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'Homefront: The Revolution' coming to the US on May 17th
After switching studios twice, Homefront: The Revolution will finally be released in North America on PC, Xbox One and Playstation 4 on May 17th, while Europe and other regions will get it on May 20th. If you're interested in an earlier look, a beta will arrive exclusively to consoles in February. The futuristic guerrilla shooter is the sequel to the original Homefront, and has the same Red Dawn-style premise of a foreign power (North Korea, of course) occupying the US. Unlike the original, however, the action takes place in an open world, namely dystopian Philadelphia in the year 2030.
BBC trials a way to explain complex backstories in its shows
Most of the BBC's programming is only available for 30 days on iPlayer, so trying to keep up with long-running and complicated TV shows can be a pain. Want to remember how River Song fits into the Doctor Who universe, but don't have the DVD box sets to hand? Your best option is normally to browse Wikipedia or some Whovian fan sites. To tackle the problem, the BBC is experimenting with a site format called "Story Explorer," which could explain storylines and characters for some of its most popular shows. Today, the broadcaster is launching a version for its Home Front radio drama with custom illustrations, text descriptions and audio snippets. More importantly, the key events are laid out as simple, vertical timelines so that you can easily track the show's wartime chronology.
Report: Homefront: The Revolution's game director resigns
Homefront: The Revolution's future looks increasingly uncertain, judging by Kotaku's report that Hasit Zala has resigned from his role as Revolution's game director at Crytek UK. Kotaku's sources added that development manager Ben Harris left the studio this month, which is reflected by his LinkedIn profile listing the role as a past work experience. The report states that other unnamed employees have either left or are openly looking for work with other companies at this time. Zala's supposed departure follows a previous report that more than 30 employees have left Crytek UK since Revolution's development began in 2011, with departures supposedly being due to late payments. German magazine GameStar reported in June that Crytek was nearing bankruptcy, which was met with a denial from Crytek: "The information in those reports and in the GameStar article itself are rumors which Crytek deny." [Image: Crytek UK]
Report: Crytek UK in trouble, staff leaving
More than 30 employees have left Crytek UK since work began on Homefront: The Revolution in 2011, Eurogamer reports. The high turnover is due to staff being paid late numerous times, and the list of those who've left includes key art, design and programming employees, the site says. Crytek UK Managing Director Karl Hilton is leaving his position for a different role in the company, he told Kotaku. This week, German magazine GameStar reported that Crytek was nearing bankruptcy. Crytek denied the claim: "Regardless of what some media are reporting, mostly based on a recent article published by GameStar, the information in those reports and in the GameStar article itself are rumors which Crytek deny. We continue to focus on the development and publishing of our upcoming titles Homefront: The Revolution, Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age, Arena of Fate, and Warface, as well as providing ongoing support for our CryEngine and its licensees." Homefront: The Revolution publisher Deep Silver has declined to comment on the situation. However, claims of trouble aren't contained to Crytek UK, Kotaku reports: Crytek's sequel to Xbox One launch game Ryse has been canceled, along with a slew of other games, including original prototypes. [Image: Deep Silver]
Homefront: The Revolution appears on Swedish site [update: confirmed]
Homefront: The Revolution is the Crytek-developed, Deep Silver-published follow-up to THQ's 2011 game, according to a now removed listing. Official PlayStation Magazine reports Swedish site FZ listed the game as a first-person shooter due in 2015. Crytek acquired the Homefront property in 2011 following THQ going defunct. At the time, General Manager of Games Nick Button-Brown noted the company's purchase would allow Crytek UK (formerly Team Radical) to finish its work on Homefront 2. "The worst case scenario for us was that this situation meant that all that work just ended up being thrown into the bin," Button-Brown said back in 2013, "so we wanted to buy the IP to make sure the team can finish off the game they wish to make." Update: Deep Silver confirmed Homefront: The Revolution is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in 2015. Check out the details and announcement trailer here. [Image: Official PlayStation Magazine]
Rubin: THQ could have survived, but made 'massive mistakes'
We know pretty much all there is to know about the dissolution of THQ, how its valuable studios and properties were sold off, while others were left to fend for themselves. We're pretty well versed on why it all happened. Now, former THQ president Jason Rubin has given MCV his opinion on why the publisher went south.Rubin refuted the notion that THQ was simply a victim of a changing industry, that it was unable to keep up with bigger publishers. "THQ had every chance to survive," he said, "had it not made massive mistakes." Said mistakes – things like bungling uDraw, the Warhammer 40K MMO and Homefront – didn't happen on Rubin's watch, however, as he was only appointed in May of 2012. Ultimately, there was "too much negative hanging on [THQ's] books," he said.THQ's failure didn't boil down to bad luck either. "Could Homefront have caught a nerve and sold 10m copies? It's possible I guess, but probably not without better production," he said, adding that luck certainly wasn't a factor in THQ's decision to cancel Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online. "That was simply a bad decision in a sea of bad decisions."
Crytek on Homefront 2 purchase from THQ: It's 'beneficial for us to have control'
Crytek spent over half a million bucks to make sure the Homefront IP stuck around after the collapse of THQ and now has the potential to do anything with it – a position Crytek general manager of games Nick Button-Brown says will allow developer Crytek UK to finish its work for the sequel to Kaos Studios' 2011 game."The worst case scenario for us was that this situation meant that all that work just ended up being thrown into the bin, so we wanted to buy the IP to make sure the team can finish off the game they wish to make," Button-Brown said. He added that "it's now beneficial for us to have control over the IP's destiny," noting earlier in the VG 24/7 interview that current Homefront 2 progress is "great" and that the "last milestone was excellent."Button-Brown also noted that such control would allow the developer to "be a little more open" about the game's development "than if we were working with a publisher," yet he would not comment on how this acquisition changes potential launch timing for Homefront 2. Previously, THQ pegged Homefront 2 for launch during the company's fiscal 2014, ranging between April 2013 and March 2014 – Button-Brown dodged the question on current launch timing, replying that Crytek "might change the release date that we haven't announced, and move this to another release date we won't announce yet either."
Amazon THQ sale: Metro 2033, Red Faction Guerrilla, more for 91% off
The Tantalizing THQ Medley on Amazon includes downloads of Metro 2033, Homefront, Red Faction Armageddon, Red Faction Guerrilla, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, all for $12. Regularly priced, this bundle comes out to $118, so that's a savings of 91 percent. Buying all six games is cheaper than getting one by itself, so if you're in the market for any of these, it's your lucky day.Actually, it's your lucky days: The Tantalizing THQ Medley will be on sale through January 20 as Amazon's Deal of the Week.
Report: How Homefront's developer crumbled
The slow demise of Kaos Studios leading up to its June 2011 closure has been attributed to poor management and a misallocation of resources, according to conversations anonymous ex-staff members had with Gamasutra. One of the Homefront developers believed THQ's "plan was to close the studio regardless."Management issues reportedly stemmed from inexperienced team members leading more qualified peers during Homefront's development. One ex-staff member said the studio "had this level of leads with tons and tons of experience, and you had the directors with much less." Those directors "didn't listen to the very talented team they hired."Former THQ Executive VP of Core Games Danny Bilson was also the target of former team members' frustrations. Ex-staffers spoke of Bilson's heavy involvement in Homefront's development and his tendency to "hand out mandates on high and then disappear," adding that "he's not qualified to talk about game mechanics."We've contacted THQ for comment on this story.
Report: Homefront 'Ultimate Edition' due before April
If you're going to buy Homefront, you might as well buy the absolute best version of it you can find. Eurogamer reports that a release schedule sent out by THQ includes Homefront: Ultimate Edition, due before the publisher's next fiscal year starts in April. No details were included about the release, but by now we all have a good idea of how these "ultimate" things go: it's likely to be the game, plus all DLC to date, which so far includes the two map packs "Fire Sale" and "The Rock," and nothing that substantially changes the aspects of the game people didn't like before. For that, you'll have to wait for the sequel.
Homefront marketing stunt results in $7,000 fine
The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board has levied a $7,000 fine on the marketing company responsible for releasing 10,000 red balloons to promote Homefront at last year's Game Developers Conference. The promotion went wrong when many of the balloons ended up in San Francisco Bay, which local residents get just a tad protective over. The Homefront stunt involved a fake protest -- with musical accompaniment -- in which thousands of balloons were released with notes telling those bombarded by the luft waffes to pre-order the title at GameStop. When things went wrong, GameStop was quick to say it had "no prior knowledge" of the promotion, and THQ noted the balloons were "100 percent organic product and are 100 percent biodegradable." The marketing company, TrashTalkFCM, took responsibility for the incident and assisted in the cleanup. The company has 30 days to pay the fine.
$5 Metro 2033 kicks off THQ week on Steam
As part of THQ Week, Steam has thrown a very hefty discount on one of 2010's hidden gems, Metro 2033. The post-apocalyptic Russian shooter is currently on sale for $5, as in five bucks, as in less than a greasy, unhealthy combo meal. Steam is also offering the THQ Hit Collection for $50, half the usual price. The Hit Collection includes favorites like Darksiders, Red Faction: Guerrilla, Saints Row 2 and ... others like Homefront and Red Faction: Armageddon. Finally, the whole THQ catalog (minus Saints Row: The Third and Space Marine) is 33 percent off this week, with more discounts coming in the days ahead. Finally, in other Steam news, Ninjabee's Ancients of Ooga is today's daily deal, available for $5.
Crytek developing Homefront sequel with THQ
Having shuttered Kaos Studios, the developer of Homefront, THQ has secured a new partnership to develop the next title in the FPS franchise. A sequel to Homefront will be developed in collaboration with Crytek, the company behind Far Cry, Crysis and the visually opulent CryEngine platform. "We see Homefront as a really strong universe that has a lot of potential and that has been expertly created and marketed by THQ," said Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli. He's certainly right about the expert marketing. After plastering America with adverts, THQ overcame tepid critical response and shipped over 2.6 million copies of Homefront by the end of March 2011. Yerli suggests that Crytek has been granted a reassuring amount of "creative freedom" over Homefront, and aims to bring its war-ravaged world to life "in a new and innovative way." It'll take some time, though -- the Homefront sequel is scheduled to launch on PC and consoles in THQ's fiscal 2014, meaning anywhere between April 2013 and March 2014. Update: Joystiq has confirmed that the Homefront sequel will be built by Crytek's Nottingham, UK studio on the "latest" CryEngine technology.
Homefront 'The Rock' map pack rolls onto Xbox Live July 28
Major Nelson has revealed that a new Homefront map pack is on the way. Entitled "The Rock," the pack is slated to arrive this week. As previously announced, the map pack takes the resistance to San Francisco's Alcatraz Island. The pack will include two new maps, Alcatraz and Bridge, and also adds Overpass and Waterway to the Team Deathmatch mode. The Rock map pack will hit Xbox Live this Thursday for $5. Initially, the maps will be exclusive to Xbox Live, with a PSN and PC release to follow.
Homefront, Singularity, Fallout: New Vegas and more highlighted in today's Steam Summer Camp sale
It's a new day, which means there are new Steam deals to peruse. Continuing its Steam Summer Camp Sale promotion (new deals every day on through July 10), Valve's digital distribution platform is slashing prices, taking half off Homefront, 75 percent off Singularity, 70 percent off Fallout: New Vegas (and all of its DLC) and 90 percent off Trine. Those of you to engage in the "activity" part of the promotion -- and looking to earn some tickets to exchange for sweet prizes -- should load up Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter (also on sale today), Trine, Fortix 2, Homefront, Zombie Driver or Mount & Blade: Warband. Or, if you're looking for a free ticket, just post any screenshot today.
Homefront multiplayer added to OnLive PlayPack
The ever-so-thrifty OnLive PlayPack has become even thriftier today, with the addition of Homefront's online multiplayer component. The $10-per-month bundle, which currently includes over 60 games for subscribers to dip into, will now let users access the THQ shooter's 32-player competitive offerings without forcing them to bother with that pesky single-player campaign. To celebrate the game's arrival, THQ and OnLive are hosting a "Multiplayer Madness" event, which will award skilled attendees with free PlayPass access, an Astro A40 Headset or a Parrot AR Drone. Check out the event's official site to find out exactly how you can participate in the event, and maybe take home your own smartphone-controlled impromptu haircut machine.
Buy one, get half off a second select Xbox 360/PS3 game at Best Buy
Before you indulge that sudden, irresistible desire to purchase two recent PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 games, allow us to pass along some helpful information. Best Buy is offering a buy one, get one half-off deal on several PS3 and Xbox 360 games including Dirt 3, Portal 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Red Faction: Armageddon, and Crysis 2. You could even double up on Duke Nukem Forever and Homefront, if that's what you're into for some reason. Regardless of the critical response to the Duke, it's pretty impressive to get a 50% off deal on a brand new game like that ... right? [Thanks, Eric!]
THQ shutters Homefront dev Kaos Studios and THQ Digital Warrington
Manhattan-based Kaos Studios -- developers of Frontlines: Fuel of War and Homefront -- has been closed. THQ confirmed the closure to Joystiq this afternoon, noting that the company's UK-based studio, THQ Digital Warrington, has also been closed. The Warrington studio previously worked on Red Faction Battlegrounds and Warhammer 40K: Kill Team. A statement from THQ additionally explains that employees at each studio have been alerted. Beyond a cursory note about "strategic realignment within its internal studio structure," no other specifics are given as to the why the studios were closed, but its not as though the closure of Kaos Studios was unexpected. In the meantime, Homefront development has been transferred to the company's Montreal studio. THQ states that the laid off employees will be given a chance to interview at other internal studios, such as Montreal and Toronto. The full statement is available beyond the break. Update: Due to UK law requiring employers to give a 60 day warning before layoffs, THQ says that THQ Warrington employees' warning "starts today ... and it is longer than 30 days." Given that, it's "not an immediate closure," but "a notification process leading to closure" for the UK-based studio.
Homefront's 'Fire Sale' map pack priced at 240 MS Points ($3)
While plodding through Hooters after Hooters, shooting up tons of nondescript North Korean soldiers, wasn't the best time for us, those of you who've been knee-deep in Homefront's multiplayer component on Xbox 360 may be excited about the upcoming Fire Sale multiplayer map pack. Previously dated for a June 7 deployment, the official Twitter account for the game revealed a price today: 240 MS Points ($3). Fire Sale is the first of many proposed DLC packs. The publisher has yet to divulge specific details beyond it will "carry you further into the heart of a war torn and twisted America." No word on how many maps or the exact nature of the content has been revealed. We've followed up with THQ for said info and will update accordingly.
First Homefront DLC is 'Fire Sale' map pack coming June 7; 360 title update brings fixes, Ability Pack
When THQ promised a "wide range of exciting DLC" for its shooter Homefront, we honestly expected something besides a map pack. Nowadays, if your map pack doesn't have at least one celebrity in it, we're not even taking the call. Homefront's first piece of DLC is the on-Xbox-first "Fire Sale" map pack which "will carry you further into the heart of a war torn and twisted America." No word on the number of maps in this pack, nor the modes supported, price, or number of celebrity cameos. About the only thing we do know is the name and the date: June 7. More concerned with being able to play the Homefront maps you already have? THQ also announced that a Title Update is available now for Xbox 360 that offers improvements to the game's "overall stability and network connectivity." Some of the higher profile improvements include: "game returns to MP menu instead of Main Menu after leaving a match," "Max ping limits for server connections" which should prevent connections to distant servers, "game freeze and hitching," and the "joining friends feature." As a kind of thank you, THQ is including the "Ability Pack" which features some new goodies for your multiplayer game. Get a full rundown at the Source link below. [Update: THQ let us know that a PC patch went live yesterday and a PS3 patch is in the works, but has been delayed due to the PSN outage. And what about those details on the DLC? We'll get "more detailed information" on the 7th, we're told. In fact, it should be the most detailed information since it will actually be out and all.]
