Author - Jerry Paxton

THQ on the Rocks, Cancels 2014 Lineup, Looking for Buyer [RUMOR]

2012/01/15
Jerry Paxton
News

It seems as though video game developer/publisher THQ may be in some serious trouble. According to a rash of Tweets sent out by Kevin Dent, who claims to head up the IGDA’s Mobile Special Interest Group, THQ has canceled its 2014 games lineup and is looking for someone to buy them out. Here are some of the Tweets he sent out:

Also heard that THQ are offering themselves to Asian firms to increase value!

@PeterSkerritt they cancelled all of their 2014

In addition, word is spreading that THQ has returned IP to Disney AFTER paying the advance, with no refund.

THQ has some very popular IPs in the gaming industry under their umbrella – with Saint’s Row, Red Faction, and Warhammer 40k to name a few. Hopefully, these rumors turn out to be false. We have sent a request for comment to THQ and will update you guys as soon as we hear more.

Wargame: European Escalation Trailer

2012/01/14
Jerry Paxton
News

Eugen Systems and Focus Home Interactive have released a new trailer for their upcoming, realistic RTS, Wargame: European Escalation, which is due out sometime in the first quarter of this year.

Trailer

The Edgar Winter Group and KoRn Coming to Rock Band

2012/01/14
Jerry Paxton
News

Harmonix has announced that tracks from The Edgar Winter Group and KoRn will be coming to the Rock Band Music Store on January 17th, 2012.

Available on Xbox 360, Wii™and PlayStation®3 system (January 17th, 2012):

  • The Edgar Winter Group – “Free Ride” O
  • The Edgar Winter Group – “Frankenstein” O X
  • KoRn – “Freak on a Leash”
  • KoRn – “Falling Away from Me”

(These tracks will be available in Europe on PlayStation®3 system January 18th)

Tracks marked with “O” feature support for keyboards; tracks marked with “X” will offer Pro Guitar and Pro Bass expansions for $0.99 per song.

Price:                   
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points, 200 Wii Points) per song
$0.99 USD (100 Wii Points™/80 Microsoft Points), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade

cd Projeckt’s Open Letter Against Piracy

2012/01/14
Jerry Paxton
News

Marcin Iwinski, co-founder of The Witcher developer cd Project RED, has released on open letter to the gaming community at large regarding their stance on software piracy. The letter is a response to criticism against their “direct dealing” policy on piracy. cd Projekt RED has had a long-history of avoiding DRM and, instead, directly contacting those who are stealing their software. They will no longer be doing so. No word on whether or not this means that future products from the developer WILL use DRM.

An Open Letter to the Gaming Community from CD Projekt RED

In early December, an article was published about a law firm acting on behalf of CD Projekt RED, contacting individuals who had downloaded The Witcher 2 illegally and seeking financial compensation for copyright infringement. The news about our decision to combat piracy directly, instead of with DRM, spread quickly and with it came a number of concerns from the community. Repeatedly, gamers just like you have said that our methods might wrongly accuse people who have never violated our copyright and expressed serious concern about our actions.

Being part of a community is a give-and-take process. We only succeed because you have faith in us, and we have worked hard over the years to build up that trust. We were sorry to see that many gamers felt that our actions didn’t respect the faith that they have put into CD Projekt RED. Our fans always have been and remain our greatest concern, and we pride ourselves on the fact that you all know that we listen to you and take your opinions to heart. While we are confident that no one who legally owns one of our games has been required to compensate us for copyright infringement, we value our fans, our supporters, and our community too highly to take the chance that we might ever falsely accuse even one individual.

So we’ve decided that we will immediately cease identifying and contacting pirates.

Let’s make this clear: we don’t support piracy. It hurts us, the developers. It hurts the industry as a whole. Though we are staunch opponents of DRM because we don’t believe it has any effect on reducing piracy, we still do not condone copying games illegally. We’re doing our part to keep our relationship with you, our gaming audience, a positive one. We’ve heard your concerns, listened to your voices, and we’re responding to them. But you need to help us and do your part: don’t be indifferent to piracy. If you see a friend playing an illegal copy of a game–any game–tell your friend that they’re undermining the possible success of the developer who created the very game that they are enjoying. Unless you support the developers who make the games you play, unless you pay for those games, we won’t be able to produce new excellent titles for you.

Keep on playing,

Marcin Iwinski
co-founder
CD Projekt RED

Mass Effect 3 Is Origin-Only, No Steam Support

2012/01/14
Jerry Paxton
News

Chris Priestly, BioWare’s community and pr guy, has posted up some bad (but not unforseen) news on the official BioWare forums: Mass Effect 3 will NOT be sold on Steam and will only be downloadable via Electronic Arts’ crappy Origin digital distribution service.

Basically, this means that I am now going to buy my copy in a retail store and then activate it via Origin, as I do not want to contribute any purchases on that awful system.

Full Forum Post

Below are answers to the most commonly asked questions about Origin and Mass Effect 3. Thank you for your patience as we have worked to answer them.

1) Will Origin be a requirement to play all versions of Mass Effect 3? (Digital and/or from a retail brick and mortar store)
Yes, Origin is required for all PC editions of Mass Effect 3, physical or digital.

2) Is constant Origin connection required or is it a single one off authentication when the game is first installed. Is there also a limit to the number of installations available?
Mass Effect 3 will require a one time, single authorization for the single player game. There is no limit to the number of installs. Playing Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer will require a constant connection.

3) Is Origin required for the retail versions of the game?
Origin is required for the PC versions of Mass Effect 3, both physical and digital.

4) Will ME3 be available on Steam?
During initial release Mass Effect 3 will be available on Origin and a number of other 3rd party digital retailers, but not on Steam at this time. Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content.  We are intent on providing Mass Effect to players with the best possible experience no matter where they purchase or play their game, and are happy to partner with any download service that does not restrict our ability to connect directly with our consumers.

5) Is there an opt in or opt out clause for data collection? 
Users will be allowed to opt-out of Mass Effect 3 data collection from inside the game.

6) I’ve seen reports that Origin is spyware.  Is this true?
Origin is not spyware, and does not use or install spyware on user’s machines.  In order to allow Origin to install games and their patches for everyone to use, Origin implements a permission change that results in Windows, not Origin, reviewing the filenames in the ProgramData/Origin folder.   This is an ordinary Windows function, not an information-gathering process. 

7) Has the Origin EULA been updated following recent questions in Germany?
The German Origin EULA has been updated.  For more information, please review the Origin EULA here: http://www.ea.com/1/product-eulas.

8) Is there a double-opt in for Mass Effect 3 marketing emails for German residents?
Yes, we always adhere to the German requirement of a double opt-in standard for marketing emails.  Mass Effect 3 users must opt-in twice to receive these emails.

I appreciate everyone’s patience on this topic. Please continue to ask questions about Mass Effect 3 and Origin and I will continue to try to get the answers for you.

Armored Core V Gets A Release Date

2012/01/14
Jerry Paxton
News

Namco Bandai has announced that its upcoming Armored Core V is scheduled to be released onMarch 20, 2012 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms. Checkout the full press release below for all the details:

Full Press Release

SAN JOSE, Calif., (January 12, 2012) NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced ARMORED CORE® V will be released on March 20, 2012 in North America and on March 23, 2012 in Europe for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.  Developed by the acclaimed FromSoftware, Inc., ARMORED CORE V will bring the most intense and strategic mech battles yet to the veteran series.

The ARMORED CORE® franchise is renowned in the mech action genre for its intense battles and customization options. ARMORED CORE V revolutionizes the series with massive online multiplayer battles designed around huge team-based skirmishes on a grand scale, a robust offline mode, and a completely new atmosphere. Featuring mechs or “Armored Cores” that are customized for more strategic gameplay, ARMORED CORE V focuses on tactics and effectively utilizing the geography of a level to maximize the devastating effects of attacks. Players will be able to customize their Armored Core with countless unlockable parts creating their own personal weapons of mass destruction.

“Gamers have been eagerly anticipating the release of ARMORED CORE V, which will bring strategic mech combat to new heights,” said Eiichi Nakajima, studio head, FromSoftware, Inc.  “With cooperative missions, a persistent online world battling for territories and epic team battles, ARMORED CORE V is the complete action shooter package.”

The all new Operator Mode gives one player a leadership role by being able to supply his Armored Core teammates with enemy positions, movements and details.

“A quick trigger finger and razor-sharp reflexes won’t always turn the tide of battle in ARMORED CORE V,” said Carlson Choi, Vice President of Marketing, NAMCO BANDAI Games America.  “The Operator adds a new layer of strategy orchestrating his team of Armored Cores to victory by finding the enemy’s weaknesses.”

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. also confirmed today that ARMORED CORE fans pre-ordering the title from GameStop® stores across North America, as well as GameStop.com, will gain exclusive access to the ‘HEAVY ASSAULT PACK’ while supplies last.  The pack will include additional weapons and parts that will help give players a competitive advantage on day one in the innovative and sophisticated online multiplayer battles of ARMORED CORE V.

ARMORED CORE V will be available throughout North America on March 20, 2012.  For more information on the game, as well as information on additional pre-order promotions, please visit: http://namcobandaigames.com/console/armored-core-5 and http://www.facebook.com/armoredcore.

BioWare Unveils Rise of the Rakghouls for The Old Republic

2012/01/14
Jerry Paxton
News

BioWare, LucasArts, and Electronic Arts have revealed the contents of Game Update 1.1 for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Rise of the Rakghouls will feature a new flashpoint as well as a continuation of one of the game’s “operation” missions. Check out the press release below for the full scoop:

Full Press Release

Just one month after launching the fastest growing subscription MMO in history, EA, BioWare and LucasArts are prepared to release the first game update for the critically-acclaimed Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. . Launching next week on Tuesday, January 17, Rise of the Rakghouls will introduce new, higher level group content, game feature additions and continued balancing and bug fixes. As part of the commitment to the community, BioWare will continue to release game updates to subscribers throughout the year on a regular cadence. The next update is planned for March 2012 and will include new Flashpoints, Operations, WarZones and new game systems.

“A month ago when we launched the Early Game Access program for Star Wars: The Old Republic, we promised our fans that this would just be the beginning of our journey together,” said Dr. Greg Zeschuk, General Manager of the BioWare Label’s MMO Business Unit and Co-Founder of BioWare. “Rise of the Rakghouls adds a lot of the things our community has been asking for – additional higher level group content, features like anti-aliasing, PvP bracketing and more. In the future, game updates will be even more substantial, as we promise to continue to not only add to The Old Republic, but to also improve and refine the experience with the full Legacy System and new Guild features.”

Rise of the Rakghouls features a new Flashpoint and a new Operation as well as a number of changes made throughout the entire game, including level 50 bracketing for PvP WarZones, the addition of anti-aliasing and changes to Open World PvP on Ilum.

  • Flashpoint: Kaon Under Siege is a completely new and unique group combat experience located on Kaon, a planet in the Tion Hegemony, a strategically important sector of the galaxy that has remained neutral, Groups of up to four Republic or Imperial players must race to Kaon to eliminate the Rakghouls outbreak, securing the allegiance of the Tion Hegemony for their respective sides. This Flashpoint will be available for level 50 characters only and will feature Normal and Heroic modes.
  • Operation: Karagga’s Palace, is a continuation of the game’s second launch Operation. In the Operation, teams of 8 or 16 players will face off against Karagga and the Hutt Cartel after the Hutts abandon their famous neutrality and breach agreements with both the Republic and Empire. Concerned by the threat of another combatant in the war for galactic control, both factions send teams of their most powerful heroes to confront Karagga and determine his intentions. This Operation will feature Normal, Heroic and Nightmare difficulty modes.

For more information on Game Update 1.1: Rise of the Rakghouls, please visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com for the full details.

Ninja Gaiden 3 Collector’s Edition Announced

2012/01/14
Jerry Paxton
News

Team Ninja and Tecmo Koei have revealed the official Collector’s Edition for their upcoming Ninja Gaiden 3. Those who preorder NINJA GAIDEN 3 at GameStop and Amazon will receive a special downloadable two-character demo stage from Team NINJA’s upcoming DEAD OR ALIVE 5 fighting game. Players who place a preorder at GameStop will get access to a downloadable DEAD OR ALIVE 5 demo stage featuring a duel between NINJA GAIDEN’s Hayabusa and DOA’s Hitomi. At Amazon, preorder customers will be provided a duel between the DOA characters Ayane and Hayate. Alternatively, the premium NINJA GAIDEN 3 Collector’s Edition offers players a chance to play all four characters in the DEAD OR ALIVE 5 demo stage, an exclusive NINJA GAIDEN 3 “Unmask” game art book, soundtrack CD, and an exclusive “Duel of the Masked” figure set.

NINJA GAIDEN 3 will be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 20th, 2012.

Mail.Ru Announces RiotZone

2012/01/14
Jerry Paxton
News

Mail.Ru has announced a new browser-based MMO called RiotZone. Please see the official press release below for all the details!

Hamburg, – January 12, 2012 – Mail.Ru Games, the publisher of internationally successful online games such as Legend: Legacy of the Dragon, Allods Online and Juggernaut announced today that their new browser-based MMO RiotZone will be released at the beginning of 2012. In a country disrupted by civil war, gamers engage in ferocious tactical combat in a tropical setting. With short game sessions, during which gamers single-mindedly adopt the special skills of their units, RiotZone is especially appealing to casual gamers. The comic style and exaggerated characters offer a pleasant distraction from conventional strategy games. RiotZone is free to play and does not require a client or installation.

Revolt in the Jungle

In Merania, civil war is raging. Two rival organizations have declared war on the Dictator: the fighters of the Scarlet Alliance are striving for the rule of the people, and are known for their fanaticism. The Crown Coalition prefers a cold-minded, business-like approach. As commanders of mercenary squads, players place themselves in the service of one of these organizations. Leading bold forays, planning ambushes, intercepting convoys or capturing military bases – a leader has a lot to do! There is also no time to rest between fights either. Commanders are in charge of setting up camp, gathering resources and training their units; they control the finances and provide new equipment. From level five on, players can use a multitude of enthralling PvP options such as team combat or invasions of enemy territory. Mass battles will decide who takes control of the game zone.