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We're live from Gamescom 2012, in Cologne, Germany!
Europe's premier gaming event starts today. In fact, Sony got the party started a little early, with its own press preview last night. The PlayStation maker is the only one of the Big Three to offer up a show here, but that shouldn't mean there's nothing else to see -- this is the place for game devs and manufacturers to make an impression on Europe's tastemakers and games journalists. If you're in the area, the show even opens up to Joe Public later this week. But if the Rhine seems a little too far away, there's nothing to worry about, we'll be bringing all the notable hardware additions -- just point your browser to our Gamescom 2012 tag. Our sister site, Joystiq, is also out in force in Deutschland, so check the More Coverage link for their take on what Gamescom's got to offer.
Gamescom 2012: Guild Wars 2 giveaway for Gamescom attendees
It's that special time of year again. There are thousands of people packing bags, boarding trains, and piling into Cologne, Germany. Soon the halls that host Gamescom will be filled with people, the din of dozens of competing booths, and the scent of unwashed masses. What does that mean for you if you're a Guild Wars 2 fan in attendance? It means that along with a weekend with tens of thousands of your best buddies, you get a chance for super-special in-game items. Every day, ArenaNet staff members in the team's booth will be giving away an in-game goodie to anyone who can tell them the day's password. The passwords for each day will be announced via Twitter, so be sure to keep one eye on the Guild Wars 2 Twitter feed and another on an ArenaNet employee who'll accept said password. Aside from setting themselves up to be trampled by a seething horde of item-hungry fans, the ArenaNet team members will be chilling in Hall 8, chatting with folks, and generally keeping low-key. They might be saving their energy for something; I hear there's a game of theirs coming out soon. Every summer, the gaming industry descends on Cologne, Germany, for Gamescom, the world's largest trade fair for interactive games and entertainment. Massively's on the scene in 2012, bringing you all the best scoops, impressions, and interviews from the MMOs at the show!
Grimlands to debut at Gamescom
If bright 'n shiny sci-fi titles or valiant fantasy MMOs are too pristine for you liking, then you're most likely the sort that's looking for the next big post-apocalyptic game to grab with gusto. Grimlands looks to be a promising entry into the genre, with third-person shooter mayhem and dynamic content, and players will be able to get their first glimpse of the title at Gamescom next month in Germany. Grimlands has a number of intriguing concepts, including a learn-as-you-go skill system and player-controlled cities. Like many of gamigo's titles, Grimlands will be free-to-play, which should lower the barrier of entry for this scrappy little go-getter. Gamescom will take place from August 17th through the 21st. Along with Grimlands, gamigo will be showcasing Jagged Alliance Online and UFO Online. You can read up on gamigo's hot new lineup in our first look article. %Gallery-118860%
'Notgames Fest' to fill IGF-sized hole at GDC Europe [update]
Between GDC Europe and Gamescom in August, you've got more than enough gaming news to read about in the coming months. But Germany's Notgames Fest organizers clearly disagree, with the Cologne Game Lab creating an indie (or "Notgames") festival during the first two days of GDC Europe (August 15 and 16). Like the Independent Game Festival at GDC's main annual gathering in San Francisco, NGF at GDC Europe will feature indie developers showing off their wares, talking to other devs, and giving demonstrations to attendees. Also like the IGF, developers who hope to bring their games must apply ahead of time, only rather than a panel of IGF judges, Tale of Tales' Auriea Harvey and Michaël Samyn will be "curating" the event. If all that weren't enough for you, the event's organizers promise "BBQ and beer in an open air atmosphere." Sold! Head to the NGF main page for all the pertinent details (like ... uh ... where it is in Cologne). Update: To be clear, the Indie Games Summit takes place at GDC Europe, and the Notgames Fest is not associated with GDC Europe, it just takes place during the event. Head over to the official GDC Europe page for more info.
Gamescom 2011 opens travel and accommodations service
Gamescom, the world's single largest games event, is gearing up for another great show from August 17th through the 21st in Cologne, Germany -- and the organizers are doing all they can to get you there. Today the official website has opened up its service portal to help attendees make travel and lodging arrangements. If you're planning on attending, it might behoove you to check out some of the deals that are being offered for the early birds. There are plane tickets starting from 30 euros, train tickets from 79 euros, and hotel rooms from 90 euros. Especially frugal travelers could pitch a tent in the Gamescom campgrounds for just 29.50 euros a night. The service portal will help you with flying, train travel, driving directions, lodging, the Gamescom camp, travel packages, day trips, and general information about Cologne. This will be Gamescom's third year. Last year, the event was host to 254,000 people and 505 exhibitors from 33 countries.
Gamescom 2011 advance tickets on sale now
Advanced ticket sales for the upcoming Gamescom 2011 convention in Cologne, Germany are now on sale, so if you're planning to be in the area then (or have the money and time to flit over to the continent whenever you want -- lucky duck), you can see the sights for just a few Euros. The cheapest day passes, at just €6 ($9), are for students and senior citizens, while standard passes are around €10-15 ($14-21). Note that these tickets are for the public -- they'll let you in the "entertainment area" of the show, but the business side of the event is only for trade and media attendees. But that's no problem. You can still go over there and have yourself a big ol' partyzeit anyway. The convention kicks off on August 17, 2011.
GDC Europe 2010 reports record attendance, 2011 dates announced
We've had plenty of news out of Gamescom this week, but don't forget about that other European games conference that went down recently. GDC Europe, which took place earlier this week also in Cologne, Germany, reports that it experienced record attendance. This was the second year of the conference, and organizers have already announced that the show will be back again next year, the same week of Gamescom on August 15-17, 2011. Warren Spector gave the keynote at the conference this year, and while next year's keynote speaker hasn't yet been announced, we're putting our vote in for Ubisoft Creative Director Jason VanderBerge and his trusty cane. That's a show we'd pay to see live again.
Heading to Gamescom? Massively is looking to pay for fan coverage
Are you attending Gamescom in Cologne, Germany next month? If you'd like to make a bit of your money back from the event, we want to help you out. We're paying for the best coverage we can get without actually doing it ourselves! Not only is this a way to recoup some of your expenses, but it's also a great way to have your article or photography viewed by millions of MMO gamers. Sound like something for you? Follow along after the jump for all the details.
GamesCom 2010 takes aim at 'Games Convention Online,' first details revealed
Europe's ginormous GamesCom in Cologne, Germany looks like it's trying to eliminate whatever possible competition it may have from Games Convention Online in Leipzig this year. The first details about the 2010 convention reveal that organizers are planning an "area dedicated to online and browser games," which was kinda Leipzig's thing for its 43,000 visitors that attended GCO last year. Beyond that, GamesCom already has its website set up for companies to start registering for the show and for people to start booking their travel arrangements. Last year's inaugural edition of GamesCom welcomed an astounded 245,000 attendees and event organizers are planning on having even more people this year.
Patch 3.3 PTR: Love is in the Air Valentine's Event may get a new boss
While most of us are probably still downloading the massive PTR files, as usual, some people have had more time than others to download them and root through them for gems and treasures. MMO Champion's database of new spells has revealed something pretty intriguing. Note the following list of spells: Concentrated Irresistible Cologne Spill Alluring Perfume Alluring Perfume Spray Cologne Immune Perfume Immune [ph] Exotic Cologne Perfume and Cologne, as you may recall, are two of the main parts of the Love is in the Air Valentine's Day related world event, wherein players exchange tokens with NPCs for fabulous prizes. Given that we now have a set of spells coming up that put those two substances in the context of damaging abilities that can be protected against, it seems like Kisirani and the world event team are ready to deliver again, and we'll possibly have a very interesting new boss this coming February. Unfortunately, we can't tell much else about it right now, although hopefully we may learn more as the PTR progresses and more data is found. It's worth noting that if the world event design team is creating a new level 80 boss for a February event, they may not be expecting Cataclysm to be out by then.
Building the LEGO Universe MMO
It's slowly coming together -- brick by brick. The LEGO Universe MMO is still on track, and it's still under control of NetDevil. While the company has gone quite quiet on the production of Jumpgate Evolution, GamesIndustry.biz was able to catch up with the company at GamesCom in Cologne to ask them some questions about the LEGO Universe MMO.This interview is with Ryan Seabury, the creative director on the project, and focuses in on the challenges behind making a directed gaming experience coupled with the creative power of a sandbox game, and then making it all accessible for kids and their families. It's really a great read if you're interested in how game design decisions are made, and how LEGO Universe will bridge the gap between an entirely open sandbox world and a more "theme park" experience.
Givenchy and Justin Timberlake unveil "Play" cologne in MP3 player-esque bottle
Far be it from us to pretend that we know the thought process behind this one. Givenchy's latest fragrance for men, Play, was created in cahoots with Justin Timberlake, and comes in a PMP-style package. Is it a cute play on words, or a reference to the fact that Timberlake used to make music for a living? Hey -- as long as we're getting our Amyris Wood and Pink Pepper undertones, we really don't give a damn. Can't live without it? It's on sale now for somewhere between $55 and $75. [Via Switched]
New DCUO screens appear out of GamesCom
From the deep recesses of GamesCom comes the one threat that no one predicted. The arrival of... "them."Yes, "they" have appeared. All eight of them. They've come marching out of the convention to media sites across the internet, seeking superheroic domination over the masses. They show images, amazing images, of things to come in our future. They are... screenshots!Ok, so perhaps the screenshots don't deserve their own movie trailer, but they are quite impressive. DC Universe Online is shaping up to be quite a gorgeous game in its own right, and we've gotten eight more insights into the game. S.T.A.R. Labs is featured prominently in these shots, and we even have one of Batman facing off against the Joker.Check out our gallery below, and be transfixed!%Gallery-70606%
Sony announces new PS3 Slim, coming first week of Sept. [update: now with pics!]
click for high-res PS3 Slim gallery digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/sony-announces-new-slimmer-ps3-coming-first-week-of-sept/'; We know, we're as shocked as you are! Sony has used the GamesCom stage in Cologne to announce the oh-so-tiny PS3 Slim. The good news is that the system sports both a slimmer form factor (33 percent smaller, 36 percent lighter and 34 percent less power use) a 120GB hard drive and the tidy price tag of $299 (or €299, £249, and ¥29,980). It boasts all the same features as the current PS3, which means still no backwards compatibility with your PS2 games. If you've been holding off on buying a chunkier PS3 until the inevitable release of its slimmer little brother, your wait will finally end in September. %Gallery-70349%
PS3 price cuts appear in print, must be real (update: 'new exciting Playstation 3')
As the story goes, a Kotaku reader just received these PS3 posters (now posted after the break) into the FYE shop where he works. You'll notice that the "new low price" is augmented with a "while supplies last" disclaimer indicating what could be a close-out on the 80GB (soon $300, reduced from $400) and 160GB ($400, reduced from $500) PlayStation 3 models. More evidence, perhaps, that a PS3 Slim announcement is imminent -- even as soon as today's Sony presser at the Cologne Gamescom Expo that kicks off at 12 noon ET or 1800 for those of you on Central Europe time.Update: Kmart is now in on the action with a front-page ad (pictured above) that says the "rumors are reality" and then promises linked details about "new low price and a new exciting Playstation 3." Unfortunately, the link isn't populated with the new prices or the new model yet but we'll keep digging.[Thanks, Jeremy23j and Daniel]Read -- FYE posterRead -- Kmart adRead -- Kmart home page (wait for ad to cycle)
PlayStation Network conveniently down for maintenance during Sony's press conference today
There's something very peculiar about Sony bringing down the PlayStation Network for "maintenance" today from noon until 2:00PM ET. Not only is that timeframe somewhat prime gaming hours for North America and Europe -- and arguably Asia, too -- but it also happens to coincide perfectly with the company's press conference at the gamescom expo in Cologne, Germany, the rumored site for the PS3 Slim's official debut and a price cut for the original. We've no doubt that Sony's got a handful of major announcements lined up for the event, revised console or no, and we wouldn't be surprised if the online store played into that somehow. Of course, the timing of the maintenance could all be some big coincidence, but if you ask us, the chances of that are pretty, well, slim. If we're really lucky, maybe Sir Howard Stringer will come out and explain that laughter-tracking patent. [Via Joystiq]
Sony, EA and Activision reveal Gamescom lineups
For those of you headed to Gamescom and wondering what you'll be waiting in line to play (or standing on tip-toes to watch as a trailer), VG247 has posted the announced lineups for three major publishers: Sony, EA and Activision. Square Enix hs also reiterated its lineup.Sony will be showing the PSP Go, of course, along with Gran Turismo, LittleBigPlanet, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, and more on PSP, and God of War III, Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain, MAG, and lots of other big stuff on PS3. Activision will have a pile of plastic-instrument (and skateboard) games, as well as Modern Warfare 2, Blur, and Bakugan. EA's bringing basically everything ever. Head past the break for a full list.
Sony's PlayStation 3 Slim to debut August 18th at Cologne gamescom?
Whoa, Nelly! No sooner than we hear that Sony is informing Japanese retailers that the 80GB PS3 model won't be shipping any longer after August 8th, along comes this to stoke the raging rumor fires once more. In a one-two punch that just can't be coincidental, Sony has also hacked $50 off of its 160GB PlayStation 3 bundle from Amazon. But really, it's the report from RTLinfo that has us most excited. According to it, the Sony elite are informing European retailers of an impending €100 price slashing on the 80GB console, which will dovetail nicely into the sudden and not-at-all unexpected debut of the PS3 Slim at the gamescom expo in Cologne, Germany. Reportedly, the willowy unit -- which shouldn't differ much in terms of specifications and features -- will be properly introduced to the world during Sony's pre-event press conference on August 18th. Obviously we've no way to confirm or deny just yet, but given everything else that has transpired over the past few months, we'd say an official reveal is definitely due. What say you, rumormongers?Read - Sony PS3 Slim to be revealed at gamescom [Thanks, Dominic]Read - 160GB PS3 price cut [Via GamesIndustry]
Rumor: PSP app store to be unveiled at Cologne Gamescom
Is Sony working on an App store for the PSP Go, to be revealed at Gamescom in Cologne, this August? A source close to Destructoid suggests they might be doing just that -- unveiling a section of the PSP store which offers smaller games which could also be free-to-play. The source suggests that while file size will be limited at 100 megs, that's the only limit content will be given. Meaning non-game applications may also be on the cards.These smaller games and apps are supposed to compliment the full PSP games made available digitally for the download-only PSP Go system. There are already a couple of games that fit this model, in the form of Super Stardust Portable and Everyday Shooter, both of which are under 100 megs. This sounds like a great idea to us. We'd love to see the PSP Store become as great a repository of quality downloadable-only games as the PS3 Store has become. This is still very much a rumor for now, but hopefully we'll see it come true at Gamescom in August.
Leipzig Games Convention dead, long live Games Convention Online
Or rather, GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE as the press release puts it. The Leipzig Games Convention, Europe's premier video games showcase, will be closing its doors in 2009 thanks to competition from Cologne's Gamescom, a new event which premieres this Summer. Gamescom boasts the full support of the industry, which it has snatched from Leipzig's grasp. This includes acting as host for GDC Europe, which had previously been hosted at Leipzig alongside the Games Convention. The Leipzigger Messe isn't done with games, though, as it will play host to a new event this year. Games Convention Online will take part in Leipzig between July 31 and August 2, and will focus on "the most dynamic market in the gaming industry: browser, client and mobile games." An exciting prospect, by all accounts, but we suspect it may not see as great a turnout as Gamescom might. As if the news couldn't get any sadder, Leipzig's CEO Wolfgang Marzin says the industry can come back any time (please!). "If the industry is again in search of a platform for console and PC games and hardware with the know-how of the GC - Games Convention, we will immediately be available."
