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Sony creates Third Party Production division
Sony created a new division with the purpose of bringing third party games to its platforms, Vice President of Third Parties Adam Boyes announced during the PlayStation Indie Arcade event at PAX Prime today. During the event, Boyes elaborated on how the division came about, and it started with the desire to bring Borderlands 2 to Vita. "We realized that we had to build an entire division in order to make Borderlands 2 on Vita happen," Boyes said. To create the division, Sony hired Gio Corsi, former lead producer at LucasArts and executive producer of the now-halted Star Wars 1313. "The big vision there was for us to be able to take these IPs from publishers and famous IPs that people love and then let developers work with it," Boyes said. Iron Galaxy Studios, developers of the recently-released fighter Divekick, will develop Borderlands 2 on Vita.
PAX Prime 2013: Hands-on with The Crew
I originally learned about The Crew from friends rather than from gaming hype. "Ask them if we can walk around on foot!" they hounded me. They're all anticipating The Crew, and when I showed up to Ubisoft's PAX Prime booth earlier today, I realized they aren't alone: Hordes of people were lined up to play Ubisoft's MMO racer. Naturally, I decided to try my luck. But sorry, guys -- you can't walk around on foot.
PAX Prime 2013: Dragon's Prophet adds frontier system, new zone, and mounted combat
The timer only has a few days left until Dragon's Prophet emerges from its beta cocoon and becomes a fire-breathing butterfly. Does that faze the devs? Not so much; they're quite excited to take this dragon-taming MMO to the big leagues. You might think you know everything about Dragon's Prophet from our hands-on impressions, although that's just part of the story. The team is adding a serious amount of new content and fixes for launch day that nobody's seen yet... and we've got the full scoop.
Monster Loves You on iOS and Android this October
Monster Loves You, Dejobaan Games' ferociously charming adventure game, will arrive on iOS and Android this fall. The game launched on Steam in March, and is available for $9.99. Dejobaan told Joystiq at PAX Prime that the studio is aiming for an October 10 release date for the mobile version of Monster Loves You. Describing how the game evolved on PC, Dejobaan Games' Ichiro Lambe said that the month Monster Loves You launched on Steam, it underwent changes from being a "life simulator" to a choose-your-adventure game, cutting a number of the game's elements out entirely. Choices made by players in the game affect different personality traits, from kindness to honesty, shaping the arc of the game's story, which Lambe said is a carry-over from its original life simulation ambitions.
The Daily Grind: What can PAX Prime 2013 do for you?
August is always a patchwork of gaming conventions, and since August is almost over, that makes this weekend's PAX Prime the last major gaming con of the year (if you don't count BlizzCon, anyway). In fact, PAX is one of the best cons for MMO and MOBA fans. This year, Massively's sending Justin Olivetti, Patrick Mackey, and Jasmine Hruschak to PAX, and we've overloaded them with games to cover. Both Guild Wars 2 and Final Fantasy XIV are hosting massive off-site events; The Elder Scrolls Online and WildStar will be out in force with hands-on demos on the show floor itself. Naturally, we'll be checking out SOE's lineup -- EverQuest Next, Dragon's Prophet, and DC Universe on the PS4 -- as well as The Crew, The Repopulation, Wander, Guns of Icarus, and Wargaming's roster. We've even booked our MOBA expert to check out Smashmuck Champions, SMITE, Strife, Infinite Crisis, and the League of Legends NA regionals. Now you know what we're hoping to see. What are you hoping to see (other than "let me in the beta!")? Which games do you wish were going? What do you want to see from the big-name MMOs, launched, relaunched, and not-yet-launched, and the little indies? What announcements weren't made at Gamescom last week that really ought to land at PAX before the last pre-holidays convention opportunity is gone? 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!
Where is my Heart? Oh, it's on PC and Mac next month
Die Gute Fabrik's indie platformer Where is my Heart? will arrive on PC and Mac in September through Steam and the Humble Store, and then on Linux at a later date. The game launched as a PlayStation Mini in November 2011 for PS3, PSP and Vita. Where is my Heart? has players guiding a family of forest spirits that live in a tree whose roots hold the world together. The game's environment is also broken into square segments that shuffle around, adding a puzzling element to the family's journey. The PC/Mac version will include a new menu system and levels. Die Gute Fabrik hasn't listed a price for Where is my Heart? yet. It will be playable in the meantime at PAX Prime in Seattle this weekend, at booth number 866 located in the Indie Megabooth (along with over 80 other games).
SOE publishes panel schedule for PAX and Dragon Con
Going to PAX or DragonCon this weekend? Excited for news about the EverQuest franchise or SOE's other MMORPGs? You should check out the firm's convention schedule, then, because there's a little something for everyone. Whether you're hungry for EverQuest Next tidbits, you're looking to break into the game industry, or you're wanting to brush up on your online gaming history, SOE has a developer panel with your name on it. And of course don't forget to check in with Massively through the weekend and on into next week as our on-site staffers bring you the best DragonCon and PAX scoops! Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 30th to September 2nd, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2013. Whether you're dying to know more about WildStar, The Elder Scrolls Online, EverQuest Next, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Escape Goat 2 pushes its release date baa-ck from Sept. 10
Escape Goat 2 developer Ian Stocker has rammed back the game's release date from September 10 to an undecided day after that, which he will announce after PAX. Stocker announced the September launch date in July, and at the time, that seemed absolutely doable, he writes – but recently, the map system got in the way. The original Escape Goat has a hub-based world, but Escape Goat 2 was designed with a flat world map, with rooms connected and curling around each other. Playtesters at Casual Connect – an expo held right after Stocker announced the release date – prompted him to reorganize some stages, a feat that was easy to do in Escape Goat. Not so in Escape Goat 2. "With rooms locked into specific positions, things become very rigid," Stocker says. "Inserting a room in a series throws off half the rest of the map, which then needs to be reordered. For about 10 days this month, map organization was where I spent the bulk of my time .... What I decided on is kind of a hybrid between the EG1 and original EG2 map system." Stocker says that while it'd be possible to hit the September 10 launch date, the game simply wouldn't be polished to the level he'd like: "We've put 10 months into this project. As much as I want to release it to the world soon, I believe that delaying is the right move to make .... If you're at PAX this weekend, be sure to drop by and play the build. And if you are a pre-orderer, I can apologize to you in person, or try to bribe you with one of our shiny new 1.25 inch buttons." Escape Goat 2 will be in PAX Prime's Indie Megabooth, as part of its "Minibooth" section.
PAX Prime 2013: Wargaming plans presence and presents
If you are heading out to PAX Prime in Seattle this weekend, you'll have the opportunity to drop by the Wargaming booth and get your hands on World of Tanks on the Xbox 360 and World of Warplanes. Located at exhibit space 132 and 232, Wargaming's booth will have 30 playable gaming stations set up for attendees to play the games on. If playing the games isn't enough of an incentive to drop by, how about this one: The studio also plans hourly giveaways for the chance to win a variety of gaming hardware. [Source: Wargaming press release]
Twitch live stream schedule for PAX Prime
Unable to attend PAX Prime in Seattle, Washington this weekend? Well, you can still partake in many of the festivities through the modern marvel that is the internet. Streaming website Twitch has uploaded a full schedule of content spanning the extended weekend, with various events hosted at its own booth every 20 minutes. There are also streams dedicated to panels in the Main and Kraken theaters. Joystiq will be on-hand at PAX Prime this year, ready to relay all of the big news and our own impressions from this year's lineup of games. PAX Prime begins on the morning of Friday, August 30 and runs through Monday, September 2.
Ubisoft tackles eSports with 'The Next Level' competition at PAX Prime
Ubisoft is set to enter the eSports market with "The Next Level," a livestreamed gaming competition debuting this weekend at PAX Prime in Seattle. The Next Level features a selection of Ubisoft-published games, offering prizes ranging from scholarships to trips to upcoming events. The contest is aimed at players of all skill levels, and branches out from traditional eSports offerings with competitions for the motion-sensing dance sim Just Dance 2014 and the free-to-play RPG The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot. The PAX Prime event will also host challenges for Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, The Crew, and Rayman Legends. "The Next Level brings all the elements of eSports style competition that make it engaging and fun to watch but tests player's skills with challenges in different games and genres opening up the playing field to anyone interested in competitive gaming," said Josh Milligan, Ubisoft's senior director of player engagement. After PAX Prime wraps up, Ubisoft will continue The Next Level with online competitions and upcoming events at E3 and New York Comic-Con.
The Nexus Telegraph: The impact of WildStar's new release window
It merited only a footnote when the business model was announced, and it was easy to miss for all of the screaming between players who refused to listen to the other sorts of players, but WildStar isn't aiming for a 2013 release any longer. Not that this is exactly a shock, of course; I said about a month ago that I would prefer to just be told that the game wouldn't release until 2014, which already looked to be the case. But there's something interesting to be unpacked with that almost offhand mention of the game's targeted release date, especially when you consider how many huge holes there are in our present knowledge of the game. We'll learn more at the end of the week as PAX Prime starts up, but I find myself filling in some blanks both in terms of upcoming revelations and what we've not been told yet.
FFXIV: A Realm Reborn plans launch party for PAX Prime
Ready to do the Chocobo Shuffle? The Mog Twist? Some Limit Breakdancing? Then you'll need to hightail it to next week's PAX Prime, where the crew of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will be throwing a two-day launch party. The festivities start on Friday, August 30th and continue through the next day in the Seattle Ballroom at the Red Lion Hotel. The devs will show up to make their grand remarks, followed by autograph sessions, contests, raffle drawings, and hands-on gameplay sessions. It's here that you'll get to see FFXIV, not in the main PAX exhibit hall, so make plans accordingly if you want to be part of the celebration! [Source: Square Enix press release]
ArenaNet reveals its PAX schedule, GW2 PvP invitational teams
Going to PAX Prime or PAX Dev? Love Guild Wars 2? Well, check out ArenaNet's schedule to see if any of the studio's panels or panelists tickle your fancy. There's a little something for everyone whether you're interested in video game story, content delivery, or breaking into gaming. In other Guild Wars 2 news, the game's official website has been updated with a look at the PvP Invitational Tournament teams.
Guild Wars 2 throws anniversary bash at PAX
ArenaNet is throwing its own mini-convention during PAX this month. The studio's rented out the Madison Ballroom in downtown Seattle's Renaissance Hotel to throw a grand anniversary bash for Guild Wars 2. The event takes place on Saturday, August 31st in the afternoon and all of the evening. The anniversary bash kicks off with an address by President Mike O'Brien, followed by a sneak peek play session of exclusive new content, a panel on the living world of the game, a PvP invitational tournament, and a fun party. It is first-come, first-served and the event has limited capacity. Can't come? Don't worry: ArenaNet will be livestreaming the event of anyone who would like to attend virtually. [Thanks to Paul for the tip!]
Indie Megabooth at PAX Prime: Aztez, Reus, Hotline Miami 2, 80 more
Indie Megabooth is poised to take over PAX Prime 2013 with more than 80 games, including titles off of the following list: Anodyne, Aztez, Audiosurf 2, Bit.Trip Runner 2, Contrast, Crypt of the Necrodancer, Don't Starve, Electronic Super Joy, Foul Play, Gravity Ghost, Hate Plus, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, Legend of Dungeon, Luftrausers, Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Reus, Monster Loves You, N++, Scale, Secrets of Rætikon, Sportsfriends, That Dragon Cancer, The Stanley Parable and Where is My Heart? That's not even half of it. Indie Megabooth also has the Indie Minibooth space, featuring booths that developers can share, splitting costs and fitting in more games. The Minibooth includes Cannon Brawl, Death Road to Canada, Escape Goat 2, Lost Toys, Mushroom 11, Spellirium, Moonlighters and other alphabetically ordered titles. A space with games hand-picked by organizers is on its way. Indie Megabooth also has a shiny new website featuring all of the PAX Prime 2013 games and a map of the booth layout. It's historically the largest booth at PAX Prime, but still Megabooth organizers get more submissions than they can handle every year, marketing volunteer Rami Ismail told Joystiq at E3. Full-time Indie Megabooth Overlord Kelly Wallick is off to Germany this year, finalizing plans to bring the booth to Gamescom in the future. Indie gaming never looked so fun (and busy): Check out the list of announced PAX Prime 2013 games below.
WildStar primps for convention appearances
WildStar's dance card is quite full this month, as Carbine is heading to both Gamescom and PAX Prime for promotions, hobnobbing, and public demos. First up is Gamescom, where the devs will be present at the NCsoft booth (Hall 8, Booth #B030), showing off the Chua and Mordesh races and a couple of new zones. The team is throwing a party that Friday at the Marriott Koln that is first-come, first-served. Up next is PAX Prime, where the devs and demo will be at booth #642 for the curious and beta-envious. Carbine's hosting a panel at PAX on Saturday, August 31st, which will be livestreamed for those who can't attend. There will be a PAX party as well later that night at the Hard Rock Café, so Massively encourages those who attend to drink and demo responsibly.
PAX 10 stars Gunpoint, Ridiculous Fishing, Towerfall, more
The PAX 10 is a decadent lineup of the year's top indie games, as chosen by a panel of 50 industry experts and primed to be featured at PAX in Seattle, Washington. This year's list reads as follows: Avalanche 2: Super Avalanche, Badland, Escape Goat 2, Gunpoint, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, Owlboy, Ridiculous Fishing, Rogue Legacy, Sokobond and Towerfall. We're particularly tickled about Gunpoint, which we think "oozes creativity;" Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, which is "too cute to be depressing," and Ridiculous Fishing, which earns five stars with flying colors (and fish). The entire lineup offers a hefty hunk of indie gaming goodness, and you can find them all at PAX Prime in Seattle from August 30 to September 2.
Mew-Genics, official comic debuting at Pax Prime
Team Meat's new, characteristically adorable/disturbing cat-lady sim Mew-Genics will be on display and playable for all of the hot, teeming masses attending Pax Prime in Seattle this August. This will be the game's first exhibition at any tradeshow or convention, in addition to the debut of its companion comic book. The 28-page black-and-white comic is "packed to the brim with funformation," according to Team Meat's announcement, and it (along with the game itself and "other fun stuff") can all be found at Team Meat's official booth.
Indie Megabooth is so popular it has to add shared spaces, more changes
Indie Megabooth has a problem. It's not something that's easy to bring up in polite conversation. Like a friend complaining that he has two dates in one night, or someone pouting because she has too much ice cream, the problem could easily be misconstrued as a humblebrag and brushed aside. But it's a serious issue. Indie Megabooth is too popular. "One of the problems we were running into, is that the amount of submissions that we have this year far exceeds what we can support," Indie Megabooth marketing mastermind Rami Ismail tells Joystiq. This is a major roadblock because Indie Megabooth's goal is to promote the full spectrum of independent games. Even though the Megabooth takes up the most space of any exhibit on the PAX East and Prime show floors, it isn't enough to give every willing developer a spot. Indie Megabooth hosts 40 - 60 developers at each show – that's larger than Sony's booth at E3 – but this year, 150 developers submitted 200 games for consideration, Ismail says. "We just don't have space for that," he says. Luckily, Indie Megabooth has a solution. Or two.
