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GameDaily BIZ writers part with AOL, become IndustryGamers.com
The business writers of AOL GameDaily BIZ have set up shop at IndustryGamers.com. The new site was created in partnership with Hammersuit LLC, which also has ties to Destructoid.com and GoNintendo.com. AOL states it will no longer provide the GameDaily BIZ newsletter as of May 31. GameDaily will continue on its editorial path -- we'd give you the Top 10 ways it'll do that, but we simply don't have the time.Editor-in-Chief and co-founder of IndustryGamers James Brightman, who was the business editor at GD biz, told us when contacted for comment, "GameDaily's consumer division took a left turn, we're taking a right one. I'm sad to see GameDaily BIZ go away, but I'm thrilled to enter this new chapter of my career with IndustryGamers." When asked if he'd be doing the same work at IG that he had at GD biz, he stated, "Our focus at IG is very similar GameDaily BIZ, but we're looking to add some opinion and research into the mix."Brightman plans to continue something similar to the GD biz newsletter at IG. Those interested can sign up at the new website now.
BioWare opens new studio in Montreal, Mass Effect 2 up first
GameDaily is bringing us news hot off the presses that BioWare has just announced the opening of a new studio within EA's Montreal studio. The new group will be comprised of 30 people and "about half the staff will be brought in from BioWare's Edmonton studio," the studio that worked on the original Mass Effect, BioWare co-founder and CEO Ray Muzyka told GameDaily. The game they're starting with, you ask? Why it's none other than the recently teased Mass Effect 2. "We're really excited about it, and we think it's going to be a huge opportunity to tap into the talent base in Montreal while supplementing our existing teams in Edmonton and Austin, which are doing some great stuff on all the other projects BioWare's working on," Muzyka noted, adding that other than Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare has some "super secret projects." As you might expect, Muzyka and co. are holding their tongues on those announcements for another day.
Got questions for Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime?
Our buds at GameDaily BIZ are looking for a few good questions to ask Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime. Want to know why Nintendo has "omg forsaken the hardcore gamerz"? Leave a comment. Still wondering about that storage solution or Wii Motion Plus? Leave a comment. Everyone else: Do your part by voting up the good comments and voting down the bad ones.
Got a question for Sid Meier? Drop it here
Our friends at GameDaily BIZ have asked us to loop you all in on the latest in their ongoing user-submitted-questions interview series; with the console-oriented Civilization Revolutions ready to strategize on July 8th, their subject is civilized pirate-enthusiast, Sid Meier. Want to know why he's going all-in with the console release of Revolutions, skipping out on his massive PC audience. Maybe you want to know why his Firaxis Studios are located in the sleepy burg of Hunt Valley, MD as opposed to San Francisco or Seattle or Austin. Or maybe you're interested in what he thinks of a potential EA acquisition of Take-Two (who in turn own Firaxis). Whatever it is you want to know, ask it here and BIZ just may use one of your questions. Sound off.
Got a question for Cliffy B? Drop it here
Our business-savvy pals at GameDaily BIZ asked us to loop you all in on the latest in their ongoing user-submitted-questions interview series. Under the magnifying glass this time is chainsaw-enthusiast (and professional Brumak imitator) CliffyB. Have hard hitting questions about the future of the Gears of War series or his role at Epic? Leave 'em here and BIZ just may use one of your questions. Want to know what happened to his blond highlights? We're just as curious as you are, but we're not sure that's what they're looking for. Sound off.
God of War II's director says PSP version "definitely a possibility"
Cory Barlog, director of the upcoming God of War II recently spoke with GameDaily BIZ, waxing on about the future of the franchise. When asked if the franchise would ever jump ship to the PSP he had a few interesting things to say: "That would be awesome. I mean, I've been a big proponent of that concept for quite a while. I want it on every possible system you could put it on. I think it's definitely a possibility. It's not something we haven't discussed but it's not something we're actively discussing right now."But does this mean that the Ready at Dawn slip-up was just a mistake? It sounds like Barlog is denying that God of War is currently in development for the our system. We keep on hearing conflicting reports of GoW on the PSP, but hopefully, we'll see what's going on with this hotly anticipated title at next week's GDC.
Jack Tretton reveals bullish numbers for Sony
An interview with GameDaily BIZ reveals optimism for SCEA Executive VP Jack Tretton. While many find it easy to criticize Sony's moves as of late, there's no denying that press attitudes and reality may differ greatly. For example, according internal sell-through data, the PSP is a much faster success than the original PS1: 18 months after launch of each system, the PSP sold 5.30 million units in America compared to the PS1's 3.48 million."We really feel we carved out new territory [with the PS1] and then we built upon that with the PS2. The parallel that we draw to the PSP is that it is exactly the same to portable gaming to what the PlayStation was to console gaming, that we are carving this new road out and we are selling again to 20-something consumers that were not fans of portable entertainment, were not playing Game Boys because the technology and the software offerings just weren't appealing to them... And now because of the technology in PSP and the game offerings it appeals to them and that same consumer we carved out with the PlayStation is now being carved out with the PSP at an even much greater rate than we did with the original PlayStation"The executive rightly questions whether or not Nintendo is truly "expanding" the market. He suggests that most DS owners have owned a Game Boy Advance in the past. The PSP can appeal to a wider demographic, considering how gamers are getting older and demand more mature games and multimedia functions out of their handhelds. He questions that older gamers would want Brain Age over a PSP: "I would tell you for a fact that there are much more people in their 50s and 60s playing PlayStation platforms in terms of console, than there are playing Nintendo platforms."[Via Joystiq]
