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 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Sins of a Solar Empire engages digital distribution systems June 12]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/sins-of-a-solar-empire-engages-digital-distribution-systems-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/sins-of-a-solar-empire-engages-digital-distribution-systems-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/sins-of-a-solar-empire-engages-digital-distribution-systems-june/#comments Intercepted communiques reveal Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion will be strategically deployed on June 12 for PC on Steam and Impulse. Those who pre-order will gain access to the second beta, which is currently active and all set to teach galactic generals across the galaxy how to control vast space armadas.

Continue reading Sins of a Solar Empire engages digital distribution systems June 12

JoystiqSins of a Solar Empire engages digital distribution systems June 12 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ironcladpcrelease-datesins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellionstardockFri, 06 Apr 2012 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion transmits intro cinematic]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion-transmits-intro-cinematic/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion-transmits-intro-cinematic/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion-transmits-intro-cinematic/#comments
Standalone expansion Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is quite the odd space duck. As this clip reveals, there is a backstory explaining why the factions in the universe are dealing with insurrection, but none of this actually plays out in the game (which has no campaign). It does deliver a hefty amount of space battles, though!

Continue reading Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion transmits intro cinematic

JoystiqSins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion transmits intro cinematic originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ironcladironclad-gamespcsins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellionstardockWed, 04 Apr 2012 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion warps in first screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/28/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion-warps-in-first-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/28/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion-warps-in-first-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/28/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion-warps-in-first-screens/#comments Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, expected to launch sometime this run around the sun, splits the existing factions of the epic real-time strategy series into loyalist and rebel groups. Today, publisher Stardock released the first screens of the intergalactic game's standalone expansion.

Continue reading Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion warps in first screens

JoystiqSins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion warps in first screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ironcladpcsins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellionStardockSat, 28 Jan 2012 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Elfsquad7]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-elfsquad7/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-elfsquad7/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-elfsquad7/#comments Indie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. We at Joystiq believe no one deserves to starve, and many indie developers are entitled to a fridge full of tasty, fulfilling media coverage, right here. This week, we feature a super-special (and sparkly) Christmas title from Scott Tykoski and Stardock, titled Elfsquad7.


What's your game called and what's it about?

Elfsquad7 is a frantic, fun, 1-4-player holiday game about wrapping toys, grabbing gifts and saving Christmas. Despite its overly saccharine holiday theme, it's designed so that even the most hardcore gamer can enjoy playing it, and it's available now on XBLIG.

What's the coolest aspect of Elfsquad7?

I really like that the end boss resembles Lavos from Chrono Trigger. Only his name is Kevin.

I'm also really happy with how the item shop plays into gameplay, especially on the harder-difficulty levels. There are some real strategic choices that the player has to make, and the game design is considerably stronger for it.

Oh, and items are delivered by a fat pink cat strapped to a hot-air balloon. I can proudly boast that is a first in the world of gaming.

Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Elfsquad7

JoystiqThe Joystiq Indie Pitch: Elfsquad7 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Christmaselfsquad7elvesjoystiq-indie-pitchmicrosoftScott-TykoskistardockxboxFri, 23 Dec 2011 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock sends Elfsquad7 down the Xbox Live Indie Games chimney]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/stardock-sends-elfsquad7-down-the-xbox-live-indie-games-chimney/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/stardock-sends-elfsquad7-down-the-xbox-live-indie-games-chimney/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/stardock-sends-elfsquad7-down-the-xbox-live-indie-games-chimney/#comments
Michigan-based developer Stardock may be better known for strategy titles like Galactic Civilization and Sins of a Solar Empire - not to mention its one-time ownership of PC gaming service Impulse - but what would you say if we told you Stardock made "a festive retro co-op adventure side-scroller" available now on Xbox Live Indie Games for the festive price of $1?

We hope you're saying "we believe you" because it's totally true. Elfsquad7 is Stardock's first time off the PC gaming reservation, and it goes a little something like this: "Join up with friends and family members in a frantic four-player co-op as you demolish freakish "un-toys", wrap presents and help Santa pack for his one-night journey delivering gifts to children around the world."

This game plus a surfeit of fire log simulators truly makes Xbox Live Indie Games the most festive of all out-of-the-way digital storefronts.

JoystiqStardock sends Elfsquad7 down the Xbox Live Indie Games chimney originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elfsquad7microsoftstardockXBLIGxboxWed, 30 Nov 2011 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sins of a Solar Empire Trinity is $21 this weekend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/sins-of-a-solar-empire-trinity-is-21-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/sins-of-a-solar-empire-trinity-is-21-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/sins-of-a-solar-empire-trinity-is-21-this-weekend/#comments The full Sins of a Solar Empire experience, known as Trinity, is on sale this weekend through Impulse. The game is 33% off, bringing the total asking price to around $21 in United States, Earth credits. Trinity includes the original Sins of a Solar Empire, along with micro-expansion packs Entrenchment and Diplomacy.

It should be noted that Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, which is described as a "full-fledged expansion" to the series, will be available later this year. Brian Clair, director of publishing for Stardock, told us in early March that Rebellion will build upon the gameplay introduced in the original Sins and its micro-expansions. You'll have to make the strategic decision whether to grab Trinity now or save the credits to go toward a fuller cargo bay (at, likely, a higher cost) later.

Gallery: Sins of a Solar Empire

JoystiqSins of a Solar Empire Trinity is $21 this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ironcladironclad-gamespcSinsSins-of-a-Solar-EmpireSins-of-a-solar-empire-trinitystardockFri, 22 Apr 2011 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Ruler to be taken off Impulse in protest against GameStop takeover]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/star-ruler-to-be-taken-off-impulse-in-protest-against-gamestop/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/star-ruler-to-be-taken-off-impulse-in-protest-against-gamestop/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/star-ruler-to-be-taken-off-impulse-in-protest-against-gamestop/#comments Not everyone is happy about GameStop's acquisition of Impulse. In a post on the official site for the space RTS Star Ruler, developer Blind Mind Studios announced that it would remove Star Ruler from the service when the takeover is enacted -- "likely some time in May," Blind Mind says.

"We are ending sales through Impulse due to GameStop's long, negative behavior toward the PC platform and independent games," the developer's statement reads. "We would never have signed onto distribution through GameStop, and being forced into this situation has only made it worse for us." Blind Mind notes that its history with Impulse has been positive to date, and, "We supported Brad Wardell's direction of Impulse." Wardell's absence "ruins our faith in the service's future."

The developer is working to ensure that updates and patches will continue to be delivered through Impulse to anyone who bought Star Ruler from the service. Barring that, it will release an automatic updater of its own.

JoystiqStar Ruler to be taken off Impulse in protest against GameStop takeover originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blind-mind-studiosgamestopimpulsepcstar-rulerstardockWed, 06 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock's Brad Wardell talks about selling Impulse to GameStop]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/stardocks-brad-wardell-talks-about-selling-impulse-to-gamestop/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/stardocks-brad-wardell-talks-about-selling-impulse-to-gamestop/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/stardocks-brad-wardell-talks-about-selling-impulse-to-gamestop/#comments "Not everyone's goal in life is to run a thousand person company," said Stardock founder Brad Wardell, who just today announced that he's sold the growing digital distribution arm of his company, Impulse, to GameStop for an undisclosed sum. "Certainly the path of least resistance would have been to just grow with Impulse and become a digital retailer, but that's not what I signed up for."

Impulse was originally started as a way for Stardock to distribute its own games and software digitally, and was opened up three years ago to other developers. Since then, it's grown to compete with the big player in digital distribution, Steam. Wardell, speaking with Joystiq in an interview today, said that the growth in revenue actually became a cause for concern. "When Impulse became our number one source of revenue," said Wardell, "I realized it was time for us to look at our options there."

Continue reading Stardock's Brad Wardell talks about selling Impulse to GameStop

JoystiqStardock's Brad Wardell talks about selling Impulse to GameStop originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardelldigital-distributiongamestopimpulseinterviewpcpc-gamingsalestardockThu, 31 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GameStop indulges in some Impulse buying ... no seriously, it bought Impulse (and Spawn Labs)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/gamestop-indulges-in-some-impulse-buying-no-seriously-it-bo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/gamestop-indulges-in-some-impulse-buying-no-seriously-it-bo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/gamestop-indulges-in-some-impulse-buying-no-seriously-it-bo/#comments Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't say the people of GameStop are taking the challenge of "digital" lying down. The massive Texas-based retailer (everything's bigger in Texas) just announced the acquisition of streaming tech outfit Spawn Labs - you'll recall the HD-720 box we brought on the Engadget Show - and digital distribution portal, Impulse.

Whoa, whoa, whoa ... so GameStop purchased Stardock, Impulse's owner? Nope! "GameStop has acquired Impulse, Inc.," the official Stardock FAQ on the deal reads. "Impulse is a separate business unit from Stardock Entertainment." No layoffs are anticipated, staff stays with Impulse, customer service is still handled by Impulse (for now!), and the group is actually hiring.

The press release says that Impulse will offer "three specific components." First is the client, dubbed "Impulse::Client" here, which users can use to download games. Duh. Next is Impulse::Reactor, which "provides content publishers customer friendly DRM and copy protection tools. It also allows developers to enable achievements, account management, friend lists, chat, multiplayer lobbies, and cloud storage within their games." Last is Impulse::Publisher which gives pubs "real-time reporting and management tools."

GameStop's interest in Impulse - one of the industry's biggest competitors to market leader Steam - is obvious. What's not so obvious is its interest in Spawn Labs. "Once the Spawn Labs integration and testing on a new consumer interface is complete, users will have immediate access to a wide selection of high-definition video games on demand on any Internet-enabled device," the press release reads. That sounds to us like GameStop is getting into the cloud-based gaming arena (ie: OnLive).

We're following up with GameStop, Stardock, and all the other concerned parties and we'll let you know what we uncover.

JoystiqGameStop indulges in some Impulse buying ... no seriously, it bought Impulse (and Spawn Labs) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloud-gamingGameStopImpulseretailSpawn-LabsStardockstreamingThu, 31 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC: Stardock's Brad Wardell explains the failure of Elemental and how he's making it up to fans]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/gdc-stardocks-brad-wardell-explains-the-failure-of-elemental-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/gdc-stardocks-brad-wardell-explains-the-failure-of-elemental-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/gdc-stardocks-brad-wardell-explains-the-failure-of-elemental-a/#comments "Unlike the other examples you've heard tonight, this game shipped. It's at the store right now. At Walmart. Yeah." -- Brad Wardell, president and CEO of Stardock.

That ominous statement was slipped into the middle of Brad Wardell's "Failure Workshop" speech this afternoon, where the Stardock head discussed a project he now considers a full-on failure: Elemental: War of Magic. He was just one of five separate developers detailing a project that went awry.

"If someone had an idea, we'd say 'Oh sure, go ahead! Throw that in!,'" Wardell explained, describing the disorganized nature of Elemental's development. "That works okay if you have seven guys," he said, continuing, "It doesn't work so well when you have 18 guys."

Continue reading GDC: Stardock's Brad Wardell explains the failure of Elemental and how he's making it up to fans

JoystiqGDC: Stardock's Brad Wardell explains the failure of Elemental and how he's making it up to fans originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellelemental-war-of-magicfailuregdcgdc-2011pcstardockThu, 03 Mar 2011 07:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock announces Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, 'free to play' dev tools for Impulse SDK]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion/#comments Stardock announced a new Sins of a Solar Empire expansion today, subtitled Rebellion. In a separate press release, the company revealed a major update to its game development platform, Impulse Reactor, which will allow developers to implement "free to play" gaming through the Impulse digital distribution network.

The Impulse Reactor update is expected to go live this month and will add features to the SDK enabling "free to play" elements for games running on the Impulse platform. If you're one of the millions of players that has dropped coin on Riot Games' League of Legends or Turbine's DDO or Lord of the Rings Online, you've probably got a good idea of the potential here.

As for Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, it's described as a "full-fledged expansion" of the 4X RTS space series -- not a sequel. Brian Clair, director of publishing for Stardock, told us that, like the original, Rebellion will not feature a single-player campaign, but will build upon the gameplay introduced in the original Sins and its micro-expansions.

Given the timing of the Rebellion announcement alongside news of the upcoming "free to play" options added to Impulse Reactor, we asked if this next Sins would be a free-to-play title. "Definitely not," Clair said, though pricing has not been set.

Rebellion will support achievements, multiplayer leagues and other features. Speaking to concerns voiced by players that don't have the hours to set aside for a standstard multiplayer match in Sins, Clair said, "We're going to continue looking at ways to address that for folks who want to get a game in under an hour."

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is expected to be released in late 2011; however a Stardock representative told us the company is taking the "done when it's done" approach to development.

Continue reading Stardock announces Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, 'free to play' dev tools for Impulse SDK

JoystiqStardock announces Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, 'free to play' dev tools for Impulse SDK originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-clairimpulseimpulse-reactorpcsdkSinsSins-of-a-Solar-Empiresins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellionstardockTue, 01 Mar 2011 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Impulse holding El Presidente's Day weekend sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/impulse-holding-el-presidentes-day-weekend-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/impulse-holding-el-presidentes-day-weekend-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/impulse-holding-el-presidentes-day-weekend-sale/#comments Sure, officially, Impulse is holding a President's Day sale this weekend, featuring some of your favorite strategy and sim titles, but an "El Presidente Day" sale sounds so much more exotic. The highlight of the sale, particularly to anyone who doesn't think democracy is the only way to rule, is the banana republic simulator, Tropico 3, for half-off at $7.50.

For those who cling to democracy and letting the unwashed masses have a voice, The Political Machine 2008 is only $3 and Democracy 2 is $11.50.

However, if that whole "government" thing sounds messy, and you believe the only reign worth having is one in which you can declare full-scale war, Command and Conquer 4 and Tom Clancy's EndWar are $10 apiece.

JoystiqImpulse holding El Presidente's Day weekend sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Command-and-Conquer-4Democracy-2ImpulsepcRulers-of-NationsStardocktom-clancys-endwarTropico-3Sat, 19 Feb 2011 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock's Brad Wardell hopeful for recovery after Elemental shakeup]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/stardocks-brad-wardell-hopeful-for-recovery-after-elemental-sha/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/stardocks-brad-wardell-hopeful-for-recovery-after-elemental-sha/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/stardocks-brad-wardell-hopeful-for-recovery-after-elemental-sha/#comments Our sister site Big Download cornered Stardock CEO Brad Wardell to talk about the troubled title Elemental; War of Magic and the future of the company. Things are apparently looking better than they did after a "disastrous" launch: most employees are back to work, either at Stardock or elsewhere. But Wardell also says that Stardock is doing so much work on the title that by the second quarter of this year, it will "cross the line from being profitable to having lost money." Wardell expects to lose money on the game just to try and save Stardock's name on quality.

Wardell also said that the company is not done restructuring -- it recently hired both game designer Jon Shafer and writer Dave Stern, and Wardell plans to step away from lead development and move to a more executive role. Wardell remains mum on any future titles, but said that the company's Impulse digital distribution service doubled in third-party revenue in 2010, and expects "even greater growth" and increased staffing throughout 2011. If everything Wardell hopes comes to pass, the Elemental launch may have been the best worst thing to ever happen to his company.

JoystiqStardock's Brad Wardell hopeful for recovery after Elemental shakeup originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellelementalelemental-war-of-magicimpulsepcstardockTue, 11 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock hires Civ V designer Jon Shafer and fantasy writer Dave Stern]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/stardock-hires-civ-v-designer-jon-shafer-and-fantasy-writer-dave/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/stardock-hires-civ-v-designer-jon-shafer-and-fantasy-writer-dave/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/stardock-hires-civ-v-designer-jon-shafer-and-fantasy-writer-dave/#commentsIt was odd to hear about Jon Shafer leaving Firaxis a couple weeks back, what with him being an avid member of the Civ community and lead designer on the latest iteration, Civilization V -- a game our own Alexander Sliwinski called "a 'friendly' strategy game."

During an interview with our sister site Big Download, Shafer once again stated he'd left Firaxis on good terms and will help Stardock on its newest title, Elemental: War of Magic, as well as an unannounced project he'll be overseeing.

Stardock also announced it has hired acclaimed fantasy author Dave Stern to "oversee creative storytelling and lore implementation in all future projects." Stern, who has penned various Star Trek works and novelizations of the Tomb Raider and Blair Witch Project movies, will get right to work on enriching the world of Elemental: War of Magic, which Stardock CEO Brad Wardell admits was "one of the things we felt was weak."

Specifically, Stern will "head up all further integration of the Elemental: War of Magic lore" in the game, which will see two upcoming expansions where "lore implementation will be essential."

Continue reading Stardock hires Civ V designer Jon Shafer and fantasy writer Dave Stern

JoystiqStardock hires Civ V designer Jon Shafer and fantasy writer Dave Stern originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CivilizationCivilization-5dave-sternelemental-war-of-magicjon-shaferlorepcstardockTue, 04 Jan 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Elemental: War of Magic v1.1 heralds new beginning]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/elemental-war-of-magic-v1-1-heralds-new-beginning/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/elemental-war-of-magic-v1-1-heralds-new-beginning/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/elemental-war-of-magic-v1-1-heralds-new-beginning/#comments Elemental: War of Magic's version 1.1 patch notes -- reportedly 19 pages long when printed out -- represent developer and publisher Stardock's attempt to forget the game's horrific launch and bullishly move forward. According to Stardock, the free update reimagines the use of mana in the game, adds new spells, overhauls the user interface, rebalances the game and improves the AI. The takeaway: this is a "new" Elemental.

Stardock has been on a quest to reanimate the game (and potential franchise) from its D.O.A. state. The company hired grassroots talent and slowly turned sales around by offering free expansions. The publisher also announced that anyone who buys the game by the end of this year will receive the first expansion pack for free. We're currently contacting LL Cool J to find out when we can officially give Elemental "comeback" status.

Gallery: Elemental: War of Magic v1.1

JoystiqElemental: War of Magic v1.1 heralds new beginning originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elemental-war-of-magicpatchpcstardockThu, 16 Dec 2010 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Elemental sales improving alongside the game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/elemental-sales-improving-alongside-the-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/elemental-sales-improving-alongside-the-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/elemental-sales-improving-alongside-the-game/#comments Elemental's campaign of redemption appears to be working, with sales up 30 percent in October. Speaking with Big Download, Stardock didn't share any specific sales figures, but noted that Impulse purchases are up and retail stores are increasing shipment orders. The company probably got a nice boost during the month by offering the next two game expansions for free to those who purchased the title before All Hallows' Eve.

Stardock has been doing a pretty solid job so far of turning the strategy RPG's "disastrous" launch around. Elemental may have been born prematurely, but with proper oversight from the game's new senior producer, the franchise might just grow up into a respectable member of society.

JoystiqElemental sales improving alongside the game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elemental-war-of-magichalloweenpcstardockWed, 24 Nov 2010 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Elemental purchases before Oct. 31 to receive first two expansions free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/elemental-purchases-before-october-31-to-receive-first-two-expan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/elemental-purchases-before-october-31-to-receive-first-two-expan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/elemental-purchases-before-october-31-to-receive-first-two-expan/#comments Elemental: War of Magic's road to redemption is being paved with free stuff -- for those willing to take the ride. Stardock CEO Brad Wardell announced today on the game's forums that anyone who purchases (or already bought) the game before October 31, 2010, will receive the first two expansions to the game for free.

The company has been working to turn around the game's "disastrous" launch by showing it plans not to abandon the 4X strategy title. A major sign of support came earlier this month when Stardock hired Derek "Kael" Paxton as the studio's senior producer. Paxton is the creator of the popular Civilization über-mod Fall from Heaven.

Stardock plans to begin the beta testing of Elemental version 1.1 in early November. Owners of the game have the option to opt-in and find out how Elemental is evolving.

[Thanks, Chris P.]

JoystiqElemental purchases before Oct. 31 to receive first two expansions free originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elemental-war-of-magicexpansionspcStardockTue, 26 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock hires 'Fall from Heaven' creator to lead ongoing Elemental development]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/stardock-hires-fall-from-heaven-creator-to-lead-ongoing-elemen/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/stardock-hires-fall-from-heaven-creator-to-lead-ongoing-elemen/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/stardock-hires-fall-from-heaven-creator-to-lead-ongoing-elemen/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Everybody loves a comeback story, so let's hope this one starts for Stardock's Elemental: War of Magic with the hiring of Derek "Kael" Paxton as the studio's senior producer. Paxton, who's best known for the popular Civilization series Fall from Heaven (über mods he created using the game engine), will be in charge of Elemental's ongoing development and expansions.

The welcome news comes as Elemental tries to right itself from the consequences of a "disastrous" launch. Stardock's PR rep Stephanie Tinsley Schopp told Joystiq, "There will be a lot of news coming from the studio in the next few months, don't count us out."

With Paxton joining Stardock, it will be interesting to see if the company makes use of Fall from Heaven, perhaps turning the Civ mod into a standalone game running on a proprietary engine. Though no plans have been announced, it's an intriguing possiblity.

Continue reading Stardock hires 'Fall from Heaven' creator to lead ongoing Elemental development

JoystiqStardock hires 'Fall from Heaven' creator to lead ongoing Elemental development originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Derek-Kael-PaxtonDerek-Paxtonelemental-war-of-magicfall-from-heavenpcstardockWed, 13 Oct 2010 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Elemental update due this week, enables multiplayer and other fixes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/elemental-update-due-this-week-enables-multiplayer-and-other-fi/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/elemental-update-due-this-week-enables-multiplayer-and-other-fi/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/elemental-update-due-this-week-enables-multiplayer-and-other-fi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Stardock founder Brad Wardell (a.k.a. Frogboy) has announced on the official Elemental forums that this week will bring patch 1.08 for the game, which will finally implement multiplayer, as well as more performance optimizations and bugfixes in the wake of the game's troubled launch. Elemental's multiplayer was one of the game options that had been pushed back due to all of the other issues, so stalwart fans of the game are looking forward to mixing it up with others.

Wardell also says that the content connected with the Random House-published tie-in novel will be unlocking soon, so players who've bought the novel will get that. And Stardock is also planning to reveal some of the work going on for the mod community,
"along with easier in-game submissions of mods that aren't maps." Wardell says that's scheduled for the next few weeks, so it seems like he and his team are still working hard to win back players disappointed with how the launch went.

JoystiqElemental update due this week, enables multiplayer and other fixes originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellelementalelemental-war-of-magicfrogboymultiplayerpatchpcstardockupdateWed, 08 Sep 2010 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Elemental launch results in Stardock layoffs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/elemental-launch-results-in-stardock-layoffs/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/elemental-launch-results-in-stardock-layoffs/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/elemental-launch-results-in-stardock-layoffs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The "consequences" of Elemental's "disastrous" launch were swift as Stardock CEO Brad Wardell has confirmed layoffs at the company. Shacknews reported yesterday that those let go included developers, designers, and salespeople working on Elemental. Wardell stated in his post on the subject that these are the first layoffs to the company since 1998, while elaborating, "Elemental's revenue was anticipated to provide the revenue both for our main games team's next project as well as a second team. Unfortunately, that is unlikely to happen so we've had to start laying people off."

Wardell contacted Joystiq to say, "We obviously have had technical issues on launch that we are paying for in reviews and weakened sales, but as anyone in our QA can tell you - and I've interviewed them post-launch - we thought the game was ready which merely shows, I think pretty obviously, that we will need to change the way we do QA on major new releases as well as how we handle our own betas."

The executive concludes, "It aggravates me to no end that there's often very little connection between the myriad of poor decisions made at the executive level - including myself at the top - and the people who end up losing their jobs. But my job isn't to dispense economic justice. My job is to try to keep as many people employed as possible and make sure our customers are taken care of."

Update: Added official statements.

JoystiqElemental launch results in Stardock layoffs originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellelementalelemental-war-of-magiclayoffspcstardockSat, 04 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock CEO calls Elemental launch 'disastrous,' promises to do better]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/stardock-ceo-calls-elemental-launch-disastrous-promises-to-do/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/stardock-ceo-calls-elemental-launch-disastrous-promises-to-do/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/stardock-ceo-calls-elemental-launch-disastrous-promises-to-do/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Stardock CEO Brad Wardell has spoken out again on the troubled launch of his studio's latest game, Elemental: War of Magic. Taking to Stardock's forums, Wardell (aka "Frogboy") said, "I don't think people yet fully realize the completeness of Stardock's fail on Elemental's launch. I'm going to write more about this, but not only did we think v1.05 was ready for everyone, but we felt v1.0 was too. That's the level of disconnect/poor judgment on our part we're talking about."

And while he places the blame on Stardock as a whole, he takes a full paragraph to account for his own mistakes. "EVERY competent software developer knows that the programmer must never be the one deciding whether the program is done. Yet, my love of Elemental broke my self discipline and I began coding on the game itself in vast amounts and lost any sense of objectivity on where the game's state was. I normally only program the AI on our games so I can keep a level of distance from the game itself to determine whether it's 'Ready.' On Elemental, I was in love with the world and the game and lost my impartiality."

He finishes his screed with the promise, "We'll do better," and in a separate post lists off the many changes and additions coming to the game (including free expansions and an intended v1.1 patch in September). Both pieces really are worth reading in full. You can grab them here and here.

JoystiqStardock CEO calls Elemental launch 'disastrous,' promises to do better originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellelemental-war-of-magicpcstardockFri, 03 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Elemental multiplayer delayed another week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/01/elemental-multiplayer-delayed-another-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/01/elemental-multiplayer-delayed-another-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/01/elemental-multiplayer-delayed-another-week/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Stardock is delaying Elemental: War of Magic's multiplayer capabilities as the developer continues working out issues from the PC 4X strategy game's rough launch. A company spokesperson noted on the game's forums that the "[multiplayer] enabling patch has been put back to next week as the priority was to first resolve" performance issues which could impact single player and multiplayer.

The company has also posted a master to-do list of fixes that the game currently requires. Elemental has come a long way in just a week since release, but the post-launch drama is a case study in the advantages of the "when it's done" approach to a game launch.

JoystiqElemental multiplayer delayed another week originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elementalelemental-war-of-magicpcstardockWed, 01 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock CEO apologizes for lashing out over Elemental pre-launch criticisms]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/stardock-ceo-apologizes-for-lashing-out-over-elemental-pre-launc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/stardock-ceo-apologizes-for-lashing-out-over-elemental-pre-launc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/stardock-ceo-apologizes-for-lashing-out-over-elemental-pre-launc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Stardock CEO Brad Wardell has apologized for statements he made on the Quarter to Three forums, which PC Gamer subsequently referenced as evidence that folks should wait to purchase Elemental: War of Magic.

In the statement to Joystiq, Wardell expressed that after a "lengthy and heated debate" over issues in the pre-launch version of the game, he spoke hastily and says, "As a result, I want to apologize to our fans for speaking so harshly. It should be said that some of the issues in question from the PC Gamer UK article, in fact, did not appear in any of our beta testing. We were surprised by these issues and, after working days on end with little sleep, I was very frustrated. I should not have engaged in an online debate about these issues, as my haste to defend what we feel is a great product only served to hurt the fans who have supported us and the team who has been so dedicated to this project."

The PC Gamer piece urges its readers not to purchase Stardock's latest release. "We've held off from finishing our review because of the launch problems, but felt this warranted an early warning," PC Gamer's Tom Francis says, claiming the launch version of Elemental "on two very different machines with the latest drivers for everything ... crashed or hit a game-breaking bug every ten minutes."

It should be noted that while our staff experienced similar issues in the game's beta version, we never encountered those bugs in the retail copy. A large patch issued last night is said to have fixed the frequent crashes, though it allegedly made tactical battles unplayable.

Additionally, multiplayer servers are said to be running, but the mode won't be turned on until sometime next week due to "team exhaustion," a rep on the game's forums said. "The early release meant a lot of people who were expecting this weekend off to rest from the grueling last few weeks had to come in. So we're going to let them get a couple of days off later this week and open up the MP next week." With that in mind, it may be a few days before another patch arrives for Elemental. We've placed Wardell's full statement to Joystiq after the break, along with a poll asking for players to let us know if they've run into these bugs.

Continue reading Stardock CEO apologizes for lashing out over Elemental pre-launch criticisms

JoystiqStardock CEO apologizes for lashing out over Elemental pre-launch criticisms originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellcrashingelemental-war-of-magiclaunchmultiplayerpatchpcpc-gamerstardockWed, 25 Aug 2010 14:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Preview: Elemental: War of Magic]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/preview-elemental-war-of-magic/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/preview-elemental-war-of-magic/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/preview-elemental-war-of-magic/#comments Stardock's Elemental: War of Magic is already extraordinary, smashing genres together that may have been too big on their own in the first place. At its heart, it's a 4X game in the style of Civ or Galactic Civilizations, but it's also a fantasy RPG with a deep and long story, and a tactical battle game. It has a huge singleplayer campaign, a sandbox mode that creates gigantic maps at random, and even a multiplayer mode. It's vast and confusing and intricate, and while there are certain gamers who just won't vibe with all of the numbers and how open the gameplay is, there are others - probably old-school strategy types - who will love it for everything it is.

Stardock's CEO Brad Wardell is one of those for sure -- as he showed me the latest beta of the game earlier this month, his enthusiasm for the game he's built was quite clear. Elemental: War of Magic, like all of Stardock's titles, is as "homespun" as any video game can be, and Wardell's personality and preferences shine through almost all of its (sorry) elements.

Gallery: Elemental: War of Magic

Continue reading Preview: Elemental: War of Magic

JoystiqPreview: Elemental: War of Magic originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4xbrad-wardellcivilizationelementalelemental-war-of-magicfantasygenremagicpcstardockstrategyMon, 23 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Elemental: War of Magic slated for August 24]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/elemental-war-of-magic-slated-for-august-24/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/elemental-war-of-magic-slated-for-august-24/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/elemental-war-of-magic-slated-for-august-24/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It seems like just last Friday we were showing you new screens and video from Stardock's latest PC strategy title, Elemental: War of Magic -- we were -- and today we're able to tell you that the game, which had originally been scheduled for February 2010, will launch on August 24. Elemental will be available at retail, as well as via Stardock's own Impulse service, for $49.99. Hey, you even get to choose your purchasing strategy ... how about that?

Gallery: Elemental: War of Magic

JoystiqElemental: War of Magic slated for August 24 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ElementalElemental-War-Of-MagicImpulsepcrelease-dateStardockStrategyMon, 07 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock explains Elemental's basic elements on video]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/03/stardock-explains-elementals-basic-elements-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/03/stardock-explains-elementals-basic-elements-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/03/stardock-explains-elementals-basic-elements-on-video/#comments Originally slated to arrive this past February, Stardock's latest strategy offering, the 4X title Elemental: War of Magic, is in beta and headed for release by September. To show off the latest build of the game, its developer/publisher summoned up the above video, which serves as a walkthrough of its basic stages -- starting out on a barren landscape and ending in ... marriage?

Stardock has also delivered a new batch of screens from Elemental, which we've rounded up in the gallery below, as if by magic.

Gallery: Elemental: War of Magic

JoystiqStardock explains Elemental's basic elements on video originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ElementalElemental-War-Of-MagicpcStardockThu, 03 Jun 2010 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sins of a Solar Empire for $4; Mass Effect and Dragon Age bundles part of Impulse sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/28/sins-of-a-solar-empire-for-4-mass-effect-and-dragon-age-bundle/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/28/sins-of-a-solar-empire-for-4-mass-effect-and-dragon-age-bundle/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/28/sins-of-a-solar-empire-for-4-mass-effect-and-dragon-age-bundle/#comments Impulse's Memorial Day sale this weekend has Sins of a Solar Empire at the heavenly price of $4. Go buy it now -- full stop. Whatever nit-picky issues the 4X strategy title may have can be thrown out an airlock at that price point. It may lack a single-player campaign to teach the ropes of glorious galactic armada warfare, but setting up a medium-sized map using normal AI is a good place to start. Which reminds us: Gratuitous Space Battles is also on sale.

Impulse also has a more mainstream space opera experience on sale with the first two chapters in the Mass Effect saga bundled for $42. Want something not involving spaceships? There's a Dragon Age: Origins bundle, which includes the original game and Awakening, for $48 -- that'll definitely keep you busy all weekend. Check out the rest of the Impulse weekend sales after the break.

Gallery: Sins of a Solar Empire

Continue reading Sins of a Solar Empire for $4; Mass Effect and Dragon Age bundles part of Impulse sale

JoystiqSins of a Solar Empire for $4; Mass Effect and Dragon Age bundles part of Impulse sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-age-originsdragon-age-origins-awakeningGratuitous-space-battlesimpulseIroncladIronclad-Studiosmass-effect-2RTSSinsSins-of-a-Solar-EmpirestardockStrategyFri, 28 May 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock CEO going on modding sabbatical after Elemental ships]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/stardock-ceo-going-on-modding-sabbatical-after-elemental-ships/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/stardock-ceo-going-on-modding-sabbatical-after-elemental-ships/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/stardock-ceo-going-on-modding-sabbatical-after-elemental-ships/#comments Stardock CEO Brad Wardell will take a "sabbatical" after shipping Elemental: War of Magic later this year. It's not unheard of to take some time off after shipping a major product in the industry (horrible example), but Wardell isn't traveling the world. No, instead he's having a full-on geek out: he's goin' modding.

Wardell explained to Joystiq, "It's more than a vacation. For the past year I've been doing multiple jobs at once -- running Stardock, managing external game development, coding on Elemental, building a house, and writing a book. I typically start work at around 8am EST and work until around 11pm and do this every day -- seven days a week -- though recently I've been getting in some Starcraft 2 time. But it has averaged around 80 hours a week overall."

The executive explains that he wants to mod Elemental to make all kinds of other games and get as much out of the Kumquat engine (the company's new game engine) and Impulse Reactor as possible. Then take those lessons and show it to other developers. He also plans to work on Civilization V mods, which uses the same mod program as Elemental. Wardell expressed the time off "won't affect Stardock's product scheduling at all," he'll still be working on stuff. A lot of that stuff just happens to be modding.

[Via Big Download]

JoystiqStardock CEO going on modding sabbatical after Elemental ships originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellelementalelemental-war-of-magicmoddingsabbaticalstardockwardellSat, 20 Mar 2010 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mass Effect 2, Mirror's Edge highlight weekend Impulse sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/19/mass-effect-2-mirrors-edge-highlight-weekend-impulse-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/19/mass-effect-2-mirrors-edge-highlight-weekend-impulse-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/19/mass-effect-2-mirrors-edge-highlight-weekend-impulse-sale/#comments Impulse purchasing may be in the stars this weekend if you're a PC gamer without Mass Effect 2 yet -- seriously, what are you waiting for? This weekend, Impulse has the regular and "digital deluxe" edition of Commander Shepard's suicide mission for $30 and $40, respectively. That's $20 off the regular price.

Other deals include indie darling World of Goo and the experimental Mirror's Edge for $10. The full list of discounted games is after the break.

Continue reading Mass Effect 2, Mirror's Edge highlight weekend Impulse sale

JoystiqMass Effect 2, Mirror's Edge highlight weekend Impulse sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>impulsemass-effect-2mirrors-edgestardockFri, 19 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Total Annihilation strategically (and exclusively) moving to Impulse]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/total-annihilation-strategically-and-exclusively-moving-to-imp/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/total-annihilation-strategically-and-exclusively-moving-to-imp/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/total-annihilation-strategically-and-exclusively-moving-to-imp/#comments Stardock has announced that Total Annihilation, Chris Taylor's classic RTS, has arrived on its Impulse digital distribution platform. 10 bucks nets buyers the Impulse client-based version of TA, replete with the game's Core Contingency expansion and modernized multiplayer support.

Stardock head Brad Wardell notes his love for the RTS in the release announcement, even going as far as saying, "Total Annihilation is personally one of my all-time favorite games." Additionally, while the game is currently claimed to be "exclusive" to Impulse, we have to imagine such a critically acclaimed PC title will end up on those other digital distribution platforms at some point in the future. Until that happens, you can pick up the game right here.

JoystiqTotal Annihilation strategically (and exclusively) moving to Impulse originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellchris-taylordigital-distributionimpulsertsstardocktotal-annihilationFri, 05 Mar 2010 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Random House publishing 'Elemental: Destiny's Embers,' assisting game publishers with IP dev]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/01/random-house-publishing-elemental-destinys-embers-assisting/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/01/random-house-publishing-elemental-destinys-embers-assisting/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/01/random-house-publishing-elemental-destinys-embers-assisting/#comments Software publisher Stardock and book publisher Random House announced today that Elemental: War of Magic will have a companion novel. Elemental: Destiny's Embers is expected to release in August 2010 and is written by Stardock CEO Brad Wardell, who is also the game's creator and executive producer -- he's also apparently not using a ghost writer. Elemental, the game, currently has a Q3 release.

The book publishing deal is apparently part of Random House's new division to establish transmedia intellectual property. The group will handle collaboration and development across several mediums, offering "editorial services to media companies that will enhance the world-building and storylines of their already existing IP." So, it seems that Random House is offering to assist publishers in building words. "We create worlds." That's a good tagline -- wait, that may have been used.

JoystiqRandom House publishing 'Elemental: Destiny's Embers,' assisting game publishers with IP dev originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellelemental-destinys-emberselemental-war-of-magicrandom-housestardockMon, 01 Mar 2010 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Elemental: War of Magic casts release date toward Q3 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/elemental-war-of-magic-casts-release-date-toward-q3-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/elemental-war-of-magic-casts-release-date-toward-q3-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/elemental-war-of-magic-casts-release-date-toward-q3-2010/#comments
Stardock has confirmed that its PC turn-based strategy-RPG Elemental: War on Magic is strategically shifting its release to somewhere between July and September of 2010. Big Download reports, despite the continued presence of a February 15 release date on Impulse, that the game is escaping the jam-packed first quarter.

What's a shame, really, is that the game will now miss the release date it's had since way back in November of 2008. It also means that Stardock may have to rethink its Q1 release strategy, which the company planned to stick with for a half-decade, and seemed completely logical, until 2010 changed the landscape of the once-barren land of Q1 video game releases.

JoystiqElemental: War of Magic casts release date toward Q3 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>delayelementalelemental-war-of-magicstardockWed, 13 Jan 2010 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Impulse adds The Saboteur and more to online store]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/impulse-adds-the-saboteur-and-more-to-online-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/impulse-adds-the-saboteur-and-more-to-online-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/impulse-adds-the-saboteur-and-more-to-online-store/#comments Look, we know you've been waiting with bated breath for all those Hearts of Iron 3 content packs to arrive on Impulse, so we were glad to tell you that they've finally arrived. Sure, so did The Saboteur and X-COM, but we know you're not concerned. We suppose it's possible you'll tire yourself out with the new Hears of Iron 3 content to the point that you'll need a break, so we should probably point out that a mess of other games made it onto Stardock's digital distribution platform this week. Being the good friends we are, we've dropped the whole list just after the break, just for you!

Continue reading Impulse adds The Saboteur and more to online store

JoystiqImpulse adds The Saboteur and more to online store originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital-distributionhearts-of-ironhearts-of-iron-3impulsepcstardockthe-saboteurx-comx-com-terror-from-the-deepx-com-ufo-defenseFri, 11 Dec 2009 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sins of a Solar Empire 'Trinity' set coming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/09/sins-of-a-solar-empire-wormhole-y-trinity-set-coming/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/09/sins-of-a-solar-empire-wormhole-y-trinity-set-coming/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/09/sins-of-a-solar-empire-wormhole-y-trinity-set-coming/#comments
Stardock has announced that an all-inclusive collection featuring its fab Windows-based 4X strategy title Sins of a Solar Empire, its first expansion, Entrenchment and the upcoming Diplomacy expansion will release on February 9 for $39.99. In addition to availability on Stardock's own Impulse digital distribution service, the set will make its way onto shelves across the US in something called a "box."

Anyone who pre-orders Sins of a Solar Empire - Trinity via Impulse will get instant access to the beta version of the Diplomacy expansion, which seems like a good strategy to us.

JoystiqSins of a Solar Empire 'Trinity' set coming originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4ximpulseironclad-gamesSins-of-a-Solar-Empiresins-of-a-solar-empire-diplomacysins-of-a-solar-empire-entrenchmentsins-of-a-solar-empire-trinitystardockWed, 09 Dec 2009 23:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock: Steam is top digital distribution earner, Impulse second]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/20/stardock-steam-is-top-digital-distribution-earner-impulse-seco/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/20/stardock-steam-is-top-digital-distribution-earner-impulse-seco/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/20/stardock-steam-is-top-digital-distribution-earner-impulse-seco/#comments Stardock isn't a publicly traded company, though it strives to be as open as possible about its business. This is where the annual Stardock Customer Report (PDF link) comes in, an annual assessment of the company's financial situation. Stardock, a publisher of games such as Sins of a Solar Empire, is also behind digital distribution service Impulse, which boss Brad Wardell says is the second only to Valve's Steam platform in terms of revenue generation.

"Our estimation is that Steam - as the current market leader - enjoys approximately 70 percent of the overall digital distribution market with Impulse at 10 percent and all others combined at 20 percent in terms of actual dollars generated per month," Wardell explains. As Wardell estimates, 25 percent of PC platform sales will come from digital distribution channels during 2009's calendar year, so we're talking billions of dollars here.

"Steam and Impulse both have the advantage of exclusive content (Left 4 Dead, Half-Life, Sins of a Solar Empire, Demigod, etc.)," he adds, but explains that Valve's strides in getting major publishers to sign on for Steamworks as a DRM solution (Dawn of War II, Modern Warfare 2) effectively nullifies those games' chances of appearing on Impulse. This is a big area where Impulse is missing out and even though it offers its own alternative -- Impulse Reactor -- the company already missed the boat on its share of the big, fat money-filled pie.

[Via Gamasutra]

Source - Stardock Customer Report 2009 (PDF)

JoystiqStardock: Steam is top digital distribution earner, Impulse second originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessdigital-distributionimpulsestardocksteamvalveFri, 20 Nov 2009 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Labor Day 'Impulse' buy: Sins, Demigod and Dawn of Discovery on sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/03/labor-day-impulse-buy-sins-demigod-and-dawn-of-discovery-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/03/labor-day-impulse-buy-sins-demigod-and-dawn-of-discovery-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/03/labor-day-impulse-buy-sins-demigod-and-dawn-of-discovery-on/#comments
With what we're told is the weekend of Labor Day ahead of us, an Impulse sale is trying to do its best to keep us indoors on this last unofficial weekend of summer. The Impulse store currently has some great titles at deep discounts.

Stardock-published games Sins of a Solar Empire (with Entrenchment) and Demigod are both only $20. Meanwhile, the economic real-time strategy sim Dawn of Discovery is $25. There's plenty of other deals, including World of Goo for $10, so try not to spend those last fleeting days of summer inside. We dare you.

[Via Big Download]

JoystiqLabor Day 'Impulse' buy: Sins, Demigod and Dawn of Discovery on sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dawn-of-discoverydealsdemigodimpulsesalessins-of-a-solar-empirestardockworld-of-gooThu, 03 Sep 2009 09:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Sins of a Solar Empire 'Diplomacy' beta begins fall, releases winter 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/sins-of-a-solar-empire-diplomacy-beta-begins-fall-releases-wi/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/sins-of-a-solar-empire-diplomacy-beta-begins-fall-releases-wi/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/sins-of-a-solar-empire-diplomacy-beta-begins-fall-releases-wi/#comments The second micro-expansion for PC sleeper hit Sins of a Solar Empire will release in winter 2010. The Diplomacy add-on will increase the number of ambassadorial options to players in their conquest of the galaxy. You know, sometimes it helps to talk through the issues. Ironclad and Stardock plan to have a beta for the expansion this fall in order to work out any Vasarian bugs.

Entrenchment and Diplomacy have both suffered delays while jumping into the digital distribution galaxy. A third micro-expansion for Sins was previously announced, so the full 4X RTS space opera experience should be completed sometime next year -- unless there are more delays, of course.

Gallery: Sins of a Solar Empire

JoystiqSins of a Solar Empire 'Diplomacy' beta begins fall, releases winter 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>falseironcladsins-of-a-solar-empirestardockTue, 25 Aug 2009 09:03:00 EST<![CDATA[What's in a Name: Stardock]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/whats-in-a-name-stardock/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/whats-in-a-name-stardock/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/whats-in-a-name-stardock/#commentsStardock In our ongoing feature What's in a Name, we ask developers, publishers and other game industry businesses the stories behind their names. Today our answer comes from Brad Wardell, CEO of Stardock:

"I was in college and started the company to help pay for school until I could get a real job. I needed to get a computer and got a hold of a wholesale distributor to get the parts to build it. When I called, they asked me what the name of the company was and in panic, I looked around and was reading a book by Raymond E. Feist and the chapter was called 'Stardock' so that's what I said the company's name was. It stuck and has been since."

That's it for this edition, maybe next time, we'll tell you the mysterious story behind "Joystiq." It's ... mysterious.

JoystiqWhat's in a Name: Stardock originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellstardockwhats-in-a-nameTue, 11 Aug 2009 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Demigod bestows demo on the little people]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/30/demigod-bestows-demo-on-the-little-people/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/30/demigod-bestows-demo-on-the-little-people/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/30/demigod-bestows-demo-on-the-little-people/#comments
Demigod has finally seen fit to grant a demo to the masses. Gas Powered Games' RTS now comes in a bite-sized offering, in which players have access to one map and four playable demigods (Regulus, Rook [pictured], Sedna and Lord Erebus). All gameplay modes are available in the demo.

The Stardock-published title did have a shaky launch -- thanks to pirates -- but the company has since apologized for the overburdened server loads, and things seem to be in working order. Definitely worth checking out for RTS fans who only have time for short games.

JoystiqDemigod bestows demo on the little people originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demigoddemogas-powered-gamesrtsstardockThu, 30 Jul 2009 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Stardock hiring lots of devs, hints at upcoming projects]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/stardock-hiring-lots-of-devs-hints-at-upcoming-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/stardock-hiring-lots-of-devs-hints-at-upcoming-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/15/stardock-hiring-lots-of-devs-hints-at-upcoming-projects/#comments
Stardock is hiring game developers, animators, artists and more. Some may find relocating to Plymouth, Michigan, a hardship (especially those first few winters), but a well-paying job's money goes further there than it would on one of the coasts. CEO Brad Wardell tells us the company is currently looking for "experienced" devs to work on:
The more "technical" requirements can be found after the break. Resumes and cover letters should be sent to jobs[at]stardock[dawt]com. Best of luck to the applicants.

Continue reading Stardock hiring lots of devs, hints at upcoming projects

JoystiqStardock hiring lots of devs, hints at upcoming projects originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-wardellbusinesshiringjobsstardockWed, 15 Jul 2009 21:00:00 EST