gamescom-2012
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Seen@Gamescom: Ono! Blanka crashes Capcom press conference
Yoshinori Ono really is the face (and hair, and skin) of the Street Fighter franchise. Ono showed up at Capcom's Gamescom conference dressed as Blanka and carrying a cake celebrating Street Fighter's 25th anniversary. Throughout his appearance, Ono joked that he wanted to show off Street Fighter 5, pointing at the screen excitedly but getting shot down by less colorful Capcom gatekeepers.
Vergil brings brotherly love to DmC
Vergil will have a role in Ninja Theory's DmC: Devil May Cry, Capcom announced during its Gamescom press conference today. Vergil, Dante's brother, will wield his classic Yamato sword and will have his standard white hair.Capcom plans to unleash a gameplay Vergil video later today, so stay tuned.
Majority of profit from Dragon Age: Origins DLC was from launch DLC
"Having something post-ship is absolutely essential," BioWare director of online development Fernando Melo told an audience at GDC Europe today, during his discussion of day-one DLC, online passes and long-term monetization. Shipping DLC on the day of launch is essential from a business standpoint – Dragon Age: Origins, for example, saw 53 percent of all of its paid DLC transactions solely from sales of its day-one DLC packs, The Stone Prisoner and Warden's Keep.This figure accounts for those who bought Stone Prisoner for $15 in a used copy of Origins, and those who purchased Warden's Keep for $7 outside of its inclusion in the Digital Deluxe Edition. Since these two DLC packs, Dragon Age: Origins has had seven additional iterations of downloadable content, which account for less than half of the total DLC revenue from Origins.Melo stressed the importance of day-one DLC from a business standpoint for any developer. Launch day sees the highest number of players and offers the widest possibility for catching long-term, continuously paying players, he said.
Super Joystiq Podcast Gamescom 2012 special: Day 1
Welcome to the first special episode from our Gamescom 2012 coverage. The opening bell of Gamescom is still a few days away, but GDC Europe is under way, and we have it covered.In the first segment, Alexander and Ben are joined by Mattias Myllyrinne of Remedy to discuss the motivations and approach to game design in the era of microtransactions, something Remedy has recently tackled with Death Rally. Myllyrinne also touches on Max Payne, Alan Wake, and how the landscape for future projects.In the second segment, Alexander, Ben, Richard, and Jess check in with thoughts on the first days of GDC Europe 2012. As a developer convention, there are plenty of panels and developer-centric discussions happening at the show. Be sure to stick around for insight into the storytelling mechanics of Dear Esther, the finances of a successful indie studio, ruminations on site ethics and the impact of coverage, and more.And don't forget, we'll be back every day this week with specials out of GDC Europe and Gamescom 2012 in Germany.Listen to the Super Joystiq Podcast: Subscribe to the Super Joystiq Podcast in iTunes Super Joystiq Podcast is also available in the Zune Marketplace Add the Super Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator Download the MP3 directlyA stream of the show and details about each segment is available after the break.
The Witcher 2 getting mod tool 'REDkit' on PC
If witching is one of your favorite things, you'll be happy to hear that a whole bunch more content is headed to the game industry's favorite witching game, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Developer CD Projekt Red announced late last week that its "REDkit" mod tools will be shown at this week's German game convention, Gamescom.Beyond the ability to make Geralt into a perfect facsimile of Laa-Laa from Teletubbies, the tools enable PC users to create "new, non-linear adventures," "great looking locations," and "much more." There's no word on when the tools will be available, but we'll be sure to ask CD Projekt later this week when we check out the mod kit. And yes, we'll ask about the possibility of turning Geralt into Po as well. Fine.
Battlefield 4 sticking to modern warfare
Battlefield 4 will be set in modern times, DICE general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson revealed at GDC Europe today. The game, which was announced with no pomp last month, will have a beta sometime next year, but little else has been revealed. However, with a lag time of six years between Battlefield 2 and Battlefield 3, why did the studio go with Battlefield 4 so quickly instead of heading back to Bad Company?"There's a lot of things inspiring us as to how the franchise will move on. Everything from fans' feedback, to market research and, of course, what we want to build ourselves. It's not just one single thing," said Troedsson, continuing with a hint of sarcasm. "And, yes, I know Battlefield 4 is probably the most creative name we ever could come up with. I can't comment any more on that game because it's all secret."However, he did go on to say, "We still want to stay in this genre, the modern day as it is. We feel this is a place we can be and continue with the series. Battlefield 4 can live in this space and be very successful."Hinting, in conclusion, "That doesn't mean there might not be a Bad Company game again in the future."
The Daily Grind: Do you expect big news from this week's confluence of conventions?
GDC Europe, GenCon Indy, and Gamescom all happening at the same time? It'd be completely unbelievable if it weren't happening right now. This week sees three major gaming conventions all taking place, and while all three are focusing on different areas of the gaming world, you can't focus on one while ignoring the others. That means that next week is going to be full of coverage of all three events, and if you've been following the convention calendar, you're no doubt eagerly anticipating this. But will there be any major news? After all, sometimes these events don't produce news so much as a few interesting footnotes. With so much gaming concentrated in a single week, it would almost make more sense to wait until the ruckus has died down to make any big announcements. So do you expect big news from this week's convention extravaganza? Or do you expect a whole lot of noise and not a lot of signal? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
EA @ Gamescom: Crysis 3, SimCity, Army of Two and more
If you're lucky enough to find yourself at Gamescom next week in Germany, playable demos of Crysis 3 and SimCity will be headlining EA's lineup. Aside from those two, there will also be demo stations at EA's booth for Need for Speed: Most Wanted, FIFA 13, FIFA Manager 13, Medal of Honor: Warfighter and Star Wars: The Old Republic.EA will also be conducting behind-closed-doors presentations. Notable titles for private showcase include the newly-announced Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel from Visceral Games, the Armored Kill expansion for Battlefield 3, Crysis 3, Dead Space 3, NHL 2013, Sims 3, SimCity and a bunch of mobile games from EA and Chillingo. We'll have previews of those games next week.
Firefall's new eSports Toolkit allows better viewing of matches
Red 5 Studios knows that it's not always just about playing Firefall -- it's also about watching matches. Whether you want to check out your friends as they battle in the upcoming free-to-play shooter or you want to get a good look at your competition, the new eSports Toolkit will allow spectators to see the action as it unfolds. It also gives shoutcasters various tools to enhance their broadcasts. Spectators will be able to watch matches in observer mode in which viewers can utilize an assortment of static cameras, follow players, or even check out the whole map and get a bird's-eye view. Viewers have the added bonus of being able to pause, rewind, fast-forward, and even watch the action in slow motion. Shoutcasters enjoy extra features in the broadcast mode, which will allow for free-flight across the map, the ability to access and display player stats, and the ability to switch between multiple camera views to highlight the best action. Together, these features will improve the spectator's overall experience. The eSports Toolkit will be featured at the Firefall beta tournament at Gamescom 2012. For a preview of the different modes, check out the video after the break. [Source: Red 5 Studios press release]
The Secret World's first raid debuts at Gamescom
Remember that badass CG trailer for The Secret World that featured four of the game's factional NPCs joining forces to duke it out with a big nasty in the remains of New York City? Well, that might be our first clue about TSW's next update. Funcom's new content initiative continues at next week's Gamescom event as the firm will be releasing details of The Secret World's first raid encounter. According to a report at IncGamers, the raid will "involve a giant monster crawling out of the subway system [and] attacking a partially destroyed New York." We don't know for sure whether the old trailer is related to the new raid, but there are a lot of similarities (including an errant subway car and what looks like the blasted remains of the Big Apple). See for yourself after the break.
When to watch Sony's Gamescom press conference online
Sony's Gamescom press conference will be available to watch through the intertubes next Tuesday, August 14. For Europeans, the time for attendance is 19:00 German Standard Beer Time and 18:00 UKAEA time. In the States, that's 1PM Eastern and 10AM Pacific.The PS3 redesign isn't expected to be on the docket for the show, but Sony has used the event for big announcements in the past. Last year's console price cut was announced there and it's where the PS3 Slim was officially revealed. If you can't stream the show at your location during the appointed time, don't worry – we'll be there to liveblog the latest.
SWTOR demoing Ancient Hypergates warzone at Gamescom
If you happen to be heading to Cologne for Gamescom this month and are a fan of Star Wars PvP, you might want to swing by ol' booth B-082 to get your mitts on the Ancient Hypergates warzone. BioWare stated that this upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic warzone will be playable at the convention. The studio said that attendees will be able to experience the warzone with either their actual character or a new one rolled on the spot. There's even the possibility that a developer might step in to duke it out alongside players as well. EA BioWare will be announcing additional details about SWTOR's future at the convention and has announced both prizes and a meet-and-greet for its fans. Gamescom takes place from August 16th through 19th.
Sony trademarks 'Rain,' 'Until Dawn' in EU and US before Gamescom
Sony is either preparing a few unannounced IPs for the public eye, or it's really concerned about the weather at Gamescom next week. Sony has trademarked "Rain" and "Until Dawn" in the US and Europe, both as "computer game software." The above image was included with the Rain filing via OHIM, the European trademark system.Until Dawn was registered on OHIM in May and on USPTO in August; Rain hit both OHIM and USPTO on July 30. No additional information is provided in the filings, but OnlySP links the Rain trademark with a gif depicting an unknown PlayStation quick-time-event (mostly because it happens to be raining in the scene). The image in Rain's filing takes a more Limbo approach than the gif suggests, but for now any speculation is just that.Sony's Gamescom press conference is on Tuesday, August 14, and the trademark timing seems right for a reveal.
ArenaNet posts convention schedule
With Guild Wars 2's launch mere weeks away, hunting down the ArenaNet team at tradeshows may be the last thing from your mind. Still, there are those inquisitive souls who like to keep tabs on their favorite studio appearances, and for them the company posted a list of shows that it will be attending. While ArenaNet will have a presence at Gamescom, it will be demo-free and far more casual in tone. The studio will also be making an appearance at the Gamestop Expo on August 29th for five hours. This appearance will feature several demo machines for those still on the fence about Guild Wars 2. Due to the launch, ArenaNet decided not to go to PAX but is instead hosting a party off-site on September 1st to celebrate the game's release. ArenaNet also commented on why it's sticking with DX9 for GW2 instead of DX11: "Our goal with GW2 has always been to provide a gorgeous fantasy world while at the same time running on a wide range of gaming PCs. Focusing on DX9 allows us to do this, as it's a much wider supported graphics API than DX11 is and we wanted our game to reach as many of our fans as possible. We will be evaluating supporting DX11 post launch."
Trion showing off RIFT expansion, Defiance PvP at Gamescom
Gamescom is coming next week, and most major publishers are gearing up to make the trip. The latest announcement comes to us from Trion, which is showing its stable of games including RIFT, End of Nations, Defiance, and Warface. Next week's convention will mark the "consumer debut" of RIFT's Storm Legion expansion, and MMORTS End of Nations will be playable on a massive 24-PC setup. Defiance is bringing "previously unseen PvP gameplay" to the table, while Warface will be presented inside a giant helicopter-themed display arena. [Source: Trion press release]
New Neverwinter content on display at Gamescom
Perfect World is heading to Gamescom next week, and the company is bringing its highly anticipated Neverwinter MMO along for the ride. A company press release promises "an exclusive first-look at unseen content with new features being revealed." A public event set in the Black Dagger Ruins will be playable. The event, called Storming the Keep, requires players to join forces and reclaim a fortress that has been overrun by bandits. Neverwinter was originally designed as a five-player dungeon crawl. Perfect World has since expanded the concept into a full-fledged free-to-play MMO based in Dungeons and Dragons' Forgotten Realms campaign setting. [Source: Perfect World press release]
Namco Bandai bringing Tank! Tank! Tank!, Star Trek to Gamescom
Namco Bandai is jumping on the Germany train (rather than the "train to Germany" -- fare from Tokyo to Cologne would be insane) with its Gamescom 2012 lineup. Namco will be showing off its Wii U installment Tank! Tank! Tank! and will demo the Star Trek movie tie-in game in its very own seated theater at stand C11 in hall 9.Namco will also have playable demos of Tekken Tag Tournament 2, One Piece Pirate Warriors, Dark Souls Prepare to Die Edition, Tales of Graces F and Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.
Firefall beta tournament to debut at gamescom
What do Firefall, 10,000 euros, and Gamescom have in common? Europe's first Firefall beta tournament! Red 5 Studios is partnering with Electronic Sports League (ESL) to bring attendees of gamescom 2012 the opportunity to participate in this tournament and battle it out for a grand prize of 10,000 euros. Registration and the tournament qualifiers will start on Thursday, the 16th of August, at the ESL Arena and continue through the 17th. On Saturday the 18th, the qualifying players will compete for the prize money on the ESL stage in front of spectators. Fans who are anticipating the free-to-play shooter but are unable to attend can watch the finals streamed live at www.esl.tv. [Source: Red 5 Studios press release]
Square Enix bringing FFXIV, Lara, Agent 47, Sleeping Dogs guy to Gamescom
Square Enix has announced its Gamescom 2012 lineup, and all of its big names look to be attending. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn seems to be headlining the event, with on-stage gameplay promised alongside signing sessions by producer and director Naoki Yoshida (will every autograph come with an apology?). Gamescom will also play host to the first European hands-on sessions with Tomb Raider, Hitman: Absolution and Sleeping Dogs.Also on display will be the upcoming PC re-release of Final Fantasy 7 and the retro-styled mobile title Final Fantasy Dimensions.
Ubisoft bringing AC3, Liberation, Far Cry 3, Zombi U and more to Gamescom
There are plenty of reasons to visit Germany, but for gamers looking to sample some stuff still in development, Ubisoft is making a strong claim for Primary Reason. The publisher is throwing everything at Gamescom this year, an event that saw 275,000 attendees in 2011.Assassin's Creed 3 and its PS Vita spinoff, Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation, will both be on hand at Ubisoft's booth. They'll be joined by Far Cry 3, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Online and Shootmania. Ubisoft is also going to truck out all of its Wii U games: Zombi U, Rayman Legends, Rabbids Land, Sports Connection and Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2013. And if you decide to skip that last game, don't sweat it – you'll get all the exercise you need running around the Koelnmesse.
