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[Left 4 Dead 2 adds Helm's Deep Reborn to official servers list]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/left-4-dead-2-adds-helms-deep-reborn-to-official-servers-list/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/left-4-dead-2-adds-helms-deep-reborn-to-official-servers-list/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/left-4-dead-2-adds-helms-deep-reborn-to-official-servers-list/#comments Left 4 Dead 2 adds Helm's Deep Reborn to official servers listThe fanmade map Helm's Deep - wherein Left 4 Dead 2 players attempt to defend the iconic Lord of the Rings castle fortress from relentless hordes of the undead - is now an officially supported map.

It's part of the latest update to Left 4 Dead 2, which addresses consistency issues when playing on dedicated servers - Valve also decided to add Helm's Deep to the official servers list. If you want to add the map to your game, all you have to do is head to the Steam Workshop page for Helm's Deep Reborn and click to subscribe to download the map.

The Steam beta version of Left 4 Dead 2 recently added an Extended Mutation system, where players could tweak existing game types and maps or come up with entirely new ones of their own design. To date, the Left 4 Dead series has sold more than 12 million copies.

JoystiqLeft 4 Dead 2 adds Helm's Deep Reborn to official servers list originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>L4D2Left-4-Dead-2macpcsteamsteam-betaupdatevalvevalve-softwareMon, 25 Feb 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Valve's two talks at GDC 2013: VR is hard, Team Fortress 2 in your head]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/15/valves-two-talks-at-gdc-2013-vr-is-hard-team-fortress-2-in-yo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/15/valves-two-talks-at-gdc-2013-vr-is-hard-team-fortress-2-in-yo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/15/valves-two-talks-at-gdc-2013-vr-is-hard-team-fortress-2-in-yo/#comments Valve to talk HMDs, VRTF2 at GDCValve will be giving two talks at GDC 2013, one to discuss porting Team Fortress 2 to virtual reality goggles, and the other focused on hurdles in developing for virtual and augmented reality.

Valve programmer Joe Ludwig will lead the TF2 talk, titled "What We Learned Porting Team Fortress 2 to Virtual Reality," and Valve research and development man Michael Abrash leads the second talk, called "Why Virtual Reality is Hard (And Where it Might be Going)." Abrash will focus on head-mounted displays. Not "displaying mounted heads" - that's at the Big-Game Developers Conference.

GDC 2013 is at San Francisco's Moscone Center from March 25 - 29. Other notable talks include a postmortem on FTL: Faster than Light, a talk from Capy on paid apps, one on The Walking Dead's art, and talks on mainstream games such as XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Assassin's Creed 3, Spec Ops: The Line, Hitman: Absolution, Mass Effect 3 and more. Peruse the list here.

JoystiqValve's two talks at GDC 2013: VR is hard, Team Fortress 2 in your head originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>augmented-realityGDC-2013hmdpcTeam-Fortress-2valvevalve-softwareVirtual-RealityTue, 15 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Valve acquires Star Filled Studios talent [Update: Valve responds]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/14/report-valve-acquires-star-filled-studios-opening-office-in-sa/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/14/report-valve-acquires-star-filled-studios-opening-office-in-sa/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/14/report-valve-acquires-star-filled-studios-opening-office-in-sa/#comments Report Valve acquires Star Filled Studios, opening office in San FranciscoUpdate: We got a response from Valve's Doug Lombardi, who did confirm that Valve hired both Tod Semple and Jeff Gates; however, he did wish to clarify this doesn't necessarily mean Valve is opening up an office in San Francisco, despite what Semple's LinkedIn profile says. "As a point of clarification, this is probably better categorized as Valve hiring two new employees instead of an acquisition of a company or opening of a Valve SF office."

Original story: Star Filled Studios is a two-man outfit, founded by ex-Popcap and Blizzard guys Tod Semple and Jeff Gates, who both worked on Plants vs. Zombies and Diablo 3. "We are opening a new Valve office on the San Francisco peninsula," Semple's LinkedIn profile reads, revealing Valve's acquisition took place in November.

Semple doesn't say anything in regards to what Valve plans to do with this satellite offices in San Francisco, though current speculation is that this move mirrors Valve's acquisition of Turtle Rock Studios in 2008, buying the developer and then finishing Left 4 Dead development on its own. Star Filled has not announced any projects of its own, so it is uncertain what the studio was working on previous to acquisition.

Semple's blog talks about going up to Seattle to visit Valve in September, so we can only imagine this is another Turtle Rock scenario. Again, that's only speculation at this point - we've inquired with Valve for more information and will update accordingly.

[Thanks, FHorrigan; image credit]

JoystiqReport: Valve acquires Star Filled Studios talent [Update: Valve responds] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionjeff-gatesreportstar-filled-studiostod-semplevalvevalve-softwareFri, 14 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Valve's Gabe Newell inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/15/valves-gabe-newell-inducted-into-aias-hall-of-fame/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/15/valves-gabe-newell-inducted-into-aias-hall-of-fame/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/15/valves-gabe-newell-inducted-into-aias-hall-of-fame/#comments Valve's Gabe Newell inducted into AIAS Hall of FameGabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve, is the 17th inductee into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame, earning the title for 2013. Newell joins Shigeru Miyamoto, Sid Meier, John Carmack, Michael Morhaime, Drs. Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuck, and Tim Sweeney, among others, in the AIAS Hall of Fame.

Newell will also be a keynote speaker for Thursday's conference at the 2013 DICE Summit. Epic Games President Mike Capps will present Newell with the Hall of Fame Award at the 2013 DICE Awards.

"Gabe is a living legend of the video games industry, and his relentless focus on customer experience has made our whole industry a better place," Capps says. "Valve's unconventional success is an inspiration for us all, and I couldn't be more pleased to present Gabe's Hall of Fame award."

Continue reading Valve's Gabe Newell inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame

JoystiqValve's Gabe Newell inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesAIASaias-hall-of-fameDICEdice-summitdice-summit-2013gabe-newellvalvevalve-softwareThu, 15 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Left 4 Dead 2 free to play this weekend on Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/24/left-4-dead-2-free-to-play-this-weekend-on-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/24/left-4-dead-2-free-to-play-this-weekend-on-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/24/left-4-dead-2-free-to-play-this-weekend-on-steam/#comments Celebrating the pre-Halloween weekend, Left 4 Dead 2 will be free on Steam this weekend. Valve announced that starting Thursday the co-op shooter will be gratis to play and is currently available to pre-load.

This weekend adds a new achievement titled "Good Guy Nick" for current players who join up with a free weekend warrior.

It should also be mentioned, in case you haven't paid attention the multi-million selling franchise in a while, that Left 4 Dead 2 added many of the maps from the original Left 4 Dead as free DLC on PC a while back.

[Thanks, Bean]

Gallery: Left 4 Dead 2

JoystiqLeft 4 Dead 2 free to play this weekend on Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>L4D2Left-4-Dead-2pcsteamvalvevalve-softwareWed, 24 Oct 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Left 4 Dead series sells more than 12 million]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/30/left-4-dead-series-sells-more-than-12-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/30/left-4-dead-series-sells-more-than-12-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/30/left-4-dead-series-sells-more-than-12-million/#comments The Left 4 Dead series has sold more than 12 million copies, Valve writer Chet Faliszek noted in an interview with VG24/7. Faliszek talked about the company's approach to promoting its games, saying Valve doesn't rely much on marketing because "when a game does really well at pre-release, they're going to know that you're not just talking a bunch of PR crap."

"We just let the game speak for itself because the internet has made this thing where you can't pull the wool over people's eyes any more. They're going to know you're hyping," he said. Either the zombie apocalypse creates some high-quality wool, or Left 4 Dead must be a pretty great series.

JoystiqLeft 4 Dead series sells more than 12 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chet-faliszekL4D2Left-4-Dead-2microsoftpcplaystationvalvevalve-softwarexboxSun, 30 Sep 2012 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Counter-Strike Global Offensive getting 'major update' Monday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/29/counter-strike-global-offensive-getting-major-update-monday/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/29/counter-strike-global-offensive-getting-major-update-monday/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/29/counter-strike-global-offensive-getting-major-update-monday/#comments CounterStrike Global Offensive getting 'major update' MondayCounter-Strike: Global Offensive will receive a sizable update on Monday, according to a recent developer blog. The update will include a revised matchmaking system for Classic Competitive mode and number of bug fixes.

Valve will also release two new maps for the game with the update: Monastery and Vertigo, the latter seen in the above image recently tweeted by the Counter-Strike team. Valve has not specified which platforms the update pertains to, but we're guessing the Steam version is on that list.

JoystiqCounter-Strike Global Offensive getting 'major update' Monday originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>counter-strike-global-offensivemapsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3STEAMupdatevalvevalve-softwarexboxSat, 29 Sep 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Left 4 Dead 2 almost got 'Cabin in the Woods' DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/23/left-4-dead-2-almost-got-cabin-in-the-woods-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/23/left-4-dead-2-almost-got-cabin-in-the-woods-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/23/left-4-dead-2-almost-got-cabin-in-the-woods-dlc/#comments Left 4 Dead Cabin in the Woods DLC WHATThe Cabin in the Woods, the brilliant kitsch horror film from director Drew Goddard, features a lineup of classic horror monsters, hidden in the background or dismembering members in the fore. One scene even shows a glimpse of infected from Left 4 Dead, and in a Reddit AmA Goddard says this isn't an accident.

Read on for The Cabin in the Woods spoilers:

"We actually were going to do a downloadable L4D2 expansion pack, where you'd fight in the Cabin world, but then MGM went bankrupt so the delay squashed it," Goddard writes. "But the people at Valve were still cool enough to let us use some of their monsters to fill the cubes in the background (I had a lot of cubes to fill)."

The Left 4 Dead zombies populate some of the monster holding cells shown as the elevator descends into the bowels of the facility. Goddard was excited for the tie-in DLC and is upset it never happened.

"By the way - the game was gonna be amazing. You were gonna be able to play in both the upstairs Cabin in the Woods world and the downstairs "facility" world with all the monsters. Believe me, I HATE all video games based on movies, they always suck, but porting Cabin into Left For Dead felt like the right fit. It pains me that it didn't happen."

Us too, Goddard. Us too.

JoystiqLeft 4 Dead 2 almost got 'Cabin in the Woods' DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cabin-in-the-woodsdrew-goddardL4D2Left-4-Dead-2microsoftpcplaystationthe-cabin-in-the-woodsvalvevalve-softwarexboxSun, 23 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam Workshop support coming to Left 4 Dead 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/23/steam-workshop-support-coming-to-left-4-dead-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/23/steam-workshop-support-coming-to-left-4-dead-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/23/steam-workshop-support-coming-to-left-4-dead-2/#comments Steam Workshop support added to Left 4 Dead 2Left 4 Dead 2 will receive Steam Workshop support starting in the middle of October, according to a recent developer blog. The system will allow players to rate and install community-created add-ons, including new maps, weapons, items and mutations thanks to an "expanded scripting tool."

Steam Workshop will roll out for PC, Mac and Linux versions of Left 4 Dead 2 next month, though no specific release schedule has been announced yet by Valve.

JoystiqSteam Workshop support coming to Left 4 Dead 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>L4D2Left-4-Dead-2macmutationspcSTEAMsteam-workshopvalvevalve-softwareSun, 23 Sep 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam Greenlight approving ten new games on Oct. 15]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/steam-greenlight-approving-ten-new-games-on-oct-15/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/steam-greenlight-approving-ten-new-games-on-oct-15/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/steam-greenlight-approving-ten-new-games-on-oct-15/#comments Valve will add at least ten more games to the "Greenlit" section of Steam Greenlight on October 15, according to a community update issued today. Ten games were already picked by the community for distribution on the Steam platform earlier this week. Additionally, Valve has improved conversation sections and tweaked the ranking system for the service, allowing developers to see their numerical ranking and progress to being approved.

According to a tweet by indie dev Going Loud Studios, DLC Quest is currently ranked at #18 on Steam Greenlight, though voters aren't able to view games by their rankings.

JoystiqSteam Greenlight approving ten new games on Oct. 15 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greenlightSTEAMsteam-greenlightupdatevalvevalve-softwareTue, 18 Sep 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New York Times: Steam Big Picture public beta starts Monday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/08/new-york-times-steam-big-picture-public-beta-starts-monday/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/08/new-york-times-steam-big-picture-public-beta-starts-monday/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/08/new-york-times-steam-big-picture-public-beta-starts-monday/#comments Last August, we found out that Steam's Big Picture interface would be moving into its beta phase "soon," but we never expected it would be, like, soon. It is Valve after all, and we never figured that Big Picture's public beta would happen in our lifetimes, let alone on Monday, September 10, like the New York Times says.

For those of you who haven't been following this song's bouncing ball, allow us to refresh your memory: Steam's Big Picture interface is a custom UI designed specifically to make Valve's all-encompassing digital storefront more user-friendly on televisions. It's being designed with controller-based navigation in mind and would represent Valve's first formal step into the living room. Whether Monday's testing is truly public or invitation based like its Community beta remains to be seen.

JoystiqNew York Times: Steam Big Picture public beta starts Monday originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testbig-picturebig-picture-modepcpublic-betasteamsteam-big-picturetelevisiontelevision-interfacevalvevalve-softwareSat, 08 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Valve's film project is a DOTA 2 documentary]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/valve-dota-2-documentary/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/valve-dota-2-documentary/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/valve-dota-2-documentary/#comments

During tonight's Valve-centric episode of GTTV, head honcho Gabe Newell revealed information on an upcoming documentary that Valve is producing. This documentary will focus on Dota 2 and several players on the pro circuit as they attempt to win The International tournament going on later this month during PAX Prime.

The teaser trailer above focuses on three different individuals from different parts of the world, and not only what it takes for them to pursue excellence in competition, but also their families and how they're dealing with it all.

JoystiqValve's film project is a DOTA 2 documentary originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>documentarydota-2pcvalvevalve-softwareFri, 17 Aug 2012 02:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam 'Big Picture' beta coming soon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/steam-big-picture-beta-coming-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/steam-big-picture-beta-coming-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/steam-big-picture-beta-coming-soon/#comments Steam Big Picture mode beta coming 'soon'On tonight's episode of GTTV, Valve's Gabe Newell revealed that a beta for Big Picture mode would launch "soon." Big Picture mode, first announced in early 2011, will allow gamers to hook up their PC or Mac to their living room television - well, okay, it doesn't have to be in your living room, just wherever you've got a TV. Valve aims to offer "simple, easy-to-read navigation designed specifically for TV" and controller support with Big Picture mode.

Tonight's episode of GTTV isn't available online yet (it's still technically on Spike TV on the east coast, if you want to catch the last few minutes) so we're going off host Geoff Keighley's Twitter account right now. We'll be sure to update as more information is made available. In the meanwhile, go grab a rag and dust off that moldy old television set!

JoystiqSteam 'Big Picture' beta coming soon originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 01:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big-picturebig-picture-modegabe-newellgttvmacpcsteamthe-big-picturevalvevalve-softwareFri, 17 Aug 2012 01:33:00 EST<![CDATA['Half-Life 3' pops up on Gamescom product listing]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/14/half-life-3-pops-up-on-gamescom-product-listing/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/14/half-life-3-pops-up-on-gamescom-product-listing/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/14/half-life-3-pops-up-on-gamescom-product-listing/#comments 'HalfLife 3' pops up on Gamescom product listingIs Valve showing Half-Life 3 at Gamescom 2012? One product list from the event's official page certainly thinks so, but ... well, come on now. We've been hearing about (or, rather, not hearing about) Half-Life 3 in some form or another for a few years now, all the while Valve Software stayed silent. As it stands, we're not sure what to make of this, but its place on an official product list from the gigantic gaming convention we're at makes it pretty hard to ignore.

Has the official Gamescom site been hacked, and a fake PDF uploaded? We sure hope not, but boy are we wary of anything Half-Life 3.

Also of note, Dragon Age 3 appears on the list, as do lots of other (known) titles. We've reached out to both Valve and the Gamescom folks to see what's up, and we'll let you know as soon as we hear more.

Update: Valve's VP of marketing Doug Lombardi told Lambda Generation in July, "We will have the Steam team there to meet with developers and publishers. No game showing planned." Sorry, folks! We'll be sure to take a look around Valve's booth as soon as Gamescom opens officially tomorrow.

Update 2: Gamescom organizers characterized the listings for both Half-Life 3 and Dragon Age 3 as "a mistake," but wouldn't explain to Eurogamer why the listings appeared. The plot thickens!

Update 3: Valve rep Doug Lombardi reconfirmed with us that, "We are not showing any games in Cologne this year." Welp, that's that, folks. Unless it's not, of course.

Update 4: Gamescom's organizers tell us, "We can not officially announce it. Please check our list for further changes. Please see the legend for information about the sources."

[Thanks Roelosaurus]

Joystiq'Half-Life 3' pops up on Gamescom product listing originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescomgamescom-2012gdc-europe-2012half-life-3valvevalve-softwareTue, 14 Aug 2012 07:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Source 2 references buried in Source Filmmaker code]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/06/report-source-2-references-buried-in-source-filmmaker-code/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/06/report-source-2-references-buried-in-source-filmmaker-code/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/06/report-source-2-references-buried-in-source-filmmaker-code/#comments Report Source 2 references buried in Source Filmmaker codeValve fans are getting more than machinima film editing tools in the Source Filmmaker application, apparently - savvy code hackers at ValveTime.net uncovered references in the code to a "Source 2 engine," indicating that a second iteration of Valve's "Source" engine is in the works. The references go beyond text, as several tool icons (labeled "Source 2 tools") were also found.

Moreover, the engine is labeled as "next-gen," hinting at what its likely application will be - next-gen video games. Valve has yet to announce any next-gen projects, and the company's never said a word about its next Source iteration.

Half-Life 2, the Left 4 Dead series, and several other Valve games are based on the original Source architecture, dating all the way back to 2004. It's been criticized in recent years for inflexibility and agedness, and a reboot certainly wouldn't hurt. Valve had yet to respond to request for comment as of publishing.

JoystiqReport: Source 2 references buried in Source Filmmaker code originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>source-2source-enginesource-engine-2source-filmmakervalvevalve-softwareMon, 06 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Payday's bank robbers take over Left 4 Dead's Mercy Hospital]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/paydays-bank-robbers-take-over-left-4-deads-mercy-hospital/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/paydays-bank-robbers-take-over-left-4-deads-mercy-hospital/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/paydays-bank-robbers-take-over-left-4-deads-mercy-hospital/#comments
Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time! The bank robbing bad guys from Payday are getting crossed with Left 4 Dead's zombie-filled Mercy Hospital - apparently prior to the events of L4D - in an upcoming mission pack. See for yourself above.

JoystiqPayday's bank robbers take over Left 4 Dead's Mercy Hospital originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcdownloadable-contentmercy-hospitaloverkilloverkill-softwarepayday-the-heistpcplaystationplaystation-networkps3psnsoesony-online-entertainmentstarbreezestarbreeze-studiosvalvevalve-softwareFri, 27 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam Summer Sale, Day 6: Black Ops, Spec Ops, Limbo (and other stuff too!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/steam-summer-sale-day-6-black-ops-spec-ops-limbo-and-other/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/steam-summer-sale-day-6-black-ops-spec-ops-limbo-and-other/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/steam-summer-sale-day-6-black-ops-spec-ops-limbo-and-other/#comments Steam Summer Sale, Day 6 Black Ops, Spec Ops, Limbo and other stuff too!Another day passed, and your bank account is that much lighter, but Valve's annual Steam Summer Sale is back with a whole mess of new discounts. For instance, that copy of Train Simulator 2012 you've been holding out on? It's seeing a massive 90 percent discount, and will cost you just $3.49 if you snap it up soon.

Or how about that Wargame: European Escalation game you've had your eye on, eh? That's ... oh who're we kidding? You want Grand Theft Auto IV for your PC and you want it for like $5. Done. The same could be said for RTS classic Company of Heroes (just $2.50!) and recently released third-person shooter Spec Ops: The Line ($33.50). Head on over to the Steam Store for the full listings of sales, which expire tomorrow afternoon.

JoystiqSteam Summer Sale, Day 6: Black Ops, Spec Ops, Limbo (and other stuff too!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>company-of-heroesgrand-theft-auto-ivmacpcsaleSpec-Ops-the-Linesteamsteam-summer-salesteam-summer-sale-2012train-simulator-2012valvevalve-softwarewargame-european-escalationTue, 17 Jul 2012 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Far Cry 2 creative lead Clint Hocking now working for Valve]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/far-cry-2-creative-lead-clint-hocking-now-working-for-valve/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/far-cry-2-creative-lead-clint-hocking-now-working-for-valve/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/far-cry-2-creative-lead-clint-hocking-now-working-for-valve/#comments Far Cry 2 creative lead Clint Hocking now working for ValveClint Hocking - the designer behind Far Cry 2 and the original Splinter Cell - vacated his latest gig at LucasArts last month. Though he didn't leave a forwarding address, a recent tweet depicted his son in the Valve headquarters lobby, with the word "Arrival." Valve reps confirmed his new employment there to Joystiq today via email, but stopped short of saying what Hocking's work at the Washington-based studio would entail.

Hocking previously worked at LucasArts on projects unknown, and has spent the past few years out of the spotlight (our past three stories on him involve exiting or entering new jobs).

JoystiqFar Cry 2 creative lead Clint Hocking now working for Valve originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clint-hockingfar-cry-2lucasartstwitterubisoftvalvevalve-softwareThu, 12 Jul 2012 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Valve's Source Filmmaker ready for public use, goes open beta]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/11/psa-valves-source-filmmaker-ready-for-public-use-goes-open-be/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/11/psa-valves-source-filmmaker-ready-for-public-use-goes-open-be/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/11/psa-valves-source-filmmaker-ready-for-public-use-goes-open-be/#comments PSA Valve's Source Filmmaker ready for public use, goes open beta
Steam's Source-based machinima crafting tool, the Source Filmmaker, is out of closed beta and ready for use by the rest of us. Valve announced the news last evening on its Source Filmmaker blog, alongside word of a database for organizing, viewing, and rating the various creations of SFM users. We found the one above in there and thought it rather appropriate for the news. We hope you'll agree.

JoystiqPSA: Valve's Source Filmmaker ready for public use, goes open beta originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>macmachinimapcsourcesource-filmmakervalvevalve-softwareWed, 11 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Designing edutainment, the Valve way: make a good game first]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/21/designing-edutainment-the-valve-way-make-a-good-game-first/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/21/designing-edutainment-the-valve-way-make-a-good-game-first/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/21/designing-edutainment-the-valve-way-make-a-good-game-first/#comments "People don't sit around at Valve and say 'We're educating.' They are educating the player. But it's just good game design," Valve Software's director of education programs Leslie Redd told me in an interview yesterday afternoon. She and her coworker, Valve's Yasser Malaika, were on stage earlier in the day during New York City's annual Games for Change Festival presenting Valve's latest and boldest education initiative: Steam for Schools.

The program offers educators a modified version of Steam that puts control in the hands of teachers - and offers students a chance to snag a free, unmodified version of Portal 2 and its puzzle maker. Teachers are able to add "lessons" as they see fit, created in Portal 2's puzzle maker - several of which are already available.

It's a first for Valve, and really for any game developer operating today. Thankfully for those of us who love Valve for its video games, not much (if anything) is changing in Valve's approach to game design. "Having a fun game is so connected to learning and mastery and agency and social dynamics. You can't really design a good game without really considering all those things and putting in the effort to understand how your customers respond to those things. And it feels like that process has a lot of value, more than the product," Malaika said.

Continue reading Designing edutainment, the Valve way: make a good game first

JoystiqDesigning edutainment, the Valve way: make a good game first originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>educationgames-for-changegames-for-change-2012leslie-reddmacpcsteamsteam-for-schoolsvalvevalve-softwareyasser-malaikaThu, 21 Jun 2012 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA['Steam for Schools' is a free version of Steam for students, facilitates Portal 2-based lessons]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/20/steam-for-schools-is-a-free-version-of-steam-for-students-fac/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/20/steam-for-schools-is-a-free-version-of-steam-for-students-fac/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/20/steam-for-schools-is-a-free-version-of-steam-for-students-fac/#comments 'Steam for Schools' is a free version of Steam for students, facilitates Portal 2based lessons"Steam for Schools" is Valve's next push into edutainment. This summer, educators can apply for beta inclusion in the program, which includes a "limited version of Steam" featuring Portal 2, the game's level editor, and its workshop for hosting and organizing user-created levels. This new version of Steam will be free for educators (in and out of beta), and will give educators administrator access - meaning that kids cannot share levels.

"We have a limited version of Steam, which is called 'Steam for Schools.' And what we're doing is asking for teachers, after school programs, organizations - anywhere where there's a student relationship, which includes homeschooling - for them to submit a form to be part of it. It's still in beta," Valve's Leslie Redd told attendees of today's Games for Change festival in New York City. The initiative is a continuation of what Valve head Gabe Newell spoke about during his keynote at last year's Games for Change event, where he professed 'no difference' between education and entertainment approaches.

The Washington-based company intends on opening up that level of access in the future, but Redd said that "children need that walled garden." In the future, Valve intends to allow more openness.

Valve isn't receiving any outside funding or grants for the program. "Valve is a commercially successful company," Redd explained with a smile. Of course, facilitating a massive education program for free is pretty great public relations. Other publishers aren't involved just yet, but Redd said there've been some initial talks.

For more information, Valve's "Teach with Portals" website is now open and will expand in the coming months as the beta extends across the summer (hey, that starts today!).

Joystiq'Steam for Schools' is a free version of Steam for students, facilitates Portal 2-based lessons originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>educationgames-for-changegames-for-change-2012leslie-reddmacpcsteamsteam-for-schoolsteach-with-portalsvalvevalve-softwareWed, 20 Jun 2012 11:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Payday dev collaborating with Valve on Left 4 Dead 'co-operative initiative']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/payday-dev-collaborating-with-valve-on-left-4-dead-co-operative/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/payday-dev-collaborating-with-valve-on-left-4-dead-co-operative/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/payday-dev-collaborating-with-valve-on-left-4-dead-co-operative/#comments ImagePayday: The Heist studio Overkill Software and Valve Software are working on ... something together. What that something is remains to be seen, as Overkill game director Ulf Andersson only described the collaboration as a "co-operative initiative" between the two companies. We do know that it'll involve both Overkill's Payday: The Heist and Valve's Left 4 Dead - two team-focused four-player co-operative romps (enough hyphens for you?).

"We are working on a very cool blend of Payday and Left 4 Dead," Andersson wrote on his company's official site. "I am sure it is so exciting that it will have some players check into the hospital before we are done." Oh, hospital, you say? We see what you're doing there, you crazy Swedes you!

Andersson apparently couldn't help himself, and added one more zombie-themed quip. "Keep an eye out for more on this infectious and developing story." We know at least one guy we won't be letting into the safe house.

JoystiqPayday dev collaborating with Valve on Left 4 Dead 'co-operative initiative' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 May 2012 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>co-opco-operative-initiativecollaborationleft-4-deadoverkilloverkill-softwarepayday-the-heistulf-anderssonvalvevalve-softwareMon, 21 May 2012 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Valve not planning any product announcements for E3 2012, will be attending]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/valve-not-planning-any-product-announces-for-e3-2012-will-be-at/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/valve-not-planning-any-product-announces-for-e3-2012-will-be-at/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/valve-not-planning-any-product-announces-for-e3-2012-will-be-at/#comments At this year's E3, you can officially leave any Valve Software product announcements firmly off your pre-show bingo cards. Valve rep Doug Lombardi told Joystiq this morning, "We have no product announcements planned for this year's show," confirming a reported email exchange between a ValveTime.net forum member and Valve Software head Gabe Newell.

In the purported exchange, which Valve declined to confirm, Newell told the forum member, "We are not announcing anything at E3. Really." The email goes further than that, adding, "We are not announcing Half-Life 3 or Portal 3 or Left 4 Dead 3. We are going to be showing stuff everyone already knows about (CS:Go [Counterstrike: Global Offensive], Dota 2, 10' UI [Steam 'Big Picture Mode'])."

So, while it looks like Valve is attending E3, don't get your hopes too high for any software or hardware announcements. The other possibility, of course, is that we're being lied to (it wouldn't be the first such instance before E3). We're giving Valve the benefit of the doubt.

JoystiqValve not planning any product announcements for E3 2012, will be attending originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012gabe-newellmacpcvalvevalve-softwareWed, 02 May 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gabe Newell is secretly a Brony, explains Valve structure as a response to his time at Microsoft]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/gabe-newell-is-secretly-a-brony-explains-valve-structure-as-a-r/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/gabe-newell-is-secretly-a-brony-explains-valve-structure-as-a-r/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/gabe-newell-is-secretly-a-brony-explains-valve-structure-as-a-r/#comments We'll get to the Valve management talk in a minute. First and foremost, we have to highlight this critical information regarding Valve Software head and co-founder Gabe Newell's secret identity as a Brony, and how that relates to pranks at Valve:
"If you leave your phone at your desk someone will use it to send an email that says 'I like ponies.' Some people will make more and more elaborate photos of ponies that people might like. There are some incredibly entertaining characters who work here.

Of course, then everybody found out that I actually like the TV show My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic, so I never hear the end of it."
That was Newell speaking with Bloomberg BusinessWeek in a recent interview, following up on the recently loosed Valve Software new-hire handbook. But now that you know about Newell's affinity for magical friendship as it pertains to ponies, you might be interested to know how Valve's bizarre management structure (or lack thereof) got the way it did. As it turns out, Newell formed Valve's structure as a direct response to Microsoft's rigidity. He related a story regarding Microsoft Windows market penetration and id Software's FPS classic, Doom, to illustrate his point.

"There was concern among people who were working on Microsoft Office that people would buy computers and reformat their hard drives and install MS-DOS instead of Windows," Newell said. So, in order to find out if that theory was true, Microsoft didn't just ask its customers, it conducted surveys to get hard numbers. Thankfully for MS, the theory didn't cause any real issues. But the results of the survey were enlightening to Newell nonetheless.

"What was so shocking to me was that Windows was the second highest usage application in the U.S. The number one application was Doom," Newell explained. To him, this was a revelation. "It was a 12-person company in the suburbs of Texas that didn't even distribute through retail, it distributed through bulletin boards and other pre-Internet mechanisms ... Microsoft was hiring 500-people sales teams and this entire company was 12 people, yet it [id Software] had created the most widely distributed software in the world."

Gallery: Valve Handbook for New Employees (2012)

Continue reading Gabe Newell is secretly a Brony, explains Valve structure as a response to his time at Microsoft

JoystiqGabe Newell is secretly a Brony, explains Valve structure as a response to his time at Microsoft originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 May 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bronygabe-newellmy-little-ponies-friendship-is-magicsteamvalvevalve-softwareTue, 01 May 2012 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA['Definitely panic if there's caviar': A guide to working at Valve Software]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/definitely-panic-if-theres-caviar-a-guide-to-working-at-valv/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/definitely-panic-if-theres-caviar-a-guide-to-working-at-valv/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/definitely-panic-if-theres-caviar-a-guide-to-working-at-valv/#comments Image
"If you stop on the way back from your massage to play darts or work out in the Valve gym or whatever, it's not a sign that this place is going to come crumbling down like some 1999-era dot-com start-up. If we ever institute caviar-catered lunches, though, then maybe something's wrong. Definitely panic if there's caviar."
Those few sentences, culled from page 19 of Valve Software's "Handbook for New Employees," are perfectly emblematic of the rest of the uniquely Valve book. The above illustration is pulled from early on in the handbook, where the company's much discussed "flat" hierarchy is detailed. A Valve rep confirmed the book's legitimacy to Joystiq after it leaked this weekend on Flamehaus.

Seen above everyone else, of course, is company co-founder and president Gabe Newell. But even Newell isn't beyond being overridden. "We do have a founder/president, but even he isn't your manager," the book states.

"We want innovators, and that means maintaining an environment where they'll flourish," it reads. "That's why Valve is flat. It's our shorthand way of saying that we don't have any management, and nobody 'reports to' anybody else." Bizarre? Yes. Successful? Apparently! A timeline depicting Valve's birth in 1996 shows the company's steady growth into the powerhouse it is today across a variety of projects, all the while espousing Valve's adherence to lack of structure.

Gallery: Valve Handbook for New Employees (2012)

Continue reading 'Definitely panic if there's caviar': A guide to working at Valve Software

Joystiq'Definitely panic if there's caviar': A guide to working at Valve Software originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidgabe-newelliosipadiphonemacmicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3steamvalvevalve-softwarexboxMon, 23 Apr 2012 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Valve job listing points to hardware plans for 'whole new gaming experiences']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/valve-job-listing-points-to-hardware-plans-for-whole-new-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/valve-job-listing-points-to-hardware-plans-for-whole-new-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/valve-job-listing-points-to-hardware-plans-for-whole-new-gaming/#comments ImageYes, there are employees at Valve right now who are working on some form of gaming hardware. What that gaming hardware is, however, remains to be seen. A job listing discovered by Engadget this week offers more clues as to what that hardware could be, specifically pointing to job skills like "hardware design, prototyping, testing, and production across a wide range of platforms."

Getting more direct, the "electronics engineer" position entails working "with the hardware team to conceive, design, evaluate, and produce new types of input, output, and platform hardware." Wait, platform hardware? That sounds an awful lot like the Steam Box rumors we heard earlier this year (rumors that were later semi-shut down).

But don't get your hopes up just yet - just because Valve is experimenting with different types of hardware doesn't mean that it's looking to produce a piece of consumer hardware any time soon. We've reached out to Valve for further clarity, but aren't expecting much beyond silence.

JoystiqValve job listing points to hardware plans for 'whole new gaming experiences' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electronics-engineerhardwarehiringjob-listingmacpcsteam-boxsteamboxvalvevalve-softwareFri, 13 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA['This is Aperture' music video channels The Nightmare Before Christmas]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/this-is-aperture-music-video-channels-the-nightmare-before-chr/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/this-is-aperture-music-video-channels-the-nightmare-before-chr/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/this-is-aperture-music-video-channels-the-nightmare-before-chr/#comments
This past holiday, while we were busy sipping eggnog and chorusing the neighbors with classic holiday tunes, a group of dedicated Steam forum members were creating an incredible Christmas music album featuring Valve characters. "Goodbye Christmas Caroline" spawned more than an album, though, as one especially holiday spirit-filled member then crafted an entire music video around one particular track.

"This is Aperture" takes the characters we've come to know and love fear from the world of Aperture Science and recasts them as singers in a magnificently dorky rendition of The Nightmare Before Christmas' "This is Halloween." Take a look at the rather impressive re-creation above and then compare it against the original just after the break! Consider it a late holiday gift from us to you, but, ya know, one that we totally didn't make.

Continue reading 'This is Aperture' music video channels The Nightmare Before Christmas

Joystiq'This is Aperture' music video channels The Nightmare Before Christmas originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aperture-scienceforumsgoodbye-christmas-carolineportal-2steamsteam-forumsthe-nightmare-before-christmasvalvevalve-softwareFri, 27 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam launches Android and iOS app for free, in beta]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/steam-launches-android-and-ios-app-for-free-in-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/steam-launches-android-and-ios-app-for-free-in-beta/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/steam-launches-android-and-ios-app-for-free-in-beta/#comments Valve today announced and launched Steam applications for both iOS and Android platforms. The app, dubbed "Steam Mobile," allows users to chat, read a limited selection of syndicated gaming news (might we also suggest another mobile app for that?), browse groups and profiles, and purchase games while on the go. Like many Valve products before it, the App is launching in limited beta, with only invitees currently able to log in. Snagging the App and attempting to sign in lets Valve know that you're interested, and select folks will then receive an invite should they be chosen.

Company president and co-founder Gabe Newell said the app comes at the request of many fans over the years -- it marks Valve's first foray into the mobile space. "Mobile is changing the way people interact, play games and consume media, and the Steam app is part of our commitment to meet customer demands and expand the service functionality of Steam to make it richer and more accessible for everyone," Newell said.

No news is given regarding the potential for iOS or Android game selling through the Steam mobile portal, but it seems unlikely -- at least on Apple devices -- given various terms of service restrictions regarding competition with the official application stores. Both the Android and iOS versions are available as of right now.

JoystiqSteam launches Android and iOS app for free, in beta originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidiosipadiphonemobilesteamsteam-mobilevalvevalve-softwareThu, 26 Jan 2012 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Valve: Any Half-Life 3 clues are 'community trolling the community']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/valve-any-half-life-3-clues-are-community-trolling-the-communi/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/valve-any-half-life-3-clues-are-community-trolling-the-communi/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/valve-any-half-life-3-clues-are-community-trolling-the-communi/#comments So your friend heard from his friend who used to go out with a girl who was a cousin of a Valve developer that Half-Life 3 would be released as a Steam exclusive this March? Or maybe you just crawled across a convincing website which seemed to point to another, long-awaited iteration in the Half-Life series? Well bad news, friends: "You are being trolled."

That's the word from Valve writer Chet Faliszek, who says on the Steam forums that "there is no ARG," and there are no official hints out there at all that a third Half-Life game is coming any time soon. We don't care how convincing that secret FTP that the guy on IRC told you about was: any Half-Life 3 rumors so far are completely unofficial, as great as that fan-made Portal short was.

Then again, it would be just like Valve to say that an official ARG wasn't official, wouldn't it? Maybe they're just trying to hide the real story by saying it too is a fake! Conspiracy!

JoystiqValve: Any Half-Life 3 clues are 'community trolling the community' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chet-faliszekdebunkforumsHalf-Life-2-Episode-2half-life-3pcrumorssteamvalvevalve-softwareFri, 30 Dec 2011 03:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portal 2's second DLC is an 'in-game editor,' arrives 'early next year']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/portal-2s-second-dlc-is-an-in-game-editor-arrives-early-nex/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/portal-2s-second-dlc-is-an-in-game-editor-arrives-early-nex/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/portal-2s-second-dlc-is-an-in-game-editor-arrives-early-nex/#comments Valve has just unveiled plans for the second downloadable content package coming to this year's big sequel, Portal 2: an "in-game editor!" According to a PR statement from the company, the next DLC is currently "in development and targeted for release early next year."

Apparently some form of community functionality will be attached to player creations, allowing other users to "view, play, and vote" on various levels. Outside of some cursory details -- the editor will allow players to create and share both single-player and co-op levels -- little is known about how editing will work, or if the DLC will arrive on both PC/Mac and consoles.

With Steam support on all but one console, the Xbox 360, we wouldn't be surprised if the second Portal 2 DLC doesn't arrive everywhere. But then Valve head Gabe Newell indicated differently in a recent interview, so we just can't be sure. We've reached out to Valve for some clarity.

Gallery: Portal 2 (Map Editor)

Continue reading Portal 2's second DLC is an 'in-game editor,' arrives 'early next year'

JoystiqPortal 2's second DLC is an 'in-game editor,' arrives 'early next year' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>co-opdlcdownloadable-contentin-game-editormacmap-editormicrosoftpcplaystationportal-2ps3valvevalve-softwarexboxFri, 21 Oct 2011 15:27:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Portal 2's 'Peer Review' DLC now available, full game for half price on Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/psa-portal-2s-peer-review-dlc-now-available-full-game-for-h/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/psa-portal-2s-peer-review-dlc-now-available-full-game-for-h/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/psa-portal-2s-peer-review-dlc-now-available-full-game-for-h/#comments It may have missed it's planned "summer" launch window, but Portal 2's first, totally free DLC "Peer Review" is being made available to download today via Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Valve's own Steam distribution service. As previously detailed, the content delivers a brand new co-op track for everybody's favorite anthropomorphic duo, and once again features everybody's favorite murderous robot.

And hey, if for some crazy reason you don't already own Portal 2, we're not sure we can continue this relationship. But we've got a way you can get things fixed up: pick up the game on the cheap right now, for just $14.99 (that's 50 percent off, folks).

Continue reading PSA: Portal 2's 'Peer Review' DLC now available, full game for half price on Steam

JoystiqPSA: Portal 2's 'Peer Review' DLC now available, full game for half price on Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcdownloadable-contentfreemacmicrosoftpcpeer-reviewplaystationportal-2ps3psapublic-service-announcementq4-2011release-datesteamvalvevalve-softwarexboxTue, 04 Oct 2011 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Dota 2 launch moved up to satisfy seething fans]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/23/dota-2-launch-moved-up-to-satisfy-seething-fans/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/23/dota-2-launch-moved-up-to-satisfy-seething-fans/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/23/dota-2-launch-moved-up-to-satisfy-seething-fans/#comments Valve Software has plans to launch Dota 2 in some form much sooner than originally intended. "We're going to take the current version of Dota 2, which has The International set of heroes, and get it out there as fast as we can," project lead Abdul "Icefrog" Ismail said in a Dota 2 blog post.

The team had originally planned on "adding new features and slowly growing the number of heroes until we reached a level of parity with Dota 1" before launching the pseudo-sequel, but is moving the launch up in order to satisfy player demand. Regular post-launch updates are still planned.

Icefrog additionally notes that the game will remain "invite only" for the time being, though he's hoping to minimize that period. It's still unclear whether Dota 2 will launch as a free-to-play title like competitor League of Legends, but it seems we'll find out much sooner than later.

JoystiqDota 2 launch moved up to satisfy seething fans originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abdul-icefrog-ismailabdul-ismaildota-2icefrogmacpcq4-2011release-datevalvevalve-softwareFri, 23 Sep 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Counter-Strike: GO gets Arsenal Mode with help from modders]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/counter-strike-go-gets-arsenal-mode-with-help-from-modders/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/counter-strike-go-gets-arsenal-mode-with-help-from-modders/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/counter-strike-go-gets-arsenal-mode-with-help-from-modders/#comments When Valve launches its new download-only Counter-Strike game next year, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, it'll add several "Arsenal" modes to the multiplayer FPS. The Washington-based developer has announced a partnership with the creators of the popular "Gun Game" mod, on which Arsenal is based.

In Gun Game, players start with a simple gun and then gain access to more powerful weaponry as they score kills. The Arsenal "Arms Race" and "Demolition" modes will collectively add eight maps to CS: GO, and "expand on the classic Counter-Strike gameplay." Beyond its Gun Game lineage, we haven't yet seen how Arsenal mode plays out. We'd bet on there being quite a few dead terrorists by the end, though.

Gallery: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (9/22/11)

Continue reading Counter-Strike: GO gets Arsenal Mode with help from modders

JoystiqCounter-Strike: GO gets Arsenal Mode with help from modders originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arsenalarsenal-modecounter-strike-global-offensivegun-gamemacmicrosoftpcplaystationps3valvevalve-softwarexboxThu, 22 Sep 2011 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Dota 2 client leaked, contains 'ep3' code]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/rumor-dota-2-client-leaked-features-ep3-code/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/rumor-dota-2-client-leaked-features-ep3-code/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/rumor-dota-2-client-leaked-features-ep3-code/#comments You'll forgive us if we're highly speculative about code supposedly unearthed from the leaked beta client for Valve's upcoming action RTS, Dota 2. It supposedly includes information from a folder named "ep3." Now wait a minute, stop huffing -- we know, we know -- and hear us out. As reported by Valve fan site Lambda Generation, the Dota 2 beta client has apparently leaked via Vietnam, and eager fans datamined the code for info, apparently plundering a string of code regarding something called "ep3."

As you might imagine, both the dataminers and gaming websites are saying the folder pertains to the comically nebulous Half-Life 2: Episode 3, with the code pointing to two weapons -- an ice gun and a flamethrower -- as well as three "weaponizers" (concrete, liquid, and metal). But wait, why would Valve leave code for another one of its projects in the beta code for Dota 2, especially a project that it refuses to acknowledge exists? In short, Valve's done some similarly cheeky things in the past to promote its games, albeit not nearly as deep as this would be. We've reached out to Valve for word, but don't expect to hear anything official.

JoystiqRumor: Dota 2 client leaked, contains 'ep3' code originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betadota-2episode-3Half-Life-2half-life-2-episode-3HL2macpcvalvevalve-softwareTue, 20 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Notch explains why Minecraft has yet to get Steam'd]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/notch-explains-why-minecraft-has-yet-to-get-steamd/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/notch-explains-why-minecraft-has-yet-to-get-steamd/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/notch-explains-why-minecraft-has-yet-to-get-steamd/#commentsMinecraft has been widely available for quite some time in various forms (alpha, beta), but when it fully launches this November, it won't be available on Steam. "Being on Steam limits a lot of what we're allowed to do with the game," Mojang president and founder Markus "Notch" Persson explains in a post on his Tumblr blog.

"We (probably?) wouldn't be able to, say, sell capes or have a map marketplace on minecraft.net that works with Steam customers in a way that keeps Valve happy," he adds. Notch worries that inclusion on Steam would divide the PC/Mac market of Minecraft users, rather than offer more to existing players.

It's not as though there's any animosity though, with Notch kicking off the post by lavishing a paragraph of praise upon "the best digital distribution platform I've ever seen." He also notes that Mojang "are talking to Valve about this" to try and make things work for everyone, but, understandably, "We just don't want to limit what we can do with Minecraft."

[Image credit: Steam forums]

JoystiqNotch explains why Minecraft has yet to get Steam'd originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>macmarkus-notch-perssonmarkus-perssonMinecraftmojangmojang-specificationsnotchpcsteamvalvevalve-softwareTue, 30 Aug 2011 14:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Gabe Newell on monetization before game design (spoiler: it stinks!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/gabe-newell-on-monetization-before-game-design-spoiler-it-stin/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/gabe-newell-on-monetization-before-game-design-spoiler-it-stin/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/gabe-newell-on-monetization-before-game-design-spoiler-it-stin/#comments Valve Software's upcoming "Action RTS," Dota 2 doesn't have a business model just yet. Valve co-founder and president Gabe Newell says he hasn't even begun thinking about the pricing model. "The primary focus for us at this point is not worrying about monetization, and it's instead worrying about getting the game right," he explains in an interview with Gamasutra.

Rather, he explains that his company's goal at the moment is "on building something that cool" for the legion of hardcore MOBA fans, "and then we'll worry about monetization ... we're not going to worry about that until later." Further pressing the point, Newell adds, "Premature monetization is the root of all evil."

As the interviewer suggests, however, real world economics force many developers to consider monetization models from the design level. Newell sees this more simply. "I think not sucking is way more of an important thing to pay attention to first," he adds, referencing the Dota 2 model of extensive playtesting and iteration before discussing a financial strategy -- a development ideology that works for a successful company like Valve, but may not be possible (or of interest) to other studios. It is a position we can get behind, however.

JoystiqGabe Newell on monetization before game design (spoiler: it stinks!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dota-2gabe-newellmacmonetizationpcvalvevalve-softwareTue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Counter-Strike: Global Offensive trailer is wholly inoffensive]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/counter-strike-global-offensive-trailer-is-wholly-inoffensive/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/counter-strike-global-offensive-trailer-is-wholly-inoffensive/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/counter-strike-global-offensive-trailer-is-wholly-inoffensive/#comments
The first gameplay trailer for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is actually quite pleasing. That is, if you're into the fast-paced slaughter of virtual opponents. It's okay, folks -- they're terrorists, so that's kinda how these things work.

Gallery: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (PC/360/PS3)

JoystiqCounter-Strike: Global Offensive trailer is wholly inoffensive originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>counter-strike-global-offensivegameplaymacmicrosoftpcplaystationplaystation-networkps3psnsourcesource-enginesteamvalvevalve-softwarexblaxboxxbox-live-arcadeFri, 26 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Half-Life fan film 'Escape From City 17' concludes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/25/half-life-fan-film-escape-from-city-17-concludes/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/25/half-life-fan-film-escape-from-city-17-concludes/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/25/half-life-fan-film-escape-from-city-17-concludes/#comments
It's been a few years since we last heard from the Purchase brothers, co-creators of the "Escape From City 17" live-action short. The duo makes the wait worth our while, however, with this thrice-as-long sequel to their original 2009 Half-Life fan film.

JoystiqHalf-Life fan film 'Escape From City 17' concludes originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>escape-from-city-17fan-filmhalf-lifeHalf-Life-2-Episode-2live-actionpurchase-brothersvalvevalve-softwareThu, 25 Aug 2011 18:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Dota 2 Gamescom trailer ponders the nature of heroism [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/dota-2-gamescom-trailer-ponders-the-nature-of-heroism/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/dota-2-gamescom-trailer-ponders-the-nature-of-heroism/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/dota-2-gamescom-trailer-ponders-the-nature-of-heroism/#comments
The International is right around the corner, and in order to get you hyped up for the global public debut of Dota 2, Valve has a question for you: "What does a hero truly need?"

If you listen to the gorgeously animated wizard/wiseman in the trailer above, a hero's needs depend on their circumstances. Archers may need speed, warriors may need strength, and floaty lightning people obviously need floaty lightning. If you listen to the millions of people anxiously awaiting the start of Gamescom, however, the answer is "immediate, total and unending access to this game."

Update: Proving once again that it's impossible to keep something this big under wraps, the deep, dark bowels of the internet have regurgitated these purported in-game screenshots. It's important to note that the veracity of these screens is still uncertain, and that we won't truly know how the game looks until later this week. For now though, let your feverish, detail-starved eyes feast.

Gallery: DOTA 2 (Pre-Gamescom Leak)

JoystiqDota 2 Gamescom trailer ponders the nature of heroism [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dotadota-2Gamescomgamescom-2011macpcValvevalve-softwareMon, 15 Aug 2011 18:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam Trading beta lets you exchange in-game items for games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/steam-trading-beta-lets-you-exchange-in-game-items-for-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/steam-trading-beta-lets-you-exchange-in-game-items-for-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/steam-trading-beta-lets-you-exchange-in-game-items-for-games/#comments It may still be known officially as "Steam," but after this week's announcement of the Steam Trading beta, we're referring to the service's virtual world as "Bartertown." As of today, Steam users can opt-in to the "Steam Trading" beta program, giving them the opportunity to trade Team Fortress 2 items and Steam gifts with other Steam users.

For now, the only game that supports the trading of items is Team Fortress 2, but Valve says support for Portal 2 will arrive "reasonably soon," and that it plans on offering support for "several third-party games in the next few months." Interested parties can participate by simply heading into the Steam client settings and selecting the option to opt-in to the Steam Trading beta. As participants ourselves, for the next 12 hours we'll be accepting any and all copies of full games for a very special, one-of-a-kind Team Fortress 2 hat, hand-selected by the Joystiq staff member of your choice*.

*Choice is limited to Joystiq staff members available at time of trade. Joystiq reserves the right to refuse choice based on a variety of factors, but mostly whim.

JoystiqSteam Trading beta lets you exchange in-game items for games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betamacpcportal-2steamsteam-tradingsteam-trading-betaTeam-Fortress-2valvevalve-softwareWed, 10 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EST