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JXE Streams: Slaying monsters with a vengeance in 'The Witcher 3'
You've likely seen the infamous "sex on a stuffed unicorn" scene by now, but what's the rest of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt really about? That's what I'm hoping to show you today on this latest edition of JXE Streams. The Witcher is kind of an anomaly, really: a long-running PC role-playing series (based upon Polish fantasy novels) with a dedicated fanbase, but when the console port The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings arrived on Xbox 360 back in 2012, not many people paid attention to it. Fast forward three years and its sequel is one of the most highly anticipated games of the month. We're going to dive into some caves, fight some monsters and hopefully avoid any not-safe-for-work shenanigans so you don't get into any trouble if the boss walks by your desk.
Daily Roundup: Joystiq X Engadget, easy WiFi with Eero and more!
Joystiq may be gone, but it's not forgotten as we announce a new beginning with Joystiq X Engadget. Meanwhile, Eero wants to create a mesh network to solve your difficult home WiFi issues and Razer's new laptop gives you portable gaming in a powerful package. All that and more of today's top stories can be found below.
Introducing 'Joystiq X Engadget': A new beginning
There is no end. A new beginning starts today: "Joystiq X Engadget" is the temporary name for a long-term home. A new place to laugh along with us on Twitch streams; a new place to commiserate when all the games are broken; a new place to celebrate when an unexpected jewel shines through the din of hype. A new place, yes, but a new place full of familiar faces. Hi, I'm Ben Gilbert, and I used to work at Joystiq. Maybe you heard me on the Joystiq Podcast, or read my work on the site? It's been a few years, but I've been heading up gaming coverage at Engadget in the meantime. To my virtual left is Joystiq senior reporter Jess Conditt, who's joining me at the helm of this new venture. We are the continuation of Joystiq -- its new beginning -- if not in name, certainly in spirit and drive.
Joystiq Photo Album
Like all good photo albums, our look back at ten years of Joystiq is a hot mess of nostalgia, out-of-focus shots, and GIFs (you've been warned). Now, gather round and mind the edges. >>Joystiq Photo Album<<
Joystiq Presents: That's a wrap
Our final Joystiq Presents podcast gives members of the staff a moment to thank the Joystiq community and say a final farewell. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: Close project
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) talks with Joystiq's Editor in Chief Ludwig Kietzmann (@LudwigK) about the site's history as well as a newfound opportunity to grow. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: Can't stop
In this episode, Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) takes his turn in the hot seat as he tells Features Content Director Xav de Matos (@Xav) about the rant that landed him the job of his dreams. He also talks about barely surviving his first PAX and what Joystiq and video games mean to him. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: Team spirit
In this episode, Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) chats with News Content Director Alexander Sliwinski (@Sliwinski) about Team JOY and Team Joystiq. He also discusses the "Internet dating" side of working in the industry. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: Take care of business
In this episode, Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) talks with Weekend Editor Sam Prell (@SamPrell) to discuss happiness, horses and his writing career prior to joining Joystiq. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Games of a Lifetime: Xav's picks
After more than ten years devoted to video games and the people who make them, Joystiq is closing its doors. We won't be reporting on the best games of 2015, so join us for one last hurrah as the Joystiq family reveals their Games of a Lifetime. Chrono Trigger In my recent Joystiq Presents episode I talked about the profound impact the strategy guide of Chrono Trigger had on my love of games. Being able to finally play the game, just thinking of the first time I had that chance, still gets me a little choked up. It still stands as my favorite game of all time. I've played it a countless amount of times on so many platforms. It has wonderful characters, a story about fighting fate and shaping the world. I don't know if was supposed to be so "heady," but I think of it that way. It was meaningful, it showed the consequences of action, it had a talking Frog and a badass Robot. To me, Chrono Trigger is perfect.
Joystiq Presents: We live and die by this
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) chats with Features Content Director Xav de Matos (@Xav) about his upbringing as well as his career in the video games press. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: You start with a fire
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) chats with Community Manager Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) about being handed the keys to the Joystiq community. He also refuses to eat his vegetables. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: This is my family
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) sits down with Senior Reporter Jess Conditt (@JessConditt) to discuss her background in journalism and how Joystiq became her family. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: One missed call
In the latest episode, Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) talks with Weekend Editor Thomas Schulenberg (@T_Schulenberg) about the years leading to him joining Joystiq, including one crucial missed phone call. He also talks about going to E3 for the first time in his career. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
EVE Evolved: The end of EVE Evolved
By now, you will have heard that Massively is being shut down along with Joystiq and countless other blogs run by AOL. That unfortunately means this will be my final article for Massively and marks an end to the nearly seven-year run of the EVE Evolved column, which now holds over 350 articles on topics ranging from ship fittings and opinion pieces to guides and expansion breakdowns. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your readership and to express just how much playing EVE Online and writing for you really have impacted my life. I've been asked by so many people over the years for tips on breaking into the games industry as a journalist or MMO blogger, but the truth is that I lucked into this gig. When a post on the EVE Online news page said that some site called Massively was hiring an EVE Online columnist, I almost didn't bother applying. I was a prolific forumgoer back then and had written some guides for EON Magazine and my own blog, but I wanted to get into game development and had very little confidence in my writing ability. What I didn't know then was that writing for Massively would help improve my writing skills immeasurably and even help give me the confidence to launch my own game development studio. Massively gave me a platform on which to talk about EVE Online and an eager audience to share my game experiences with, but it turned into something much more profound. There have been low points dealing with trolls and organised harassment and tough times with budget cuts, but there have also some incredible experiences like attending the EVE Online Fanfest, investigating monoclegate, watching CCP redeem itself in the eyes of players, and collaborating with some of the best writers in the games industry. In this final edition of EVE Evolved, I look back at the start of the EVE Evolved column, break down my top ten column articles of all time, and try to put into words how much this column has meant to me over the years.
Joystiq Presents: Too good to be real
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) talks with Reviews Content Director Richard Mitchell (@TheRichardM) about the years Richard spent watching Joystiq grow. He reminisces about his Xbox 360 Fanboy days as well as the time he accepted a job at Joystiq. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Four in February challenges you to finish the fight
The shortest, yet greatest month of the year is upon us, February. If you followed along with us last year, you know what that means: Four in February is back! The month-long initiative starts tomorrow, challenging you (yes, you) to pick four games to finish in one month. The rules: There are no rules. Seriously, there are no rules. You can pick new games, old games or even titles that you stopped playing that one time during finals week in college because your academic life depended on it (it's cool, we've all been there). The only requirement is that you pick four games. Start at the beginning of a game, or start where your old save file left off, it doesn't matter! We can't drive over to your house to force you to start a game over; we don't know where you live, after all. By joining in the fun on Four in February's Facebook page or using the cute little hashtag #4iF on Twitter, you can update us on your progress, like that friend that uploads their daily jogging times to your news feed, except way more fun. Joystiq may be closing its doors, but we refuse to shut our consoles down. Join us in finishing the fight against our backlogs. Head past the break to see Four in February father Mike Suszek's lineup, then share yours in the comments!
Gaming while black: Casual racism to cautious optimism
NPR's Planet Money reported last year on a culture shift in 1984 that drove many women away from pursuing computer science degrees. Computers were more readily available at stores that catered to men and advertisements pushed the narrative that these new-fangled home devices were made for men. Pop culture followed suit, depicting men as computer geeks in movies, books and journalism. One thing that Planet Money found notable about computer ads in the 1980s was that they featured "just men, all men." Another aspect the ads shared was that they overwhelmingly starred a specific type of man: white. Click here for the full piece on Joystiq
Humble Bundle teams with Joystiq on curated charity game sale
The Joystiq staff tried to package and send out boxes of love to everyone on the internet, but shipping costs were crazy. So we helped prepare this Humble Weekly Bundle instead! The Humble Weekly Bundle Joystiq edition includes Beat Hazard Ultra (plus DLC), Intake, Dungeon of Elements and The Dream Machine chapters 1 - 4, all for whatever price you care to pay. For $6 or more, add on Slender: The Arrival and Primal Carnage. Pay at least $15 and also get Costume Quest 2. Click here for more
See Joystiq at PAX Prime 2014!
Are you headed to PAX Prime later this week? So are we! Your pals at Joystiq will be scouring the show floor for scoops on upcoming games, and we'll be making appearances at a number of panels throughout the weekend. Come see us and say hi! Search for "Joystiq" at PAX Prime's website and you'll find out which panels we're appearing at. Joystiq's Managing Editor Susan Arendt hosts the always hilarious (and unspeakably profane) Game Show Night: Blankety Blank on Friday. Saturday finds Feature Content Director Xav de Matos directing the fictional life sim Game Journalism Story, and Sunday sees Weekend Editor Sam Prell helming Not My Problem: Why Everyone Has A Role In Promoting Equality. PAX Prime will showcase a number of standout indie games this coming weekend, including new projects from The Behemoth, Team Meat, and Spry Fox. We'll bring you the latest developments direct from Seattle starting this Friday. [Image: PAX]
