gamedaily
Latest
GameDaily is giving away one hundred games
We like to think we do our fair share of random game distribution, but GameDaily's really blowing us out of the water with this one. The site is currently running a contest where ten lucky winners will each win a pile of ten games randomly selected from a larger pool. It's like breaking open a piñata full of random video games, only without all the broken cases or fake animal cruelty! You can put your name in the contest's hat by leaving a comment on this GameDaily post before 11:59p.m. EST tomorrow. Unless, of course, you don't like free games. You monster.
Metareview: Dead Space: Extraction (Wii)
Did you know that Dead Space: Extraction landed in stores this week? It's true! We certainly dug it in our Snap Judgment, but in case that just wasn't enough for you, we've compiled a few other folks' opinions on the game just below. Worried about not seeing that beautiful screaming face in the future? We are too, folks. We are too. GamePro (100/100): "An experience that's more captivating and engaging than any light-gun game I've ever played before. [The story] mirrors Dead Space's thoughtful dialogue, characterizations and pacing which is a good thing all around." GameDaily (80/100): "Although we questioned EA's decision to do this, as well as bring Dead Space to the family centric Wii, everything clicks and the game's surprisingly enjoyable. Instead of conjuring up a cheesy narrative (as seen in other shooters like Ghost Squad), the developers put a lot of effort into the story and its characters." Eurogamer (80/100): "Gameplay is straightforward, yet it's a refined familiarity, borrowing numerous elements from the original Dead Space in abundance while wrapping them around the well-worn demands of a typical on-rails shooter ... One area that definitely benefits from the on-rails nature of Extraction is the overall pacing. Sometimes you creep along agonisingly, other times it feels like the enemy onslaught is never going to end. There are few occasions where you don't come away feeling like your scraped through by the skin of your teeth, and even on the game's lowest 'Normal' difficulty, there's a definite sense of achievement when you get through." Giant Bomb (60/100): "Extraction's marketing campaign would like you to think of it as a 'guided experience' that whisks you through the dramatic beginnings of the series' horrible space-monster outbreak, but in blunt terms, Extraction is an on-rails shooter. Blunter still: it's a light-gun game. These days, that's not a style of game serious game players usually gravitate toward. But keeping the genre's inherent restrictions in mind--not to mention the limitations of the Wii hardware -- Extraction is really pretty good, for what it is." %Gallery-49881%
Nintendo has no plans for black Wii in US
Nintendo has stated it has no plans to release other colors of Wii in the US -- including the sleek black Wii launching in Japan on August 1. A Nintendo rep informed GameDaily of the devastating news, which we, of course, will take with a brick of salt. We know Nintendo to be a lie factory about its products, so we'll wait and see.Once -- if -- Wii sales ever drop off, we expect a freakin' deluge of Wii colors that'll make a gay Pride parade look like a drab, colorless scene out of Killzone 2.[Thanks, Ash!]
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.
Survey says: LoTRO for Xbox 360 could debut at $12.99 a month
GameDaily has dug up some deets which give further weight to the rumor that Lord of the Rings Online is coming to the Xbox 360 as well as fresh new information on its potential pricing. The source is an online survey from the aptly named Intellisurvey, and there are screens to prove it.Other information gathered by looking at the survey includes a question asking about microtransactions for things such as equipment and other items like additional classes/races. This doesn't confirm that such a thing is happening for the game, but merely that Turbine seems to be looking into the prospect.As GameDaily points out, this is hardly the first time details about upcoming games have been revealed via online surveys. The very same thing happened with Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars last year, setting a precedent for this information containing at least some truth. So now the question is: When will the official announcement be made? Well, E3 is right around the corner, so there's one guess.
Will Wright involved in the future of Spore, consoles a possibility
Ex-EA employee and enormously popular developer Will Wright is apparently only halfway out of EA's doors. Talking with GameDaily, Wright confirmed his intention to stay on as a consultant for EA Maxis (the development team behind Spore). Saying, "I'm spending a certain amount of time every month actually working with the Spore team on future versions of Spore and expansions," Wright (seemingly for the first time) announced his plans beyond his work with upcoming venture, the Stupid Fun Club. Additionally, Wright commented on the possibility of console iterations of Spore, frankly stating, "For us it's really an opportunity/cost issue ... we either do that [consoles] or we continue creating new applications on the PC or we kind of go into the handheld arena." Guess he forgot about that upcoming Wii title, Spore Hero! While we're looking forward to what Wright's next move is with SFC, it's good to hear the man behind Spore is still helping to develop the game moving forward. The money problem doesn't hurt either, eh?
Pachter calls March Wii console sales 'somewhat disconcerting'
Michael Pachter, analyst for Wedbush Morgan, isn't freaking out, and he wants you to know that you shouldn't be either. He notes, while speaking on the subject of March NPD numbers, that even though the month saw hardware sales numbers drop across the board, that really has more to do with extraordinary sales for all comparable months. Speaking with GameSpot, Pachter said, "It's entirely possible that we were just up against an impossible comparison ... we're looking at a comparison to Grand Theft Auto IV in April, so it's likely that April will be down as well," referring to the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl in March of 2008 and the subsequent month's GTAIV. What he does find worrisome, however, is declining Wii software sales after a year of strong console sales, reportedly doubling the system's installed-base. "Given that the installed base of Wii consoles has doubled in the past year, we find it remarkable (and somewhat disconcerting) that Wii software sales were actually down year-over-year in March, dropping by $72 million, or 26 percent." Pachter doesn't see the future as grim though, pointing out that this summer's release of Wii MotionPlus and Wii Sports Resort should put some wind back in Nintendo's sales sails. We'll just have to wait 'til August NPDs are released to find out!Source 1 - GameDailySource 2 - GameSpot
Maxis talks about Wright's departure; Will talks Stupid Fun Club
Will Wright's announcement that he was kind of leaving EA this week took the gaming community by surprise. Unsurprisingly though, Wright says the move was planned over the course of the last year with EA. "It's something that we've been in talks with EA for almost a year ... it's kind of a long-term plan and I was just in no hurry to do it," he told GameSpot. Lucy Bradshaw, VP and general manager at EA Maxis, echoed Wright's statements, telling GameDaily it's been a "life-long dream [for Wright to have a] small nucleus think tank."Funded by EA and venture capitalists, Stupid Fun Club is setting out not to develop just new games but to develop new IP across multiple mediums. Wright calls his vision of the club the "evolution of the entertainment industry," using Marvel and LucasArts as reference points and saying, "If I'm into Star Wars or Lost, I might go to the website or buy the toys .... It's the IP that really matters, that strand of consistency and quality through it." We've certainly heard this tune before, though never from such an acclaimed developer. It remains to be seen just how "stupid fun" Mr. Wright's club actually is, but we'll remain hopeful for now.Source 1 - GameDailySource 2 - GameSpot
Nintendo performs live demonstration of Rhythm Heaven
It's not every day Nintendo decides to stop by Joystiq's office in New York. It's a rare treat that was made all the more memorable through a musical performance that we were (unfortunately) dragged into. Rhythm Heaven is an upcoming DS game that features a series of simple music-based rhythm games. This real life demonstration of one of the mini-games was meant to highlight the quirky charm of the game, while highlighting its elegant simplicity. It was a fun experiment, to be sure -- but we'll stick with playing on our DS systems from now on. Expect an early review of the game on Joystiq in the coming weeks.
Sony's Steinberg says 2009 lineup is 'relentless, AAA-quality'
Speaking with David Radd at GameDaily, VP of Product Marketing at SCEA, Scott Steinberg, wants you to know that, if you were under the impression Sony had "punched itself out," you're mistaken! Citing Killzone 2 as the beginning of, "a great lineup [that is] relentless and AAA-quality," Steinberg names MLB 09: The Show and this summer's inFamous as two titles that are, "going to arrest the momentum from competitors." That's without mentioning the Heavy Rains and Uncharted 2s of the world, we might add. And though Steinberg's remarks are filled with marketing speak (that's the technical term, folks), we can't help but agree that the company's 2009 lineup seems a lot more fleshed out three months into the year than its competitors. Maybe next week's Game Developer's Conference will change some of that. We'll just have to wait and see.
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.
Richard Garriott muses on what could have been
During a recent gala of bigwigs at the Game Business Law summit in Dallas, TX, Richard Garriott joined GameDaily for a brief interview regarding his thoughts on the state of gaming today, and what he would have done with Tabula Rasa if he would have been "in charge."Garriott explained in this interview that he would have continued to grow the game and sees MMOs more as long-term plays, where Tabula Rasa didn't really get a chance. He believes that the demand is still there for a big MMO, yet the competition is much more fierce. "Everyone just has to deal with it," he laments. As stated in a previous interview, Garriott once again expressed his desire to re-enter the gaming field, yet he's unsure if he'd rather go single-player or multi-player this time. When asked about the possibility of a return to the Ultima series, he said, "The property Ultima is still very near and dear to my heart. I think that if, by hook or by crook, I had access to that property, either in solo-player or multiplayer, I would absolutely love to continue to play in the Ultima universe."
'Beat World of Warcraft' a game developer resolution for 2009
GameDaily has put together a short piece titled "Game Developers Resolutions for 2009", which is essentially a look at the state of the industry and how they think it can improve. While the piece focuses on video games in general, it does fire a shot at the MMO industry specifically -- namely its dominance by one company, and one title. GameDaily's fourth resolution it hopes the gaming industry adopts is: "Beat World of Warcraft." They're not knocking the game when they say this. In fact GameDaily says, "World of Warcraft is great, and deserving of its status as the 900-pound gorilla of the gaming world. But as fans of video game football can tell you, competition is a good thing, and it's not healthy for the massively-multiplayer online RPG arena to have one name dominant for this long." One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!
Miyamoto and Iwata top 'Persons of the Year' list
Sure, we know how amazingly awesome these two dudes are, but unless you're as obsessed with Nintendo as we are, there's a possibility you don't know who they are. Well, if we could sum these two up in a brief statement, it would be this: they're bad enough to save the president. Also, they make some products we enjoy on a regular basis.We're not the least bit surprised the Nintendo duo of Shigeru Miyamoto and Satoru Iwata topped GameDaily BIZ's "Persons of the Year 2008" list. They've managed to make a ridiculous amount of money on gaming during a very uncertain economic time, as well as expand the market and bring more players into gaming.Source - 2008 Persons of the Year: Part 1 (GameDaily)Source - 2008 Persons of the Year: Part 2 (GameDaily)
Iwata and Miyamoto top GameDaily 'Persons of the Year' list
Topping the list of GameDaily BIZ's "Persons of the Year 2008" were Nintendo power couple Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto. President Satoru Iwata received it for his vision in expanding to "non-traditional" audiences, while Miyamoto got the nod for continually innovating on whatever gets thrown his way. Nintendo has been on a money-making rampage the last couple years, and even during the recent economic crisis, has filled its coffers with bagiggles of cash. Taking the #2 spot were Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime, while Tim Sweeney and Mike Capps of Epic Games took the bronze. Kotick and Morhaime took their rightful place for being part of The Merger which eclipsed Electronic Arts. Sweeney and Capps received the honor for having the Unreal Engine 3, the little piece of tech that seems to be what makes this generation's games run. Check out the full list of winners by following the links below.Source - Persons of the Year 2008: Part 1 (GameDaily)Source - Persons of the Year 2008: Part 2 (GameDaily)
Pardo says Warcraft IV is "one of the ideas on the table" after SC2
Our good friends at Gamedaily recently got a chance to sit down and talk with Rob Pardo, VP of Blizzard, and he dropped hints about yet another new game that they might be working on. No, not Starcraft II, or the rumored Diablo 3, or even the long-awaited (and unfortunately, probably never coming) Lost Vikings sequel. Nope -- he hinted that after the release of Starcraft II, whenever that happens, Blizzard's RTS team might be hard at work on... Warcraft IV.Don't hold your breath, of course (this is Blizzard we're talking about) -- this would be after the current real-time strategy game is done, and Pardo says it would be "one of the the ideas on the table," so it's not exactly in the planning stages yet. But it's interesting to hear that Blizzard may still return to the Warcraft universe under the RTS banner -- we've seen such a different aspect of the world in the MMO, it would be very strange to go back to controlling these units from the top down.Pardo also says that a console version of WoW is pretty much out of the question at this point -- if there is going to be a super-successful console MMO, it's not going to be World of Warcraft, as this game was designed for PC and has gone through so many iterations since that Blizzard isn't at all interested in trying a port. We are still waiting for that playable version of the Molten Core console game, though...[via WorldofWar]Update: Whoops, the interview is a bit old (Pardo said this last year). Still, news to me that Blizzard might bring RTS back into the Warcraft universe, but considering that Starcraft II doesn't even have a rumored release date yet, we're going to be waiting a long, long time.
Sid Meier all but confirms eventual Civilization MMO
Legendary game designer Sid Meier (Civilization, Pirates!, Alpha Centauri) mentioned the prospect of a Civilization MMO (again) when fielding user-submitted questions at GameDaily. In fact, he mentioned it twice.First he was asked about the Civ MMO specifically. "A Civ MMO is a really intriguing idea," he said. "We're spending time thinking about how we could make it the fun, addictive experience Civ players expect." Later in the Q&A, a fan asked where Meier sees Civilization evolving in the future. He again suggested that he's interested in making an MMO.How would it work? Would it be like those browser-based strategy games in which players only get a few moves a day? Would everyone co-exist in one enormous map? We'd be fascinated to hear what Meier and friends are planning. Unfortunately, we'll probably be waiting a while. He didn't confirm that the MMO will be his next project. He's mulling over a couple of other ideas as well. Here's to hoping, though![Via Big Download]
Xfire breaks 10 million users, 16,000 years online
Gamedaily has the report that Xfire, the online service for gamers (that we have coordinated a few events with in the past), has broken a whopping ten million users. That, you'll probably realize, is just as many as World of Warcraft, and in fact, while Xfire apparently has support for over 1,200 games, World of Warcraft always seems to rank pretty high on the list.In fact, our friends at Xfire have another number that they've shared with us: in the month of April alone, Xfire users spent 16,000 years online -- that is, if you add up all the time spent online by all the users of the client just in April, you get a time period longer than pretty much the whole history of civilization on Earth. That's huge.Which makes us wonder just how long players actually spend in WoW -- surely not all WoW players are using Xfire, so the number has to be much bigger than that. At any rate, Xfire is apparently banging, and odds are that WoW is playing a big part.
Miyamoto begins Wii Fit media blitz
Our drinking buddies at GameDaily were invited to an exclusive, two-hour roundtable with Mr. Wii Fit himself, Shigeru Miyamoto yesterday, along with several other industry outlets like IGN. But Miyamoto also stretched his way over to 1UP and MTV News in what we can only imagine is the warmup of a pretty significant Wii Fit media blitz. While there isn't much you haven't already read in the Wii Fit installment of Nintendo's Iwata Asks series, there are a handful of interesting comments. Iwata discussed a Wii Fit game modeled after Sumo wrestling, called "Ultimate Balance Test." It was pulled from the final product for being "too difficult" but, lucky for you Sumo wrestlers out there, will be available as a hidden game. While there's talk of a Wii Fit channel to bring additional content to the game, Miyamoto mentioned they've been "tinkering" with the idea of DS connectivity. He also talked about other uses for the Balance Board peripheral, suggesting they may incorporate it into other games – he pondered a rhythm game where you tap your feet – or even a Mario game, though it wouldn't likely be a requirement in that case.A seemingly innocuous comment to 1UP – intended to assuage worries that Nintendo has gone totally casual – has curiously generated the most internet interest though: "The Zelda team is forming again to work on new games!" So, a team of developers that recently shipped a game are working on a new game? Incredible. But seriously folks, we're heartened to hear that too. Read – Shigeru Miyamoto on Wii Fit [GameDaily]Read – Creator Demos Wii Fit [IGN]Read – Miyamoto on Wii Fit, Hardcore Gamers [1UP]Read – Shigeru Miyamoto MTV Interview Preview [MTV Multiplayer]
Forget Poke Balls, these Pokemon belong in our tummies
If you've ever salivated at the site of delicious-looking Pokémon, then you're not alone. GameDaily has made a list of the top ten Pokémon they'd like to eat, and they've actually managed to make quite a few of the little buggers sound appetizing.So, is rating edible Pokémon completely wrong, or completely awesome? We're going to go with the latter. And, in case you were wondering, our favorite was Torchic -- aka, "the walking buffalo wing." Can we get an "om nom nom nom?"[Via GoNintendo]
