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The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile dev diary channels the MTV spirit of old
The guys at Ska Studios must be big Kurt Loder fans (we're totally Team Serena Altschul!), because this dev diary for The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile is straight outta the '90s. The video takes us on a tour of founder James Silva's pad (just like MTV Cribs!), which is great for all of you stalker types out there -- and even greater for those of you curious to see how an indie studio is livin'. The video also introduces the newest member of Ska Studios, "art unicorn" Michelle. Hey, aren't unicorns supposed to have horns on their heads? False advertising, lady!
The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile bites into XBLA on April 6 for $10
James Silva has finally dated his sequel to The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai and it's coming just in time for Easter. On April 6, The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile will debut on Xbox Live Arcade for 800 MS Points ($10), complete with 3D functionality. Sorry, dish soap not included. PAX East attendees will be the first to sample the final build of the game, which Ska Studios will have available at its booth. A few of the luckier attendees will even be able to snag some preliminary download codes. %Gallery-86333%
The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile gets 3D support [update: new trailer and screens]
Microsoft's February Showcase is underway in San Francisco, and with it comes news that upcoming XBLA action title The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile is getting the 3D treatment. MS hasn't released details on exactly how the tech will be implemented, though it's worth noting that the game itself uses 2D sprites. We've got boots on the ground at the showcase, so hopefully we'll get a chance to see it first hand. Update: Find new screens in the gallery below and a trailer after the break. %Gallery-117545%
Zombies and Pterodactyls 20XX (aka ZP2KX) is the latest Xbox Live Indie from Dishwasher dev
Dishwasher: Dead Samurai developer Ska Studios knows how to make a game stand out on the Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace; afterall, it's the same rule that applies to just about every successful video game in the history of the art form. Add zombies. Ska's Xbox Live Indie debut was I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1N IT!!!1 which, despite its humble origins and unique spelling, managed to sell 308K copies as of last August. At $1 a pop, after Microsoft's 30% cut, that leaves a healthy $215K – not a bad take for the one-person shop. For his Xbox Live Indie Games followup, Ska Studios' James Silva is playing fast and loose. Gone are the old days when it was as simple as making a game with zombies in it. That's just not enough anymore. Enter: Pterodactyls. Zombies and Pterodactyls 20XX (or, as they'd like you to abbreviate it, ZP2KX) appears to be a multiplayer-focused title with staples such as jetpacks, capture the flag, deadly rainbows and Africanized bee-ammunition. And like Z0MB1ES, ZP2KX will be just $1 when it's released next week during the indie-organized (and seasonally co-opted!) "Indie Games Winter Uprising." Full press and trailer after the break.%Gallery-108144%
The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile preview: hobbyist graduated
The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai was a smash hit on Xbox Live Arcade and rightfully so. But now there's a sequel coming next year and, with it, higher hopes. The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile stars a new protagonist, adds a bevvy of new challenges and, perhaps most importantly, runs on a brand-new engine.%Gallery-86333%
I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1N IT!!!1 sells 308K copies, now on Rock Band Network
While there are some that would write off Xbox Live Indie Games as just the domain of hobbyists, a handful of games have proven that the service can be lucrative for developers. Ska Studios' I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1N IT!!!1 is easily one of the most well-known examples, routinely topping the Indie Games sales list each week. Now, the company has announced that Z0MB1ES has sold in excess of 308,000 copies and is expanding into some new territory. First, the game's incredibly super-catchy theme song is now available on Rock Band Network. And yes, it's just a dollar. Furthermore, Z0MB1ES apparel will be sold in Hot Topic stores starting next month. Presumably for more than a dollar. Xbox.com: Add ZOMB1ES full song to your Xbox 360 download queue ($1)
Charlie Murder 'sells out' to Xbox Live Arcade in 2012
Charlie Murder's punk-rock adventure will now debut on Xbox Live Arcade in 2012, Ska Studios has revealed to Joystiq exclusively. Originally announced as an Xbox Live Indie Game, the beat-em-up was taken out of the indie lineup without reason following an appearance at PAX East 2010. As suspected, Charlie Murder will be pushed into the spotlight with a full XBLA release, alongside the previously scheduled end of the world in 2012. While Ska Studios jokingly claimed development of the title had been put on hold while the game's stars could enter a rehab facility, developer James Silva revealed Charlie is getting a "complete overhaul" from its original vision. "We're going back to development for awhile so we can build tons of new content for Charlie Murder, to give gamers an XBLA-caliber, mayhem-infused, punk rock experience," Silva told Joystiq, while presumably ignoring "rules" and "not caring what you think." Like Duke Nukem and Alan Wake before it, Charlie Murder joins the club of delayed games named after their protagonists. At least Ska Studios is hard at work on another project in the meantime. %Gallery-83449%
XBL Deal of the Week: The Dishwasher Dead Samurai for $5
As Xbox Live Deals of the Week go, this week's is pretty darn good. This week only, Xbox Live Gold members can enjoy the violent, bloody fun of The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai for only five bucks -- fully half off the title's standard price of $10. Not a bad deal for one of the better action games on XBLA, and the perfect excuse to get acquainted with the titular character before the (still undated) release of the game's sequel, The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile. Remember, you'll have to be signed into Xbox Live Gold to see the discount. Xbox.com: Add The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai to your Xbox 360 download queue ($5)
Gameloft treads on XBL Indie games with Tank Battles
Xbox Live Arcade was once thought to be a bastion of independent game development, destined to help independent studios get their projects to the game-playing masses. While that's still true to a certain extent -- Ska Studios and Polytron say hi -- there's no denying that an increasingly large number of XBLA games are being created by major publishers and development houses. And now it seems as if Xbox Live Indie Games -- quite literally a bastion of independent game development -- might suffer the same fate. Unstoppable mobile game publisher Gameloft (a subsidiary of Ubisoft) is officially entering the Indie Games space with Tank Battles. As the title implies, the game features tanks doing battle from a third-person perspective. If the title sounds familiar, it's because the game was already released on PSN last year as Battle Tanks. The game offers up to 4-players (locally or online) to duke it out and, truth be told, it looks pretty fun. Check out a trailer after the break. [Via GamerBytes]
Charlie Murder now coming to an unannounced platform
Originally announced for a March 2010 release on the Xbox Live Indie Games platform, Charlie Murder, Ska Studios upcoming beat-em-up, is no longer confirmed for release through the Indie Games service. Developer James Silva told Joystiq, "As of now, Charlie Murder is not on any announced platform." According to a Ska Studios representative, the platform details and release date for the upcoming title have not been cemented. During our PAX East demo of Charlie Murder, Silva confirmed the final game code would run on the XNA 4.0 engine, which works across Xbox 360, Windows-based PCs and the Windows Phone 7 Series mobile platform. While it's still possible Charlie will make his way to the Indie Games platform, Ska Studios is keeping a tight lid on the punk rocker's future since first revealing him to the world this past January.
Hands-on: The Dishwasher Vampire Smile (XBLA)
Like a lot of people, I purchased The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai when it launched during Microsoft's 'Days of Arcade' promotion in April 2009. But for some reason I didn't play the game as much as I thought I would. Perhaps it was its punishing difficulty or the swarm of releases that chewed through my time but once the game was safely in my digital collection, I abandoned it. After getting time to play two levels of the game's sequel at the Ska Studios booth at PAX East 2010, I'm looking forward to wiping the virtual dust off the original and play it as I patiently wait for The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile. %Gallery-86333%
I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1NIT!!!1 sold 200,000 copies
It would seem that, if you make it cheap enough, they will buy it. Last year 's top Indie Games title, I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1NIT!!!1, has managed to sell 200,000 copies, developer Ska Studios reveals. In fact, 40,000 copies have been sold so far this year (based on this data of its performance last year), indicating the game is still pretty darn popular on Xbox Live. We would say that the game's success lies in its titular undead enemies, but the undead hordes have managed to claw and bite their way into everything nowadays. Instead, we'll point to the game's low price of a buck as being the primary factor for its strong sales. Well, that and its awesome soundtrack.
The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile announced for XBLA; watch the trailer now
The Fervor Shine countdown has ended, and, as surmised, Ska Studios has announced a sequel to The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai. Entitled The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile, the game features the return of everyone's favorite table-busing warrior. Ska released a trailer and screens for the title, confirming the accuracy of the images that were leaked last year -- including the giant scissors. Today's announcement reveals additional weapons, including a humongous syringe called the Painkiller and the Violence Hammer, "whose business end consists of a section of girder wrapped in barbed wire and random hardware." Vampire Smile is running on a new engine and contains a single-player campaign, a co-op campaign, 50 challenge levels, and an endless challenge mode. The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile will be available "when it's done." If you can't wait that long, it will also be playable at the PAX East convention, along with Ska's upcoming Xbox Live Indie Game, Charlie Murder. %Gallery-86333%
Ska Studios teases new Dishwasher with ... dish soap
click for full size cleaning power! It makes sense, really, that Ska Studios would tease something to do with The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai using dish soap. After all, he is a dishwasher. The studio -- currently working on XBLA Indie Game Charlie Murder -- recently sent Joystiq a package containing the yellow liquid with a card claiming that it has partnered with a Japanese soap supplier to make the Dishwasher its mascot. The soap, incidentally, sports "nearly toxic cleaning power" and a "100% non-organic, overly chemical smelling lemon aroma". A quick jaunt over to the "supplier's" website reveals the same image seen on the soap bottle and a countdown set to expire Wednesday, February 24. It's worth pointing out that Microsoft hasn't announced the Xbox Live Arcade release for that week, so it's possible we might be seeing the all-but-confirmed Dishwasher sequel. While that seems just a tad unlikely given the promotion surrounding the first game, it certainly seems like we'll be hearing something about a new Dishwasher game. Well, either that or this whole spiel about a random Japanese soap firm sponsoring a random XBLA game is actually real, in which case we're assuming a new brand of soap will be revealed. We can only hope it's pomegranate scented.
Xbox Live Indie Games 2009 sales compiled, Z0MB1ES on top
When we wrote initially about James Silva's twin-stick Xbox Live Indie Game, I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1NIT!!!1, the words "smash hit" didn't exactly come to mind. However, according to GamerBytes' breakdown of the Indie Games platform's sales over the past year, that's exactly what it was -- it outsold every other game on the service, moving 160,000 units at $1 a pop, which brought in $112,000 in profit for its humble developer, Ska Studios. Check out GamerBytes' full list of sales data for more interesting tidbits about the platform's sales. For instance, it might interest you to know that Rumble Massage was the 6th-highest selling XBL Indie Game of 2009. Oh, sorry, did we say "interest?" We meant "horrify."
Dishwasher dev announces Charlie Murder for Xbox Live Indie Games, coming 'March 2010'
Between Ska Studios' The Dishwasher last year, this year's I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MBIES 1N IT!!!1, and the recent announcement of Charlie Murder for Xbox Live Indie Games, the nascent developer has certainly been establishing a name for itself. The game's Facebook page offers us a first look at the characters and a bit of the gameplay (which seems to be an arcade beat-em' up with punk rockers/zombies), as well as a glimpse into the fictional band's history. The game's announcement tells us that Charlie Murder follows the eponymous punk rock band on a side-scrolling journey to find the lead singer's girlfriend, Skelekitten, murdering everything in its path along the way. Ska Studios will be heading to PAX East and we've been told there's a "good chance" the game will be there, though a release window of "March 2010" means we might even be playing from the comfort of our couches before that. %Gallery-83449%
Rumor: Screens of Dishwasher: Dead Samurai 2 leaked; Ska Studios responds
Or, if you prefer: "Tom Morello strikes again; joined by Rebecca Romijn and Zach Braff." Screenshots of what may be a sequel to the XBLA game The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai have landed on 1UP, allegedly supplied by the same saboteur that leaked those supposed Halo: Reach images. The shots certainly jive with the original game's art style and do feature some new enemies, backgrounds and objects. There are a number of new weapons shown, including a minigun, some kind of halberd, something that appears to be a giant syringe and -- our favorite -- a humongous pair of scissors. When reached for comment, Dishwasher creator James Silva said, "Ska Studios does not comment on rumor and speculation," and then added, "I'm never inviting Tom Morello, Rebecca Romijn and Zach Braff over again."
Ska MAED an Indie game and put Z0MB1ES!!!1 in it
Ska Studios is at it again, with another Xbox Live Indie Game filled to the brim with awesome. On August 16, the Dishwasher: Dead Samurai dev released a new title, sure to light a creative fire under the butts of game makers everywhere. I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 attempts to answer the question that has plagued game designers for decades: What would happen if you made a game and then put zombies in it? The results are astounding. Never in the history of the video game world -- unless you consider the Resident Evil franchise, Left 4 Dead, that mode in World at War ... and about three hundred others -- has a game company attempted to insert zombies into their title, but somehow Ska delivers. I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 is available now for the budget price of 80 ($1.00 in human money). A video of the hilarious shooter in action is after the jump. [Thanks, Jon]
Dishwasher dev defends Xbox Community Games
After Clover developer Binary Tweed made its disappointment in the game's sales clear, it laid a portion of the blame at the feet of Microsoft and its Community Games platform (soon to be renamed Indie Games). James Silva -- head of Dishwasher developer Ska Studios -- has posted something of a rebuttal on his company's blog. His comments aren't directed expressly toward Binary Tweed, but rather toward any developer that thinks the service is an instant goldmine.Silva points out that, even with its faults, Community Games has many advantages over a Windows release, namely visibility, easy payment processing and piracy protection. Addressing complaints that Microsoft doesn't do enough to market Community Games, Silva notes that many games simply won't fly on the Xbox 360, as there are already better versions available for the platform. Paraphrasing Silva, putting a tower defense game on Community Games is "a step down" from other strategy titles available. Meanwhile, all the music generators and ridiculous massage applications really have no competition from Xbox 360 retail titles, allowing them to address an untapped market.Of course, none of that matters if a Community Game lacks the most important factor: fun. Silva encourages developers to "make better games," saying, "All of this blaming nonsense just hurts everyone, and tragically generates more blogroll buzz than any yay-XNA articles do."
X3F TV -- Unlock Dishwasher's Joystiq-inspired 'Peter Moore Achievement'
Now that The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai is out on Xbox Live Arcade, you can finally unlock the Joystiq-inspired 'Peter Moore Achievement.' Grabbing the achievement is pretty simple. All you have to do is hit the Guide button during one of the game's guitar sections. In this episode of X3F TV, we show you the easiest way to do that. Just follow the video's instructions for a quick (and awesome) 8 Gamerpoints.To all the developers out there: Feel free to ask us to come up with your achievements. We're really good at it.[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[M4V] Download the M4V directly.
