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September 26, 2011

Console Crysis released next week

Crytek's 2007 PC shooter Crysis will be released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 4, publisher EA has confirmed.

Crytek's 2007 PC shooter Crysis will be released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 4, publisher EA has confirmed.

The game will only be available as a digital download: for 1600 Microsoft Points from the Xbox Live Marketplace, or £15.99 from the PlayStation Store. The 2007 original has been remastered, runs on CryEngine 3 and supports stereoscopic 3D.


The Old Republic dated

Star Wars: The Old Republic will be released on December 20 in North America and December 22 in Europe, publisher EA has announced.

Star Wars: The Old Republic will be released on December 20 in North America and December 22 in Europe, publisher EA has announced.

Buying a copy of BioWare's long-awaited PC MMOG will net you a 30-day subscription. Access to the game thereafter will cost $14.99/£8.99/€12.99 per month or $41.97/£25.17/€35.97 for three months, with six months costing $77.94/£46.14/€65.94.

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September 24, 2011

News round-up September 19-23

OnLive rises in UK while Zynga falters - a week in videogames.

Monday

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September 23, 2011

50 forgotten games

We remember some of the games that didn't deserve to slide into obscurity.

How is it that many of the prehistoric creatures staring back at us from biology textbooks – species that never survived to populate our modern world – invariably seem the most interesting? The world today is a more impoverished place for not having aquatic creatures with five eyes and a long flexible proboscis with a claw at the end. Arguably, the genetic deck was stacked against these oddballs from the moment of their inception.

Click through to start the list >

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50 forgotten games

We remember some of the games that didn't deserve to slide into obscurity.

How is it that many of the prehistoric creatures staring back at us from biology textbooks – species that never survived to populate our modern world – invariably seem the most interesting? The world today is a more impoverished place for not having aquatic creatures with five eyes and a long flexible proboscis with a claw at the end. Arguably, the genetic deck was stacked against these oddballs from the moment of their inception.

Click through to start the list >

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Microsoft patents modular smartphone

Microsoft's unique take on the slider smartphone comes from a USPTO filing which covers a "mobile communication device having multiple, interchangable second devices."
http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/23/microsoft-patents-modular-windows-phone-with-swappable-batteries/
Engadget

Microsoft's unique take on the slider smartphone comes from a USPTO filing which covers a "mobile communication device having multiple, interchangable second devices."

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HTML5 Game Maker released

YoYo Games, creator of Game Maker, has launched a new version of its drag-and-drop game development tool that outputs games in HTML5-compatible Javascript. The release of Game Maker: HTML5 means that users can export their creations to a webserver from which it can be playable in-browser on PCs, smartphones and tablets, without the need for any additional plug-ins

YoYo Games, creator of Game Maker, has launched a new version of its drag-and-drop game development tool that outputs games in HTML5-compatible Javascript.

The release of Game Maker: HTML5 means that users can export their creations to a webserver from which it can be playable in-browser on PCs, smartphones and tablets, without the need for any additional plugins. A new feature, Team Collaboration, lets multiple users work on a project at the same time.

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CCP tells Eve players: "We have heard you"

In a post on the Eve Insider Dev Blog, senior producer Arnar Hrafn Gylfason cuts a contrite figure as he assures disgruntled Eve Online players that CCP has listened to their concerns about the direction the game has taken in recent months, and will reveal its response in the weeks to come.
http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&nbid=242
Eve Online

In a post on the Eve Insider Dev Blog, senior producer Arnar Hrafn Gylfason cuts a contrite figure as he assures disgruntled Eve Online players that CCP has listened to their concerns about the direction the game has taken in recent months, and will reveal its response in the weeks to come.

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Bigpoint CEO lauded at VC awards

Heiko Hubertz, CEO of browser game developer Bigpoint Games, was last night named Entrepreneur Of The Year at the Investor Allstars Venture Capital Awards.

Heiko Hubertz, CEO of German browser game developer Bigpoint, was last night named Entrepreneur Of The Year at the Investor Allstars Venture Capital Awards in London.

Hubertz was honoured following a year in which Bigpoint has attracted $350 million in investment and reached 200 million registered users.

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Out There: What is hardcore?

Plus, the Oblivion books book and the 3DS photograph exhibition.

What's the difference between hardcore and casual? Here's one interpretation, from the Strange Design blog, which looks at how games create engagement:

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Katamari Damacy returns to the App Store

Katamari Amore, the latest in the Katamari Damacy series created by Keita Takahashi, will be released on the Apple App Store on September 29, publisher Namco Bandai has announced.

Katamari Amore, the latest in the Katamari Damacy series created by Keita Takahashi, will be released on the Apple App Store on September 29, publisher Namco Bandai has announced.

Amore will be available in freemium or paid form, and will be The King Of All Cosmos' second iOS outing, following 2008's I Love Katamari, and partially puts to bed rumours of the series' return.

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Diablo III delayed

In a press release, Blizzard has announced that Diablo III has been delayed, and will now be released early next year.

In a press release, Blizzard has announced that Diablo III has been delayed, and will now be released early next year.

CEO Mike Morhaime said: "With every game we make, the temptation is always very strong to launch as soon as possible. However, we didn't put so many years of work into Diablo III to release a game that was almost ready.

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What do Facebook's changes mean for games?

CEO Mark Zuckerberg details updates that will see friends' social gaming activities return to feeds.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has revealed that the social network is introducing features that will increase the discoverability and virality of social games.

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Black Rock tried to fit Disney's shift in focus

Brighton developer tried to scale back Split Second to fit with Disney's drift away from triple-A.

Black Rock, the Brighton-based developer which closed its doors earlier this month, tried to repurpose its high-octane racer Split Second to fit with parent company Disney's shift in focus.

In an interview, former game director Nick Baynes tells us that the studio did all it could to align itself with Disney's decision to turn its back on triple-A console games, but its plan to strip down its thrilling racer just wasn't workable.

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Bluepoint on HD remakes: "You make one mistake and it kills it"

The developer behind the God Of War, Team Ico and Metal Gear Solid HD collections on the perils of remastering the classics.

Bluepoint Games, the Austin, Texas-based developer which is fast carving out a reputation as the master of the HD remaster, has told us the process is far from as simple as it seems, saying: "You make one mistake and it kills it."

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Designing engagement: The secret of Game Dev Story

Graham McAllister on why it's so hard to put Kairosoft's pocket management sim down.

There are many possible reasons for a game being compulsive. Player personality type, motivation driven by a game genre or licence and social influence all affect the desire to continue to play.

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New issue of Edge out now

Introducing E233, featuring the cold northerly climes of Skyrim.

As befits Skyrim's epic nature, issue 233 of Edge features an eight page preview of Bethesda Softwork's latest open-world adventure.

Reaching subscribers around about now and in UK newsagents on September 27, the magazine also includes an in-depth look at how Call Of Duty took over the world and examines whether copying is a creative scourge or a natural part of gaming's evolution.

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Report: Zynga's profits fall 90 per cent

According to a regulatory filing seen by Reuters, Zynga's profits last quarter fell by 90 per cent, with the blame pinned on increased spending and the absence of any major game releases.
http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2011/09/22/zynga-profits-dip-in-june-according-to-regulatory-filing
Inside Social Games

According to a regulatory filing seen by Reuters, Zynga's profits last quarter fell by 90 per cent, with the blame pinned on increased spending and the absence of any major game releases.

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Diabolical Pitch trailer

This trailer is our first look at Grasshopper's Diabolical Pitch, an Xbox Live Arcade title for Kinect in which players see off an advancing demon horde by throwing baseballs.

This trailer is our first look at Grasshopper's Diabolical Pitch, an Xbox Live Arcade title for Kinect in which players see off an advancing demon horde by throwing baseballs dreamed up by studio head Suda51.

There's also co-operative multiplayer, with players able to team up to perform special moves. Diabolical Pitch will be released before the year is out.


Demon's Souls servers to remain online

Publisher Atlus has confirmed that it intends to keep its Demon's Souls online servers up and running into next year, despite the impending release of sequel Dark Souls.
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/atlus-continues-demons-souls-server-support-into-2012/
Joystiq

Publisher Atlus has confirmed that it intends to keep its Demon's Souls online servers up and running into next year, despite the impending release of sequel Dark Souls.

Atlus had only previously guaranteed the servers would remain online until October, when Dark Souls is released in the west. However, it appears it expects a surge in interest in its punishing PS3 action-RPG, and has duly lowered its price to $19.99.

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September 22, 2011

NHL 12 holds Nordic chart lead

Gears Of War 3 makes top three debut but fails to dislodge EA’s ice hockey title and Dead Island.

NHL 12 holds the number one spot on the latest weekly Nordic chart, which combines sales data from Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

Dead Island is also a non-mover at number two, while Gears Of War 3 is the highest new entry in third place.

SingStar Suomisuosikit and The Sims 3 both rise three spots to take fourth and fifth respectively.

Elsewhere, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit re-enters the top ten at number six, while FIFA 11 and Crysis 2 drop out.

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EA appoints global chief technology officer

Electronic Arts has appointed 15-year Microsoft veteran Rajat Taneja as its global chief technology officer.

Electronic Arts has appointed 15-year Microsoft veteran Rajat Taneja as its global chief technology officer.

Taneja, who will be responsible for driving critical technology decisions and investments for EA on a worldwide basis, most recently served as corporate vice president of the Xbox maker’s commerce division, where he led the development and deployment of all commerce and transaction technologies across Microsoft's connected services, including Xbox Live, Windows Phone and MSN.

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Neversoft hiring for FPS

The California studio which made its name with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, but has more recently been occupied with Guitar Hero, is hiring for a new project. And, in a departure for the studio, it's an FPS.
http://www.gamerzines.com/xbox-360/news/guitar-hero-dev-working-on-fps.html
Gamerzines

The California studio which made its name with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, but has more recently been occupied with Guitar Hero, is hiring for a new project. And, in a departure for the studio, it's an FPS.

According to Gamerzines, the developer is recruiting for multiplayer level designers, network programmers, and engineers. While it is best known for skateboards and plastic instruments, Neversoft does have shooter experience thanks to Gun, its 2005 thirdperson Western.


Neversoft hiring for FPS

The California studio which made its name with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, but has more recently been occupied with Guitar Hero, is hiring for a new project. And, in a departure for the studio, it's an FPS.
http://www.gamerzines.com/xbox-360/news/guitar-hero-dev-working-on-fps.html
Gamerzines

The California studio which made its name with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, but has more recently been occupied with Guitar Hero, is hiring for a new project. And, in a departure for the studio, it's an FPS.

According to Gamerzines, the developer is recruiting for multiplayer level designers, network programmers, and engineers. While it is best known for skateboards and plastic instruments, Neversoft does have shooter experience thanks to Gun, its 2005 thirdperson Western.


Soul Calibur V gallery

Here's a gallery of screenshots for Soul Calibur V, the Namco Bandai fighter that's due for Xbox 360 and PS3 early next year.
http://andriasang.com/comyak/
Andriasang

Here's a gallery of screenshots for Soul Calibur V, the Namco Bandai fighter that's due for Xbox 360 and PS3 early next year.


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