Penny Arcade
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Penny Arcade Expo exhibitor list unleashed
The exhibitor list for this year's Penny Arcade Expo has been made, checked twice, and finalized. While the past exhibitors are all still present (including favorites Pink Godzilla), the major publishers have signed up en masse. Joining Nintendo and Microsoft this year on the super-sized list of 53 exhibitors are Sony, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Sierra and Konami, among many others. Indie representation will be provided Gamecock, Telltale, and more. Is that the shadow of E3 we see before us? Full list after the break.
Penny Arcade questions Doritos Unlock Xbox contest
The guys at Penny Arcade seem a little perplexed as to the Unlock Xbox marketing campaign from Doritos. Apparently, putting together a videogame based on a tortilla chip is pushing the envelope for ridiculous ideas, intense experiences notwithstanding. While the idea of getting your Arcade title's concept published on Xbox Live Marketplace is definitely a cool one, the necessity to incorporate some Doritos branding into the gameplay does seem a little cheesy. Do you mind the product placement suggested for submissions to the contest, or do you think the opportunity is too good to complain about such details?
Readers pick best webcomic: Pac-Man secrets
Sure, Extra Life's Scott Johnson often uses Pac-Man and Mario for a topic, but the sheer combination, cleverness, and timing with the new Championship Edition give him the edge for game-related webcomic of the week.Coming in second place is Dueling Analogs and third place goes to Penny Arcade. A special kudos to Digital Unrest because we love (a) science jokes and (b) the sheer probability of the situation.Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any gaming comics you stumble upon this week! (And for those who tipped us off in Saturday's post, no worries we've got you noted.)
PA: Surf's Up not just for kids.
Major Nelson has raved about it, and now the PA crew gave it a shot and enjoy it. Surf's Up, the film-to-game adaption is actually enjoyable for adults as much as kids. Perhaps the source material actually adds to the game, the straightforward Achievements, or maybe it's the almost non existent learning curve that has pick up and play accessibility. The one thing we can learn from Gabe, though, is that just because you can have fun playing "kids games", we wouldn't recommend trying to find other kids to play with.
Tycho: Retro games shouldn't be reviewed
Sure, this may only be the fourth of the current comic streak for Xbox 360 related strips from Penny Arcade, but it definitely brings up a valid point that deserves discussion. Retro titles from our "mispent youth", as Peter Moore so elegantly put it, are usually somewhere in the neighbourhood of 15 to 25 years old. Sure, they may get reskinned with some extra pixels per sprite, but the vast majority are the same game they were when they were on early consoles or in cabinets. Should they be treated the same by reviewers as retail games, or should the fact that these are pieces of gaming history give them a little grace? After all, if you don't like retro titles, haven't played the original game, or didn't enjoy the title, you could always not buy it.
Readers pick best webcomic: extra baggage
It's the picture that sells it, really, and presentation can be just as important in a webcomic as content. Despite the usual, numerous objections in the comment section, Scott Ramsoomair's VG Cats strip took the top spot as the week's best webcomic.Coming in second place was the second Penny Arcade strip, "Retreat to the Citadel," (we favored the first strip, ourselves) while third place went to Ctrl+Alt+Del. Thanks to everyone who voted and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
Penny Arcade disses demos
With all the demos that came out last week, it's not a surprise that the Xbox 360 got a week's worth of comics from Penny Arcade. Friday's offering takes a look at some of the less than stellar offerings supplied, in the simple form of the controller layout shown during the loading screen for the fictitious demo of Starfire Saga: Laserion. Obviously this takes a jab at some of the more convoluted controllers found in games. Our favorites are the controls found for the Back, Start, and A buttons, although there are a bunch of hidden gems to be found. Any button assignments make you crack a smile, or even a smirk?
Oh teh noes!1! Not another Penny Arcade comic that relates to our site's content!
The online gaming community, or more specifically, Xbox Live has its fair share of bad apples, and based solely on its success and user base, it can be quiet easy to find prime examples in Halo 2 or even Halo 3's beta. Unfortunately, other types gaming don't have this, and when you start blurring the line between such forms of entertainment, there's bound to be a clash, right? Well, the guys at PA seem to think so with the recent announcement of Halo Clix. HBO community member turned Bungie employee KP seems pretty convinced about their source material. Does this one tickle your funny bone?
Penny Arcade takes on Shadowrun's races
Penny Arcade's latest comic takes a rather humorous look at Shadowrun's races. In particular, the Troll, and the potential hazards that the RNA Corporation has to take into account when employing such a metahuman. In Tycho's post, he gives his take on the game's party system and gameplay and continues to support and recommend the title in spite of mediocre reviews. Either way, he reminds us that the demo is coming out tomorrow. Speaking of, are any of you still on the fence going to download the demo and give it a shot? We know that some of us here and Fanboy Towers made promises in regards to giving the demo the attention it deserves.
Penny Arcade discovers Pokemon, already knew how to curse
Here's something for the grown-up Pokémon fans: after checking out Pokémon Battle Revolution at the Nintendo Media Summit, Gabe and Tycho were struck by a sudden bout of Pokémania (the uncontrollable compulsion to be the very best, like no one ever was). They both became hooked on the latest DS Pokémon. As it turns out, they often draw comic strips about video games they enjoy playing. It's a hobby of theirs.Their resulting Penny Arcade strip, titled The Coming Apokélypse, illustrates the sadistic hatred that drives every Pokémon trainer to imprison and abuse his or her adorable little creatures. We recommend it for the more seasoned trainers out there (read: not children) because dropping F-bombs is another hobby in which Gabe and Tycho dabble.
X3F H3 beta: Penny Arcade's two cents (Nyuk!)
Monday as well as today's Penny Arcade both feature Gabe and Tycho's thoughts on the Halo 3 Beta. The first comic dealt with their unexpected enjoyment of playing the beta and the adverse affects found therein. The second one takes a look at an X3F favorite, the Spartan Laser, and the hijinks that will inevitably occur upon acquisition. Tycho's news posts for both give insight into some of the highlights of the game to them. WAAACHOW!Read: The Third TimeRead: Jim BeamCheck out all the X3F Halo 3 beta coverage
Readers pick best webcomic: tryouts
For the second week in a row, 2P Start has taken the top spot as the webcomic of the week -- they've come a long way since their start on Valentine's Day. Second place goes to Penny Arcade and Extra Life takes the third place position.Thanks to everyone who voted; be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
Another celebrity joins the WoW fan club
The list of famous fans is getting longer as World of Warcraft becomes more and more popular. The first famous names I remember hearing about were a whole slew of cartoonists whose work I really enjoy: Roman Dirge (Lenore), Jhonen Vasquez (JTHM), Scott Kurtz (PVP Online), Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins (Penny Arcade), and Tim Buckley (Ctrl+Alt+Del). Now, being a long-time comic book geek myself, these guys didn't really surprise me when they said that they were playing World of Warcraft. After all, video games and comics are generally thought of as sharing space in the realm of the Geek. One of the next names did take me a bit by surprise -- that was when comedian Dave Chappelle proclaimed his love for WoW. After that, it was just a mattter of time. Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) admitted that he was a total WoW fan. Then he showed in an Eastvale Logging Camp t-shirt to the Video Game Awards, and got to introduce the world premiere of the Burning Crusade trailer to the rest of the world.But this most recent name added to the ranks is a new one to me. World of Warcraft has just gained a professional football player as a fan. In a recent interview with Nick Smith, the newly recruited offensive lineman for the New York Jets, WoW came up as a topic and he talked about his time in Azeroth. Or at least, said that he had been playing WoW until Burning Crusade came out.Yeah... I stopped playing when the expansion came out because I just couldn't keep up. Last summer though, I was like that guy in the South Park episode. I could kill anyone over and over again until they quit. It was awesome. That was pretty much all I did: eat, workout and play WoW.While I'm thrilled to see someone in professional sports join the WoW gamer fold, I honestly hope that he was just joking about being like any guy in a South Park episode. There are just certain images that really don't need to conjured up. O.o How about you? Do you know of any other famous names who play World of Warcraft? [via thejetsblog.com]
Gabe plays Catan ... at least, we think it's Gabe
Friday's Penny Arcade pertained to last week's XBLA release Catan, starting off with the revelation of Gabe, of all people, sitting down to play a round. Obviously, that's slightly out of character, although it is revealed in the accompanying podcast that Mike actually has played the real life counterpart, and much to everyone's surprise, hated the game. Today's strip is a continuation of the storyline, but no longer relates to Catan anymore, for obvious reasons. We spent the better part of our weekend trading wool for ore, what about you? Expect a full X3F review on Catan to come later this week.
Readers pick best webcomic: time to retire
Coming on strong this week is 2P Start, whose 1337 Gamerscore nets them the top honors as this week's best game-related webcomic.Coming in second place is Digital Unrest, while the third place trophy has been divided in half between Penny Arcade and VG Cats. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
PA shows the less-than-sexy side of Live
So, earlier today we gave you a guide on how to be an A-hole, which is all good and weel. While, on the other hand, the guys over at Penny Arcade told their account of running into someone who was just downright creepy. To their credit, they did show a good idea on a feature that should be added to a future dash update when filing a complaint just doesn't cut. So, make the jump, have a laugh, and maybe shed a tear for those who run into people like this daily. That all being said, if this really weirded you out, don't worry, we got something lined up for you that'll brighten your day.
Forum Post of the Day: I have never looted an epic
I am impressed by EU forumgoer Yippi. Despite having two characters at level 70, one at level 69, two more at 60, and a host of lower levels, Yippi has never even seen a world drop epic. That's enough to make you wonder if the darn things even exist! Even though, in my experience, I have to say that they do -- while leveling, I've gotten Robes of Insight, an Underworld Band, a Jeweled Amulet of Cainwyn, and I've seen (though I didn't win) a Krol Blade. Maybe I'm as lucky as Yippi is unlucky? But, I don't know... like the guys over at Penny Arcade say -- green is the new purple. Maybe missing out on those world drop epics isn't that bad after all.Interested in more forumgoer opinions? Take a look at previous forum posts of the day!
Activist lawyer drops RICO charges against Take Two, others
Phew, that was close. And to think, he almost discovered our master plans ...Infamous Miami lawyer Jack Thompson has thoroughly revised his complaint and counterclaim against Take Two. Concerning his counterclaim, Thompson shortened it from nearly 20 pages to a single paragraph that makes no mention of previous racketeering charges that listed Penny Arcade, the ESA, Joystiq, Kotaku and others as collaborators and conspirators.Of course, Joystiq was left unaware what racketeering really was, having ignored Denis McCauley's thorough explanation for enlightenment via Tycho and Gabe's funny pictures.In light of this pseudo-victory, Joystiq is celebrating with cake, ice cream and engaging in illegal business activities usually associated with organized crime.
Readers pick best webcomic: Living Achievements Vicariously
Blending real life with virtual life is usually reserved for those who think it's wise to incorporate 1337 speak into grade school essays (and shame on you for thinking Shakespeare doesn't r0x0rz j00r b0x0rz). Dueling Analogs, for splicing what makes the Xbox great with what makes ... well, we don't want to go there either way, has been crowned the winner of this week's webcomic wrapup.Second place goes to still-newbie 2P Start and third place went perennial favorites (and our rocketeering racketeering partners) Penny Arcade. Thanks to everyone who voted and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: mainstream edition
Instead of trying to fill this part with meaningless dribble (at which we rock), we've decided to take a look at the comic world through two articles from this week's stream of mainstream media.Our first article is a blurb from the Wall Street Journal's Career Journal, which recently highlighted what it would entail to choose comic-book artist as a career. Two suggestions: (1) be sure to attend conventions and network with publishers, show off your work and (2) make sure your work doesn't suck.The other piece comes from Time magazine that discusses the proliferation of webcomics. It even includes complimentary blurbs about Penny Arcade and PvP Online, credited with being one of the first webcomics. Congratulations guys!Now here are some of our picks for the week's best game-related webcomics, be sure to vote for your favorite!* Rejected Wii channels Check. It. Out. Convincing rebuttal Spectrobes, original IP Like watching paint dry Our old tricks How awesome? So awesome. Games have weird premises Living achievements vicariously * and gripe about the choices in the comments below. We know you will, we know you want to, we just hope you also suggest some of the gems we missed.
