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Team ICO LittleBigPlanet DLC coming next week
Shadow of the Colossus in LittleBigPlanet? It's been done, but not officially. A new trailer, viewable after the break, found on the Media Molecule website suggests that official Shadow of the Colossus DLC is coming to the game next week -- maybe alongside some Ico stuff, as seen in the recently leaked image. It's unclear whether it's just costumes and props, or whether it'll be an MGS4-style pack, with levels and maybe an extra gameplay addition. We know what we're hoping for.[Thanks, Letters2Kay]
Rockstar, Media Molecule lead 2009 Develop Awards nods
Rockstar Leeds and Rockstar North, together with LittleBigPlanet dev Media Molecule have netted an impressive eleven nominations for the 2009 Develop Industry Excellence Awards, the UK's annual prize patrol for all things excellent in the industry. The Rockstar houses pocketed six of their own for work on GTA: Chinatown Wars and GTA IV: The Lost and the Damned, including nods for visual arts, technical innovation and audio. Rockstar Leeds is also up for the award for best handheld game studio, while both are in the running for being recognized as the best in-house team. Media Molecule is up for five awards as well, including best indie studio and best new IP. The Guildford studio is also up for the technical innovation award, where it's not only up against the Rockstar folks, but the teams behind Killzone 2, PlayStation Home, Football Manager Live and Fable II. We wish all nominees the best of luck and remind them not to forget to thanks their moms should they take the stage and accept an award during the July 15 ceremony.
ModNation Racers, like LittleBigPlanet on wheels
It wasn't all sequels and plugged leaks at Sony's E3 press conference. Sony also announced a new PlayStation 3 franchise called ModNation Racers, the latest in the company's Play.Create.Share lineup popularized by LittleBigPlanet. The game looks to strap LBP's overcute style and love of physics into kart racing that, according to Sony, will let players express themselves and become "superstar designers" by sharing tracks, karts and characters over the PlayStation Network.
Ico/LittleBigPlanet mash-up teaser spotted
If you've been swooned by both Team Ico's self-titled adventure/puzzler Ico and Media Molecule's DIY platformer LittleBigPlanet -- and seriously, who hasn't -- you should turn your attention to a recently discovered image depicting Sack-ified versions of Ico and Yorda, running away from an illustrated castle. A Media Molecule logo embedded in the image lends some amount of credence to the picture -- as does a recent tweet from Media Molecule which confirms it is responsibility for the art.What's the image mean, though? Is it perhaps just a doodle from one of LBP's artists? Is it a tribute to one of Media Molecule's favorite user-made levels? A hint at an upcoming costume pack? Better still, is it foretelling the coming of an Ico theme pack? We'll do our best to squeeze some answers out of Media Molecule at E3.[Via VG247]
Remaining 2000 AD LittleBigPlanet costumes revealed
The remaining three 2000 AD LittleBigPlanet costumes have now all been revealed, as you can see above. Each costume is available individually for €1.99 / $1.99 each (though Judge Dredd and Judge Anderson come as a package) or you can grab all five at a bundle price of €5.99 / $5.99. The pack also includes 17 stickers, which can be viewed in our gallery below, along with more images of each of the five costumes.This DLC pack will be available later today on both the European and American PlayStation stores.%Gallery-64354%
2000AD DLC coming to LittleBigPlanet this week
It looks like that Judge Dredd sticker pack for LittleBigPlanet may contain more than just stickers after all. Two costumes from an upcoming 2000AD DLC pack have been revealed on Media Molecule's website, with more being revealed each day until the pack is released on Thursday, May 28. Accompanying Judge Dredd, who can be seen above, will be Judge Cassandra Anderson. You can catch a glimpse of her costume after the break.No doubt we'll also be seeing the release of the Jarlsberg patch this week, which was listed on the Media Molecule patch whiteboard and has some connection to this 2000AD pack. It's probably nothing more than a patch that adds the content to the game, but you never know. Keep checking back for more costume reveals over the next few days.
Web-based LittleBigPlanet level-sharing portal coming soon
In an interview with 1UP at the Nordic Games Convention, Alex Evans revealed that a LittleBigPlanet level sharing portal will be released at some point in the near future. The portal will collect everyone's levels together, allowing players to share their levels with others by linking to an individual level page. It will also allow levels to be "queued" so that the next time you load up LittleBigPlanet, they will be displayed for easy access. Basically, the portal is going to revolutionize how you'll find levels -- and you'll never even have to touch the Search menu again.The portal will also have its own API, allowing third-party applications to be created for the service. Both the portal and API are currently being beta tested and will be out "as soon as possible." Evans also stated that a beta test group will be set up, with a small number of fans being able to give feedback on game features before they go live. Sounds to us like there's plenty more LittleBigPlanet content and features in the pipeline. We're looking forward to them.
Insomniac tweet hints at upcoming Ratchet & Clank LBP pack
A tweet sent from the official Insomniac Games twitter account seems to indicate that Media Molecule is currently working on a large Ratchet & Clank pack for LittleBigPlanet. The tweet itself is quite hard to decipher, but it does say that "R&C content" is done and that it is "coming soon hopefully." There's also a mention of more levels, which are coming, and talk of a "big pack, bigger than MGS even," which is "up next for Mm."Whether this big pack is separate from the Ratchet & Clank content is hard to tell. Either way, it's going to have to be pretty awesome if it intends to be bigger than the Metal Gear Solid pack that was released in December. We're looking forward to hearing clarification on whether this tweet is talking about one piece of DLC or not, not to mention the details of the pack itself. Hopefully we'll hear more soon.[Thanks, Daniel!]
'Medium' sized LBP packs begin with new monster-themed DLC
Monsters are heading to LittleBigPlanet this week on the PlayStation Store. The upcoming "Monster Kit" is the first of what Media Molecule calls "Medium" sized DLC packs. For $3.99 (€3.99), players will get a large number of ready made pieces, materials, decorations, sounds and stickers. In addition, the DLC pack will include a "gallery level" that shows off how to best use these items in the creation of your own levels.We do believe these "Medium" packs are a better value than previous sticker sets. However, we're still aching for something as epic as the Metal Gear Solid pack launched many months ago. Please, Media Molecule?[Thanks, Payam!]
LittleBigPlanet on Amazon UK for ten quid
Oh, look at us. Using slang terms for currency, just like the locals. If you're not too busy eatin' chips or watching EastEnders, you might want to hop on the compy and visit Amazon UK. See, they've got LittleBigPlanet on sale for £9.99 -- we're still computing the exchange rates, but we're pretty sure that equals about $1.25 in American dollar bills. If you can't bother to pick up the seventh best game to come out last year for that kind of chump change, then we're not sure we can continue this conflab.
Blizzard tops list of 2008's 'most successful' game devs
The game industry's annual popularity contest has begun making the rounds, and among game developers in 2008 there was none more in vogue than Activision stepchild Blizzard. According to Develop 100, a list of "the world's most successful games developers," the dev WoW-ed its peers from atop a mountain of money with more than a billion dollars in revenue each year from retail and online sales. Other notables on the list include 2007's top company, Nintendo, which was forced to settle for second, followed by GTA's Rockstar North in third. LEGO everything manufacturer Traveller's Tales ranked 12th on the list, while LittleBigPlanet's Media Molecule came in at a respectable 18th, the highest among indie UK studios. The complete list can be found on the official Develop 100 website. Check it out, and let us know if your personal favorites made the cut.
Judge Dredd coming to LittleBigPlanet
So that's what that mysterious whiteboard was about! Judge Dredd is getting his own sticker pack in LittleBigPlanet, one of many upcoming packs to LittleBigPlanet. According to Edge, a number of graphic artists are collaborating with Sony's community-driven platformer. Jon Burgermann is one of the first artists confirmed to be designing a few stickers for the game.Media Molecule has approached a number of artists as well, such as Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and French artist Claire Wendling. Users who download stickers will be able to get a lot more functionality in the future as an upcoming patch will allow players to create items simply using stickers. "They are so empowering those bits because you just stick them on the materials, cut it out, and you've got like a handmade character."
Free Sackboys for UK LBP YouTube channel subscribers
Residents of the UK can count themselves lucky today as their geographic location permits them a free, official wool Sackboy, courtesy of the LittleBigPlanet YouTube channel. It's easy to get your hands on yours, simply subscribe to the channel and either email or private message (via YouTube) your name and address. Sackboys will be sent out on a weekly basis, so it won't be long before you'll find yours sliding through your letterbox.The giveaway will end on July 1 and there are enough Sackboys for the first 5000 subscribers who send over their details. We're interested to see what these woolen Sackboys actually look like and whether they'll be available for purchase at a later date. Customizable, perhaps? We can only hope.[Thanks, James]
Oh my! Stephen Fry to narrate the Littler-BigPlanet
American TV audiences know Stephen Fry as Dr. Gordon Wyatt on Bones. However, gamers are most familiar with Fry for his role as LittleBigPlanet's omnipotent narrator, his soothing voice carrying gamers through all of LBP's complex level-building tutorials. It looks like he's making a return to guide portable gamers, as his Twitter confirms his involvement in the upcoming PSP version of LittleBigPlanet.A large majority of Fry's narration was featured exclusively in the PS3 game's "Create" mode. How much time Fry spent in the studio may give us some insight into how complex the creation tools will be in the PSP version. Quick, someone shoot him a tweet![Thanks, damookman]
Uniqlo launches new line of gamer tees
Your wardrobe could use a bit more gamer chic. One of Japan's more popular clothing brands is introducing a new line of t-shirts in collaboration with a number of gaming companies. The store is offering tees based on Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega-Man, PaRappa the Rapper, LittleBigPlanet, Resident Evil and more. The shirts retail for 1500 yen (about $15) each.The designs are simple, often featuring very subtle references to these gaming franchises . This way, you can make a nerdy statement without actually having to look like one.[Via Offworld]%Gallery-50590%
Live in the UK? Get LBP for cheap!
With LittleBigPlanet hovering around the £10 ($14.57) mark at several UK retailers, it's easy to see why industry execs have been critical about how quickly the isles slash software prices. Media Molecule's critically acclaimed title, which has sold two millions units globally, has a current suggested retail price of £44.99. As MCV points out, the price some retailers are selling LBP for is about the same as its official strategy guide.Meanwhile, in the US, LittleBigPlanet is still $60. Import away if you want, but keep in mind that while the game is region free, the DLC is not.
Sackboy comes to life in LittleBigRevenge machinima
Aww. LittleBigPlanet's textured protagonist sure is adorable, right? Wrong. Behind those glassy eyes lies the cold, calculating brain of a trained killer. Behind his crude stitches sleeps the twisted, Stygian heart of a madman. We've had the impression for some time that Sackboy possessed the capacity for terrible violence -- and a new LBP machinima masterpiece titled LittleBigRevenge only strengthens our fears.Produced by a Belgian amateur filmmaking crew named Seakitten Collective, LittleBigRevenge (which we've posted after the jump) shows us why one should never summon this incorrigible bastard into the physical realm -- and why one should never, ever mess with his ladyfriend. It's also one of the best pieces of machinima we've seen in a while. If this ain't crown-worthy, we don't know what is.
First wave of Sackboy figures priced and pictured
Can you put a price on cuteness? Collectibles retailer Entertainment Earth certainly has -- for the upcoming LittleBigPlanet Sackboy figures from Mezco Toyz. Turns out it's $34.99 for three doses of the cute stuff.The set, listed as "Wave 1" (as in "more on the way!"), is slightly different from what Sony first gave us a glimpse of in February. The figures are still 4" tall with various accessories (each comes standard with a Pop-it Lasso) but the roaster has changed. It now includes plain ol' Sackboy, the pigtailed Sackgirl, "Sky," and the afro-sporting "Marvin." (Sky's spot was taken by a Chinese New Year Dragon Sackboy in the original lineup.)It looks as if the release of the line has been pushed back as well. Sony originally indicated a spring arrival, while Entertainment Earth -- which is usually reliable regarding ship dates -- lists them for September. We'll be happy just to get them at all. We'd be happier yet if they were somehow made from recycled plastic ... sacks.[Via Evil Avatar]
LittleBigPlanet April DLC revealed, Cornish Yarg dated
Another catalog of LittleBigPlanet DLC has been revealed via the PlayStation Blog today. Some stuff has been pushed back and switched around, but mostly there's a whole bunch of new content, including some mythology-based mini-packs and a Rag Doll Kung Fu pack.Patch 1.12 -- otherwise known as Cornish Yarg -- will be available on April 16th. Barring unforeseen circumstances, that is. Check out the Media Molecule website for the full list of what's contained within both the patch and the upcoming "Creator Pack." Here's the DLC timetable for the next month or so: April 9: Rag Doll Kung Fu mini-pack ($5.99) April 9 (Europe): Patapon costume pack ($1.99) April 16: Monkey King costume (free) April 16 (tentative date): Cornish Yarg patch (free) April 23 (tentative date): Creator pack 1 (free) April 23: Heavenly Sword mini-pack ($2.99) April 30: Egyptian Mythology mini-pack ($2.99) May 7: Norse Mythology mini-pack ($2.99)
Sony targets collectors with licensing agreement
Sony is looking to extract some more money from European wallets through a new deal inked with Target Entertainment, who will now be the consumer product licensing agent for all PlayStation software IP. This means you could have a nice 6" tall Kratos watching over your cubicle whenever you go to refill that mug of coffee, or your own cuddly, huge Sackboy to snuggle up with every night while in bed. Really, the possibilities for merchandise are near endless here.SCEE's licensing and peripherals manager Stephanie Freeman says Sony wants "consumers to have the ability to interact with our brands and characters in ways other than just on screen. We feel Target Entertainment Group has the vibrancy and experience to help us do this successfully." No word on when these products will be making their way to market, but you should be able to stock up on Helghast target dummies and Ratchet and Clank ratchet sets soon.
