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December 14, 2011

Infinity Blade II review

Chair's bloodthirsty sequel is iOS gaming at its finest.

You can read this review in full in our print edition.

Our February issue, which is on sale January 17, will include an in-depth Post Script interview with creative director and co-founder of Chair Entertainment, Donald Mustard, on the challenges of developing for mobile devices and the inspiration behind the game's distinctive look.

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Opinion: Changing the Fat, Ugly or Slutty status quo

Many male gamers act like animals online, but should women also change their attitudes?

Have you read Fat, Ugly or Slutty? If not, it's an education. Not a revelatory one, perhaps, but it's nonetheless a pretty shocking lesson on the behaviour male gamers exhibit towards women online.

But that's the way the internet is, right? Men act like turds because there's little threat of personal retribution. There's not much anyone can do, is there? It's just the way things are.

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Limbo tops 2011 PSN indie chart

Limbo was 2011's best-selling self-published indie game on the US PlayStation Store, SCEA has announced. Playdead's monochrome adventure tops the list posted on the PlayStation Blog, ahead of The Behemoth's side-scrolling brawler Castle Crashers.
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/13/celebrating-psns-top-selling-indie-games-of-2011
PlayStation Blog

Limbo was 2011's best-selling self-published indie game on the US PlayStation Store, SCEA has announced.

Playdead's monochrome adventure tops the list posted on the PlayStation Blog, ahead of The Behemoth's side-scrolling brawler Castle Crashers.

SCEA also reveals that Pixeljunk Shooter 2 was the best-selling game published by Sony itself, with Hoard topping the list of games that Sony part-funded through its Pub Fund.

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Japan's GBA Ambassador games out this week

Japanese early adopters of 3DS get ten free Game Boy Advance games as part of the Ambassador Programme this Friday, December 16. The scheme is Nintendo's compensation to those who supported the system before the global price cut in August, and the release of the GBA games follows ten free NES titles, released in September.
http://andriasang.com/comzcn/gba_3ds_ambassador/
Andriasang

Japanese early adopters of 3DS get ten free Game Boy Advance games as part of the Ambassador Programme this Friday, December 16.

The scheme is Nintendo's compensation to those who supported the system before the global price cut in August, and the release of the GBA games follows ten free NES titles, released in September.

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Humble Indie Bundle 4 launches

Super Meat Boy and Shank are among the games on offer in the Humble Indie Bundle 4, which launched yesterday. The latest pay-what-you-want promotion - the fourth in the last three months - also includes Jamestown, Bit.Trip Runner, and NightSky HD. Those paying more than the average - currently $5.34 - also get Gratuitous Space Battles and Cave Story+. As always, the games are DRM-free and run on Mac, Windows and Linux.
http://www.humblebundle.com/
Humble Bundle

Super Meat Boy and Shank are among the games on offer in the Humble Indie Bundle 4, which launched yesterday.

The latest pay-what-you-want promotion - the fourth in the last three months - also includes Jamestown, Bit.Trip Runner, and NightSky HD. Those paying more than the average - currently $5.34 - also get Gratuitous Space Battles and Cave Story+. As always, the games are DRM-free and run on Mac, Windows and Linux.

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Humble Indie Bundle 4 launches

Super Meat Boy and Shank are among the games on offer in the Humble Indie Bundle 4, which launched yesterday. The latest pay-what-you-want promotion - the fourth in the last three months - also includes Jamestown, Bit.Trip Runner, and NightSky HD. Those paying more than the average - currently $5.34 - also get Gratuitous Space Battles and Cave Story+. As always, the games are DRM-free and run on Mac, Windows and Linux.
http://www.humblebundle.com/
Humble Bundle

Super Meat Boy and Shank are among the games on offer in the Humble Indie Bundle 4, which launched yesterday.

The latest pay-what-you-want promotion - the fourth in the last three months - also includes Jamestown, Bit.Trip Runner, and NightSky HD. Those paying more than the average - currently $5.34 - also get Gratuitous Space Battles and Cave Story+. As always, the games are DRM-free and run on Mac, Windows and Linux.

read more


December 13, 2011

Gareth Edmonson joins GameHorizon

Gareth Edmonson, former managing director of Ubisoft Reflections, has been appointed chairman of UK industry network GameHorizon. Edmonson left Reflections - founded by his brother Martin - last month, after ten years with the studio. He then joined Liverpool-based mobile publisher Thumbstar Games as CEO, and took a seat on its board of directors.

Gareth Edmonson, former managing director of Ubisoft Reflections, has been appointed chairman of UK industry network GameHorizon.

Edmonson left Reflections - founded by his brother Martin - last month, after ten years with the studio. He then joined Liverpool-based mobile publisher Thumbstar Games as CEO, and took a seat on its board of directors.

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Remastering the past

Bluepoint Games tells us why it takes more than just a few extra pixels to remake classic games in HD.

Everything’s already been done,” rants Tom Sizemore in Strange Days, a movie about VR junkies and social entropy on the eve of the 21st century. “Every kind of music’s been tried, every kind of government’s been tried, every fucking hairstyle, bubble gum flavour, breakfast cereal… How are we gonna make another thousand years?” The answer, we’re now discovering, is to revive the previous 50.

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Judge throws out PS3 OtherOS suit

A US federal judge has dismissed a class-action lawsuit brought against Sony over its removal from the PlayStation 3 of OtherOS, a feature allowing users to install a second operating system such as Linux on their consoles. Gamasutra reports that US district judge Richard Seeborg granted Sony's motion for dismissal, which it filed last September, after the plaintiffs were unable to show proof that Sony had acted illegally. Seeborg threw out all but one of the charges in February, giving the plaintiffs extra time to prove Sony's guilt under the Computer Fraud And Abuse Act (CFAA).
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39088/Judge_Dismisses_PlayStation_3_Other_OS_Removal_Class_Action_Suit.php
Gamasutra

A US federal judge has dismissed a class-action lawsuit brought against Sony over its removal from the PlayStation 3 of OtherOS, a feature allowing users to install a second operating system such as Linux on their consoles.

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3DS enjoys best-ever week in Japan

Nintendo's 3DS sold 378,114 units in Japan last week, the best week of sales the system has seen since its launch in February. The surge in sales - an increase week on week of 84 per cent, and beating the system's launch-week sales by almost 7,000 units - was driven by Monster Hunter 3G, which has sold 471,055 since its release on December 10.
http://andriasang.com/comzc5/3ds_monhan_sales/
Andriasang

Nintendo's 3DS sold 378,114 units in Japan last week, the best week of sales the system has seen since its launch in February.

The surge in sales - an increase week on week of 84 per cent, beating the system's launch-week sales by almost 7,000 units - was driven by Monster Hunter Tri G, which has sold 471,055 since its release on December 10.

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Codemasters announces Dirt Showdown

Codemasters has announced Dirt Showdown, an "action-packed extension" of the series due in May for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. An arcade racer, Showdown features three event types: standard races; demolition derbies; and "Hoonigan", a stunt-based gametype featuring "accessible controls." Codemasters says it will be its most connected game ever, with split-screen multiplayer, eight-player online races, on and offline party games, and integration with video sharing service YouTube.

Codemasters has announced Dirt Showdown, an "action-packed extension" of the series due in May for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

An arcade racer, Showdown features three event types: standard races; demolition derbies; and "Hoonigan", a stunt-based gametype featuring "accessible controls." Codemasters says it will be its most connected game ever, with split-screen multiplayer, eight-player online races, on and offline party games, and integration with video sharing service YouTube.

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Now recruiting on Edge Jobs

Find your future working on a new Codemasters title, building Crytek's powerful tech or crafting the look of Massive's output.

Codemasters Studios Birmingham, the team behind F1 2010, is looking for additional talent as it begins work on a brand new title. Positions available include senior audio programmer, lead programmer and principal level designer, among others. Find all Codemasters' vacancies here.

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Opinion: Designing the hand grenade

Clint Hocking considers the inner workings of throwing a frag.

If you’ve ever fragged or been fragged by a frag then you’re probably familiar with the immediate and simple pleasures of the hand grenade. Very few of us, however, have spent time deeply considering the design of grenade mechanics and how different decisions creep their way up into the aesthetics of play. Their sheer and sudden power means they can reinforce or undermine a design. It is therefore crucial to understand the basic parameters of grenade design and the impact different design decisions relating to grenades can have on your game.

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Rhythm Tengoku Wii confirmed for Europe

Nintendo has confirmed that charming Wii music game Minna No Rhythm Tengoku will be released in Europe next year, titled "Beat The Beat: Rhythm Paradise."

Nintendo has confirmed that charming Wii music game Minna No Rhythm Tengoku will be released in Europe next year, titled Beat The Beat: Rhythm Paradise.

The company's 2012 release schedule confirms a European release for the game which topped the Japanese chart on its release in July, selling almost 120,000 units in its first week on shelves. It will be released in the US as Rhythm Heaven Fever in February.


Miyamoto on retirement claims: "Nothing has changed"

Shigeru Miyamoto has moved to clear up reports that he was stepping down from his current role at Nintendo, insisting: "Nothing has changed." Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Miyamoto, 59, clarified comments he made in an interview with Wired last week, when he said he was "retiring" from his current position to work on smaller projects within the company.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/10/BUNO1MAJJR.DTL
San Francisco Chronicle

Shigeru Miyamoto has moved to clear up reports that he is stepping down from his current role at Nintendo, insisting: "Nothing has changed."

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Sony confirms Ueda departure

Sony has confirmed that Team Ico boss Fumito Ueda has left Sony's employ and is overseeing completion of The Last Guardian on a freelance basis. In a statement passed to Gamasutra, Sony confirmed reports of Ueda's departure but insisted he was "committed to completing" the game.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39100/Confirmed_Ico_Creator_Fumito_Ueda_Leaves_Sony.php
Gamasutra

Sony has confirmed that Team Ico boss Fumito Ueda has left its employ and is overseeing completion of The Last Guardian on a freelance basis.

In a statement passed to Gamasutra, Sony confirmed reports of Ueda's departure but insisted he was "committed to completing" the game.

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December 12, 2011

STALKER dev breaks silence on closure rumours

GSC Game World, Ukrainian developer of the STALKER series, has admitted that it is facing closure. News broke last week that the studio was to close, with a Ukranian news site claiming founder and CEO Sergei Grigorovich had informed staff of his decision to drop the shutters on the Kiev-based studio for unspecified personal reasons.
https://twitter.com/#!/gscstalker/status/146255840310071296
Twitter

GSC Game World, Ukrainian developer of the STALKER series, has admitted that it is facing closure.

News broke last week that the studio was to close, with a Ukranian news site claiming founder and CEO Sergei Grigorovich had informed staff of his decision to drop the shutters on the Kiev-based studio for unspecified personal reasons.

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Mojang hoping to release Cobalt on Friday

Minecraft developer to begin its career as a publisher later this week, pending final polish to Oxeye's side-scroller.

Minecraft developer Mojang hopes to release its first publishing venture, Cobalt, for PC this Friday.

Speaking to us this afternoon, managing director Carl Manneh told us that Cobalt, a side-scrolling action game developed by fellow Swedes Oxeye Game Studio, would be released on Friday as long as Mojang can tie up a few loose ends.

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Epic confirms Minecraft inspired Fortnite

Epic Games has admitted that Mojang's indie virtual world Minecraft in part inspired Fortnite, the game the company unveiled at the Spike VGA on Saturday. Little was revealed at the award ceremony. The game has two phases - exploring and fort-building during the day, and fending off an advancing horde of undead by night - with Epic's design director Cliff Bleszinski saying the studio had "decided to switch things up a bit and do something different and fun." In a series of tweets since the announcement, lead designer Lee Perry has revealed a few more details.
https://twitter.com/#!/mrleeperry
Twitter

Epic Games has admitted that Mojang's indie virtual world Minecraft in part inspired Fortnite, the game the company unveiled at the Spike VGA on Saturday.

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Modern Warfare 3 grosses $1 billion

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 brought in a billion dollars for publisher Activision in its first 16 days on shelves, the publisher has announced. Just as it did when proclaiming Modern Warfare 3 the most successful entertainment launch of all time - saying lifetime sales of the Call Of Duty series had eclipsed The Lord Of The Rings and Star Wars series' box-office takings - Activision draws parallels with Hollywood. James Cameron's 2009 film Avatar took 17 days to gross a billion dollars.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 brought in a billion dollars for Activision in its first 16 days on shelves, the publisher has announced.

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NPD: modest growth at US retail in November

Total US videogame sales at retail rose by 0.4 per cent last month, grossing $3 billion in total, according to market research firm NPD Group. That modest growth comes despite declines in sales of hardware - which fell nine per cent despite an increase in unit sales because prices are lower than this time last year - and accessories. With no equivalent to last year's Kinect release, sales fell by 34 per cent.

Total US videogame sales at retail rose by 0.4 per cent last month, grossing $3 billion in total, according to market research firm NPD Group.

That modest growth comes despite declines in sales of hardware - which fell nine per cent despite an increase in unit sales because prices are lower than this time last year - and accessories. With no equivalent to last year's Kinect release, sales fell by 34 per cent.

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Eutechnyx to open London office

Eutechnyx has announced plans to establish a London-based publishing team to support the release of upcoming free-to-play online racer Auto Club Revolution. The news follows the award last month of £1.8 million in government funding, which the Gateshead-based studio said at the time would be used to set up a publishing division and more than double its current headcount of 160.
http://www.eutechnyx.com/careers/
Eutechnyx

Eutechnyx has announced plans to establish a London-based publishing team to support the release of upcoming free-to-play online racer Auto Club Revolution.

The news follows the award last month of £1.8 million in government funding, which the Gateshead-based studio said at the time would be used to set up a publishing division and more than double its current headcount of 160.

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The story of Hogrocket: The aliens have landed

Ben Ward on how alien invasion of the president's immune system laid the plans for the release of his micro-studio's first game.

Read previous parts in our account of Hogrocket's rise here.

So there we were - two months into the crazy adventure of running our own games company. We had announced Hogrocket to the world a few weeks earlier, and (fortunately) had been fighting off interview requests from the press and e-mails from potential partners. Our website was doing the business; sign-ups to our mailing list were gradually rising as was our Twitter follower count. We even got a couple of CVs through! So far so good.

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THQ lays off 30 staff after poor uDraw sales

Publisher THQ has laid off 30 staff including an executive vice president from its uDraw team after disappointing sales of the tablet peripheral. Speaking to Game Informer, THQ confirmed the layoffs following the reduction last week of its third-quarter revenue forecasts by 25 per cent because sales of uDraw on Xbox 360 and PS3 had been "weaker than expected."
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/12/09/thq-lays-off-30-from-udraw-team.aspx
Game Informer

Publisher THQ has laid off 30 staff including an executive vice president from its uDraw team after disappointing sales of the tablet peripheral.

Speaking to Game Informer, THQ confirmed the layoffs following the reduction last week of its third-quarter revenue forecasts by 25 per cent because sales of uDraw on Xbox 360 and PS3 had been "weaker than expected."

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Command & Conquer Generals 2 announced

Electronic Arts has announced Command & Conquer Generals 2, promising to take the beloved strategy series "back to its roots". The game, announced at the Spike VGA event on Saturday night, runs on DICE's Frostbite 2 engine, is exclusive to PC and will be released in 2013. It's being developed by Victory Games, the strategy studio EA set up in February which is now part of the BioWare label and has been renamed BioWare Victory.

Electronic Arts has announced Command & Conquer Generals 2, promising to take the beloved strategy series "back to its roots".

The game, announced at the Spike VGA event on Saturday night, runs on DICE's Frostbite 2 engine, is exclusive to PC and will be released in 2013. It's being developed by Victory Games, the strategy studio EA set up in February which is now part of the BioWare label and has been renamed BioWare Victory.

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