Joystiq

Xbox Live Countdown to 2013 daily deal: Crazy Taxi, Banjo Kazooie and more

Mike Suszek — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 10:30:00 EST

Today's daily deal on Xbox Live includes sales on six games as part of a "family games" theme. Two XBLA games, Crazy Taxi and The Splatters, can be downloaded for 200 Microsoft points each today, a 75 percent savings on their original 800 point prices.

The other six games come straight from the Games on Demand section, and include Toy Story 3 and Crash of the Titans for $9.99, half off from the original $20 price for either game. Cars 2 is $19.99 today, while Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts is $9.99, both 33 percent off. The Xbox Live Countdown to 2013 promotion will keep rolling with sales for the next few days, so these deals are only good for today.

Xbox Live Countdown to 2013 daily deal: Crazy Taxi, Banjo Kazooie and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Dec 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Avalanche Software lays off 15 - 20 as Disney continues cuts

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:49:00 EST

Utah-based Avalanche Software, developer of the much-praised Toy Story 3 game adaptation -- and not to be confused with Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios -- let go of 15-20 employees as of September 1. Publisher and parent company Disney Interactive confirmed the layoffs to Gamasutra in a statement: "Avalanche Software has completed a restructuring that resulted in the reduction of a small number of positions."

Avalanche Software is the latest studio of Disney's affected in a months-long culling process at the Mouse House's game publishing arm, which has so far seen the closure of Propaganda Games, Black Rock Studios, and the cancelation of a Pirates of the Caribbean game.

An unnamed employee affected by the layoffs guessed the current headcount to be around 170 (the company's LinkedIn profile indicates anywhere from 51 to 200 people are employed by the studio), making this month's staff reduction approximately 8 to 11 percent of staff. It's unclear what Avalanche is working on next, and whether this is the end of Disney's bout of "restructuring."

Avalanche Software lays off 15 - 20 as Disney continues cuts originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney Interactive likely to invest less in console games following $234M loss

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:30:00 EST

Losing $234 million over the course of 12 months is pretty unimaginable to most individuals. For Disney, it's not such a big deal, especially when that loss is recorded by just one of its six company divisions -- the other five all profited over the last fiscal year (ending October 2, 2010), including its Media Networks, which pulled in more than $5 billion in operating income (profit excluding interest payments and income taxes). Unfortunately for gamers, that one bad division was Interactive Media. Uh-oh.

"On one side we've got a collection of games businesses," Disney CEO Bob Iger explained of the Interactive Media division to investors during a call this week, "and the other side we have a collection of largely dot-com businesses." For both the fourth quarter and entire fiscal year, Interactive's revenues actually increased marginally over the previous year's earnings, and "operating results" were "improved" (meaning: the division lost less money -- perhaps unimaginably -- in fiscal 2010 than in the previous fiscal year). Still, when you end up $234 million in the hole, something's gotta change. A new Toy Story game (the division's big breadwinner for the year) can't be released every year, after all.

Reflecting on a "pretty big shift" in the games industry, in which "everything from mobile apps to social networking games" has become a player, Iger said of Interactive, "It's our goal not only to be profitable, but obviously to get there by shifting our investment and reducing our investment, too." You know what that means: "We probably will end up investing less on the console side than we have because of the shift we're seeing in consumption [...] Consumers are obviously spending time playing games -- from casual games online to mobile apps to social networking to console -- and we felt all along that we need to be where the consumer are [...] we want to be there." No doubt.

Quick -- everybody go buy Split/Second before it's too late! Like, for real this time.

Disney Interactive likely to invest less in console games following $234M loss originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's that Toy Story 3 PS2 hardware bundle you've been waiting for

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:20:00 EST

You've patiently refrained from purchasing a PlayStation 2 for close to a decade now, holding out for that one perfect offer that combines affordability with licensed, all-ages-appropriate fun. Well, you madman, you can finally cave: Sony has announced a limited edition, $100 PS2 bundle that comes packed with Toy Story 3: The Video Game, due out on Halloween.

We suppose there are other kinds of people who would be interested in purchasing this late-to-the-party bundle, too. Like, what if you're one of no doubt thousands who has dropped something heavy on your current PS2, and you desperately need to finish your Mr. Mosquito campaign? Or what if you're the type to purchase anything labeled "limited edition?" If that's the case, we've got a very limited ... uh, pre-owned coffee mug for $149.99. Yeah, it's pricey, but man, this thing is just so, so limited.

Here's that Toy Story 3 PS2 hardware bundle you've been waiting for originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo: Reach tops UK charts, Sports Champions takes silver

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Halo: Reach took the top spot on the UK all-formats sales chart last week. According to Chart-Track, Reach's first-week sales were 20,000 units ahead of Halo 3 and 200,000 more than Halo 3: ODST. The members of Noble 6 also had the fifth biggest launch ever in the UK, with the top four belonging to Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360 and PS3), GTA: San Andreas (PS2) and GTA IV (Xbox 360), respectively.

Likely a distant, but still impressive, debut at the number two spot is PlayStation Move's Sports Champions. The only other Move-required games in the top 40 were Start the Party! (#29) and Ubisoft's Racket Sports (#32). Rounding out the top three was Mafia 2, which held the top sales spot for the three weeks prior.

Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands turned back time and went up the charts to fifth place last week, likely due to the movie's home video launch and retail promotions. Also, Ubi's Just Dance made it back into the top ten in eighth place. It gave us a good scare last week when the stalwart Wii-exclusive slipped to 11. Check out the UK top ten after the break.

Continue reading Halo: Reach tops UK charts, Sports Champions takes silver

Halo: Reach tops UK charts, Sports Champions takes silver originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mafia 2 is top UK earner for third week

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Take-Two's Mafia 2 whacked the competition to hold the top of the UK sales charts for a third week in a row. Making that feat even more surprising is the fact that Chart-Track notes the mob epic had a 58 percent drop in sales for the week. Second place went to Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2, which, after premiering the week before, flew up six spots with the launch of the PS3 version. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days suppressed the rest, despite a 50 percent sales drop, to take the bronze.

Three new titles entered the top ten: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and R.U.S.E. took sixth through eighth, respectively. Red Dead Redemption just barely hung onto the top ten, but the real shock is that Just Dance took eleventh place -- we think that's the lowest it's gone all year.

Check out the full list of the UK's top 10 bestselling titles for the week after the break.

Continue reading Mafia 2 is top UK earner for third week

Mafia 2 is top UK earner for third week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mafia 2 controls top of UK Charts for second week

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:05:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Did you think Take-Two's Mafia 2 would slip off the top spot in the UK charts after one week? Well, fuhgeddaboudit -- Chart-Track notes that despite a 23 percent drop in sales, the crime sandbox maintained its Godfather status. Last week, the publisher announced that it expects the game to continue being a good earner.

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days maintained its silver status with Nintendo's Wii Sports Resort rallying into bronze (thanks to a Wiimote bundle). Sales stalwarts Toy Story 3 and Red Dead Redemption remain in fourth and fifth, respectively.

It appears that the time for one of Ubisoft's Dance titles is over. Older brother Just Dance is still jammin' at seventh, but Dance on Broadway has a bum leg and laryngitis, slipping even further this week down to 22.

Check out last week's top 10 selling titles in the UK after the break.

Update: Oops, we neglected to mention Metroid: Other M premiered last week at 12. Looks like we weren't the only ones who didn't notice it was available.

Continue reading Mafia 2 controls top of UK Charts for second week

Mafia 2 controls top of UK Charts for second week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mafia 2 enters UK charts, biggest launch since Red Dead Redemption

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Take-Two's crime drama, Mafia 2, debuted at the top of the UK charts last week, with Chart-Track calling it "the biggest UK game launch since Take-Two's very own Red Dead Redemption 14 weeks ago." Though it's an impressive start, we've yet to see how the game fares in the United States, and whether sales have the stamina to recoup the costs of a lengthy development.

Kane and Lynch aren't done with their Dog Days up on the charts just yet. Despite slipping into second place this week, the duo managed a 33 percent increase in sales. Toy Story 3 and Red Dead Redemption found comfortable spots in third and fourth, respectively, and a Wii sale in the region helped boost the system-bundled Wii Sports Resort from 16 to number five.

If there's one surprise, it's that one of Ubisoft's Dance titles is out of the top ten. Don't worry, Just Dance is still gettin' down like an all-night rave at sixth, but Dance on Broadway has fallen off the stage and into row 16.

Check out this week's top selling titles after the break.

Continue reading Mafia 2 enters UK charts, biggest launch since Red Dead Redemption

Mafia 2 enters UK charts, biggest launch since Red Dead Redemption originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toy Story 3 atop UK charts again, Madden barely debuts in top ten

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Toy Story 3 sales may be down 17 percent in the UK, but it still had enough buzz to remain atop the All Formats chart for another week. Red Dead Redemption rode hard and moved up three spots to second, while Dance on Broadway commanded the stage at third. Lego Harry Potter used "wingardium leviosa" to float up four spots and Art Academy used dark arts (and some heavy promotion, according to Chart-Track) to move up 23 spots to fifth.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 dropped to eighth, preventing it from overtaking Dr Kawashima (aka Brain Age) as the UK's "biggest unit seller" ever in the region -- oh well, there's always next week. Finally, the big premiere this week was Madden NFL 11, which took the ten spot. The American football title actually premiered at eighth in its previous iteration, but this time it was missing a Wii release.

Continue reading Toy Story 3 atop UK charts again, Madden barely debuts in top ten

Toy Story 3 atop UK charts again, Madden barely debuts in top ten originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toy Story 3 Hybrid Premium Edition contains PS3 game and original movie

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

If your concern for the well-being of mother nature has already led you to purchase a hybrid automobile, you might want to think of incorporating your environmentalist considerations into other aspects of your shopping habits. For instance, if you were thinking about picking up Avalanche's video game adaptation of Toy Story 3, perhaps you'd be interested in the title's "Hybrid Premium Edition," which includes the game and the original Toy Story film on a single Blu-ray disc for $64.99.

A recent PlayStation.Blog post announced that the bundle will be released to retailers this week, so keep an eye out for it at your local brick and mortar in the coming days. In the meantime just think about all the endangered species you're preserving by placing the two products into one container.

Toy Story 3 Hybrid Premium Edition contains PS3 game and original movie originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toy Story 3 regains UK's top spot from StarCraft 2

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

StarCraft 2 took a slide down the charts this week to fourth, as Toy Story 3 regained the top spot on the UK All Formats chart. There also appears to have been some promotion (the demo, perhaps?) in the region last week for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 because it surged up the charts from eighth to second. According to Chart-Track, Activision-Blizzard's Modern Warfare sequel could potentially overtake Dr Kawashima (aka Brain Age) as the UK's "biggest unit seller" next week.

Dance on Broadway, Ubisoft's pseudo-sequel to Just Dance (holding just fine at #6), knows that life is a cabaret and moves up another spot to third. The other chart-topping stalwart, Red Dead Redemption, drops to fifth -- its lowest position since launch. Check out the UK top ten after the break.

Gallery: Toy Story 3: The Video Game (Pre-E3 2010)

Continue reading Toy Story 3 regains UK's top spot from StarCraft 2

Toy Story 3 regains UK's top spot from StarCraft 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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StarCraft 2 claims top spot on UK sales charts

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:48:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty blitzed the UK charts as if controlled by a well-paid South Korean cyber athlete. According to Chart-Track, the game was not only the first PC exclusive to reach the top of the all formats chart this year, but it outsold the original game's "entire UK lifetime sales" in its first week (one caveat: Chart-Track only accounts for boxed product). The first StarCraft premiered at No. 24 way back in 1998.

As for the rest of the chart, it appears all the top titles just took one step down to make room for StarCraft. Toy Story 3, Red Dead Redemption, Dance on Broadway and Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 now occupy spots two through five, respectively. And in a move that should surprise nobody who follows these charts, Ubisoft's Just Dance stepped it up again and foxtrotted up to sixth place -- that game refuses to leave the top ten arena.

Continue reading StarCraft 2 claims top spot on UK sales charts

StarCraft 2 claims top spot on UK sales charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toy Story 3 springs to life atop UK charts

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:23:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Toy Story 3 buzzed up four spots to take the top of Chart-Track's UK sales All Formats chart this week, due in no small part to the film's release and subsequent success as the second-highest grossing opening weekend for a Pixar film in the region. Red Dead Redemption rode up two spots after putting the spurs to sales, and Ubisoft's Dance On Broadway keeps high-kicking the charts in third place, maintaining a long-term career like its predecessor, Just Dance, which is resilient in eighth place.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies debuted in ninth on the charts as the only new title to break the top ten. Also, in a plummet akin to jumping off the Agency Building, Crackdown 2 sales dropped 59 percent, taking the game from the top spot last week to tenth. Check out the UK top ten after the break.

Continue reading Toy Story 3 springs to life atop UK charts

Toy Story 3 springs to life atop UK charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toy Story 3: The Video Game: The Developer Diary

David Hinkle — Sat, 29 May 2010 17:30:00 EST

You probably don't want to write off Toy Story 3 just because it's a licensed title. We actually had a lot of fun with it and the latest dev diary above shows that Disney and Avalanche are committed to putting out a quality product. It's not simply a slapped together title attempting to cash in on the movie.

There's an actual deep experience here, from the promising platforming shown in the video above, down to the unique character abilities and meticulously recreated environments. And let's not forget that "Toy Box" mode our inner child yearns for.

Toy Story 3 launches on June 15 for pretty much everything.

Toy Story 3: The Video Game: The Developer Diary originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 May 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on: Toy Story 3: The Video Game (PS3)

Mike Schramm — Thu, 20 May 2010 21:00:00 EST

Disney Interactive Studios has been making a lot of noise about refining and improving its approach to licensed games, and while Toy Story 3: The Video Game is still meant for the younger members of Pixar's vast following, it's the best evidence yet that Disney is serious about trying to use licenses right.

I got to play the game at a recent pre-E3 event, and it was a solid, kid-friendly experience, with bright and beautiful graphics surrounding intuitive racing and platforming mechanics. With innovative features like a very dynamic difficulty system and lots and lots of collectibles and game modes, Disney's Avalanche Studios has created something here that you, as someone who enjoys fine game design, can actually be proud to have your kids play.

Gallery: Toy Story 3: The Video Game (Pre-E3 2010)

Continue reading Hands-on: Toy Story 3: The Video Game (PS3)

Hands-on: Toy Story 3: The Video Game (PS3) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney Interactive reports increased revenue, $55 million loss

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 12 May 2010 23:00:00 EST

Disney has posted earnings for its second fiscal quarter ended April 3, 2010, and there's good news and bad news. The good news is that revenues are up in its Interactive Media segment (which houses Disney Interactive Studios). Specifically, Interactive Media revenues are at $155 million, up from $129 million in the same period last year, a 20 percent increase.

The bad news: the Interactive Media segment still reports a loss of $55 million, though that loss is an improvement over the $61 million loss reported during the same quarter last year. Disney pins the improvement on growing Club Penguin subscription revenues as well as "lower video game inventory costs." The company added that gains were offset by "higher internet product development and sales and marketing costs."

The report makes little note of Disney Interactive's prospects for the rest of the year, though the publisher has more than a few big projects on the horizon. Split/Second is only a week away, while Toy Story 3, Disney Sing It: Family Hits, Disney Guilty Party, a new Pirates of the Caribbean and Disney Epic Mickey are all on the horizon this year. And let's not forget Marvel -- which Disney owns -- has a title or two on the way, as well.

Disney Interactive reports increased revenue, $55 million loss originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 May 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toy Story 3 on PS3 features Move support, exclusive character

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST

As with most major children's films, Toy Story 3 will have a licensed video game counterpart, releasing on nearly every platform imaginable -- including platforms from the future. Disney Interactive Studios has confirmed PlayStation Move motion controller support for Toy Story 3.

Like Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition, the game won't offer motion controller support out of the box. The reason? Toy Story 3's release date -- June 15 -- is months before the Move controller is even available. A press release clarifies that "players will be able to download mini-games that will be playable with the PlayStation Move when the new motion controller is available." Excellent, motion controller mini-games! We can't wait!

Until then, PS3 owners will be able to enjoy additional content exclusive to the platform. As with Batman: Arkham Asylum, Sony has secured exclusive rights to yet another playable villain. The slightly less disturbed Emperor Zurg will be playable in the game's "Toy Box" mode, a sandbox mode that allows players to create and play free-form challenges.

Gallery: Toy Story 3 (PS3)

Toy Story 3 on PS3 features Move support, exclusive character originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toy Story 3 trailer explains the customizable 'Toy Box' mode

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:30:00 EST

We've got to hand it to Avalanche Software: You guys sure know how to inject a modicum of ingenuity into an extremely tired genre. For instance, the upcoming game adaptation of Toy Story 3 was off our proverbial radar moments after it was first announced -- however, a recent trailer for the game's "Toy Box" mode, which allows its (presumably juvenile) players to make their own levels and missions, it's now taking up a tiny place in our minds. (And our hearts.) Check out the highly customizable trailer above.

Toy Story 3 trailer explains the customizable 'Toy Box' mode originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toy Story 3, Brunswick Pro Bowling added to PlayStation Move lineup

Mike Schramm — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:00:00 EST

Sony has added two titles to the PlayStation Move's launch lineup that we haven't seen before. Not only will you be able to get your Move on in Slider, Sports Champions and all of the other announced launch titles, but we can now add Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3 and Brunswick Pro Bowling into the mix as well. Toy Story 3 is of course a tie-in to the movie, and Brunswick is in there because you can't have a motion controller in 2010 without a bowling game attached.

No seriously, you can't. Which is weird, because the future of gaming sure does look a lot like the 2007 of gaming. Only with better graphics.

[Via PSLS]

Toy Story 3, Brunswick Pro Bowling added to PlayStation Move lineup originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yes, there's a Toy Story 3: The Game for that console

Justin McElroy — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST

Did you expect any less? Did you expect that there would be a movie called Toy Story 3 and that there wouldn't be an Avalanche Software-developed tie-in game available on Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, DS and PSP? Oh, yeah, there's an iPhone/iPod Touch app too that should arrive with the others on June 15.

For all our macho posturing, we're actually intrigued by a touted "Toy Box" mode which is supposed to be an "open-world, sandbox style of play." What does Disney mean by that? Well, according to the release, it's "designed to replicate the universal experience of playing with toys as a kid" and "brings cowboys, space rangers, dinosaurs, and little green aliens together to create adventures only possible in a child's imagination. Kids, families and fans will dive into Andy's toy box with creativity driving their own stories and adventures."

... Guys, if you haven't designed that part yet, just say so. It's OK, you've got plenty of time.

Yes, there's a Toy Story 3: The Game for that console originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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