Tron-Evolution
Latest
Study: Positive correlation between piracy and game review scores
Pirates may be dirty, pillaging fiends, but they have high standards, according to a study from Copenhagen Business School and University of Waterloo. The study tracked 173 new games on BitTorrent over a three-month release period, finding 127 of these were downloaded by 12.7 million unique peers, and that a torrent's popularity was directly correlated to its review scores. The 10 most-downloaded games comprised over 5.3 million downloads, or 42 percent of the 127 pirated games. Fallout: New Vegas had the most downloads (962,793) and an average review score of 83.7, followed by Darksiders (656,296) with a review score of 82.7. Tron: Evolution had the lowest score of the top 10 at 59.5, yet came in fifth place (496,349). StarCraft 2 had the highest review score at 89.5 and landed in seventh place (420,138). Review scores can't trump a title's notoriety, reputation or core fanbase, but researchers found "Metacritic Scores explain 10% of the variance in the unique peers per game on BitTorrent." In other words, the only vessel that these pirates are sailing on is a statistically positive relationship.
Propaganda Games shuttered
Propaganda Games -- developer of 2008's Turok reboot and, most recently, Tron: Evolution -- is officially closed. Parent company and publisher Disney Interactive confirmed the unfortunate news to Joystiq this afternoon, issuing this statement: "Disney Interactive Studios confirms the closure of its Vancouver-based internal game development studio, Propaganda Games. The studio has completed all work associated with its most recent project." Propaganda's Pirates of the Caribbean game was canceled last October, and the studio was reduced in size, with the only apparent goal to complete Tron and its planned post-launch DLC. It's as yet unclear if any more DLC will be released beyond the day-one freebie. [Thanks, Alex]
12 Days of Joyswag: Tron: Evolution Collector's Edition, 12" vinyl, and DS game
To celebrate the holidays, we're having twelve straight days of giveaways up through Christmas day. And while we say it's to celebrate, really ... we're simply getting rid of some of the larger packages around the ol' office. And for our fourth giveaway, we're celebrating Tron's return to theaters tonight with swag from its return to video games last week. There's a Tron: Evolution Collector's Edition for Xbox 360, replete with fancy light cycle model, a copy of Tron: Evolution for Nintendo DS (which we're certain is indistinguishable from its console counterpart) and a limited edition (only 200 made, we're told!) 12" vinyl LP of the game's soundtrack. Not a bad haul, and all you have to do is leave a comment to enter. Full rules past the break.%Gallery-111616%
Interview: Tron Legacy screenwriters on gaming and the 'DNA of Tron'
"I think gaming is in the DNA of Tron," says screenwriter Eddy Kitsis. "When the original came out in 1982, it really introduced the concept of a video game and it just blew my mind, because you play video games in the arcade and you're like,'Wow, what would happen behind the screen?'" Jeff Bridges' character Kevin Flynn was a gamer himself, Tron creator Steven Lisberger was inspired by early video games, and the images we remember of the first Tron aren't necessarily of the complicated metaphor of the Master Control Program and ENCOM's intra-company battle. They're of light cycles and disc fighting and the games. "Gaming is a gateway drug, and I mean that in the best sense," says Kitsis' writing partner Adam Horowitz (the two wrote the screenplay to Tron Legacy, after writing on Lost nearly since the beginning). "That's how I got excited about computers and technology and storytelling." Gaming was intrinsic to the first Tron, but when director Joseph Kosinski was finally given the go-ahead by Disney to make a sequel, he says he "had to evolve the classic games forward." And so Tron Legacy plays much closer to its characters, and farther away from the game metaphor. The games are there (in new forms), but the real gaming experience to be found in the new world of Tron, almost twenty years after its release, is -- go figure -- in the video game itself.
Street-legal Tron Light Cycle replica available for $55K
With the option to purchase an actual Tron Light Cycle out of the question -- 'cause, they're in the computer -- we'll have to settle with the dream of owning a replica by Parker Brothers Choppers. The shop made 10 street-legal Light Cycle machines and one of the four remaining can be yours for the rez-onable price of $55,000. According to Autopia, the vehicle weighs 474 pounds, is over 100" long and 23" wide, with the rider lying 28.5" from the ground. It looks awesome and we'd totally ride on one, but only after we did the responsible thing and registered as an organ donor. Check out some footage of the real-world Light Cycle after the break.
Tron: Evolution Avatar items set to rez on Thursday
Tron: Evolution Avatar gear will hit the Xbox Live marketplace this Thursday, November 25, which is also known as "Gobble Day" in the States. The items include clothing, props and a premium theme. Tragically, no creepy young CGI Jeff Bridges face mask will be available.
Tron: Evolution to have free, day-one multiplayer DLC
Okay, of all the video game franchises out there that could possibly have day-one downloadable content, we think Tron is, by far, the most appropriate. After all, whilst in the neon-tinted world of Tron: Evolution, you yourself are downloadable content. It's almost canonical that the PC, PS3 and 360 versions of the game will include one-time-use codes to unlock a handful of additional multiplayer maps and a character skin modeled after the new film's protagonist, Sam Flynn. Check out some of the complimentary multiplayer accoutrements in the gallery posted below. %Gallery-108133%
Tron: Evolution dev diary demos persistent progression, Move support
We've had like, one dream our entire lives, and that dream is to drive a real-life light cycle. Is that too much to ask? Tron: Evolution says "No, of course not," as the game's latest dev diary reveals that the PlayStation Move controller pretty much allows you to simulate that experience as well as you can in this, the year of our lord 2010. Unless, of course, some technology manufacturer is holding out on us. We're watching you, Hitachi. The dev diary also shows off the game's character progression system, which remains persistent between single-player and multiplayer modes, and talks a bit about the PS3 version of the game's 3D display support. We're not sure our eyes can handle all those vivid colors presented in such an in-your-face manner. They're delicate, you know?
Tron: Evolution getting two Daft Punk tracks
Though it's been officially confirmed that Jeff Bridges won't be heard as Kevin Flynn in the forthcoming Tron: Evolution game, French robots (and DJs) Daft Punk will be lending two tracks from the film's soundtrack to the game. Disney announced this morning that Daft Punk's "Derezzed" and "The Grid" will show up in the game, alongside tracks from Sascha Dikiciyan, Cris Velasco and Kevin Manthei. Their addition was first teased during New York Comic-Con last month. If you have a burning love for Daft Punk and need the entire film's soundtrack, you'll be able to grab it on December 7 alongside Tron: Evolution.
Disney cancels Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned; Propaganda suffers layoffs
A Disney Interactive representative has confirmed to Joystiq that Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned has been sunk down to Davy Jones' locker and will not come to port in 2011 ... or ever. The confirmation comes following rumors reported by Kotaku that the game had been canceled and layoffs had occurred at developer Propaganda Games. In a statement (in full after the break), Disney Interactive explains that a "restructuring" has occurred at Propaganda Games, "affecting one of the studio's two development teams." Propaganda is still working on this December's Tron: Evolution and its post-release DLC.
Tron: Evolution TV spots drop us onto the Grid
Whether you're picking up Tron: Evolution on the PS3, 360 or PC, or the more family-friendly Tron: Evolution Battle Grids on the Wii, you can check out the TV spot for your Tron of choice here. Unless your Tron of choice is the original 1982 arcade game. We don't have a trailer for that.
Tron: Evolution soundtrack features Daft Punk, original music
Ever since we first heard that Daft Punk would be creating the soundtrack for Tron: Legacy (the upcoming film from Disney), we've been hoping that music from our favorite French space aliens would make its way to Tron: Evolution, the game tie-in from Propaganda Games. In a panel at New York Comic Con this weekend, Disney Interactive senior PR manager Eric Wein confirmed as much, answering a fan's question on the subject by saying, "We haven't announced details for the soundtrack, we will soon. We can tell you it'll be a combination of the film's soundtrack and some unique, original music." We'll be holding our breath in anticipation for that forthcoming full soundtrack announcement and, of course, playing lots of DJ Hero.
Tron: Evolution release date and Collector's Edition revealed
Disney seems to have gotten the message that you guys like collector's editions. With toys in them. One day after the reveal of the Epic Mickey Collector's Edition, Disney Interactive has announced the Collector's Edition release of Tron: Evolution for PS3 and Xbox 360. The package contains the game (obviously), along with a toy model Light Cycle by Sideshow Collectibles and a display case with a drawer for the game -- all for $130. We spent too long thinking about this and realized that since "real" light cycles are only supposed to exist in a virtual computer world, these toys are more tangible than the genuine article! Disney has also announced a December 7 release date for the Collector's Edition and, of course, all other versions of Tron: Evolution game, including those for Wii, PSP, DS and PC. %Gallery-100718%
Preview: Tron Evolution: The Video Game
A new Tron movie signals the arrival of a new Tron video game. Unfortunately, this one could fall into the trap of licensed games -- substandard gameplay leaning heavily on an anticipated license. And the team at Propaganda Games has a big hurdle to overcome, as they're not only expecting to get this prequel out the door by the time the movie releases, but before. That said, even though the game borrows a lot of ideas from action/platforming games like Prince of Persia, what's there is nicely polished and makes good use of both the license's history and the new movie's aesthetic. If nothing else, Tron Evolution: The Video Game might end up being a fun way for fans of the Tron setting to further explore the mythos.
Disney Interactive to be more 'judicious' with HD games as losses abate
Though Disney's gaming division saw improved operating results during the company's first fiscal quarter of 2010 (which ended January 2) -- a loss of $10 million compared to a $45 million loss in Q1 the previous fiscal year -- CEO Robert Iger has maintained a prudent stance on upcoming projects. "Disney-branded games seem to perform better on the Wii and DS platforms," he noted during a recent investor call (via Computerworld). It seems Disney will continue to target non-Nintendo platforms, but with fewer shots and steadier aim. "While we'll continue to make high-end games, we'll be very judicious in how many we make and which ones we choose," Iger said. Iger is also likely to keep an eye on the performance of upcoming "high-end" titles like Tron Evolution and Black Rock Studios' Pure follow-up, Split/Second. And if neither of those work, you send in the spandex. "We have some interesting opportunities with Marvel," he said. "That's a brand we think would do extremely well on higher-end consoles." Source: ComputerWorld [via GamesIndustry.biz] Source: The Walt Disney Company Q1 results
Spike VGA 2009 Wrap-up: The awards, the trailers, the premieres
As you can probably tell by looking at our front page, last night's Spike Video Game Awards show was a pretty prolific source of gaming news. From the big reveals of games like Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2, to new trailers for Crackdown 2 and Halo: Reach, to ... well, the actual awards, it was a pretty busy night for all parties involved. We've collected all the stories, trailers, and winners of each award in this post to prevent you from hunting through our archives -- or our hateful, hateful liveblog -- to find what you're looking for. You'll find them all listed after the jump!
Tron Evolution premieres at VGAs, coming Holiday 2010 [update]
As promised, the Spike VGAs offered the first look at the new Tron game. Actress Olivia Wilde introduced the teaser trailer for Tron Evolution, featuring what might be real in-game footage of some neon-accented dudes dueling, and a light cycle race. As seen in the movie trailer, the light cycles can curve now, which is blasphemous. See it for yourself after the break, courtesy of YouTube's brysi. According to the trailer, Tron Evolution will be out Holiday 2010. We're guessing it'll coincide closely with the December 17 release date for the Tron Legacy movie. The teaser also suggests it'll be a prequel to the events in Tron Legacy. But probably after the events in Tron. Update: High-quality version now posted after the jump above.
