Harry Potter
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Format war rages inside Harry Potter box set
We surely hope you didn't expect Warner Bros. to extinguish any of those tempestuous format war fires. Au contraire, the studio is apparently on a mission to fan those very flames, as it has inadvertently included an HD DVD within a five-disc Blu-ray box set. You read right -- a bevy of users across the 'net have received their limited edition package only to find the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire disc to be of the HD DVD variety. 'Course, we did hear that Warner was gunning for 2008 to unleash Total HD, but we definitely didn't see this coming. All joshing aside, users are apparently being asked to send the entire package back and await a totally Blu replacement, but we've all ideas that solution won't make diehard BD fans happy at all.[Via Blu-ray.com Forums, thanks Kiwi616]
Format War: Interactivity vs HD supplements
Next Tuesday, the biggest dual format HD release since 300 hits the streets; and once again, we just can't wait to compare red vs blu. For the most part, Warner has always offered the same content on both format, and if anything, Blu-ray fans have complained that Warner doesn't take advantage of Blu-ray's extra capacity. Well, with Order of the Phoenix, Warner has pulled out the stops and has pitted interactivity vs HD supplemental video, because while the HD DVD version includes Warner's IME and web content, the Blu-ray version includes HD supplements and a 44 minute high-def TV special called, The Hidden Secrets of Harry Potter -- that was left out of the HD DVD version completely. The other big difference enabled by Blu-ray's additional capacity is an extensive list of foreign language surround sound tracks and sub-titles -- at the same time the HD DVD is a combo disc without the $10 premium. So dual format owners will have to choose between interactivity and HD supplements -- or maybe they'll just choose to save $5 and go with the Blu-ray version. We don't know about anyone else, but we can't wait to see what Nielsen VideoScan results have to say about this.Read - HighDefDigest HD DVD reviewRead - HighDefDigest Blu-ray review
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix HD DVD to debut new online community features
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is throwing a new wrinkle on the current list of web-enabled features when it hits HD DVD next month, as the Live Community Screening feature lets multiple owners watch together and chat during the movie. The host initiates the session by inviting other viewers -- no word on how many people are supported -- and synchronizes the viewing on all machines. Other features we've seen before like IME picture-in-picture track, favorite scenes and ringtone store also tag along, but we'll see if this Xbox Live-style community aspect is a hit with Potter aficionados December 11th.[Via Harry Potter Fanzone]
Making things massive: worlds we crave
As the holiday season approaches and our favorite videogame genre bulges with new titles, it seems like many of them are intellectual properties (IP) that have been made massive: that is, an IP that somebody, somewhere thought would be cool (or profitable) to turn into an online experience. Past MMOGs based on well-known IPs have had mixed success. Star Wars Galaxies, for instance, converted arguably the world's best known IP into an MMOG but fizzled. The Matrix Online tried to take advantage of a pop-culture phenomenon but that didn't work out either. City of Heroes/Villains cashed in on our love of comic books – not an IP exactly, but close. Lord of the Rings Online has had some success, as well, but not overwhelmingly so. In the near future, Games Workshop's Warhammer IP will be making its MMO debut as Warhammer Online (developed by EA-Mythic), along with Age of Conan (Funcom's ambitious interpretation of Robert E. Howard's barbarous world). Even MMOGs based on other videogames could fit into this 'make-massive' trend: Blizzard Entertainment turned its own real-time strategy Warcraft franchise into an online world, as did Square-Enix with Final Fantasy.That got me thinking: if I had the power to make an MMOG, what would it be? A series of books, or a movie? Personally, I think that Perpetual Entertainment's Star Trek Online has great potential, but that could be due to the fact that I always thought I would look really good in a red and black uniform commanding a starship. Maybe Harry Potter? Though who knows how that one would work. As Matt points out, fans don't always make the best game developers, and it's certainly true that converting a big, complex IP into an MMOG can have its pitfalls. But ideally, in your most secret heart of hearts, which world would you love to see be made massive? Where would your dream MMOG be set?
Downloadable files coming to next Harry Potter DVD
Users clamoring for alternate (read: easier) ways to transport commercial DVD footage to portable media players will likely enjoy knowing that the next Harry Potter DVD will reportedly feature "two downloadable digital files" for easy viewing on devices other than a vanilla DVD player. According to Jim Wuthrich, Warner senior VP of digital distribution, users can "buy the DVD and have the option of the digital copy," and apparently, he also suggested that "another studio was preparing to launch digital copies of a film tied to its DVD release." Unfortunately, details about the actual formats and whatnot weren't disclosed, so barring any unforeseen announcements, it looks like we'll be waiting for the December 11th release of Order of the Phoenix to find out exactly what this disc contains.[Via ArsTechnica]
Deal of the Day: Harry Potter and the OOTP $28 at Amazon
If you're one of the jabillion Harry Potter fans out there but haven't yet had the chance to play Harry's latest adventure on the PS3, here's your chance. Amazon is selling Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for a meager $28.Reviewers have lauded the title as the best Potter game yet and that it's apparent EA took the extra special time working on the game.Because the game is Amazon's Deal of the Day, it will only be on sale for today, so you better pick it up while you can.[via Cheap Ass Gamer]
Harry Potter, Blade Runner coming to Blu-ray and HD DVD in Q4
More news from the Home Media Expo, as Warner Home Video made it a point to show off its upcoming deluxe box sets, few more widely anticipated than the high definition releases of Harry Potter and Blade Runner. Fans of the Harry Potter series can get all five films, on Blu-ray or HD DVD along with "exclusive memorabilia", at a price of $149.99, a $30 premium over the standard DVD set. Blade Runner is getting a five disc DVD re-release that will also hit Blu-ray and HD DVD, but no word on prices for the HD editions or special features. According to VideoBusiness both should debut sometime in the fourth quarter, it appears that Total HD or not Warner is taking advantage of its support for both formats by releasing its heavy hitters sooner, rather than later.
Beware of posting spoilers on the US forums, too!
Last week we heard that they were going to be taking spoiler postings seriously on the European forums -- and that spoiling other players' enjoyment of books or movies would be a quick way to get yourself banned. However, Drysc has recently reminded US forum-goers that they take the subject just as seriously. Drysc tells us: We would like to remind our forum goers of our strong stance against trolling by way of posting spoilers for movies, tv shows, and books. We take these attempts to cause others grief and produce general unrest on these forums very seriously, and we take a harsh stance against any outright or veiled attempts to spoil the enjoyment of others. Posting spoilers can result in a lengthy suspension, up to and most likely a permanent removal of all posting privileges from these forums. I'm quite glad to see they're taking a strong stance on the subject, since nothing's worse than having a book or movie's ending spoiled for you. However, I still think the best case is going to be to avoid this, and all other internet forums until after you finish reading that last Harry Potter book. After all, CMs are only human, and there are a lot of spoilsports out there.[via World of Warcraft Warcry]
Bringing it Home Wrap: Harry Potter demo too
Okay, we thought we experienced all that E3 Bringing it Home had to offer and even expressed out heartfelt goodbye to all the Marketplace fun. But we were a little premature in calling Bringing it Home finished, as Major Nelson just sent word that a Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix demo just went live. Major also confirms that this Harry Potter demo officially marks the end of E3 Bringing it Home and so we advise taking a look at the completely complete list of Bringing it Home content we've gathered for you after the break. No heartfelt goodbye this time Bringing it Home, because it's too painful the second time around.
Fly away on your broom, Harry Potter
Warlocks rejoice, or at least I am rejoicing for the possibility of a new flying mount for my Warlock. Palm over at Worldofraids sent us some additional information about what is loaded into Patch 2.2, and although armor and weapons are always interesting to me, I was totally giddy when I saw the above image. I would love to be able to say that this means that there will be a warlock-specific flying mount, but I actually doubt it. These days the trends more towards cool mounts like these being drops from instances, available to anyone. In a way the ability to fly away a la Harry Potter would be just as cool if it were available for anyone, I just hold on to the idea of Paladin and Warlock specific flying mounts tightly. Like death-grip tightly. If druids can have flight form, I don't see why locks and pallies can't have a quested flying mount. It only makes sense since they quest for their epic mounts.Until further evidence comes to light keeping my hope alive, I will keep my eye out for more info on the Broom Mount. Perhaps that Grynfinndor guild you've been thinking about creating will now be able to soar through the skies in Quidditch formations soon.
Beware of posting spoilers on the official forums
Over on the European forums, Aeus is getting serious about banning people from the forums for posting spoilers. (Likely due to the immenent release of the final Harry Potter book, though he's clear that bans will come down for people posting any type of spoiler.) Says Aeus: Posting spoilers is one of the worst ways to troll; not to mention the amount of players whose enjoyment and anticipation can potentially be utterly ruined. If you were around the day the previous Harry Potter book was released, you would understand where Aeus was coming from. Every forum was packed with posts giving away the book's ending, in the titles of the posts and hidden behind misleading titles. And, I don't know about you, but I visit the official forums to talk about World of Warcraft. Aeus is off to an enthusiastic start, telling a spoiler-posting player: Suspended for 9 days, that's when the book comes out. If... [the spoiler occurs] this becomes a permanent.But while I admire his enthusiasm, with the number of posts on the topic that appeared with the release of the last book, I wonder if it will be practical to keep the forums spoiler-free. However, if you're a fan of the Potter series, I've got to recommend staying away from the forums -- and the general chat channels -- until after you've finished the book.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Dweebs
Not a day passes without some poor sap's waggling image being posted on Flickr or YouTube, their awkwardness immortalized for the world to see. Today's Penny Arcade comic is a cautionary tale for all the gamers out there who lose themselves in the Wii's heightened brand of immersion, flapping their hands and dressing in costume for that authentic experience. With Harry Potter mania being at an all time high -- several video games, a new movie, and the final book all within a few weeks' reach -- we're at our most vulnerable. Guarding ourselves against these embarrassing exposures should be priority one. Remember that the next time you start riding your mother's broom during a mock Quidditch match and notice a red light blinking in one of the room's air vents.
DS releases for the week of July 9th
It's been a while since we've seen anything from the GBA, but it's back with a new game -- the latest Harry Potter installment, just in time for the movie. Other than that, it seems like a pretty light week (outside of Japan), though Europe is finally getting a piece of the Elite Beat Agents pie. DS AniMates Vegas Casino High 5! GBA Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Loads of new game trailers on XBLM
If you haven't powered on your Xbox 360 today, you're missing out on a boatload of new trailers. In all, we've got Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (girlish squeal!), Overlord (which we can't download for some reason), and a trailer for Conan. Conan, perhaps, deserves the most attention. Unfortunately, that's not because it's the best of the three (far from it, in fact). Not to be confused with the Age of Conan MMO from Funcom, Conan, quite frankly, just looks awful. The gameplay looks decent enough, but the graphics lack anything even resembling polish. Seriously, it's like they decided to release a trailer of an alpha build (which may be exactly what it is). The character models themselves look alright, but they seem completely separate from the environment, like they're really in front of a green screen. Joystiq seemed to be impressed by the game back in March, so we remain hopeful that the final product will be a solid experience.
Shipping this week: eat your heart out edition
Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, squirrels and hamsters, it's a big week for our beloved Xbox 360. Not only do we finally get to sample the heart-eating goodness of The Darkness (a game we're giving away, by the way), but we also have a plethora of other games arriving as well. In fact, there are so many games coming out this week, we're going to whip out (that's right) a bulleted list. Behold: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix The Bigs Hour of Victory The Darkness Overlord Transformers: The Game Ratatouille That's a lot of games. We're particularly excited about Overlord, which has been sitting patiently in our rental queue for some time. Are you planning on picking up any of these titles?
DS releases for the week of June 25th
We can only guess someone has designated this the official week of licensees. Two movie-based games are hitting shelves, along with remakes, remixes, and redux titles. What a weird week! But how can we complain when there are several new games on the shelves? Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth Remix Nervous Brickdown Ratatouille Touchmaster DS Vegas Casino High 5! Hit the jump to see what's out this week in the rest of the world.[Update: Now with the actual Japanese releases.]
Harry Potter Achievements magically appear
Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix Achievements have shown up in a puff of smoke. Despite that two of the secret Achievements haven't been uncovered yet, the other 39 look pretty straightforward, making this game appear to be an Achievement Whore's dream. A good portion are devoted to completing tasks throughout the game, though we're not certain if those directly related to the main campaign or if they're extracurricular. Do you plan on playing around in Hogwarts with this game upon release?
Worldwide PlayStation 3 releases for the week of June 25th
Another Sunday, another release list. Let's see what's out in the next seven days.US Games The Darkness Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix The Bigs Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent Transformers the Game EU Games Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas Asian Games Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas Quite a well populated list. There's no real way anyone can complain about this week's releases. Unless you're a European The Darkness fan. Don't forget, though. If there's a game that's only available in another region, then feel free to import it. Your PlayStation 3 won't care. Release dates are subject to constant change, so give your local game shop a ring before walking down there.Which of this week's releases will you be picking up? We've already got our copies of The Darkness ordered.
Harry Potter and the Gallery of Screenshots
We were taken aback by these screens of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. They look fantastic. It could be using prerendered backgrounds to display these artistic views of Hogwarts, but whatever it is, it's working. Whenever Harry is walking around the (strangely empty) building, it's breathtaking, and one of the nicest-looking adventure games we've seen on any platform.And then we see the other screenshots. The combat-- for which you apparently rotate the DS Brain Age style, and the magical minigames. They might be fun, but they don't quite evoke ICO in the same way as the environments do. Oh, well, this is still amazing for an EA licensed game.
GameStop offers Potter movie ticket with game purchase
When Daniel Radcliffe isn't naked on stage stabbing out horses eyes in Equus, he moonlights as the lovable Harry Potter, and GameStop.com wants to give you tickets to see his latest adventure: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Which, if it were a video game, would be called HPatOotP.The way you get your free ticket is by puchasing the game online at GameStop.com. The game releases June 25 and looks to be the Harry Potter version of Bully. You know, except with spells and adorable British accents. Now remember, the deal only works its magic on the DS and Wii versions.[Via DSFanboy]
