3D Realms to crowdfund their next game, Earth No More

Posted on September 26, 2012 by John Scalzo

The European-based, game-centric crowdfunding site Gambitious launched yesterday and the platform is already making waves. Gambitious has already attracted projects from Gl33k, Red Fly Studio, and Mutant Games, but the site will also raise money for Earth No More, the next game from 3D Realms.

The Duke Nukem 3D developer is hard at work on the game with a “mystery developer” in a co-development deal similar to the ones that produced Max Payne and Prey. Earth No More will be a first person shooter that will take more than a little inspiration from the “red weed” from The War of the Worlds:

Mankind’s relentless destruction of Earth awakens a biological response from deep within the planet’s crust that threatens an environmental apocalypse.

Gamers will get a chance to fund Earth No More (if they live in Europe, that is) as soon as the project goes live on Gambitious.

[Source: Eurogamer]

Posted in News, PC |

Nintendo confirms Wii U launch day lineup

Posted on September 26, 2012 by John Scalzo

Nintendo released a tentative launch window lineup after their Wii U media event on September 13. Today, the consolemaker has published the official launch lineup, which includes 23 titles available on launch day.

Assassin’s Creed III, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition, ZombieU, and a whole slew of other games will be available on November 18. At least nine more titles (including Madden NFL 13) will make their way to stores (or the Wii U eShop) before the month is over.

An additional 20 games have been tagged as “launch window” titles, meaning they’ll be available sometime before March 31, 2013.

Three games which were listed on the tentative list are no longer considered launch window titles: Zumba Fitness Core, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, and (brace yourself) Bayonetta 2. Presumably, they’ll be available in mid-2013 or later.

Hit the jump for the Wii U’s official and complete launch lineup.

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Posted in News, Wii U | Tagged

PSN Today: Grand Theft Auto III, Tokyo Jungle, Dead or Alive 5, Hell Yeah, more

Posted on September 25, 2012 by John Scalzo

Even if there were replacement referees judging a contest between the PlayStation Store, the Xbox Live Marketplace, and the Wii Shop, Sony would come out way ahead. And they proved why again today by dumping a massive quantity of quality games onto the PlayStation Store. All told, 17 new games are now available on the download service, and here’s a few highlights, starting with one of the greatest games of all time:

  • After a slight delay, Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto III joins the store as part of the PS2 Classics line.
  • FIFA Soccer 13 corner kicks its way onto the store in three different versions (PS3, PSP, and Vita).
  • It’s the end of the world as we know it, but the animals found in the Tokyo Jungle (PSN) are cool with that.
  • The futuristic Starhawk (PS3) is now available to download in both a full version and a special multiplayer only edition.
  • EA’s underappreciated classic, Mirror’s Edge (PS3), is also available to download.
  • A pair of fighting games, Marvel vs. Capcom: Origins (PSN) and Dead or Alive 5 (PS3) will battle it out for your affections.
  • The absolutely insane Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit would make a hell of a download.
  • And LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is now available to download, wait for it, on the PS Vita.

You can find even more new releases after the break along with a ton of new game add-ons at the PlayStation Blog.

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Posted in News, PS3, PSP, Vita | Tagged , , , , , , ,

Assassin’s Creed team moving on to new projects, including more Assassin’s Creed

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Andrew Rainnie

With the game nearing release, it appears the huge development team behind Assassin’s Creed III is moving onto other projects, or, in the case of Creative Director Alex Hutchinson, hoping for a holiday. Although he does admit that the world of the Assassins and Templars could soon tease him back:

“The franchise can go in many different directions and it’ll be much healthier for it. As for the team, they will now disperse through the company, taking on different roles on future projects. Some people are moving to different stuff in the universe. Some people are doing other stuff at Ubisoft. The amount of people and the type of people you need to start are the different than the people you need at an end of a project.

I’d love to do more Assassin’s Creed stuff, [but] not if it started Monday! But I always say that, then you go away for two weeks, and then someone says I have this idea, and you’re like that’s really cool, let’s give it a shot.”

So there you have it, more Assassin’s Creed is definitely coming along with other stuff, which is possibly Tom Clancy or Rayman-related since we’re talking about Ubisoft. Hutchinson has been with the series since the beginning and The Verge also gave him a chance to reflect on his baby:

“When you lay [the development process] out linearly you realize it’s huge. We might have made a monster. I think it’s fun as well. It’s kind of a nervous excitement. There’s still a bunch of stuff in there people don’t know about, which is fun. The idea that games can still have surprise left in them, that games can still have sense of wonder and discovery, I find really attractive.”

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Wii U confirmed to be region locked

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Andrew Rainnie

After their excellent Wii U media event earlier this month, with price details released alongside reveals for unannounced games such as Bayonetta 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Nintendo has potentially made a massive misstep with the confirmation that the Wii U will be region locked.

While it is hardly a surprise, every one of Nintendo’s previous home consoles has been region locked, it is disappointing given the public outcry by western gamers for titles only released in Japan. Of course, we all remember how that turned out for Wii owners. The system’s region lock, and Nintendo’s subsequent refusal to release certain games in the west, led to the successful Operation Rainfall campaigns for titles such as Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and (hopefully) Pandora’s Tower.

[Source: CVG]

Posted in News, Wii U |

Game-centric crowdfunding site Gambitious launches

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Andrew Rainnie

In a relatively short space of time, Kickstarter has proven to be a great tool for indie game developers seeking crowdfunding to pay for their latest masterpieces. However, if it has one flaw in this regard, it is that it is a general fundraising site; it allows all creative projects to seek funding, and therefore its rules are broad and general.

Gambitious, which launched today, has set out to become the definite crowdfunding site for gamers. As CEO Paul Hanraets explains, it was created with developers and gamers specifically in mind.

“Crowdfunding is causing a great seismic shift in how projects get funded, however, there are risks of crash-and-burn due to unfulfilled projects and unfinished games. Unlike other crowdfunding platforms, Gambitious is designed specifically for the video game industry and ups the ante of developer credibility, investor engagement and development cycle understanding.”

So how does it differ from the king of crowdfunding that is Kickstarter? The minds behind Gambitious have taken the approach that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, so many of the features will be familiar to users of other crowdfunding platforms. For example, the project must secure 100% funding in order to obtain the money, and Gambitious takes the same 5% cut as Kickstarter. However, the differences, while subtle, are what potentially make it best for game design.

Gambitious has designed their site in a similar manner to the popular TV show Shark Tank, in that developers can sell equity shares in their company or creative entity in exchange for the funds. While Kickstarter stays away from business launches, this added option could give Gambitious the edge as it will allow developers to find financial partners not only for their current project but possibly future titles as well. The equity-based crowd investing is only currently available to members of the European Union, although Gambitious hope to allow Americans to participate sometime in 2013.

Posted in News |

Day 1 Digital PSN promotion announced by Sony

Posted on September 25, 2012 by John Scalzo

Sony is proud to announce that eight PS3 games will be added to the PlayStation Store in October day-and-date with their retail launch. Most of the games will also be available for pre-order, and PlayStation Plus subscribers who buy early will receive at least a 10% discount on those select titles.

The full Day 1 Digital lineup includes:

October 2
Resident Evil 6 ($59.99)
NBA 2K13 ($59.99/$53.99 for PS Plus members with pre-order)

October 9
Dishonored ($59.99/$53.99 for PS Plus members with pre-order)

October 16
Doom 3: BFG Edition ($39.99/$35.99 for PS Plus members with pre-order)
007 Legends ($59.99)

October 23
Medal of Honor: Warfighter ($59.99)

October 30
Assassin’s Creed III ($59.99)
Need For Speed: Most Wanted ($59.99/$53.99 for PS Plus members with pre-order)

Posted in News, PS3 | Tagged , , , , , , ,

Daily Scoop: September 25, 2012 – Video Game Gold Box Event!

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Nicole Kline

The fall is really here. I mean really! I was freezing all day yesterday. Not that it’s difficult for me to be cold, but seriously! It was chilly. These aren’t complaints, by the way – I love autumn weather! I just want it to last a little while. I do love my Tokidoki winter coat, but I also love jackets, and sitting outside drinking hot chocolate, and that time just before you have to start wearing gloves. Also being able to have my windows open, and fireplaces. But most of all, I love it when you wake up on a nice crisp Sunday morning, early enough to make pancakes and pop in a great video game and play it for a few hours. I can’t drink coffee anymore, but I’m tempted to run my coffee machine just so my apartment smells like coffee. Coffee and Borderlands 2. Delicious.

Amazon is having one of their all-day Video Game Gold Box Events today! The main deal is Madden NFL 13 for $39.99. The hourly deals are:

  • 6AM PDT/9AM EDT: “Hold on to your controller and don’t get a black eye.” It’s the Black Eyed Peas Experience for $9.99!
  • 8AM PDT/11AM EDT: “Trick or Treat. Get this ghostly game a month before Halloween.” This one’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier for $30.99
  • 10AM PDT/1PM EDT: “Explore the streets on Hong Kong in this open world action game.” Sleeping Dogs for $34.99
  • 1PM PDT/4PM EDT: “Feel like you’re right in the game with each action you take using this PS3 accessory.” Could be the PlayStation Move Controller?
  • 4PM PDT/7PM EDT: “Advanced Bluetooth gaming headset for Playstation 3” Well, not much guesswork on that one!
  • 5PM PDT/8PM EDT: “LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes” They’re not even trying to make us guess now!
  • 8PM PDT/11PM EDT: “Immerse yourself in dynamic surround sound while enjoying crystal-clear communication on the PlayStation Network” hmm. Sony speakers?

And now, the t-shirts!

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Posted in Daily Scoop, Etcetera, News |