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[Humble Bundle for Android includes mobile and home versions of Anomaly, World of Goo, more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/humble-bundle-for-android-includes-mobile-and-home-versions-of-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/humble-bundle-for-android-includes-mobile-and-home-versions-of-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/humble-bundle-for-android-includes-mobile-and-home-versions-of-a/#comments
No smartphone is safe from cheap indie games (unless it's a Blackberry). Just as the Steam mobile app goes out of beta, allowing unfortunate impulse purchases from iOS or Android devices, the Humble Indie Bundle has announced its first Android release, available now.

Under the same "pay whatever, support charity" pricing scheme as previous Humble Bundles, the Humble Bundle for Android offers Android versions of Anomaly: Warzone Earth, Osmos, and Edge, with a bonus copy of World of Goo available to anyone who exceeds the average payment.

All of these games are cross-platform, so you get them on your Android phone and Windows, OSX, and Linux. That's a pretty appealing deal for the price of however much you end up paying.

JoystiqHumble Bundle for Android includes mobile and home versions of Anomaly, World of Goo, more originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidanomaly-warzone-earthedgehumble-bundlehumble-indie-bundlemacmobileosmospcworld-of-gooTue, 31 Jan 2012 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo oozes onto a million devices through iOS and Mac App Stores]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/world-of-goo-oozes-onto-a-million-devices-through-ios-and-mac-ap/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/world-of-goo-oozes-onto-a-million-devices-through-ios-and-mac-ap/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/world-of-goo-oozes-onto-a-million-devices-through-ios-and-mac-ap/#comments
World of Goo developer 2D Boy has reached one million sales of its sticky puzzler across both Mac App Stores. In classic style for the indie developer, the duo are being highly transparent about where their sales came from. The breakdown:

"The Mac version has been out for a while and selling well," 2D Boy's Ron Carmel told us. That million only covers Mac iOS and OSX sales combined through their respective App Stores.

2D Boy also noted the free Android demo of Goo has been downloaded 450,000 times, and the full game has been purchased 70,000 times since its November launch.

JoystiqWorld of Goo oozes onto a million devices through iOS and Mac App Stores originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2D-Boyiosipadiphonemacmac-app-storemobilesalesWorld-of-GooTue, 10 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo gunks up Android]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/world-of-goo-gunks-up-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/world-of-goo-gunks-up-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/world-of-goo-gunks-up-android/#comments World of Goo is available now on the Android Market for $2.99, 40 percent off the puzzler's regular price until December 5. As IndieGames mentions, there are a lot of different types of Android devices, so it's best to test compatibility before purchase with the free demo.

For those who download the game and are having issues, 2D Boy is aware of hiccups and have posted some fixes on their site. World of Goo is also available for PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Wii, Linux and is currently in development for microwave ovens.

JoystiqWorld of Goo gunks up Android originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2D-BoyandroidmobileWorld-of-GooWed, 30 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo iOS, Mac on sale; 2D Boy celebrates 5th anniversary]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/world-of-goo-ios-mac-on-sale-2d-boy-celebrates-5th-anniversary/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/world-of-goo-ios-mac-on-sale-2d-boy-celebrates-5th-anniversary/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/world-of-goo-ios-mac-on-sale-2d-boy-celebrates-5th-anniversary/#comments Indie hit World of Goo is available now for $0.99 (regularly $4.99) on iOS and $1.99 (regularly $9.99) on the Mac App Store through the weekend. The guys of 2D Boy are calling this their "beauty sale," saying it's valid "for only the most attractive visitors."

We have a different theory.

2D Boy, founded by Ron Carmel and Kyle Gabler, was born on September 28, 2006, meaning the team is celebrating its fifth anniversary. So, they can call it a "beauty sale," which sounds way better than the "looking in the mirror, seeing wrinkles and a few extra pounds" sale.

JoystiqWorld of Goo iOS, Mac on sale; 2D Boy celebrates 5th anniversary originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadiphonemacmobileWorld-of-GooThu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo iPhone out this Thursday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/world-of-goo-iphone-out-this-thursday/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/world-of-goo-iphone-out-this-thursday/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/world-of-goo-iphone-out-this-thursday/#comments
The sticky, adorable World of Goo will be available for iPhone 3GS, 3rd gen iPod Touch and iPhone 4 this Thursday, April 14, for $1. After the first 24 hours, the game's price will expand to $2.99.

As previously mentioned, if you already own World of Goo HD ($4.99) for iPad, the title will receive a "universal app" update on Thursday. This will allow iPad owners to play the game on their iPhone or iPod touch without plopping down any extra goo-dough.

Developer 2D Boy also teases that a "strange new character" appears after the end of the game in the iOS version.

JoystiqWorld of Goo iPhone out this Thursday originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyiOSiPadiPhonemobileWorld-of-GooWorld-of-Goo-HDTue, 12 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo coming soon to iPhone, will be .99 for first day]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/world-of-goo-coming-soon-to-iphone-will-be-99-for-first-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/world-of-goo-coming-soon-to-iphone-will-be-99-for-first-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/world-of-goo-coming-soon-to-iphone-will-be-99-for-first-day/#comments Say you want to experience World of Goo with a multitouch interface, but you don't want to go wait in line at the Apple Store for an iPad. Is there a solution for your Goo problem? Not yet, but there's about to be -- well, provided you already have an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4.

2D Boy has submitted an iPhone version of World of Goo to Apple for approval, meaning it'll be available any day now. The regular price will be a dangerously impulse-buy-friendly 2.99 -- but it'll be just 99 cents for the first 24 hours.

And if you already have that iPad version, you already have the iPhone version, in a way. 2D Boy is making the iPad app universal, so it'll be freely playable on iPhone. If you have an iOS device, it's basically a foregone conclusion that you're about to own World of Goo.

JoystiqWorld of Goo coming soon to iPhone, will be .99 for first day originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyiphonemobileWorld-of-GooMon, 04 Apr 2011 09:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Wipe your tears away with World of Goo, on iPad for 99c today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/wipe-your-tears-away-with-world-of-goo-on-ipad-for-99c-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/wipe-your-tears-away-with-world-of-goo-on-ipad-for-99c-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/wipe-your-tears-away-with-world-of-goo-on-ipad-for-99c-today/#commentsWith World of Goo selling like spheroid, gelatinous hotcakes on iPad, developer 2D Boy has both cause to celebrate and enough extra cash to afford dropping the price a bit. And so it's celebrating the success by dropping the price to just 99 cents for today only.

Well, technically, 2D Boy is billing the one-day discount not as a celebration, but as a "Lonely Valentine sale" for "everyone else out there awaiting a cold and cheap Valentines Day." But that's way, way depressing, and we'd rather look at the news that one of the best games on the platform is really, really cheap without it making us sad. This should be a happy occasion.

JoystiqWipe your tears away with World of Goo, on iPad for 99c today originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyipadmobileworld-of-gooThu, 10 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo iPad sells 125K in first month]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/world-of-goo-ipad-sells-125k-in-first-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/world-of-goo-ipad-sells-125k-in-first-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/world-of-goo-ipad-sells-125k-in-first-month/#comments 2D Boy has posted a detailed look at the World of Goo launch on iPad. After only a month of availability on the App Store, the iPad version of World of Goo has moved an impressive 125,000 copies. With the price ranging form $5 to $10 in that time, that's a lot of scratch (and a whole lot of goo).

To put things in perspective, the 2D Boy site notes that the best 31-day sales period for the WiiWare version was 68,000 copies, while the best for the Steam version was 97K. The developer adds, "So far, the iPad version is by far the fastest selling version of the game, both in terms of number of units sold and in revenue generated."

Check out the 2D Boy site for an extensive analysis of the iPad launch -- with charts and graphs! -- and an inside look at the indie development scene.

JoystiqWorld of Goo iPad sells 125K in first month originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyiosipadsalesWorld-of-GooTue, 08 Feb 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Goo'd deal: Word of Goo for iPad is now half-price]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/15/good-deal-word-of-goo-for-ipad-is-now-half-price/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/15/good-deal-word-of-goo-for-ipad-is-now-half-price/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/15/good-deal-word-of-goo-for-ipad-is-now-half-price/#comments World of Goo, 2D Boy's sticky-stretchy indie puzzle platformer, has been available on iPad for a month, and to celebrate the occasion the game is now $4.99 for a limited time. At half off, it's an absolute steal for an outstanding game we included in our 2010 iOS buyer's guide.

JoystiqGoo'd deal: Word of Goo for iPad is now half-price originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyapp-storeappleiosipadmobilepuzzleWorld-of-GooSat, 15 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Humble Bundle 2 closes, earns over $1.8 million]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/27/humble-bundle-2-closes-earns-over-1-8-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/27/humble-bundle-2-closes-earns-over-1-8-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/27/humble-bundle-2-closes-earns-over-1-8-million/#comments The Humble Indie Bundle 2 -- which added last year's bundle during its promotion -- has raised over $1.8 million. The name-your-own-price, DRM-free set included indie darlings like Braid, Machinarium and Osmos, along with several others.

Purchasers could decide whether their years of saved pennies went to developers, the Electronic Frontier Foundation or the Child's Play Charity. They could also provide a "humble tip" for the bundle's organizers.

Humble Bundle organizers plan on releasing more detailed statistics later but, beyond the final sum, we know that there were 232,849 purchases, with an average payment for the 12-game bundle of $7.83. Windows operating systems made up a majority of the purchases, but Linux users offered up the most support with an average purchase of $13.76. If you're all good little boys and girls, the Humble Bundle might return next year with a new set of indie greats.

JoystiqHumble Bundle 2 closes, earns over $1.8 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 10:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Braidcharitychilds-playhumble-indie-bundle-2indielinuxmacMachinariumosmospcWorld-of-GooMon, 27 Dec 2010 10:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Humble Indie Bundle 2 now includes Humble Indie Bundle 1]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/humble-indie-bundle-2-now-includes-humble-indie-bundle-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/humble-indie-bundle-2-now-includes-humble-indie-bundle-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/humble-indie-bundle-2-now-includes-humble-indie-bundle-1/#commentsIt just became so much easier to compare last year's Humble Indie Bundle with this year's Humble Indie Bundle 2 in terms of value -- because as of today, Humble Indie Bundle 2 includes last year's Bundle. It's official: these developers have lost their damn minds (for charity).

If you've already bought Bundle 2, you're free to download Bundle 1, which has World of Goo, Aquaria, Gish, Lugaru HD, Penumbra Overture, and Samorost 2, all playable on PC, Mac, and Linux. If you haven't bought Bundle 2 yet, you're only eligible to get the bonus games if you spend more than the average payment of $7.34. You have through Christmas Day to pick up this year's offerings.

You can download these straight from the site, but you can also unlock them in Steam (by getting a keys from the HIB site), with a few caveats. The Steam keys are "a little glitchy," lacking access to Samorost 2 and lacking Mac versions of Gish and Aquaria. In addition, organizer Wolfire only has 150,000 keys to hand out, so if you already have the games on Steam, or you can deal with just downloading the games (DRM-free) and not having that Steam integration, perhaps you could leave the Steam key for someone else.

JoystiqHumble Indie Bundle 2 now includes Humble Indie Bundle 1 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aquariacharitygishhumble-indie-bundlehumble-indie-bundle-2indiemacpcpenumbra-overturesamorost-2world-of-gooWed, 22 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New games flood App Store before impending holiday release freeze]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/new-games-flood-app-store-before-impending-holiday-release-freez/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/new-games-flood-app-store-before-impending-holiday-release-freez/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/new-games-flood-app-store-before-impending-holiday-release-freez/#comments The App Store is in constant danger of new release bombardments, sure, but many companies adhere to a regular, weekly bombing run beginning each Wednesday, through the wee hours of the night (UTC), dropping their new iPhone and iPad games on Apple's marketplace while many of us are snoozing. Last night was no exception -- actually, scratch that. It was exceptional!

Pending the start of the "iTunes Connect Holiday Shutdown" next Thursday -- a six-day lockout period when developers will be unable to release or update apps, including games -- an army of companies, armed with their big holiday releases (for little iDevices), launched a massive attack on the App Store last night. What began as a few warning shots yesterday grew into a full-on assault, led by Gameloft's crisp clones, NOVA 2 and Shadow Guardian, and Square Enix's surprise (and apparently rushed) port of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light.

Even Sega couldn't resist launching a few more classics in Altered Beast and Sonic Spinball. And what's this ... Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3? Hey, if Street Fighter IV worked ...

Pursue our complete list of new release highlights after the break, and then make double-sure "Santa" knows you've been good enough for an iTunes gift card this year.

Continue reading New games flood App Store before impending holiday release freeze

JoystiqNew games flood App Store before impending holiday release freeze originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altered-beastapp-storearalon-sword-and-shadowaralon-sword-and-shadow-hdbattlefield-bad-company-2broken-sword-the-smoking-mirrorbroken-sword-the-smoking-mirror-remastereddoctor-whodungeon-defendersdungeon-defenders-first-waveeagame-of-lifegameloftgeared-2helsings-firehelsings-fire-hdhook-worldsiosipadiphoneitunes-connectlara-croft-and-the-guardian-of-lightmobilemonkey-island-talesmonkey-island-tales-1-hdnova-2pixn-love-rushpixn-love-rush-dxpocket-godpocket-god-journey-to-uranusreal-racing-2release-daterivenriven-the-sequel-to-mystscrabbleshadow-guardiansonic-spinballspace-minerspace-miner-hdtron-legacyultimate-mortal-kombat-3world-of-gooyoot-towerzombiesmashzombiesmash-hdThu, 16 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo oozes onto iPad Dec. 16]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/08/world-of-goo-oozes-onto-ipad-dec-16/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/08/world-of-goo-oozes-onto-ipad-dec-16/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/08/world-of-goo-oozes-onto-ipad-dec-16/#comments People spend money on all sorts of protectors and cases designed to keep goo off of their shiny iPads. Next Thursday, December 16, they'll be paying to put goo on them. Ironic much?

Continue reading World of Goo oozes onto iPad Dec. 16

JoystiqWorld of Goo oozes onto iPad Dec. 16 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2D-Boyapp-storeipadmobilerelease-dateWorld-of-GooWed, 08 Dec 2010 21:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam offering Machinarium, Torchlight and Indie pack for $5 each]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/steam-offering-machinarium-torchlight-and-indie-pack-for-5-eac/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/steam-offering-machinarium-torchlight-and-indie-pack-for-5-eac/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/steam-offering-machinarium-torchlight-and-indie-pack-for-5-eac/#comments Steam's "Give and Get" sale continues today, with yesterday's tempting one-day discounts giving way to an even better batch. You'll be able to buy the gorgeous Machinarium or Runic's dungeon jaunt, Torchlight, for $5 each. And if you're smart, you'll consider spending that same amount on the "Indie Clever Pack," which comprises World of Goo, VVVVVV, Eufloria, Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time and Iron Grip: Warlord.

At the time of publishing (3PM EST), you have 22 hours left on the following options:
  • Machinarium -- $5
  • Torchlight -- $5
  • Indie Clever Pack -- $4.99
  • Blur -- $14.99
  • Tropico 3: Gold Edition -- $7.50
  • Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box -- $14.99
  • Empire: Total War -- $14.99
  • Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 Gold Edition -- $13.60
  • ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead -- $19.99
Steam's gift packs for today include a Portal six-pack for $14.99 and ten copies of Irrational's Freedom Force for a patently silly $7.49.

JoystiqSteam offering Machinarium, Torchlight and Indie pack for $5 each originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-friday-2010blurmacMachinariumpcsteamtorchlightvvvvvvworld-of-gooFri, 26 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo iPad (WogPad) out 'as soon as we get approved by Apple']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/world-of-goo-ipad-wogpad-out-as-soon-as-we-get-approved-by-ap/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/world-of-goo-ipad-wogpad-out-as-soon-as-we-get-approved-by-ap/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/world-of-goo-ipad-wogpad-out-as-soon-as-we-get-approved-by-ap/#comments 2D Boy wants you to know that its sticky puzzle game, World of Goo, is almost available on the iPad. Furthermore, the developer says it's perfectly acceptable for you to start referring to your iPad as the "WogPad," per the forthcoming release, even though the game is still pending Apple's App Store approval process.

For now, 2D Boy answered some burning questions from fans, explaining what's going on with iPhone/iPod Touch versions. "There's a lot of iGoo to pour in, and we don't want to release something if it doesn't run absolutely buttery smooth." They also detailed the iPad version's multiplayer, which "you can play two handed, with friends, an animal, anything up to eleven fleshy things touching the screen", and confirmed that, yes, you can totally wear a Goo Ball on your head while playing the forthcoming game.

Oh, right, and 2D Boy also says that a sequel to World of Goo would be "something we would enjoy working on," but it would have to "feel like a perfect and appropriate continuation of the first game." Whether it would be made for the WogPad or not, we can't say.

JoystiqWorld of Goo iPad (WogPad) out 'as soon as we get approved by Apple' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boy2dboyapp-storeipadmobileq4-2010release-datewogpadWorld-of-GooMon, 22 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[OnLive now working over Wi-Fi, announces 'Indie Fest']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/onlive-now-working-over-wi-fi-announces-indie-fest/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/onlive-now-working-over-wi-fi-announces-indie-fest/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/onlive-now-working-over-wi-fi-announces-indie-fest/#commentsFiled under: , ,

OnLive has begun rolling out support for Wi-Fi connections to its cloud gaming service. So sure is the company that it can offer lag free streaming of game content that it is bringing Wi-Fi support to subscribers before it planned to. Support is still in beta, but most OnLive members are supposed to see the fuctionality available sometime this month. OnLive users with questions can get answers from this FAQ.

Additionally, the company has announced an initiative to support indie games on the service, offering its developer tools and SDK to independent game companies to sell their titles to subscribers. This coming weekend, OnLive is holding an "Indie Fest," offering discounts of up to 75% on great indie games like World of Goo, Trine, and AaaaaAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! We would like to know how offering indie games for cheap means you're supporting the developers, but it's cool -- we don't understand how the whole streaming things works so well either.

JoystiqOnLive now working over Wi-Fi, announces 'Indie Fest' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-a-reckless-disregard-for-gravitycloudgamesgamingindieindie-gamingnetworkonlivepcservicesubscriptiontrinewi-fiworld-of-gooWed, 15 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[OnLive: The first few weeks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/onlive-the-first-few-weeks/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/onlive-the-first-few-weeks/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/onlive-the-first-few-weeks/#comments Much like reviewing an MMO, I didn't really feel comfortable "reviewing" OnLive and I don't know that I ever will. I can (and will) make a handful of declarative statements about my feelings on the service as it stands right now, but, like an MMO, sweeping changes could occur tomorrow that obliviate all previous statements. That said, as of right now, OnLive works.

In my experience with the service -- on both coasts and three major US cities -- it was quick, responsive, and relatively free of bugs (though I did encounter a couple). And demos are available for almost every game, so I put at least a bit of time in with nearly every title currently playable. Dirt 2 with DirectX 11 running on my 10-month-old (Apple!) laptop? Speeds along without a hitch. Unreal Tournament 3? No issues (well, other than not finding anyone to play against outside of bots). I was also able to hook up a wired Xbox 360 controller without any additional installation and it worked flawlessly -- the Xbox guide button even brought up the OnLive guide and auto-paused games (madness!). And though I probably wouldn't suggest OnLIve for hardcore, twitch gamers -- and neither would the company itself -- I would absolutely recommend it to everyone else.

Gallery: GDC 09: OnLive debut

Continue reading OnLive: The first few weeks

JoystiqOnLive: The first few weeks originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-a-reckless-disregard-for-gravityassassins-creed-2dirt-2macmobileOnLivepcunreal-tournament-3world-of-gooTue, 13 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One-quarter of Humble Indie Bundle downloads were pirated]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/10/one-quarter-of-humble-indie-bundle-downloads-were-pirated/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/10/one-quarter-of-humble-indie-bundle-downloads-were-pirated/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/10/one-quarter-of-humble-indie-bundle-downloads-were-pirated/#comments Perhaps you've heard of (or purchased!) the Humble Indie Bundle -- a set of five DRM-free indie games, which you can choose your own price for, the entirety of which goes to two completely deserving charities. Despite the bundle's altruism and affordability, Wolfire Games reports that over one quarter of the total downloads of the package were pirated. You read that right -- a grip of people have stolen the choose-your-own-price indie-bundle-for-charity. Talk about sticking it to The Man.

This fraction of creeps shouldn't cheapen the fact that the bundle's already brought in $716,944 for the five games, as well as the Child's Play and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, but it's still pretty disheartening. If you'll excuse us, we need to go watch Happy-Go-Lucky or perhaps a few episodes of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition until we regain our faith in humanity.

[Via Ars Technica]

JoystiqOne-quarter of Humble Indie Bundle downloads were pirated originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 May 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aquariacharitychilds-playelectronic-frontier-foundationgishhumble-indie-bundleindielugaruPenumbra-Overturepiracyworld-of-gooMon, 10 May 2010 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Humble Indie Bundle: Pay what you want for World of Goo and four others]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/humble-indie-bundle-pay-what-you-want-for-world-of-goo-and-four/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/humble-indie-bundle-pay-what-you-want-for-world-of-goo-and-four/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/humble-indie-bundle-pay-what-you-want-for-world-of-goo-and-four/#comments You've commented on Joystiq posts about oppressive DRM many times before. You dutifully wear your Target-purchased indie game t-shirt every week without fail. And you read every Joystiq Indie Pitch we post. But if you want to put some money towards supporting indie games, you won't find a better way to do it than this. Wolfire Games and a few other indie developers have put together the "Humble Indie Bundle" sale, offering five terrific award-winning indie games (World of Goo, Aquaria, Gish, Lugaru and Penumbra Overture) for the low, low price of ... whatever you want.

That's right -- they're asking you to pay what you feel is right for these bundled, non-DRM, developer-owned Mac, Linux or PC games. And that's not all: You can even specify part or all of your donation to go to a charity, either Child's Play or the Electronic Frontier Foundation. That's about as selfless as it gets in gaming -- pay what you think it's worth, to charity or the people who made it.

The average donation so far is about $8.00, but individuals have donated as much as $500 to the effort. You get lots of chances to say you support indie gaming, but fewer great chances like this to put your money where your mouth is. And walking away with five great indie titles to play doesn't hurt, either.

JoystiqHumble Indie Bundle: Pay what you want for World of Goo and four others originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 May 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2D-Boyaquariabit-blotbundlecharitychilds-playcryptic-seadrmeffelectronic-frontier-foundationFrictional-Gamesgishhumble-indie-bundleindie-developersindie-gameslinuxlugarupenumbra-overturewolfire-gamesworld-of-gooTue, 04 May 2010 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Ron Carmel sucks goo in WarioWare D.I.Y.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/this-week-on-the-nintendo-channel-ron-carmel-sucks-goo-in-wario/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/this-week-on-the-nintendo-channel-ron-carmel-sucks-goo-in-wario/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/this-week-on-the-nintendo-channel-ron-carmel-sucks-goo-in-wario/#comments This week's Nintendo Channel update features one half of 2D Boy, the indie developer responsible for the very fun World of Goo. Using WarioWare D.I.Y., he makes a neat goo-inspired mini-game. The difference between his video and Sakurai's and Sakamoto's is that Carmel makes it look way easier. Good job, Ron!

Head past the break for the full list of this week's content.

Continue reading This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Ron Carmel sucks goo in WarioWare D.I.Y.

JoystiqThis Week on the Nintendo Channel: Ron Carmel sucks goo in WarioWare D.I.Y. originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boydemodemosron-carmelwarioware-diyworld-of-gooMon, 05 Apr 2010 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Mac games on sale at Direct2Drive until March 11]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/mac-games-on-sale-at-direct2drive-until-march-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/mac-games-on-sale-at-direct2drive-until-march-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/mac-games-on-sale-at-direct2drive-until-march-11/#comments Wow, Macs as a gaming platform is totally en vogue this week. First, we've got Valve teasing something Apple related. Now, Direct2Drive is holding a sale on all its Mac games ... you know, all five of them. Kidding, there's way more than five. Some big ones in there too, like Dragon Age: Origins, offered at 50 percent off ($33). Other highlights include:
  • Sims 3 - $25
  • Prince of Persia (the latest one) - $25
  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - $15
  • World of Goo - $10
The sale lasts one week, until March 11, 2010, at 10AM Pacific. Looks like Direct2Drive wants to get one good sales push in before Steam allegedly comes to Mac.

JoystiqMac games on sale at Direct2Drive until March 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>command-and-conquer-red-alert-3direct-2-drivedirect2drivedragon-age-originsprince-of-persia-moviesalethe-sims-3-world-adventuresworld-of-gooFri, 05 Mar 2010 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Games for Windows Live adding Games on Demand beginning Dec. 15]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/games-for-windows-live-adding-games-on-demand-beginning-dec-15/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/games-for-windows-live-adding-games-on-demand-beginning-dec-15/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/games-for-windows-live-adding-games-on-demand-beginning-dec-15/#comments Games on Demand, a.k.a. full game downloads, is one of the more recent additions to Xbox Live -- and today Microsoft has announced that it's bringing the service to its Games For Windows Live platform beginning December 15. GFWL creative director Chuck Osieja calls the initiative "Microsoft's return to delivering Windows games built on unique LIVE experiences." The service has a rocky history of sporadic supported releases and last summer ditched its subscription fees in the face of competition from the likes of Steam.

The move puts Microsoft up against Valve's digi-distribution service, which similarly offers community features and its own Achievements system, but boasts a much larger catalog at present. The GFWL Games on Demand initial lineup will include Resident Evil 5, Red Faction: Guerrilla and Battlestations Pacific along with new GFWL-enabled versions of 2D Boy's excellent World of Goo and Hemisphere Games' Osmos -- all titles currently offered by Steam, with some available via Stardock's Impulse service. Microsoft hasn't divulged pricing for titles offered via GFWL Games on Demand.

A reworked version of the former Windows Vista Ultimate Extra Tinker will be made available free to GFWL users when the Games on Demand service launches a week from next Tuesday.

JoystiqGames for Windows Live adding Games on Demand beginning Dec. 15 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlestations-pacificdigital-distributiongames-for-windows-livegames-on-demandMicrosoftosmosRed-Faction-Guerrillaresident-evil-5tinkerWorld-of-GooThu, 03 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam Deals Day Four: Prince of Persia, Lucidity, Guild Wars marked down]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/steam-deals-day-four-prince-of-persia-lucidity-guild-wars-mar/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/steam-deals-day-four-prince-of-persia-lucidity-guild-wars-mar/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/steam-deals-day-four-prince-of-persia-lucidity-guild-wars-mar/#comments The next-to-last day of Steam's "Early Holiday Sale" brings with it an eclectic collection of discounted PC titles, including last year's Prince of Persia ($14.99), Battlefield 2 ($14.99), Lucidity ($2.49) and Guild Wars Trilogy ($24.99). Also, here's a link to a Black Friday sale for a 1TB internal HDD. If you've been following this Steam sale for the past few days, you're probably hurting for hard drive space right about now.

Make sure you free up some room before tomorrow -- at 8 a.m. PST, the last batch of 24-hour sales will be announced. Stay tuned!

JoystiqSteam Deals Day Four: Prince of Persia, Lucidity, Guild Wars marked down originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-2black-friday-2009dealearly-holiday-saleguild-warslucidityprince-of-persiasalessteamvalveworld-of-gooSun, 29 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NintendoWare Weekly: WiiWare demos, Pokemon Rumble, Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/nintendoware-weekly-wiiware-demos-pokemon-rumble-indiana-jone/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/nintendoware-weekly-wiiware-demos-pokemon-rumble-indiana-jone/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/nintendoware-weekly-wiiware-demos-pokemon-rumble-indiana-jone/#commentsThis week, we get our first taste of Nintendo's new WiiWare demos. Surprisingly, it didn't take Nintendo that long to flip the switch for North America, considering the company revealed the long-overdue feature -- and day-one annoyance -- only earlier this month. And on top of the free trial versions of select WiiWare titles (five total this week!), there are also two new Virtual Console titles to enjoy, as well as three new DSiWare games. Hit the break for the full list.

Continue reading NintendoWare Weekly: WiiWare demos, Pokemon Rumble, Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures

JoystiqNintendoWare Weekly: WiiWare demos, Pokemon Rumble, Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyaksys-gamesarcade-bowlingart-styleart-style-digidrivebit-trip-beatcapcomdemosdigidrivedsiwareffccffcc-my-life-as-a-darklordfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-crystal-chroniclesgaijin-gamesindiana-jonesindiana-jones-greatest-adventuresmy-life-as-a-darklordNintendonintendoware-weeklynyxquestover-the-topover-the-top-gamespokemon-rumblerobot-rescueskee-ballsnesstreet-fighterstreet-fighter-2street-fighter-iiteyonvirtual-consoleWiiwiiwarewiiware-demosworld-of-gooMon, 16 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A world of data from the World of Goo birthday sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/a-world-of-data-from-the-world-of-goo-birthday-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/a-world-of-data-from-the-world-of-goo-birthday-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/a-world-of-data-from-the-world-of-goo-birthday-sale/#commentsFollowing the completion of the World of Goo birthday sale, 2D Boy gathered up all the statistics it had from the "pay what you want" sale and connected them all into a big pile of interconnected info blobs. After the last stat update, when the developer revealed that many people were buying the game for one cent, something magical happened! The average price went up by a noticeable amount.

Linux users were, on average, more generous with their purchase prices (maybe they offset the money they don't spend on operating systems?), and Swiss buyers were the most "generous," according to a metric that compares average purchase price to a country's per-capita GDP. The most generous individual? One "Stuart", who handed over $150 for a copy of World of Goo!

Meanwhile, the average purchase price for the WiiWare version was $15 -- because the sale didn't apply to that version.

JoystiqA world of data from the World of Goo birthday sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boydownloadpuzzlesteamworld-of-gooMon, 26 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Devs show Steam love as Pitchford defends his criticism]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/developers-show-steam-love-as-pitchford-defends-his-criticism/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/developers-show-steam-love-as-pitchford-defends-his-criticism/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/developers-show-steam-love-as-pitchford-defends-his-criticism/#comments
Just under two weeks ago, Gearbox Software's Randy Pitchford let out his less than pleasant feelings regarding digital distribution platform Steam and its owner, Valve Software. Today, Ars Techinca posted a rundown of developers from World of Goo's 2D Boy to Sam & Max's Telltale Games who all feel ... the exact opposite of Pitchford. "If this is exploitation, more please," Audiosurf creator Dylan Fitterer said.

According to Telltale CTO Kevin Bruner, "Steam may be one the greatest things to happen recently ... we put Steam as one of the A-list distribution channels; up there with XBLA and WiiWare." The praise doesn't stop there -- Ars points out that it was unable to find even one developer who would "admit to feeling exploited" by Valve's business practices concerning Steam.

We reached out to Pitchford, who told us, "As a gamer, I love Valve ... as a customer, I love Steam." He clarified, "From an industry perspective, Steam would be even better off if it were a separate company ... trust issues that result from conflict of interest could be mitigated." To Pitchford, it's a question of appearances rather than actual impropriety. "It's just perception within segments of the publishing and development community that, I guess, no one is really talking about."

We've posted Pitchford's entire (and quite lengthy) response after the break. Hopefully we're not alone in hoping everyone will just hug it out.

Continue reading Devs show Steam love as Pitchford defends his criticism

JoystiqDevs show Steam love as Pitchford defends his criticism originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyars-technicaaudiosurfborderlandsdigital-distributiondylan-fitterergearboxgearbox-softwarekevin-brunerrandy-pitchfordsteamsteamworkstelltale-gamesvalvevalve-softwareworld-of-gooTue, 20 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo birthday sale deemed 'huge success']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/world-of-goo-birthday-sale-deemed-huge-success/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/world-of-goo-birthday-sale-deemed-huge-success/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/world-of-goo-birthday-sale-deemed-huge-success/#comments
2D Boy seems quite satisfied with the results of its "pay what you want" World of Goo experiment. In celebration of Goo's first birthday, developer 2D Boy allowed people to determine the game's price at checkout. The result: 57,000 sales at an average price of $2.03. Although a significant number took the game at one penny (really, people?!), the developer's graph of purchases reveals that almost as many bought the game for $1. There were also sales spikes at $5 and $10.

What's probably most interesting is that while this experiment was going on at 2D Boy's site, sales on Valve's digital distribution service, Steam, went up by 40 percent from the previous week, at $20 a pop. WiiWare sales increased by nine percent, but the devs aren't sure if that was just normal fluctuation.

2D Boy also put up a survey asking why customers decided on the amount they paid. The top answer, at 22.7 percent, was "That's All I can Afford Right Now." We seriously hope those weren't the penny payers, because that's just tragic (even in a recession). A close second, at 22.1 percent, were people who wanted to support the pay-what-you-want model.

JoystiqWorld of Goo birthday sale deemed 'huge success' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boysteamwiiwareworld-of-gooTue, 20 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Goo on sale for 'your' price; iPhone port coming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/13/world-of-goo-on-sale-for-your-price-iphone-port-coming/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/13/world-of-goo-on-sale-for-your-price-iphone-port-coming/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/13/world-of-goo-on-sale-for-your-price-iphone-port-coming/#comments
My my, how time flies. On this date one year ago, World of Goo entered our lives and, well ... it made everything all gooey. (The good, warm kinda gooey.) To celebrate the game's birthday, 2D Boy is offering the title for -- wait for it -- whatever price you want to pay.

Seriously, once you enter a price into the appropriate checkout field, you buy the game for that amount. We'd encourage you to cough up as much as you can spare though, because 2D Boy totally deserves your money. The sale ends Monday, October 19, so start digging under those couch cushions.

You may also want to set aside some loose change for the upcoming World of Goo iPhone port. 2D Boy has a build running on a 3GS right now and is working to get the game going on the vanilla 3G. We'll be sure to keep you posted on its progress.

JoystiqWorld of Goo on sale for 'your' price; iPhone port coming originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyAppledealdealsiPodsaleworld-of-gooTue, 13 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Direct2Drive continues $5 anniversary sale with discount indie games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/direct2drive-continues-5-anniversary-sale-with-discount-indie-g/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/direct2drive-continues-5-anniversary-sale-with-discount-indie-g/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/direct2drive-continues-5-anniversary-sale-with-discount-indie-g/#comments Direct2Drive has elected to show some love to the little guy this week. The digital distribution site continues its impossibly thrifty anniversary sale by offering a number of popular indie titles for just $5. If you've yet to dip your toes into the refreshing waters of World of Goo, The Path or Gish, Direct2Drive has the best deals on them (and a number of other indie games) that you're likely to see for a long, long time.

However, if you're craving a more mainstream offering, a bunch of discounted games from previous weeks -- including BioShock, Saints Row 2 and EVE Online -- have retained the $5-discount price. You could just as easily pick those up instead, you conformist, you.

JoystiqDirect2Drive continues $5 anniversary sale with discount indie games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dealsdigital-distributiondirect2drivegishindiesalethe-pathworld-of-gooMon, 28 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Labor Day 'Impulse' buy: Sins, Demigod and Dawn of Discovery on sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/03/labor-day-impulse-buy-sins-demigod-and-dawn-of-discovery-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/03/labor-day-impulse-buy-sins-demigod-and-dawn-of-discovery-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/03/labor-day-impulse-buy-sins-demigod-and-dawn-of-discovery-on/#comments
With what we're told is the weekend of Labor Day ahead of us, an Impulse sale is trying to do its best to keep us indoors on this last unofficial weekend of summer. The Impulse store currently has some great titles at deep discounts.

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

[Via Big Download]

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

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dawn-of-discoverydealsdemigodimpulsesalessins-of-a-solar-empirestardockworld-of-gooThu, 03 Sep 2009 09:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam offers 75% discount on indie games this weekend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/08/steam-offers-75-discount-on-indie-games-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/08/steam-offers-75-discount-on-indie-games-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/08/steam-offers-75-discount-on-indie-games-this-weekend/#comments Steam is offering the "who's who" of independent video games in an incredible sale you'd be silly to miss. For $30, you can get 10 indie games via the service:
There's a lower-budget $20 option as well, which only includes half the games above. Either way, you'll be feeding starving independent developers without having to break the bank. Oh, and most of these games are pretty fun, too. It's a win-win for everyone, so make sure you rush to Steam before the sale ends on Monday, August 10.

JoystiqSteam offers 75% discount on indie games this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiosurfblueberry-gardenbraidcrayon-physics-deluxedarwiniaEveryday-Shootergishmr-robotsalesteamthe-pathworld-of-gooSat, 08 Aug 2009 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[2D Boy's Gabler clarifies next project]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/2d-boys-gabler-clarifies-next-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/2d-boys-gabler-clarifies-next-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/2d-boys-gabler-clarifies-next-project/#comments
2D Boy's Kyle Gabler tells Joystiq that the current project he's working on with Henry Hatsworth creator Kyle Gray and World of Goo programmer Allan Blomquist is not the next game from 2D Boy. Following up on yesterday's confusing reports on the new game, Gabler told us that he and 2D Boy co-founder Ron Carmel don't want to prematurely announce their next project, which he believes will have huge expectations following the plaudits plopped on World of Goo.

Gabler explained the game he's working on with Gray and Blomquist isn't a 2D Boy or EA title, and he later sent us a link which goes into more detail on the Experimental Gameplay Project website. The game he's working on with the "EGP guys" will be high quality, though only a couple of hours long.

Joystiq2D Boy's Gabler clarifies next project originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boy2dboykyle-gablerNintendoWiiworld-of-gooWed, 22 Jul 2009 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[2D Boy's Gabler drops hints on upcoming WiiWare game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/20/2d-boys-gabler-drops-hints-on-upcoming-wiiware-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/20/2d-boys-gabler-drops-hints-on-upcoming-wiiware-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/20/2d-boys-gabler-drops-hints-on-upcoming-wiiware-game/#comments
2D Boy's Kyle Gabler, speaking with Nintendo Dpad, mentions he's currently working on a new WiiWare project with Henry Hatsworth creator Kyle Gray. Programming things along will be World of Goo code guy Allan Blomquist. Gabler states that the trio hasn't mentioned "anything about it to anyone," but drops the gooey detail that the new game is based on an experimental title from their past. Hmmm.

We're following up to find out if there's any further information on the title and whether Ron Carmel -- 2D Boy's other co-founder -- is also involved in the project. We'll update as soon as we receive more details.

Update: Gabler let us know this is not the next project from 2D Boy, but a separate thing he's working on.

[Via Go Nintendo]

Joystiq2D Boy's Gabler drops hints on upcoming WiiWare game originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boy2dboykyle-gablerworld-of-gooMon, 20 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[2010 Independent Games Festival accepting submissions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/09/2010-independent-games-festival-accepting-submissions/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/09/2010-independent-games-festival-accepting-submissions/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/09/2010-independent-games-festival-accepting-submissions/#comments
If you're ready to unleash your totally deviant, totally original and totally counter-cultural Tetris remake upon the world, your best chance to do so has arrived. The Independent Games Festival is now accepting entries into its Main and Student Showcase categories. You've got until November to get your submissions in, and finalists in the Main Competitions will be announced January 4.

If you're looking for reasons to enter your humble project, the festival's organizers have about 20,000 good ones, and by "ones" we mean dollars, by which we mean $20,000 is the grand prize for the competition. In addition, finalists will have their games exhibited on the GDC show floor, where they can be played, admired and possibly exalted by the gaming press -- a treatment received by titles such as World of Goo and Castle Crashers in the past. If your game is of that caliber, we highly suggest throwing your hat into the ring.

Joystiq2010 Independent Games Festival accepting submissions originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castle-crasherscompetitiongdcigfindependent-games-festivalindieworld-of-gooThu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The industry chimes in on the importance of reviews for Wii games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/18/the-industry-chimes-in-on-the-importance-of-reviews-for-wii-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/18/the-industry-chimes-in-on-the-importance-of-reviews-for-wii-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/18/the-industry-chimes-in-on-the-importance-of-reviews-for-wii-game/#commentsVarious industry figures have come out in support of Peter Moore's claims that review scores don't impact the success of Wii games. One developer told Eurogamer that how a Wii game does is contingent entirely upon marketing, calling Wii games "pure risk." "A lot of these games that you think are the perfect game for Wii don't sell because companies don't have the money to market them," the developer said. "Whereas Nintendo is spending gazillions of dollars marketing their games."

Michael Pachter suggested that review scores aren't important because many Wii owners don't read reviews. ""I think that Metacritic scores are irrelevant for people who don't look at them - how's that for obvious?" Pachter said. "While there are many Wii owners who are hardcore and who care very much about scores, there are many - perhaps half - who are quite casual, and wouldn't know Metacritic if it fell on them." He offered games like Carnival Games and Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum as examples of successful titles with little critical acclaim.

However, 2D Boy's Kyle Gabler offers an instance in which Metacritic scores and reviews do make a difference: indie games, like his own World of Goo, which happens to be the third highest-rated game on Wii. He compares mainstream games to Will Smith movies, which draw audiences without reviews.

"But for indie guys like us, Metacritic and review scores matter a lot," Gabler said. "In fact we link directly to them from our web site. So does Steam. It makes a lot of sense - potential players don't feel comfortable dishing out cash for some random unknown indie game without an aggregate thumbs-up from solid reviewers."

JoystiqThe industry chimes in on the importance of reviews for Wii games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boymetacriticmichael-pachterNintendopeter-moorereviewsWiiworld-of-gooThu, 18 Jun 2009 09:35:00 EST<![CDATA[PC game developers foretell the death of DRM]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/11/pc-game-developers-foretell-the-death-of-drm/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/11/pc-game-developers-foretell-the-death-of-drm/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/11/pc-game-developers-foretell-the-death-of-drm/#comments
If you were one of the many recruits in last year's war on restrictive, invasive DRM, you may want to check out a recent article on Gamasutra that features opinions on PC gaming piracy protection (that's a mouthful) from a number of gaming industry movers and shakers.

The general sentiment of these interviewees is that DRM is extremely ineffective when it comes to preventing piracy, and that developers should either come up with alternate ways of ensuring the retail product is more valuable than the pirated product, or determine a different way to make money altogether (such as micro-transactions). For interesting insight from fine folks like 2D Boy's Ron Carmel and Stardock's Brad Wardell, we highly suggest checking out the full article.
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JoystiqPC game developers foretell the death of DRM originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 May 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boydrmgoopiracypiratessecuromstardockworld-of-gooMon, 11 May 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WiiWare games appear on Amazon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/22/wiiware-games-appear-on-amazon/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/22/wiiware-games-appear-on-amazon/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/22/wiiware-games-appear-on-amazon/#comments
Hot on the heels of moving into the Xbox Live Arcade market, online retailer Amazon has started offering Wiiware games for purchase, as spotted by a savvy shopper on NeoGAF. The first one spotted in the wild is 2D Boy's puzzler World of Goo.

Though discounts were a big selling point for the XBLA portion of Amazon's e-storefront, this first offering is at the full $15 price tag. Here's hoping that's not the case for all Wii releases. This isn't how we want to buy our games, but we could definitely be lured in by the prospect of saving a few bucks.

Update: Just like with the XBLA codes, there are no plans to sell WiiWare codes through Amazon's UK branch, reports CasualGaming.biz.

JoystiqWiiWare games appear on Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyamazonNintendoWiiwiiwareworld-of-gooWed, 22 Apr 2009 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[VC/WiiWare Tuesday: Phantasy World of Goo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/21/vc-wiiware-tuesday-phantasy-world-of-goo/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/21/vc-wiiware-tuesday-phantasy-world-of-goo/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/21/vc-wiiware-tuesday-phantasy-world-of-goo/#commentsToday would be an incredible day on the Japanese Wii Shop even if World of Goo weren't debuting. In addition to one of the best games on Wii, the Virtual Console is updated with four high-quality titles. In fact, Phantasy Star alone would ensure that today was a winner. It's hard to imagine a better deal than Phantasy Star for just 600 Wii Points.

Other VC games available in Japan today include Castlevania 3 (awesome), the PC Engine version of the NES Ninja Gaiden (quite the curiosity!) and an arcade rail shooter from Namco Bandai. The other WiiWare game, and basically the only unknown property, is Hajitte! Block Rush, which looks like a radial Breakout in which the paddle is in the middle of the screen. We'd try that!

Virtual Console:
WiiWare:

JoystiqVC/WiiWare Tuesday: Phantasy World of Goo originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevania-iiihajitte-block-rushjapanninja-gaidenstarbladevctuesdaywiiwareworld-of-gooTue, 21 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2009: Being Indie and Successful in the Video Game Industry]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/sxsw-2009-being-indie-and-successful-in-the-video-game-industry/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/sxsw-2009-being-indie-and-successful-in-the-video-game-industry/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/sxsw-2009-being-indie-and-successful-in-the-video-game-industry/#comments
There's a wealth of indie-related gaming panels and goings on at SXSW this year, ranging from the previous "Games By The People, For The People" panel, the GameSalad folks, and the retro-cool Get Outta My Face arcade cabinet. Heck, there's even a company that wants to bring back Hypercard stack games. So we went back for more indie gaming panel goodness, just because we could.

This was a panel by the game developers this time, rather than the people who run the companies ... so what did we learn? A lot of the same from the previous panel. Sadly Jonathan Blow couldn't make it, and was replaced by the above inflatable doll with the Freddie Mercury mug. Although covering his absence nicely were panelists Kellee Santiago from thatgamecompany, John Baez of The Behemoth, Ron Carmel of 2D BOY, and Joel DeYoung from Hothead Games who moderated. Check out the highlights after the break.

Continue reading SXSW 2009: Being Indie and Successful in the Video Game Industry

JoystiqSXSW 2009: Being Indie and Successful in the Video Game Industry originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boyblueprintCastle-CrashersEAElectronic-ArtsHenry-HatsworthHothead-GamesJoel-DeyoungJohn-BaezKellee-SantiagoRon-CarmelSXSWsxsw-2009thatgamecompanyThe-BehemothWorld-of-GooTue, 17 Mar 2009 00:15:00 EST<![CDATA[2D Boy examines creating a World of Goo [Update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/09/2d-boy-examines-creating-a-world-of-goo/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/09/2d-boy-examines-creating-a-world-of-goo/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/09/2d-boy-examines-creating-a-world-of-goo/#comments
Independent game developer 2D Boy has begun to detail the early days of development for World of Goo. In a recent blog post (the first of seven), the team revealed its original version of what would eventually become the award-winning title. One week into development, 2D Boy had a basic idea of what to expect: A small game with simple physics and collision detection ... and which sported no music or animation at all.

If a screenshot (pictured above) of 2D Boy's creativity coming to fruition isn't enough, the developer has also made the original version of the game available to download -- for free. 2D Boy warns players that the 2006 version "feels like you're dragging balls inside a jar of honey" and has stability issues but it's a great extra for fans of the final product. Also, it guest stars Chairry ... so it captured our Pee-Wee's Playhouse loving hearts immediately.

Update: Part two of the feature, which includes a newer version of the 2006 build to download, is also available.

Joystiq2D Boy examines creating a World of Goo [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2d-boychairrydeveloper-blogNintendoWiiworld-of-gooMon, 09 Mar 2009 22:10:00 EST