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El Shaddai director's new studio acquires IP from Ignition
The El Shaddai intellectual property (IP) changed hands today from original publisher UTV Ignition to Crim, a Tokyo-based studio where the game's director, Sawaki Takeyasu, is based now. As 4Gamer reports, Ignition confirmed the transfer of all El Shaddai derivative rights, including any prequels and sequels. Ignition, however, retains the rights to sell the original 2011 game. UTV Ignition was acquired by Disney in 2012, with Atlus picking up Dragon's Crown from Ignition shortly after. The news paves the way for a follow-up to the eccentric Xbox 360 and PS3 action game - interestingly, Crim is hosting an event in Tokyo on August 12 to celebrate the acquisition. Ignition and Crim did release El Shaddai: Social Battle in April 2012, but the smartphone social game ended its service just a few months later. Its lasting memory is this suitably bizarre teaser trailer.
Magical Drop 5 review: Magical Mess
I'd imagine that most people would pick something like Resident Evil 6, or Assassin's Creed 3, or the original ending of Mass Effect 3 as their biggest gaming disappointment of 2012. But as a testament to my oddball taste in gaming, I'd list my biggest disappointment as Magical Drop 5. I've been a fan of this weird, underappreciated little puzzle series for many years, and I have been eagerly awaiting the latest sequel since it was revealed at E3 2011. The reason I'm disappointed isn't because Magical Drop 5 is inherently a bad game, but rather because it's an unfinished one.The fact that this was released in 2012 and I'm only reviewing it now isn't due to laziness on my part. Developer Golgoth promised a major patch to fix many of the game's issues since its release and, in good faith, I decided to wait until the patch hit before I wrote my review. But as said patch saw delay after delay, I began having a difficult time justifying my decision. "But Golgoth is a small developer," I said to myself. "You know how rough game development is, so cut them some slack." Besides, I was familiar with the myriad issues the game encountered simply being released at all.Approaching two months after the game's release, MD5 is still riddled with online play bugs and missing some features. At this point, I think I've been patient enough.%Gallery-175748%
Ignition teaser site hints at new El Shaddai title
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron was one of the prettiest and most uniquely original games we played last year, and we'd be lying if we said we weren't itching to get another glimpse into Ignition's surreal world of pseudo-Judeo-Christian mythology and fashionable jeans.We weren't expecting that itch to ever get scratched, if we're honest, considering how weird El Shaddai is and everything, but it looks like Ignition has more in the pipeline. A teaser site has launched showcasing concept art for five new characters, two of which bear a striking (albeit distinctly female) resemblance to Lucifel and Enoch from the first game.The text in front of the concept art roughly translates to "Who is the ultimate angel who God speaks of?" according to Andriasang. The site's URL, www.elshaddai-sb.jp, may also contain clues, specifically that "sb" may be the initials of this thing's subtitle, whatever it is. We'll keep an eye our for more details, but right now our money is on a fighting game: El Shaddai: Super Battle, El Shaddai: Seraphim Battalion, something along those lines.
Disney purchases controlling stake in UTV Ignition for expansion into Indian market
Joining Mickey, Donald and Spider-Man in Disney's universe are such characters as insane detective Francis York Morgan, and a very nicely dressed Lucifel. The BBC reports that Disney has purchased a controlling stake in publisher UTV Ignition, following approval of Disney's previously announced plan by the cabinet of India (where Ignition is based).In fact, India is what Disney has in mind with this move (rather than, say, building a giant worldwide El Shaddai gaming franchise). "Increasing our brand presence and reach in key international markets is a cornerstone of our growth strategy," Disney International chair Andy Bird said. "This acquisition expands our footprint significantly and allows us to more effectively build, monetise and brand multi-platform franchises, and deliver a rich library of content to the world's second largest population."Neither Bird nor Disney have said anything specific about Ignition's gaming division, which recently published Quarrel and is known for games such as Deadly Premonition, Swarm and the internally developed El Shaddai.
New Fractured Soul 3D screens arrive in one piece
Fractured Soul 3D may be played across both of the Nintendo 3DS' screens simultaneously, but that doesn't mean you have to hurt yourself trying to look at all of these screenshots at the same time. Honestly, we won't tell anyone.
Faxion Online closing the doors of heaven and hell
It may not have had a long life, but Faxion Online's certainly was memorable. The PvP-centric MMO with the unique heaven-and-hell theme has announced that it is closing its doors within the month, following rumors that the entire team had been laid off. In a brief statement posted on the forums, players were notified of the game's closure, which will occur in a couple quick stages. This week, players will not be able to register for the game, download it, or use the store, while the servers will be powered down within 30 days from today. "We're eternally grateful for all the support, feedback, and competition our players have provided through thick and thin," the announcement stated. "Faxion's development was a Herculean effort that some said was impossible given the timeframe and resources we had, and we're proud to have delivered a PvP-driven experience that people could enjoy. Alas, all good things must come to an end." Faxion Online launched on May 26th this year, making this one of the quickest demises of an MMO since last year's All Points Bulletin. We at Massively wish the best for Faxion's staff in the coming months.
Rumor: Entire Faxion Online team laid off
Although the Faxion Online team has weathered layoffs before, today it looks as though none have survived a recent culling. According to a forum post citing a former UTV employee, it's rumored that the entire team has been given their pink slips. "It is now officially dead," the unnamed source wrote. "They laid off the rest of the Faxion team, so there is no one left to do anything." Disney recently bought out UTV Ignition, which oversees Faxion Online, and there was some speculation that the Mouse House might be making cuts in this struggling PvP MMO and elsewhere. So far this is an unconfirmed rumor, and it remains to be seen what impact this will have on Faxion going forward if true.
Disney looking to buy out Faxion Online developer
Disney could become a major player in the future of Faxion Online if it goes ahead with a proposed deal to buy out the rest of UTV Software Communications' stock. Currently, Disney has a majority stake in the company -- 50.4% -- but this move would bring it up to a nice round 100%. The Ignition Entertainment label would fall under this deal, which has already been struggling with numerous layoffs and studio closings. We recently reported that UTV Ignition had to cut a good portion of its programming, maintenance, and customer service staff as part of these problems. Whether or not this deal will prove a boon or a hammer blow to Ignition remains to be seen. Disney has previously closed down developers Black Rock and Propaganda Games, although Mickey's parent company is looking to move in the direction of more social and casual gaming. We'll keep a close eye on this deal to see how it plays out.
Report: Disney wants to buy UTV/Ignition for $454M
The Walt Disney Company is allegedly working to fully acquire UTV, parent company of Ignition Entertainment, for $454 million. Develop reports that Disney, which already owns 50.4 percent of UTV, is seeking to fully acquire the company for its Bollywood films and TV shows -- and not for its games. If the deal does happen, Ignition's fate would be in the hands of Disney. Ignition has been troubled for quite some time, altering its business strategy last year and ceasing to develop core games internally. Disney's strategy, on the other hand, has seen the shuttering of its core game studios like Black Rock and Propaganda, and a heavy emphasis on the social space. Disney's acquisition of UTV may have nothing to do with games on the surface, but it'll likely impact Ignition in a dramatic way.
More layoffs hit UTV Ignition Entertainment
Good news is tough to come by for UTV Ignition. In just the last few weeks, the company has ceased internal development, had to delay one of its biggest titles and (according to rumors) re-canceled WarDevil after recently resurrecting it. Today Gamasutra reports that the company has laid off some portion of its True Games studio, the house behind the Faxion Online MMO. Exactly what portion of the studio is being laid off is a matter of some debate. While Ignition claims it's "a fraction" of the studio's workforce, Gamasutra's source says it's a majority of the staff. Yes, majority is technically a fraction, but still ... that's quite a stretch. Here's hoping we'll have a clearer picture of the landscape soon and that those affected land on their feet.
Faxion Online studio hit with layoffs
If you're a fan of Faxion Online, the last thing you want to hear about is members of the game's development team getting the axe. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened today -- UTV Ignition has reportedly cut staff from the division responsible for much of the game's programming and maintenance. Exact lists have varied, with Don Choi (vice-president of UTV's online division) claiming that only a small fraction of employees were let go while employees affected have claimed that the majority of the studio has now been cut. The affected team members have claimed that the game's customer service and support are also being cut and outsourced, while Choi maintains that the game will still be running and receive updates and improvements. Which version of events is the honest one is a bit unclear at the moment, but we offer our condolences to Faxion Online development members affected by these layoffs.
Faxion Online announces guild war system
You know that one guild? The one you hate? The one whose members you've ignored, and the one that makes your teeth grind just from the mention of its name? Well, UTV True Games wants you to do something about it! An upcoming update to Faxion Online will introduce Inquisitions, which will allow guilds to declare all-out war on one another. These guild wars can last anywhere from a single day to a fortnight, throughout which the involved guilds' members will be free to gank one another to their hearts' content. Not a guild kind of person? Don't worry! Free agents can be hired on as mercenaries if they wish to join the fray. And if the guilds don't want to fight it out to the bitter end, the system also includes ways to negotiate a surrender or declare a stalemate, all the while tracking each guild's stats on a leaderboard. So get out there, don your halos and horns, and start killing one another! After all, you're already in purgatory anyway.
Massively chats Heaven, Hell and destructible churches with Faxion Online
It's been only a short time since Faxion Online launched, and despite some issues with performance and balance, the game is already seeing a strong, dedicated playerbase. Perhaps the PvP-centric world, along with its open, skill-based class system, has encouraged this sort of dedication. UTV Ignition Games is fully aware of the issues that are in the game now and has promised that it's on top of them. The game was created with a smaller team, time frame, and budget than most games that we talk about here on Massively, so it's important to note the growing pains. How do you divide your time between balance and performance? What do you do, as a developer, when the loudest wheels are squeaking about one issue, while others claim they have no issues at all? These are the quandaries of the smaller developer, especially a developer running a game that obviously offers something different. We took some time to ask Mike Madden, Director of Product Management, and Frank Lucero, Studio Head, about their concerns as well as what they see happening in the future. So click past the cut to see what they had to say!
Word game Quarrel rescued by Ignition, now headed to iOS and consoles
Last year, developer Denki was forced to cut staff when it couldn't find a publisher for Quarrel, an XBLA word game that combines anagram-searching with very light Risk-style territory battles. But over a year later, the developer finally did find the right partner for Quarrel, one who "values good games," as a frustrated Denki blog post put it last year: Ignition. It was the XBLA version of Quarrel that Ignition showed off in its E3 booth, but Ignition's Shane Bettenhausen explained that the word game will actually launch on iOS first this summer, followed by console versions later in the year. Quarrel pits two players against one another as they attempt to capture each discrete chunk of territory on a map. To do so, players must challenge the opponent to, essentially, a word jumble. Eight letters appear on screen, and the number of those letters that can be used is determined by the number of soldiers in the particular group you're controlling. So, for example, if a regiment of four soldiers attacks a territory manned by six, the attacking player can only make up to four-letter words, and the defender can make six-letter words. Each letter has a point value, like Scrabble, and the player with the highest score wins. Proving its implied commitment to value -- "good games" -- Denki added some interesting educational extras. At the end of every match, the best possible word, one that uses all eight letters, is presented on screen, and even defined. When it comes to games that increase our word power, there'll be no contention from us.%Gallery-125923%
Snag a Faxion Online token code from Massively!
Is greed your favorite vice? We hope so! The folks at UTV True Games have given us a multi-use code that will grant 100 of our quickest-clicking readers 30 tokens apiece for use in Faxion Online, the heaven-and-hell-themed MMO that released only last month. To redeem the code for yourself, log in to the official Faxion Online website, head straight to the store redemption page, and enter the key. Then pause a moment to roll around in your piles of free tokens. You've earned it. Here's the mega-key: FAXIONMOGULE9P1 -- good luck!
Rise and Shiny recap: Faxion Online
I've been following Faxion Online for quite a while. Aww, I remember when it was just a cute little game in development, back when I visited the UTV True Games studio for a tour during GDC Online last year. The team was very passionate about its product, and there was obviously a lot of talent at work behind the scenes. One of the comments I made then (and that I will always remember) is that the devs all seemed like a bunch of gamers -- they appeared to have a love for what they were doing and truly seemed to believe in the game. They also talked about how a lot of MMO development took several years and the budget of a small country. I agreed with them on that. So they wanted to create their game in a much shorter time period yet have it still feature free-to-play accessibility along with old-school PvP. It was a tall order, especially considering the time frame they were looking at. Again, though, the team seemed capable of pulling it off. But did it? I spent half a week (I will explain later) in the game, and my impressions are right past the cut.
MV Guide: May 30 - June 5, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!
Celebrate Faxion Online's launch with a free starter pack from Massively!
Faxion Online launched yesterday, and Massively's got a little something for you to celebrate! What better way to jump into this game all about heaven, hell, and the seven deadly sins than by indulging in a little bit of greed? We've got 15 Faxion Online starter packs to give away: 11 Basic Starter Packs and four Epic Starter Packs. Would you love to get your virtual hands on one of these? Just drop a comment here letting us know why you want to play Faxion Online, and tomorrow at noon EDT we'll draw 15 names for the starter packs. Don't forget to check our contest rules and leave your comment before Saturday the 28th at noon EDT. Good luck!
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron screens explore new (but still bizarre) locales
In a missive late this week from UTV Ignition, a handful of new screens for El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron were revealed. Among the shots are locations not yet seen in the game's pseudo-religious world, depicting the game's protagonist Enoch on his journey up the Tower of Babel through varying degrees of surrealist world design. If that weren't enough, a whole mess of photos from El Shaddai's Japanese launch event this past week were also included. Yes, that means there are at least a few scantily clad models repping the game in the gallery below, but it also means you get another look at those incredible designer jeans. And who could say no to that?%Gallery-123662%%Gallery-123664%
Faxion Online commercial gets to the heart of conflict
"We know conflict," a new ad for Faxion Online says, and boy do they ever! The tongue-in-cheek spot shows a fictional (or is it?) day at UTV True Games, where a frisky pirate and an arrogant ninja happen to walk into the same elevator. What happens next can only be seen, not described, although we would not blame you for weeping out of awe. The commercial highlights the spirit of PvP that lies at the core of Faxion Online, an upcoming MMO that pits angelic players vs. their demonic counterparts. The same sense of humor that comes through in this ad runs rampant throughout the game, as players war over zones themed after the seven deadly sins. Currently, Faxion is in open beta. You can watch the full carnage of this video after the jump.
