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Odd Section 8: Prejudice dev diary series continues
Joy is back and, it would seem, still single in the latest developer diary for Section 8: Prejudice. Apart from her quest for love, the video also discusses the game's story, which is greatly expanded over that of its predecessor. Section 8: Prejudice drops (ahem) on XBLA April 20.
Section 8: Prejudice drops April 20 for 360, PC and PS3 to follow
Timegate Studios has dated two of the three versions of its upcoming FPS sequel Section 8: Prejudice. Via its Twitter account, the developer confirmed that the game will land on Xbox Live Marketplace in two weeks on April 20, followed by the Windows version on Games for Windows Live come May 4. The PS3 release doesn't have a firm date; the game is simply noted as coming "summer 2011" to PSN. Whenever it hits, it'll carry the same $15 price tag as the other versions.
Section 8: Prejudice dev diary is weird, informative
If can get past the strange introduction and interludes in the latest Section 8: Prejudice developer diary, there's actually some worthwhile information to be had. If, for some reason, you actually enjoy said interludes, it looks like we'll learn more about Joy's love life in later episodes.
Section 8: Prejudice preview: Once you drop, you can't stop
The original Section 8 was an unknown quantity launching within weeks of the likes of Halo 3: ODST and Batman: Arkham Asylum. To put it lightly, Section 8 had quite an uphill battle on its hands. Now, developer TimeGate Studios has prepared a disruptive secret weapon: Turning the sequel, Section 8: Prejudice, into a budget download. Based on what I played at PAX East, I'd say it's a strategy that might pay off. %Gallery-115412%
What's in a Name: TimeGate Studios
Most of the time, company names are obscure enough that we have no clue what their origin is. In the case of TimeGate Studios we always thought we had a fairly good idea, but, as it happens, we were just letting our Richard Dean Anderson obsession cloud our judgment. Joystiq: So, TimeGate. You were just watching a lot of Stargate, right? TimeGate Studios head Adel Chaveleh: "The concept was that we had a lot of different ideas for game types -- there was fantasy-themed, WWII-themed, sci-fi. Basically, as a company, we want to kind of be a portal to our fans and to ourselves to different worlds and universes. So TimeGate was the name that we came up with that seemed to kind of communicate that. Ironically, it played out exactly that way. It's like, fantasy with Kohan, and Axis & Allies is WWII, and here we are with our own sci-fi franchise [Section 8]. I'm trying to think of what other time periods we can go to, but we'll see I guess." [laughs] TimeGate Studios' next title, Section 8: Prejudice, will be available for download on PC, 360 and PS3 this year. Like this feature? Be sure to check out the What's in a Name Archives.
TimeGate expanding publishing biz, also working on 'very big project' for another pub
Like many indie developers, TimeGate Studios' origins are humble. "We set up a card table and called it TimeGate. That was a little over 12 years ago," president and CEO Adel Chaveleh recalled during our recent meeting. "We knew the game we wanted before we knew how the hell to make a game," he added with a wide grin. That game was Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns, which went on to earn an 87 Metacritic score and a handful of awards. Today, TimeGate isn't far from launching its first digital-only title, Section 8: Prejudice -- the sequel to 2009's Section 8 -- and Chaveleh is noticeably excited about the prospects of the company's future in publishing. "In the midst of a year, not only did we finish development of the whole sequel, but we've switched our whole business model, and we've built that internal publishing infrastructure," he beamed. "Now that we've got that pipeline established, we're looking at more content -- both internally, and we're starting to talk with some external developers, as well, about being a conduit for either their content or helping us develop content." Chaveleh wouldn't reveal any of these collaborators, but it's clear TimeGate understands that, whether physical or digital products, the publisher still holds all the cards. %Gallery-115412%
Section 8 shows Prejudice against retail, will be a $15 download
The follow-up to Timegate Studios's coldly received 2009 multiplayer shooter, Section 8: Prejudice, will avoid the boxed-copy retail battlefield and will instead aim to "corner" the digital market. The developer announced today that Prejudice will come to Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and PC retail portals, including Steam and Games for Windows Marketplace, as a $15 download when it launches early next year. Prejudice will include a single-player campaign, support for up to 32 players in online multiplayer and a new four-player co-op mode called Swarm. Offline players will also be able to partake in multiplayer, as the game can swap out those pesky humans for emotionless, calculating bots. Timegate has also pledged to support the sequel post-launch through "a substantial downloadable content plan," though specific details have yet to be revealed.
Section 8: Prejudice preview: Turn on, drop in, tune out
Though many are now realizing its beauty in multiplayer shooters, the jetpack is a woefully underused tool in the FPS developer's work box. My love affair with the jetpack began many years ago on the PC with Dynamix's Starsiege: Tribes -- unfortunately, that love affair has taken a near 15-year, involuntary hiatus. Halo: Reach went a long way in sating my desire for airborne multiplayer combat, but it looks like Section 8: Prejudice will go even further toward addressing that desire. Jetpacks abound -- like they did in the original Section 8 -- as do a glut of other variables to turn the objective-focused multiplayer into a rock, paper, scissors playground. But while I was excited by a lot of the gameplay ideas I saw in Prejudice, I was just as concerned about the dated visuals and subdued personality.%Gallery-105937%
Section 8: Prejudice beta lighting up PCs this fall
TimeGate has announced that a multiplayer beta for the PC version of Section 8: Prejudice will launch sometime this fall. The beta will give players their first look at the new features introduced in the sequel and will also show off the "enhanced" Games for Windows Live integration, which includes "streamlined matchmaking and improved server browsing." You can sign up for the beta right now at the official Section 8: Prejudice website. While you wait for that precious invite to hit your inbox, check out some new screens of Prejudice in the gallery below. %Gallery-105435%
Section 8 price cut down to $15 on PlayStation Store
To attract players to the game's recently announced, prejudicial sequel, Timegate has cut the price of Section 8 to $14.99 on the PlayStation Store. We think this is a great move, only because the company didn't cut the price of the 360 version of the game, which is, in a way, kind of prejudiced.
TimeGate judges Section 8: Prejudice ready for debut, 'early 2011' release
TimeGate Studios has just announced a sequel to its multiplayer-focused 2009 multiplatform FPS, Section 8. Titled Section 8: Prejudice, the game -- destined for yet-unknown platforms, though the original hit PC, 360 and PS3 -- is targeted for an "early 2011" release. Based on the first trailer (which you can find after the break), we're looking at new abilities, locations and weaponry. The title, as the clip's narrator so gruffly puts it, comes from the fact that in the game's universe, wars are being fought based on -- wait for it -- prejudice. In this universe, we do our best to combat prejudice through tolerance, understanding and generally not pre-judging people. We don't need fancy power-armor, though it's admittedly pretty damn cool.
PS3's Section 8 lands in Europe on April 15th
Like in North America, TimeGame Studios' jetpack-powered FPS will be making an exclusive run on the PlayStation Network in Europe. While Section 8 was originally a PC/Xbox 360 retail game, the PSN version adds extra features, like maps not found in the original game. Section 8 will be available during next week's European PSN Thursday update, on April 15th, for €24.99.
Section 8 coming to PS3 download-only with added content
We brought word yesterday that Section 8 was on its way to PS3, and that's simultaneously gotten more and less solid -- a phenomenon we're pretty sure would freak even Bill Nye out. While we know concretely that it will arrive on Sony's console this spring, we also learned it won't be arriving in a solid form at all, as the title will be exclusively available on PSN. Moreover, this new version will include the three maps 360 and PC players had to pay extra for and the ability for players to host games on their PCs (as seen in the Xbox 360 version). We worry that a bit too much time has passed to get PlayStation owners interested in Section 8, but putting it on PSN seems like a darn smart way to do it. We also suspect that a certain legal commotion might have a little involvement with the decision.
Section 8 still preparing to drop on PS3
The possibility of jetpack-rich, Tribes-esque action on PS3 just got a little less nebulous. Speaking with IGN, a TimeGate spokesperson said that the developer's Section 8 would be coming to PS3 at some point, though no formal release window has been settled on. The news shouldn't come as a surprise to the Joystiq faithful, as we reported last December that TimeGate had alleged that publisher SouthPeak entered into an unauthorized PS3 licensing deal for the game with Russian company 1C. Whether or not the suit will keep the game in legal limbo (and for how long if so) remains to be seen.
TimeGate sues SouthPeak for alleged breaches in publishing agreement
Chalk up another frustrated party accusing SouthPeak of wrongdoing. The company has been sued by Section 8 developer TimeGate, which alleges that the publisher has withheld royalty payments and entered into a PS3 licensing deal on the game with Russian company IC, an arrangement that TimeGate claims SouthPeak had no right to make. In legal documents obtained by Joystiq, TimeGate also alleges that this SouthPeak T-shirt promotion was unauthorized, that the publisher had mislead TimeGate about sales figures and that the publisher has stated it should not have to adhere to TimeGate's original agreement, as it had been made with Gamecock, which SouthPeak purchased in late 2008. We've reached out to SouthPeak for comment. If you prefer your language far more formal, the lawsuit puts it like this: "[SouthPeak] failed to provide a sufficient sales report, withheld royalty payments and did not adhere to the obligation to act in good faith and fair dealing when they established the sham transaction in order to deprive TimeGate of royalties despite the special relationship between the parties and being in a position of trust." No specific amount is mentioned in the suit, with TimeGate asking only for "compensatory damages in an amount to be determined" following an independent audit of Section 8's sales.
Section 8 gets new maps on PC only
TimeGate has announced an expansion of its multiplayer-focused shooter, Section 8, with the "Seek and Destroy Map Pack," which adds three new maps and 10 new achievements for 560 ($7). Though the game is available on Xbox 360 as well, the company is only making mention of PC availability for the content at the moment. The industry has become so skewed towards a console focus as of late, it's kind of nice to see PC players getting some exclusive love. Now, let's all be real quiet and see if we can detect the exact moment their heads explode when they hear they have to pay for it. [Via BigDownload]
Section 8 update fixes matchmaking, Achievements, more
Timegate has released a title update for Section 8, which should fix several bugs in the game and tweak a few things. The main fixes include improved matchmaking, a fix for faulty Achievements and improved tank controls. AI bots will now also follow and defend human players, and the update also fixes latency problems and lost stats. There's a host of other smaller tweaks and changes as well, which you can read about on the Section 8 forums. Likely not fixed by the patch, a precipitous drop in players since November 10.
Section 8 prepares for retail drop: releases new trailer, screens
Having released today on Xbox 360, and with three days to go until it drops on PC for North American retailers, Section 8 has only a few scant opportunities for a pre-release volley of teaser materials. The latest assault is a new trailer and a couple images for the shooter. Don't let the lack of hype for the title fool you; fans of objective-based multiplayer should definitely try out the demo, which doles out a taste of the game's dynamic mission system. Oh, and it has jetpacks. Everyone likes those, right? Drop into a game and check it out. Update: Fixed release dates. %Gallery-4522%
Section 8 dated, clan and stat portal detailed
First off, as the headline eloquently suggests, Section 8 has been blessed with a release date. The game will hit North American shelves on September 4, the UK and Asia / Pacific regions on September 11 and the rest of Europe on September 18. So there's that. In other mechanically enhanced soldier news, TimeGate has announced its plans to open a clan and stat portal for the game. The clan portal will allow users to access lots of special features, including automatically updating clan tags, establishing clan hierarchies, and reviewing the stats of new applicants. Meanwhile, the stats page will (obviously) list comprehensive stats for the game, including career statistics, records achieved in a single "life," as well as the number of badges earned and feats accomplished. Leaderboards can also be organized by overall stats or restricted to just those within an individual clan. Finally, both Xbox 360 and PC players will enjoy "mutually exclusive" stats, which should hopefully avert any potential "mouse vs. keyboard" flame wars. The stats page, located here, will launch next week alongside the North American release of the game.
Section 8 open beta is go
TimeGate Studios has announced that the Section 8 open PC beta for North America, Europe and Australia is now ... open. The beta grants users with access to two of the game's multiplayer maps and offers up "a variety of some of the vehicles, weapons, deployables, missions, and equipment." The beta is free, and all that's needed to get fragging is a Fileplanet, IGN or GameSpy account. To sign up, simply visit this link and fill out a few forms. You'll then be given a CD-Key and access to download the beta. The beta is on a first come, first serve basis, so hop to it if you want in. To find out if your rig can handle the game, check out the PC specs after the break.
