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January 20, 2012

Resident Evil 6 announced

Leon Kennedy and Chris Redfield return in the "most ambitious, immersive and feature-rich" Resi to date.

Capcom has announced Resident Evil 6 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Due on consoles with the PC release to follow at a later date, Resident Evil 6 stars Leon S Kennedy and Chris Redfield in what Capcom describes as "the most ambitious, immersive and feature-rich" game in the series so far.

As the below announcement trailer shows, Leon finds himself in a small town with the US president, with Redfield in China, when a bioterrorist attack hits. No country is safe, and the pair fight back the infected hordes in locations around the world.

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January 19, 2012

Rift dev raises $85 million

Trion Worlds, California-based developer of fantasy MMOG Rift, has raised $85 million (£55 million) from investors. In a press release, the developer says it will use the funds - contributed by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and existing stakeholder BDMI - to fund development of its next two projects and its Red Door platform.

Trion Worlds, California-based developer of fantasy MMOG Rift, has raised $85 million (£55 million) from investors.

In a press release, the developer says it will use the funds - contributed by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and existing stakeholder BDMI - to fund development of its next two projects and its Red Door platform.

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Soul Calibur now on iOS

Namco's beloved arcade and Dreamcast fighting game Soulcalibur is now available on iPhone and iPad. All of the original 19 fighters are included, with game modes including Arcade Battle, Time Attack, two Survival modes and a training room, with more to be added in future updates.
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/soulcalibur/id481958471?mt=8
App Store

Namco's beloved arcade and Dreamcast fighting game Soul Calibur is now available on iPhone and iPad.

All of the original 19 fighters are included, with game modes including Arcade Battle, Time Attack, two Survival modes and a training room, with more to be added in future updates.

read more


Sony Ericsson hit with £206 million loss

Sony Ericsson's financial results for the year ending December 31 make for dismal reading, with 2010's profit of €90 million wiped out and the firm reporting a loss of €247 million (£206 million). President and CEO Bert Nordberg pinned the decline on 2011 being a transitional year in which the company shifted focus from feature phones to smartphones. Sales of the Xperia range of Android phones were up 65 per cent year on year, with 28 million units shipped to date.
http://hugin.info/1061/R/1578626/492442.pdf
Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson's financial results for the year ending December 31 make for miserable reading, with 2010's profit of €90 million wiped out and the firm reporting a loss of €247 million (£206 million).

President and CEO Bert Nordberg pinned the decline on 2011 being a transitional year in which the company shifted focus from feature phones to smartphones. Sales of the Xperia range of Android phones were up 65 per cent year on year, with 28 million units shipped to date.

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Sony: 3DS sales good news for Vita

SCEI president Andrew House believes that the strong performance of 3DS is good news for PlayStation Vita, because it proves a market still exists for dedicated gaming handhelds despite the rise of smartphones and tablets. Speaking to the PlayStation Blog at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, House - appointed president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment International last September - implied that 3DS had only succeeded because it was on shelves before Vita.
http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/01/18/meet-playstations-president-andy-house
PlayStation Blog

SCEI president Andrew House believes that the strong performance of 3DS is good news for PlayStation Vita, because it proves a market still exists for dedicated gaming handhelds despite the rise of smartphones and tablets.

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"Unforgiving" BioShock Infinite mode announced

Irrational Games has announced 1999 Mode for BioShock Infinite, a more challenging mode designed in response to fan feedback. As well as scarcer health, weaponry and powers, 1999 Mode requires that players pick specialisations and stick to them, a result, creative director Ken Levine explains, of a community poll on the developer's website.

Irrational Games has announced 1999 Mode for BioShock Infinite, a more challenging mode designed in response to fan feedback.

As well as scarcer health, weaponry and powers, 1999 Mode requires that players pick specialisations and stick to them, a result, creative director Ken Levine explains, of a community poll on the developer's website.

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In-app purchases to dominate by 2015 - report

In-app purchases will become the dominant smartphone revenue model by 2015, according to a new report by market research firm IHS Screen Digest. The report claims that in-app purchasing's revenue share will rise from 39 per cent in 2011 to 64 per cent - around $5.6 billion (£3.6 million) - in 2015.
http://www.isuppli.com/Media-Research/News/Pages/In-App-Purchases-Will-Dominate-the-Smartphone-App-Business.aspx
IHS Screen Digest

In-app purchases will become the dominant smartphone revenue model by 2015, according to a new report by market research firm IHS Screen Digest.

The report claims that in-app purchasing's revenue share will rise from 39 per cent in 2011 to 64 per cent - around $5.6 billion (£3.6 million) - in 2015.

Senior analyst of mobile media Jack Kent said: "Smartphone users overwhelmingly prefer free apps to paid apps, as we estimate 96 per cent of all smartphone apps were downloaded for free in 2011.

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Amy review

Horror games should be frightening. This one's just agonisingly frustrating.

At the very highest level, the decisions that shape and define Amy, a horror game from Paul Cuisset, creator of Flashback, are sound. It borrows that most tender of mechanics, the handholding of Ico, and beds it into a survival horror by asking you to lead a young, selectively mute girl out of a research facility overrun by zombies.

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TIGA reveals true extent of UK brain drain

More than two-fifths of UK developers who lost their jobs between 2009 and 2011 relocated overseas, according to a report by UK trade association TIGA. The report, "Making games in the UK today: a census of the UK developer and digital publishing sector," claims that the UK game industry workforce shrank by more than 10 per cent between 2008 and 2011. Of those that went overseas, the most popular destination was tax haven Canada, followed by the USA.

More than two-fifths of UK developers who lost their jobs between 2009 and 2011 relocated overseas, according to a report by UK trade association TIGA.

The report, "Making games in the UK today: a census of the UK developer and digital publishing sector," claims that the UK game industry workforce shrank by more than 10 per cent between 2008 and 2011. Of those that went overseas, the most popular destination was tax haven Canada, followed by the USA.

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TIGA reveals true extent of UK brain drain

More than two-fifths of UK developers who lost their jobs between 2009 and 2011 relocated overseas, according to a report by UK trade association TIGA. The report, "Making games in the UK today: a census of the UK developer and digital publishing sector," claims that the UK game industry workforce shrank by more than 10 per cent between 2008 and 2011. Of those that went overseas, the most popular destination was tax haven Canada, followed by the USA.

More than two-fifths of UK developers who lost their jobs between 2009 and 2011 relocated overseas, according to a report by UK trade association TIGA.

The report, "Making games in the UK today: a census of the UK developer and digital publishing sector," claims that the UK game industry workforce shrank by more than 10 per cent between 2008 and 2011. Of those that went overseas, the most popular destination was tax haven Canada, followed by the USA.

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Microsoft adds developer achievements to Visual Studio

Microsoft has added an achievement system to its Visual Studio development tool. Logically dubbed Visual Studio Achievements, the system, explained in a blog post, lets devs unlock 32 achievements and compete on leaderboards. Highlights include Lonely, which awards five points for coding on a Friday or Saturday night, and Gotta Be Different, unlocked by loading custom settings.
http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/01/18/visual-studio-achievements-program-brings-gamification-to-development.aspx
Microsoft

Microsoft has added an achievement system to its Visual Studio development tool.

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Smash Cops review

Hutch's characterful racing debut comes irritatingly close to greatness.

Smash Cops offers the best 1970s car chase handling you're likely to get on iOS. Hutch's debut battle-racer asks you to place your finger behind your dinky little police cruiser and steer from the rear, tapping with a second digit when you want to pull off a recharging ram attack on a fleeing perp. It's a system that's strongly reminiscent of playing with your toys on the carpet, and it offers fish-tailing drama at each corner, while still bringing a sharp arcade precision to all those fender-bending impacts.

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Flickr now available on Vita

Sony has released an app for PlayStation Vita that lets users access photo-sharing site Flickr. The app, now available on the Japanese PlayStation Store, is in English and allows Flickr users to share photos and post comments, Andriasang reports.
http://andriasang.com/comzp3/vita_flickr/
Andriasang

Sony has released an app for PlayStation Vita that lets users access photo-sharing site Flickr.

The app, now available on the Japanese PlayStation Store, is in English and allows Flickr users to share photos and post comments, Andriasang reports.

Vita already boasts apps for Twitter and Japanese YouTube equivalent Nico Nico Video. Foursquare, Skype and Facebook apps are also in the works.


Namco Bandai slams free-to-play

A Namco Bandai executive has issued a daming assessment of the growing free-to-play trend, saying that games that use the increasingly popular model "can't be high quality." The claim comes from Olivier Comte, senior vice president for Europe, during his talk at Cloud Gaming Europe in London, reported by Industry Gamers.
http://www.industrygamers.com/news/namco-bandai-says-premium-f2p-titles-not-possible/
Industry Gamers

A Namco Bandai executive has issued a daming assessment of the growing free-to-play trend, saying that games that use the increasingly popular model "can't be high quality."

The claim comes from Olivier Comte, senior vice president for Europe, during his talk at Cloud Gaming Europe in London, reported by Industry Gamers.

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Zynga snaps up four mobile devs

Facebook gaming titan Zynga has confirmed the acquisition of four mobile developers as it continues its expansion into smartphones. Reuters reports that German developer Gamedoctors, San Francisco's HipLogic, and Page44 Studios, which ported 2D Boy's World Of Goo to iOS, are all on Zynga's books. Head of mobile operations David Ko also confirmed the acquisiton of Mobile Ape, which was reported but never confirmed last August.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/18/us-zynga-idUSTRE80H24V20120118
Reuters

Facebook gaming titan Zynga has confirmed the acquisition of four mobile developers as it continues its expansion into smartphones.

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Eighteen senators announce PIPA opposition

The tide is beginning to turn against the Protect IP Act (PIPA), with the controversial bill seemingly set to meet the same fate as SOPA after 18 senators announced their opposition to it. Ars Technica reports that of the 18 members of the Senate to renounce the bill yesterday, 16 are Republican and seven were originally co-sponsors of the bill. One, Orrin Hatch of Utah, said PIPA was "simply not ready for prime time."
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/pipa-support-collapses-with-13-new-opponents-in-senate.ars
Ars Technica

The tide is beginning to turn against the Protect IP Act (PIPA), with the controversial bill seemingly set to meet the same fate as SOPA after 18 senators announced their opposition to it.

Ars Technica reports that of the 18 members of the Senate to renounce the bill yesterday, 16 are Republican and seven were originally co-sponsors of the bill. One, Orrin Hatch of Utah, said PIPA was "simply not ready for prime time."

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January 18, 2012

Out There: Do MMOGs need death?

Pining for the loss and consequence of Ultima Online, plus the death of the games and art argument.

Today, Ultima Online's early days, seem exotic, driven by the magic of the internet, a burgeoning economy - and danger. In Ultima Online, death was permanent. It meant that every play session was unpredictable and meaningful.

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Vita sales drop 57 per cent to under 20,000

Sales of PlayStation Vita have fallen by 57 per cent in Japan week on week, with just 18,361 units sold in the week ending January 15. This is the third successive week that Vita sales have fallen since launch, when 324,859 units were sold. In its second week on shelves, sales dropped 77.7 per cent to 72,479, and the week after, by 41.2 per cent to 42,648.
http://andriasang.com/comzom/media_create_sales/
Andriasang

Sales of PlayStation Vita have fallen by 57 per cent in Japan week on week, with just 18,361 units sold in the week ending January 15, according to Media Create data passed on by Andriasang.

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TIGA slams SOPA

UK trade assocation TIGA has at last spoken out against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), describing it as like "a sledgehammer cracking a nut." In a press release, TIGA lays out its opposition to the bill, despite reports earlier this week that the proposed legislation had been shelved indefinitely until both sides of the US House Of Representatives could reach a consensus.

UK trade assocation TIGA has at last spoken out against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), describing it as like "a sledgehammer cracking a nut."

In a press release, TIGA lays out its opposition to the bill, despite reports earlier this week that the proposed legislation had been shelved indefinitely until both sides of the US House Of Representatives could reach a consensus.

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Cliff Bleszinski to host GDC Awards

Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinski will host the Game Developers Choice Awards during GDC in March, organisers have announced. GDC also plays host to the Independent Games Festival (IGF) Awards, which will be hosted for a fourth year by Andy Schatz, developer of former IGF Grand Prize winner Monaco.
http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/winners/index.html
GDC

Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinski will host the Game Developers Choice Awards during GDC in March, organisers have announced.

GDC also plays host to the Independent Games Festival (IGF) Awards, which will be hosted for a fourth year by Andy Schatz, developer of former IGF Grand Prize winner Monaco.

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Red 5 CEO forms anti-SOPA pressure group

Mark Kern, CEO of Firefall developer Red 5 Studios, has formed a gamer-focused pressure group, League For Gamers, in response to the Entertainment Software Association's backing of SOPA and PIPA. Speaking to VentureBeat, Kern criticised the ESA, which represents over 30 of the biggest US videogame companies and staunchly backed, and lobbied in support, of SOPA despite widespread opposition to the controversial anti-piracy bill.
http://venturebeat.com/2012/01/17/sopa-controversy-creates-rival-to-game-industry-group-esa-lfg-aims-to-be-the-nra-for-gamers
VentureBeat

Mark Kern, CEO of Firefall developer Red 5 Studios, has formed a gamer-focused pressure group, League For Gamers, in response to the Entertainment Software Association's backing of SOPA and PIPA.

Speaking to VentureBeat, Kern criticised the ESA, which represents over 30 of the biggest US videogame companies and staunchly backed, and lobbied in support, of SOPA despite widespread opposition to the controversial anti-piracy bill.

read more


Indie Fund recoups Q.U.B.E investment in four days

Indie Fund, the group put together by several independent developers to give fellow indies an alternative to traditional publisher funding, has recouped the $90,000 it invested in Toxic Games' firstperson puzzler Q.U.B.E. In a post on the Indie Fund website the team reveals that it has recouped its entire investment in just four days, after 12,000 copies were sold on Steam.
http://indie-fund.com/2012/01/q-u-b-e-recoups-investment/
Indie Fund

Indie Fund, the group put together by several independent developers to give fellow indies an alternative to traditional publisher funding, has recouped the $90,000 it invested in Toxic Games' firstperson puzzler Q.U.B.E.

In a post on the Indie Fund website the team reveals that it has recouped its entire investment in just four days, after 12,000 copies were sold on Steam.

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Easy as Raspberry Pi

How a tiny box of tricks is helping David Braben in his mission to foster a new generation of game makers.

Picture the scene. It's 1982 – a pre-school summer camp in rural East Anglia, England. The sun is going down, the toys are put away, and the kids have been reclaimed from local parks and sports grounds. Getting them back out into their parents' waiting cars, though, is proving a bit tricky. The problem, specifically, is a monitor sat between coat hooks and door, upon which a small turtle is doodling around a big black space, leaving little white pixels in its wake. This is Logo, an educational programming language born in the world of robotics.

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3DS eShop demos arrive tomorrow

Demos of upcoming 3DS games will be available on the eShop download service from tomorrow. The first games to take advantage of the feature introduced in December will be Capcom's upcoming survival horror Resident Evil Revelations, and 505 Games' Cooking Mama 4.

Demos of upcoming 3DS games will be available on the eShop download service from tomorrow.

The first games to take advantage of the feature introduced in a December firmware update will be Capcom's upcoming survival horror Resident Evil Revelations, and 505 Games' Cooking Mama 4.

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Videogamesplus.ca hacked

Canadian import website Videogamesplus.ca has been hacked, with the personal information of 21,000 users leaked onto the internet. Spotted by random_dave on our forums, customer details including names, phone numbers, dates of birth and encrypted passwords were uploaded to the Pastebin website. A link to the entire database has since been removed by download site Rapidshare.
http://www.edge-online.com/forums/videogames/videogamesplusca-hacked
Edge Forum

Canadian import website Videogamesplus.ca has been hacked, with the personal information of 21,000 users leaked onto the internet.

Spotted by random_dave on our forums, customer details including names, phone numbers, dates of birth and encrypted passwords were uploaded to the Pastebin website. A link to the entire database has since been removed by download site Rapidshare.

We've sought confirmation from Videogamesplus, but in the meantime advise account holders to change their passwords as a precaution.


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