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Zen Bound 2 for iPad out by April 3rd, looks great
We've heard from Secret Exit (creators of Zen Bound) a few times about the new version of their game coming soon, but Touch Arcade has some brand new pics and insight about the game itself. Kotaku also has a few preview pics, and the game looks terrific -- not only is it due out in the App Store soon, but we know for sure that it'll be before April 3rd, because they're aiming to have a day one iPad version ready to go as well. As you can tell from the pics, it's going to be just gorgeous -- high resolution, a crisp UI with lots of room to breathe, and the same physics-based rope-twisting gameplay as the first game. Of course, there will probably be at least a few kinks -- unless Secret Exit is super lucky, they probably haven't run the code on an actual iPad just yet, so even if the app is in the store on day one, it might still need a few adjustments once they actually get a production device to run everything on. But these pics only make us even more excited at the possibility for gaming on the iPad -- just like we'd never had a mass-market touchscreen device before the iPhone came along, we've never had a widespread touchscreen device of this size before, and the bigger screen is going to make a big difference in games like this one for sure.
Blogger discusses EverQuest addiction
It's easy to talk about gaming addiction as an abstract concept, but whether or not you think the idea holds a lot of water there are an awful lot of studies and examinations of it that just won't go away. Still, the concept is easy to deny. The human element, however, makes it much more real and that much harder to ignore. Which is why, ultimately, it's probably a good thing for everyone that Kotaku's editor Mike Fahey has written up his story of his EverQuest addiction -- the origin, the escalation, and the recovery of sorts. Mike describes how the death of his relationship led to him escaping into the video game that increasingly was preferrable to his normal life -- which, in turn, led to him winding up without his car, then without a job, and then ultimately to the point that we could probably see coming, where the game became preferrable to pursuing a romantic relationship. He chronicles the downward slide, followed by the slow crawl back out of being addicted -- but, at the end, he doesn't conclude that EverQuest itself is the problem. As he himself puts it regarding his addiction: "I hid. I ran from my problems, hiding away in a virtual fantasy world instead of confronting the issues that might have been easily resolved if I had addressed them directly." His story focuses not upon the game, but on his own responses and how they were what was ultimately responsible for what happened and where he wound up. It's an interesting piece for the conclusion alone, and worth reading for anyone with even the slightest stake in the topic of game addiction -- which, for those of us who play MMOs, should really just include all of us.
All Points Bulletin closed beta has begun
Urban crime (game) enthusiasts, rejoice! The All Points Bulletin closed beta has begun, according to reports at both Eurogamer and Kotaku. It was rumored that the beta would begin this month and it seems there are presently three windows of gameplay a week in the All Points Bulletin CBT -- Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, says Eurogamer's Oli Welsh. Those interested in ripping up the streets as either a Criminal or an Enforcer can still apply to become an All Points Bulletin beta tester at the game's official site. APB is in development at Realtime Worlds in Scotland, and aims to bring a new level of online interaction to multiplayer urban crime games. Check out Massively's coverage of All Points Bulletin for more on what Realtime Worlds is creating.
Metroid Prime producer hints at future Prime titles
With the recent release of Metroid Prime Trilogy, it was easy to presume that the Prime series of Metroid games had received a final nail hammered into its coffin. According to a recent interview with Kotaku though, it appears the series' producer isn't quite done. In response to a question regarding multiplayer in the series, Kensuke Tanabe said:"As all I take part in is the Prime series, I am not capable of commenting on the whole Metroid series. But we will keep considering multiplayer for the Prime series. For instance, I think I can come up with some unique ideas using the Morph Ball, which is a specific skill of Samus'."Though the series got a spinoff for the DS in Metroid Prime Hunters, and it's possible Tanabe is speaking about future Prime titles for Nintendo's handheld system, hearing about more Prime games in any capacity is intriguing news. While Team Ninja is busy working on Metroid: Other M, it's possible that Prime series dev Retro Studios could be working on the future of its brand of Metroid. Don''t just take it from us, take it from Retro Studios prez and CEO Michael Kelbaugh who said so himself!
Wii getting $50 price drop this month? One Toys R Us ad seems to think so
Of all the fakeables in consumer electronics, the weekly newspaper ad has to be one of the easiest marks. Still, this one looks pretty legit, and if it's real it means either we're getting a much overdue Wii price cut on September 27th, or someone on the Toys R Us ad team has been severely misinformed. If it's not true and we have to wait another holiday season for the Wii to break the $200 mark, we're not getting Nintendo that Snuggie we promised it for Christmas -- everybody knows only good little boys, girls and multinational game companies get presents. [Via Joystiq]
The Beatles: Rock Band visits Abbey Road
In a 30-second clip that we're not exactly sure came from this decade, MTV Games/Harmonix preview upcoming music/rhythm game The Beatles: Rock Band by way of a big party on Abbey Road. No, we don't mean the street itself, we mean that the enormously famous album cover got turned into a big ol' 30-second party in celebration of the upcoming game. Other than a somewhat creepy faux John Lennon around the halfway mark, this commercial provides yet another reason to be more excited than ever for the day that the Dreamcast turns 10.%Gallery-68343%[Via Kotaku]
Silver lining: THQ acquires 40 percent of Midway San Diego employees, maybe more
You've been reading an awful lot about Midway business minutiae over the last six months, so we won't bore you with too many unexciting details about THQ buying Midway's San Diego studio for $200k last week. The most important thing for you to know is that out of 100 employees, 40 have been offered jobs by THQ, and more positions may be opening, the Chicago Tribune reports. According to the SEC filing, the TNA iMPACT! license wasn't part of the deal, a strange omission considering THQ publishes UFC games. The deal is all but finalized, awaiting Midway's bankruptcy court's approval and an agreement between THQ and Warner Bros. over the sharing of certain undisclosed IPs (the terms of which have already been settled). Considering the sad tale surrounding the shuttering of Midway Newcastle, we're glad to finally be writing something somewhat positive in the wake of Midway's collapse.[Via Kotaku]
Final Fantasy XIII Japanese release date announce coming soon (seriously)
We're not going on much here, so we'll give you the facts right up front -- Square Enix prez Yoichi Wada recently told IT Media regarding the release of Final Fantasy XIII that "We'll be making an announcement in a few weeks." As Kotaku reports, the unsurprisingly non-descript wording leads us to believe that the announcement in scheduled for late September's Tokyo Game Show. Unfortunately, the rest of the planet will have to lay in wait as the release date will likely only be for the Japanese semi-exclusive PlayStation 3 version still set to drop this year. We'd like to take this time to thank Square Enix for not completely wasting our time (and more importantly, yours) with an arbitrary countdown that may or may not result in the release of actual information.[Via Kotaku]%Gallery-41346%
Bill O'Reilly doesn't exactly hate naked ladies in new Guitar Hero 5 ad
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/31/bill-oreilly-doesnt-exactly-hate-naked-ladies-in-new-guitar-he/'; What's better than naked ladies covered in sultry lyrics from Guitar Hero 5, you ask? How about putting them right next to Bill O'Reilly's head while he commentates? Talk about two great tastes that taste great together! Alright, it's not quite bread and olive oil. Rather than spit his usual slurry of vitriol and nonsense we're so accustomed to, O'Reilly initially calls the commercial's actresses "pinheads" but quickly retracts judgment. "Are the ladies pinheads? I guess it depends on your point of view," O'Reilly wondered aloud on his show, The O'Reilly Factor. Frankly sir, we're appalled. Shouldn't you be cutting its mic and saying it's demeaning for everyone involved? Madness, we say! Hit the break to see the O'Reilly spot as well as the viral ad in full and judge for yourself!
The challenges of storytelling in EVE Online's player-driven setting
MMO storylines finding their way into books is becoming increasingly common, but typically it's the fantasy titles we see in print. Guild Wars, Warhammer Online, and of course World of Warcraft all have their lore fleshed out in paperback form. But sci-fi lends itself well to novelization as well, and in the MMO scene as it exists today, EVE Online is a prime example. The game's far-future setting of New Eden is known for its sweeping warfare between vast empires, republics, and federations, but the game's lore has also shown there's a lot happening on a much smaller level. That sweeping warfare was the focus of the first EVE Online novel, The Empyrean Age written by Tony Gonzales, and this was tied in with the storyline events leading up to all-out war between the game's races. However, EVE's creators CCP Games will be showing a different side to the game with the second novel, The Burning Life, written by Hjalti Danielsson.
THQ moving Vigil studios to new office
Along with working on two major current-gen games in Darksiders: Wrath of War and a Warhammer: 40K MMO, THQ-owned Vigil Games is packing up its stuff and moving to a brand new 33,000-square foot studio in another part of Austin, TX. Unsurprisingly, in confirming the move to Kotaku, THQ reiterates its desire to attract new employees as development ramps up on the aforementioned titles.Though the move was likely decided well before UFC 2009 Undisputed hit store shelves -- and quickly went flying right off those same shelves -- the 1.01 million unit sales of the game couldn't hurt the moving situation. Plusher couches at the new offices, perhaps? If it happens, remember: you heard it here first!%Gallery-19839%
SWTOR classes are getting smuggled after all
We love magazines, because they sometimes feature interviews which reveal information before it's actually released online -- it does happen! Kotaku has discovered that Edge Magazine's newest issue contains an interview with James Ohlem, director for Star Wars: The Old Republic, and within said interview he reveals the Smuggler classes' existence. Giving the scanned image featured above, we can only assume Smugglers are a Republic class -- that there's a Trooper standing next to him.According to the Ohlem, via the scanned image, "Ord Mantell is a war-torn world and it's where the Smuggler starts off, when his ship gets stolen. He's pretty angry; imagine what Han Solo would've been like if the Millennium Falcon got taken." Sounds like a good place to start for the law-bending, blaster toting class.Chances are good this will be a part of next week's E3 2009 news, so keep a lookout for more official details when that time comes. Until then, we'll be dreaming of blockades ran and witty lines read.
DC Universe Online preview covers the basics
This new preview of DC Universe Online over at Kotaku doesn't really have any new information in it for people who've been keeping up on the game. However, it does at least put it all in once place, which makes it a useful article to give to anyone not in the know about SOE's upcoming superhero MMO.One specific thing the article mentions is that aside from the big superstars of the DC Universe, there's not a whole lot differentiating the game from City of Heroes. We'd like to point out that from what we've seen and experienced with the game, that isn't entirely true. Combat is quite a lot different than NCsoft's original guys-in-capes offering. If anything, a closer comparison would be to Cryptic's upcoming Champions Online, which seems to sit somewhere between City of Heroes and DC Universe Online, overall.Then again, we really can't make that kind of call until all the games are out to play. But by this time next year, that should likely be the case.
inFamous pre-order box reveals Uncharted 2 multiplayer beta
Looks as though Sony's "electrifying announcement" may have been leaked a bit early. A Best Buy pre-order box features this promo for an Uncharted 2 "Multiplayer Beta Voucher," as revealed by Kotaku. From what we can garner from the box, purchasing inFamous will give players an early preview of Uncharted 2's online mode. This would be a rather smart move on Sony's part, leveraging one of its biggest franchises to promote a new IP.Oh, and multiplayer in Uncharted 2??? That sounds pretty rad, too. Guess we'll find out all the details when embargoes end on Monday.[Thanks, tmacairjordan87!]
Stephen Totilo leaves MTV News for cross-net rivals, Kotaku
Stephen Totilo – MTV News' stalwart gaming reporter – has announced via the MTV Multiplayer blog that he is "leaving MTV News this Friday after a wonderful four-year run." His next stop? "It's not game development. It is games journalism," Totilo writes. And that outlet: none other than cross-net rivals, Kotaku. Now, before you hiss and throw your MTV t-shirt to the ground in disgust (put your shirt back on!), we want to be the first to congratulate Stephen on the move. While gaming blogs, like Joystiq and Kotaku, have long fought against the bias of major publishers to be accepted as legitimate outlets, Stephen's presence at Kotaku not only gives the staff some much-needed good looks but lends legitimacy to the format. A rising tide lifts all boats, blue and purple alike. So, on that note: congrats, Stephen.His title will be Deputy Managing Editor for Cake-Related Posts. Source – The End Of My Run, MTV Multiplayer's Next StepSource – Games Journalist Quits Job For More Games Journalism
Rumor: Bethesda likely to sue Interplay over inaction on Fallout MMO
We must confess our lack of shock concerning today's rumor that Bethesda could be taking legal action against the previous owner of the Fallout IP. The rumor traces back to the MMO rights for everyone's favorite post-apocalyptic jaunt.Interplay was supposed to have engaged in full-scale development on the Fallout MMO by last Thursday, April 9th and this apparently also included raising the funds for the game as well. We know some sort of movement had been made, but apparently it was too little, too late. That's a tall order for any company to pursue, especially one with a very sordid financial history.Should Bethesda move forward with this and win, we can only assume the company will pursue its own Fallout MMO. Then again, who's to say they haven't been planning for such an occurrence all along? Bethesda was contacted for comment, but declined to do so.
'Law of the Game' lawyer explores GameStop used vs. new controversy
Joystiq LGJ columnist Mark Methenitis has written a piece analyzing the claims posited earlier this week by Kotaku surrounding the legality of GameStop's employee "checkout policy" and found that, in his professional opinion, the illegality of this practice may be in question for a variety of reasons. The main question at hand: Is GameStop deceiving customers who purchase employee-played (read: "used") games as new? His answer: Much like most legal matters, it really depends. Depends on what, you ask? For one, Methenitis says games sold at GameStop as new where, "the disc, packaging, or other materials are damaged in any way, or if one-time use download codes are used" could be "a deceptive act." The problem with minutiae such as this, he says, is that damages are so small (monetarily speaking) that a lawsuit would be ineffective in court. Furthermore, he says that laws put in place to protect consumers from used vs. new item fraud are often based on products that degrade rather than "nebulous" products like DVD discs and, to a greater extent, cartridge-based games (such as Nintendo DS titles). With legal ambiguities surrounding this issue, we'd simply suggest buying used titles from your friendly, online click-and-order retailer in the meantime, rather than contributing to billions of dollars in used game sales at your own and other gamers' expense.
Metamorial: Game writers remember Dave Arneson
Somewhere between co-creating Dungeons & Dragons and teaching at Full Sail College, Dave Arneson left an indelible mark on the gaming landscape. Every time we roll for initiative or challenge the dungeon master's ability to adapt, Arneson's guiding hand can be felt. We've gathered sentiments shared by our colleagues around the internet for you here, and encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments section below, about the man that helped move role-playing into the limelight of gaming.Ars Technica: "Get out your classic rule books. Invite some friends over. Keep a chair empty for a fallen friend, and play for a few hours. Not online, in person. Order a pizza ... Remember Dave Arneson, a man who wasn't satisfied with the game when his parents brought home an Avalon Hill title. When he began changing the rules, he began changing the world."
LEGO Universe not clicking together in 2009
We've got bad news for all the LEGO maniacs out there, who've been looking forward to LEGO Universe in 2009. They're going to have to wait a bit longer for NetDevil's take on massively multiplayer LEGO play, according to Kotaku's Brian Crecente, who reports that LEGO Universe may not even see a 2010 release date. Despite the economic troubles many MMO developers are coping with these days, this news about LEGO Universe is not necessarily a bad thing. Kotaku spoke with the director of business development for the LEGO group, Mark Hansen, who said, "Within the company we have made a strategic decision within LEGO to make a delay of LEGO Universe. It will not be coming out in 2009. The reason is, we have a luxury right now, the business is going good. We have products that are not digital, the physical products, with them going so well we don't want to take focus away from them."
Tabula Rasa burial ground, behind EB Games
Despite the title of this Kotaku post, I still refuse to call Tabula Rasa a bad game. Sure it's certainly not an encouraging sign to see dozens of sealed TR boxes filling a dumpster behind an EB Games in Canada, but I am not going to jump on that wagon.In this Kotaku post, we see two reader-submitted photos of said dumpster, and it really makes me sad to think about where those games could have gone instead. I wonder if they first tried to give them away for free, or perhaps the EB Games upper management told them that it's not even worth the shelf space, considering their PC shelf space is shrinking every day anyway. Would you have taken a free copy of Tabula Rasa, just to play it out completely free these last six weeks? Am I being a complete fanboy? Yes, but I know I've never had a stronger compulsion to dumpster dive in my life.
