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Battlestar Galactica fires up its FTLs for an in-game trailer
In December of 2003, the SciFi Network (now Syfy) launched a hugely successful re-imagining of the '70s space-opera Battlestar Galactica. Early last year, Bigpoint announced it had procured the license to make a browser-based MMOG set in the same re-imagined universe. Today, we have the first-ever in-game trailer for Battlestar Galactica Online. The press release states that this game is "one of the most ambitious browser-games ever developed," and the trailer features the in-game footage of Cylon Raiders and Colonial Vipers facing off against the Galactica and Basestars. We also get a taste of what actual combat will feel like, with Bear McCreary's musical score as a emotional backdrop. Catch the full, exciting trailer after the break. Beta applications are being accepted on the game's website, open beta begins sometime soon in Q1, and launch will be shortly after that. When the game launches in the United States, it will be available only through Syfy.com. Stay tuned here for more information. So say we all!
Trion hiring for untitled SyFy action MMO, looking for XBox 360 programmers
With RIFT launching in the very near future, Trion Worlds is resting on its laurels and doing absolutely nothing... by which we mean the exact opposite. The team is looking for new staff to help develop the yet-unnamed action MMO created in partnership with SyFy, currently just named the "SyFy Action MMO." This in and of itself is good news for those who had thought the project had been abandoned, but it gets even more interesting when you realize that two of the jobs are targeting XBox 360 programmers. Assuming that the game is targeting the 360 -- which seems likely under the circumstances -- it would join Final Fantasy XI as one of the only MMO options on the console. That would be a significant boon from a marketing perspective, as would the show/game integration promised back when rumors first began surfacing. The 360 programmers are not explicitly linked to the long-dormant game, but neither are they linked to the two existing games in Trion's stable. Although the job listing alone doesn't promise a future for the game, it's a step in the right direction for what might be a very different take on MMOs after all.
Trion hiring Xbox 360 programmers for unknown project, designer for 'Syfy Action MMO'
For the second time in as many years, Trion has posted job listings for console-specific programmers, perhaps quietly staffing up for the long dormant "Syfy Action MMO" (thought to be named "One Earth") that was announced back in 2008. Rather than spell out exactly what these programmers would be doing, the listings only explain that Trion seeks two Xbox 360 "senior console programmers" to "work on AAA titles in a highly collaborative environment." A third job listing for a "senior game/systems designer" gets more granular, specifically naming the "Syfy Action MMO" as the project in question and requiring potential candidates to have "experience working on action games for consoles, such as PS3, Xbox, etc." Trion had yet to respond to our request for more information as of publishing.
Red Faction movie delayed to May 2011
Better re-mark those calendars. SyFy's Red Faction: Origins movie, originally slated for next March, isn't coming out until May. That's according to a tweet from THQ CEO Danny Bilson, who says that the company started prep work on the film this week, will be shooting in January and that the finished product "airs in May with game release." "Game release," of course, means Red Faction: Armageddon, which recently got pushed back to May. Hopefully those ostriches they're using don't get too cold out there on the Martian landscape during filming.
De Blob 2 surfaces on February 22
THQ has quietly revealed a release date for De Blob 2 (now minus "The Underground"), the multiplatform sequel to the Wii splatformer: February 22, 2011. The date was revealed on the newly launched website, along with the box art for each version, which also reveals Move compatibility for the PS3 version. Interestingly, the box art carries the "SyFy Kids" logo, suggesting that the network is partnering with THQ not just for other Blob media based on the game, but for the game as well. After the break, check out a trailer. You can see more footage of the HD version in IGN's video preview, which reveals that special "target buildings" must be reclaimed not just by painting them, but by completing 2D challenges.%Gallery-107236%
Google TV's Fancast.com backdoor to Hulu video closed; Syfy starts blocking too
Even though Hulu has been blocking Google TV, for a few days users could still access the videos through Comcast's Fancast.com portal, but that loophole has been closed, repeating a pattern seen after the launch of Flash on Froyo and the overall path of Google TV up to this point. Even more notably, Syfy has joined corporate parent NBC in blocking its streams from the devices. So there you have it, despite being technologically able to play most video on the internet, the Google TV's selection is still limited by license agreements. Obviously a HTPC is the access route of choice if you're into cord cutting or just don't like limits, but if it can't fix the access problem soon, where does Google's baby really fit into the connected TV market? Check NewTeeVee for a list of what streaming services you can still check out on Google TV, at least, when you're not playing WoW.
Battlestar Galactica Online goes closed beta, releases new screens
It looks like Bigpoint is stepping closer and closer to launching the browser-based Battlestar Galactica MMO. Open beta is due this December with launch exclusively on SyFy.com this fall. (Sci-fi on SyFy? Yes!) Fans will be happy to know that the game will be firmly set in the popular television show's universe complete with warring factions, exploration, mission-based PvE and lots of player-obliterates-player combat! Ah, the joys of exploring the unique sights and ships of the Battlestar universe. Right now, closed beta players are being asked to finish a tutorial mission -- as either human or cylon -- then are sent off to freely explore the universe. They can experiment with mining, PvE or PvP content, or even exploring the Battlestar, space outposts, planet bases or a Cylon basestar! We all know that Cylons rule and humans drool, so this is good news. Read on!
The Perfect Ten: Halloween MMOs
We're only a few days away from Halloween, and already the Massively office staff is dressing up in anticipation. Shawn's post-apocalyptic gear is at odds with Rubi's tastefully modest Guild Wars Elementalist outfit. Greg's Squig is in the corner battling it out with Larry's Chewbacca. Bree is dudded up as a giant red corrective marker; Jef's free-to-play outfit requires microtransactions to view in full; and Kyrstalle is photographing it all with her Poloroid One-Shot camera. I think Eliot showed up in full plate armor and riding a mechanical bull, but that just may be his normal work attire. So as everyone else is goofing off in the spirit of the holidays, it remains to me, your lovable intern, to hack out a top 10 list in honor of All Hallow's Eve. It's the least I can do since they're paying me in candy. While every MMO incorporates horror at some point (even, yes, Hello Kitty Online's Cat-Tastrophie zone), and it's nearly impossible to escape a clutch of giant spiders in any game you visit, I've picked out 10 MMOs that best deliver a slice of October 31st. Some are old, some new, some canceled and some yet to come, but these are 10 of the spookiest MMOs in the world.
Netflix, NBC Universal content deal brings Battlestar Galactica, SNL and more to Watch Instantly
Just in case a throwaway mention of a streaming-only subscription for US customers wasn't enough, an agreement adding plenty of recognizable content from NBC to its Watch Instantly service might help Netflix distract from a recent string of PR gaffes. Starting next week, cable shows from the media giant's stable like Psych, Battlestar Galactica and others, episodes from the most recent seasons of NBC shows including The Office and 30 Rock will be available. Not good enough? Why not throw in every season of Friday Night Lights and Saturday Night Live, with new eps of SNL added the day after they air for the next three years. Seems like a win/win to us, with many hours of new content for Netflix while NBC cashes a fat check for old seasons of Monk and Law & Order:SVU -- as much as we love Tony Shalhoub as a neurotic private investigator, those DVD boxed sets just weren't moving like they used to. The only question left is whether HD streaming for any of these is on deck, until we hear back just check out the full press release after the break.
Bigpoint announces key characters in Battlestar Galactica Online
Bigpoint, the creator of upcoming browser-based MMO Battlestar Galactica Online, has revealed a part of the game that fans have been speculating on for a while. The names of key characters have been announced, and you'll certainly see plenty of familiar ones. These characters will be NPCs, placed in the game to "create a deeper connection to the storyline, provide quests and accentuate the dramatic tension that the series is known for delivering expertly." On the human side, you'll find William and Lee "Apollo" Adama, Starbuck and Apollo and Galen "Chief" Tyrol. The Cylon roster will be made up of One, Two, Six and Eight. (Sorry guys, no Three.) Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz is pleased with these additions to the game: "These characters brought to life the story and captured the imaginations of a whole new generation of Battlestar Galactica fans and we felt strongly that they needed to appear in the game." You can sign up for the game newsletter and receive more updates through the BSG Online site. [Editor's Note: Whoops, we made a mistake in our list! Fixed that for you. ~Sera]
Red Faction: Origins movie to debut on SyFy in March 2011
This March -- for the first time ever -- you may have a non-ironic interest in watching a SyFy original movie. That's because the live-action Red Faction movie, now called Red Faction: Origins, will be airing on the network during that month, coinciding with the release of Red Faction: Armageddon. So that's what that other domain registration was about! The two-hour "pilot" movie (meaning it'll be a series if it does well) takes place between the Guerrilla and Armageddon games, focusing on Alec Mason's last surviving son Jake, who fights against a new human army dedicated to destroying the Red Faction. Somehow, Jake's sister has gotten involved with this group. We can assume because it's a SyFy movie that she's also been cursed to turn into a weresnake at night, or that she arrives on a train filled with spiders who have been snacking on nitroglycerin during the journey. Along with the announcement of the movie, THQ sent out a new screenshot of Red Faction: Armageddon. Find it in the gallery below. %Gallery-95783%
Battlestar Galactica Online trailer is out of this world
Some of us may scoff at a browser-based Battlestar Galactica MMO, but for those who just want to see something BSG related on a screen, there's hope in the form of the embedded trailer. It shows a large scale space battle between the Cylons and human survivors, and if that doesn't give you the warm fuzzies then you're probably a frakkin' toaster.
Battlestar Galactica Online E3 trailer divides players... literally
"Human or Cylon... Man or Machine... who will you choose?" asks the maddeningly vague Battlestar Galactica Online trailer. More of a teaser than anything, this trailer will make the rounds at this month's E3, trying to tempt MMO gamers and Battlestar Galactica fans alike with intergalactic conflict. Based on the hit SyFy series, Battlestar Galactica Online pits the remnants of humanity against their created "children" -- robot and cyborg Cylons. The browser based game is set during the second season of the show and should be coming out early this fall on SyFy Games' portal. We took a look at this title back at GDC10, and hopefully we'll learn more about the details of BGO from Bigpoint developers at E3. In the meanwhile, hit the jump, check out the trailer and see if it doesn't get your blood pumping for outer space fighter combat!
Red Faction TV movie being produced by Syfy; ongoing series possible
It looks like THQ and the still awkwardly named Syfy have more than just De Blob in store for their transmedia tryst: Broadcasting & Cable reports that "Syfy has just closed a deal to bring Red Faction to television via a two-hour movie, which will also serve as a back-door pilot." A "back-door pilot," for those of you not in on television industry jargon, is defined by Variety as a "pilot episode filmed as a standalone movie, so it can be broadcast if it is not picked up as a series." So, in other words, Syfy is making a Red Faction movie, ostensibly tied into the new, more "narrative" game expected in early 2011, with the hope of continuing the production as an ongoing series. While discussing his studio's transmedia strategy with Joystiq at GDC in March, THQ's Danny Bilson put to rest any concerns that this project is going the way of the Halo movie. "I'm only doing deals where we have a greenlight, meaning we are on the air; we are being made as a film," Bilson said. "You're not going to read about, 'Oh, this producer is going to do the Red Faction movie,' and you never hear about it again." But that's not the end of this relationship. The aforementioned 2011 Red Faction game "will be produced in conjunction with Syfy Games," adding to the cable channels other ongoing gaming projects, including the Battlestar Galactica MMO and the "Syfy Action MMO" that Trion is working on. Syfy's Alan Seiffert said of the Red Faction deal, "It is the kind of content that fits our genre. It is a great fit for a big Syfy Saturday movie, and if it really works, it is a great back-door pilot." [Via Press the Buttons]
Trion Worlds 'Syfy Action MMO' likely coming to consoles; publisher shows off two additional MMOs
Four years and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment capital later, Trion World Network finally has a couple of "connected" games to show ... and a new name, to boot. Now known as Trion Worlds, the company held an event in San Francisco last week to take the wraps off of the Petroglyph-developed "MMORTS" End of Nations and its home-grown MMORPG Rift: Planes of Telara (formerly known as Heroes of Telara). End of Nations is the latest game from the developer of Mytheon, Star Wars: Empire at War and Universe at War, which hopes to break new ground in the RTS genre by introducing elements such as a persistent game world and player-vs-environment battles that support more than 50 players simultaneously. It's set in a near future where resistance fighters battle a totalitarian one world government that possesses superior technology, including battleship-sized tanks called Panzer Hulks. (Check out our End of Nations image gallery for a closer look at the title.) Shown at E3 last year, Rift: Planes of Telara has undergone more than a name change. The game's visuals have improved substantially and its new hook -- "rifts" that appear randomly and spawn creatures from other dimensions -- is something Trion Worlds is focusing heavily on, calling it "dynamic content" that only its server platform can deliver. (Peep the Rift: Planes of Telara image gallery here.) Both games are due out in 2011 and are expected to be playable at E3 in June. The company is also working with Syfy on a hybrid action MMO / TV series believed to be called One Earth. The project is not being shown just yet, but it was revealed that factions and players from the game will be written into the show -- should they emerge victorious in tie-in challenges. We were also told by a Trion World rep that the game, while currently announced only for PC, will likely be released for console platforms. Check out the first concept art from the game in the gallery below. %Gallery-91785%
Trion names upcoming MMORTS, renames Heroes of Telara
If you've been waiting for information on... well, pretty much anything from Trion Worlds, it's your lucky day. Trion has come forth with information about three projects that have gotten a fair amount of attention in the past, but left fans wanting to know much more. To begin with, Heroes of Telara is no longer Heroes of Telara. The game has been renamed Rift: Planes of Telara, a new title that reflects one of the most important mechanics of the game. Trion also revealed a little more information about the mysterious SyFy MMO that they're working on. No elaborate details are forthcoming quite yet, but we now know that it will be an "MMO action game" set on Earth between 50-100 years in the future. Finally, Trion unveiled End of Nations, which they say will be "the world's first premium massively multiplayer real-time strategy game." The fact that the game was an MMORTS has never been a secret, given that Trion actually named the game MMORTS for a while, but we've got a fair amount of new information with the unveiling. The game is aimed at existing fans of the genre rather than looking for converts, so players will be able to jump right into what they enjoy. Check out the full story on End of Nations and Trion's other projects over at Gamasutra.
Battlestar Galactica MMO announced (don't get too frakkin' excited)
This is the type of news that just hurts to report: Battlestar Galactica is becoming -- wait for it -- a browser-based MMO. We know! It's painful, right? The "game" is being developed by Bigpoint, which operates several titles in the genre. Battlestar Galactica Online will infect your internets like a Cylon-based virus sometime this autumn on the Syfy(lis) website for an exclusive 30 day period. Battlestar Galactica, and its fans, deserve better. We're not saying they deserve a BioWare RPG version of Wing Commander but ... actually, that's exactly what we're saying. [Via Big Download]
THQ and SyFy bringing De Blob back for games and more
When THQ announced that the De Blob franchise would continue this year, we didn't imagine it had anything this big in store for what we thought of as a semi-obscure Wii franchise. The publisher has partnered with the "Syfy Channel" (ugh) on a new banner called "Syfy Kids," a multimedia initiative including web content, TV, and games -- and De Blob is going to be featured heavily. "We are pleased that our owned franchise de Blob has been selected as a foundational character and storyline for Syfy's new Syfy Kids brand," said THQ's Doug Clemmer. "We look forward to working closely with Syfy to introduce de Blob's colorful world to a new audience of young adults via webisodes, television and other media, broadening awareness for this loveable hero." Most importantly, this De Blob resurgence will result in new video games. The announcement claims that THQ will release new de Blob games across "multiple gaming platforms" by the end of March 2011. That's something you can appreciate even if you never watch a second of SyFy.
Caprica premiere lands on PlayStation Store for free
This Saturday, January 23, the PlayStation Store will be updated with a free pilot episode of the new Battlestar Galactica spin-off, Caprica. It's a great way to catch up, in case you miss the first broadcast tonight on SyFy at 9PM. (Of course, you could just watch it right now on SyFy.com.) While you're downloading Caprica, you might want to consider some of the other free TV offerings on the PlayStation Store. Pilot episodes of The Deep End, a new ABC law drama, and The Buried Life, a new MTV reality series, can be downloaded right now. There are also seven free webisodes of the Crackle original series The Bannen Way. Remember that SD content will play on both your PS3 and PSP, while HD content can only be played on the PS3.
Chuck vs. Sanctuary smackdown: Which product tie in wins?
Two shows. Two iPhone tie ins. One TUAW fighting ring. Two will enter; one will leave. Whose cuisine will reign supreme? No wait, that's Iron Chef. Anyway, which show's tie in will take the crown and walk away with the "Worth Downloading" title? Let's have a quick look. In the left corner, wearing the black and white NerdHerd-colored shorts is Chuck. The well-loved (yet criminally underwatched) NBC show Chuck is now entering its third season. Its ongoing story is about a friendly IT guy who has been sucked into the world of international intrigue. Chuck a character-driven comedy/action show that should be on everyone's must-watch list. Its hero, Chuck Bartowski, works "undercover" (so to speak) at a BuyMore store, a large box chain modeled on Best Buy. Torn between his public and secret life, the show somehow manages to balance Chuck's emotional growth with the kind of spy-centered action you'd expect from a high concept series like this. If you're not watching this, start. Really. No, I mean it. Go set your TiVo now. The "Chuck Me Out" iPhone app [iTunes link] is available for free on App Store. It provides a simple photo overlay game. You select an existing photo or snap a new one the built-in iPhone camera. You then select a show-themed overlay, and mail, tweet, or plant a facebook with the result. With "Chuck Me Out", you can create NerdHerd (think "Geek Squad") ID tags, backstage all-access passes for the fictional rock group Jeffster, or you can just substitute faces into cast-member poses. Overall fun factor? Kind of meh, except for the super fanatical Chuckaholic who might get more than a single chuckle. (See what I did there? Yes, that pun was totally intended.)
