars: The Old Republic's 1.3 update arrives today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliesfindergroup-finderpatchpatchespcstar-warsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicswtorThe-Old-RepublicupdateTue, 26 Jun 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars 1313 officially announced, about Level 1313 on Coruscant]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/star-wars-1313-officially-announced-about-level-1313-on-corusca/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/star-wars-1313-officially-announced-about-level-1313-on-corusca/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/star-wars-1313-officially-announced-about-level-1313-on-corusca/#comments Image
After being leaked earlier this evening, Star Wars 1313 has been officially revealed by Lucasarts. A teaser image for the game reveals what looks like an original trilogy-era shuttle, which may mean the game could take place - at least in part - during the era of everyone's favorite series characters.

A press release for Star Wars 1313 says the game is a third-person cinematic action game, set in "Level 1313, a ruthless criminal underground deep below the surface of the planet of Coruscant," and the player will control "a deadly bounty hunter as he uses an arsenal of exotic weaponry to hunt down his marks and uncover the truth surrounding a criminal conspiracy." LucasArts says the game will emphasize Star Wars' "dark and mature" elements, and show off "a part of the Star Wars mythos that we've always known existed, but never had a chance to visit."

In other words, it sounds a lot like the Force Unleashed games, but from the perspective of a bounty hunter instead of a Jedi. We'll hear more at E3 next week, no doubt.

Continue reading Star Wars 1313 officially announced, about Level 1313 on Coruscant

JoystiqStar Wars 1313 officially announced, about Level 1313 on Coruscant originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 01:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1313boba-fettbounty-huntere3-2012lucasartsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3star-warsstar-wars-1313xboxFri, 01 Jun 2012 01:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Knights of the Old Republic, Jedi Knight 2 now on Mac via Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/knights-of-the-old-republic-jedi-knight-2-now-on-mac-via-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/knights-of-the-old-republic-jedi-knight-2-now-on-mac-via-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/knights-of-the-old-republic-jedi-knight-2-now-on-mac-via-steam/#comments ImageMay the fourteenth be with you: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast are each available on Mac and are 25 percent off on Steam today, in celebration of "May the 10 days after May the fourth be with you" day or something. Each title costs $7.50 with the sale, which ends May 21 at 10 a.m. PST.

Both games first dropped in 2003 but they hold up pretty well nine years on, especially at less than $10 -- at least they've aged better than we imagine The Old Republic will have by 2020.

JoystiqKnights of the Old Republic, Jedi Knight 2 now on Mac via Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>KOTORmacpcStar-WarsStar-Wars-Jedi-Knight-2star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republicSTEAMTue, 15 May 2012 00:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Lucasfilm applies for 'Star Wars 1313' trademark]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/lucasfilm-applies-for-star-wars-1313-trademark/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/lucasfilm-applies-for-star-wars-1313-trademark/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/lucasfilm-applies-for-star-wars-1313-trademark/#comments ImageA strange new trademark application by Lucasfilm portends a new multimedia Star Wars franchise, including video games. The company filed for the name "Star Wars 1313" for use with video games, as well as toys, trading cards, sticker books, pencil sharpeners, online social networking services, and anything else that can possibly bear the Star Wars logo.

The document contains no indication of what "Star Wars 1313" means; we knew the series was set "a long time ago," but don't know if that translates to 700 years in Earth time. However, a quick Wookieepedia search reveals "CT-1313" as a name used by Boba Fett in a Star Wars novel. So it could be a Boba Fett-focused thing. Dengar's still waiting for his big break.

JoystiqLucasfilm applies for 'Star Wars 1313' trademark originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lucasartslucasfilmstar-warsstar-wars-1313trademarkusptoMon, 07 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq goes hands-on with the Star Wars Xbox (and you can win it!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/joystiq-goes-hands-on-with-the-star-wars-xbox-and-you-can-win-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/joystiq-goes-hands-on-with-the-star-wars-xbox-and-you-can-win-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/joystiq-goes-hands-on-with-the-star-wars-xbox-and-you-can-win-i/#comments Image
Microsoft sent us one those fancy Star Wars Xbox Kinect bundles, so we thought it would be nice to give our readers a closer look. If the video leaves you drooling for the sweet R2-D2 console, C-3P0 controller and white Kinect, you should really make plans to come see Joystiq's live podcast at PAX East ... where we'll be giving it away!

Be sure to come see us on April 7 at 3PM in the Manticore Theatre for your shot at this and some other goodies.

JoystiqJoystiq goes hands-on with the Star Wars Xbox (and you can win it!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinect-star-warspax-east-2012star-warsstar-wars-kinectMon, 02 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lego Star Wars sticking around for 10 more years]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/lego-star-wars-sticking-around-for-10-more-years/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/lego-star-wars-sticking-around-for-10-more-years/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/lego-star-wars-sticking-around-for-10-more-years/#comments Lucasfilm has renewed its licensing deal with the Lego Group for 10 more years, meaning if you have a kid right now he can grow up with a guaranteed supply of Lego Star Wars video games and toys. If you don't have a kid any time soon, look at this as an opportunity to delay growing up for another decade.

Lego is currently developing products based on Star Wars: The Old Republic, and will be following up its most recent Lego Star Wars video game, The Clone Wars, some time during the next 10 years, we'd guess. The Lego Star Wars series has sold more than 30 million units worldwide since its launch in 2005.

JoystiqLego Star Wars sticking around for 10 more years originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdsLEGOLego-Star-Warslego-star-wars-3-the-clone-warslucasfilmmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3pspsonyStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicwiixboxMon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Spark Unlimited producing sci-fi sequel, speculation says Battlefront 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/rumor-spark-unlimited-producing-sci-fi-sequel-speculation-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/rumor-spark-unlimited-producing-sci-fi-sequel-speculation-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/rumor-spark-unlimited-producing-sci-fi-sequel-speculation-says/#comments Remember Star Wars: Battlefront 3? It was never really made, but was never officially canceled either, and the idea faded into the background some time in 2010. Not everyone is ready to let the dream go, as PlayStation Lifestyle is reporting a slew of data that it says suggests developer Spark Unlimited is working on Battlefront 3.

Lifestyle's evidence includes a job opening at Spark listing "a 3rd Person Action/Adventure sequel in a high-profile science fiction franchise currently greenlit for full production development for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC markets;" a Spark employee's LinkedIn profile that describes a sword-fighting game for a well-known IP; and another that lists a triple-A third-person shooter that's been in development for three years.

Spark Unlimited's previous projects include 2008's Legendary and Turning Point: Fall of Liberty, and 2004's Call of Duty: Finest Hour. Battlefront 1 and 2 were developed by Pandemic Studios, which was bought by EA and eventually shuttered in 2009. Before closing, Pandemic said it was not working on Battlefront 3, and no developer has officially claimed it since.

Spark's coming title could be one of many unannounced sci-fi sequels, such as Star Wars: Jedi Knight 3, yet another XCOM revamp (why not?) or Asteroids 3D: When Spinning and Shooting Doesn't Work. Spark says it plans on publicly announcing its sci-fi secret this year.

JoystiqRumor: Spark Unlimited producing sci-fi sequel, speculation says Battlefront 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefrontmicrosoftpcplaystationps3sequelspark-unlimitedStar-Warsstar-wars-battlefront-3xboxWed, 08 Feb 2012 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic hits a million players, 28 million hours played]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/star-wars-the-old-republic-hits-a-million-players-28-million-h/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/star-wars-the-old-republic-hits-a-million-players-28-million-h/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/star-wars-the-old-republic-hits-a-million-players-28-million-h/#comments EA has announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic has assembled more than a million registered players in its first week officially live, earning it the self-granted title of "fastest growing subscription MMO in history."

A million players is a solid milestone, but EA and BioWare still have some parsecs to travel to make SW:TOR a resounding success: The beta test, don't forget, was able to pick up twice as many players than are currently registered. EA's management expects at least two million players to call the game successful at all, according to previous reports.

EA says that players have logged in more than 28 million game hours (no word on how many hours spent waiting in login queues, of course), and in that time have created 3.8 million characters, split about evenly across Jedi and Sith. More than 2 billion NPCs have been killed in the eight days since launch as well, which is quite the virtual genocide. You can check out the official stats and announcement below.

Continue reading Star Wars: The Old Republic hits a million players, 28 million hours played

JoystiqStar Wars: The Old Republic hits a million players, 28 million hours played originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareealucasartsmilllionmmopcplayersprofitstar-warsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicThe-Old-RepublicFri, 23 Dec 2011 18:15:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare looking into Star Wars: The Old Republic server queues]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/bioware-looking-into-star-wars-the-old-republic-server-queues/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/bioware-looking-into-star-wars-the-old-republic-server-queues/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/bioware-looking-into-star-wars-the-old-republic-server-queues/#comments If you're tired of being denied in your attempts to boldly go where no man has gone before in Star Wars: The Old Republic, take heart! BioWare has done the Vulcan mind-meld with you, heard your distress and is trying to figure how where they need to jam more dilithium crystals to solve the problem.

"While we can't promise that there won't ever be queues, we can promise you that we are taking this matter seriously and constantly reviewing them to make sure that they are manageable and reasonable," said Jeff Hickman, executive producer of live services.

Sounds like BioWare is concerned, though not necessarily able to make a sweeping fix. In other words, they're givin' it all she's got, captain!

JoystiqBioWare looking into Star Wars: The Old Republic server queues originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareeaelectronic-artsjeff-hickmanpcserversstar-warsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicThe-Old-RepublicMon, 19 Dec 2011 11:10:00 EST<![CDATA[ESRB: Star Wars Kinect has 'dance tournaments' mini-games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/esrb-star-wars-kinect-has-dance-tournaments-mini-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/esrb-star-wars-kinect-has-dance-tournaments-mini-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/esrb-star-wars-kinect-has-dance-tournaments-mini-games/#comments
A little known fact about the Padawan training program is that it includes an intense, three-month course on dance. Think about it: dueling with lightsabers is basically dance fighting. Right?

That's why the ESRB rating for Kinect: Star Wars didn't really throw us. The promised "dance tournaments, podracing, and Jedi duels" sound like de rigueur, believe us. We've read extensively on the subject.

Joking aside, there isn't really anything else we can say beyond this: the following is the final excerpt in the ESRB listing for Kinect: Star Wars. "In the dancing mini-game, some female characters perform suggestive moves (e.g., gyrating their hips/buttocks) and wear revealing outfits (partially exposed cleavage/buttocks). The words 'damn' and 'hell' can be heard in the dialogue."

We imagine the "dialogue" in question goes something like this: "What in the damn hell has happened to Star Wars?"

JoystiqESRB: Star Wars Kinect has 'dance tournaments' mini-games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dancekinectkinect-star-warsmicrosoftstar-warsstar-wars-kinectxboxFri, 16 Dec 2011 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic early access starts today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/star-wars-the-old-republic-early-access-starts-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/star-wars-the-old-republic-early-access-starts-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/star-wars-the-old-republic-early-access-starts-today/#comments It's time to put your regimented dragon-killing schedule on hold for a while, replacing it completely with an all new Jedi-killing routine -- early access for Star Wars: The Old Republic opens up today. If you pre-ordered the game through a traditional retailer or virtually through Origin, you'll be able to hop into the game today; assuming you're lucky enough to be a part of one of the waves of entrants BioWare is letting in, periodically, until the game's official December 20 launch.

The game can't allow everyone in all at once, probably because it would crush the servers like the windpipe of a Death Star insubordinate. Persistence should win you your prize, though. Well, persistence, and a pre-order code, and a monthly subscription.

JoystiqStar Wars: The Old Republic early access starts today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareearly-accessmmommorpgonlinepcstar-warsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicThe-Old-RepublicTue, 13 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Paper, Scissors, Stone registered by LucasArts and BioWare in Australia]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/paper-scissors-stone-registered-by-lucasarts-and-bioware-in-au/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/paper-scissors-stone-registered-by-lucasarts-and-bioware-in-au/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/paper-scissors-stone-registered-by-lucasarts-and-bioware-in-au/#comments Ryan Langley is a level designer at Halfbrick Studios, so he's used to putting secret rewards in hard-to-find places, but in this case he found one. He discovered that both LucasArts and BioWare have filed for a classification in the Australian government for a computer game called Paper, Scissors, Stone. Unfortunately, we have no idea what that is at all.

The classification does mention that it's related to "science fiction themes" and that the game will have "online content." When you combine that with the fact that both LucasArts and BioWare are listed on the mark (along with publisher EA), it's possible that, even despite the M rating for mature audiences, this could have something to do with the upcoming The Old Republic MMO. A standalone minigame of some kind? That's just a guess, but yes please on that.

At any rate, we'll probably hear about this one soon. In the meantime, you might want to start practicing your hand signals.

JoystiqPaper, Scissors, Stone registered by LucasArts and BioWare in Australia originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarehalfbrick-studiosioslucasartsminigamestar-warsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicThe-Old-RepublictitletwitterWed, 30 Nov 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars ads find their way into Deus Ex: Human Revolution loading screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/star-wars-ads-find-their-way-into-deus-ex-human-revolution-load/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/star-wars-ads-find-their-way-into-deus-ex-human-revolution-load/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/star-wars-ads-find-their-way-into-deus-ex-human-revolution-load/#comments Deus Ex: Human Revolution plays host to a wide assortment of advertisements for fictional future-products (like robot eyes and face-installed sunglasses) -- but the game now sports a promo for a real-life, purchasable thing. The game's loading screen occasionally includes a tiny banner announcing the launch of the Star Wars Blu-ray trilogy, as seen in the corner of the image posted above.

Some of the billboards built into the game's environment are equipped to sport dynamic advertisements, but we haven't noticed anything as unsubtle as this. We suppose it could be worse! The advertisement could just pop up during a climactic boss battle. Or Darth Vader could just make a totally out-of-place cameo in one of Detroit's seedy alleyways. Actually, no, wait. That would be rad.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]

JoystiqStar Wars ads find their way into Deus Ex: Human Revolution loading screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingdeus-ex-human-revolutionEidos-Montrealin-game-advertisingmicrosoftpcplaystationps3square-enixstar-warsxboxThu, 15 Sep 2011 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic supply artificially limited at launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/star-wars-the-old-republic-launch-copies-artificially-limited-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/star-wars-the-old-republic-launch-copies-artificially-limited-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/star-wars-the-old-republic-launch-copies-artificially-limited-a/#comments In an attempt to prevent its servers from collapsing under the weight of a million Force-hungry MMO-players, EA will artificially limit the number of copies -- both digital and retail -- of Star Wars: The Old Republic available at launch. An EA representative reportedly revealed the strategy at a Gamescom demo, but didn't divulge any details such as how many copies would be available, or how long it would take for more copies to be released once the quota is met.

We suppose this strategy makes sense, though we can't help but imagine the excuses BioWare and EA are going to have to come up with to explain why their downloads are sold out. "Bits? You want bits? Sorry friend. We're fresh out of those. Bytes too! Sorry about that. The drought's hitting us awful hard. The ... the technodrought."

JoystiqStar Wars: The Old Republic supply artificially limited at launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareealaunchlucasartsmmommorpgpcreleasestar-warsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicThe-Old-RepublicThu, 18 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Old Republic will not be region locked at launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/14/the-old-republic-will-not-be-region-locked-at-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/14/the-old-republic-will-not-be-region-locked-at-launch/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/14/the-old-republic-will-not-be-region-locked-at-launch/#comments If you're a Star Wars buff who happens to be Australian, or an arctic explorer, or a space-pilgrim on your way to colonize Hyperion, know that BioWare has totally got your back. In order to ensure that gamers in exotic locations still have access to the highest number of droids possible, BioWare has announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic will not be region or IP locked at launch.

Fresh-faced padawans and burgeoning sith lords will still have latency to content with, as no amount of midi-chlorians can break the laws of physics, but a little inconvenience never killed anyone. What has killed people, however, are the ice-tusked burrowing monstroliths of Hyperion. Be safe, brave explorers.

JoystiqThe Old Republic will not be region locked at launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AustraliaIPIP-lockedpcRegion-lockedStar-WarsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicThe-Old-RepublicSun, 14 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars R2-D2 Xbox 360 priced in UK]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/25/star-wars-r2-d2-xbox-360-priced-in-uk/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/25/star-wars-r2-d2-xbox-360-priced-in-uk/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/25/star-wars-r2-d2-xbox-360-priced-in-uk/#comments The Limited Edition Star Wars Xbox 360 console, priced at $449 in the States, has been given a suggested retail price of £349.99 in the UK (ouch, that's $570 US!). The standard 250GB Xbox 360 Kinect bundle retails at £299.99.

The rebellious console from a galaxy far, far away was revealed last week at San Diego Comic-Con. It includes a 320GB hard drive, a white Kinect, the R2-D2 inspired console, a C-3PO colored controller, Kinect Star Wars and Kinect Adventures. The console will also feature Star Wars sound effects for operations like powering up, ejecting discs, and setting coordinates for Dagobah. Xboxes can do that, right?

Gallery: Xbox 360 Limited Kinect Star Wars Bundle

JoystiqStar Wars R2-D2 Xbox 360 priced in UK originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bundlekinectkinect-star-warslucasartsmicrosoftStar-Warsstar-wars-kinectukxboxMon, 25 Jul 2011 14:05:00 EST<![CDATA[R2D2-style Xbox 360 Kinect bundle rolling out for Kinect Star Wars [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/r2d2-style-xbox-360-kinect-bundle-rolling-out-for-star-wars-kine/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/r2d2-style-xbox-360-kinect-bundle-rolling-out-for-star-wars-kine/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/r2d2-style-xbox-360-kinect-bundle-rolling-out-for-star-wars-kine/#comments "Beep! Beep beeeeep boop whiiiirrr boop boop (fall over)!"

Or, in English, Microsoft just revealed a new R2D2-styled Xbox 360 Kinect bundle at Comic-Con, in honor of Kinect Star Wars. The Xbox has a special R2D2 look and custom console sounds, and is bundled with a gold, C3P0-style controller (Oh, my!) and an all-white Kinect. It also includes Kinect Star Wars, Kinect Adventures, and a 320GB hard drive!

The bundle will be out this fall. Pre-orders for the $449 bundle are expected to begin today.

Update: Added official pics to the gallery, and moved our Comic-Con snapshot past the break!

Update 2: According to Gavin Spicer of Xbox UK PR, the bundle is coming to the UK as well, though no details have been announced yet.

Gallery: Xbox 360 Limited Kinect Star Wars Bundle

Continue reading R2D2-style Xbox 360 Kinect bundle rolling out for Kinect Star Wars [update]

JoystiqR2D2-style Xbox 360 Kinect bundle rolling out for Kinect Star Wars [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bundlecomic-con-2011kinectkinect-adventureskinect-star-warsmicrosoftstar-warsstar-wars-kinectxboxThu, 21 Jul 2011 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Red Fly Studio layoffs result of canned Star Wars title, resume suggests]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/20/red-fly-studio-layoffs-result-of-canned-star-wars-title-resume/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/20/red-fly-studio-layoffs-result-of-canned-star-wars-title-resume/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/20/red-fly-studio-layoffs-result-of-canned-star-wars-title-resume/#comments After laying off 30 developers, Red Fly Studio CEO Dan Borth told GameSpot, "The reduction of staff was a response to a large high-profile project that was, to our surprise, reevaluated and then canceled." While the identity of that project wasn't known at the time, a resume uncovered by internet uncoverer Superannuation points to development of a "next-gen Star Wars title."

Patrick Doran's LinkedIn profile includes Red Fly Studio under "past" experiences, where the artist worked from April 2008 to this month, as both an artist and environment artist. In addition to work on games like Mushroom Men, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 for Wii, and Thor for both Wii and 3DS, Doran worked as an environment artist from January of this year through June on the aforementioned "next-gen Star Wars title."

With a list of shipped games exclusive to Nintendo's consoles, it's not clear what "next-gen" means in this case. The studio's first HD game for Xbox 360 and/or PlayStation 3 using the high-profile Star Wars license? We've reached out to both Red Fly Studio and LucasArts for comment on the project.

JoystiqRed Fly Studio layoffs result of canned Star Wars title, resume suggests originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lucasartsmicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3red-flyred-fly-studioresumestar-warswiixboxWed, 20 Jul 2011 10:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Charity Alert: The Speed Gamers marathon Star Wars games to benefit tornado victims]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/09/charity-alert-the-speed-gamers-marathon-star-wars-games-to-bene/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/09/charity-alert-the-speed-gamers-marathon-star-wars-games-to-bene/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/09/charity-alert-the-speed-gamers-marathon-star-wars-games-to-bene/#comments The 2011 tornado season has been one of the deadliest in recorded history, with hundreds dead and thousands of lives irrevocably changed across the face of the south-east. Over 1,100 confirmed tornadoes have been recorded so far, and the official season hasn't even ended yet.

The Speed Gamers, never ones to rest on their laurels, are once again pledging hundreds of hours of their lives to continuous, charitable gaming. From right now through July 18, TSG will be plowing through a that's-no-moon-sized pile of 25-plus Star Wars games, from Rogue Squadron to Lego Star Wars and everything in-between. That's 168 hours of gaming, with 100 percent of donations going to Direct Relief International. The group aims to raise $30,000 in total, which would bring their lifetime charitable contributions to over $300,000. Hit the source link to find out how you can help, and also how much Jar-Jar Binks someone can take before all of their internal organs shut down.

[Thanks Cody!]

JoystiqCharity Alert: The Speed Gamers marathon Star Wars games to benefit tornado victims originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charitydisaster-reliefstar-warsthe-speed-gamersthespeedgamerstornadotornado-relieftornadoesSat, 09 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA waffles on Star Wars: The Old Republic launch date, expects it before next March]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/ea-waffles-on-star-wars-the-old-republic-launch-date-expects-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/ea-waffles-on-star-wars-the-old-republic-launch-date-expects-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/ea-waffles-on-star-wars-the-old-republic-launch-date-expects-i/#comments EA's fourth quarter investor call today had some Jedi mind tricks going on when it came to the topic of highly-anticipated MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic's launch date. In documentation provided to investors, the company noted the title is "expected to launch in either Q2 FY12 or Q3 FY12." Translation: Second half of 2011, as was previously stated.

However, during the investor call, EA CEO John Riccitiello said, "The launch date, while in our fiscal year (before March, 2012), is not yet certain."

The hedging continued later with CFO Eric Brown, "While we fully anticipate launching Star Wars: The Old Republic in Q2 or Q3, the low end of our guidance range assumes the outside possibility of a January launch."

If you're playing along at home: when the paperwork, CEO and CFO aren't on the same page, it means EA isn't exactly sure when this thing is coming. One thing is for sure: they hope it's by next March.

JoystiqEA waffles on Star Wars: The Old Republic launch date, expects it before next March originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 May 2011 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWareEAElectronic-Artseric-brownJohn-riccitiellopcStar-WarsStar-Wars-The-Old-RepublicThe-Old-RepublicWed, 04 May 2011 19:10:00 EST<![CDATA[LucasArts hires back Tomb Raider franchise head Tim Longo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/01/lucasarts-rehires-tomb-raider-franchise-head-tim-longo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/01/lucasarts-rehires-tomb-raider-franchise-head-tim-longo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/01/lucasarts-rehires-tomb-raider-franchise-head-tim-longo/#comments Gamasutra reports that LucasArts has hired Tim Longo, formerly Tomb Raider creative and franchise director at Crystal Dynamics. Longo worked with LucasArts in the past on several Star Wars titles, notably the Starfighter series, Jar Jar's Revenge and Republic Commando. Longo has signed on in order to work on an unannounced project for LucasArts though, given his pedigree (not to mention LucasArts' corporate mandate) a new Star Wars title seems likely.

JoystiqLucasArts hires back Tomb Raider franchise head Tim Longo originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crystal-dynamicslucasartsstar-warstim-longotomb-raiderFri, 01 Apr 2011 20:10:00 EST