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Homefront franchise to be co-developed by THQ Montreal: 'Manhattan is an incredibly expensive place'
As heavily hinted at in comments made by Homefront devs Kaos Studios and publisher THQ eariler this year, it looks like the future of the franchise won't be created solely in The Big Apple. Senior VP of Core Studios Dave Davis spoke to the THQ Montreal/Kaos Studios collaboration during a studio head roundtable this afternoon at GDC. "Wherever the talent is, we will have our studios," Davis told us, though he admitted that "Manhattan is an incredibly expensive place." Yeah, we know all about it, Dave. He also added, "There isn't a [critical mass] talent pool -- many of the people we have there are imported to NYC." That said, he doesn't see Kaos shutting its doors as its employees relocate to The Great White North. In fact, Kaos has already worked with the Montreal studio (in a relatively cursory sense) on the first game in the franchise. "When finishing Homefront, we had about 10-11 people who helped shipped the original Homefront. And that was talent that we got from Montreal that we couldn't get anywhere else," Davis said. He further assured us that "We're trying to do the best thing for the product and the best thing for the studio, and going forward there will definitely be collaboration." What's not clear is if collaboration means consolidation in this case.
Homefront is most pre-ordered title in THQ history
Say what you will about the silly and even careless marketing campaign for Homefront, but it appears to be working, as THQ core games VP Danny Bilson told Eurogamer that Homefront has racked up more pre-orders than any other game in the publisher's history. Bilson didn't reveal worldwide numbers, though he noted that 200,000 pre-orders have been made in the US alone. That would seem to be good news for developer Kaos Studios, whose employees voiced concern over a possible studio move or closure after Homefront's completion. Bilson intimated that the developer's fate rests on the success of the game, saying that sales would "help influence" what might happen going forward; and he insisted THQ hasn't made any decisions at this point. "That's the truth." "A lot of it has to do with how successful [Homefront] is and how strong that core team comes out on the other side," said Bilson, adding that he "loves" Kaos and that THQ is "trying to do what's best for everyone."
Homefront live-action trailer keeps nursery rhyme marketing alive
A Dead Space 2 trailer used "Ring Around the Rosie," and now Homefront's going with "Pop Goes the Weasel." We're calling it now: "Puff, the Magic Dragon" for Skyrim.
Seen@GDC: Homefront's free lunch
THQ's literal Homefront marketing machine, the "Korean taco"-peddling Pyongyang Express, has made its scheduled appearance at GDC 2011. Its "Subsidized Good Food for a Better America" is being (orderly) distributed free of charge -- although consuming it is, technically, eating away at freedom.
OnLive giving away free MicroConsole, Metro 2033 with Homefront pre-orders
"This is a watershed event: It's the first time a game system has ever been given away with the purchase of a game." That's how OnLive CEO Steve Perlman describes his company's announcement that ("while supplies last") anyone who pre-orders THQ's Homefront via the cloud gaming service for $50 will receive its MicroConsole hardware and immediate access to another THQ title, Metro 2033, free of charge. In a blog post, John Spinale, OnLive's VP of games and media provided further details, confirming that Homefront will be available to users of the service on March 15 at midnight. He also noted that the console hardware, while "free," isn't free from sales tax or shipping charges. The promotion is running from today, February 25 through March 15. Spinale cheekily quipped that people should "get in on this before our Finance department finds out what we're doing!," but we sort of have to wonder if he's only joking a little. This is definitely the most gung-ho play for new users we've ever seen.
Homefront single-player preview: Extreme makeover
I was not impressed by Homefront's single-player campaign when I first previewed it three months ago. Apparently, Kaos Studios took notice. With the game's release only a month away, an updated preview build -- covering the first three levels of the story mode -- has been sent out to press, and I was shocked to find that nearly every complaint I had with the older build has been addressed. Add in its compelling multiplayer component, and Homefront just might have what it takes to survive in the ultra-competitive FPS market. Homefront's core narrative as it's imagined in the gameworld is still every bit as arresting in the updated build. Witnessing the game's North Korean occupation of Anytown, USA for the second time was no less brutal to bear. Civilians are rounded up and executed, with the cries of newly orphaned children coldly ignored. It's hard to imagine that the gravitas of the game's opening moments could carry on throughout the story, but Homefront manages to keep this momentum going. In the next two levels, you'll go through a detainment camp, the ruins of a school and a garbage dump ... filled with dead bodies.%Gallery-117306%
Homefront rolls out retailer exclusive pre-order bonuses
Looking for a special something to make that Homefront pre-order more attractive? Pay attention then, as pre-order bonuses have been revealed ... if you buy from the right retailer, that is. For those into more tangible bonuses, Best Buy is offering Homefront branded headsets for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game (pictured). Meanwhile, GameStop and the UK's GAME are offering an exclusive weapon and some day one item unlocks. Specifically, GameStop pre-orders will receive the 870 Express Shotgun, air recon drone, auto repair ability and the SCAR L. GameStop's offer applies to the Xbox 360, PS3 and PS3 versions of the game. The Homefront Facebook page doesn't mention it, but Amazon has a few pre-order goodies of its own, namely some Xbox 360 or PS3 avatar outfits, a digital mini guide and a $10 credit toward a future game purchase.
Report: Homefront deploying in European Xbox 360 console bundle
Microsoft will issue a new Xbox 360 bundle in Europe that includes THQ's Homefront, according to a post on GamerZines. The package is pegged to offer a 250GB Xbox 360 S console, one wireless controller and, of course, a copy of the game. A price and launch date for the set have yet to be revealed, though it'll likely be around the game's European launch date, March 18. The news comes in the wake of announcements from Microsoft and THQ that Xbox Live members will get first dibs on Homefront DLC, and even a 360-exclusive multiplayer map. This sort of promotion -- the publisher getting its game in the box with the console -- could very well be part of what Microsoft is providing in exchange for the early content access. We've contacted THQ to get the lowdown on this proposed new bundle. As soon as the intel breaks through the front lines, we'll pass it along.
Homefront's 'Resistance' trailer preps us for the second American revolution
On March 15, gamers (nay, patriots!) will enlist in the resistance in THQ's Homefront. This latest trailer is a good primer on what you're in for: lots of shooting, explosions and body bags. Honestly, the only thing missing from this trailer is that Drowning Pool song.
Homefront intro cuts Kim Jong-il images for Japanese market
After bringing Metro 2033 and Red Faction: Guerrilla to Japanese retailers, Spike has been tasked with adapting THQ's Homefront as well. Unlike the previous titles, however, Homefront's main themes clash with acceptable game content standards in the country, according to Japan's CERO game rating guidelines. In order to bring the game up to code, Spike has detailed three main changes on the game's official Japanese website (via Andriasang): In one live action sequence in the game's opening movie that depicts North Korean leader Kim Jong-il as having died, the image of Kim Jong-il has been removed. In scenes that have been deemed malicious to an existing country, said country is now referred to as 'A Certain Country to the North.' In scenes that have been deemed malicious to an existing person, said person is now referred to as 'Northern Leader.' We've dropped edited and unedited versions of the game's opening after the break for comparison's sake. Glory in the Great Leader or not -- the choice is yours!
Homefront arriving one week late on March 15
During THQ's investor call today, president and CEO Brian Farrell repositioned Homefront's launch from March 8 to March 15. A THQ rep confirmed the delay to Joystiq, saying, "We moved our Homefront launch date by one week to March 15." No specific reason was given for the move, but the launches of Pokemon Black & White and Dragon Age 2 on March 8 go a long way in explaining it. The rest of THQ's statement seems to reflect our supposition: "We think we have a great opportunity to dominate retail on this date." Tell that to Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2011: Over the Nexus.
Kaos employees concerned about studio move or closure
Though the Kaos Studios team is currently in New York toiling away on Homefront, some are worried it'll be the last game they make in the city, according to a Develop report. A Kaos source told the publication that some staffers have voiced concerns that they'll be uprooted after the project is finished and moved to THQ's new, tax-friendly 400-person-capacity studio in Montreal. Kaos boss David Votypka didn't dismiss the employee concerns when Develop asked for his take on them. He admitted "the goal has always been to find a way to utilize [the Montreal facility] in future Kaos projects" as "New York is not the most inexpensive location to develop games." But exactly how that move would shake out -- whether it would result in two homes for Kaos, or the studio closing and being enveloped by THQ Montreal -- is unclear. Votypka said that while various scenarios have been submitted to THQ, he doesn't expect a final decision "for some time yet." We imagine much of the eventual decision rests on how well Homefront performs when it launches on March 8.
Homefront multiplayer preview: Battle Commander
THQ's Danny Bilson has said that Homefront's emphasis is on multiplayer. Having played both the solo and multiplayer components of Homefront, it's clear why: the multiplayer is a much more compelling product, thrusting an otherwise unremarkable effort into something genuinely noteworthy. Kaos Studios' vehicular take on large-scale modern warfare feels frenetic and well-balanced. It seems Kaos is making a concerned effort to make the online experience of Homefront rewarding both for skilled players and novices. The Battle Points system, or the online in-game currency, is one way of leveling the battlefield. The system not only rewards kills, but support actions, and allows all players to respond to dynamically changing skirmishes. A newly revealed feature called "Battle Commander" is yet another way Kaos plans on making the online fun for everyone. Battle Commander "makes large scale warfare personal [and] rewards players for having vendettas," senior designer Brian Holinka told us. It's Homefront's take on the killstreak: perks that empower players that rake in consecutive kills. But there's an important twist: with each "perk" that you receive, you become an increasingly vulnerable target, with the AI assigning personal assassination missions to the opposing team in order to bring you down.%Gallery-114791%
Homefront dev explains the importance of dedicated servers
Following the wildly negative reaction to Modern Warfare 2's lack of dedicated servers on PC, one of the marketing bullet points for THQ's FPS Homefront has been its promise of such dedicated servers -- not only on PC, but on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, as well. But how important are they? "You have to think about your constraints when you're making a game," Homefront senior designer Brian Holinka, of developer Kaos Studios, explained to us at a recent press event for the game. "If we host a server on a console, all of a sudden, that console is both server and it's playing the game. That really lowers everything: player count, the number of vehicles, everything. Dedicated servers allow us to offload all that work and basically all the client has to worry about is running the game." Through dedicated servers, Homefront will support a chaotic 16-versus-16 online mode, where every player can summon a vehicle at will. "It means everything is bigger -- there's more players, more vehicles, more targets, more airstrikes," Holinka hyped. "It really helps us offload a lot of work," he reiterated about the servers, "and now our scope is a lot bigger." But can you really call a 32-player match "a lot," when a game like MAG has littered the virtual battlefield with 256 players? We asked Holinka why Kaos wasn't using the dedicated servers to expand the number of players per match even further, and he reminded us that "we had more in Frontlines," the studio's previous game. Apparently, the team tested out larger battles for Homefront, but "it just didn't work," Holinka said. "We just found it wasn't fun. It just plays better at 32." "If you played a level with 50 or 60 people in there," the developer found, "every time you turn around, you'd get shot."
THQ and Kaos defend 6 month 'crunch' for Homefront
Accusations of an exhaustive "crunch" at Homefront developer Kaos have been met head-on by parent company THQ and the studio's general manager David Votypka. Develop is covering all sides of the issue, including Votypka's acknowledgement that the studio has been crunching for the last six months, with 10 hour days. He notes, "If this seems unique or abhorrent, I would have to suggest that any assessment regarding a 10 hour work day would need to consider a much larger segment of the American workforce." The anonymous employee also wrote up their own piece for Develop expressing fears about "THQ publicly [saying] things that glorify crunch time." The source feels that management shouldn't have put the team on a schedule that created this extended, "seven day a week crunch mode." "Crunch," loosely defined as the overtime-intensive period before a game ships, is an industry standard. The issue certainly gets sensitive whenever brought up, and it always seems like the specter of EA Spouse is watching the conversation.
THQ to limit functionality in Homefront multiplayer for users without 'Online Pass'
The upcoming Homefront will indeed use THQ's "Online Pass" functionality, similar to the system used by EA for its sports games and co-opted by THQ for its UFC title last year. Players who buy the game new will get a code in the box to play online with, and anyone who buys the game with a used code will have to shell out an extra $10 for the full online experience. Not paying the money won't lock them out completely, but it will limit functionality to only level 5, rather than the full version's 75 levels of progression. The single-player side of the game won't be affected by the online pass at all. It sounds like an interesting option -- certain players who don't care about progression might pass on paying the extra fee completely. We'll have to see how THQ's gamble goes over when the game arrives in March.
New Homefront dev diary changes retail history
Homefront takes place in 2027. In this developer diary's section about branding, it's noted the North Koreans are using a "big box store" as a supply depot. At 1:53 in the vid you can tell it's a Circuit City -- an American retailer that went defunct in 2009. The North Koreans aren't only taking over the country in Homefront, but the past. What a twist!
Homefront trailer introduces New America's new rulers
The latest trailer for THQ and Kaos' Homefront, which emerged during last weekend's VGAs, is a testament to why one should never assume. Oh, the United States assumed that everything was going to be totes cool with their buddies up in North Korea? Well, um ... no. That's not exactly correct.
Homefront's 'large scale warfare' showcased in dev diary
The latest Homefront developer diary is all about the multiplayer, with Kaos Studios emphasizing the game's sense of "large scale warfare." The video details the Battle Points system, which allows players to purchase vehicles and weapons during matches. Also: Futuristic robo-drones.
Homefront single-player preview: Caught in the crossfire
Homefront is a game that demands your attention. While the concept requires a little suspension of disbelief, Kaos Studios has crafted an incredibly believable, gripping and horrifyingly graphic world where -- not unlike real war -- ordinary people are caught in the crossfire. Played from the perspective of a civilian resistance fighter, Homefront offers uneasy answers to the uneasy questions that those of us who experience war from afar aren't necessarily forced to ask: What would you do if your country was being overrun by an occupational force? How would you fight back? The world of Homefront is utterly riveting. The game, however, is not. %Gallery-107660%
