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GameFly enters the world of mobile game publishing with Writer Rumble
GameFly is a company that works like Netflix for video games -- you give them a subscription fee every month, and in return, they send you out a video game at a time, which you can send back when you're done to get another. It's a very popular service among gamers, and so the company has had extra cash to explore a few other pastimes lately (including in the game editorial arena with the popular site Shacknews). GameFly's also released an iOS app called GameCenter (no relation to Apple's Game Center service), and that app also has a very strong following, bringing GameFly's news and game information to a very large audience on Apple's iOS platform. A little while ago, GameFly announced that it would use this expertise with a mobile audience to get into publishing iOS games of its own, and on November 28, the company's first game arrived on the App Store. Writer Rumble is a game that was previously known as Wordfighter, and in that incarnation was actually awarded recognition as a PAX 10 title. But Garnett Lee (a former 1up and Shacknews editor who is now serving as GameFly's new director of publishing -- "the publishing side of the house is me and me alone," he told TUAW recently) believed the title had more potential than the two developers, Gian Cruz and Kris Zambala, were able to give it on their own. Due to their real-world jobs and other pressures, the two delayed development on the original title, and so when GameFly agreed to support development, the two got a chance to hammer out their game into something better equipped to rise through the App Store's charts. The end result does look good -- the title is a word game where characters (all based on famous authors like Edgar Allen Poe and Jane Austen) spell words to use fighting game-style attacks, either against other characters or against monsters in an endless mode. The spelling action is fast and furious, and while there are powerups to mix up the battle a little bit (with boosted attacks, special healing or double points), the real innovation here is in the fighting game. Half the time, you'll need to watch what your enemy is sending at you to know how to deal with it. Even for a first-time publisher, GameFly's polish is evident, and the US$0.99 game has more content coming, in the form of other characters, and eventually an online, asynchronous multiplayer mode. Lee says that GameFly's goal with publishing (at least at first) is more about spotlighting great games and developers rather than trying to grow franchises. "The indie spirit is really alive in mobile development," he says, and GameFly's goal is to find developers who have great games and great talent, and give them the helping hand needed to find an audience on iOS. Lee says "discoverability really is bad on the App Store," and the idea is to use GameFly's reach into the gaming world to get these apps some players. Lee wants GameFly to start as a sort of "boutique movie studio," releasing only one or two games every few months, and working directly with developers to make those all solid releases. Lee's got lots of experience covering video games, but not so much experience publishing them, and he says that he's learned publishers often have to "make some tough decisions" about game funding and features. But he's up to the task and says GameFly is ready to make a go of releasing these games -- the company has set aside "a very comfortable amount of funding" for the publishing program. There are a few more titles in the pipeline already, said Lee, so it'll be interesting to see what else "GameFly Games" has decided to put together, and what the reaction to these titles by GameFly's users turns out to be. In the meantime, though, Writer Rumble is the debut title, and it's out on the App Store right now for 99 cents.
SWTOR welcomes Collector's Edition arrivals and suffers credit farmers
It was the best of times in The Old Republic, it was the worst of times. Even though BioWare's freshman MMO has yet to officially launch, so-called "credit farmers" are already hard at work setting up operations to sell in-game currency via third party sources. Shacknews identified one company, IGXE, as spearheading the assault on SWTOR's economy, although that company certainly is not alone in attempting to bypass the EULA. On a brighter note, the Collector's Edition of the game has already shipped to many (but not all) customers, and Darth Hater has a massive 20-minute unboxing video to show off all of the physical goodies that come inside. If you're curious or are still waiting for your own CE to arrive, you can view the action-packed video after the jump.
Dark Millennium Online has conflict of interest with potential Space Marine sequel
If you've been waiting for the upcoming Warhammer 40k MMO Dark Millennium Online, you may have checked out recent single-player title Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. In an interview on the two games with Shacknews last night, THQ's VP of Core Games Danny Bilson described a potential conflict of interest between the upcoming MMO and any potential Space Marine sequel. When asked whether the single-player title deserved a sequel, Bilson described an interesting creative overlap between the game and its upcoming MMO counterpart. Revealing that the MMO would contain more action-based gameplay than the MMO norm, Bilson painted a picture of Dark Millennium Online as an online spiritual successor to Space Marine but with the other 40k factions similarly explored. "It may be that the next iteration of Space Marine is a much bigger universe, where if you love Space Marines you can play that way," he told Shacknews, adding that "there was a creative overlap going on with Dark Millennium Online's development" and "there's not room in the world for that overlap."
Firefall players can have (and kill) in-game pets
The developers of the upcoming free-to-play FPS MMO Firefall have announced a new feature that's sure to make a couple of you squee: There will be in-game pets. Red 5 stopped by Shacknews last week to reveal that players will be able to summon little creatures that follow their avatars around in-game, and they'll also be able to kill the pets of enemies. How that will work isn't quite laid out yet, but CEO Mark Kern suggests that players will be able to buy special ammo that lets them fire on their enemies' little friends. The shooter types among you may laugh, but part of the appeal of big MMOs like World of Warcraft is the cute little bits of customization that come along with building a big, colorful persistent avatar. And while pet combat doesn't sound like anything more than a little extra fun, we won't ever turn down a little extra fun. Pile it on, please.
Firefall adds pets for you to cuddle... and kill
Just in case you thought Firefall was going to be nothing but guns, ammo, and models toting guns and ammo, Red 5 wants us to know that there's a softer side to the game for those who love fluff. Talking with Shacknews, Mark Kern revealed that the shooter MMO will include a pet system for grizzled combat veterans who can't bear to leave the base without the security of Rygel and Princess Pebbles. Of course, this being a red-blooded shooter, Firefall's pet system can't stop with extended grooming and cuddles. "We had had to do little things to actually make it interesting," Kern explained. "Not only can you get a pet, but we're thinking that there's actually an item you can buy in the store to load your gun with special ammunition so you actually shoot the other guy's pet." Red 5 will be hosting an upcoming promotion starting on Wednesday called Crystite Challenge that will give fans a chance to get into the beta and unlock a Penny Arcade "The Merch" pet. "The Merch is awesome because he's all about merchandising and he fits with our item-based theme," Kern said. Firefall is currently in beta and gearing up for a December launch. Curious onlookers would do well to check out Massively's hands-on impressions of the title from PAX.
Age of Empires Online dev diary is all about the goods
Using tongue-in-cheek stick puppets, the folks at Age of Empires Online have emerged to give us a quick overview of the gear system in a new dev diary. Yes, even empire-building titles rely on good ol' fashioned MMO gear to equip armies. Once attached to an army, gear changes the appearance and stats of your troops. The more rare the gear, the tougher they become. Gear can be found, purchased, and crafted as you may expect. You have to purchase the civilization with real-world money in order to be able to equip the very best items, however. And if you're curious about Age of Empires Online's pricing structure, ShackNews has the full skinny. Some of the purchases are merely cosmetic, although it looks like there's bad news for those looking to avoid a "pay to win" scenario: "Unfortunately, Microsoft's approach to monetising Age of Empires Online seems to be one of placing non-paying players at a significant disadvantage." Age of Empires Online is slated for an August 16th launch. You can watch the dev diary on gear for a chuckle or two after the jump!
Slumming in DCUO is part of the adventure
Metropolis, one of the key cities in DC Universe Online, has a reputation for being the shiny, bright antithesis of Gotham City's dark and dungy environment. However, don't let preconceptions fool you -- Metropolis has its seedier side, especially with the cheerfully-named "Suicide Slums." In a video posted over at Shacknews, DCUO Game Director Chris Cao takes us on a brief tour through the Suicide Slums, pointing out how this isn't a place you'd want to casually visit. It's an "iffy-dodgy place" according to Cao, home to both criminal and superhero elements that revel in urban decay. Think downtown Detroit on a good day, perhaps, or the industrial quarters of SimCity. The slums are also home to the Steelworks, where John Henry Irons, aka Steel (famously played by Shaq in the motion picture), wages a daily battle to clean up the neighborhood. Travelers to Suicide Slums can check out another Metropolis landmark, the famous Ace-O-Clubs bar run by Bibbo Bibbowski. For the full travelogue, head over to Shacknews and get a gritty eyeful.
Rumor: Crytek Hiring for MMO Project
We here at Massively like to keep our ear to the ground when it comes to potential new MMOs, and one of the indications that a company is moving in that direction comes from job wanted ads, believe it or not. Crytek, the makers of Far Cry and the Crysis series, recently put up a job posting for a Senior IT Manager that suggests they are looking into online gaming. ShackNews reported on this ad, noting that the company is looking for someone who would help in "designing, testing, and implementing as part of the development team, the systems infrastructure for an MMO online game." Ding ding ding, them are the magic words, so start the speculation. Of course, this may just be Crytek testing the waters and not a serious commitment on their behalf, especially considering that the mention of an MMO in this ad is only a small part of the responsibilities mentioned. ShackNews also noted that Crytek filed for three trademarks over a year ago: Gface, Carvatar, and Kingdoms. Whether or not these have anything to do with a possible MMO project is anyone's guess, but it is a tantalizing possibility. We'll be sure to keep a close eye on Crytek to see if they make any more moves toward an online title. One thing is for sure: if they did create a MMO, you can bet the letters "cry" will be part of the title.
Star Wars: The Old Republic rumored for spring in 2011
A long time from now, in a game store probably not too far away... you might be getting your copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Well, all right, spring of 2011 might not be all that far along, but if you're one of the many eagerly looking forward to Bioware's entry into the MMO arena, it certainly feels like an eternity. ShackNews has recently reported on a rumor that John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts, mentioned that they were looking forward to their next big MMO launch in spring of 2011 while discussing the company's financial outlook. Although he was cautious and stated they had not announced a launch date, he did mention that the team was making "great progress" toward that timeframe. Obviously, the game was not specified by name, which does technically mean he could have been referring to another game. But unless they've secretly been developing Warhammer Online II: The Warhammering, in all likelihood we can expect to see Star Wars: The Old Republic early next year. Which might be good news if you're a Bioware fan anyway, since Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2 are making enough of a dent on your wallet this year.
Rumor: SOE to launch casual browser MMO for Clone Wars
We're chalking this one up as a rumor for now, but word has it that Sony Online Entertainment is developing another Star Wars MMO property, a casual browser game specifically based on the Clone Wars IP. The info comes from Ten Ton Hammer's Cody Bye, who writes: "Ten Ton Hammer has learned from an inside source that Sony Online Entertainment has once again partnered with LucasArts to do another Star Wars MMO. While we have not yet learned the title of the upcoming game, it sounds like SOE is planning to use the browser-based Free Realms engine to power the game, and the game's setting will be the Clone Wars." Massively has not heard anything yet to corroborate this as fact, but let's face it -- this was just too juicy to ignore. If we hear more on this while we're at PAX and Dragon*Con, we'll be sure to let you know. [Via Shacknews]
Atari calls Turbine lawsuit frivolous
Massively reported last week that MMO developer Turbine had filed a lawsuit against Atari over the publisher's handling of Dungeons and Dragons Online. Turbine alleges that Atari did not meet their contractual obligations, forcing the developer to also act as the title's publisher, and seeks $30 million in damages from Atari. Atari, however, is not taking this lying down and claims the lawsuit is "frivolous." The publisher made a statement to Shacknews about their stance on the matter: "Last week, with no warning, Turbine filed what can only be viewed as a frivolous lawsuit against Atari. This action can ultimately do a great disservice to D&D fans and to the MMO community at large."
Carmack says ad-based model not working for Quake Live
In addition to announcing support for Quake Live on Mac and Linux, John Carmack admitted that the current ad-based model wasn't exactly working for the game. To assuage the problem, id Software will soon be offering a subscription model in addition to the free-to-play model currently in place."The in-game advertising stuff has not been big business .... [it's] not going to be able to carry the project," Carmack said. Dually, he noted that while a subscription service will be offered, the game will never go exclusively "pay-to-play." According to Shacknews, the subscription model will allow players to create and host private server matches.This all sounds good to us -- now maybe all the hardcore Quake Live players will play in private servers and allow us to get a single shot off.
Stan Lee makes first video game appearance in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 [update]
Known for making appearances in a variety of movie adaptations of his comics over the years, Stan Lee will be making his first ever video game appearance in upcoming action/RPG Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. According to Shacknews, he'll be playing a character "significant to the game's storyline," though more details are unfortunately unavailable.Lee is apparently quite excited to have his likeness finally put into a video game, saying, "I am thrilled to be making my first onscreen video game cameo." What we're excited about though is the possible release date of MUA2, revealed by multiple online retailers to be September 15. We've asked Activision for comment on the release date and will update this post as we hear more.Update: Activision has confirmed to us that the September 15 release date for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is correct. [Image]
Activision confirms delay of Wolfenstein to 'week beginning August 17'
(click to mecha-Hitler size) Joystiq received official word from Activision this afternoon that, corroborating recent retailer listings, the upcoming Raven Software-developed Wolfenstein reboot is being pushed back to "the week beginning August 17." Earlier today, Shacknews discovered listings on GameStop and Amazon's websites proposing a two week delay, with the game presumably arriving on store shelves August 18. According to Activision, the new release date is "to facilitate a simultaneous global release window" -- we're hoping that's all a ruse and Raven's actually sneaking in Wolfenstein 3D's amazing final boss.The good news? The game still features a horde of Nazis, lining up to meet their fate at the business end of your peacemaker. The bad news? It's also still a fairly generic shooter set in World War II (albeit an alternate reality version). With any luck, a demo for the game will be hitting Xbox Live and PlayStation Network just before the game's release and you can find out for yourself just how much (or how little) you need to get your feet into B.J. Blazkowicz's shoes.%Gallery-27813%
Champions Online on Xbox 360 later this year, Star Trek Online by April 2010
We knew that Champions Online was heading to the PC on September 1st, and that hasn't changed. What has been altered however, is the release date for the Xbox 360 version of Cryptic's second superpowered MMO -- that date is now sometime between September 1st and December 31st of this year. A bit vague, we know, but it's a whole lot better than being unannounced entirely.Another piece of news is the projected release date for Star Trek Online, which according to Cryptic, will come out no later than March 31st. So mark your calendars boys and girls, because you'll be boldly going where no man has gone before well within a year.But wait, there's more! The final piece of announced news is that Cryptic is hard at work on a, "series of new games based on Atari's existing and historically successful IPs," which covers quite a few games. Still, with the release dates of their only two projects not that far off, it's good to know they've got plans for the immediate future.
Gearbox Software is hiring, Aliens: Colonial Marines still in development
Aliens: Colonial Marines, one of the three Alien titles allegedly in production, has had a lot of ups and downs over the past six months. First we were unclear whether layoffs at developer Gearbox Software would affect the title, then we were assured it was to be released in Q1 2009, then we were tipped it was supposedly canceled -- so what's actually going on with the game? Well, we're still not really sure. Shacknews noticed that over on Gearbox's website, the company is recruiting for "all projects," and furthermore, the Alien project was listed at time of press as "in-development" (currently it lists development as "TBA," having updated that specific page on the website as of today). We contacted Steve Gibson, marketing director for Gearbox, to ask about the recent news and if Aliens: Colonial Marines is still being developed by the studio. "Neither Sega nor Gearbox have ever announced any status changes. We're not making any announcements at this time beyond that we are recruiting for all projects," he told us this morning. While not directly confirming the continued development of the game, Mr. Gibson's answer leads us to believe that, as the game has never been officially canceled, the studio is still working on it. As you're likely used to hearing around this time of year, we're just going to have to wait 'til E3 to find out for sure what's going on.
Retailer listings suggest fourth Fallout 3 expansion
Itchin' for more wasteland scouring? According to retailer listings spotted this morning, another piece of Fallout 3 DLC may very well be in the works, known as "Point Look" (by eStarland) or "Point Lookout" (by DeepDiscounts). Much like the recent packaging of Fallout 3's Operation Anchorage and The Pitt DLCs, this one comes bundled with the third currently announced add-on, Broken Steel, and is listed at $19.95. Shacknews asked Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines about the retail listings and got this in return, "We have said there will be three DLCs for Fallout 3, for PC and 360. Beyond that we have no announced plans for additional DLC." The site points out the caginess of Hines' "announced" claim, though we'd add that he specifically notes "for PC and 360." While Bethesda has said the PS3 version of Fallout 3 won't be receiving this DLC, this wouldn't be a bad way to do it, eh?Source - ShacknewsSource - eStarlandSource - DeepDiscounts
GDC09: EA quietly announces iPhone versions of major franchises
Of the many GDC 2009 announcements taking place this week, we were most shocked to see EA sneakily introducing some of the company's most popular franchises to the Apple device some are calling the newest gaming platform -- the iPhone. Travis Boatman, VP of worldwide studios at EA Mobile, made the announcement at GDC Mobile, naming SSX, Wolfenstein RPG, Red Alert, FIFA 10, Madden 10, NBA Live 10, American Idol, Spore Creatures, Clue, Risk, Mystery Mania, Connect Four, Battleship, Tiger Woods and Star Trek, according to reports from Patrick Klepek (former MTV Multiplayer writer) and Shacknews. While most of the titles are the to-be-expected EA mutliplatform titles like Madden 10 and NBA Live 10, the SSX series will be getting its first update in two years according to this announcement. Also of note, Wolfenstein RPG is of no relation to the just released Wolfenstein 3D for the iPhone; rather, it makes up half of the two iPhone games id Software is purportedly working on. Details are unfortunately scant at the moment but we've reached out to EA for comment.On a personal note, we'd like to extend our personal "WHAT THE HELL?!" regarding Risk being announced for the iPhone and still not hearing a peep on it coming to XBLA/PSN. Seriously, EA. What the hell?![Via Shacknews]
Funcom to reveal The Secret World at GDC '09
There's clearly an imbalance in the genres represented in massively multiplayer online games in the current market climate. Fantasy reigns supreme, but fans of sci-fi are going to see more MMO titles geared towards their interests in the coming years. One genre that's still underrepresented, though, is horror. The Secret World is a horror MMO in development at Funcom that we've heard precious little of. That is, until now. Reporting for ShackNews, Chris Faylor writes that Funcom's Ragnar Tørnquist, game director for The Secret World, will present at the Game Developers Conference later this month. We're hoping his presentation will explain more of the game's premise. Presently, it's rumored to have secret society and Cthulu-esque elements to it, but we're excited that we'll finally be able to hear more about The Secret World when we cover GDC later this month.
Joystiq interviews GameFly about Shacknews acquisition
We caught up with GameFly today regarding its surprising purchase of Shacknews, along with all related sites. Speaking with GameFly co-founder Sean Spector, we asked him what the plans are for the respected site and how it fits into GameFly's business. We also made sure to ask if there are any expected layoffs and how it plans to succeed where companies like GameTap have failed.Joystiq: So, first question: Why?Sean Spector: We just feel there is for our users and our members, and as well the gamer community at large, that there's a growing need for quality game content. The guys at Shacknews have done a really good job of building a site and content that gamers seem to respond to.Is it confirmed that the entire Shacknews staff is staying on? No layoffs?SS: Steven Gibson, the founder, is not staying on. That was one of the reasons for him to want to sell the site. He's been doing it for 14 years and wanted to, sort of, take a vacation from the site. He and I are going to be talking on a regular basis. He's a really good guy, it's his baby, and I want to do it justice. Nick and Chris, who are the two journalists staying on, they are GameFly employees. Maarten, who has been doing the technical development for the last several years will stay on, probably as a consultant.
