Dr Richard Marks, one of the men behind Sony's new motion controller, says that conservative launch line-up is to be expected.
Speaking during an interview with Edge, Sony's Dr Richard Marks - one of the men behind PS3's new motion controller, Move - says that developers need more time to take full advantage of the device.
It’s easy to take hardware for granted. Whereas the constant drip-feed of concept art, screenshots and press releases ensures that software develops in front of our eyes, hardware tends to emerge fully formed, months and years of engineering forgotten in a moment of onstage fanfare. Dr Richard Marks is one of the people responsible for designing and bringing new hardware to life. Having studied avionics at MIT, Marks went on to receive a PhD from Stanford, working in underwater robotics, before turning his talents to worthier pursuits.
Halo: Reach has debuted atop the UK all formats chart for the week ended September 18, recording the biggest ever launch week for publisher Microsoft and the fifth biggest in UK history, behind only Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360 and PS3), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2) and GTA IV (Xbox 360).
The title improved on Halo 3’s launch week by 20,000 sales and Halo: ODST’s by almost 200,000 sales, according to sales monitor GfK Chart-Track.
Click here for your e-zine detailing Georgia as a hub for game development>>
To an outsider, it can be difficult to truly comprehend the vastness of the United States of America. With an area of 60,000 square miles, the state of Georgia alone is large enough to be a country - one which would represent the 28th largest economy in the world - and while North American culture implies a homogenisation across the states, each one has its own unique feeling.
Tokyo Game Show organiser CESA has announced record attendance figures for this year's event.
The four day show, which wrapped up yesterday, drew 207,647 visitors. It marks the first time in its history it has surpassed the 200,000 mark and follows a dip in attendance last year.
Classic PC games digital distributor Good Old Games appears to have closed, according to a statement on its website.
The DRM-free retro gaming service, launched by Poland-based CD Projekt in 2008, went down over the weekend. A message on the site implies the service may not be gone forever, while internet reports suggest the move may be a marketing stunt ahead of a service relaunch.
Dear GOG users,
Konami and Harmonix have settled a patent dispute over music games including Rock Band.
While terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed, the firms said in court filings that they have agreed to dismiss “all claims and counterclaims” in the suit, Bloomberg reports.
Realtime Worlds’ Dundee studio has closed and its US satellite office in California is likely to apply for Chapter 7 protection after administrators Begbies Traynor announced it had failed to find a buyer for APB.
Format: Xbox 360
Release: Out now
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Bungie
Screenshot gallery
President Obama has announced the launch of two videogame design competitions as part of a drive to motivate interest in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
The National STEM Video Game Challenge consists of two separate competitions, a Youth Prize aimed at middle school students and a Developer Prize for professionals.
Zombie Cow Studios has cancelled plans to release an Xbox 360 version of Channel 4-funded sex education game Privates.
The developer said it was informed by Microsoft that its PC side-scrolling platform shooter - which invites inviting players into every orifice of the human body to fight infection with assault rifles and Ghostbuster rayguns - wouldn’t have passed the platform holder’s censors.
Online game developer and publisher Trion Worlds has appointed three new executives to its management team.
Christopher Yates joins Trion as senior vice president of platform and technology, Lisa Bell-Cabrera as VP of sales, and Ricardo Sanchez VP of digital.
Formerly CTO for Electronic Arts, Yates most recently spent seven years at Sony, where he led the development and operation of Sony’s Network Platform, the infrastructure that supports PlayStation Network content.
Capcom has reported a disappointing set of financial results for the year ended March 31, 2010, blaming the “strategic postponement” of major games and “the drastic overhaul of poorly performing businesses” for its lowest net income since 2004 and weakest sales since 2005.
Full year sales came in at 66,837 million yen ($780m / $498m), down 27.3 per cent year-over-year, while net income declined 73.1 per cent to 2,167 million yen ($25.3m / £16.1m).
Nintendo’s DS line of handhelds topped the hardware sales chart in Japan during the week ended September 12.
Combined DS sales came in at 39,749 units, although PSP was the individual bestseller, shifting 30,761 units.
PS3 remained the top selling home console, moving 19,907 units versus Wii’s 15,031 sales.
Gears Of War maker Epic Games has been linked to a potential acquisition of Realtime Worlds’ APB.
‘A source close to the development team at APB told BBC News that administrators were looking to sell the intellectual property rights to APB,’ the BBC writes. ‘One company mentioned as a potential buyer was US-based Epic Games.’
Format: 360 (version tested), PC, PS3
Out: September 24
Publisher: Codemasters
Developer: Codemasters
Screenshot gallery
The widely rumoured but unannounced PSP successor is in the hands of third party development studios, according to Shaun Himmerick, executive producer at Netherrealm Studios.
Better not call it Survival Mode, because you’ve already expired, by the looks of things. Call it Distance Mode instead - a frantic first-person dash through misty, monochrome woods, past spectral trees plucked right out of Limbo, and past gravestones that serve as a kind of creepy leaderboard for your previous best efforts.
This year at the Scottish Learning Festival LTS’ Consolarium team offerings in the game based learning field are quite extensive. We have been busily working away with local authority partners over the course of the past year and have many interesting and valuable experiences and ideas to share with our delegates at SLF10.
The LTS Consolarium team are delivering three seminars and they also have a programme of events on the LTS stand. We hope that you may find the time to attend a seminar or even come along to one of our inputs at the LTS stand.
Wednesday 22nd September, 15:45-16:30
Ollie Bray will share examples of how Consolarium game based learning initiatives have been used to support the development of Numeracy and Literacy within Curriculum for Excellence. His presentation will draw on a range of examples from Primary and Secondary schools. He will also explore how applications such as Google Earth can support the cross cutting themes of CfE.
Thursday 23rd September, 10:30-11:15
Derek Robertson will share some examples of how computer games have been used to engage young learners and support their development within the context of Curriculum for Excellence. He will also show how young learners can raise to meet the demand and challenge presented to them when asked to make their own computer games.
Thursday 23rd September, 14:00-14:45
Charlie Love and Brian Clark will share the work that they have been leading on in relation to helping build the capacity within schools to help nurture and grow a culture of creation and not just consumption of digital content. They will discuss the position of games design within Curriculum for Excellence and in so doing will share their experiences in leading computer game design in Scottish schools. They will also showcase the resources available in Glow to support schools as they take this forward.
10:30-11:30 Game design using Kodu
Come along to see how the Kodu application can be used to make games that can be played on the Xbox or PC. A demonstration will be given as well as the chance for you to begin making your own game.
12:30-13:30 Just Dance/Dance on Broadway
Bring your dancing shoes and feel free to join in as the Consolarium team demonstrate just how games such as Just Dance or Dance on Broadway can make you move! Open discussion about the place of such resources in schools will also take place as well as the opportunity for you to get up on the stand with us and get down!
13:30-14:30 Wedo Lego Scratch
Come along to see how the Lego Wedo kit can be used to enhance the Scratch computer game building experience. You will see how you can build an input device (joypad) that will control the games that you make! A demonstration will be given as well as the chance for you to use this reource.
15:30-16:30 Meet the Eyepet
Come along and meet our Eyepets. You may think that something strange is afoot when you see us stroking and speaking to, what might be appear to be, an imaginary pet….it’s there, but virtually! Come and meet this amazing augmented reality creature and give some thought to how it might find a home in an early years setting near you. (Good news, you don’t need to clean its cage!)
Thursday 23rd September
10:30-11:30 UDK/Unity
The Consolarium team will give a demonstration of how freely available software such as UDK or Unity can raise the bar of expectation and demand of learners by enabling them to build 3D computer games that look and feel almost as good as those that are available commercially.
12:30-13:30 Little Big Planet
Little Big Planet is the hugely successful PS3 game has taken the game experience to a new level. Not only can you play the game but you can also build your own dynamic and complex levels that others can play. Come and see what you can build and engage with the discussion about how this might play a part in offering challenge and demand to your pupils.
14:30-15-30 Endless Ocean
Many games now offer immersive worlds that the player/learner can get lost in without any desire for high score attainment or skill development. Games such as Endless Ocean present low cost immersive worlds that a teacher can use to create the most engaging and beautiful learning experiences. Come along, dive in, splash around and see if you could make this idea float in your class!
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Update - APB closure confirmed: APB community officer Ben Bateman posted the following on the game's forum: "APB has been a fantastic journey, but unfortunately that journey has come to a premature end. Today we are sad to announce that despite everyone's best efforts to keep the service running; APB is coming to a close. It's been a pleasure working on APB and with all its players. Together we were building an absolutely amazing game, and for that, we thank you.
Mass market focused games publisher Majesco reduced its losses despite a drop in revenues during its third fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2010.
The company cut its losses to $1.6 million, compared to $5.2 million in the same three month period last year, while revenues decreased 29 per cent to $12.2 million.
The picture is better for the nine months ended July 31, the firm reporting a net income of $0.6 million, versus a loss of $2.7 million last year, while revenue declined 26 per cent to $52.3 million.
EA, Capcom, Gaikai and Gamestop representatives will be among the speakers at this year’s London Games Conference.
Taking place on November 4 at BAFTA, Piccadilly, the event will examine the challenges facing an industry that is increasingly being driven by digital distribution, online play, social networks and the concept of ‘games as a service’.
Former Microsoft employees David Edery and Daniel Cook have formed a new development studio focused on the digital game market.
The new outfit, Spry Fox, plans to create “web-based free-to-play games for various demographics, and downloadable titles for emerging platforms”, said Edery, who previously worked as worldwide games portfolio manager for Xbox Live.
Following Famitsu publisher Enterbrain's report on lifetime Japanese console hardware sales, Sony has revealed the global lifetime figures for its consoles.
Speaking during a live presentation at TGS 2010, SCEJ president Hiroshi Kawano revealed that PlayStation 3 has sold a total of 38 million units to date (of which 5.5 million were sold in Japan), while the PSP has achieved 62 million sales globally (just over 15 million of which were sold in Japan).
The team behind Demon Souls has revealed the title of its next project at Tokyo Games Show 2010.
From Software, the developer behind Demon Souls and Otogi, has revealed its latest project at TGS 2010. Titled Project Dark, the game will be a PS3 exclusive in Japan (no announcement was made regarding the western release's potential formats) and be aimed squarely at hardcore players.