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Steam is king in service wars, Humble Store a sleeping giant, indies say
Twenty-one randomly selected indie developers walk into a digital room and ponder the question, "Which online distribution system has been the most effective for your games?" If this were the set-up to a joke, the punchline would probably be, "Facebook." But for many indie developers, the question of which platform to publish their games on is a very serious one, with potentially dire consequences. Pared down, platform success is all about accessibility, upload and support, and in terms of those factors, there's a clear, unsurprising favorite: Steam. But maybe not for long. I asked 21 indie developers this question, and while the majority mentioned Steam in the same casual manner that begets an unchallenged king, there were consistent whispers of other platforms doing things well, perhaps even better than Steam, from a backend perspective. One of these platforms was the Humble Store, which received the second-highest number of solid votes and a handful of positive shout-outs. "I owe pretty much my entire survival the last few years to iOS, the Humble Store, and to a lesser extent Android and Steam," Adam Saltsman, the creator of Canabalt, said. But iOS ran into some bad censorship issues, Android had discoverability problems and Steam was "obviously" too closed, he said. If Saltsman could choose just one of those platforms to release his next game on, it would be, "Humble Store," hands-down.
PSA: Monaco unlocks XBLA, out now
Monaco: What's Yours is Mine has finally scarpered onto the Xbox Live Marketplace. After failing to launch last month thanks to a bug that caused disconnects during online play, the top-down indie sneaker is nab-able right now at a cool 1200 MSP. Going by our review, at that price it's a steal (HA). Jess, a self-confessed crappy crook, gave Monaco four and a half stars, deeming it a "classic heist game for a modern audience."
Doritos Crash Course 2 crunches into XBLA tomorrow for free
As free, corporate-sponsored games go, we enjoyed the 2D platforming approximation of Wipeout (the TV show) that was Doritos Crash Course. Also, it was, like most free, corporate-sponsored games, entirely free. This is rarely ever a bad thing. With all that in mind, it's cool to see a sequel coming to XBLA tomorrow, May 8. Yes, it's still free. As per the first game, you're traversing your Xbox Avatar from left to right and as quick as poss, but this time in four new worlds including an icy one and a pirate-y one. There's online and offline multiplayer for up to four runners, and you can compare your speed against friends via "asynchronous" clips. Remember, the game's free - no-one's forcing you to buy any chips to play it. At the very least that means free Achievements, which of course is the most important thing. %Gallery-187673%
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon sequel could happen, says Biehn
Creative Director Dean Evans is interested in a follow-up to Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, at least according to Michael Biehn, the game's star voice talent. In an interview with Xbox's Major Nelson, Biehn said from his understanding Blood Dragon is exceeding Ubisoft's sales expectations by five times, and Evans is now considering a sequel to the retro spinoff. "Dean was with me on the phone last night, he called me last night," Biehn said on Major Nelson Radio. "He was pretty jacked up. He was going into a meeting today, to.. I think he wants to turn it into some sort of franchise. He's got a sequel in mind." We gushed about the "most excellent" Blood Dragon in our review, so seeing Sgt. Rex Colt return to a screen near us could be a great thing. Having said that, we do wonder if the comprehensively nostalgic game has anything left to add to the pastiche. In the meantime, we've reached out to Ubisoft for comment.
Way of the Dogg out now on XBLA, PSN and mobile 'soon'
Snoop Dogg's rhythm/fighting game Way of the Dogg is now available on XBLA for 800 MS Points, which is far less than the cost of changing your name and becoming a reggae artist – believe us, we looked into it. The Elite Beat Agents-esque game is also "coming soon" to PlayStation Network, iOS and Android, according to publisher 505 Games. In other Snoop Dogg related news, we recently found a horrible bootleg hip-hop mixtape that we bought nine years ago at a thrift store for like $0.48. Early reports indicate that it is still completely awesome.%Gallery-187454%
Monaco XBLA delay: Half of bug fixed, another patch to MS this week
Monaco was supposed to hit XBLA on April 24 alongside its PC version, but one day before launch, an issue forced developer Andy Schatz and Pocketwatch Games to delay the XBLA release. Today, Schatz explains that he submitted one fix for the bug, but it needs more work before it can officially launch on XBLA."It was a minor but important bug that was causing disconnects in online play," Schatz writes on Facebook. "I submitted an update to attempt to fix the bug early in the week, but unfortunately it only half fixed the problem. I'm working on another fix now that I'm hoping to submit this week. Once it's confirmed fixed it shouldn't take long to push it through and get the game out."Schatz can't set a release date now since that decision is up to Microsoft, but he promises to share more information as soon as he steals has it."I do know that fans are starting to get a little impatient with the lack of information," he says. "I wish I could give you more specific information, but until I have a confirmed fix, I won't be able to give a date. Hoping to have a little more information for you and fill you in on more of the details as soon as I have it!"For what it's worth (we know you don't get out of bed for less than six figures) we found the PC version of Monaco to be a complex and gorgeous strategy game in the vein of Ocean's 11, but with more pixels.
Xbox Ultimate Collection gathers best XBLA games in the UK
In the UK, Microsoft has initiated the Xbox Ultimate Collection program, a gathering of Xbox Live Arcade top dogs with biweekly battles where fans can vote to add a new game to the list. The winner is then available for purchase at half-price the following week.The Xbox Ultimate Collection spans six different categories, each comprised of the top five games within said category. Games such as The Walking Dead, Peggle, Full House Poker and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD are all represented here, with five open slots of the total 60 awaiting fan-chosen games in the biweekly voting campaigns.The full list of current Xbox Ultimate Collection games is available past the break. The Xbox Ultimate Collection program will span eight weeks in total. We've contacted Microsoft to find out if the program will be extended outside of the UK and will update this post with what we find out.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles emerge from the shadows to show off some fighting
As demonstrated by "party dude" Michaelangelo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows' combat closely resembles Batman: Arkham Asylum and its sequel. But with more dancing.
Poker Night at the Inventory 2 launch trailer shuffles the pack
A new Poker Night means a new group of familiar faces to read. GLaDOS is dealing in Sam, Ash, Claptrap, and Brock starting today on XBLA. The card game makes a split for Steam on April 26, and PSN on April 30.
Monaco delayed on XBLA
Monaco, the award-winning indie heist game from Andy Schatz will miss its launch date tomorrow on XBLA."We just discovered that there is an issue which requires that we push back our Xbox Live Arcade game release date a little," reads a missive posted on Facebook. "We've already submitted an update to Microsoft to fix the problem, and as soon as we know that the issue is fixed we'll have a new release date. I know our fans have been waiting a long time for the game, and hopefully they'll have the patience to wait just a little while longer. What's mine will be yours very, very soon!"Monaco will still launch on PC via Steam tomorrow, April 24, as scheduled. Monaco won the IGF Seumas McNally Grand Prize in 2010, and we've been playing it in various stages of development in the years since.Majesco is in charge of publishing the XBLA version, while Schatz and Pocketwatch Games are self-publishing the PC version (eventually to be joined by Mac). This is the final day to pre-order Monaco on Steam and grab that 10 percent-off price.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon welcomes you to the retro party
If Far Cry 3's grim tale of survival was a poor fit for the game's exotic, often preposterous antics, there are no such fears for its seemingly disconnected spin-off. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is nothing short of ridiculous, and deliberately so. Ubisoft's standalone shooter celebrates the endearingly excessive sci-fi action of a bygone era in entertainment, when men wore cyber-armor over cyber-arms and when eyes glowed red.An animated introduction transports us to the post-apocalyptic near future... of 2007. Our new cyborg hero is sent to an island to take out a rogue terrorist group – full of evil cyborgs. The intro has music so pungent of Terminator 2 that I half expect it to tell me it'll be back, and the first 10 or so minutes are filled with references to sci-fi and action movies from in and around the 1980s. Blood Dragon pays homage to an era full of sci-fi missteps and overblown heroes exuding machismo.%Gallery-186125%
God Mode out now on Steam and XBLA, coming to PSN April 23 [Update]
Old School Games' third-person shooter God Mode is now available on Steam and XBLA for $9.99 and 800 MSP, respectively. The arcade-styled action game will mosey on over to PSN on June 23.God Mode has players fighting "demonic hordes" using a variety of weapons to get through the depths of hell. It features four-player online and LAN co-op as well as over 40 "Tests of Faith" and eight difficulty modifiers that bring variety to the game's five different stages.Update: The game will come to PSN on April 23, not June 23.
XBLM deals: I Am Alive, Black Knight Sword, Hell Yeah!
With all them next-gen doodads costing a pretty penny (albeit an unknown amount of pennies), we expect some of you are already on the scrimp. But you still need your gaming fix, so maybe you'll welcome this week's XBLA deals with open, rag-covered arms.Ironically, the two Bionic Commando Rearmed games leap off the list initially; the first going for 320 MSP, the second for 480 MSP. Then we see that Grasshopper/Digital Reality collaboration Black Knight Sword is slashed in half to 400 MSP, while the savings cut even deeper for Hell Yeah! - it's down to 480 MSP from 1200 MSP, the exact same discount for Ubisoft's urban survivor I Am Alive.There are also savings to be made on Gotham City Impostors, Warhammer 40K: Kill Team, Lara Croft: Guardian of Light, and stalwart of the XBLM deal circuit Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2. Of course, if you haven't yet bought the excellent Retro Evolved 2, then we will be forced to slap you. We're sorry, but them's the rules.
Capcom Arcade Cabinet lineup ends at the beginning
Capcom's planned releases of games for Capcom Arcade Cabinet come to an end today with Son Son and Pirate Ship Higemaru, illustrating the bizarre trajectory of Capcom's historical re-releases.Rather than follow the history of the company in a linear fashion, Capcom released packs of games from 1987, then 1985, 1986, 1985 again, and finally 1984, with bonus games from 1988 and 1984 (Vulgus is Capcom's first arcade game). It's easy to overlook the haphazard plan behind these releases in favor of, you know, just enjoying some old games, but now that the push is over we're looking back for the first time and realizing: Capcom Arcade Cabinet is pretty odd.
Fez sold 200,000 copies on XBLA to date
Fez, Polytron Corporation's cute platforming game that made it into Joystiq's Top Ten of 2012 list, has sold over 200,000 copies on XBLA to date. The game crossed the 100,000 copies mark in late May 2012.The figures come from creator Phil Fish, who took to Polytron's blog today to discuss the one year anniversary of Fez's release. Fish recently noted during a Reddit AMA that the game "should eventually be out on pretty much everything." Fez will arrive on PC on May 1.
Twisted Pixel Games Bundle spins onto XBLA for 800 MSP
Twisted Pixel's XBLA bundle is available for purchase as of this morning, and the price is not bad, not bad at all. At 800 MSP, the collection of 'Splosion Man, Ms. Splosion Man, The Maw, and Comic Jumper comes in at two ninths - or around 22 percent for non-fractionists - of the games' total cost when purchased separately.If you've been waiting to twist on the talented Texas studio's XBLA collection all this time - is The Maw really four years old now? - then we'd say today your luck is in.
Flashback gets a do-over on XBLA, PSN
Ubisoft has a remake of Flashback in the works for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. This Unreal-powered version is helmed by VectorCell, the French studio behind horror game Amy. It is owned by the original Flashback's lead designer, Paul Cuisset.Flashback was first developed by Delphine Software and released over 20 years ago on the Amiga. The stylized platformer, which was later ported to Genesis, Mega-CD, PC and Mac (amongst others) centers on Conrad B. Hart, an amnesiac who finds a message – recorded by himself – warning of an alien plot threatening Earth.%Gallery-185241%
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon breathes neon onto XBLA, PSN, PC on May 1
Ubisoft roared confirmation Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon is an 80s-styled standalone shooter (you don't need FC3 to play it) headed for XBLA, PSN, and PC on May 1. The dragon's been out of the bag for a while, but today's announcement brings with it a new VHS-like trailer, along with news that PC pre-orders also get a copy of the game's bodacious soundtrack, as provided by Power Glove.From what we've seen of Blood Dragon, the only narrative tie to Far Cry 3 is the open-world island setting. Beyond that, the game is a humor-laden spinoff with a new protagonist, Sgt. Rex Power Colt, a cyborg commando played by The Terminator and Aliens star Michael Biehn. It's set in a near future recoiling from "Vietnam War 2" and a recent nuclear attack on North America - well, by near future we mean one for the 1980s... which is 2007.As the screens below show, Blood Dragon's look is far removed from the sunny skies and tropical greenery of Far Cry 3. However, players of Ubisoft's 2012 shooter will find the mechanics of this new game very familiar, both in terms of basic actions and the overall approach. You're capturing outposts once more, this time bases controlled by rogue cyborg military group Omega Force, and you're also hunting wildlife again, except now they're colossal reptiles called blood dragons whose bodies are literally lined with neon and who, just as literally, shoot lasers out of their eyes.There's no word on a price - although a new Steam listing has it marked for $14.99 - but if you're after further details, or just further confirmation this isn't some pharmaceuticals-induced illusion, then make sure you check out our hands-on impressions soon. %Gallery-185240%
Play Battleblock Theater featured levels, unlock the Chicken Prisoner
Battleblock Theater is rolling out spotlight collections of the best user-created levels, under the Furbottom's Features (story mode) and Arena Feature (multiplayer) tabs. As an incentive to try out some playlists from unprofessionals, The Behemoth is offering a new character to anyone who plays through all of the Furbottom's or Arena features, available for an undetermined, limited time: The Behemoth Chicken Prisoner.If you are a professional unprofessional and want to get some levels on the Battleblock Theater featured tabs, check out The Behemoth's handy guide right here. Furbottom's and Arena features will be swapped out to highlight community-created content "in the near future."
Huge XBLM sale slashes prices on Counter-Strike, Marvel vs Capcom, Lara Croft, more
The Xbox Live Deal of the Week is dropping prices on lots of great games over the next two weeks. This week, games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dungeon Defenders, Prince of Persia Classic, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and more are all 50 to 60 percent off. Next week, the same discount will be applied to Bionic Commando Rearmed, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Hell Yeah and others. And, if you still don't have it for some reason, Geometry Wars 2 will be cut down to a measly $2.50.Head over to Major Nelson to see all the available games and prices.
