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Naughty Dog charity stream rescheduled following DDOS attack
Naughty Dog has rescheduled its plans to participate in the Operation Supply Drop charity drive after a previous attempt was cut short by a DDoS attack, announcing that the event will now take place this weekend. Operation Supply Drop's 8-bit Salute is a charitable streaming marathon that aims to supply U.S. military troops stationed overseas with video game care packages. Naughty Dog will award prizes to top donators after its event wraps up; donators from last week's aborted stream are encouraged to send PayPal receipts to Naughty Dog in order to remain eligible. Naughty Dog's Operation Supply Drop stream will showcase gameplay from its PlayStation 3 catalog on May 24 and 25. A schedule of events is available at Naughty Dog's website. [Image: Naughty Dog]
Neil Druckmann talks visuals for The Last Of Us' PS4 port
The Last of Us: Remastered isn't going to drastically overhaul Ellie and Joel's venture through clicker-infested environments. It might not even use new features like the DualShock 4's touchpad, though Naughty Dog is toying with ideas to see if any are worth pursuing. What it certainly will do is look better than its PS3 origin story, thanks to the boost in power gained from movin' on up to the PS4. Creative director Neil Druckmann recently chatted with Edge about this summer's improved port, explaining the team's approach to getting the most from a platform for any game. "We always build the best possible assets and then we can make the call when things aren't fitting onscreen or in the frame buffer or in memory," Druckmann explained. "That way we can pick and choose what we need to emphasize in a moment, and where there's a compromise on what can [be more detailed] or reduced to a lower quality." In the case of the PS3 version, the character models used in cutscenes were more detailed than in-game models, and environmental objects could be swapped out with lower-quality counterparts depending on a scene's focus. In contrast, the PS4 version should be able to sidestep most of the technical hurdles involved with dated hardware. The port still involves rebuilding assets though, given that the original version's engine and much of the project's work was tailor made for the PS3. Though the to-be-bundled "Left Behind" DLC will be unlockable after completing Remastered, new audio commentary for cutscenes will make its debut and be available from the start. Recordings will feature dialog between Druckmann and Ellie and Joel's voice actors, Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, respectively. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Last of Us: Reclaimed Territories DLC out tomorrow, makes survival 'near impossible'
The last of The Last of Us' DLC will launch this week with the Reclaimed Territories Map Pack. It includes several new multiplayer maps, along with the Grounded Mode, which makes the game "near impossible." The PS4 version of the game is expected this summer.
Twitch teams with Operation Supply Drop for military charity
Video game broadcasting platform Twitch is partnering with Operation Supply Drop for the 24-hour charitable game streaming marathon 8-Bit Salute. The marathon is entering its third year and will be held May 17 - 18, with donations raised during 8-Bit Salute used to fund video game care packages for both combat-zone deployed troops in the military as well as those recovering in military hospitals. Past funds from Operation Supply Drop include Operation: Dragon Punch in September 2011, which aided a squad Northern Afghanistan. Twitch will promote the event and encourage its "top broadcasters" to participate as well. The announcement mentions a few Twitch partners that have already pledged their support of 8-Bit Salute, such The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog and gaming headset manufacturer Astro Gaming. Viewers will have the opportunity to win prizes during the marathon via Operation Supply Drop's website. Those looking to participate in this year's 8-Bit Salute event can register here. [Image: Operation Supply Drop]
The Last of Us gets 'Grounded' with new DLC in early May
PS3 survival horror The Last of Us is getting the last of its season pass content in two weeks' time, just ahead of the upcoming PS4 re-release. The studio said it's releasing the Grounded Bundle DLC in the week starting May 5, which probably translates into May 6 for North America and May 7 for Europe and Australia. The Grounded Bundle comprises a few moving parts, namely one for single-player and four for multiplayer. For solo enthusiasts, a new Grounded Mode ($5) ups the difficulty to a level Naughty Dog's been billing as Everest-like. "The AI is relentless, smart, and brutal," cackled Community Strategist Eric Monacelli, "and survival will be near impossible." On the multiplayer side, there are four maps in the Reclaimed Territories pack ($10), five weapons in the Survivalist bundle ($6), and an assortment of skills across the Survival and Professional bundles ($4 each). For some nittier, grittier info, the PlayStation Blog goes into all the multiplayer content in clinical detail. As ever, if you're a holder of the $20 season pass you don't have to worry about those standalone prices in brackets. If you're not a season pass holder, you may want to get in on the deal before it's discontinued in mid-May, because it also includes the Left Behind and Abandoned Territories content released earlier this year. Or, you could wait for the PS4 "Remastered" edition. It comes with Left Behind, Abandoned Territories and Reclaimed Territories, and it's due to hit sometime this summer. [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
Nate Wells departs Naughty Dog, joins The Unfinished Swan dev
Art director Nate Wells switched animalian employers by leaving Naughty Dog this month for independent studio Giant Sparrow. 2012 saw Giant Sparrow come to the fore with PS3 game The Unfnished Swan, and the Californian dev is working on an unannounced project. Formerly at Irrational Games for 13 years, Wells joined Naughty Dog as Lead Artist back in August 2012. After nearly two years, including ten months of work on The Last of Us, Wells revealed he left the Sony-owned studio to join Giant Sparrow on April 3, where he'll likely work on the developer's next project. Giant Sparrow announced that game last year as Edith Finch, only to quickly retract the news and roll its title back to the much catchier "Unfinished Giant Sparrow Project." The studio promises that whatever that next game may be, "it's not a sequel to The Unfinished Swan but it's not a million miles away either." Wells' departure from Naughty Dog follows those of game director Justin Richmond, now at League of Legends studio Riot Games, and Uncharted writer Amy Hennig, who joined EA to work on Visceral Games' Star Wars project. The circumstances that surrounded Hennig's departure remain unclear, and the studio has vehemently denied a report that The Last of Us directors Bruce Stanley and Neil Druckman were "involved in what transpired." [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
Naughty Dog announces final season pass DLC for The Last of Us
Naughty Dog will finish out its planned season pass content for The Last of Us with new weapons, additional multiplayer maps, and a new single-player gameplay mode as part of the upcoming Grounded Bundle. Grounded Mode puts a new, difficult spin on The Last of Us' single-player campaign, pitting players against "relentless, smart, and brutal" enemy mobs throughout. Naughty Dog notes that survival in the new mode will be "near impossible," and claims that the "Completed Grounded Mode" challenge will be one of the most difficult Trophies players will earn. The Grounded Bundle additionally features the Reclaimed Territories Map Pack, adding the Wharf, Capitol, Coal Mine, and Water Tower maps to the game's multiplayer component. Players may opt to expand their arsenal with the Survivalist Weapon Bundle, which introduces the multiplayer-only Specter, Double Barrel, Enforcer, and Launcher weapons. Also arriving are the Situational Survival Skills and Professional Survival Skills bundles, which enhance character abilities in online battles. Grounded Mode will be priced at $4.99 as a standalone download. The Reclaimed Territories Map Pack is priced at $9.99, the Survivalist Weapon Bundle is $5.99, and the Survival Skills Bundles are $3.99 apiece. All upcoming content is included as part of The Last of Us' $19.99 season pass, but interested players may want to hop on the deal soon, as the season pass bundle will be discontinued in mid-May. A release date for Grounded Bundle content has not been announced. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Art of Naughty Dog from Dark Horse celebrates dev's 30 years
The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog has teamed up with publisher Dark Horse Comics to produce The Art of Naughty Dog, a compendium featuring rarely seen character designs, renders and concept artwork from the studio's back catalog. The Art of Naughty Dog will cover the studio's early days – back when it was founded as JAM (Jason and Andy Magic) Software – up to its recent work with The Last of Us and the Uncharted series. Artwork from the Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter franchises will be showcased throughout, and with any luck, the team's lesser-known efforts for the Sega Genesis and 3DO will also get their dues. Naughty Dog will host a launch event for the book later this year. A release date was not announced. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Last of Us: Remastered may be official, but its first trailer is a bit shy
Don't expect to see too much of how The Last of Us: Remastered looks on PS4 in its first trailer. It's a bit shy on content unless you really like footage of game of the year awards - hey look, there's ours! For something a bit meatier to keep you satiated until the summer, check out Sony Europe's video interview with Naughty Dog. [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
Sony confirms The Last of Us Remastered is coming to PS4 [Update: Summer]
Update: Sony Worldwide Studios chief Shuhei Yoshida tweets the following message from SCEA's PR team: "SCEA can confirm The Last of Us Remastered is coming to PS4, and we'll be sharing more details with you shortly." The PlayStation Blog offers some of those details and lists a release window of summer 2014. The game will feature commentary from Creative Director Neil Druckman, Joel voice actor Troy Baker and Ellie voice actress Ashley Johnson for all of the game's cinematics. Pre-orders receive a lineup of bonuses. Original Story: The Last of Us is coming to PS4 in a "Remastered" edition, according to Sony's own advert on the Sony Entertainment Network Store. The banner, spotted on NeoGAF and verified by ourselves this morning, appears on the US storefront noting a $60 price tag and a "Day 1 Digital" release, although clicking it takes you to a broken link. Sony has yet to formally announce the PS4 version of Naughty Dog's PS3 survival horror, although this is the second time it's let slip of a potential re-release. Sony Eurasia executive Sercan Sulun told CNN Turk last month that a PS4 version was on the way in the summer, with the Left Behind' DLC included. When we approached Sony about that, a representative told us, "At no time have we announced that The Last of Us is coming to PS4 and therefore, have nothing to say on the subject." Unless whoever's in charge of Sony's US Store is playing the worst kind of joke, today's news is all but confirmation that a PS4 version is indeed on the way. I expect Sony will probably fill in the blanks in the near future, and it wouldn't be a surprise if what Sulun said last month proves to be accurate. We'll wait to hear more from Sony and will update this post with any further details that spill today. [Image: Amazon]
Amy Hennig joins Visceral Games as Star Wars creative director
Former Naughty Dog writer Amy Hennig is now at Visceral Games, under EA, as creative director on the studio's Star Wars project. "Over the last few weeks, Amy and I have spent a lot of time talking about what her first project would be," Visceral VP Steve Papoutsis writes. "There are a lot of different directions we could have gone, but I could sense that what really excited her about this opportunity (because let's face it, we weren't the only ones knocking at her door) was Star Wars. Amy's a huge fan. We happen to be making a Star Wars game. Just thinking about the possibilities made both of us even more excited about having her join the team." Hennig was the writer and creative director on three Uncharted games, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. She was believed to be working on the PS4 Uncharted game, but she left Naughty Dog early in March.
Listing for 'The Last Of Us Complete Edition' pops up on XtraLife
A listing for "The Last Of Us: Complete Edition" for the PS4 has appeared on Spanish retailer XtraLife with a launch date of June 19. The page was spotted by Twitter user "JuanraUP" and includes a The Last of Us-branded satchel, presumably for carrying no more than three of any one item. The bundle is available for reservation at €64.95, just under $90 USD. The listing follows comments from Sony Eurasia Software Marketing Manager Sercan Sulun about plans for The Last of Us to reach the PS4 this summer, with its Left Behind DLC bundled in the purchase. While XtraLife's listed release date of June 19 isn't an official confirmation, it would line up with the summer window mentioned by Sulun. Following Sulun's comments, Sony stated that "at no time have we announced that The Last of Us is coming to PS4." It would be odd for XtraLife to mock up a bundle and take reservations for a non-existent product, even one as critically acclaimed as last year's hit from Naughty Dog. Still, without an official confirmation from Sony, it might be best to proceed with guarded expectations for now. [Image: XtraLife]
More Sony departures: Justin Richmond now at Riot, Seth Killian left in December
Former Naughty Dog game director Justin Richmond announced he's decided to leave the company to join League of Legends studio Riot Games, while former Capcom marketing director Seth Killian revealed this week he left Sony Santa Monica back in December 2013. Richmond's departure from Naughty Dog follows that of Uncharted writer and creative director Amy Hennig, who parted ways with the company earlier this month. While Hennig has stayed silent on her departure and the circumstances surrounding it remain unclear, Richmond gave his best wishes to his former employer in a statement to IGN. "I have in fact made the decision to leave Naughty Dog," Richmond, who was working on Uncharted 4 as a game director, told IGN. "I love the company and the people and know that they will continue to create awesome games going forward. On a happier note, after careful consideration and exploration I have joined Riot Games. There is some really innovative stuff going on here that I can't wait to be a part of." Killian's departure from Sony Santa Monica appears to precede the layoffs that occurred at the Californian studio last month. God of War 3 creative director Stig Asmussen has since left the studio, and it's speculated he was overseeing a AAA sci-fi project that was canceled after several years of development. As for Killian, the Street Fighter guru said he left Sony on "great terms" to pursue his own project, having joined Sony Santa Monica back in 2012. "Hi guys, I chose to leave my Sony family back in [December] and on great terms. I was inspired by their amazing indies to do my own thing," Killian tweeted this week. "You'll see the games I had the privilege to work on at Sony soon - Santa Monica Studio has a stellar lineup coming. As for what I'm up to, stay tuned..." [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
Report: The Last of Us is coming to PS4, says Sony Eurasia exec [update: Sony statement]
The Last of Us is making the trek to PS4 if comments from a Sony Eurasia executive are to be believed. Sony hasn't formally announced a port of Naughty Dog's PS3 survival horror, but Software Marketing Manager Sercan Sulun appears to have let slip of the PS4 version on a recent CNN Turk video interview. According to an IGN translation, Sulun told CNN Turk, "There is no information about a new The Last of Us game but I can share this knowledge: As of this summer, The Last of Us will be on the PS4. Both on PSN and physically. The PS4 version will also include the DLC so you will be able to play Left Behind as well." To reiterate, Sony hasn't announced a PS4 version of The Last of Us; yesterday the company published a list of the games confirmed as coming to the system this year, and there was no sign of Ellie and Joel's adventure. We've contacted Sony to clarify Sulun's comments. That said, Naughty Dog has been cautious on the subject. When queried on the possibility of a PS4 port by Eurogamer, Creative Director Neil Druckman said last month, "We have such limited resources, and it's a question of where you put the resources. It's something where we can have a feel of where the demand is, and where our time is best spent. It's something that we'll figure out as we move forward." Update: When approached, a representative for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe provided Joystiq with the following statement: "'At no time have we announced that The Last of Us is coming to PS4 and therefore, have nothing to say on the subject." [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
The Last of Us surpasses 6 million units sold
Developer Naughty Dog revealed today that its PS3-exclusive post-pandemic survival game The Last of Us has sold more than six million copies worldwide since its launch in June last year. The latest sales figure likely includes digital purchases and copies of The Last of Us packaged with PlayStation 3 consoles, including last year's Amazon Black Friday bundle. The Last of Us topped Joystiq's list of the best games released across all platforms in 2013. Naughty Dog's announcement follows up on last month's launch of The Last of Us' "Left Behind" DLC, and accompanies recent reports stating that an upcoming film adaptation will stick closely to the game's storyline. [Image: Naughty Dog]
Joystiq Weekly: Batman: Arkham Knight, our South Park review and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Rocksteady revealed its return to the Batman series this week with Batman: Arkham Knight, and we've dug out capes and Batarangs from our Halloween stash to get properly excited. Last year's Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate were the first pieces of the series that weren't developed by Rocksteady. We enjoyed Arkham Origins well enough, but we're ready to move on from its bugs and glitches, especially since not all of them will be fixed with a patch. Arkham Knight is set to be the final game in the Arkham series, and we're eager to see what Rocksteady will do for the finale once it releases in October. There's plenty to read while we wait however, including news of Amy Hennig's departure from Naughty Dog, a preview of Watch Dogs and a review of South Park: The Stick of Truth. We've rounded up those stories and more for you in this week's edition of the Joystiq Weekly. [Image: Warner Bros.]
Naughty Dog presidents defend employees following Hennig departure
Naughty Dog co-presidents Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra have made a joint statement claiming the departure of Uncharted writer and creative director Amy Hennig was misreported. IGN broke the story earlier this week, noting sources who contend Hennig was "forced out" by The Last of Us directors Neil Druckman and Bruce Straley. "Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann were NOT involved in what transpired," posted Wells and Balestra on the Naughty Dog site. "Normally, we wouldn't respond to rumors and speculation on matters that are internal to Naughty Dog, but because the personal reputation of two of our employees is being damaged we needed to set the record straight." Hennig was the creative director and writer on Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. She was expected to continue those duties for the new Uncharted game on PS4. [Image: @amy_hennig]
The Last of Us film moving ahead with Naughty Dog writing
Naughty Dog's stellar PlayStation 3 exclusive, The Last of Us, may soon appear in theaters, thanks to an agreement between the developer, Sony and Resident Evil: Afterlife production company Screen Gems. According to Deadline, the film adaptation will be written by Neil Druckmann who served as creative director on The Last of Us. Druckmann will also join Naughty Dog co-presidents Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra as well as game director Bruce Straley in designing the film's overall creative vision. Ghost House Productions, a company led by Evil Dead auteur Sam Raimi, will assist with general production duties. "Screen Gems' Brian Dukes and Eric Ling brought this game to my attention insisting we go after it, and when I saw the quality of the storytelling, I knew the audience for this project was far greater than just the gaming community and that Neil Druckmann must write the screenplay," stated Screen Gems president Clint Culpepper. Missing from Deadline's report is any info on who might star in or direct the movie. This means you readers get to fill the comments below with speculative casting choices - well, except for Ellie. That one's a no-brainer. [Image: Sony]
Uncharted writer Amy Hennig no longer at Naughty Dog
Uncharted writer and creative director Amy Hennig parted ways with Naughty Dog this week, and the circumstances surrounding her departure aren't clear. Following an IGN report claiming Hennig left her post on March 3, Sony confirmed with the site that she's no longer employed at the studio. "We can confirm that Amy Hennig has left Naughty Dog," A Sony representative told IGN. "Amy has made significant contributions to the game industry and we appreciate all she has done for Naughty Dog. The development timeline of Uncharted will not be impacted." Hennig served as the creative director for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, and she also penned the script for the three games. She was understood to be reprising her role for the Uncharted PS4 game. Neither Hennig nor Naughty Dog have commented, but IGN sources claim the writer, a Naughty Dog veteran of more than ten years, was "forced out" by The Last of Us directors Neil Druckman and Bruce Straley, and the pair may take over the Uncharted series. Hennig worked with Druckman and Straley on the first two Uncharted games, before the two men switched to developing The Last of Us. [Image: @amy_hennig]
The Last of Us adds new difficulty level in upcoming DLC
The final DLC for The Last of Us' Season Pass will contain a new difficulty mode for the game's single-player mode, as well as new maps, weapons and skills for the game's multiplayer component. Naughty Dog only described the upcoming difficulty mode as "new," not necessarily harder. So who knows, maybe it's Lollipop Difficulty, where the infected have been replaced by fluffy teddy bears and sadness is replaced with rainbows. Naughty Dog wrote that they will provide more information "as in-game elements near completion." Naughty Dog also released a new behind-the-scenes video detailing their journey creating Left Behind, the single-player DLC follow-up for a game with roughly a bajillion awards. We've included it after the break since, like the game's Clicker enemies, spoilers can rip your throat out make you have a very bad day if you get too careless. [Image: Sony]
