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GDCA 2015 finalists led by Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
The finalists for the 2015 Game Developers Choice Awards were revealed today, led by Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, which received five nominations. Monolith's third-person action game was nominated for Game of the Year, Innovation, Best Design, Best Narrative and Best Technology awards at the ceremony (on top of also being Joystiq's favorite game of 2014). The other nominees for the 15th annual GDCA's Game of the Year award are Bayonetta 2, Alien: Isolation, Destiny and Hearthstone. Blizzard's collectible card game received three nominations in total, the other two for Best Design and Best Handheld/Mobile Game. Destiny also received two other nominations for Best Audio and Best Technology. The ceremony for this year's Game Developer's Choice Awards will be held during the Game Developers Conference on Wednesday, March 4 at 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT) at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center. Head past the break to see the full list of nominees.
Best of the Rest: Thomas' picks of 2014
ATTENTION: The year 2014 has concluded its temporal self-destruct sequence. If you are among the escapees, please join us in salvaging and preserving the best games from the irradiated chrono-debris. Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved I love listening to music alone. When no one's looking, I'm free to tap out drum beats, put on emotional lip-synchs and flail in synch with a song's swelling heights. Playing Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved is a lot like those solo jam sessions in the way it grants a free pass to completely lose myself in a song's components. Sure, I look ridiculous, but I have to! Matching notes with halfhearted swipes and restrained punches just leads to broken combos, as if the Kinect is the all-knowing gaze of an instructor ready to belittle a cold, tired performance. Substituting instruments and creating remixes adds a welcome element of experimentation to Fantasia, but it's the core focus of moving with music that brings me back each week. It's increasingly difficult to ignore life's noise while playing a game as I grow older, but Fantasia's peak moments tune out every distraction, leaving me with an uninhibited excuse to enjoy twisted, endearing remixes of songs that I love.
Metareview: GOTY Edition
Over the weekend the Joystiq hive mind concluded its annual hive dance and deemed Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor the top dawg of 2014. Monolith's action-RPG may have hacked and slashed its way to the top of our list, but a glance at The Rest of the Internet makes one thing clear: When it comes to 2014's GOTY awards, there isn't One Game to rule them all. With that in mind, we've taken the Metareview format we use to collate other outlets' reviews and given it a GOTY paint job. As ever, it's just a sampling of all the publications out there and plenty of places have yet to dole out their awards. Nonetheless, here's a wee look at the best games of 2014 according to everyone else.
Best of the Rest: Alexander's picks of 2014
ATTENTION: The year 2014 has concluded its temporal self-destruct sequence. If you are among the escapees, please join us in salvaging and preserving the best games from the irradiated chrono-debris. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft If you'd told me a year ago that I'd spend a majority of my 2014 with a collectible card game, I'd have politely smiled and nodded, blind to how deeply Hearthstone would get its hooks in me. Blizzard once again proved itself to be the master of evolving a genre for the masses, creating a card game that is distinctly a video game and pulling in 20 million players. Hearthstone was the perfect distraction from my coursework, allowing for 15-minute breaks. Its daily quests passively pushed me to develop a well-rounded appreciation for the game. I took the time to check out Hearthstone forums and researched different decks as I collected more cards. I soaked in the HearthPwn. The additional cards added through the Curse of Naxxramas single-player adventure and the Gnomes vs. Goblins expansion have kept the game fresh. Hearthstone is a mathematical crunchfest at the tournament level and, much like poker, I can appreciate it, even knowing I will never be part of that world. Hearthstone and I have a casual understanding and I don't see us concluding our daily dalliance any time soon.
Best of the Rest: Richard's picks of 2014
ATTENTION: The year 2014 has concluded its temporal self-destruct sequence. If you are among the escapees, please join us in salvaging and preserving the best games from the irradiated chrono-debris. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter The best thing about The Vanishing of Ethan Carter might be that it tells its story in a way that only a video game can. Other games aspire to emulate other forms of media, to be more like movies or books. Ethan Carter, on the other hand, embraces the interactivity of the medium in a wonderful way, with an awareness of a video game's ability to let you live through a moment, rather than just witnessing it. At first, Ethan Carter feels like a typical paranormal mystery, and its investigation mechanics are cleverly implemented, asking you to put the events of the past in the correct order to reveal the truth behind a series of murders. The mystery elements turn out to be just a small part of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, though, and you soon find yourself pulled into some of the greatest moments of pure fantasy that I've ever seen in a video game. I won't say another word, for fear of spoiling anything. If you appreciate a good mystery, and you believe in the transportational power of games, do yourself a favor and pick it up.
Hearthstone begins Android rollout
Blizzard is rolling stones out, specifically of the Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft variety. The free-to-play collectible card game is available now for Android in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and Blizzard says a full worldwide rollout is due "in the coming days." If you're in one of the early bird regions, wing your way to Google Play or Amazon Appstore to get started. In terms of requirements, you'll need a tablet with at least a 6 inch screen, 1GB of RAM, and Android 4.0 or higher installed. As for phone owners hoping to be dealt in - that's both iPhone and Android devices - Blizzard says it'll have "more news" early next year.
Hearthstone now available for Android
Android fans rejoice, for today Blizzard's super-addictive digital card game, Hearthstone, is available for Android tablets. Sure, it's been out on PC and iOS for a while, but it's a newcomer amongst the Android ranks -- and since it's a game that's really designed for the touchscreen experience, that's definitely a tough fact for Android owners to cope with. The rollout of Hearthstone for Android has already begun, with the game currently available for free on Google Play for players in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Gamers in other regions still have a bit of time to wait, but Blizzard promises that Hearthstone for Android will be available worldwide in the coming days (including on the Amazon Appstore for Kindle Fire owners). Android players will get to enjoy all of the content the game features elsewhere, including Curse of Naxxramas and Goblins vs Gnomes. Anyone playing a match on Android will also get a free pack of classic cards -- so there's no reason to wait! Unfortunately, not all Android tablets will be supported: you'll need a tablet with at least a 6" screen and 1GB of RAM that runs Android 4.0 or higher. Check out the system requirements for full details.
Hearthstone's Goblins vs. Gnomes expansion available now
Hearthstone's first expansion, Goblins vs. Gnomes, is available now, featuring 120 new cards for the collectible card game with 20 million registered players. Anyone who logs into the game between now and December 19 will receive three free Goblins vs. Gnomes card packs. The new cards should give players plenty of strategies to test against the classic decks players have become quite comfortable with. The new GvG packs are priced identically to those of what are now referenced as the "classic" cards. Players can pick up packs, which include 5 cards, at 100 gold apiece, or spend real money. Hearthstone is available currently on PC, Mac and iPad, with plans for iPhone and Android in 2015.
Gear up with Hearthstone expansion Goblins vs. Gnomes next week
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft bolsters its hand with Goblins vs. Gnomes starting December 8 in the Americas, Southeast Asia and Oceania, and December 9 in Europe, Korea, Taiwan and China. While next week sees the diminutive buy inventive creatures grace cards on iPad, PC and Mac, Blizzard previously said Hearthstone hits Android tablets sometime this month. The 120 Goblins vs. Gnomes cards are purchasable in packs, either using real-life cash or in-game gold, and you can craft them and win them in the arena. More importantly, Blizzard concocted a lovely little ditty to welcome the collectible card game's expansion, which you can check out below the break.
One round of Hearthstone, 784 cards drawn, 312,417 damage
Relying on the increased damage players receive when they run out of cards to draw and a few key, complex nuances of the Hearthstone rule set, card sharp HysteriA forces his opponent to draw a ludicrous number of cards while absorbing more than 15,000 times the damage necessary to end the game. The video is almost certainly staged, but impressive nonetheless. [Image: Activision Blizzard]
Hearthstone expansion Goblins vs Gnomes concocts December release date
Goblins vs Gnomes, the Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft expansion teased at PAX Prime 2014 will shed its digital foil cover this December, Blizzard announced during the opening ceremony of BlizzCon 2014. "We're going back to the beginnings of Warcraft, to a longstanding rivalry between two proud races," Hearthstone production director Jason Chayes said regarding the expansion's content. "One embodies the nobility and the fellowship of The Alliance. The other: the honor and the resilience of The Horde." Chayes revealed the expansion will bring more than 120 new cards to players' decks, many of which are themed around gnomish and goblin inventions, such as the Explosive Sheep and Annoy-O-Tron. If you're excited for the content but would prefer to play on Android instead of PC or iPad, there's more good news: December will also mark Hearthstone's release on Android tablets, Chayes announced. No matter which system or faction you choose to play though, Chayes promises the results will be "explosive." [Image: Blizzard]
Hearthstone bot-generator site closes down after bans
Blizzard's recent round of bans in Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft have forced the closure of Crawlerbots, a site that provided automated gameplay options to Hearthstone and WoW players. Last week, Blizzard announced that it had banned "several thousand" accounts associated with third-party programs that automate actions in Hearthstone. The accounts were banned until 2015. The Crawlerbots website now carries the following message: "This is our last official announcement. The recent ban wave in Hearthstone hit a lot of users. After discussing this with Blizzard, it's clear we have to take off our services/products now. Please note that we're not going to be commenting further on this. Thank you all for being part of our community. We are very sad about this but you also know botting is against the rules and we all knew that the day when our products doesn't work anymore would come. With tears in our eyes we have to say bye." When Blizzard announced the bans, it said, "As we've stated, fair play is at the core of the Hearthstone experience, and cheating and botting will not be tolerated." In September, Blizzard revealed that Hearthstone had 20 million players worldwide.
Blizzard gives thousands of Hearthstone bots the boot
"Several thousand" bots have been banned from Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft recently, Blizzard revealed in a Battle.net blog. The developer found that the accounts were associated with third-party programs that automate actions within the game, and they will now be banned from the game until 2015. "As we've stated, fair play is at the core of the Hearthstone experience, and cheating and botting will not be tolerated," the developer said. "From this point on, accounts found to be cheating will be permanently closed without warning." Hearthstone players that believe they've encountered an exploitative account in the game are encouraged to report it to the developer at hacks@blizzard.com. The popular digital card game will reach Android tablets by the end of the year with Android smartphones and iPhone following in early 2015. [Image: Blizzard]
Joystiq Weekly: Titanfall gets co-op, Civ: Beyond Earth review, amiibo impressions and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. With Titanfall getting a co-operative, wave-based mode, Super Smash Bros. on Wii U ushering in eight fighters at once and Halo: The Master Chief Collection just a few weeks (and a ~20GB patch) away, we're ready to spend a substantial amount of time beside our friends. Cunning AI is great and all, but what beats teaming up with or taking down local, equally-frantic friends and rivals? Other than wish-granting sacks of money, we mean. Single player diehards certainly aren't left out of this week's best content though – Rockstar launched a super-cheap, upgraded version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the Xbox Marketplace today, there are reviews for Civilization: Beyond Earth and The Legend of Korra, and we got our hands on amiibos and Sony's horror romp, Until Dawn. All of that and quite a bit more is waiting for you after the break!
League of Legends tops MMO revenue list, Hearthstone No. 10
MMO games, including MOBAs, compose 21 percent of the worldwide digital game market and are on track to generate $11 billion in revenue this year alone, SuperData Research reports. By 2017, that number is expected to rise to $13 billion. In 2014, the No. 1 MMO in terms of revenue is League of Legends, which has so far generated $946 million, beating out subscription games such as World of Warcraft, which is No. 4 on the list with $728 million. World of Tanks comes in at No. 5 and represents the largest revenue gap on the graph at $369 million. Dota 2 is No. 9 with $136 million, and Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is No. 10 with $114 million. See the full graph below.
Hearthstone shuffles to iPhone, Android phones in early 2015
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft will reach iPhone and Android phones in early 2015, Blizzard revealed in a blog today. The developer said it is close to issuing versions of the collectible card game to smartphone players, but that "it's become clear that we need a little more time to get that version right." As a result, the small-screen smartphone version of Hearthstone won't be available until "early next year." As of September, Blizzard expected those versions to arrive by the end of the year, which is when it still plans on launching on Android tablets. "One of the biggest challenges with that is revamping the user interface so it feels intuitive and offers the same quality Hearthstone experience, but this time from the palm of your hand," the developer added. The CCG based on the World of Warcraft universe has already became mighty popular without getting a glimpse of the Google Play store: The free PC and iPad game reached 20 million downloads in September, and Blizzard also revealed that over two billion hours of the game have been played to date. Hearthstone began receiving its multi-part "Curse of Naxxramas" single-player expansion in July. [Image: Blizzard Entertainment]
Hearthstone's Americas Championship deck builds
If you're a Hearthstone fan, you already know the game is partially strategy, and partially building the right deck of cards to play with. The top players at the recent Americas Championship certainly know all about deck building as well as strategic play, and the official Hearthstone site put together a comprehensive list of decks used in the Championship via Hearthhead. Every playable class has at least one entry, and all cards are laid out clearly so you can see what was used. Although constructing identical decks won't be an instant win in championship play, browsing through the various builds might help you identify which cards are particularly valuable when it comes to competitive play. Head over to Hearthstone's website for the full list -- even if you're an experienced Hearthstone player, it's worth checking out.
Report: Google among potential buyers of Unity gaming engine
Unity, the little gaming engine that could, may soon have new owners, according to a Cnet report. For those unaware, Unity is an increasingly ubiquitous engine on which a diverse cast of developers have built a number of popular, wildly disparate games including hits such as Blizzard's Hearthstone, rocket science simulator Kerbal Space Program and post-apocalyptic roleplaying game Wasteland 2. Though initially developed for OS X, Unity has since been ported to 15 other platforms, making it both relatively quick and easy for games built on Unity to appear on a wide range of popular devices with little additional effort required from their developers. Now, Cnet claims, the Unity team is considering a sale. Specifics on who might buy Unity (or how much they might pay for it) are lacking from the report, but Cnet does name Google among potential suitors. Studios using Unity may find this news alarming, as the engine's greatest strength has always been its wealth of developer support options and there's no telling how that aspect of the technology will fare in the hands of a major corporation. Still, it's a bit early to fret over this deal too much. Cnet's sources aren't entirely sure that the Unity team is actively seeking buyers, only that "either the company has been courting potential deals or responding to interest from its partners and other companies." [Image: Unity]
Blizzard highlights Hearthstone crafts
Hearthstone's Community team has come out with a new feature that highlights arts and crafts among the Hearthstone community. There are those among the players that are enthusiastic about the online card game who are not only having fun playing the game, but are ridiculously talented, turning their creative energies to crafting all sorts of fun items after the game they love to play. This is the first of what I hope is many posts featuring the Hearthstone community's creative efforts -- and man, are these some incredible projects. Two different recipes are highlighted in the video, a Hearthstone-themed roll cake, and some incredibly cute caramel-filled Hearthstone chocolates. What I love is that both recipes are actually tutorial videos, so those of you that want to try your hand at making these at home can do so. I've never actually made a roll cake before because they always seemed to be pretty complicated, but the video certainly has me wanting to try. Chocolates, on the other hand, are pretty easy to work with in comparison. If you're looking for creative holiday gift ideas for your gamer friends, you might want to check that video out. Also highlighted in the post are three absolutely gorgeous crafted items. There's a Heartstone in a box, as well as the lovely candle-holder shown in the header image above. The third is a jaw-dropping reconstruction of the Hearthstone box featured when you begin the game. To check out all of the arts and crafts, head to the official site. If you've got any creative Hearthstone crafts of your own that you'd like to share, be sure to post on the official forums and show them off.
Hearthstone in real life is beautiful, but complicated
Ever wonder what it would be like to feel the virtual cards from Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft in your hands? Well, Chinese bootleggers have you covered, friend. Website Games in Asia recently discovered and played a physical version of Blizzard's digital card game, and the results were ... well, let's just say that being a digital game has its advantages. "What would be a thirty-second turn in the digital game took up the better part of five minutes here. But most heinous was the set-up time," Games in Asia reports. "Thankfully the bulk of the work doesn't need to be repeated once you've set the game up once, but it still took close to two hours the first time before we could even start playing." The reason for such lengthy playtime seems to be that the physcial version has far more moving parts, icons and tokens to keep track of. Games in Asia called it a "fun novelty." We don't know about that, but those cards sure do look nice in the real world. [Image: Blizzard]
