| Volition: Latest Red Faction games fell short Apr 12th 2013, 16:25 Volition producer says Guerrilla and Armageddon "lost quite a bit" of money for publisher THQ. 
The latest Red Faction games were financial failures for publisher THQ. That's according to Volition senior producer Jim Boone, who told Polygon that Red Faction: Guerrilla and Red Faction: Armageddon "lost quite a bit" of money. Deep Silver parent company Koch Media purchased Volition and the Saints Row franchise for $22.3 million during the THQ bankruptcy auction in January, but the Red Faction franchise was not part of the deal. Boone said this was hardly surprising, given the shortcomings of Guerrilla and Armageddon. "And when we lost as much money as we did with [Red Faction: Guerrilla] and when we lost as much money as we did with [Red Faction: Armageddon] I think you know, in our hearts we certainly love Red Faction, but at the same time it's kind of hard to look at that business and think, you know gosh, how come we didn't get that too." Following Armageddon's disappointing launch in 2011, then-THQ CEO Brian Farrell said the series would be put to rest. "Given that the title now in two successive versions has just found a niche, we do not intend to carry forward with that franchise in any meaningful way," Farrell said at the time. Though the Red Faction series received no bidders during the THQ auction this year, the company is still trying to offload the franchise. The publisher said in February that it has received 100 expressions of interest in its remaining unsold franchises. THQ expects the bidding and sale process for Red Faction, along with the Darksiders, Homeworld, and Destroy All Humans!, to be finalized by mid-May. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
|  | Saints Row, Metro films possible Apr 12th 2013, 15:34 Koch Media CEO Klemens Kundratitz says transmedia initiatives for its games a long-term strategic goal for the company. 
Films based on the Saints Row and Metro game franchises are possible, according to Deep Silver parent company Koch Media CEO Klemens Kundratitz. Speaking with VentureBeat, the executive said the company is exploring transmedia opportunities for all its franchises. "[Those movies are] not out of the question," Kundratitz said. "If a company can deliver that transmedia experience, we are probably one of the few that have the ambition and ability to deliver that." Germany-based Koch Media, which purchased the Saints Row and Metro franchises during the THQ bankruptcy auction in January, is no stranger to the film industry. The company has published a series of high-profile films in German theaters, including Margin Call and Moon. Though Koch Media has experience with publishing films, the company would be breaking new ground for itself by adapting one of its games franchises for the big-screen. Still, Kundratitz said capitalizing on transmedia opportunities is a long-term goal for the company. "At the same time, I have to be honest, we have not been able to deliver that [transmedia experience] yet," Kundratitz said. "But it's one of my long-term strategic goals to do so." In September 2012, MGM said it was interested in making a movie based Dmitry Glukhovsky's Metro 2033 science fiction novel, which was the source material for 4A Games' THQ-published 2010 shooter of the same name. The status of this project today is unclear. A Dead Island movie is also in the works. Shortly after the original game's release in 2011, Lionsgate announced that interest in the IP was sparked by the CGI trailer for the game that released in February of that year. According to Lionsgate, the film will focus on "human emotion, family ties, and nonlinear storytelling." At the time, Lionsgate announced that development of the Dead Island film will be led by The Mummy producer Sean Daniel and his Sean Daniel Company. Accompanying Daniel on the project will be post production leader Stefan Sonnenfeld (Pirates of the Caribbean, X-Men: The Last Stand). Like the Metro 2033 film, the current status of the Dead Island movie is unknown. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Ubisoft completes Anno dev acquisition Apr 12th 2013, 15:00 Assassin's Creed publisher purchases remaining 70 percent of stake in Related Designs for undisclosed sum. 
Ubisoft has completed its acquisition of Anno developer Related Designs. The Assassin's Creed publisher previously owned 29.95 percent of the company and has now executed a cash transaction to acquire the remaining 70.05 percent. Terms of the deal were not specified. Related Designs was established in Mainz, Germany in 1995. The developer created the Anno real-time strategy series, as well as other RTS titles like No Man's Land and Castle Strike. With Ubisoft now in control of the company, Related Design's 65-person staff will continue its work on the browser-based free-to-play massively multiplayer online game Might & Magic Heroes Online. In addition, the studio will work with Ubisoft-owned Blue Byte on "future titles." "We're happy to formally join Ubisoft," Related Designs managing director Thomas Pottkämper said in a statement. "This move validates our longstanding partnership and provides our teams with additional resources to expand upon their great work." Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Crytek: Graphics are 60 percent of a game Apr 12th 2013, 14:35 CEO Cevat Yerli says graphics drive gameplay and better visual fidelity allows for more human experiences. 
Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli has weighed in on the long-running discussion about graphics in games. Speaking to X360 Magazine, Yerli said graphics drive gameplay and better visual fidelity allows developers to create more believable and engaging experiences. "People say that graphics don't matter, but play Crysis and tell me they don't matter," Yerli said. "It's always been about graphics driving gameplay." Yerli pointed to Crysis 3 to back up his claim. He said the graphics are capable enough to show grass swaying in the wind, which allows players to detect when enemies are running towards them. "Graphics, whether it's lighting or shadows, puts you in a different emotional context and drives the immersion," Yerli said. "And immersion is effectively the number one thing we can use to help you buy into the world." For Yerli, it all comes down to graphics, which can make up 60 percent of a game, he said. "The better the graphics, the better the physics, the better the sound design, the better the technical assets and production values are--paired with the art direction, making things look spectacular and stylistic is 60 per cent of the game," he said. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Dark Souls crosses 2.3 million sales Apr 12th 2013, 13:27 From Software's role-playing game goes double platinum since launch in October 2011. 
Dark Souls has sold over 2.3 million units worldwide since the role-playing game launched in October 2011, developer From Software has confirmed. Executive director Eiichi Nakajima revealed the sales figure during a recent event in Japan attended by gpara (via NeoGAF). This figure is up from 1.19 million copies sold as of March 31, 2012, when publisher Namco Bandai revealed Dark Souls sales helped push the company to its strongest fiscal year since 2008. During its launch month of October 2011, Dark Souls was the sixth best-selling title in the United States, according to NPD data. The Dark Souls franchise is set to grow, as From Software is currently working on a sequel for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, though its release date has not been divulged. For more on this title, check out GameSpot's first-look preview of Dark Souls II. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | New Resident Evil 6 PC update released Apr 12th 2013, 12:52 Latest patch addresses various issues in Capcom's action-shooter 
Capcom has released a new patch for the PC version of Resident Evil 6. As detailed on the game's Steam page, the latest update addresses a series of issues in the action-shooter. These changes are listed below. - Fixed responses to commands given by partners in co-op
- Fixed the display issue with the "Ustanak 1" action figure in Collections
- Fixed the difficulty level during the Haos battle in Chris’ campaign, chapter 5-3
- Fixed the input problem when using gamepads during the J'avo car chase scene in Chris’ campaign, chapter 3-6
- Fixed the issue where the player is unable to go through the door in Jake's campaign, chapter 4-4
This latest update for Resident Evil 6 follows a previous patch last week that addressed bugs and added Left 4 Dead characters to the game's No Mercy mode. For more on Resident Evil 6, check out GameSpot's review. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Wii News, Forecast channels shutting down Apr 12th 2013, 12:29 Nintendo discontinuing a series of original Wii channels and network services in June due to "very low participation rate." 
A handful of original Wii channels and some network services are soon to be no more. Nintendo announced today that due to a "very low participation rate," the company has decided to discontinue the following applications beginning June 28, 2013. · Forecast Channel
· News Channel
· Everybody Votes Channel
· Nintendo Channel
· Check Mii Out Channel
· Data exchange between Wii friends on WiiConnect24
Concerning the last point, Wii message exchanges through Wii Message Board, Mii exchange via Mii channel, and exchanges of messages or data in "some" games will no longer be possible come June. Nintendo apologized to gamers using the services and said the move was necessary so the company could focus on an "even higher level of service" for Wii U. "We apologize to those of you currently using these services, and ask for your understanding," Nintendo said in a statement. "In order to focus on the development of an even higher level of service for Wii U and other products, a portion of the network services offered through the Wii console will be discontinued." Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Bungie discusses cross-gen Destiny Apr 12th 2013, 12:16 Developer says it will "push this game as far" as it can on every platform, teases specific features to be revealed at E3 in June. 
Bungie's all-new shooter Destiny will release on both current- and next-generation consoles, but will there be differences between the two versions? Discussing this with X360 Magazine, Bungie design director Joseph Staten teased more specifics will be divulged at the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo, but noted that the studio's ambition is to "push this game as far" as it can on every platform. "Anytime you get your hands on new hardware you’re going to try and take advantage of everything it has to offer," Staten said. "I know coming up at E3 we’ll be talking more about the specific features, but just like with any hardware leap, absolutely, we’re going to push this game as far [as] it can be pushed on whatever platform." Regardless of platform, the game will "look great," Staten added. "It's going to look great on PS3, it'll look awesome on 360, and it'll look great on PS4 as well," he said. "You can bet that no matter where we are, we're going to make the game look great." Destiny is also rumored to launch for the Xbox 720, as well as the PC, Wii U, and PlayStation Vita. Bungie previously downplayed the differences between current- and next-generation versions of Destiny, saying the studio will deliver the "full vision" of the game on all platforms. "We've been planning for multiple hardware platforms from the very beginning, and while we can't get into the minute technical details of each console, we're fully committed to delivering our full vision for Destiny on every console we ship on," Bungie said at the time. "Currently, that list is PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360." Not all developers believe cross-generation development is a good idea. The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red CEO Marcin Iwinski explained this month that developers must compromise when making games for current- and next-generation platforms. Furthermore, these compromises may negatively impact gamers, he argued. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Notch only behind Egypt president in Time 100 poll Apr 12th 2013, 11:22 Minecraft creator receives second-most votes in magazine's "most influential people in the world" poll, only behind Mohamed Morsi. 
Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson is the second-most influential person in the world, only behind Egypt's president Mohamed Morsi, according to Time magazine voters. The publication's 2013 Time 100 Poll asks readers to cast votes for the leaders, artists, innovators, icons, and heroes they think are the most influential people in the world. Voting ends today. The final list will be chosen by Time editors and revealed on April 18. At press time, Notch had received 148,687 "Absolutely" votes to 16,766 "No Way" selections. Morsi currently has 171,249 "Absolutely" votes and an even greater 219,928 "No Way" votes. Currently in third place is Internet entrepreneur and Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom, who is publicly encouraging readers to vote for Notch. Other names on the list include Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, Pope Francis, German chancellor Angela Merkel, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and North Korean leader Kim Jong un, among others. No other game creators were named to the list. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Free-to-play Ridge Racer revealed Apr 12th 2013, 10:57 Unbounded developer Bugbear working on downloadable Driftopia for PlayStation 3 and PC to launch later this year. 
Namco Bandai today announced Ridge Racer Driftopia, a free-to-play downloadable racing game from Unbounded developer Bugbear Entertainment. The game will launch "later in 2013" for PC and PlayStation 3. Gamers will be able to purchase additional items through in-game microtransactions, though these were not detailed at any length. No further game details were divulged. In a statement, Namco Bandai senior vice president Olivier Comte said that in addition to continued support for the "vital" traditional retail sector, the company is committed to embracing new business models, like free-to-play. "Free-to-play is playing an increasingly important role, so it's very exciting to be bringing one of our most successful franchises to the free-to-play space for everyone to enjoy," he said. During a European games conference last year, Comte criticized free-to-play games, saying they "can't be high-quality." He did, however, make clear that Namco is willing to consider all funding models for future games. In addition to Ridge Racer Driftopia, Bugbear is working on an a "full-contact" demolition derby game for PC and yet-to-be-announced platforms. [ Watch Video ] Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Official Grand Theft Auto playlists come to Spotify Apr 12th 2013, 09:39 Not all tracks are available on music streaming service, but almost every GTA radio station features in some form. 
Rockstar Games has assembled Spotify playlists for many of the radio stations featured across the Grand Theft Auto series. The developer has included the soundtracks to Grand Theft Auto IV and follow-up Episodes from Liberty City, alongside PS2-era trilogy San Andreas, Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto III. Music from handheld titles Liberty City Stories, Vice City Stories, and Chinatown Wars is also provided. Some tracks some absent or subject to regional restrictions, though Rockstar said "we’re hoping to be able to add the original songs within our control where possible soon." A full list of links, including iTunes playlists, can be found on Rockstar's site. Rockstar also points to its page for The Advertising Council as a growing repository for the series' satirical radio advertisements, currently promising that the commercials to Grand Theft Auto IV are coming soon. Grand Theft Auto V will be released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 17, and the game's cover art was recently revealed. For more information on Grand Theft Auto V, check out GameSpot's previous coverage. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | UK Office of Fair Trading investigating 'unfair' in-app purchases Apr 12th 2013, 09:20 Regulatory body looking to hear from parents affected by games aggressively marketing in-app purchases to children. 
Free-to-play smartphone games featuring "unfair" in-app purchases have come under the scrutiny of the UK's Office of Fair Trading. The OFT investigation is specifically to determine whether certain games are misleading and pressuring children to pay for content, and is seeking a response from parents who have experienced such issues. The regulatory body is not looking into the practice of selling in-app purchases, but instead is looking at the way these are marketed to young players. The OFT is attempting to ascertain how aggressively certain titles encourage users to buy additional content, noting that certain actions could potentially be unlawful under UK law the 2008 Consumer Protection (from Unfair Trading) Regulations act. "We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs," said Cavendish Elithorn, the OFT's senior director for goods and consumer. OFT statistics report that 80 of the 100 top-grossing applications on the Android market are free-to-play titles that make revenue through in-app purchases. Common methods of incorporating in-app purchases include selling virtual currency, consumable items, and new characters. In February this year, five-year-old Danny Kitchen made headlines after running up a £1,700 bill playing the free-to-play game Zombies vs. Ninjas on his parents' iPad. Elithorn says that the OFT is not looking to ban the act of in-app purchases, but that "the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected." "We are speaking to the industry and will take enforcement action if necessary." The OFT says it will report on its findings in October 2013 and cannot currently name the companies and titles that are being investigated. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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