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| EA is "confident" SimCity UK launch won't repeat US mistakes Mar 6th 2013, 13:39 EA says it is "working non-stop" to rectify SimCity launch problems, and that it is "confident" issues will be fixed in time for the game's international release. 
Maxis' SimCity revival launched in the US yesterday, but some American gamers have been left unable to play due to the game's servers collapsing because of "overwhelming demand." SimCity requires an always-on Internet connection, alongside an account on EA's digital distribution platform Origin. Over the past 24 hours users have reported problems in both accessing the game's servers and even being able to download the game to begin with. "Due to the high demand for SimCity, Origin has experienced delays impacting a small percentage of users. We’re working non-stop to resolve," wrote the Origin Twitter account overnight. In the meantime, Origin has said it is confident that the same errors which plagued the US launch will not affect other territories when the game launches later this week. "We’re making changes to prevent further issues, and are confident that Origin will be stable for international launches later this week," said Origin. Maxis has consistently maintained that its always-on DRM for SimCity will be of benefit to the end user, with the game functioning as a connected experience designed to be played with others. "You’re always connected to the neighbors in your region so while you play, data from your city interacts with our servers, and we run the simulation at a regional scale," said Maxis senior vice president Lucy Bradshaw in December 2012. SimCity is the latest high-profile title to suffer with connectivity issues at launch. Diablo 3 was notably troubled with issues when it launched last year, but popular online titles like Battlefield 3 often have their multiplayer servers buckle at launch. SimCity launches in the UK on Friday. A GameSpot review is currently in the works. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
|  | Mojang will 'consider' Minecraft for PlayStation Mar 6th 2013, 11:55 Mojang will look into bringing Minecraft to PlayStation platforms once its exclusivity deal with Microsoft ends; Wii U version "very unlikely." 
Swedish developer Mojang has said it will consider porting its breakout hit Minecraft to Sony consoles. An console exclusivity deal between Mojang and Microsoft is keeping the game off Sony devices, but in an interview with iGamer (via Edge) Mojang developer Jens Bergensten said ’when it runs out we’ll consider Minecraft for PlayStation." Bergensten didn't say if that meant PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4. Speaking about Nintendo's consoles, however, Bergensten said a version of Minecraft on Wii U would be "very unlikely.’ Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition was one of Microsoft's biggest successes in 2012, with the game quickly becoming the fastest-selling Xbox Live Arcade game of all time. The port was handled by Scottish developer 4J Studios and has now sold over 5 million copies. It is unknown just how long Minecraft's exclusivity period with Microsoft will last, but the Xbox 360 Edition came out in May 2012. For more on Minecraft, check out GameSpot's previous coverage. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Dishonored and Journey score big at BAFTA 2013 Mar 6th 2013, 11:11 Dishonored takes gong for Best Game while Journey picks up five awards. 
Arkane Studios' Dishonored took Best Game at last night's BAFTA 2013 Game Awards. Journey picked up the most awards, however, notching up five gongs for Artistic Achievement, Audio Achievement, Original Music, Game Design, and Online - Multiplayer. Telltale Games' The Walking Dead also scooped two awards, for Story and Mobile & Handheld. 13 of the total 19 awards on offer went to mobile and downloadable titles. "I can tell you that Dishonored is far exceeding our sales expectations, which is especially cool considering it’s new IP facing a host of well-established franchises this quarter," said Bethesda on Dishonored last year. The full list of BAFTA 2013 winners: - Best Game: Dishonored
- Fellowship Award: Gabe Newell
- Action: Far Cry 3
- Innovation: The Unfinished Swan
- Artistic Achievement: Journey
- Mobile & Handheld: The Walking Dead
- Audio Achievment: Journey
- Original Music: Journey
- Online - Browser: SongPop
- One to Watch: Starcrossed
- Online - Multiplayer: Journey
- British Game: The Room
- Performer: Danny Wallace (The Narrator, Thomas Was Alone)
- Debut Game: The Unfinished Swan
- Sports/Fitness: New Star Soccer
- Family: LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
- Story: The Walking Dead
- Strategy: XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- Game Design: Journey Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Valve's Steam Box prototypes going out in the next four months Mar 6th 2013, 11:09 Gabe Newell says Valve is still trying to finalise specs of the upcoming machine, but there's still no news on anything to do with Half-Life 3. Valve's upcoming Steam Box will see prototype models in the next "three to four months", according to company boss Gabe Newell. "We're working with partners trying to nail down exactly how fast we can make it," Newell said to the BBC before last night's BAFTA awards. "We're also working hard on the input side to try to take a step forward in terms of the kinds of games you can play. So very much on the development side, and we'll be giving out some prototypes to customers to get their reactions, I guess, in the next three to four months." Newell added that the machine's biggest challenges are noise and heat, but that most gamers already understand the concept behind the device. "I think your average gamer has a pretty good idea of what it'd be like," he said. "The openness and flexibility of the PC, yet done in a way that makes it work well in a living room, so there are noise issues and heat issues. Being able to do that while still offering a powerful enough gaming experience is the challenge in building it." Steam Box prototypes would come with a few different controllers so Valve could gauge how its users would be using the equipment; the company is looking into biometric sensors as a way of monitoring players, for instance. Left 4 Dead was used as an example of how understanding heart rates could make a more effective horror game. "You need to actually be able to directly measure how aroused the player is--what their heart rate is, things like that--in order to continue to offer them a new experience each time they play," he said. Valve's biometrics work will be seen away from the Steam Box, too. "You'll see [biometrics] outside of Steam Box as well, we're working with general PC controller manufacturers." No details about price were mentioned. Earlier this year PC manufacturer Xi3 unveiled its own unofficial Steam Box, codenamed the Piston. While Newell wouldn't mention anything along the lines of Half-Life 3, he did briefly ruminate on how the games industry is heading towards PC-style development. "The nice thing is all the consoles are moving in the direction of PCs," he said. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Japanese platformer Umihara Kawase to get 3DS sequel Mar 6th 2013, 10:43 Sayonara Umihara Kawase to reunite the staff who worked on the first game. 
Japanese magazine Famitsu announced (via Polygon) that a sequel to the cult series Umihara Kawase is in the works for the 3DS. The sequel is called Sayonara Umihara Kawase. Japan game import enthusiasts may be familiar with the name, as it was a series of 2D platformers starring a young girl who has to navigate a surreal fish-themed world using her fishing line and hook as a grappling hook, much like Rad Spencer’s arm in the Bionic Commando series from Capcom. The first game was released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo, followed by a sequel called Umihara Kawase Shun that came out in 1997 for the PlayStation One. Both titles have been ported over for the PSP and DS on 2008 and 2009 respectively. The series has never been made available outside of Japan, though the PSP version was close to being localized in English under the title Yumi's Odd Odyssey. The game will focus on the titular character, now 20 years old prior to the PlayStation sequel. The original staff members of the first game, which include designer Kiyoshi Sakai and character designer Toshinobu Kondo, will reunite to finish development on the sequel. Sayonara Umihara Kawase will be out in Japan this summer for 4,980 yen ($53). There is no word on whether the sequel will be localized in English. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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