4j-studios
Latest
PSA: Xbox versions of Terraria currently 40 percent off
As part of Microsoft's ongoing Countdown to 2015 digital games sale, a new Daily Deal has appeared that cuts 40 percent from the prices of both Xbox One and Xbox 360 versions of Terraria. If that name's unfamiliar, imagine Terraria as a 2D, pixel-heavy fusion of side-scrolling adventure-platforming game elements (a la Cave Story) and the granular resource gathering and crafting systems found in sandbox hit Minecraft. Unlike Mojang's game, however, Terraria offers a more pronounced focus on adventuring, killing giant boss creatures and discovering new, color-coded loot. The end result is a game that's initially bewildering in scope, but quickly becomes addictive in a way that makes the normally mind-numbing act of digging holes somehow entertaining. Thanks to this temporary discount, the Xbox 360 version of Terraria can be purchased for $5.60, while the Xbox One game is now priced at $12. Because it's a Daily Deal though, these discounts will vanish at the end of the day. [Image: 4J Studios]
Report: UK PS4 bundle to include Minecraft, FIFA 15
According to an MCV report, Sony devotees in the UK planning to pick up a PlayStation 4 will soon have a new option to consider: a bundle including the console, FIFA 15 and Minecraft for £350. That price point matches that of the Glacier White PlayStation 4, which will be appearing in the UK on October 17. We attempted to contact Sony to see if there's any chance the aforementioned bundle might appear outside of the UK - specifically, in North America - but the company would neither confirm the UK bundle, nor reveal an upcoming bundle aimed at the North American audience. Given the relative popularity of the FIFA series (and soccer in general) in the UK versus North America, it would come as little surprise if the bundle were exclusive to that side of the Atlantic. [Image: EA]
Minecraft Vita also coming to North America next week
Lagging behind its European branch's announcement earlier in the week, Sony America has revealed an October 14 release date for Minecraft on Vita. The irony is, as ever, the $20 game will hit PSN stateside a day before it hits Europe. PSN traditions are odd traditions. Anyway, Sony did clarify one thing in today's announcement; anyone who owns a copy of Mojang's sand-blocks on PS3 can get a Vita copy free, and that includes disc owners as well as PSN buyers. The same applies in reverse, including retail copies of the Vita version which are due to hit shelves on November 11. Remember: the cross-buy offer only applies across PS3 and Vita - no PS4-sies, but you can upgrade to PS4 for $5. Also, saves do transfer between PS3 and Vita, and DLC purchases work across both versions too. [Image: Sony]
Minecraft's PS4 incarnation reaches retail stores in October
Following the recent digital debut of Minecraft on the PlayStation 4, Sony has revealed that the sandbox construction game will also appear on store shelves on October 7. Like its Xbox One counterpart, the PlayStation 4 version of Minecraft is based largely on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 ports of the game, which are themselves stripped down versions of the PC original. Owing to improved hardware however, the PlayStation 4's Minecraft feature worlds "36 times bigger" than its PlayStation 3 counterpart. As with the digital version of Minecraft, players with existing saved games on either the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 will be able to transfer their progress to the PlayStation 4 game and quickly resume where they left off. Lacking from this announcement is any word on the long-awaited Vita version of Minecraft, but Sony claims that more information on that game will appear "in a few weeks," including word on how cross-buy functionality will work for those who already own Minecraft on another Sony gaming machine. [Image: 4J Studios]
Build that city in Minecraft PS4, launching today
The ever-growing, seemingly insatiable Minecraft family welcomes PlayStation 4 today, with a stateside PSN launch locked in for "before 12PM PT" (3PM ET.) Mojang's blocky world of creativity and creepers is already out on PS4 in Europe, as of late last night. As we reported yesterday, the Xbox One launch is confirmed for tomorrow, September 5. Both the PS4 and Xbox One ports are features-wise on par with PS3/Xbox 360 editions, but the new hardware allows for worlds up to 36 times larger and greater draw distances.
Minecraft on Xbox One this week, PS4 'soon, maybe sooner' [update]
Not satisfied with mere bajillions, Minecraft starts racking up more sales this week when it launches as a downloadable on Xbox One - and perhaps PS4 too. The Xbox One release date is locked in for Friday, September 5, when 360 owners of Mojang's sandbox game will be be able to upgrade for $5/£4 - Microsoft notes the upgrade applies whether you own a disc or download copy. Otherwise, the full price version is $20/£16. While the PS4 date is unknown, Mojang's Daniel Kaplan tweeted that "Sony friends" can expect a "Minecraft surprise soon... or maybe sooner?!" That tease followed a PlayStation France tweet that claimed the PS4 version will release today, though as yet no other Sony channels have confirmed that. As soon as someone digs up a concrete release date for the PS4 version, we'll let you know. Update: The PlayStation 4 version of Minecraft appears to have launched in the EU. There's still no word on when the game will reach North America or other territories. [Image: 4J Studios]
Minecraft PS4 fails certification as August creeps to a close
It's looking unlikely Minecraft will meets its August release window on PS4 after it failed Sony's certification tests. So it's back to the fixing board for 4J Studios, and the team will have to re-submit the game for certification before it can be released. 4J's been busy fixing issues and squishing bugs throughout the month, and not just in the PS4 version but in the upcoming Xbox One and Vita releases too. We've reached out to the studio to confirm a delay, and whether that'll affect just the PS4 version or other platforms too. All three ports are currently due for release this month.
Minecraft enters final testing before PlayStation 4 debut
Sharpen your pickaxes and keep an eye out for Creepers as the smash-hit building/exploration sandbox Minecraft is inching ever closer to its PlayStation 4 launch, according to a tweet from developer 4J Studios. "We've handed Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition over to Sony for final test!" reads the brief message issued alongside the image you see above. As we reported a month ago, Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition brings with it a number of unique features including optional support for the DualShock 4 touchpad, save game transfers from both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and "a bunch of Sony-specific DLC coming soon after release." Once Minecraft is available on the PlayStation 4, those who own the game on PS3 will be able to upgrade to the game's new generation iteration for $5. Developer 4J Studios has yet to reveal a release date (or even a vague window) for the game's launch, but barring any catastrophes during testing we expect more information soon. [Image: 4J Studios]
Guardians of the Galaxy skins to appear in Minecraft
The latest intellectual property to appear in the Xbox 360 version of Minecraft via DLC skin pack are the Guardians of the Galaxy, just in time to promote the Marvel Studios film of the same name. According to Play XBLA, the Guardians of the Galaxy skin pack will include 24 skins "inspired both by Marvel's blockbuster film and the comic books." This means you get the expected faces like Starlord and Thanos, but also more esoteric characters like Angela, an angel Neil Gaiman first debuted in the pages of Spawn, before convoluted legal wrangling and a cosmic wormhole recently shunted the half-naked celestial warrior maiden into the Marvel Universe. Lacking from the Play XBLA announcement are any details on when this DLC pack might arrive or what price point it may feature. Instead, we're told that more information will be coming soon. [Image: 4J Studios]
Xbox 360 strums a tooie-in-one Banjo bundle, available now
It's been a while since the last bundle on the Xbox 360 store, but it looks like Microsoft's found the duct tape again. Rare-developed platformers Banjo Kazooie and Banjo Tooei are newly stuck together in a 2-in-1 bundle, and you can grab it now for $15 or £12/15 euros. The two N64 games were released on Xbox Live five years ago, and Rarely seem to make their way onto sales. So, what's effectively a half-price bundle is perhaps a decent deal if you've yet to check them out. After all, Banjo Kazooie and Tooie are widely regarded as two of the strongest early examples of 3D platforming. Also, it's not like you're going to get that Banjo Kazooie spiritual successor anytime soon... [Image: Microsoft]
Super Time Force characters invade Minecraft Xbox 360
Likely due to some paradoxical shenanigans in the time stream, the cast of Super Time Force will appear in the Xbox 360 incarnation of Minecraft with the release of Skin Pack 6. Though Skin Pack 6 has yet to receive an official release date, once it debuts, players will find six Super Time Force characters among a host of other familiar faces from notable games such as Killer Instinct, Mirror's Edge and Trials Fusion. Despite stiff competition, the Super Time Force characters are easily the most creative, if only for the inclusion of Zackasaurus, a dinosaur who eschews the terrifying majesty typical of his species in favor of laid back sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt. If you'd rather not wait to meet the Super Time Force cast, you can pick up a copy of the 2D shooter on either Xbox 360 or Xbox One right now. Our largely positive review awarded the game 3.5 of 5 stars, while stating that "[f]or some players, erecting a perfect assault on Super Time Force's stages will be an ecstatic pastime." [Image: 4J Studios]
Minecraft on PS4 supports touchpad, will be followed by Sony-specific DLC
Minecraft won't finish a bridge to PS4, Vita and Xbox One until August, but a PlayStation Blog update lends a few more details about what we can expect from the port to Sony's latest home console. We were previously told that world sizes would be "a lot bigger" on newer consoles, but this update offers specifics: you'll have 36 times the space for flagship construction sites on the PS4 than you did on the PS3. You can consider the DualShock 4's touchpad as a new tool in your inventory as well, since 4J Studios is implementing optional support for its use with crafting or menu navigation. The PS4 version will offer eight-player online play, with a single PS4 being capable of hosting up to four players via splitscreen. Minecraft's PS4 debut will also be followed by "a bunch of Sony-specific DLC coming soon after release." As a reminder, saves will be transferable from the PS3 and Xbox 360, so you can keep flexing your creative architectural muscles without worrying about starting over. When the PS4 and Xbox One builds arrive in August, you'll be able to upgrade from digital versions for $4.99. Alternatively, PlayStation users can stick with the PS3 and get access to the Vita version for free. Mojang would like to offer discounts to those spinning disc-based versions of Minecraft as well, but since the post notes that that's "proving a bit trickier to set up," we'll have to wait for more info to see whether that's possible. [Image: Mojang]
Minecraft PS3 boxes clever with a disc version in May
Mojang is releasing Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition onto store shelves on May 16 in North America and May 14 in PAL regions, which is no surprise given how the Xbox 360 discs continue to strike gold. Mojang revealed the physical PS3 port includes everything in the sandbox game as of title update 14, but there's no word yet on a price. Check out the PS3 Edition box art by digging below the break. The PS3 port sold one million copies within its first month of availability, adding to the 12 million sales on Xbox 360, 14 million on PC, and 21 million of the Pocket Edition. But why stop at gajibillions when you can try to take over the world? To that effect, UK porters 4J Studios have PS4, Xbox One, and Vita versions in the works, although there remains no word on when to expect them. [Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]
Minecraft reaches 12 million sold on Xbox 360
Mojang's sandbox build-'em-up Minecraft remains a popular favorite on the Xbox 360, surpassing 12 million units sold as of this month. "It is pretty amazing!" Mojang's Daniel Kaplan stated in response to the latest sales milestone. "I remember when we started talking about sales numbers that we would be super happy to sell 1 million copies. That would have put us on par with [Battlefield 1943] and Castle Crashers, which both are awesome games, so that was something to aim for. We never even dreamed of selling 12 million!" Minecraft previously topped 10 million sales in December last year. Mojang and development partner 4J Studios will continue to update Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition with new content in the coming months, including a Candy Texture Pack due to launch on April 18. [Image: Mojang]
Minecraft title update 14 hits Xbox 360 today, PS3 tomorrow
The console versions of Mojang's Minecraft will be updated this week with new items, features, and fixes, adding a significant chunk of content to player-curated sandbox worlds. Minecraft title update 14 introduces emerald currency and villager trading, along with anvils that can be used to repair equipment. The patch also adds new edibles like potatoes and carrots, and clever players can now make the "carrot-on-a-stick" item to control pigs while riding them. Title update 14 is available now for the Xbox Live Arcade version of Minecraft. A PlayStation 3 patch is due tomorrow. [Image: Mojang]
Minecraft coming to PS3 on December 17
Minecraft will launch on PS3 on December 17 (tomorrow) in North America, a PlayStation Blog post revealed. The developer in charge of the port, 4J Studios, announced in November that the PS3 version of the game would arrive ahead of next-gen consoles. 4J Studios is still developing PS4 and PlayStation Vita versions, which will land sometime next year, though it's unknown if the game will be cross-compatible or feature any remote play options. The PS3 version will be "pretty much identical" to other console versions of the game. DLC and texture packs for the game will be available on PSN "soon after release." No price was listed for the game, though it launched on Xbox 360 for $20. In terms of its appearance on home consoles, Minecraft was exclusive to Xbox 360 since it launched in May 2012. That iteration of the game recently celebrated its 10 millionth sale.
Minecraft 360 developer working with Microsoft to port save files to Xbox One
Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition developer 4J Studios is working with Microsoft to port save files for the game from the Xbox 360 to the Xbox One. The developer tweeted as much today, noting that it "can't say it'll be there" until it works perfectly. Microsoft first announced during its E3 press event in June that the hit block-busting, sandbox-style construction game will come to its next-generation console. No launch date has been confirmed for either of the PS4 or Xbox One versions of Minecraft, though the developer said this week that it plans to bring the PS3 version of the game out first.
Minecraft PS3 Edition arriving sooner than next-gen versions
4J Studios announced that it is currently focused on launching the PlayStation 3 version of Mojang's Minecraft, with ports for next-gen consoles being put on the back burner for the time being. "We're hard at work getting Minecraft: PS3 Edition ready for testing just now," the studio tweeted. "The other platforms [and Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition's Title Update 14] will be later." 4J is developing Minecraft: Xbox One Edition for Microsoft's upcoming console, along with versions for the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita. Release dates for these new ports have not been announced.
Xbox 360 Minecraft sales pass 7 million units
The Minecraft cart full of gold bars isn't stopping anytime soon, as 4J Studios, developers of the Xbox 360 port of the game, announced it has now sold more than seven million copies on the platform. The previous milestone was set in March, when the game surpassed six million units. Mojang, the studio handling the PC version, announced a couple of days ago the game had passed the 11 million sold mark. The retail version of Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition, which became available in North America earlier this month, launches in the UK today. And be prepared to buy Minecraft all over again when the game becomes available on Xbox One later this year. Look at dem graphix!
Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition for retail in UK on June 28
Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition will dig its way to the UK on June 28 and it'll also include a 48-hour subscription to Xbox Live Gold. The disc-based game includes all the features and content currently found on the XBLA version, and those with an internet connection will also receive the same updates as the digital edition. The North American disc version of the blocktastic building game was recently delayed from April 30 to June 4. Microsoft has not officially announced any change in plans for the game to also launch in Australia, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan during June.
