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Ninja to be enhanced with Final Fantasy XI's July update, paladin screams already heard
The rivalry between ninjas and pirates is nothing compared to the rivalry between paladins and ninjas in Final Fantasy XI. The two classes have been dueling for years over the space of "best party tank," and have regularly traded the position back and forth thanks to Square-Enix intervention.However, it seems that with the new July update, the tank position may once again veering towards the hands of the ninja thanks to the job enhancement spotlight falling on the assassins from the east. July will be adding the new job ability "Yonin," which will increase a Ninja's enmity (hate gain, for other MMO players), critical strike rating, ninjutsu tool use and evasion, but lower their accuracy. Sounds like a tanking ability to us! (Except for perhaps that accuracy down part, but we'll look past that for now.)
EA LA seeks art director for 'best project' it's ever worked on
Electronic Arts is on the hunt for an "established" Art Director to work on a "brand new" first-person shooter in the early stages of development. Under normal circumstances, we'd think this is a Medal of Honor job posting, but the listing says the director will head up "the best project we've ever worked on" -- so, well, that would need to be a really amazing genre-busting WWII shooter.We really have no idea what the game is, but it's clear that it will have ... art. In need of direction. Yes.
Want to write for us? Engadget is looking for a European editor!
Oh sure, you love gadgets -- but do you have the chops to write about them? We'd love to know if you think you do, because we're looking to actually pay people to do this stuff. Professional writing experience isn't necessary (though it doesn't hurt), but what we really care about is that you can write skillfully about gadgets with wit, concision, and authority. And being obsessed with Engadget is good, too. Here's what we're looking for right now: European editor - Part-time or full-time (freelance), must be based in Europe, preferably London. Want to apply? Read on.
Netflix on the lookout for gaming platforms engineering guru
We've heard whispers of Netflix heading to other, non-Xbox 360 game consoles before, and now adding to the susurrus is a job listing from the company for Engineering Lead - Gaming Platforms. The description calls for someone familiar with the technical hurdles of current-gen consoles for building a small team to "rapidly prototype and iterate on a variety of platforms." Whether or not this means we'll be seeing PlayStation 3 or Wii services in the near (or even distant) future is anyone's guess, but with Microsoft's version so far a streaming success, we wouldn't be surprised if the company took a few steps to increase the probability that 3 billionth delivered flick is digital.[Via Joystiq]
CEA rails on California's proposed TV energy standards, rings doomsday bell
Oh, brother -- you had to see this coming, didn't you? Soon after details of the California Energy Commission's proposed TV efficiency standards leaked out, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has fired back a shocking press release in order to sound the alarm and get people in opposition. According to its "research," setting arbitrary limits on television electricity usage will end up costing California $50 million annually in state tax revenue and will destroy some 4,600 jobs in the TV sales, distribution and installation business. In the CEA's eyes, this proposal "eliminates consumer choice and will remove 25 percent of televisions from the market." Naturally, all of these assertions pay no attention whatsoever to the environment, and while we won't bother with inserting any politics here, we'd advise hitting the read link just to see what blatant bias looks like in its purest form.
"Full-time guild director" being hired on Craigslist
It's a tough economy out there, and everyone's looking for a stable job that won't drive them nuts. Enter this kind fellow from Santa Barbara, California -- he's offering "fulltime" pay to someone willing to become a PvP guild director. Duties include picking up skilled new recruits, delivering summaries of what's been going on in the guild, and keeping tabs on raid stats, guild banking, auctions, and so on. He's got a three-box setup you can use when he's not on it (hence, the money to burn), and while pay isn't much at first, he does have plans in mind for a bonus schedule (if the guild gets three people in the top Arena rankings, you get a frozen turkey?).Pretty wild, but as long as someone is willing to pay for something (and I know a lot of guild leaders who'd love to outsource their "jobs" if they had the cash), you can turn it into a real job. And who knows -- putting "WoW Guild Director" on your resume might be really helpful. If you do get hired, be sure to let us know.[via WoW LJ]Update: Apparently Craigslist has flagged the ad for removal. Which is too bad -- despite the fact that we're posting this today, it was originally posted a few days ago. We think it's real.
Japanese company recruiting for 'PS3 flight action game'
Ace Combat has always been a PlayStation series. Well, except for that last game, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, an Xbox 360 exclusive. Many have wondered why the PS3 hasn't seen its own Ace Combat game yet -- could Namco Bandai be working on one now?A Japanese job listing is searching for a PS3 artist experienced in MAYA. This person will be responsible for creating the textures and models of jet fighters. The hiring company is not named, but the address listed is in the same area as many of Namco Bandai's Shinagawa offices.We're hopeful that Namco Bandai will bring the Ace Combat series back to PlayStation fans. If not, then PS3 owners can -- at the very least -- take comfort in knowing that some Japanese company is making a "flight action game" for our system.[Thanks, KATSU! Via PS3 FAN]%Gallery-5024%
Sparkplay LF Community Manager, PST
If you've been looking for a game that offers something off the beaten path - or a job in a gaming startup with potential in San Francisco - then you may be interested in the opportunity over at SparkPlay Media. According to a recent posting on their website, they're looking for a Community Manager for their upcoming MMO, Earth Eternal. They're looking for the normal medley of things for anyone who will work heavily as a liason between community and the internal customers; creativity, organization, communication, experience and excitement. That said, if you're in the Bay Area, have games industry experience, and are looking for a way to get into the MMO side of things, be sure to check out their job posting. For the rest of us who are just a wee bit too far away for the commute, we'll have to content ourselves with a gallery of tasty screenshots from Earth Eternal for now. %Gallery-48372%
Help wanted: Microsoft looking to fill another 'Halo' job
Microsoft is looking for a new lead designer to join its internal Halo team and "help develop a new experience in the Halo universe," says a job listing at Microsoft's site. With the franchise's jump to the RTS arena, we're wondering what could be next on the horizon for those colonial marines and their enemies, the Covenant. Halo Horse Adventurez, anyone?[Via IGN]
Vodafone to slash hundreds of jobs in Britain
Yet another company has succumbed to making tough choices in the face of a rough economy, as Vodafone is reportedly preparing to lay off "hundreds" of workers in Britain. The report stated that the cuts could come as soon as this week, and while there was no definite number given as to how many of its 10,000 employees would be asked to leave, we do know that the operator is aiming to "boost free cash flow by cutting one billion pounds of costs." Predictably, Voda declined to comment on the report, but it'll probably have to talk soon whether it wants to or not.
Sony scouting a tester for unreleased new product?
While the rumors of a PSP2 and PSP Phone have calmed down of late, they're never truly dead. According to a fluent Japanese speaker translating a Sony Japan job listing for GameSpot, the company is on the hunt for an "evaluator / assessor for a new game machine." More specifically, that elusive machine is said to be a "part of the PlayStation or PSP series and their peripherals." The listing goes on to state that the lucky winner will "be part of an advisory staff that will play PlayStation series software on this new machine and check its functionality," and they'll also be able to "test game machines not yet released or new functionality of PS3 peripherals before they are released." From there, it's up to your imagination to determine what exactly this could be alluding to, but we're setting our expectations remarkably low as to not be disappointed.[Via GameSpot]
Blizzard LF numbers geek, pst
If your idea of fun in playing World of Warcraft is to mine the auction house or raid buffers for statistics and then turning them over every which way, then Blizzard may have a job that's of interest to you. Admittedly, the best candidate would also have a degree in "computer science, statistics, operations research, industrial engineering, and mathematics, or business administration, marketing, or management with strong quantitative focus" but we're sure there are some WoW Insider readers who fit their Data Analyst posting bill. Sure, it may not be the most glamorous position ever offered, but it's still working for Blizzard - and in this case, working away from the front lines. Think of the perks; the awesomeness of being able to get in on Blizzard games well before anyone else gets to; the cool gifts that Blizz seems to like to give employees; the ability to get in to BlizzCon without having to play tag with the mrglrfrling Failoc. All that, and hey - it's translating numbers to non-number-geek English, which seems to be a passion amongst many of the numbers geeks I know. So if you've got the chops and are looking for a job many would envy you for, what are you waiting for? Get to applying - and good luck![Via Virtual Economy Research Network]
VUDU looks to integrate with TVs, DVD players
VUDU's been doing its darnedest of late to keep up with the slew of rivals looking to steal away every piece of market share they can, and a recent report over at CEPro sheds a little light onto how the company plans to both stay afloat and take off. As with most every other outfit, VUDU has also suffered through a few rounds of layoffs. Currently, the company employs about 50, which is down from a high of around 110. Co-founder Tony Miranz seems pretty optimistic about the future, though, noting that the outfit is being "bombarded with inquiries" from potential partners. Speaking of which, he also asserted that VUDU was -- at its heart -- a software company, and thus it was currently looking to integrate its top-shelf UI and movie delivery network into HDTVs, DVD / Blu-ray players and other standalone boxes. It's tough to say how such a shift would affect the firm. On one hand, you've got CinemaNow barely breathing, while Netflix has managed to execute this plan to perfection. Go on VUDU, roll the dice -- we'll be watching.[Thanks, Ben]
Why you should be playing Final Fantasy XI: The corsair class
"Why you should be playing ..." is a free form column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we play what we do! They keep telling me that gambling has no place on the battlefield. Battlefields are the places of warriors, mages, paladins, thieves, and rangers. You need to have a sword in your hand or a spell at the ready, because things can go from calm to chaotic in seconds. There's no time to play games when life and death is on the line, especially when a death can cause lost experience points.Whoever said gambling has no place on the battlefield probably never met Final Fantasy XI's dice rolling, card throwing pirate class -- the corsair. The class where your buffs are based on a little skill, a little intuition, and all the luck the party can lend.
Sony to shutter Japanese TV plant as part of restructuring efforts
Hey Sony -- we know that experiencing your first annual operating loss in 14 years calls for drastic measures, but this is bordering on downright rash. Barely a month after announcing that 16,000 employees would be axed, Sony has now revealed plans to close one of its two television plants in Japan and rid itself of 2,000 domestic full-time jobs as it attempts to "revive its electronics business." Of note, it's stated that those 2,000 -- which seem to be a part of the previously mentioned 16,000 figure -- will be shed via "early retirement and other programs." Just think what a 40-inch XEL-1 would do for business. No, seriously Sony, just think.[Image courtesy of DigitalWorldTokyo]
Creative axes 2,700 jobs, simultaneously lowers expectations for Zii
While the hype is bubbling over surrounding Creative's Zii "stemcell computing," the outfit obviously doesn't think whatever it is will turn things around. Instead, it has chosen to cut some 2,700 jobs -- nearly half of its workforce -- as "demand for its music players tumbled." According to a report filed to Singapore's stock exchange on December 31, 2008, the company had 3,100 full time employees at the end of June 2008, which is around 47% lower than what was posted a year prior. 'Course, we suppose the cuts aren't all that surprising after posting a net loss of $19.7 million on the lowest revenues in five years, but it still makes us wonder just how confident the company is about this whole Zii dealio.[Thanks, Grayson]
Breakfast Topic: Will work for Blizz
I've often thought I'd do just about anything to work at Blizzard. I mean, with offices that look like this, working on one of your favorite games - who wouldn't? But then I think about my many years spent in the trenches as both rep and management at various IT/Internet jobs, and I'm no longer sure that I'd do anything to work there. You see, the one group I don't envy are those on the front lines of customer service. Much like the story from Thursday in which we learned about a rep having to deal with a kid and his suicide threat when he ostensibly didn't get what he wanted, CSRs, GMs and CMs deal with very frustrating situations every day. But there again, it is Blizzard, and I'd be lying if I said most people I know wouldn't give their [insert requisite body part] to work there, just to experience the culture and be part of the company that makes some truly awesome games. The sheer coolness of the company and a lot of their outward facing policies seems like being part of that team would more than make up for any abuse you might get as a trade-off. How about you? Would you be willing to step onto the front lines, taking every nasty, mean comment you're dealt with a smile - or carefully constructed snark? Would you be willing to work at Blizzard on the front lines? Or is that a bit too much of a figurative bulls-eye than you'd want painted on yourself?
Motorola hastens layoff plans, axes 400 earlier than anticipated
The words "job security" and "Motorola" haven't coexisted in a non-sarcastic manner for quite some time, and things just seem to be deteriorating by the day. Not even two full months after the flagging company announced that 3,000 employees would be sent packing, a new Reuters report has it that the axing process in Q4 will be accelerated. Specifically, some 1,900 (versus 1,500 as originally predicted) will be cut in an attempt to save $800 million in 2009, though there's no word on how damaging the inevitable productivity losses will be given the markedly low morale. To no one's surprise, most of the Q4 cuts will be in the mobile devices segment; we're beginning to think Sad Moto Face™ here will never, ever vanish.[Via UnwiredView]
New creatures, new jobs, new screens for Dragon Quest IX
If you want new in the next Dragon Quest, you're going to get it. It looks like Square Enix and Level-5 are making up for a long silence on the game, considering we're looking at more than two dozen (!!) new screenshots, and lots of new goodies for the title. In the recent screens, loads of new things were revealed: at least two new monsters were shown (Zucchinya and Moomon), as well as one, and maybe two new classes. While we've only seen someone labeled Bodybuilder (possibly new?), the Traveling Performer (possibly minstrel) was officially revealed. Among the performer's abilities are acrobatics and making the monster laugh ... too hard to attack, we presume. If it laughs and then kicks your ass, it's not much help. Traveling Performers would be restricted to one of the goofier faces, in a perfect world. %Gallery-15248% [Via Game Tsunami]
Singapore welcomes WoW-playing employees
As if we need more examples of how much more widely-accepted gaming is in the East than the West, a company in Singapore has recently voiced their stance on the whole issue of denying people jobs if they play World of Warcraft. According to GMP Group, a recruiting firm in Singapore, none of their clients have turned down a potential employee for playing WoW.The company's CEO, Annie Yap, acknowledges the problematic side of gaming addiction, but cites Singaporeans as "more pragmatic in thinking and attitude" as they won't allow gaming to interfere with their job. Does this mean hope for the Western attitude toward gaming? Probably not any time soon, but as the gamer generation gets older, that possibility increases.
