Square Enix planning studio that’ll specialize in PS4/Wii 2/Xbox 720 games

Posted on March 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

Square Enix plans to open a new studio in Montreal, Vancouver or Toronto next year and hire 100 new developers to work at it. So what, you say, new studios open all the time. Especially in Canada, which is quickly turning into the leading location for video game development.

Well, what if I told you that this studio would be responsible for creating games for the (currently unannounced) PlayStation 4, Wii 2 and Xbox 720. I’ll wait while your brain processes the change from “So what?” to “Whoa!”

The news comes from a report on GamesIndustry.biz, which cites an article in the Canadian newspaper La Presse. Stephane D’Astous, the director of Eidos Montreal, will make the final decision on where the studio will be located. But he’s not shying away from the fact that this studio is being built from the ground up to create next generation games.

“The new consoles from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo will require more attention and more staff,” D’Astous said. “We want to prepare ourselves.”

Maybe the next generation of consoles is closer than we think.

Posted in News, PS4, Wii U, Xbox One |

No surprises in first round of Madden NFL 12 cover voting

Posted on March 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

The first round of the Madden NFL 12 Cover Vote has ended with few surprises. The higher ranked seed won in every matchup except for #7 Ray Rice (who lost to #10 Peyton Hillis) and #8 Julius Peppers (who lost to #9 Adrian Peterson).

Voting for the second round has begun today at ESPN.com/maddenvote and with it comes a few very interesting matchups:

Aaron Rodgers (#1) vs Sam Bradford (#8)
Danny Woodhead (#4) vs Hakeem Nicks (#5)
Maurice Jones-Drew (#3) vs Jamaal Charles (#6)
Matt Ryan (#2) vs Peyton Hillis (#10)

Phillip Rivers (#1) vs Adrian Peterson (#9)
Drew Brees (#4) vs Mark Sanchez (#5)
Michael Vick (#3) vs Andre Johnson (#6)
Hines Ward (#2) vs Patrick Willis (#10)

Voting for round two continues through April 3rd.

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Daily Scoop: March 28, 2011 – 3DSmania!

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Nicole Kline

The 3DS came out yesterday – did you get yours? Ryan Littlefield and I are standing by the mailbox, trying to do anything but count the seconds until ours arrive. He ordered Rayman 3D, and I ordered Lego Star Wars III The Clone Wars 3D (try saying that 10 times fast). What did you get with your magical contraption?

Today’s Amazon Deal of the Day in video games is Nintendo’s Samurai Warriors 3 for the Wii. It’s just $34.99 today from $49.99. This hack-and-slasher boasts 35 playable characters, “many based on actual figures from Japanese history,” and five different modes: Story, Free, Murasame Castle (aka Haunted Castle Mode!), Historical, and Dojo. If this is a series you’re into, this is a good deal for you!

Just one t-shirt today, and it’s from Qwertee:

This is actually pretty cool, and I would consider getting it if I hadn’t already spent this month’s t-shirt quota on other daily shirts (which are bankrupting me). I also especially like this one because I was just talking about Orlando Jones the other day (remember that time he was in Evolution?) and how he used to be the 7-Up guy. “Make 7…Up Yours!” Oh man, good times.

Posted in Daily Scoop |

Crysis 2 Review: Not All It’s Cried Up to Be

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

“Can it run Crysis?” For years, this question was the hallmark of determining the mettle of a PC’s prospects as a gaming machine and the bar was so high that the Xbox 360 and even the PlayStation 3 were said to be incapable of running it. Looking to broaden their audience (and possibly clients who license game engines), Crytek unveiled the CryEngine 3, the escort that would bring Crysis to consoles. It’s actually been done; Crysis 2 runs and runs well, but despite its astounding emphasis on visuals, the game fails to stack up well against the FPS heavy hitters of today.

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Posted in PC, PS3, Reviews, Top Story, Xbox 360 | Tagged

F1 2011 races to stores in September; coming to 3DS, NGP

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Fans of the Formula 1 breed of motor sport can rest easy knowing that F1 2011 has narrowed its release date down to this September. Developed by Codemasters Birmingham, this comprehensive sim features every racer, team, and circuit from the 2011 Fia Formula One World Championship. The game is currently slated for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3, but Codemasters also confirmed the game is in development for the Nintendo 3DS and Sony’s Next Generation Portable (NGP/PSP2). These versions may be more than gimped ports, as each will “take advantage of the new platforms’ unique capabilities.” No official date for the handhelds has been confirmed.

You can get a chance to preview the game early by uploading a video on YouTube asking a question for the development team. Tubers submitting the best questions, as judged by the team, will be invited out to Birmingham in May to check out the game and be taped for a developer diary. Sounds like a pretty great opportunity.

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, Vita, Xbox 360 | Tagged

The Witcher: Versus available on iPhone

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Fans of the PC RPG series can now take their adventures with them on the go. This mobile installment comes courtesy of Chillingo, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts, known primarily for publishing Angry Birds and Cut the Rope. The game is described as a “dark and fierce” turn based battle RPG where players hoard weapons, skills, and abilities and take on powerful opponents in combat. Tight.

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Nintendo Download for 3/28/11

Posted on March 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

This week’s Nintendo Download is a bit thin as the consolemaker has no WiiWare or Virtual Console titles to add to the Wii Shop Channel.

However, this week will see the release of new demo versions of two previously available games: Dart Rage, a dart-throwing simulator; and Learning with the PooYoos: Episode 2, a “poetic brain-trainer” for the 3 to 5 set.

This week’s DSiWare releases include Simply Solitaire and Faceez: Monsters!. You can find out more about both of these titles after the break.

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Resident Evil Revelations demo included with RE Mercenaries 3D

Posted on March 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

With the 3DS now in stores, Capcom has some exciting news for the handheld’s new owners concerning the Resident Evil series. According to the publisher, when Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D ships to stores on July 6, it’ll include a demo of the second game in the series planned for the 3DS, Resident Evil Revelations.

“Set on board an ocean liner, the demo lets players take control of one of the full game’s characters, Jill Valentine, as she explores the ship’s dark interior, killing any mysterious creatures that emerge from the shadows.”

That’s all we know for now, but Capcom has promised to reveal more about Revelations at this year’s E3 expo, which will be head in Los Angeles from June 7 through the 9th.

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