Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Composer says Wii's 'Sadness' was cancelled, releases soundtrack]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/composer-says-wiis-sadness-was-cancelled-releases-soundtrack/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/composer-says-wiis-sadness-was-cancelled-releases-soundtrack/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/composer-says-wiis-sadness-was-cancelled-releases-soundtrack/#commentsFinally, resolution to a story we've been following for several years -- though it's a bit disappointing. Nibris's Wii horror title Sadness (what did you think we were talking about?) has been canceled, after years of disappearing websites, slipping release dates, nonexistent demos and a generally game-free history.

The news comes from a Polish-language blog post from April, announcing the release of composer Arkadiusz Reikowski's soundtrack for the game. The post notes that, according to Reikowski, the game was cancelled before work on the music was complete. So that soundtrack is basically the closest part of the game to "finished" -- and it's still in a preliminary state itself.

[Via Original Sound Version; thanks, Aquacharger!]

JoystiqComposer says Wii's 'Sadness' was cancelled, releases soundtrack originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 May 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arkadiusz-reikowskinibrisNintendosadnesssurvival-horrorvaporwareWiiTue, 25 May 2010 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sadness website is gone ... don't even feign shock]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/sadness-website-is-gone-dont-even-feign-shock/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/sadness-website-is-gone-dont-even-feign-shock/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/03/sadness-website-is-gone-dont-even-feign-shock/#comments With posts that go back to 2006, the public embarrassment that is Sadness is far more interesting than the game could have ever been. The epic tale of vaporware, which is comparable to Duke Nukem Forever, receives another notch in its timeline today.

The latest is that the Sadness website is gone and the URL is up for grabs. Developer Nibris has yet to speak on the matter and, frankly, whatever they say doesn't really matter.

Dare we say this is the end of Sadness? Heck no. Where there's a developer and a desperate fan base, there's a way.

Gallery: Sadness (Wii)


[Via GoNintendo]

JoystiqSadness website is gone ... don't even feign shock originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dream-onNintendosadnessvaporwareWiiWed, 03 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Big Download awards 2009's vaporware]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/23/big-download-awards-2009s-vaporware/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/23/big-download-awards-2009s-vaporware/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/23/big-download-awards-2009s-vaporware/#comments In response to Wired's own 2009 vaporware awards, our pals at BigDownload have complied their own list of software and hardware that woulda, coulda and shoulda seen the light of day this year. Topping the list is the streaming service OnLive, which was slated to release in "winter 2009," following a healthy dose of beta testing. While reception for the service has been mostly positive, OnLive's claims have yet to be tested on a global stage (during E3 2009, OnLive was previewed for select media via a cable modem connection to the service's California-based headquarters).

Other nods go to Gearbox Software's oft-delayed -- we'll believe it when we see it -- Aliens: Colonial Marines, Obsidian's "oh, by the way, it's not coming out today" Alpha Protocol, and Midway's This Is Canceled Vegas. Sadly, Duke Nukem Forever failed to win an award for what would have been a record twelfth-straight year.

JoystiqBig Download awards 2009's vaporware originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesalpha-protocolgearboxgearbox-softwaremidwayobsidianobsidian-entertainmentonliveRearden-Studiossegathis-is-vegasvaporwarevaporware-awardsWed, 23 Dec 2009 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WarDevil resurfaces in bizarre (original) Xbox demonstration]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/12/wardevil-resurfaces-in-bizarre-original-xbox-demonstration/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/12/wardevil-resurfaces-in-bizarre-original-xbox-demonstration/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/12/wardevil-resurfaces-in-bizarre-original-xbox-demonstration/#commentsAfter five years in the making and hardly any time taken out for interviews or status updates, you'd imagine Digi-Guys' WarDevil would be just about wrapped up and ready to grab some GOTY awards, right? Not so much, as Edge discovered during a studio tour. Although Digi-Guys does have some very cool technology to show off, that may eventually result in a game.

To prove the effectiveness of the developer's mysterious texture technology, Digi-Guys gave Edge a demonstration of the game engine as it was in 2005 -- running on an Xbox. The first one. "So what you'd expect to see even in modern games - textures that turn to porridge if you look too close - doesn't happen here," Edge notes. "Then there's motion blur, of the kind seen in Jurassic Park rather than the harsh, sometimes nauseating vector blur used in modern games. Add to that many of the light and particle effects you'd expect to see today, and a healthy layer of anti-aliasing."

Another demo on more recent hardware is similarly impressive, showing high detail in skin and clothing as the camera zooms in. Evidently, this version of WarDevil was actually playable behind closed doors at Tokyo Game Show -- and not, like the Xbox demo, in a placeholder rail shooter mode. And that is progress.

JoystiqWarDevil resurfaces in bizarre (original) Xbox demonstration originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digi-guysvaporwarewardevilMon, 12 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wired hails Duke Nukem Forever as 2008's vaporware king, baby]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/29/wired-hails-duke-nukem-forever-as-2008s-vaporware-king-baby/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/29/wired-hails-duke-nukem-forever-as-2008s-vaporware-king-baby/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/29/wired-hails-duke-nukem-forever-as-2008s-vaporware-king-baby/#commentsFiled under:


Wired, embracing the redundancy of doing so, has named Duke Nukem Forever as the top piece of vaporware in 2008. As we've made abundantly clear in the past, much has happened since Nukem's latest adventure was first announced back in 1997. Wired was going to leave the perennial favorite off the list this year because "even the best jokes get old eventually," but obviously thought the DNF horse -- with a DNR order -- still had enough life left in it for one more jab.

Keeping the dream alive that DNF may be coming to the end of a very, very (x12) long development cycle was its appearance on the Jace Hall show earlier this year. However, that was followed up by more teaser images. Keep hope alive, Duke faithful. Keep hope alive.

Gallery: Duke Nukem Forever (yes, really)

JoystiqWired hails Duke Nukem Forever as 2008's vaporware king, baby originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d-realmsduke-nukemduke-nukem-forevervaporwarewiredMon, 29 Dec 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Cipher Complex, not quite vaporware yet]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/29/cipher-complex-not-quite-vaporware-yet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/29/cipher-complex-not-quite-vaporware-yet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/29/cipher-complex-not-quite-vaporware-yet/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Starcraft: Ghost. The Phantom. And let's face it, Sadness, too. Video game history is littered with the corpses of titles and projects that choked on their own ambition before making it to the finish line. So much so that we've become accustomed to second guessing games that stay out of the spotlight for any considerable length of time. Of course, devs are reluctant to publicly admit defeat, leaving us to remember from time to time to poke our heads in and see if that game we saw screenshots for a year ago still deserves a place on our radar.

Recently we were reminded of The Incredible Hulk developer, Edge of Reality, and its stealth action game for the Xbox 360 and PS3, Cipher Complex, which has run noticeably silent since it was first announced in 2006. So we pinged company president Binu Philip, who reassured us that despite the absence of press, Cipher Complex is still on the way. "We are still working away on the title," he told us, adding however that the team is "not currently saying anything publicly about the game." For now, it seems video game history will have to wait for its next victim -- at least until another decides to stop chewing bubble gum and just lie down.

Gallery: Cipher Complex

JoystiqCipher Complex, not quite vaporware yet originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cipher-complexedge-of-realityPS3vaporwareXbox-360Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[3D Realms: 'Several hours' of Duke Nukem Forever sort of done]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/3d-realms-several-hours-of-duke-nukem-forever-sort-of-done/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/3d-realms-several-hours-of-duke-nukem-forever-sort-of-done/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/3d-realms-several-hours-of-duke-nukem-forever-sort-of-done/#commentsFiled under: ,

Is that the sound of Satan sharpening his skates? According to a new interview with Team Xbox, 3D Realms boss George Broussard implies that - dare we say? - development of Duke Nukem Forever is going along swimmingly. You know, just like it has been since ... 1998.

All most kidding aside, Broussard tells the site that the developer has "several hours of fairly polished game to play," and that, "It's fun, it's in focus, we know what bits are fun and which are not, and it's just a matter of time now." But clearly, time moves a little slower in 3D Realms', er ... realm. Given that the company has already denied reports that it's coming this year, we'll have to make due with Duke Nuken 3D on XBLA "sometime in September." Of 2008. Really. Promise.

[Via Big Download]

Joystiq3D Realms: 'Several hours' of Duke Nukem Forever sort of done originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d-realmsduke-nukem-foreverPCvaporwareWed, 27 Aug 2008 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rub your eyes: Sadness 'footage' emerges, disappears again [Update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/rub-your-eyes-sadness-footage-emerges-disappears-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/rub-your-eyes-sadness-footage-emerges-disappears-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/rub-your-eyes-sadness-footage-emerges-disappears-again/#commentsFiled under:



Go Nintendo's RawMeatCowboy recently received an email from an anonymous, shadowy figure calling themselves "rabbits can't be sad." That's pretty weird, but stranger still, the email contained something we almost never expected to see: footage of Nibris' "vaporware" title, Sadness. Despite the unconventional method of its delivery, it definitely looked like the real deal.

We say "looked" because now it's gone, pulled down by RawMeatCowboy, who (we're guessing) was asked to remove the footage. In his amended post, RMC simply writes: "Sorry for the inconvenience, but I unfortunately have to remove this post. That is all I can say at this time."

So after being relentlessly mocked (not least by us), has Nibris actually been making a game all along? Really, really slowly?

[Update 1: Some enterprising soul grabbed the footage before it was pulled, and added it to YouTube -- thanks, DaisukeKiriyama!]

Gallery: Sadness


[Via Go Nintendo]

Previously, we've had plenty of reasons to believe that Sadness is about as likely to exist as Bigfoot: just take a look at our timeline of the game to see what we mean.

JoystiqRub your eyes: Sadness 'footage' emerges, disappears again [Update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fog-studioshorrornibrissadnessvaporwareThu, 21 Aug 2008 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nibris Web site promises Sadness for Fall 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/nibris-web-site-promises-sadness-for-fall-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/nibris-web-site-promises-sadness-for-fall-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/nibris-web-site-promises-sadness-for-fall-2009/#commentsFiled under: ,

Previously on The Young and the Sadness.

*A mysterious stranger, Nibris, enters the scene*
Nibris: Come away with me, and I'll make all your mature-themed, Wii horror gaming dreams come true.
Joystiq: Can it be? Is it true?
Nibris: It is true! Just listen to my story and you'll know in your heart that it is so.
Joystiq: I'm just not sure I can believe in you.
Nibris: Look, I bring you concept art to prove my fidelity.
Joystiq: Lies! I heard you're already planning to run out on me.
Nibris: Would I release these official screenshots if I was planning to halt development?
Joystiq: I just don't know what to think! *Sobs*

And now, today's episode:

Nibris: Look at my new Web site. I promise you, Sadness will be out by Fall of 2009. Meet me at the Leipzig Games Convention if you still have faith in me. In us.
Joystiq: Sorry, dear, I've moved on. Give me a ring when you're ready to show me a playable demo.

[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]

JoystiqNibris Web site promises Sadness for Fall 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>nibrissadnesssoap-operavaporwareWiiMon, 07 Jul 2008 19:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Sadness website does nothing to dispel vaporware rumors]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/sadness-website-does-nothing-to-dispel-vaporware-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/sadness-website-does-nothing-to-dispel-vaporware-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/sadness-website-does-nothing-to-dispel-vaporware-rumors/#commentsFiled under:


Hold on, what's all this? A Sadness rumor that actually came true? This can't be right -- and it sort of isn't. The website is there, and it's got stuff on it, but the stuff is old and it's a pretty amateur attempt at a website. It's just, you would think that the creators of the most talked-about Wii game pretty much ever would make the effort to put together a good show, but it looks somewhat awful.

The screens are old and tiny, the text is formatted all wrong (and translated poorly), and there is no trailer, although it will be "Coming soon (this vacation maybe)." Maybe? Maybe? Whatever.

To top it off, the release is scheduled for Fall 2009. That is, over a year from now. On the plus side, Nibris representatives will be attending the Leipzig Game Convention this year, so if nothing turns up at E3 we might find something there.

Gallery: Sadness


[Via GoNintendo]

JoystiqSadness website does nothing to dispel vaporware rumors originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fog-studiosnibrispsychologicalsadnessvaporwarewebsiteThu, 03 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Inconsequential Sadness news #287 -- website, more details 'coming']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/inconsequential-sadness-news-287-website-more-details-comi/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/inconsequential-sadness-news-287-website-more-details-comi/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/inconsequential-sadness-news-287-website-more-details-comi/#commentsFiled under:

There's nothing left to say. Sadness is the definition of sadness, and it always will be. We'll post about this "news", oh yes -- but until a physical copy of the game is actually in a Nintendo Wii console, right in front of us and running properly, we won't be certain of its existence. Forward motion is a myth.

The latest on Sadness is thus: the official website will be launched next week, along with some new images. A chap from Fog Studios (because they're so damn hazy on the details) says it's all real, and Nibris is still working away without a publisher. The lack of a publisher means a lack of a release date. If the game exists.

Rest assured, if any of the above actually happens, we will let you know. We know what a promise from anyone remotely associated with Sadness is worth, so don't hold your breath.

Gallery: Sadness


[Via GoNintendo]

JoystiqInconsequential Sadness news #287 -- website, more details 'coming' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fog-studiosfor-real-this-timenibrissadnessvaporwarewebsiteFri, 20 Jun 2008 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Nibris returning with more promises]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/nibris-returning-with-more-promises/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/nibris-returning-with-more-promises/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/nibris-returning-with-more-promises/#commentsFiled under:


clicky clicky

Most companies choose to issue media via press releases or exclusive articles. But here we're talking about companies with actual games, not just a campaign of windbaggery and empty promises. Nibris, where they tend to focus on the latter, apparently feels releasing what is purportedly the first and only screenshot of Sadness to date (two years late, mind) to some random dude on the Internet is what makes for good PR.

The IGN Wii boards have blown up over the past few days due to the unending campaign of one Nibris supporter, a single purported screenshot, and a few cryptic remarks from the Nibris president himself, who is long known to frequent message boards. The numerous threads are a mess, so we'll attempt to sum up: user Twiilight_Prince posted the above, stating it was an actual in-game screenshot from Sadness and that he had received it from Nibris. He then apparently received messages from the user posting as Nibris, asking him to remove it. He did. Someone else also posted it, and received similar messages. Eventually, the reported PMs were posted. In them, Nibris (who we assume is president Piotr Babieno) did in fact ask for the shot's removal ... and also promised that there would be screens from Sadness and a trailer next month.

Now where have we heard that before? It's same to assume we're not holding our breath around here -- but here's the apparent screenshot for your perusal.

[Thanks, Joe!]

JoystiqNibris returning with more promises originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>nibrissadnessscreenshotvaporwareTue, 08 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sadness: a chronology of disappointment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/02/sadness-a-chronology-of-disappointment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/02/sadness-a-chronology-of-disappointment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/02/sadness-a-chronology-of-disappointment/#commentsFiled under:


We had such a good time reading this, we thought we'd share for a laugh. If you're the kind of person who really splits a seam reading about Duke Nukem Forever's glacial progress, you're sure to get a laugh out of the comedy of errors that we know as Sadness. This vaporous piece of software has been teasing gamers for nearly two years and, despite that lengthy timeframe, we've yet to see even a single screenshot. Stop by Wii Fanboy's Sadness chronology and relive all those precious moments like it's your first time.

JoystiqSadness: a chronology of disappointment originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>NibrisSadnessvaporwareWiiWed, 02 Jan 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A look back through time: Sadness]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/31/a-look-back-through-time-sadness/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/31/a-look-back-through-time-sadness/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/31/a-look-back-through-time-sadness/#commentsFiled under:

There were several things in 2007 that made us sad. Super Smash Bros. Brawl was delayed, Project H.A.M.M.E.R. got canceled, then it didn't, then it did, and now we're just stuck with rumors that it might exist, somewhere, in some form. People told us that the Wii Zapper would make us kill our families. We got no hard drive love. Reggie didn't kick any ass, though he might have taken (down) some names (we're not sure). But the thing that's made us saddest of all is the ongoing saga of the aptly-named Sadness, the Nibris vaporware game. For all we know, we could be playing it right now; their idea of a game may be centered around stringing us along for a couple of years. It's fun for the whole family!

Or, y'know, sad. So grab your tissues and journey with us through a timeline of Sadness.

*Not actual Sadness concept art, because Nibris hasn't bought/commissioned it yet from artist Mark Ryden.

Gallery: Sadness

Continue reading A look back through time: Sadness

JoystiqA look back through time: Sadness originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joystiqfeaturesnibrissadnesstimelinevaporwareMon, 31 Dec 2007 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Where's Duke Nukem been the last decade?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/wheres-duke-nukem-been-the-last-decade/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/wheres-duke-nukem-been-the-last-decade/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/wheres-duke-nukem-been-the-last-decade/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The door swung shut, his familiar frame lumbered in, sunk into the couch, like nothing had changed these last ten years.

"Where have you been?" we screamed. "It's been ten years!"

"I'm looking for some alien toilet to park my bricks. Who's firrrrst?"

"So that's it? You come in here stinking like a wet cigar and that's all you've got to say for yourself?"

He puffed on his cigar, blew radioactive smoke in our faces, and left ...

Evidently, the boys at ShackNews have gotten over their abandonment issues (any pointers?) and taken a calendar-heavy look at the game's progress (or lack thereof, knowhutamean?) over the last decade of development. Most telling: the two E3 trailers, in '98 and '01, that show plenty of gameplay in what would almost seem to be a nearly complete game. Once you're done reading that, take another look at The Duke Nukem Forever List, an incredibly sobering breakdown of the things that have transpired since the game was first announced (spoiler alert: Google didn't exist yet). How much were milk and eggs back then, Grandpa?

Read - A Decade of Duke: The Brief Long History of DNF
Read - The Duke Nukem Forever List

JoystiqWhere's Duke Nukem been the last decade? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3D-RealmsDNFDuke-Nukem-ForeverPCVaporwareWed, 19 Dec 2007 13:56:00 EST<![CDATA[If Project H.A.M.M.E.R. still existed, this would be a preview of it]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/if-project-h-a-m-m-e-r-still-existed-this-would-be-a-preview-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/if-project-h-a-m-m-e-r-still-existed-this-would-be-a-preview-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/if-project-h-a-m-m-e-r-still-existed-this-would-be-a-preview-o/#commentsFiled under: ,

NeoGAFfer Shiggy has posted some more screenshots from the vaporous apparition that once had the name Project H.A.M.M.E.R., this time focusing on the in-game perspective. It's strange how disparate the action scenes look from the shots of architecture we were given: those screens were crisp, stylized, and made use of heavy, thick shadows, while the "real game" is, well, blurry. But next-gen blurry! It's like they were making two different games. Or, we suppose, it's like they put two different games on "indefinite hold".

As of now, it is still "indefinite hold" rather than "dead forever," so you can take these screenshots as a preview of a potential future game. At the very least, some guy is poking through the game getting some screenshots.

JoystiqIf Project H.A.M.M.E.R. still existed, this would be a preview of it originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actioncancellednstproject-hammervaporwareFri, 07 Dec 2007 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[First trailer for Project Offset]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/30/first-trailer-for-project-offset/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/30/first-trailer-for-project-offset/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/30/first-trailer-for-project-offset/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Remember Project Offset? The tech demo that blew your socks off back in 2005? Well, it's back and this time it's a game! As mysterious as ever, this hybrid of first and third person combat claims to sport five unique classes, rideable creatures, squad based multiplayer and more. Now if they'd just let us know who's publishing this beast, that would be fantastic.

Naturally, there isn't a release date in sight, just pretty graphics. We're going to assume that this is still coming to the PC and maybe Xbox 360.

JoystiqFirst trailer for Project Offset originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PCprojectoffsetvaporwareXbox-360Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:55:00 EST<![CDATA[New Sadness artwork is not screenshots]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/new-sadness-artwork-is-not-screenshots/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/new-sadness-artwork-is-not-screenshots/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/new-sadness-artwork-is-not-screenshots/#commentsFiled under:


Oh, Nibris. We recently had some real-looking videos of what appeared to be a real game on the DS. But all we've had about their Wii game Sadness recently is bad news (and responses to bad news). Well, they seem to be back on track with Sadness, or at least they're back on their uniquely Nibris track of showing a few tidbits of artwork, but no screens and no evidence that there is any game at all.

For what it's worth, the artwork looks okay. We're glad work is being done on this game at all. Do you think the issue with Sadness is that Nibris has been unusually transparent with the earliest stages of their game design, leading to the impression that it's been a really long time without seeing anything? Or is it just that they're really late getting to showing any real content? Check out the artwork after the break, and feel free to discuss what has become an impromptu Wii Warm Up in the comments thread.

Continue reading New Sadness artwork is not screenshots

JoystiqNew Sadness artwork is not screenshots originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hold on, Wii! Your name isn't the only thing celebrating a birthday today! Well, it's not so much a "birth" day in this other case, seeing as how we're still waiting for the baby to drop ...

So, happy 10th un-birthday Duke Nukem Forever! CVG reminds us that ten years ago, on this very day, you were conceived and hurriedly scribbled into tiny notebooks (computers weren't even invented yet!) and from there typed up into magazines (remember them?) the world over. Sure, a lot of things have happened in the last ten years (no, seriously, A LOT) -- including some awards, you assiduous devil -- but we still remember where we were when you were announced to the world. Find out where after the break:

Continue reading Happy 10th un-birthday Duke Nukem Forever!

JoystiqHappy 10th un-birthday Duke Nukem Forever! originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Apr 2007 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3drealmsbirthdaydukenukemforeverPCvaporwareFri, 27 Apr 2007 13:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Metareview - S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/metareview-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-shadow-of-chernobyl/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/metareview-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-shadow-of-chernobyl/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/metareview-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-shadow-of-chernobyl/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Just months after the glitz and glamor of its inaugural debut on Wired's annual Vaporware awards, the long-delayed S.T.A.L.K.E.R. cozied up on retail shelves next to other evidently non-vaporous games. Yes, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a real boy now and it's more than a little exciting to see that the ambitious title made the journey from idea to interactive game more or less intact. Sure, the years in limbo didn't do much to help the once impressive engine, but reviews praise the title's innovative aspects -- namely the open-ended, and S.C.A.R.Y., gameplay.
  • Yahoo! (90/100) offers a poop metaphor that actually makes us want to play the game ... albeit alone ... and with a fresh pair of drawers nearby: "given all its troubles we're fortunate to have a game at all, let alone one this good. Its setting is superb, its gameplay tense and convincing, and it boasts what are definitely the best fill-your-pants moments in a PC game for quite some time. It's hard to see how it could have turned out better."
  • GameSpot (85/100) loves the open-endedness, and gives us the mash-up genre descriptor we've been waiting for: "At its heart, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a first-person survival game that blends action with role-playing. This isn't a linear game, like Half-Life or Call of Duty, where you basically are restricted to a straight path and are taken for a tightly controlled and scripted ride. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'s huge environments and open-ended gameplay make it more like a role-playing game, as you can go where you want and do what you want if you're willing to live with the consequences."
  • Eurogamer (80/100) offers easily the most compelling review, despite its lower score: "For some people the odd rough brokenness of Stalker will frustrate and annoy. It isn't finely polished, and it's not Hollywood; this is more like an antidote to the Americanised way of doing things. It's a warped behemoth from the Ukraine, and one of the scariest games on the PC."
Sold! We've been hungry for a first-person shooter that requires mandatory underwear changes as part of its design; System Shock 2 was so long ago, and Bioshock is delayed. We want this sort of experience.

JoystiqMetareview - S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PCSTALKERTHQvaporwareThu, 22 Mar 2007 12:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Wired News: 2006 vaporware awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/27/wired-news-2006-vaporware-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/27/wired-news-2006-vaporware-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/27/wired-news-2006-vaporware-awards/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wired News racks up its annual list of the top 10 vaporware products -- items that have been promised but haven't shipped -- with almost half of them being long-delayed games. Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl, Gran Turismo 4 Mobile, and Spore earn spots nine, seven, and four, while Duke Nukem Forever clocks in at number one. Again. Duke's nearly 10-year development time have earned it six mentions in the nine-year history of the list, including this year.

We've lost track of DNF and are holding our interest until its launch, but we did want Spore. Which games have you missed this year?

JoystiqWired News: 2006 vaporware awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Dec 2006 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Duke Nukem ForeverDukeNukemForeverGran Turismo 4GranTurismo4SporeStalker: Shadow of ChernobylStalker:ShadowOfChernobylvaporwareWed, 27 Dec 2006 18:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo Mobile's life as vaporware]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/22/gran-turismo-mobiles-life-as-vaporware/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/22/gran-turismo-mobiles-life-as-vaporware/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/22/gran-turismo-mobiles-life-as-vaporware/#commentsFiled under:

Remember Gran Turismo 4? The often cancelled and un-cancelled game that proved to be one of PSP's crowning technical showpieces. Game|Life takes a look at the long, torturous development hell this still-highly-anticipated game has gone through. The copy written for the game still haunts PSP fans to this day:

""Gran Turismo Anywhere" -- Gran Turismo 4 Mobile, coming from the Gran Turismo series, is the PSP version of the real driving simulator. Its product quality is not at all inferior to its PS2 counterpart, and is compatible to competition over wireless LAN, a unique feature to the PSP."

JoystiqGran Turismo Mobile's life as vaporware originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Dec 2006 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran turismogran turismo 4gran turismo mobileGranTurismoGranTurismo4GranTurismoMobilevaporwareFri, 22 Dec 2006 12:50:00 EST<![CDATA[S.T.A.L.K.E.R. actually getting released?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/11/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-actually-getting-released/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/11/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-actually-getting-released/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/11/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-actually-getting-released/#commentsFiled under: ,

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl fell into a nice little category along the likes of Duke Nukem Forever in being an oft-delayed (yes, that does say 2004) game that many assumed would never see the light of day (as well as rumors of a full-on cancellation). Announced first in 2001 and sporting an original release date of 2003, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. suffered numerous delays, all without an end in sight. However, it takes a video found on YouTube to give us some hope that the game is actually going to be released; the release date is ever so soon.

In the above video, we see a collage of Chernobyl video with a few hints of in-game play. At the end of the video, we see what appears to be "We opened the gates to hell" written in German followed by a tantalizing March 2007. Not only are we getting a release date, it is coming very soon. This is certainly a great Christmas present for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. fans ... assuming it isn't some cruel hoax.

[Via ThatGameBlog, Thanks jake]

JoystiqS.T.A.L.K.E.R. actually getting released? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Dec 2006 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PCstalkerstalker pCstalker: shadow of chernobylStalker:ShadowOfChernobylStalkerPcvaporwareMon, 11 Dec 2006 09:50:00 EST<![CDATA[GASP: Phantom console fails to materialize]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/15/gasp-phantom-console-fails-to-materialize/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/15/gasp-phantom-console-fails-to-materialize/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/15/gasp-phantom-console-fails-to-materialize/#commentsFiled under: ,


As tempting as it was to conjure up a "Phantom console CANCELLED" headline, the realization quickly set in that such a sensational piece of text simply wouldn't make any sense. How do you cancel something that never even existed to begin with? Zing, etc. It would appear that Phantom Entertainment has revamped their ball of lies website, quietly ushering in the demise of an imagined console and the arrival of an allusion to some sort of broadband game service.

Said service is described as "the first end-to-end, on-demand game service delivering online games directly to your living room or any comfortable setting in your home or workplace." Fascinating, but since "the Company intends to modify the Phantom Game Service software to run as client software on personal computers operating Windows XP and Windows XP Media center operating systems," games will only be going to your living room should that be the location of your computer. First indeed.

Further comedic value can be found in the "Who We Are" section, which duly describes the company as "an industry-leading, global entertainment and interactive game company." To be fair, it's probably the most truthful statement to be found on the entire website, as Phantom Entertainment is undoubtedly the leader of at least one industry and is frequently a provider of entertainment. Well, that and $129.95 Lapboards which, with the original console canned, barely have a reason to exist.

[Thanks, delerious.]

JoystiqGASP: Phantom console fails to materialize originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Aug 2006 22:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Broadband game serviceBroadbandGameServiceGames on demandGamesOnDemandGametapInfiniumLapboardPCPhantomVaporwareTue, 15 Aug 2006 22:25:00 EST<![CDATA[With some effort, CNET compiles vaporware all-stars]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/27/with-some-effort-cnet-compiles-vaporware-all-stars/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/27/with-some-effort-cnet-compiles-vaporware-all-stars/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/27/with-some-effort-cnet-compiles-vaporware-all-stars/#commentsCNET defines vaporware thus: "Vaporware n: Any piece of technology with equal and excessive numbers of promises and delays. It might be awesome, but you probably won't actually see it."

The all-star angle precludes many of the criticisms we'd be prone to throw at their selections, but some still need to be addressed, namely the PS3. Hey, we were just as frustrated as the next blog over Sony's obvious equivocation and the steadfast Spring 2006 website, but you can hardly say it's vaporware. It was only delayed once and, even then, the only people that (purportedly) believed the original date were Sony themselves! Now the Phantom ... that's some primo, grade-A vaporware.

11. Earthbound64 / Mother 3
10. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
9. Fallout 3
8. Team Fortress 2
7. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
6. Playstation 3
5. Sam & Max: Freelanc Police
4. Starcraft Ghost
3. Prey
2. Phantom Gaming System
1. Duke Nukem Forever

Of course vaporware bullies like Duke Nukem Forever and the Phantom dominate the top spots, while the recently released Prey makes a strong showing, encouraging all those titles that are still in development that they too can see a retail shelf someday. It's glorious!

JoystiqWith some effort, CNET compiles vaporware all-stars originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Jul 2006 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CNETDuke Nukem ForeverDukeNukemForeverVaporwareThu, 27 Jul 2006 20:25:00 EST<![CDATA[DNF: what's happened these nine long years?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/20/dnf-whats-happened-these-nine-long-years/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/20/dnf-whats-happened-these-nine-long-years/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/20/dnf-whats-happened-these-nine-long-years/#commentsFiled under: ,

We all know what George Broussard and his team at 3D Realms have been up to since they officially announced development of Duke Nukem Forever: they've been switching engines, winning awards, and remaining mum on when (though always insisting that it is coming) we'll get to see something -- anything -- about their increasingly long-in-the-tooth FPS.

Now that another E3 has come and gone with nary a Bruce Campbell-cribbed peep from our favorite (at least he used to be ... I think) video game protagonist, one dedicated gamer decided to update "The List" of things that have happened since DNF was announced. Included in "The List":

"When Duke Nukem Forever was announced, the fastest processor available to consumers was a 233Mhz Pentium. Since then the clock speed of consumer processors has increased over 16 times (32 times counting dual cores), and the fabrication process has decreased from 250nm to 65nm."

But that's not all folks! Just to pour salt into that open wound, they've added a list of things that have taken less time than DNF has been in production, like: "The Beatles formed, released every single one of their albums and broke up. During this time they also toured the world several times."

No pressure, guys. I'm sure these past ten years have been well spent, right? Right?!

[Thanks, Eli]

JoystiqDNF: what's happened these nine long years? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jun 2006 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3D Realms3dRealmsDNFDuke Nukem ForeverDukeNukemForeverPCvaporwareTue, 20 Jun 2006 14:28:00 EST<![CDATA[$500,000 offered to finish Duke Nukem Forever this year [update 3]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/10/500-000-offered-to-finish-duke-nukem-forever-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/10/500-000-offered-to-finish-duke-nukem-forever-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/10/500-000-offered-to-finish-duke-nukem-forever-this-year/#commentsFiled under: ,

In an SEC filing, Take-Two brought up a rather sore (yet infamous) subject: Duke Nukem Forever. The uber-delayed project, in development since 1997 (remember 1997? Titanic won an Oscar) has been given some incentive to complete and release the game by December 31, 2006 -- $500,000 worth of incentive. While it may not seem like much (most commercial video games have multimillion dollar budgets), 3D Realms is currently being offered $4.25 million from Take-Two for the title's eventual release, down from the $6 million promised in their original -- apparently lapsed -- deal. See update 3 for the skinny on this mess.

Does this mean we'll see Duke before 2007? Doubtful, but we could be wrong ...

[update 1: where there was confusion, there is now clarity]

[update 2: silly Gamespot, the actual SEC filing says dollar amounts are listed in thousands, so their figure of $4,250 is off by a factor of, you guessed it, one thousand. With the $500,000 promissory, that means 3D Realms can still collect nearly 80% of their original contract ... if they manage to finish this thing. Thanks, nonpareil.)

[update 3: newish games blog Metafuture has gotten to the bottom of this little mess. It wasn't just the figure that we had wrong, it was the payee as well. Indeed, Gamasutra reported on this over two months ago writing:

"One other notable payment was the renegotiation of a $6 million charge due [to former publisher GT Interactive, now owned by Atari] upon delivery of the final PC version of Duke Nukem Forever back in March 2005. The epic delay of 3D Realms' shooter has meant that $4.25 million of the final milestone payment has already been paid, alongside the promise of a final $500,000 upon the commercial release of Duke Nukem Forever prior to December 31, 2006."

So the $4.25 million has already been paid to Atari and the $500,000 is being offered to Atari and not 3D Realms. Got it? I think we do now. Apologies for the confusion.]

Joystiq$500,000 offered to finish Duke Nukem Forever this year [update 3] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Jun 2006 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3D Realms3dRealmsDNFDuke Nukem ForeverDukeNukemForevervaporwareSat, 10 Jun 2006 15:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinium founder charged with using "impending Phantom launch" to inflate and sell stock]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/18/infinium-founder-charged-with-using-impending-phantom-launch-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/18/infinium-founder-charged-with-using-impending-phantom-launch-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/18/infinium-founder-charged-with-using-impending-phantom-launch-t/#commentsFiled under:

Timothy Roberts, the founder and former CEO of Infinium Labs, the company that promised us the Phantom (which came in at second on Wired's list of vaporware products of '06), has been accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission of artificially inflating stock and selling it on at a $422,500 profit. The SEC alleges that Roberts hired a promoter to send junk faxes to investors citing the Phantom's imminent launch, when in fact the console had postponed the launch due to insufficient funds.

According to the SEC, Roberts then sold 1.3 million shares from the company -- without any disclosure -- and secretly paid the promoter he had hired. These two actions, unfortunately for Roberts, are against the law: the SEC has asked a court to force Roberts to surrender the cash, pay a penalty and to prohibit him from ever becoming a CEO again.

Meanwhile, the company -- sans Roberts -- has blown through $63 million without producing the Phantom and has lost another CEO yet still claims to be relevant and capable of launching The Phantom along with a useless lap-based keyboard accessory. Someone put the company out of its misery. Pretty please?

[Thanks, Neal]

JoystiqInfinium founder charged with using "impending Phantom launch" to inflate and sell stock originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 May 2006 06:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CEOCNN MoneyCnnMoneyCorruptionGame companiesGameCompaniesInfiniumPhantomSharesSleazeStockThe PhantomThePhantomVaporwareVapourwareThu, 18 May 2006 06:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Duke Nukem for never!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/13/duke-nukem-for-never/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/13/duke-nukem-for-never/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/13/duke-nukem-for-never/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you're anything like us, you're at least five years past caring about what 3D Realms has to say regarding its Duke Nukem Forever project. Even 3D Realms' George Broussard knows this: in the company's latest statement on the subject of the definition of vaporware, George says that "the problem is that when we show it, people are going to be like, 'Yeah, whatever'." George can hardly blame "people" for not caring about a game that's been in development for nearly ten years, but at least he's being realistic about the situation.

At the moment the game's publisher, Take Two, seems to be the only group at all interested in the game. The company has paid out a total of US$4.25 million in the hope that they may see some sort of return. Good luck to them (and their dwindling stock) we say!

JoystiqDuke Nukem for never! originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Apr 2006 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dRealmsDNFDukeNukemFPSPCvaporwareThu, 13 Apr 2006 19:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Duke Nukem Forever "in full production"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/01/duke-nukem-forever-in-full-production/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/01/duke-nukem-forever-in-full-production/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/01/duke-nukem-forever-in-full-production/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Yes, folks, it's still alive and kicking - everyone's favorite vaporware is "in full production" according to George Broussard, co-founder of 3D Realms. In an interview with 1up, towards the end, Broussard chats about the status of Duke Nukem Forever, the unfortunately-apt title to the game over a decade in development. Hail to the King, baby!

According to Broussard, "there's a lot that's finished. All the guns are finished. Most of the creatures are finished...we're just basically pulling it all together and trying to make it fun."

So, there you have it, an actual status update on Duke Nukem Forever. If they get their act together, 2006 may be the year pigs fly - then again, we predicted that Duke Nukem Forever still would not come out in 2006, and whose to argue with us?

[via Voodoo Extreme; image taken from the 2001 trailer]

JoystiqDuke Nukem Forever "in full production" originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Feb 2006 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3D Realms3dRealmsDNFDuke Nukem ForeverDukeNukemForeverPCVaporwareWed, 01 Feb 2006 16:30:00 EST