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Opera now has a game engine to go with its gamer-focused browser
It’s not often that a browser company acquires a game development platform. The latter is a hugely popular platform for novice game developers with little programming experience. It works well with 2D projects and has an approachable drag-and-drop interface, along with its own scripting language that can be used to build more advanced titles.
GameMaker Studio gets Xbox One, Windows export this year
Middleware developer YoYo Games announced that it will roll out new export options for its GameMaker: Studio game development toolkit, allowing users to easily port their creations to Microsoft's Xbox One and Windows 8 platforms. Other export-enabled platforms include Windows RT and Windows Phone 8.1, along with "future operating system releases." GameMaker: Studio exports will be available for licensed Xbox developers and ID@Xbox members starting in the fourth quarter of this year. YoYo Games previously announced that it would add a PlayStation 4 export option to its GameMaker: Studio platform for licensed Sony developers. GameMaker: Studio has spurred the creation of several high-profile indie games, including Hotline Miami, Risk of Rain, and Spelunky. [Video: YoYo Games]
Sony eases PS4 indie development with new publishing tools
As if Sony's support of independent developers hasn't been apparent enough, the console manufacturer will make it easier for indies to bring their games to Sony's platforms. The company announced partnerships today to offer PS4 exporting tools for game development software GameMaker: Studio and MonoGame for free to licensed Sony Computer Entertainment developers. Sony also made "fully-integrated solutions" for PS3 and Vita available for Unity users, with an early access PS4 version arriving on Unity in April. Lastly, the company opted to offer its Authoring Tools Framework as a free, open source download available on GitHub. SCE uses the framework to help craft games like The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls. Created by Yo Yo Games, GameMaker was used to create games such as Hyper Light Drifter, Risk of Rain and Nuclear Throne. Conversely, MonoGame is the backbone of games like TowerFall: Ascension, Mercenary Kings and Transistor. One GameMaker-developed game is Savant Ascent, which Yo Yo Games named as its favorite game of 2013 for the development platform. The stylistic shooter was announced for PS4 this morning following its debut on PC, Mac, iOS and Android in December. [Image: Matt Makes Games]
GameMaker: Studio free to download, Professional edition discounted
Curious about game development? YoYo Games is offering free licenses for GameMaker: Studio, development software that caters to users who don't know the depths of programming. Until March 2, licenses for the Standard edition can also be upgraded to the Professional version for $35. Never heard of GameMaker? Derek Yu used it to develop the punishing labyrinth of Spelunky, while Risk of Rain developer Hopoo Games used it to build giant pig-infested stages. Messhof also used GameMaker for its multiplayer stab-fest, Nidhogg. If you're interested, download the Standard version and play around with it. If you decide it's not for you, the only thing it will really cost you is time. [Image: YoYo Games]
They Need To Be Fed jumping to PSP this summer
Jesse Venbrux must be quite proud of his indie platformer, They Need To Be Fed. Not only did he recently win the top prize of the YoYo Games competition, he's earned a $1,000 cash prize, and a deal to port the game over to PSP. The platformer can be best described as a 2D version of Super Mario Galaxy, with players navigating the unique gravity of each platform to reach their goal: to be eaten. If that doesn't make much sense, you can wait for the PSP version, planned for release this summer, so you can see for yourself. Or, you can download the PC game here. (Or, you can just watch the video we placed after the break.) [Via Pocket Gamer]
Former Xbox Europe VP says consoles will be dead in 5-10 years
The last time we heard someone proclaim the death of the game console, it was EA's head of international distribution saying that an open gaming platform distributed within cable and satellite set-top boxes would take over within 15 years -- a prediction at which we laughed pretty heartily, given that most cable companies can't even manage to get a functional DVR out the door. So it's fairly surprising to hear the former VP of Xbox Europe make the exact same prediction, and bump up the timeline pretty dramatically: Sandy Duncan, who was with MS for 15 years, recently said that dedicated game devices "will die in the next five to 10 years," and that "most of this stuff will be 'virtualized' as web services by your content provider." Of course, Duncan's now with YoYo Games, which is a web-based gaming company, so he might be a little biased, but there's truth in his statement that the console gaming market is risky and that launch costs of new hardware are incredibly high. Still, as Duncan should know first-hand, it's an investment that can definitely pay off, and we think consumers are always going to demand choice and quality -- two things that aren't exactly synonymous with cable and satellite hardware.[Via GameDaily]
