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[Swedish school has kids play Minecraft, turns out they like it]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/swedish-school-has-kids-play-minecraft-turns-out-they-like-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/swedish-school-has-kids-play-minecraft-turns-out-they-like-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/swedish-school-has-kids-play-minecraft-turns-out-they-like-it/#comments Swedish school forces kids to play Minecraft, sees successOne school in Sweden added Minecraft to its curriculum for 13-year-old students in an effort to teach lessons of building in virtual worlds, city planning, environmental awareness, preparing for the future and completing goals. Also, hitting livestock with wooden swords.

The Minecraft lesson plan spawned from a Swedish competition called Future City, which asked for ideas on how to improve education. This school, Viktor Rydberg, liked the idea so much it made Minecraft compulsory, and so far "it's been a great success and we'll definitely do it again," Monica Ekman, a teacher at the school, said.

So far 180 students have used Minecraft as a learning tool, which Ekman compares to arts or woodcraft. "The boys knew a lot about it before we even started, but the girls were happy to create and build something too," Ekman said.

JoystiqSwedish school has kids play Minecraft, turns out they like it originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MinecraftpcschoolswedenMon, 14 Jan 2013 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[EA Gothenburg is now Ghost, don't be scared]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/ea-gothenburg-is-now-ghost-dont-be-scared/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/ea-gothenburg-is-now-ghost-dont-be-scared/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/ea-gothenburg-is-now-ghost-dont-be-scared/#comments EA Gothenburg is now Ghost GamesEA's studio in Gothenburg, Sweden, is now Ghost, and along with a new name it now has a pretty snazzy website. Ghost is rumored to be working on a Need for Speed game with EA producer Alan Baker at the helm. Former DICE executive producer Marcus Nilsson leads the Ghostly team.

"Ghost is a unique proposition in the AAA development space; all the agility and creativity of a 'start-up,' while working with industry giants like Criterion and DICE guarantee we have the tools and support to execute our creative and technical visions," Ghost's website reads. Seriously, design nuts and art nerds, check out the site. It's super pretty.

JoystiqEA Gothenburg is now Ghost, don't be scared originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAea-gothenburgghostghost-gamesmicrosoftpcplaystationps3swedenxboxWed, 14 Nov 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Something Need for Speed is being produced at EA Gothenburg]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/something-need-for-speed-is-being-produced-at-ea-gothenburg/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/something-need-for-speed-is-being-produced-at-ea-gothenburg/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/something-need-for-speed-is-being-produced-at-ea-gothenburg/#comments EA producer Alan Baker is based out of EA's recently opened Gothenburg, Sweden studio. He is also, apparently, working on the Need for Speed franchise as a producer, as Videogamer discovered. Whether that means a Need for Speed game is in the works at EA's Gothenburg studio is another question altogether, and one that doesn't have a clear answer just yet.

Baker lists user interface and Autolog as his production responsibilities, and only says he's "working on the best racing franchise ever" - not that he's heading up production of another NFS franchise entry. In fact, Criterion VP Alex Ward said back at E3 that the NFS franchise is, "definitely a Criterion gig now" - a reference to this year's Need for Speed: Most Wanted - and that "it's not going to be spread anymore across different companies."

When EA opened its Gothenburg studio back in March, its responsibilities were announced as, "focused on making a new generation of games using the Frostbite 2 engine." The currently-in-production NFS: Most Wanted doesn't run on the Frostbite 2 engine, but EA's previous NFS entry, The Run, did. The mystery continues, but it's certain that something Need for Speed is being worked on at EA's Gothenburg studio. We've asked EA for more and will update this post if the company says anything.

JoystiqSomething Need for Speed is being produced at EA Gothenburg originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-gothenburgelectronic-artsfrostbite-2gothenburg-swedenneed-for-speedswedenWed, 22 Aug 2012 10:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Starbreeze attempting acquisition of Payday: The Heist studio]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/starbreeze-attempting-acquisition-of-payday-the-heist-studio/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/starbreeze-attempting-acquisition-of-payday-the-heist-studio/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/starbreeze-attempting-acquisition-of-payday-the-heist-studio/#comments Starbreeze, the Swedish studio that brought the world the surprise hit Chronicles of Riddick and the recent reboot of Syndicate, is attempting an acquisition of Payday: The Heist studio Overkill Software. Pending approval by Starbreeze's shareholders, the move will see Overkill's IP (including Payday) and staff become part of Starbreeze's stable.

Beyond the acquisition of IP and staff, Overkill is set to establish a new Starbreeze office based out of Stockholm, Sweden. "Starbreeze has graphical emphasis, and Overkill has total focus on innovative gameplay. Together we form a unique constellation of creative forces," Overkill creative director Ulf Andersson said of the acquisition in a press release.

Overkill Software was formed in the ashes of former third-party mega studio Grin Software back in 2009, after it collapsed following several commercially unsuccessful projects. Brothers Bo and Ulf Andersson started Overkill, and it's unclear how their roles will change (if at all) in the new setup. The acquisition - if approved by Starbreeze's shareholders - is set to go into effect in mid-June.

Continue reading Starbreeze attempting acquisition of Payday: The Heist studio

JoystiqStarbreeze attempting acquisition of Payday: The Heist studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acqusitioncold-mercuryoverkilloverkill-softwarep13payday-the-heiststarbreezestarbreeze-studiosswedenThu, 19 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Music from Grin's canned Final Fantasy game 'Fortress' found unguarded]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/music-from-grins-canned-final-fantasy-game-fortress-found-ung/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/music-from-grins-canned-final-fantasy-game-fortress-found-ung/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/music-from-grins-canned-final-fantasy-game-fortress-found-ung/#comments
Before Swedish megastudio Grin collapsed back in aught nine, it was juggling a trillion different projects for a trillion different publishers. One such project that never saw the light of day was a Final Fantasy franchise entry titled "Fortress," which we got a peek at not long after we learned of Grin's closure. And now we're able to hear some music sampled from the game as well, as former music director Erik Thunberg dropped one such track on his portfolio website.

So, uh, you may wanna line up these shots of the game with the music playing in another tab, to try and recreate the feeling of the Western-born Final Fantasy game that never was. Hold that Chocobo plushie extra tight.

JoystiqMusic from Grin's canned Final Fantasy game 'Fortress' found unguarded originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>erik-thunbergfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-fortressgrinmusicsoundtracksquare-enixswedenMon, 20 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More DICE employees jump ship to Ngmoco's Swedish studio]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/more-dice-employees-jump-ship-to-ngmocos-swedish-studio/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/more-dice-employees-jump-ship-to-ngmocos-swedish-studio/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/more-dice-employees-jump-ship-to-ngmocos-swedish-studio/#comments After former DICE / EA Easy dev Benjamin Cousins left his former role, we were pretty sure he was on his way to a world bicycling championship. As it turns out, he's keeping his bicycling hobby on the side and running the Swedish branch of Ngmoco instead -- and he's bringing along some friends from his former employer.

Senior artist Wille Wintertidh and senior programmers Torbjørn Lædre and Malte Hildigsson, all from DICE, have joined the team, and we don't expect they'll be the last. Cousins announced the hires via Twitter, where he characterized the trio as "fabulous new employees." We're hoping he also threw confetti in the air as he remarked as much.

JoystiqMore DICE employees jump ship to Ngmoco's Swedish studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ben-cousinsbenjamin-cousinsdiceeaea-diceea-easyelectronic-artsMalte-Hildigssonngmocongmoco-swedenswedenTorbjørn-Lædretorbjorn-laedreWille-WintertidhFri, 06 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ngmoco to launch Swedish branch with former EA Easy boss Ben Cousins]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/ngmoco-to-launch-swedish-branch-with-former-ea-easy-boss-ben-cou/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/ngmoco-to-launch-swedish-branch-with-former-ea-easy-boss-ben-cou/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/ngmoco-to-launch-swedish-branch-with-former-ea-easy-boss-ben-cou/#comments When Ben Cousins left EA Easy as head of the studio earlier this year, he didn't leave a forwarding address. Cousins and his new employer revealed today his position as head of newly formed ngmoco Sweden, where he'll be leading the studio in the development of "freemium games for mobile platforms like iOS/Android" (according to Cousins' Twitter feed). His last major project with EA was Battlefield Play 4 Free.

The official PR from ngmoco puts the Swedish branch in a position of support for parent company DeNA's "Mobage" social gaming platforms. And the new studios puts Cousins in a position to hire up colleagues in a part of the world ripe for the picking -- Sweden. Don't be surprised if you see some high profile ex-DICE staffers showing up at ngmoco's new Swedish office over the next few months, as we totally warned you.

[Image credit: OfficialGDC]

Joystiqngmoco to launch Swedish branch with former EA Easy boss Ben Cousins originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbattlefield-heroesbattlefield-play-4-freeben-cousinsDeNAea-diceea-easyelectronic-artsmacmobagemobilengmocongmoco-swedenpcswedenTue, 21 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GRIN founders say Square Enix turned their smiles upside down]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/29/grin-founders-say-square-enix-turned-their-smiles-upside-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/29/grin-founders-say-square-enix-turned-their-smiles-upside-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/29/grin-founders-say-square-enix-turned-their-smiles-upside-down/#comments Despite shipping three poorly received titles back-to-back - those would be Wanted: Weapons of Fate, Terminator: Salvation, and Capcom's reboot of Bionic Commando - it was still quite a surprise when developer GRIN suddenly closed its doors in August of 2009. Shortly after the shuttering, we learned that the Swedish developer had been working on a new Final Fantasy game titled 'Fortress' for Square Enix and now, nearly two years later, co-founders Ulf and Bo Andersson are finally pointing fingers. And they're both pointing right at Square Enix.

"We wanted to come in and revolutionize Final Fantasy, which is exactly what they need," the brothers told Sweden's Aftonbladet in a far-reaching article on the demise of the once-mighty studio. "The latest version sucks of course." After working on Fortress for Square Enix for six months without receiving any payment, the studio simply couldn't afford to stay open.

Square Enix, for its part, introduced seemingly impossible restrictions on the delivery of milestones. At one point, GRIN was directed to deliver its code to Japan via fax. Bo Andersson told Aftonbladet, "It is as silly as it sounds. It is an impossible requirement, you can not send ascii or binary codes on the fax. It is backward. Really retarded. It was almost a criminal activity." To make matters worse, Andersson claims that Square Enix then said the milestones were not being sent to the right person and instead should have been sent to the legal department.

The Andersson brothers suggest that Square Enix had already made up its mind that Fortress wasn't a project it wanted anymore. "Nothing seemed good enough. Square did not believe anymore that the Nordic style suited Final Fantasy," the Anderssons said. To test their hypothesis, they sent over concept art from Square Enix's own Final Fantasy XII, to which Japan responded, "It does not look like Final Fantasy."

While many former GRIN staffers landed at studios like Fatshark, others formed their own outfits, like Might&Delight, Outbreak Studios, and Whiteout. The Anderssons, however, have been hard at work on a new studio, one with a notable change: It won't be dependent on big publishers. They'll be at E3 next week showing off their new project, so expect to learn more about it - and more about the demise of GRIN - then.

JoystiqGRIN founders say Square Enix turned their smiles upside down originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 May 2011 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bionic-CommandoBo-AnderssonFinal-Fantasy-FortressFortressGRINlayoffsSquare-EnixSwedenUlf-AnderssonSun, 29 May 2011 16:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Dead or Alive: Dimensions yanked in Sweden, Norway and Denmark]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/dead-or-alive-dimensions-yanked-in-sweden-norway-and-denmark/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/dead-or-alive-dimensions-yanked-in-sweden-norway-and-denmark/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/dead-or-alive-dimensions-yanked-in-sweden-norway-and-denmark/#comments Dead or Alive: Dimensions won't be available in Sweden, because it potentially violates the country's child pornography laws. The title will also skip Norway and Denmark as a result -- all three territories are covered by the same distributor, Bergsala. Eurogamer Sweden has a joint statement from Nintendo and Bergsala in which they claim to "have decided not to release the game in Sweden, for various reasons." However, neither company wished to list the reasons.

Allegedly, the genesis of the drama involves a forum poster noting that three of the DoA characters are under 18 years of age, which could violate Swedish law when placed in risque situations within the game's "Figure Mode." Animated images have been subject to child pornography laws in Sweden since 1980.

JoystiqDead or Alive: Dimensions yanked in Sweden, Norway and Denmark originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 May 2011 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3DSBergsaladead-or-alivedead-or-alive-dimensionsdenmarkdsnintendonorwaypornpornographyswedentecmo-koeiMon, 23 May 2011 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Magicka sequel planned, first game and Vietnam expansion sold 'over expectations']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/magicka-sequel-planned-first-game-and-vietnam-expansion-sold-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/magicka-sequel-planned-first-game-and-vietnam-expansion-sold-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/magicka-sequel-planned-first-game-and-vietnam-expansion-sold-o/#comments Arrowhead Studios' first game, Magicka, has been a runaway success. Publisher Paradox Interactive told Joystiq in a recent interview that the game "sold over 30,000 copies in the first 24 hours," and the five dollar Vietnam-themed expansion has moved "well over 100,000" copies since launching in mid-April. Even at just $5, that's plenty of extra ducats.

Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester also confirmed a Magicka sequel on the books, though the folks at Arrowhead are still hard at work on the first game's PvP, set for a free release in the near future. "When we -- and I'm not saying 'if' -- but 'when' we are doing a sequel to this game, it's going to be done on a totally different technology," Wester explained, airing some of his company's grievances with Magicka's game engine, XNA Studios. "It was super buggy at release," he added, speaking to Magicka's less-than-perfect state at launch. "We addressed most of them in the first week, but there are still issues with laptops and a few other things. It's due to the engine that we produced the game on."

As for the oft-requested console version of Magicka, Wester and his company are taking an all-or-nothing approach at this point. "We wanna do XBLA or nothing for the Xbox," Wester matter-of-factly stated when asked about the possibility of the game still heading to Xbox Live Indie Games. Beyond it being a smaller marketplace, he noted, "We looked into that, but it was not as simple as it seemed at first." PlayStation Network, thankfully, is an easier task. "PSN should be a no brainer, and I'm saying should because ... I can't really say anything more at the moment," he coyly added, noting, "I'll let you know as soon as I can say more." ESRB listings discovered earlier this year certainly indicate that something is in the cards.

Continue reading Magicka sequel planned, first game and Vietnam expansion sold 'over expectations'

JoystiqMagicka sequel planned, first game and Vietnam expansion sold 'over expectations' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arrowheadarrowhead-studiosfredrik-westermagickamagicka-vietnammicrosoftparadoxparadox-interactivepcplaystationps3psnsalesswedenxblaxbligxboxxbox-live-indie-gamesxnaxna-studios-engineTue, 03 May 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie game 'Bob Came in Pieces' bundled with FantomenK album]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/indie-game-bob-came-in-pieces-bundled-with-fantomenk-album/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/indie-game-bob-came-in-pieces-bundled-with-fantomenk-album/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/indie-game-bob-came-in-pieces-bundled-with-fantomenk-album/#comments A new socially enmeshed "flash sale platform," Groupees, has wrapped its first bundle in a Swedish theme, offering a downloadable indie game, Bob Came in Pieces, alongside music from indie electronica artist FantomenK (that's a MySpace link, by the way). It launched at $5 on Wednesday, but has since switched to a pay-what-you-want deal with a $2 minimum.

Developed by Ludosity Interactive, Bob Came in Pieces has you collecting parts for a customizable spaceship, solving physics-based puzzles and generally bumping into a lot of colorful things. In the words of Rock, Paper, Shotgun, it's a rather adorable "floaty-spaceship platform game." There's a demo of it on Steam, where it usually sells for $10.

The DRM-free bundle also contains original concept art for the game, and 6 unreleased FantomenK tracks in addition to the LP, "The Massacre." According to Groupees CEO Thomas Brooke, the two Swedish entities will collaborate and develop a free Bob level featuring FantomenK tunes if sales exceed 15,000 by the time deal expires at 12PM ET on Saturday.

Brooke claims more promotions are being lined up with indie developers "from around the world," though we're not in a hurry to leave Sweden just yet -- not until they bundle The Dream Machine with Roxette's greatest hits.

Continue reading Indie game 'Bob Came in Pieces' bundled with FantomenK album

JoystiqIndie game 'Bob Came in Pieces' bundled with FantomenK album originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob-came-in-piecesfantomenkgroupeesindieludosity-interactivemacpcswedenThu, 24 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MachineGames developing under Bethesda, using id Tech 5]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/11/machinegames-developing-under-bethesda-using-id-tech-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/11/machinegames-developing-under-bethesda-using-id-tech-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/11/machinegames-developing-under-bethesda-using-id-tech-5/#comments Mega-publisher ZeniMax Media made its acquisition of Swedish developer MachineGames official today, specifying that the studio would be working on multiplatform titles under ZeniMax's Bethesda banner. MachineGames' first unannounced project will be built using sibling studio id Software's id Tech 5 game engine.

"Working with our new colleagues at id and the world class publisher, Bethesda Softworks, is a tremendous opportunity," said MachineGames CEO Jerk Gustafsso, who will serve as executive producer of the new game.

Barely a year old, MachineGames has nothing to show for itself publicly, though the company was established by a gang of ex-Starbreeze founders, including Gustafsso, which is credited with critical darlings The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher's Bay (2004) / Assault on Dark Athena (2009) and The Darkness (2007). Legal documentation of the acquisition appeared to indicate that MachineGames would be re-branded "ZeniMax Sweden," but it seems the studio will retain its original name.

Just two weeks ago, Zenimax made its acquisition of Shinji Mikami's Tango Gameworks official. Just this week, subsidiary Bethesda made its shipment of 5 million blatantly buggy copies of Fallout: New Vegas official -- hey, revenue's gotta come from something while these new studios get settled.

[Pictured: id Software's Rage, built with id Tech 5]

Continue reading MachineGames developing under Bethesda, using id Tech 5

JoystiqMachineGames developing under Bethesda, using id Tech 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionbethesdabethesda-softworksid-tech-5machinegamesswedenzenimaxzenimax-mediazenimax-swedenThu, 11 Nov 2010 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Machinegames purchased by ZeniMax Media, becomes ZeniMax Sweden]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/machinegames-purchased-by-zenimax-media-becomes-zenimax-sweden/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/machinegames-purchased-by-zenimax-media-becomes-zenimax-sweden/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/machinegames-purchased-by-zenimax-media-becomes-zenimax-sweden/#comments ZeniMax Media -- parent company to Bethesda Softworks, Arkane Studios, id Software and, most recently, Tango Gameworks -- has been on an acquisition spree as of late. Today is no exception, as Develop uncovered business records revealing the recent purchase of Swedish developer Machinegames (ex-Starbreeze) after seeing tweets from an alleged anonymous industry insider's Twitter account. The company has seen brand renaming to "ZeniMax Sweden AB," which is way less exciting of a name than Machinegames.

Little is known about the acquisition, or what (if any) games Machinegames had in development before being purchased, though Machinegames' website describes the studio as "a developer of exciting AAA titles for next-gen platforms."

JoystiqMachinegames purchased by ZeniMax Media, becomes ZeniMax Sweden originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesda-softworksid-softwaremachinegamesswedenzenimaxzenimax-mediazenimax-swedenzenimax-sweden-abFri, 05 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Might&Delight reassembles GRIN's Bionic Commando Rearmed team]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/16/mightanddelight-reassembles-grins-bionic-commando-rearmed-team/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/16/mightanddelight-reassembles-grins-bionic-commando-rearmed-team/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/16/mightanddelight-reassembles-grins-bionic-commando-rearmed-team/#comments GRIN may be no more, but some of the talent behind the studio is coming back. The team responsible for Bionic Commando Rearmed, arguably GRIN's greatest title, have announced plans to return to game development with a new studio: Might&Delight. Focused on "advancing back to the 80s," the new studio opens today in Stockholm, Sweden. According to a press release, "our ambition is to continue doing what we started with Rearmed. Small, fresh games with strong old school flavor."

Starting another team is no small task, so we wish Might&Delight the best of luck on its future endeavors. We can't wait to see what retro revivals it'll be able to come up with.

JoystiqMight&Delight reassembles GRIN's Bionic Commando Rearmed team originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bionic-commando-rearmedgrinmight-and-delightstockholmswedenFri, 16 Apr 2010 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live Video Marketplace coming to 10 more countries 'this fall']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/07/xbox-live-video-marketplace-coming-to-10-more-countries-this-fa/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/07/xbox-live-video-marketplace-coming-to-10-more-countries-this-fa/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/07/xbox-live-video-marketplace-coming-to-10-more-countries-this-fa/#comments As far as we know, the kind of laziness which prevents you from visiting the nearest Blockbuster Video is a worldwide phenomenon. According to a press release (.doc link) dropped just in time for CES, Microsoft is catering to this global lethargy by opening up the Xbox Live Video Marketplace to ten more countries this fall: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Australia and New Zealand.

Basically, if the Xbox Live Video Marketplace was playing Risk, it'd have a kickass lock on the Eastern Hemisphere.

JoystiqXbox Live Video Marketplace coming to 10 more countries 'this fall' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiaaustriabelgiumces-2009denmarkeuropefinlandMicrosoftnetherlandsnew-zealandnorwayswedenswitzerlandvideo-marketplaceXbox-360xbox-liveThu, 07 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Swedish rapper Pato Pooh asks you to follow him into the old school ]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/swedish-rapper-pato-pooh-asks-you-to-follow-him-into-the-old-sch/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/swedish-rapper-pato-pooh-asks-you-to-follow-him-into-the-old-sch/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/swedish-rapper-pato-pooh-asks-you-to-follow-him-into-the-old-sch/#comments
Adding himself to the short list of things we associate with Sweden other than Volvo, Ikea, and delicious meatballs, Stockholm's Pato Pooh recently released a music video for his song "Follow Me." It features a regular who's who of 8- and 16-bit era gaming in the process, referencing everything from Mega Man's opening to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He even kills off that snickering jerk dog from Duck Hunt we all love to hate. Who's laughing now, dog? Who's laughing now?!

[Thanks, SuerDOS!]

Continue reading Swedish rapper Pato Pooh asks you to follow him into the old school

JoystiqSwedish rapper Pato Pooh asks you to follow him into the old school originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>16-bit8-bitfollow-memega-manmusic-videopato-poohrapstockholmswedenMon, 19 Oct 2009 18:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Gizmondo man goes back to jail, does not pass go (again), does not collect $200 (again)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/gizmondo-man-goes-back-to-jail-does-not-pass-go-again-does-n/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/gizmondo-man-goes-back-to-jail-does-not-pass-go-again-does-n/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/gizmondo-man-goes-back-to-jail-does-not-pass-go-again-does-n/#comments
After serving three years in the US prison system for, among a litany of other things, totally disrespecting a $1 million Ferrari Enzo, Gizmondo's ex-CEO Stefan Eriksson is heading right back to jail. Last Friday, the District Court of Uppsala, Sweden sentenced Eriksson to one and a half years in prison for allegedly "making illegal threats, attempted blackmail, and robbery," though given his past offenses (being a head of the Swedish mafia, for instance), we're surprised the rap sheet is so light.

After being released from American prisons in early 2008, Eriksson ran into legal trouble again upon re-entering Sweden. Talking to The Local, his lawyer's initial response to the verdict was, "This is unacceptable, but we must sit down and discuss how we should proceed." We're tentatively suggesting, "Get Eriksson away from cars, money, and other people," but that's just us.

[Via Eurogamer]

JoystiqGizmondo man goes back to jail, does not pass go (again), does not collect $200 (again) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ferrari-enzogizmondoprisonstefan-erikssonswedenthe-localuppsalaTue, 14 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Pirate Bay sold, going legit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/30/the-pirate-bay-sold-going-legit/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/30/the-pirate-bay-sold-going-legit/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/30/the-pirate-bay-sold-going-legit/#commentsTorrent Freak reports that the infamous torrent site The Pirate Bay has been sold to Global Gaming Factory X, which runs a chain of internet cafes. GGF will take control of the site in August.

GGF plans to make significant changes to the site's methods. "We would like to introduce models which entail that content providers and copyright owners get paid for content that is downloaded via the site," said Global Gaming Factory CEO Hans Pandeya. The revamped Pirate Bay will use some kind of new P2P distribution tech developed by Peerialism, another GGF acquisition. The new standard is separate from, but backward-compatible with, BitTorrent.

"A lot of people are worried," a statement on The Pirate Bay reads. "We're not and you shouldn't be either!" The site's organizers say that profits from the sale will be put into a foundation "to help with projects about freedom of speech, freedom of information and the openess [sic] of the nets."

In our minds, this is even more significant than the sale and eventual relaunch of Napster, because Napster was never so closely connected to a political party.

JoystiqThe Pirate Bay sold, going legit originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>global-gaming-factory-xpiracyswedenthe-pirate-bayTue, 30 Jun 2009 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Hunt ghosts on your Nintendo DSi with Ghostwire]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/hunt-ghosts-on-your-nintendo-dsi-with-ghostwire/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/hunt-ghosts-on-your-nintendo-dsi-with-ghostwire/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/hunt-ghosts-on-your-nintendo-dsi-with-ghostwire/#comments
Sweden-based development studio A Different Game has been watching too much Ghost Hunters, it would seem, as the company is preparing Ghostwire, Kotaku reports. Ghostwire is a game where you use your Nintendo DSi to hunt down ghastly ghouls in real life. We're not joking; through use of the Nintendo DSi's camera, microphone, and touch-screen, players will locate ghosts in real-world locales and figure out what they need to be at peace.

Ghostwire currently has no scheduled release date.

JoystiqHunt ghosts on your Nintendo DSi with Ghostwire originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-different-gameDSghostwireNintendoswedenMon, 25 May 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Inafune skips Nordic Game conference due to swine flu restrictions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/inafune-skips-nordic-game-conference-due-to-swine-flu-restrictio/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/inafune-skips-nordic-game-conference-due-to-swine-flu-restrictio/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/inafune-skips-nordic-game-conference-due-to-swine-flu-restrictio/#comments
Capcom Producer Keiji Inafune won't be pigging out on fine Swedish meatballs at the Nordic Game conference, due to swine flu concerns. GI.biz reports a Nordic Games spokesperson was informed that Capcom has a "corporate policy restricting foreign travel" during the current media-hyped pandemic. Capcom also mentioned that a dog ate Inafune's plane ticket ... not really, but it's just as viable an excuse.

Taking Inafune's spot at the conference will be Team 17's Martyn Brown. So, the guy with a severe case of Worms is taking over for the one afraid of catching piggy flu?

[Image]

JoystiqInafune skips Nordic Game conference due to swine flu restrictions originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcominafunekeiji-inafunenordic-game-2009swedenswine-fluMon, 18 May 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pirate Bay lawyer seeking retrial]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/23/pirate-bay-lawyer-seeking-retrial/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/23/pirate-bay-lawyer-seeking-retrial/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/23/pirate-bay-lawyer-seeking-retrial/#comments
A lawyer representing Peter Sunde, spokesperson for Pirate Bay, said his client will "demand a retrial" amid reports that the preceding judge in the case was a member of several copyright protection organizations. Last week, Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Carl Lundstrom and Peter Sunde were sentenced to a year in prison and fined 30 million kronor ($3.6m) in damages for operating the file-sharing site, The Pirate Bay.

According to reports by Sveriges Radio's P3 news, judge Tomas Norström is a signed member of the Swedish Copyright Association, three members of which are representing the entertainment industry in the case against The Pirate Bay. Norström also holds membership with the Swedish Association for the Protection of Industrial Property, an advocacy group for stricter copyright laws. However, Norström stated his connection with copyright protection organizations did not sway his opinion when ruling in the case against The Pirate Bay.

Peter Althin, the lawyer representing Peter Sunde, told The Local that the connection represented a conflict of interest, one the defense was not given an opportunity to investigate. Althin added that a lay judge in the case had already been excused for the possibility of a connection in order to maintain an impartial ruling. Looks like the pirate ship hasn't sunk just yet.

[Via Edge. Original image: marcusrg]

JoystiqPirate Bay lawyer seeking retrial originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>controversylegallegaldramapiracypirate-bayswedenthe-pirate-bayThu, 23 Apr 2009 14:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Mirror's Edge vs. Age of Conan at Nordic Awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/31/mirrors-edge-vs-age-of-conan-at-nordic-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/31/mirrors-edge-vs-age-of-conan-at-nordic-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/31/mirrors-edge-vs-age-of-conan-at-nordic-awards/#comments
Nordic Game 2009 is fast approaching and, like you, we're gearing up by listening to loads of ABBA, driving Volvos and wearing nothing but H&M clothing. That's all they do over there, right? Anyway, with the conference comes the obligatory awards show, though this one comes with a uniquely nordic theme. While über nordic games like LasseMajas and Englekræsj show up on the list, EA DICE-developed Mirror's Edge and Funcom-developed Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures are duking it out for two major awards: Artistic Achievement and Best Nordic Game.

We can't speak to the ... ahem ... games we've never heard of running against Mirror's Edge and Age of Conan, but retro remake Bionic Commando: Rearmed is also competing for the Best Nordic Game award, while Watchmen: The End is Nigh takes on the two for Artistic Achievement. The awards are set to be a veritable smörgåsbord of gaming, if you will. (Those are Swedish, right?)

[Via Edge]

JoystiqMirror's Edge vs. Age of Conan at Nordic Awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbionic-commando-rearmedea-diceEnglekrsjfuncomLasseMajasmirrors-edgenordic-game-2009swedenwatchmen-the-end-is-nighTue, 31 Mar 2009 16:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Swedes honor their own: Mirror's Edge wins Swedish GOTY]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/swedes-honor-their-own-mirrors-edge-wins-swedish-goty/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/swedes-honor-their-own-mirrors-edge-wins-swedish-goty/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/swedes-honor-their-own-mirrors-edge-wins-swedish-goty/#comments
Little known fact: Swedes love a good pat on the back. It's true, all of us like to be congratulated on a job well done, but for them it's in a league of its own. This year, they've heaped the honor for the best Swedish-made game at the annual Dataspelsgalan award show onto DICE's parkour-inspired first-person scoot-er, Mirror's Edge. When asked why it was so special, top Swedes commented to Joystiq that the "graphics on level three were really tight," among other things. One thing is certain: Mirror's Edge was definitely one of the better games from last year.

Previous Swedish GOTY winners:
  • 2000 Fem myror är fler än fyra elefanter
  • 2001 Ground Control
  • 2002 Headhunter
  • 2003 Battlefield 1942
  • 2004 -
  • 2005 Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
  • 2006 Battlefield 2
  • 2007 GTR 2: FIA GT Racing Game
  • 2008 World in Conflict

Continue reading Swedes honor their own: Mirror's Edge wins Swedish GOTY

JoystiqSwedes honor their own: Mirror's Edge wins Swedish GOTY originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>diceeaElectronic-Artsfpsmirrors-edgeswedenswedishswedish-game-of-the-yearswedish-gotyWed, 18 Mar 2009 17:55:00 EST<![CDATA[European bands sign up for World Tour]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/european-bands-sign-up-for-world-tour/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/european-bands-sign-up-for-world-tour/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/european-bands-sign-up-for-world-tour/#commentsFiled under: ,

Because Activision loves you all equally, it's decided to offer a bunch of downloadable Guitar Hero World Tour tracks from European bands.

Our knowledge of non-UK European music extends to ABBA, Kraftwerk, and, embarrassingly, 2 Unlimited, so we're laughably out of our depth commenting on these (though Swedish group Backyard Babies already appeared in Guitar Hero III, so that name does ring a bell). Mind you, some of them sound pretty good (videos of all six follow the break), and we're certain our millions of Dutch readers are going wild over the inclusion of Di-Rect. 200 Wii points each, if you're interested.
  • "'54, '74, '90, 2010" by Sportfreunde Stiller (Germany)
  • "Dis Moi" by BB Brunes (France)
  • "Por La Boca Vive El Pez" by Fito Y Fitipaldis (Spain)
  • "Mama Mae" by Negrita (Italy)
  • "Degenerated" by Backyard Babies (Sweden)
  • "Johnny" by Di-Rect (Holland)

Continue reading European bands sign up for World Tour

JoystiqEuropean bands sign up for World Tour originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiondlceuropefrancegermanyguitar-heroguitar-hero-world-touritalymusicnetherlandsspainswedenvicarious-visionsThu, 11 Dec 2008 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/05/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/05/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/05/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:



108 days after it originally launched in the U.S., Super Smash Bros. Brawl was released in Europe and promptly flew to the upper echelons of Europe's sales charts. Nintendo's scrapper was top of the Week 26 pile in Sweden, Germany, Britain, and Holland, was only beaten into second place by the absurdly popular LEGO Indiana Jones in Denmark and Ireland, and will probably be top when the one-week-behind Spanish charts are revealed next week.

Yet it wasn't all smooth sailing. In the UK and Ireland, Brawl very nearly had its high position compromised by a game we haven't seen in a while -- Wii Fit. Thanks to the Balance Board game getting restocked, the title leapt 27 places in the UK to third place, and was also third in Ireland, after being outside the Top 20 last week. A remarkable recovery, but it just shows how overweight desperate we all are for Nintendo's wobbly creation!

Check out what Europeans are buying after the break.


Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalspainswedenukSat, 05 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/05/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/05/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/05/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:

In a week when Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift and Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword failed to penetrate any of Europe's charts, the locals instead turned to the non-game. Ubisoft's My Health Coach: Manage Your Weight (My Weight Loss Coach in North America) was the highest-ranking new DS entry on the continent, with a TV campaign ensuring it reached 27th in the UK. Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What To Eat? also enjoyed a more successful second week, rising eight places in Britain and just squeezing into Ireland's top ten.

Next week, Europeans welcome the arrival of Bakushow and Arkanoid DS, and will hopefully not stave off the newest Space Invaders. Let them take you over, puny Earthlings! Heck, they'd run this planet better than us anyway.

As far as serious chart contenders go (because let's face it: none of the aforementioned three are going to sell in the bajillions), the two latest Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games are hitting stores. Expect some top ten finishes from those.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalspainswedenukSat, 05 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:



If Europeans feel their food has lacked variety and flavor this week, they've only themselves to blame. Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat? was a bit of a failure with consumers, despite our predictions of great things for the title last week, so don't come moaning to us when your beef bourguignon goes awry! Only the UK showed a mild appetite for the non-game, pushing it to 19th. New International Track & Field, meanwhile, didn't even get close to any chart.

Still, it's not as though Euro consumers Can't Decide What to Buy -- most top tens are filled with the usual suspects, at least until next week, when Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift and Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword arrive on our fair shores. Until then, scour all manner of charts past the break!

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalswedenukSat, 28 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:



Even though Wii Fit continues to be as common as chicken teeth everywhere, Nintendo finally seems to be sorting out its Mario Kart Wii stock issues in Europe. After dipping in recent weeks, the racer (which nearly made this blogger sob with frustration at our last Game Night) has risen in Ireland, Holland, and the UK. Wii Play had a fine few days, sensationally nabbing second spot in Britain, while Sports Island is raking in the euros in the Netherlands. Those crazy Dutch.

Not much on the horizon next week, except for some beat-'em-up. Super Crash Bros. Fighter, or something. We forget. Charts follow the break, folks.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalswedenukSat, 28 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:



Never, ever, ever, ever rule out the power of Kawashima. We're going to have that tattooed across our foreheads, because despite us slyly noting Brain Training's slow decline in the Euro charts these last few weeks, the blighter has bounced back mightily -- bugger.

Next week could be interesting, mind. Were we gambling types, we'd put good money on Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat? (which two of the Fanboy team have already purchased) and My Weight Loss Coach doing pretty well, what with their angle on training and self-improvement (and Europe's baffling collective urge to improve itself). And what of New International Track & Field? Well, as much as we'd like it to do well, we can't see it leaving much of a dent. I mean, a track and field game starring famous characters and mascots from the franchises of a major gaming company? El-oh-el! It'll never work.

Charts after the break!

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalspainswedenukSat, 21 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:

You don't have to be a gas mask-wearing, telepathic oddball to know what dominated Europe this week. Metal Gear Solid 4's ascent to numero uno throughout most of Europe was thoroughly predictable, though that's not to suggest that Wii titles had it rough.

Most managed to maintain high spots (seriously, Britain, what is it about LEGO and Indiana Jones?), while there was a heartwarming comeback for Wii Fit, which finally seems to be getting restocked here. It's reappeared in the Irish and Dutch top tens, and made 11th in the UK. Sports Island debuted in European countries that aren't Britain this week, and for the most part had a storming start, with a third place in Holland and eighth in Germany. Yet there is also sad news, reader: Okami -- beautiful, stunning, endlessly gorgeous Okami -- only reached 20th. In Sweden. Gah.

Next week, brace yourselves for the arrival in the charts of Ferrari Challenge and Alone in the Dark (except in Scandinavia, of course).

Check out this week's charts beyond the break. Lederhosen optional.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalspainswedenukSat, 21 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/14/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/14/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/14/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:

Having watched the in-the-flesh Harrison Ford creak and grimace his way through Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on the big screen, this week European consumers got a chance to give the LEGO version a leg-up to the top of the charts.

And mostly, that's just what they did. The Wii edition of LEGO Indiana Jones: Original Adventures showed Grand Theft Auto IV who was boss in the UK by nabbing top spot, and versions for other consoles charted well elsewhere on the continent. It's no surprise that LEGO Indy did so well in Blighty -- we still recall the whole country tripping over itself in the rush to pick up the LEGO Star Wars games. Evidently, the titles have that oft-discussed crossover appeal that most marketing types would slaughter their entire families for.

On a sadder note, Mario Kart Wii bowed out of the Dutch and UK top tens, Deca Sports Sports Island only reached 15th in Britain, and Wii Fit is keeping up its disappearing act ... everywhere but Germany. So much for your empty, empty promises, Nintendo! Oh, and the Spanish charts failed to materialize this week, probably because they're all busy gawking at the footy.

Check out what Europe is buying past the break, and don't forget to join us next week, when we'll be sulking about how nobody bought Okami.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalswedenukSat, 14 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/14/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/14/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/14/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:


Everybody knows that Europe is frequently treated like a second-class citizen of the gaming world, and one of the best examples of this is Etrian Odyssey, which was finally released in Euroland last week, a whole damn year (and then some) after it arrived in the States. Predictably enough, it's not appeared in one European chart during its opening week, but are we surprised? Are we heck. Anybody with a serious interest in Etrian Odyssey would have already imported the game, completed it, and be looking forward to importing the second title. In fact, this sort of makes the European release feel futile; you have to wonder why they even bother in the first place. Oh, woe, woe.

It's not as though much else is selling on our beloved handheld, either -- even though the Spanish charts weren't released in time for this week's update, the current charts are worryingly low on DS software. Hit the break to see what we mean.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalswedenukSat, 14 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:

DS software is feeling the strain in Europe this week as big names on other consoles continue to shake things up. This week it's the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Codemasters' Race Driver: GRID that have mostly disrupted the standings (note: the DS iteration didn't appear in any charts), forcing Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training to actually drop out of the UK top ten for the first time in several months (though the polygonal prof has still performed respectably in Ireland, Holland, and Germany).

That aside, it's mainly all about Mario where DS games are concerned. The plumber has sprinted, jumped, and karted his way into a number of Euro charts, and it was also nice to see Phantom Hourglass rise back into the UK top 30 (it's currently 28th). Next week, we'll see if European folk have the stomach for an Etrian Odyssey (yes, the first one), though we suspect that LEGO Indiana Jones is more likely to register high on the chart.

Make the jump for this week's full rundown of numbers from Europe!

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalspainswedenukSat, 07 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:


Finding a copy of Wii Fit has become increasingly similar to a particularly frustrating edition of Where's Waldo? here in Europe. After totally disappearing from the UK's top 40 last week, it's now also vanished from the Dutch charts, and dropped several places in Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, and Spain. The only place that is getting the title seems to be Germany, where it sits at the top of the charts. Way to distribute evenly, Nintendo of Europe!

Away from the Wii Fit famine, Sega Superstars Tennis continues to yo-yo its way through the British charts (up this week from 24th to 9th), Wii Play is still flying high in Spain, Ireland, and Britain, while the rest of the Wii games to have charted all feature Mario, and include Galaxy, Kart, and that Olympics one that will never, ever, ever, ever go away.

As usual, full charts follow the break.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalspainswedenukSat, 07 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dethrones GTA IV in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/age-of-conan-dethrones-gta-iv-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/age-of-conan-dethrones-gta-iv-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/age-of-conan-dethrones-gta-iv-in-europe/#commentsFiled under: ,

With the amount of hype, advertising, positive reviews and media attention Grand Theft Auto IV has received over the past few months, we wholly expected it to remain on top of the software sales charts until our video game consoles grew sentient and attempted to purge humanity from the planet. Strangely enough, a dark horse recently overtook Rockstar's well-received crime drama in many European territories -- a horse mounted by a brawny, rippling Cimmerian.

Yes, Funcom's decapitation-rich MMORPG Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures recently outsold GTA IV in a number of European locations, including Germany and Sweden. Since Rockstar's latest opus is still selling like freshly baked hotcakes in North America, we can't help but wonder if GTA's themes of living the American dream and hooker brutalization got lost in translation as the title crossed the Atlantic -- or whether Age of Conan's musclebound mascot reminds German gamers of a certain pop culture icon who is quite revered in their country.

JoystiqAge of Conan dethrones GTA IV in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 31 May 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yeah, that's right: we're number one! Take that, world! It's just a shame that us Europeans can't also be the best in the category of buying totally rad games, because things aren't looking too hot for DS software right now -- even Brain Training is showing signs of tiring this week, and we all know how long that has been knocking around.

Other than that, this week is only really notable for Grand Theft Auto IV's continuing dominance and Wii Fit's dramatic plunge. Truth be told, we think those new DS Lite colors might just be arriving in the nick of time -- the PSP benefited from a boost in sales when it received a fresh lick of paint in Japan, so maybe the same will happen here.

As usual, charts are after the break.

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JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 31 May 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europeeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalspainswedenukSat, 31 May 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:

Stock shortages cruelly deprived Wii Fit of a Top 40 spot in the UK this week (which constitutes one heck of a drop, considering it was third last week), but the rest of Europe seems to have plentiful supplies of the title, thanks very much. Wii Fit bumped Grand Theft Auto IV off of top spot in Germany and Spain, and reached fourth place in Ireland and Holland.

In fact, don't be surprised to see desperate Brits in the coming weeks smuggling the thing back to the UK from mainland Europe, much like what happened with the Wii itself before Christmas. Then again, maybe they're happy to get fleeced -- some quick browsing reveals that the game is already going for waaaay over its recommended retail price on eBay's UK site -- just take a look for yourselves. Yowza!

Wii Fit fever aside, Mario Kart Wii is showing no signs of running out of steam, while Mario and Sonic and Wii Play are also keeping the Wii flag flying high.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 31 May 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyirelandnetherlandspalspainswedenukSat, 31 May 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:

Grand Theft Auto IV continues to show up the competition across Europe this week, with either the PS3 or Xbox 360 edition claiming top spot everywhere. Wii pair Wii Fit and Game Night favorite Mario Kart Wii are close behind in most places (because we're optimists, we're now going to consider third as the new first), though yours truly would love to know where anybody is finding Mario Kart in the UK -- I hit the high street to find a copy for a friend a few days back, with zero success.

Further down the charts, Boom Blox made (what could almost be described as) an impact in its second week on sale, soaring from outside the Top 40 to 19th in the UK, while Super Mario Galaxy and Guitar Hero III rejoined the top ten in Holland and Sweden respectively. No Irish charts this week, we're afraid, but here's a hunch we had: Grand Theft Auto IV probably sold a lot.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 May 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europedenmarkeuropegermanyguitar-heromario-and-sonicmario-kartnetherlandspalpro-evolution-soccerrabbidsraymanspainsuper-mario-galaxyswedenukwii-fitwii-playSat, 24 May 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Another Week in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/another-week-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/another-week-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:



Didja hear? Doctor Who is back from the future to save the DS in Europe! Hurray!

Haha. Not really. In fact, even though Top Trumps: Doctor Who is the only new Nintendo DS game to appear in a European chart this week, it still only managed a risible 33rd spot in the UK. Still, that should keep you David Tennant fans happy, and we even included a shot of Dave to aid your celebrations. Aren't we nice?

Aside from that, it's the usual tiresome faces, which means lots of Professor Kawashima and ... actually not so much of Mario and Sonic. Yep, there's no doubt about it: the pair's Olympics game is slowly dropping off the pace, appearing in only two top tens this week.

As usual, hit the break to peruse the charts, though please accept our profuse apologies for the lack of an Irish top ten.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 May 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii continue to fly the flag for the Wii in Europe, with the former appearing in every European top ten this week. Mario & Sonic also put in a characteristically strong performance, while Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 (ninth in the UK) and Mario Party 8 (tenth in Holland) seem to be enjoying a second burst of shelf life after their release last year.

But heck, you can tell all that simply by inspecting the charts after the post break. What you probably won't remember is that Boom Blox launched in Europe this week, yet never threatened any of Europe's top tens/twenties/forties; looks like this Spielbergian gem has been given the same frosty reception by consumers that it experienced in the U.S. Weaksauce (as my American colleagues might say)! It's sadly ironic, really -- EA's best game for donkey's years, and it's not even charted.

Continue reading Another Week in Europe

JoystiqAnother Week in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 May 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>another-week-in-europeboom-bloxdenmarkeuropegermanyirelandmario-and-sonicmario-kartnetherlandspalpro-evolution-soccerraymanspainsuper-mario-galaxyswedenukwii-fitwii-playSat, 17 May 2008 16:00:00 EST