GDC schedule finalized, explores NGP details and Gears of War success

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

The conference schedule for GDC is set, and attendees can start planning their day with the Schedule Builder online or from their mobile device. Newly confirmed is the Sony lecture “Next Generation Portable Platform,” where David Coombes will detail the variety of inputs and connectivity of the successor to the PSP and explain what they mean for developers.

Also confirmed is Executive Producer Rod Fergusson’s lecture on the Gears of War trilogy, titled “Scoping Success.” The talk will focus on how managing the game’s scope can overcome pitfalls such as “shipping dates, fierce competition or lack of marketing.” Hopefully he’ll be able to explain why his company failed to make Unreal Tournament III the smashing success their once-flagship franchise should have been.

GDC 2011 will take place from February 28 to March 4 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Stay tuned at Warp Zoned for all the announcements, talks, and juicy details.

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NASCAR The Game 2011 captures Daytona 500

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

“As a kid growing up, this is what you dream of, of being able to win the Daytona 500.” – Jamie McMurray

This quote from the defending champion sets off a new trailer for NASCAR 2011: The Game, giving a players an idea of what to expect when they partake in the most prestigious race in American motorsport. The video displays the Daytona 500 during different times of day and the intense action in cockpit view, which really seems to portray the sense of speed and danger the entrants experience. I’ve gotten into it a lot lately with Gran Turismo 5, but it looks like this might be the definitive simulation of the second most popular sport on television.

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Champions Online grows 1000% after going free, gives back special XP boost

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Atari and Cryptic took a bold, if not contemporary venture when they launched Champions Online: Free for All last month, nixing the required subscription for the ambitious MMO and moving to an a la carte model for premium content. It seems to have paid off immensely, as the game’s “online concurrent user, unique login and revenue totals” have increased by over 1000%. As a way of saying thank you, the developers have released an XP boost for all players which you can activate from the C-Store tab or here. CEO John Needham said “we’re extremely proud of what the Champions team has accomplished with the Free for All launch. It’s a pleasure to thank our fans and welcome new ones with this gift.”

It’s always interesting to see new pricing trends emerge in gaming, and certainly delightful when semi-altruistic endeavors like this pay off for the developers. If you haven’t checked out the game, now would be a better time than ever to do so.

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Ubisoft porting Dance on Broadway to PlayStation Move for PS3 on March 15

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

In the wave of Wii games being converted to PlayStation Move, Ubisoft has announced Dance on Broadway will be releasing for PlayStation 3 on March 15. The game contains 25 songs from over 20 legendary Broadway shows, both classic and modern, including “Time Warp” from Rocky Horror, “Ease on Down the Road” from the Wiz, and “Out Tonight” from Rent, which, while incredible, is not necessarily my idea of a family show. Players can get a quick pick up and play experience in Party Mode, or start their dramatic careers saving the Little Triumph Theatre in Become a Star Mode. Each player requires a PlayStation Move controller, while stars willing to take on a more complex routine can dance with two. Dance on Broadway will be available March 15 on PlayStation 3 for $39.99.

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WWE All-Stars roster rumbles onto the web

Posted on February 17, 2011 by John Scalzo

Well, half of it anyway.

IGN has managed to wrestle the full roster to the upcoming WWE All-Stars away from THQ and they plan on publishing it in two parts. Part one appeared today, revealing eight legends, seven present-day superstars and five fighters that’ll only be available as downloadable content. IGN also revealed that Larry “The King” Lawler and Jim Ross will be providing the color commentary.

Screenshots and video of each wrestler were also included, giving us our most in-depth look at WWE All-Stars yet.

So, let me ring the bell and reveal (after the break) the first 15 wrestlers in WWE All-Stars…

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Three new DLC packs souped-up for Need For: Speed Hot Pursuit

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

EA announced today that starting on February 22, a new DLC pack for Need for Speed Hot Pursuit will be released every week on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network in the following order: Armed and Dangerous, Lamborghini Untamed, and Porsche Unleashed (OMG THE PORSCHE UNLEASHED LOL). Armed and Dangerous includes two new multiplayer modes, while the latter two contain three new cars (playable as both cops and racers) from their respective manufacturers as well as ten new events. All packs contain four new trophies/achievements and will run you $6.99 or 560 Microsoft Points. Hit the jump for more details on the modes and cars.

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Tom Clancy, Pac-Man CE DX picked for future XBLM deals

Posted on February 17, 2011 by John Scalzo

Major Nelson has revealed a few Xbox Live Marketplace deals for the next two weeks and it looks like gamers will soon be able to purchase the best game of 2010 for 50% off.

But first, Tom Clancy Week will give XBL Gold members a chance to obtain the following add-ons for half off during the week of February 21st:

  • Tom Clancy’s EndWar – Escalation (200 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter – Chapter 2 (300 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 – Co-Op Collection (200 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. – Air Supremacy (400 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2 – All-in-one Pack (400 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory – Games on Demand (600 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction – Deniable Ops: Insurgency (400 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction – Outfit (200 Microsoft Points)

After that, during the week of February 28, XBL Gold members will be able to download Pac-Man Championship Edition DX for only 400 Microsoft Points (that’s just $5 people!). The game is a steal at any price, but at 50% off, it becomes a required purchase.

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Sony launches Music Unlimited by Qriocity today on PlayStation 3

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

It’s been a long time coming, but Sony has officially launched their cloud-based, streaming music service Music Unlimited, powered by Qriocity (wow that’s a nightmare to spell). Supported devices include internet-enabled Bravia TV’s, Blu Ray players, VAIO laptops, PC’s, and of course, the PlayStation 3. Support for PSP’s and other mobile devices is coming soon. The service boasts over six million songs from both major and independent labels and publishers from around the world. What supposedly differentiates Music Unlimited is how well it learns your preferences and makes suggestions for you based on every song you play. The service comes in both Basic and Premium flavors, at $3.99 and $9.99 a month, respectively. While both plans provide uninterrupted, commercial-free music streaming, Premium allows you to “access additional premium music channels, search the entire music database, play songs on demand and create custom playlists.”

You can check out the service for yourself later today when a free 30-day trial will be available, as well as check out a video walkthrough after the break. I’m interested in seeing how this service will run on the PSP, when I’m constantly changing Wi-Fi hotspots, although the Basic package might be worth it if I pick up an Xperia Play.

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