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October 18, 2011

More than eight million users played Battlefield 3 beta

DICE has revealed 8,125,310 players played its Battlefield 3 open beta. The figure was released as part of a series of stats published on the game's blog. According to the data, those eight million people fired 47 billion bullets while killing 1.5 billion other players.
http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/battlefield_bad_company/archive/2011/10/17/battlefield-3-open-beta-wrapup-or-how-many-tanks-can-you-build-from-the-bullets-you-fired.aspx##
Battlefield 3 blog

DICE has revealed 8,125,310 players played the Battlefield 3 open beta.

The figure was released as part of a series of stats published on the game's blog. According to the data, those eight million people fired 47 billion bullets while killing 1.5 billion other players.

The morbidly curious can delve further to find out how many players were killed by knives and what the longest sniper kill distance was by following the source link below.

The game is due to be released on October 28 and has already surpassed two million pre-orders.


Opinion: Hero's journey

What is a plot to a game, asks James Leech, and what part does the player take in it?

Remember when games consisted of simply facing wave after wave of slightly tougher, faster baddies? Well, times have changed. Modern games consist of simply facing wave after wave of slightly tougher, faster baddies, but with better graphics and, somewhere, a plot.

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Unity: Rapid mobile evolution offers "diminishing returns"

Nicholas Francis, CCO of game development tools company Unity Technologies, has told Gamesindustry.biz that he believes rapidly improving mobile hardware specs will soon yield "diminishing returns" for game developers. While handsets are becoming more powerful all the time - a testament to which is the recent announcement that Grand Theft Auto III will be released for Android and iOS devices later this month - Francis questioned how relevent all that horsepower is for mobile games.

Nicholas Francis, CCO of game development tools company Unity Technologies, has told Gamesindustry.biz that he believes rapidly improving mobile hardware specs will soon yield "diminishing returns" for game developers.

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Super Crossfire HD review

Radiangames makes the leap from XBLIG to iOS with a brilliant dash of attitude.

A Space Invaders variant in which you could switch your roving turret between the bottom and the top of the screen, Radiangame’s Crossfire was elegant and polished when it landed on Xbox Live Indie Games last year, but it also lacked a crucial sense of drama.

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Facebook changes reporting, game user figures plummet

Facebook has changed the way it calculates the total monthly and daily active users (MAU and DAU) for apps on the social network, sending figures plummeting. The adjustment means that users who choose not to authenticate after a permission dialog box is clicked, and those who visit an app but do not log in, will no longer be contribute towards active user counts.
http://www.insidefacebook.com/2011/10/14/facebook-updates-formula-for-counting-active-users/
Inside Facebook

Facebook has changed the way it calculates the total monthly and daily active users (MAU and DAU) for apps on the social network, sending figures plummeting.

The adjustment means that users who choose not to authenticate after a permission dialog box is clicked, and those who visit an app but do not log in, will no longer be contribute towards active user counts.

As a result of the changes, some games have seen more than half of their previously reported user figures drop away (though these changes have made no difference to the actual traffic each game sees).

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Japanese Vita pre-order stock quickly selling out

Day-one stock of Sony's soon-to-be-released handheld console Vita is rapidly running out following a pre-order rush in Japan. Within hours of pre-orders going on sale, two of Japan's major online retailers, Amazon Japan and Yodobashi, reported that the device was out of stock.
http://www.rpgsite.net/news/1318-online-japanese-playstation-vita-orders-sell-out
RPG Site

Day-one stock of Sony's soon-to-be-released handheld console Vita is rapidly running out following a pre-order rush in Japan.

Within hours of pre-orders going on sale, two of Japan's major online retailers, Amazon Japan and Yodobashi, reported that the device was out of stock.

Japanese gaming blog Esuteru claims that many other major retailers have also sold out, including Sofmap, Bic Camera and Joshin.

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Professor Layton: Mystery Room coming to iOS

Japanese developer Level-5 has revealed that a new entry in its Professor Layton series - up until now a Nintendo exclusive - will be making its way to iOS. The game will be called Layton Brothers: Mystery Room and will star Layton's son, Alfendy Layton, not Layton himself. The game will, of course, use the touch screen for navigation and puzzle-solving, and Alfendy will be aided by his assistant, Lucy Grey.

Japanese developer Level-5 has revealed that a new entry in its Professor Layton series - up until now a Nintendo exclusive - will be making its way to iOS.

The game will be called Layton Brothers: Mystery Room and will star Layton's son, Alfendy Layton, not Layton himself. The game will, of course, use the touch screen for navigation and puzzle-solving, and Alfendy will be aided by his assistant, Lucy Grey.

There's no news yet on a western release, though.

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Mojang wins interim Scrolls injunction

Minecraft developer Mojang has won an interim injunction against Zenimax for use of the name Scrolls in its upcoming card-based game. Zenimax may still appeal, however. In a tweet this morning, company founder Markus Persson announced: “We won the interim injunction! We can keep using the name ‘Scrolls’. ZeniMax/Bethesda can still appeal the ruling, but I’m very happy.”

Minecraft developer Mojang has won an interim injunction against Zenimax for use of the name Scrolls in its upcoming card-based game. Zenimax may still appeal, however.

In a tweet this morning, company founder Markus Persson announced: “We won the interim injunction! We can keep using the name ‘Scrolls’. ZeniMax/Bethesda can still appeal the ruling, but I’m very happy.”

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October 17, 2011

iPhone 4S enjoys record launch weekend sales

iPhone 4S sold four million units in its first three days of availability, breaking previous mobile phone launch weekend records, according to Apple.

iPhone 4S sold four million units in its first three days of availability, breaking previous mobile phone launch weekend records, according to Apple.

In addition, the firm said over 25 million customers began using new operating system iOS 5 in the first five days post-release.

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Devil May Cry HD Collection confirmed

Capcom has officially confirmed long-rumoured plans to launch remastered versions of the first three Devil May Cry games for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Capcom has officially confirmed long-rumoured plans to launch remastered versions of the first three Devil May Cry games for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Set for an “early 2012” release in North America for $39.99, the Devil May Cry HD Collection will bundle PS2 releases Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 2 and Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening Special Edition in one high definition package, with unspecified bonus content. Reports have suggested the game will launch in Europe on February 10.

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Dark Souls completed in 1 hour 26 minute speedrun

A seven-part series of frustratingly low resolution videos of the Japanese version is a tour de force of economy, precision, daring and ingenuity. We weep at its magnificence.

Though most players have already sunk tens of hours into Dark Souls, with our longest save currently standing at 70 hours, seeing player Twilight's speedrun, uploaded by YouTube user SexyShoiko, puts every effort we've made in the pale.

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First footage of mobile GTA III surfaces

The first couple of videos of GTA III running on a tablet (apparently an iPad, though it's difficult to tell from the footage) have surfaced. Virtual controls are the order of the day, with a contextual 'steal car' button popping up for convenient crime sprees.
http://toucharcade.com/2011/10/17/relax-gta-iii-wont-be-a5-only-forever-new-gameplay-video-surfaces/
Touch Arcade

The first couple of videos of GTA III running on a tablet (apparently an iPad, though it's difficult to tell from the footage) have surfaced.

Virtual controls are the order of the day,  with a contextual 'steal car' button popping up for convenient crime sprees.

read more


Namco Bandai to publish PS3 Ni No Kuni in the west

Namco Bandai has revealed that it will publish the PS3 version of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, the RPG collaboration between Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, in Europe and North America next year.

Namco Bandai has revealed that it will publish the PS3 version of Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch, the RPG collaboration between Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, in Europe and North America next year.

No news is yet forthcoming as to whether the west can expect the DS version to make its way here. The western title for the game - Wrath Of The White Witch - was confirmed earlier this month.


Prince Of Persia finally ported to Commodore 64

A coder going by the handle Mr Sid has ported Jordan Mechner's 1989 Apple II game Prince Of Persia to Commodore 64. The project took two-and-a-half years to complete, and has realised one of Mechner's ambitions. "That's crazy!" Mechner writes in the comments on Mr Sid's developer blog. "Back in 1989, when I was making POP on the Apple II, I couldn't get anyone interested in doing a C64 port... because it was too old a system."
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-17-coder-ports-prince-of-persia-to-c64
CVG

A coder going by the handle Mr Sid has ported Jordan Mechner's 1989 Apple II game Prince Of Persia to Commodore 64.

The project took two-and-a-half years to complete, and has realised one of Mechner's ambitions for the game.

"That's crazy!" Mechner writes in the comments on Mr Sid's developer blog. "Back in 1989, when I was making POP on the Apple II, I couldn't get anyone interested in doing a C64 port... because it was too old a system."

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RIM offers free games to users affected by service outage

Blackberry manufacturer RIM has revealed that it will compensate beleaguered users affected by last week's service outage with free games. Games up for grabs include The Sims 3, N.O.V.A., Bubble Bash 2 and PopCap's Bejeweled among others, and can be downloaded at no cost from Blackberry's App World for one month from tomorrow.
http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=5214
Blackberry

Blackberry manufacturer RIM has revealed that it will compensate beleaguered users affected by last week's service outage with free games.

Games up for grabs include The Sims 3, N.O.V.A., Bubble Bash 2 and PopCap's Bejeweled among others, and can be downloaded at no cost from Blackberry's App World for one month from tomorrow.

A number of other non-game apps are also included in the offer, and free technical support is also offered for the same period.

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Out There: Do games make you smarter?

Plus, Mike Wilson stars in a stoner comedy movie, and flying drones with a 360 pad.

Apologies for the break in your Out There service last week. Hopefully, this bumper episode will make up for it.

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Chinese social game dev raises $30m for expansion into west

Chinese social games company Happy Elements has raised $30 million in a second round of funding. The Beijing-based developer is one of Asia's top social game developers on Facebook, launching games such as My Fishbowl, Boss Vegas and Lounge Bar across various social networks.
http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/16/chinese-social-gaming-giant-happy-elements-raises-30-million/
Techcrunch

Chinese social games company Happy Elements has raised $30 million in a second round of funding.

The Beijing-based developer is one of Asia's top social game developers on Facebook, launching games such as My Fishbowl, Boss Vegas and Lounge Bar across various social networks.

The cash will be used to fund an expansion into western markets alongside the launch of several new smartphone games next year.

Founded in 2009, Happy Elements has grown its original eight-person team to around 300 staff, and aims to have launched eight new games by the end of 2012.


Chinese social game dev raises $30m for expansion into west

Chinese social games company Happy Elements has raised $30 million in a second round of funding. The Beijing-based developer is one of Asia's top social game developers on Facebook, launching games such as My Fishbowl, Boss Vegas and Lounge Bar across various social networks.
http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/16/chinese-social-gaming-giant-happy-elements-raises-30-million/
Techcrunch

Chinese social games company Happy Elements has raised $30 million in a second round of funding.

The Beijing-based developer is one of Asia's top social game developers on Facebook, launching games such as My Fishbowl, Boss Vegas and Lounge Bar across various social networks.

The cash will be used to fund an expansion into western markets alongside the launch of several new smartphone games next year.

Founded in 2009, Happy Elements has grown its original eight-person team to around 300 staff, and aims to have launched eight new games by the end of 2012.


First footage of games in Level-5's Guild 01 3DS collection

Level-5 has released a video comprising of the first ever footage from each of the games included in its upcoming 3DS collection, Guild 01.

Level-5 has released a video comprising of the first ever footage from each of the games included in its upcoming 3DS collection, Guild 01.

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Project Zomboid code stolen in burglary

Developer The Indie Stone has taken its zombie survival RPG offline for a day, after pirates released a version that downloads a new version of the game every time the Update button is clicked. "These 'auto updating' versions could kill us completely," Indie Stone explains. "We have a cloud based distribution model...We are charged money for people downloading the game."

The Indie Stone, the developer behind zombie survival RPG Project Zomboid, has suffered further bad luck following a break in at the Newcastle flat where two of the team live and work.

Among the stolen items were two laptops containing a great deal of code for the latest update of the game - code that wasn't backed up externally. On the developer's blog, writer Will Porter stressed that no player data was stored on either laptop.

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Rockstar: GTA III coming to "single core iOS devices in the future"

Rockstar has clarified that its mobile version of Grand Theft Auto III, which was intitially announced as an 4S and iPad 2 exclusive in its iOS incarnation, will infact make its way to less powerful Apple devices in time.
http://kotaku.com/5850005/gta-iii-anniversary-edition-will-come-to-non+bleeding+edge-ios-devices-too
Kotaku

Rockstar has clarified that the mobile version of Grand Theft Auto III, which was intitially announced as an 4S and iPad 2 exclusive in its iOS incarnation, will in fact make its way to less powerful Apple devices in time.

Though brief, the developer issued a statement saying that it intends to bring GTA III to "single core iOS devices in the future". It didn't, however, give any details on which single core models will be supported.


Rogue Sky HD review

PebbleBug's iOS balloon trip rides the unfriendly skies.

"Pumpkin has increased in speed and manoeuvrability." Rogue Sky may come on like any other iOS oddball, but behind the studied quirkiness, it's a surprisingly stern game. Climb into your grinning hot air balloon, head for the clouds, and then prepare to go down in flames again and again and again.

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Assassin's Creed Revelations: Juggling act

Creative director Alex Amancio on keeping the chaos out of Constantinople and getting six studios to pull together.

Alex Amancio left his role art directing Fry Cry 2's sweaty jungles to become creative director on Assassin’s Creed Revelations. The locale might be more refined, but there's a great danger of allowing the Assassin's Creed series, now in its fourth major iteration, to become just as chaotic.

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Forza 4 debuts at top of UK charts

Turn 10's driving sim enjoys the biggest ever launch week for an Xbox 360 racer.

Forza Motorsport 4 has debuted at the top of UK all-formats software charts this week, knocking last week's leader, FIFA 12, to second place.

According to GFK Chart-track, Forza pipped FIFA by a whisker, just 700 units ahead, but Turn 10's game also claimed the biggest launch week of all time for an Xbox 360 racer.

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Halo Anniversary Kinect features detailed

343 Industries has revealed how Kinect will be used in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary during a panel at Comic-Con in New York. Most interesting of the functions is Analyze Mode, which brings a little of Metroid Prime's spirit to proceedings by allowing you to scan objects. Items, vehicles, characters and enemies can be scanned by placing your reticule over the intended target and saying, 'scan'.
http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/120/1200549p1.html
IGN

343 Industries has revealed how Kinect will be used in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary during a panel at Comic-Con in New York.

Most interesting of the functions is Analyze Mode, which brings a little of Metroid Prime's spirit to proceedings by allowing you to scan objects. Items, vehicles, characters and enemies can be scanned by placing your reticule over the intended target and saying, 'scan'.

read more


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