 | Tetris creator launches new game May 31st 2013, 15:47 Alexey Pajitnov launches Marbly on iOS, his first game designed exclusively for mobile devices. 
Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov has launched match-three game Marbly on iOS (via CNET), the industry veteran's first game designed exclusively for mobile devices. Marbly is available now as a free downloadable for both the iPhone and iPad. It is published by WildSnake Software and is said to be the first of a series of mobile titles to be released with Pajitnov. According to its official description, Marbly is a match three-type game that challenges players to remove all marbles from a board to solve a puzzle. The game features more than 180 puzzles and a series of modes, including Time, Score, and Move Challenges. It is not clear if Marbly will be made available for Android devices. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Spector: Underestimate Nintendo at your peril May 31st 2013, 15:21 Deus Ex and Epic Mickey designer Warren Spector enthusiastic about Nintendo, says he is currently evaluating potential job opportunities. 
The Wii U has struggled thus far, but Deus Ex and Epic Mickey designer Warren Spector remains hopeful that Nintendo can turn it around. Speaking with GameSpot, the industry veteran said betting against Nintendo is an ill-advised move. "I've been pretty upfront about my enthusiasm for Nintendo. I think we need a company that's dedicated to games. Every time I visit Nintendo, I'm relieved to have spent time in a place where you can just feel how much everyone loves games," Spector said. "And, really, how many times have people written Nintendo off? I think you underestimate them at your peril." Nintendo's three-pronged strategy to revitalize the Wii U includes shipping key first-party titles on a regular basis, ameliorating its messaging tactics, and reducing manufacturing costs. The company will share some of its vision for the future through a Nintendo Direct video presentation next month. Spector also elaborated on his post-Disney life, saying "lots" of companies have reached out to talk since Junction Point closed in January, though he has not yet decided if he'll return to the industry or not. "I was exhausted and pretty burned out when [Junction Point Studios] closed. You try working 30 years without a vacation! I kind of got it in my head that I—d stay home until I got bored, whenever that might be," Spector said. "I didn't want to go out and look for anything, but I spread the word that I'd talk to anybody who wanted to talk to me--from startup to multinational corporation. I'd listen and if the perfect thing showed up, I'd do it." "Honestly, I was kind of hoping nothing that good would show up! Lots of people wanted to talk--very flattering!--and, damn it, there were a handful I couldn't just reject out of hand," he added. "So I'm talking to some people and seeing how perfect the opportunities are. You may see me coming back soon. Or you may not. I—m playing it by ear." Though Spector is not making games at the moment, he remains involved in the industry. As announced earlier this month, Spector will head up a new game development program at the University of Texas at Austin and will also give the keynote address at October's Captivate Conference. GameSpot's full conversation with Spector will be published later today. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Wolfenstein 3D hits XBLA, PSN, PC May 31st 2013, 14:58 Downloadable version of id Software's seminal first-person shooter now available for $5. 
Bethesda announced today that a downloadable version of id Software's seminal first-person shooter Wolfenstein 3D is now available to download on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The game is available on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Steam for $5 in North America, with a PSN launch in Europe "coming soon." The game originally came to XBLA and PSN through Activision in 2009, though the new re-release is by way of Bethesda, which acquired id Software later that year. Wolfenstein 3D puts players into the boots of B.J. Blazkowicz, a spy agent who must escape from Castle Wolfenstein by laying waste to hordes of Nazis, including Hans Grosse and Mecha-Hitler. . Bethesda and MachineGames are currently working on the all-new Wolfenstein: The New Order, which will launch later this year for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and next-generation consoles. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Sony moving forward with plan for entertainment IPO - Report May 31st 2013, 14:12 PlayStation maker reportedly hires financial companies Morgan Stanley and Citigroup to assist in exploring possibility of splitting company apart. 
Sony has brought on financial firms Morgan Stanley and Citigroup to help the PlayStation maker consider a proposal to split the company apart, Bloomberg reports. Billionaire hedge fund manager Daniel S. Loeb--who owns a 6 percent stake in Sony worth about $1.1 billion--has proposed the company spins off its entertainment business by selling as much as 20 percent of its assets in an initial public offering (IPO). This move would allow Sony's electronics division--which includes the PlayStation business--to thrive, according to a letter Loeb and Third Point LLC sent to Sony earlier this month. "To maximize Sony's overall success, we believe the Company should change the structure of its ownership of Sony Entertainment," Third Point said at the time. "Doing so will strengthen Sony by reducing its burdensome debt, thereby providing additional resources and capital to focus on revitalizing the resurgent Sony Electronics." Sony CEO Kaz Hirai has said the company is considering Loeb's plan, though "it's only a start." Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Rhode Island House panel launching inquiry into 38 Studios May 31st 2013, 14:11 Government group says it has received thousands of pages of documents that will help inform debate over paying debt related to Curt Schilling's failed company. 
A Rhode Island House panel is launching an inquiry into Curt Schilling's failed game company 38 Studios, which has stuck the state with millions in debt. The Providence Journal reports today that the government group has received thousands of pages of documents this week as a result of a public information request. The committee is now ready to launch a hearing process that could help the state understand how best tackle its debt. "The perception out there is that we haven—t been doing anything," House Oversight Committee Chairman Michael J. Marcello said. "But the fact of the matter is we've gathered a ton of documents and we haven—t had a hearing because we just got the documents." The documents shed light on contractual records related to 38 Studios and others that applied to the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation's Job Creation Guaranty Program. This is the group that granted 38 Studios the controversial $75 million loan in 2010 that brought the developer from Massachusetts to Rhode Island. Marcello explained that the committee will focus on two issues concerning whether or not the state should pay the debt owed to bondholders now that 38 Studios has gone under. The first is finding out if the state's bond insurer will cover the debt--estimated at $113 million. The second is examining whether or not Rhode Island officials did their due diligence in making sure the financial standing of 38 Studios was periodically assessed. Rhode Island lawmakers--and governor Lincoln Chafee himself--have explored the financial costs of defaulting on the loans. However, Chafee has said he wants to pay the bonds to fulfil a "moral obligation" to taxpayers. Chafee's latest state budget proposal includes a $2.5 million payment made to lenders, followed by $12.5 million each of the following seven years. The budget must be approved by July 1. Separately, Rhode Island is suing Schilling and other former 38 Studios executives. At the same time, the state is attempting to sell the defunct company's assets, which it acquired when the outfit went bankrupt last year. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Bethesda starting over on Prey 2? May 31st 2013, 14:11 New report says production on long-in-development shooter shifted to Arkane Austin with new release window of late 2016. 
Bethesda is starting over on Prey 2, with the long-awaited shooter now penciled in for a late 2016 debut, according to a source speaking with Kotaku. Development on Prey 2 has reportedly shifted from Human Head Studios to Arkane Austin, the United States branch of the team behind Dishonored. All work that Human Head had completed on Prey 2 has been tossed out, with Arkane beginning anew, according to the source. This move is reportedly not sitting well with all developers at Arkane Austin, the source said. However, management at the company are reportedly informing staffers that they should not think of the project as Prey 2, but rather a new System Shock. A Bethesda representative told GameSpot, "We don't have any new info to share on Prey 2. We don't comment on rumors." Last month, Bethesda parent company Zenimax filed documents with the United States Patent & Trademark Office to extend its trademark for the Prey intellectual property. A company representative declined to comment on what this could mean for the future of the brand. Prey 2 was officially announced in 2011 and a playable build of the game was shown off during the Electronic Entertainment Expo later in the year. The game was delayed in 2012 due to quality issues and a Human Head developer said a year later that the game was in limbo. Disclosure: GameSpot parent company CBS CEO Leslie Moonves is a Zenimax Media board member. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Infinity Ward discusses leaving Modern Warfare behind May 31st 2013, 12:40 Developer says it was "not a hard decision, but a long decision." 
Some may have been surprised when Infinity Ward's latest project was announced as Call of Duty: Ghosts and not the rumored Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Infinity Ward executive producer Mark Rubin explained the studio's thinking process regarding moving on from the series in a new interview with MCV. "Not a hard decision, but a long decision," Rubin said. "We don't get a chance when making a game to think about the next one until we are done actually making that first game." "So when we finished Modern Warfare 3, we had this big brainstorming session that lasted for weeks," he added. "Everybody gets to come up with ideas of what we want to do, not just what game we want to do, but moments in games." Rubin explained that the entire studio knew it wanted to continuing making Call of Duty games, even though it could have made something else. He said the team wanted to build a new universe, with new characters and experiences. "The easy thing would have been--as we had finished the arc of Modern Warfare 1, 2 and 3--to start a new arc within that same universe. That was the first step," Rubin said. "But due to a lot of the changes we wanted to make with this new world, it really dictated out that we needed to make something that wasn't Modern Warfare." The result is Call of Duty: Ghosts, the latest entry in the hit shooter series and one that is being billed as having a more emotional storyline. Infinity Ward has tapped Academy Award-winning Traffic and Syriana author Stephen Gaghan to write the game's script. Call of Duty: Ghosts will launch later this year for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, as well as Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Microsoft 'rounding up answers' on Xbox One's DRM stance May 31st 2013, 12:23 Major Nelson says Microsoft is putting together a definitive list of answers to lingering Xbox One questions, and that "they look pretty good." 
Microsoft has said it is "listening" to the various complaints and concerns surrounding the unveiling of its next-generation Xbox One console last week. Microsoft spokesperson Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb said that Microsoft is readying up a series of answers relating to key concerns over DRM, the need for the console to check-in online, and a perceived lack of focus from Microsoft on gaming. Responding to a critical statement on Twitter, Hyrb said that "I am working on rounding up answers, and they look pretty good. Once I have them all I'll make a post." "And yes, we are listening," he asserted. Many core questions about the nature of the Xbox One currently remain unanswered by Microsoft at this point, though the company has repeatedly assured gamers to wait for E3. The company earlier this week tried to calm fears about users' privacy surrounding the Xbox One's new Kinect sensor. Last week Hryb said that "reports about our policies for trade in and resale are inaccurate and incomplete. We will disclose more information in the near future." A previous report had said Microsoft and the original publisher will receive a cut of every used game sold in stores. Microsoft executive Aaron Greenberg has said the company's E3 showing will "get it right." For more information on Microsoft's next-gen console, check out GameSpot's Xbox One hub. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | $25 Armored Bloodwing mount now available in WoW May 31st 2013, 12:19 New rideable flesh-eating bat available for purchase in Blizzard Entertainment's MMO. 
Gamers can fly the skies of Azeroth on an all-new mount, as Blizzard Entertainment has launched the Armored Bloodwing creature. It is available now for $25 in the Blizzard Store. The Armored Bloodwing is described as a "monstrous" and flesh-eating bat, "the perfect companion for trips that call for death and destruction." Once purchased, the Armored Bloodwing will be available for all present and future characters players have tied to their Battle.net accounts. The Armored Bloodwing joins a growing catalog of mounts and pets that Blizzard Entertainment has made available for a la carte purchase. It joins the Celestial Steed ($25), Winged Guardian ($25), Swift Windsteed ($25), and pets like the Pandaren Monk ($10), Soul of the Aspects ($10), and Cinder Kitten ($10). World of Warcraft had 8.3 million subscribers at the end of March, down 1.3 million from three months prior. Its most recent expansion was Mists of Pandaria, which launched in September. No new expansions have been announced, though Activision Blizzard aims to release content more frequently to stem subscriber attrition. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Naughty Dog will keep its engine tech for PS4 development May 31st 2013, 11:38 Uncharted and The Last of Us developer says creating an all-new engine between PS2 and PS3 "caused a lot of turmoil." 
Naughty Dog has said it will keep the proprietary engine used on PlayStation 3 titles like Uncharted 3 and The Last of Us for PlayStation 4 development. The Last of Us game director Bruce Straley said that Naughty Dog intends to avoid the "turmoil" it suffered when creating an entirely new game engine for the PlayStation 3. "We learned a big lesson coming from PS2 to PS3," said Straley in an interview with Digital Spy. "There was a lot of hype over what [PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360] was going to be. It was all going to be like movies, like a pre-rendered cutscene-style fidelity." "That turned out not to be true," he added. "What we're able to do now is pretty damn close, but it took Naughty Dog four games to get there--one of the top developers in the industry with some on the most amazing scientists working in our programming department." "We scrapped everything at the beginning of Uncharted 1, and we had a perfectly good engine with the Jak & Daxter franchise. Straley says that Naughty Dog had a "perfectly good" engine powering the Jak & Daxter titles on PlayStation 2. "We could have started with something there and then built off of it and only changed the pieces and parts as we needed, when we needed," said Straley, adding that the choice to developer a new engine for the original Uncharted "really caused a lot of turmoil." The team at Naughty Dog "learned our lesson" and so intends to take its current engine to PlayStation 4. "As we move into development into next-gen, we want to take our current engine, port it immediately over as is and say, 'Okay, we have a great AI system, we have a good rendering system'." Naughty Dog intends to improve the engine to make use of the PlayStation 4's next-gen technology, but adds that "only when we hit a wall will we say, 'When do we need to change something? When do we need to scale it?" "It's one of those things that you learn in development," concluded Straley. "We've gained something from this experience, and now we want to apply it moving into next gen." Naughty Dog's PlayStation 3-exclusive The Last of Us will be released on June 14. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Darksiders III vision shared by series' former creative director May 31st 2013, 11:36 Joe Madureira says Vigil Games was contemplating Darksiders III four-player co-op and considering Xbox One and PlayStation 4 tech. 
The creative director of Darksiders and Darksiders II has spoken about now-defunct developer Vigil Games' vision for Darksiders III. In an interview with IGN, Vigil Games co-founder and comic artist Joe Madureira said that the studio planned to create a four-player co-op adventure, allowing the entire quartet of Darksiders' Horsemen to be playable. —It—s possible we could have pulled it off," he said, adding that he "would have liked to introduce Fury and Strife. I know many fans feel robbed that they never got to play the last two Horsemen." Madureira also spoke of how the series would have progressed past 2012's Darksiders II. "Story wise, we tossed around the idea of the Horsemen attacking Hell to challenge Lucifer," he said, "and then taking the battle to the Charred Council to regain their freedom. Epic stuff." "There was also an idea to do crazy 'western' type story, where the Horsemen are mortals after the rebirth of Mankind, sort of an alternate future," added Madureira. "Neither idea got very far," he admitted. Madureira added that the extra processing power of Xbox One and PlayStation 4 would have benefited the vision of four-player co-op in the series. "The biggest limiter for us was always scope, time, and money," said Madureira. "I do think that it would be very difficult [on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3] to have four players running around simultaneously and maintain the level of graphic quality we achieved. So [Darksiders III], had we introduced co-op, would have benefited from the power of the next generation of consoles." GameSpot awarded Darksiders II an 8.5 in its review, saying the game "merges action, exploration, and loot-driven progression into an excellent and sizable adventure." Nordic Games purchased the Darksiders IP in April, along with the rights to multiple other ex-THQ titles including Red Faction and MX vs. ATV, for $4.9 million. No buyer was found for Vigil Games during THQ's dissolution. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | El Shaddai director buys IP rights from original publisher May 31st 2013, 11:33 Japanese company Crim says it intends to "develop a potential El Shaddai business moving forward." 
Japanese company Crim, which is headed up by El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron director Takeyasu Sawaki, has bought the rights to the series off the now Disney-owned UTV Ignition. The original game, inspired by Jewish religious work The Book of Enoch, was released in 2011. GameSpot awarded the game an 8.0 in its review at the time, saying that it "combines gorgeous artistic design with enticing combat to create a memorable adventure." News of the purchase (translated via Gematsu), says the the sale entails "prequel, sequel, and all other derivative rights of the existing game," suggesting a new title in the series could be in the works. Crim has also said it "will work with the entertainment industry to develop a potential El Shaddai business moving forward." A social media title, El Shaddai Social Battle, was announced in 2012 in partnership with GREE. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Kaz Hirai: PS4 is 'first and foremost' a video game console May 31st 2013, 11:01 Sony CEO asserts the PlayStation 4 as primarily a gaming console, but adds that more non-game functionality will be revealed in time. 
Following Microsoft's plan to position its upcoming Xbox One as a living room entertainment device, Sony Corporation president and CEO Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai has stressed that the PlayStation 4 is a video game console first. The news came as Hirai spoke at the D11 conference held this week in the US, according to The Verge. "The most important thing we need to do is agree and understand that the PS4 is a great video game console that appeals to video gamers. If we miss that part, I don't think we get the initial establishment of the console. That formula has worked for us with all our consoles, including the PS3." In addition, Hirai said that Sony would reveal more PS4 functions not related to video games. "Providing other non-game content is an area we will reveal and talk about in the coming months, but it's first and foremost a video game console." Sony Computer Entertainment's E3 press conference will be held on June 10, just before E3 2013 starts. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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