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Wanted: a PAX attendee really good at video game trivia
If you're at Penny Arcade Expo this weekend and are really good and video game trivia, ChatterBox Video Game Radio is looking for you for a Family Feud gameshow they are hosting. We want to prove that our readership has the most expansive knowledge of video games, so leave a comment below if you fit that criteria and want to do us proud.
First East Coast PAX coming to Boston in 2010
Straight out of the mouths of Tycho and Gabe (Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins) to Joystiq: The first East Coast PAX is coming to Boston in 2010. Check back later for our full interview with the Penny Arcade duo!
The Daily Grind: What are you most excited about seeing at PAX?
Today kicks off the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington, and we here at Massively are just as excited as you are about the events, booths, panels and concerts involved with this monumental convention. In fact, we'll be at the event all weekend covering the latest and greatest in MMO news, so you can certainly be sure to look for more coverage throughout the weekend and into next week.So we want to know what you, as players, are most excited about. We want to know what it is that brings you out to this event, or what you want to see covered the most. Is it the unveiling of Lord of the Rings Online's Mines of Moria? Is it any information about Lich King? Is it continued coverage of Warhammer Online? Perhaps it's an Indie title, or the after-parties you're most interested in. Let us know!
Will Wright calls E3 a walking corpse
The latest bandwagon that people seem to be hopping onto is the "Let's bash E3" express. We've had our own prognosticator proclaiming that the video game expo is past its prime, and now Will Wright is joining in by delivering a couple of swift kicks to the ribs. Then he backed over it a few times with his car before driving to his giant Scrooge McDuck pool of money and diving in.In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, he calls the ailing conference "the walking dead" and says that the recently slenderized version of E3 from last month was "such an abrupt end to what was E3..." At least he could have bought it flowers or something while he was busy pronouncing it to be a living corpse. The nerve of some people.We're just about to get some shuteye before launching into the crazy realm of PAX 2008, and we'll see if E3 does indeed look like a zombie in comparison. Maybe all it needs is a little makeup.[Thanks, Jonah]
BlizzCon makes the must-see list
Videogame Price Charts (who?) has compiled a list of seven videogame conventions to attend before you die. Unfortunately, the list seems unattainable by design, as they want you to attend E3 before 2007, but besides last week's Leipzig Games Convention and this weekend's upcoming PAX, Blizzard's own BlizzCon is right there on the list.We're not sure why you'd want to go to BlizzCon if you didn't happen to be a fan of Blizzard's games, but then again, who isn't a fan? They list the legendary costume contest and the chance to try out PC games as reasons to go (along with meeting your guild -- I did all three at BlizzCon last year), though they forget all of the great Blizzard panels and the entertainment offered at each 'Con (where else can you see Level 70 ETC, besides, you know, in-game).Especially since it's going to be bigger than ever this year, there's no question that BlizzCon is going to be awesome. And even if you weren't able to grab a ticket (we're hearing just now that lottery winners are being notified), we'll have everything you need to know and see from Anaheim this October right here on WoW Insider.[via WorldofWar]
Custom consoles for PAX Omegathon champions
If you're one of the elite 20 Omeganauts competing in the multi-game Omegathon at this year's Penny Arcade Expo, you're eligible to win this collection of custom PAX consoles, including a Wii and two other things. If you're not one of the elite 20, you can just hope that the first and second-place winners already have consoles and decide to eBay these.For the second-place contestant, these three nicely-customized consoles will be the prize. But for the winner, these will just be a bonus to go along with the $5,000 and the Tokyo Game Show trip. Winning the Omegathon, at least, might be easier than finding a Wii in a store.
Nerdcore Rising will have its west coast premiere at PAX
Warning! There's an expletive-filled trailer below for the film Nerdcore Rising. It also features people binge drinking Yoo-Hoo, just so we have full disclosure. If you haven't heard about the movie before, it's a documentary that follows MC Frontalot on his first national tour as he goes from South Carolina to last year's PAX, where he was captured on film by our own Christopher Grant.Nerdcore, which is trying hard to become its own genre of music, features songs about everything from Dungeons & Dragons to 8-bit video games, and the film explores what that's all about with Frontalot, his band, and several other Nerdcore artists. The film premiered at SXSW in Austin earlier this year, but PAX gets the goodness of the first-ever west coast showing of the flick this Saturday at 4pm. Head below the break to see the special PAX trailer for the movie, created by director Negin Farsad and MC Frontalot himself.
Alien Crush Returns, Bomberman Blast to make American debut at PAX
Tycho and Gabe, as well as all those other game companies, must be feeling pretty insecure right now, because they're all going to be upstaged by a humble WiiWare game. Or, at least, that would be the case if this year's Penny Arcade Expo were being attended exclusively by a crowd of weirdos just like us, because Hudson will have Alien Crush Returns and Bomberman Blast on display at their booth. This will be the first official public appearance in North America by either of these games!Fishing Master World Tour and the already-released Deca Sports will also be on display. And Alien Crush Returns! Did we mention that one?%Gallery-19346%%Gallery-18349%[Via press release]
Sony to bring Resistance and free goodies to PAX
Are you going to Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) this year? Lucky you! You'll get to meet our very own Jem Alexander and you'll be able to get your dirty hands on all sorts of exclusive gaming -- never playable to the public before! PS3 fans can get in on some Resistance 2 love, while PSP owners will rush to check out Resistance Retribution. A plethora of PSN titles, such as WipEout HD, Savage Moon and Crash Commando will all be available for play. Even better -- you'll get to see live demonstrations of LittleBigPlanet and inFamous!Even if you can't make it to Seattle, don't fret -- Sony has a consolation prize for you. Visit PlayStation.com when the show begins on August 29th, and you can win a PS3 prize pack. Find out more here.
The Digital Continuum: Memoirs of a WAR beta tester
I've given my thoughts on the Dark Elf section of Warhammer Online, but now that the whole NDA is lifted I can finally speak about my experience with the beta as a whole. I've been in it for a long time. A really long time, in fact. We're talking about, well, since the thing started. Which gives me something more to say than the typical tester talking about this game. In my time interacting as a member of the beta community with Mythic -- concerning Warhammer Online, of course -- I think I've seen more progress made on any MMO in the span of about a year than I have in any other in beta. And I've been in a lot of them.So what's the big deal? New MMOs are always facing the issue of going up against World of Warcraft's several years of polishing. Everyone has always wondered what it would take to deal with that issue, too. Mythic seems to have decided it will take raw, unadulterated determination. The kind that a child displays when presented with the opportunity to have a new toy. It also helps to have a license that Blizzard themselves once attempted to acquire because of its depth. Ironic? Only if WAR really does take a big chug out of the World of Warcraft milkshake.
The Daily Grind: PAX or Dragon*Con?
On one side, we have the Penny Arcade crew. Gabe and Tycho are much loved, and for good reason. Penny Arcade continues to be one of the most kick-ass comics out there for gamer culture, and their commentary runs the gamut from deep to hilarious. On the other hand, we have Dragon*Con, with 21 years of everything from pen & paper RPGs to cosplay to stars of the big and little screens. As we've heard it described -- "if a geek ever looked at something and said 'cool', it's probably represented at Dragon*Con." The folks in charge of running Dragon*Con put on approximately 850 hours of panel programming over four days on everything from anime to MMOGs to writing for over 40,000 attendees annually. The only problem is that both PAX and Dragon*Con have unfortunately landed on the same weekend this year, and it looks like this may be a continuing tradition. So for this morning, we thought we'd ask what your travel plans are for next week. Will you be attending PAX in Seattle, soaking up the gamer culture with Gabe and Tycho? Or will you be heading for Dragon*Con in Hotlanta, the East coast spot for all things geeky pop culture? (For those of you not going to either, have no fear; Massively will be on the ground at both conventions, bringing you all the news!)
The Conduit to be showcased in Nintendo's PAX booth
A justifiably enthused High Voltage Software sent out a press release today announcing that not only would their FPS The Conduit be presented in the expo floor at this year's Penny Arcade Expo, but that it will be shown in Nintendo's own booth. "We are incredibly honored to be featured there at Nintendo's booth," said Chief Creative Officer Eric Nofsinger. "It's a fantastic opportunity for us to receive input and feedback directly from other gamers."Could Nintendo be publishing The Conduit? Or are they just using The Conduit as an attraction, to get the super-hardcore PAX crowd over to Nintendo's booth so they can play Wii Music? We also wonder why, if The Conduit does have a publisher, High Voltage hasn't said who it is? The identity of the company releasing your game isn't the usual teaser material.%Gallery-25003%
Guild Wars announces PAX tournament prizes
With gaming expo season also comes live tournament season to most of these events. During the Penny Arcade Expo's event later this month, ArenaNet plans on continuing their trend of hosting competitive Guild Wars tournaments with some great contests held at the ArenaNet/NCsoft booth, and also at their VIP after-party. As we previously reported, this party will be held at the Gameworks across the street from the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle.These contests include a 2v2 tournament and a Rollerbeetle racing tournament. The prizes range from ATI graphics cards, laser mice, gaming keyboards, character slots, bonus unlock packs and more! Head on over to the main GW website for more info on each of these prizes.
News from the Wider MMO World: August 19, 2008
The MMO genre is more than World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. Here's what's going on in the rest of the world.Battleground Europe launches new websitePlaynet Inc.'s Amy-Lynn Engelbrecht informs us that the destination site for Cornered Rat Software's World War 2 MMO, Battleground Europe, has gotten a significant makeover. With a focus on providing information that's more helpful to members of its strong and active community, the new updated site also features an RSS feed for news, or the option to receive regular updates by Feedburner email. Join up and fight with a 14-day free trial!Ankama Games announces new Wakfu featuresThe spiritual and temporal successor to Ankama's previous title Dofus, Wakfu is an up-and-coming 2D MMO with a currently unreleased launch date. However, bits and pieces of news trickle out from time to time, such as the following: There will be an Enchantment profession, in which items are dismantled for their runes, then grafted onto new items for special powers. Taking a page from World of Warcraft?Secondly, Wakfu will have no NPCs to offer quests. Instead, the game will have "Dynamic Challenges" -- quests that arise when environmental conditions are right, such as time, area, etc. The types of Challenges include Kill, Ecosystem, Social, and Discovery. Each will be available in both solo and team play.
Left 4 Dead visits PAX, goes on a worldwide tour
Exciting news fanboys! Left 4 Dead - Valve's co-op zombie survival game that we totally gushed about during E3 - will be going on a world tour, allowing gamers from across the globe to witness what a true zombie co-op experience is like. We've been informed that the PC version of Left 4 Dead will be playable at the German Leipzig Games Convention, France's Festival du Jeu Video and the UK's PC Gamer Showdown. And about the Xbox 360 version? Attendees of the Penny Arcade Expo will get a chance to see the debut of the 360 version of Left 4 Dead and snag some free swag! And wouldn't you know, X3F be attending PAX this year! Coincidence? We think not. After taking Left 4 Dead for a survival horror test drive during E3 2008, we came away quite impressed! Read our E3 Left 4 Dead impressions to learn why Valve's latest zombie masterpiece will have you screaming with bloody enjoyment.
Left 4 Dead going on world tour
Not unlike the unfortunate victims and eventual accomplices in a zombie apocalypse, Valve's Left 4 Dead will soon be spreading across the world, exposing itself to clamoring crowds of pale-skinned, physically sluggish moaners. The cooperative shooter will be hosted in playable form at several upcoming gaming events, giving folks like you the chance to experience what we've been raving about. Here's where you can give the game a good go: Leipzig Games Convention (Germany, 20-24 August) Penny Arcade Expo (Seattle, USA, August 29-31) -- Xbox 360 version debut Festival Du Jeu Video (France, 26-28 September) PC Gamer Showdown (UK, 27-28 September) As if mowing down hordes of zombies on your way to the Left 4 Dead booth wasn't incentive enough to go play, Valve has promised that its people will be nearby to dispense information and game "memorabilia." Very nice! All we got at E3 were some mints.[Via press release]
PAX schedule gets posted, devoured, fretted over
PAX 2008 is less than three weeks away, and they've finally released their schedule. The best way to describe it is chock full of goodness. There's something for everyone in here, with panels like, "History of Harmonix: THE ROCKENING" and "Writing For Video Games," but we imagine all the attention will be focused on the "How To Get Your Girlfriend Into Gaming" panel at 11:30 AM on Sunday. Of course, that conflicts with the Wil Wheaton panel, so you're going to have to choose your poison.Joystiq will be there frantically trying to clone ourselves so we can cover as much as possible. There should be some surprise announcements, plenty of hands-on gaming action (including a lot of tabletop games), and of course The Omegathon! Stay tuned to Joystiq during PAX, August 29th through the 31st for as much coverage as we can pack in.
PAX 2008 event schedule released
Gaming convention season is upon us and perhaps one of the largest of these is the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington. This being the fifth annual PAX, the turnout promises to already crush the numbers from the previous years combined. In anticipation of the event, every bit of news concerning the attendees and panel information is welcomed with open arms... and giddy screaming.Yesterday, the PAX folks released their tentative schedule of events in pdf format on their forums. This includes the usual general gaming panels, but also a few interesting ones for MMOs. There's a panel with ArenaNet on three years of Guild Wars, one on NCsoft, one on the MMO and Virtual World business, and many more. Check out the forum announcement containing the pdf link and good luck with the planning!
Turbine announces player gathering at PAX
Now that the Penny Arcade Expo is right around the corner, we're hearing more and more about these after parties held by game developers. First there was the news of ArenaNet's party at Gameworks Seattle, right across the street from the Washington Convention Center, and now we get news of Turbine holding a party at the same location, the night before.The Turbine party will be from 7pm - 9pm local time on Friday, August 29th, 2008. Those in attendance will include Asheron's Call Producer Crowley, LotRO Executive Producer Nigellian, LotRO: Mines of Moria Producer Eldrad, the enigmatic Marketroid, Community Team members Patience and Frelorn, and more! %Gallery-18340%
Omegathon 2008 lineup includes Peggle, Boom Blox, Rock Band, Jenga
The 2008 Penny Arcade Expo Omegathon V lineup has been revealed and it feels surprisingly casual. There's no Doom or Quake title like we've seen in every previous Omegathon. Also new: starting the first round with a non-board game (Jenga has been pushed to round 5). Here's the list: Round 1: Peggle Round 2: Boom Blox Round 3: Pictionary Round 4: Rock Band (Our guess is Rock Band 2) Round 5: Jenga Final Round: *** TOP SECRET *** The 20 Omeganauts have already been chosen (congratulations to any Joystiq readers who made the cut!); first prize this year is a trip for two to the Tokyo Game Show with all expenses paid and $5,000 in "walking around money."While last year's Omegathon skipped the previous tradition of using a classic retro title (Pong, Combat, Tengen Tetris), every year has featured an id Software shooter. With Rage, Doom 4 and the new Wolfenstein looking unlikely, we're trying to think of another potential, unreleased FPS that could top last year's surprise Halo 3 inclusion. If Tycho and Gabe are looking to make our heads explode, maybe they can get Duke Nukem Forever. We won't find out until minutes before the final round on Sunday, August 31 at 4:30 PM PT. In the meantime, check out the list of past Omegathon lineups, and feel free to make your own and play along at home.
