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Plants vs. Zombies 2 lines up nearly 25 million downloads
Over Nearly 25 million gardening enthusiasts have enlisted to fight the undead in Plants vs. Zombies 2 within two weeks of the game's availability, developer PopCap announced last week. The sequel has already surpassed lifetime sales of the original Plants vs. Zombies. PvZ2's free-to-play business model is the central difference between the two versions, allowing players to get hooked on the game before they spend a cent on it. Hooked is about the right way to put it, too, given that over 81 million hours have already been spent on the game's unique take on botanical warfare. PvZ2 is currently only available for iOS and will spread to other platforms "later this year and beyond." Update: The text of this article has been adjusted to more accurately reflect PopCap's announcement, which is that Plants vs. Zombies 2 has been downloaded "nearly" 25 million times, rather than exceeded that amount.
EA launches Boss Mode for 'Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare' on Xbox One (video)
On top of showing off the new graphics for the upcoming Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare blockbuster, EA has announced a Boss Mode at its Gamescon 2013 liveblog, exclusively for the Xbox One. A trailer for the new feature showed a Svengali-like being controlling his zombie hordes while discussing plans for world domination, all with stunning in-engine graphics (see the video after the break). EA said you'll be able be able to use Boss Mode with SmartGlass and Kinect for the Xbox One when it arrives, mirroring an earlier Fighter Within announcement. Meanwhile, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare will debut on the Xbox One and Xbox 360 first, and pre-orders are now live for $30 on Origin, at the source.
PopCap CEO talks free-to-play model for Plants vs. Zombies 2
PopCap CEO Dave Roberts discussed Plants vs. Zombies 2's free-to-play business model with GeekWire last week, mentioning both the game's swift adoption rate and the ire it has inspired from some fans. "I don't think anyone at EA has seen anything go up that fast to the top downloads," Roberts said. "My guess, by lunch [on launch day], we will have hit the same number of downloads that it took us five months to hit in the first version. It probably took us close to a year to hit that number on the PC." While noting that many view free-to-play as "evil," Robers pointed out that the majority of the top-grossing games in the App Store are free-to-play. "People have decided that free-to-play is a better way for them to monetize. And, some of the purists would argue that the industry has made them do that." Roberts suggested there are "ways to abuse any business model, and people sometimes say: 'Yeah, you can do horrible things with that.' Yeah, of course you can ... With PvZ we have a pretty important brand here and we are trying to protect it." PvZ2 is currently available for iOS devices and will cross-pollinate to other platforms "later this year and beyond."
WoW's Singing Sunflower sweetens the Lament of the Highborne
The voice of Laura Shigihara will forever be synonymous among WoW fans with the Singing Sunflower pet -– that ineffably perky little companion so fond of cheerfully reminding you "There's a zombie on your law-awn ..." It's been a while since the Plants vs. Zombies theme song composer has sung any music related to World of Warcraft, but she's got a new tune out and it's one that Shigihara fans have been clamoring for years to hear: "Lament of the Highborne." "At first I didn't want to cover this song, since there are already so many lovely covers out there (and the original is already so perfect as is)," she admits, "but hopefully folks are still able to enjoy it." Whether it's zombies on the lawn or the haunting lament of Lady Sylvanas' banshees, we suspect that enjoying Shigihara's work is probably a safe bet. Enjoy!
Daily Update for June 27, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare pops up in E3 lobby
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare has been revealed, following photos taken by Gamekyo in the Los Angeles Convention Center lobby over this pre-E3 weekend. PvZ: Garden Warfare hasn't previously pollinated the internet with any information of its existence, but sources tell Kotaku that the game is a multiplayer first-person shooter. We'll just let that thought settle in your mind for a bit. EA's press conference will be held tomorrow, June 10, and the game is sure to get its time in the sun then.
Evilot takes Plants vs. Zombies to Triple Town
This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go. Plants vs. Zombies has long been one of the most popular titles on the App Store (or any platform it's been released on, really), but PopCap has only recently revealed a sequel set to arrive in another month or so. In all that time, then, it's not surprising that game developers have "borrowed" PopCap's casual tower defense formula, where you build up units in lanes to defend against an oncoming horde. Samurai Bloodshow is one of the best pretenders to the throne, and there are other games like Legendary Wars that took PopCap's premise and ran far with it. Evilot also belongs in the second category. It's a recently released iPad game that has a very clear resemblance to the longtime battle of flowers against the undead, in that enemy troops come in by lanes from the right, and you need to build up units to defend treasure on the left. But while Plants vs. Zombies uses a straightforward currency system to build up its units, Evilot borrows a core mechanic from another great iOS title: Triple Town.
'Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time' coming this July, finally (video)
Come on, admit it: you've all secretly been longing for more Plants vs. Zombies action, right? Well fans, today's your lucky day. PopCap's just uploaded a YouTube video announcing that the sequel to its wildly successful game -- appropriately called Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time -- will be launched this July. The company makes fun of itself in the video, which shows frustrated gamers yelling and asking for a sequel to the popular game. It's unclear which platform the new title will support at launch, but the original Plants vs. Zombies -- which is four years old now -- first appeared on Mac and PC in 2009 before making its way to PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PS Vita, Chrome, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and even Bada (!). The game's success was likely one of the reasons EA acquired the company in 2011. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to find our Samsung Wave review unit so we can play Plants vs. Zombies on that long forgotten mobile OS. Hit the break for PopCap's video.
'Plants vs. Zombies Adventures' sprouting on Facebook
Plants vs. Zombies Adventures is not the announced sequel to Popcap's lawn-defense game – that's still in process. Instead, it's an "extra awesome PvZ experience fans can enjoy on Facebook," the developer tweeted.The Facebook page for the unreleased game says Adventures includes "endless waves of new characters, strategies, territories, and community challenges." Interested parties will have the chance to find out exactly how Plants vs. Zombies has been adapted for the Facebook ecosystem soon: "liking" the page offers a chance to get in on a beta.
Zen Pinball 2 flies down the Wii U chute March 21
Zen Studios has finally provided a concrete date for Zen Pinball 2 on Wii U in North America: Thursday, March 21. The free download will be available on the eShop next week, which lets you sample all available tables in Zen Pinball 2's vault for a limited amount of time before purchase is necessary.Tables are purchased piecemeal through the in-game store, tables including the stock game tables and DLC such as the Marvel Pinball series and the Plants vs. Zombies tie-in. The freshly minted Star Wars tables have not been announced for Nintendo platforms, so naturally there's no mention of them in the announcement.Finally, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that purchases on other platforms won't transfer over to the Wii U. Zen Studios offered cross-play on PS Vita and PS3, but since the 3DS and Wii U use different stores, transferring already established content from the handheld to the Wii U is impossible.
EA registers 'Plants Vs Zombies Adventures' domains
EA recently registered domain names related to its undead botanical tower defense series with the name "Plants Vs. Zombies Adventures." Domain squatters lost out on registering PlantsVsZombiesAdventures.com, PlantsVsZombiesAdventure.com and pvZadVentures.com before EA got to it, as each URL was registered on March 6.As usual, domain names mean nothing without an actual game announcement to accompany them. Plants Vs. Zombies 2 was announced back in August 2012, with a late Spring 2013 release window. Whether the "2" is replaced with "Adventures" in the game's title remains to be seen.
Free Plants vs. Zombies Vita on PS Plus this week, PSN Gamers Choice winners
Tomorrow's PSN content dump unlocks Plants vs. Zombies on the PS Vita for all PS Plus members, free of charge. The usual asking price for Popcap's tower defense darling is $10.49 – PS Plus members will find the free game available in their Instant Game Collection when PSN updates tomorrow.In addition to the free game, the PlayStation Blog has given us a look at some of the discounts on offer in this week's update. Quirky rhythm game Retro/Grade from 24 Caret Games will be on sale for a mere $2.44 this week, plus the winners of the PSN Gamers' Choice Awards contest have been determined – a promotion that asked gamers to vote on which games they'd like to see discounted. Highlights include reduced prices on PS All-Stars: Battle Royale, Sound Shapes and Escape Plan.
Plants vs. Zombies goes free on iOS this week
For the first time in the game's history on iOS, Plants vs. Zombies has dropped to the low price of completely free. On either the iPhone or in HD on the iPad, you can grab the full-featured app for free through the rest of this week.Statistically, given how many copies of the game have sold already, you probably already own it on at least one of your gaming devices, but just in case that list doesn't include iOS just yet, there you go. And now that PvZ has finally and truly achieved total platform domination, PopCap can start it on the sequel; It's due out sometime this spring.
Plants vs. Zombies for iPhone and iPad now free as Apple's App of the Week
In case you're one of the handful of people who hasn't played PopCap's fantastic tower defense-style game Plants vs. Zombies since its release in 2012, we've got some good news for you. The game has gone free today on iPhone and iPad as the App Store's latest App of the Week. Both versions will remain until the next App of the Week pick is named on February 28. Even if you've played PvZ on other platforms, the iOS versions are definitely worth checking out for their excellent touch-based gameplay and unique content. Plus, you can bone up on your zombie-thwarting skills in preparation for Plants vs. Zombies 2, which is scheduled to hit sometime this year. We only ask that you don't hold us accountable when you realize a week has passed and you've forgotten to eat and bathe. PvZ is the kind of game that'll do that to you.
Video to board games: WoW Trivial Pursuit, Skylanders Monopoly, more
USAopoly has a lineup of new board games for the American International Toy Fair in New York City on February 10, including the following ones based on video game franchsies: Monopoly: Skylanders, Risk: Mass Effect Galaxy at War Edition, Risk: Plants vs. Zombies, Yahtzee: Pac-Man Collector's Edition, Jenga: Space Invaders Collector's Edition, Trivial Pursuit: World of Warcraft and Clue: Dungeons and Dragons.Risk: Mass Effect tops the price points at $50, with Trivial Pursuit: WoW and Yahtzee: Pac-Man the cheapest at $25 each. Monopoly: Skylanders, Yahtzee: Pac-Man and Jenga: Space Invaders hit this summer; Trivial Pursuit: WoW, Risk: Plants vs. Zombies and Risk: Mass Effect launch in the fall, and Clue: Dungeons and Dragons comes in the spring.When you get bored of gaming on a screen, maybe give board gaming a try (it's totally different; we promise).
All PopCap games half-off this weekend
To celebrate the Chinese New Year, PopCap put every game in its library on sale through Tuesday, February 12. All downloadable PC games are 50 percent off though the developer's store, including Plants vs. Zombies, Peggle and Bejeweled 3.The sale could certainly fund PopCap's "AAA console title" ambitions, but the savings are passed on to you, the player. That extra money equates to a lot of burritos, or in this weekend's case, egg rolls.
Free Plants vs. Zombies at ... your dentist's office
Video games are statistically proven* to cause violence, anger, depression, heartbreak, pestilence, dry rashes, higher taxes, climate change, traffic jams, thunderstorms, crying babies, Jersey Shore, the shortage of oil, dry rot, wedgies, and Lindsay Lohan.One thing they don't cause is tooth decay. What better way to celebrate that than giving kids copies of Plants vs. Zombies instead of candy on Halloween? That's exactly what the American Dental Association is doing with the "Stop Zombie Mouth" campaign. PopCap is giving away a ton of PC and Mac copies of the tooth-friendly game for adults to give this Halloween, all in the name of fun, zombies, and promoting oral health awareness. (Just don't eat any candy while you're clicking away.)Parents can pick up free coupons redeemable for a PC or Mac copy by visiting the Stop Zombie Mouth website, or by visiting their local participating ADA dentist. There are also trading cards and other themed items for kids to get their werewolf mitts on this Halloween.*nooooo they're nooooot
Plants vs. Zombies iOS update adds Last Stand Endless Mode
Plants vs. Zombies for iOS received some fresh fertilizer today, with an update adding new levels and a new mode. The free update for the iPhone and iPad version of the game includes five new levels, the "Last Stand Endless Mode" and three new achievements.Actually, it turns out the five new levels are inside the Last Stand Endless Mode. The new variant gives a limited amount of sun in a twist on the classic Endless Mode. This is the second content update to PvZ on iOS this year, which received several new game modes in April.
Plants vs Zombies 2 coming next year
PopCap has made an announcement that will be music to the ears of flower-planting undead fighters everywhere: Plants vs. Zombies is getting a sequel, due in spring 2013. Unfortunately, no details have been announced yet; PopCap says that the game will have "new features, settings, and situations" but that's about it. That's probably not a problem, however, as fans will probably be happy with any new PvZ content they can play. Another thing that hasn't been announced yet is platforms. Traditionally, PopCap has launched its titles on PC first then, as it did with Plants vs Zombies, release them on other platforms such as iOS and gaming consoles. But Plants vs. Zombies has been a huge hit on mobile. PopCap, as part of EA, has also been increasingly focusing on mobile as a way to sell its mass-market casual games. So hopefully it won't be long before we see this title on iOS -- with luck it might be on release day.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 shambles in 'late spring' 2013
PopCap Games announced a sequel to Plants vs. Zombies this morning, with the casually epic battle of flora vs undead returning next year. The game is expected to see the sun in the "first half of 2013," with a narrower window of "late spring" also mentioned.As one would expect from a sequel, it will include new "features, settings, and situations," but there are no specific details at this time.PopCap has been in heavy promotion of its PvZ franchise lately, with the Talking Zombatar expected later this year. Hitting the cross-promotion button, Zen Studios is expected to reveal a pinball table this weekend featuring a PopCap franchise. Doesn't take braaaaains to figure out what it'll likely be.
