| Fable studio seeking devs with experience reimagining franchises May 16th 2013, 16:29 New job listing at Lionhead Studios calls for person with proven ability of bringing new ideas while "ensuring heritage is respected." 
Fable developer Lionhead Studios posted a new job listing recently seeking a developer with a "background working on new franchises or reimagining's of existing franchises." A call for an animation director (via OXM), posted this month, adds that a desirable candidate would have a "proven ability to bring new ideas to new franchises whilst ensuring its heritage is respected." The job posting suggests a return to a series Lionhead Studios has worked on before. The Guildford, United Kingdom developer has created a handful of franchises, though its most well-known work is the Fable fantasy role-playing series. Another new job posting, this one for a core engine programmer, seeks a developer with experience making games on Epic's Unreal Engine 3 and/or Unreal Engine 4. Past Fable games have been built using various iterations of the Unreal Engine. Lionhead Studios, a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Studios, has not provided any details on its current project, though recent reports peg this game to be a next-generation title with massively multiplayer online elements. The company recently hired MMO veteran John Needham to lead the studio. He was formerly the CEO of Marvel Heroes developer Gazillion Entertainment, and before that City of Heroes maker Cryptic Studios. He's also been chief financial officer at Sony Online Entertainment. If Lionhead Studios' current project is a game for Microsoft's next Xbox, it could be unveiled as early as next week during the company's next-generation reveal event on May 21. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
|  | Naughty Dog: Last of Us multiplayer is 'best ever conceived' May 16th 2013, 15:43 Lead artist talks up multiplayer mode for upcoming action game as development comes to a close. 
Naughty Dog lead artist Nate Wells has taken to Twitter to talk up the multiplayer mode for The Last of Us, which the developer has been silent on outside of confirming its existence. "I wish I could appropriately prepare you people for [The Last of Us]," he said. "But even if I were allowed to, I can't. And I really can't prepare you for the best [multiplayer] ever conceived." Naughty Dog confirmed a multiplayer mode for The Last of Us in December, but has yet to give any details about it, though some of this information leaked earlier this month. The news comes as Naughty Dog wrapped up development on The Last of Us, meaning the game has "gone gold" and is now headed to factories for mass production. Co-president Christophe Balestra revealed the news on Instagram, posting a picture of the game's "makedisc ship final" code. Creative director Neil Druckmann echoed this sentiment, writing on Twitter "pencils down." The Last of Us was originally scheduled to launch on May 7, but was delayed in February to a June 14 global launch exclusively for PlayStation 3. Gamers won't need to wait that long to play the title, as a demo will be available for owners of God of War: Ascension later this month. The Last of Us is Naughty Dog's first new franchise since the Uncharted series, which has been dormant since 2011's Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. The developer is rumored to be at work on a PlayStation 4 game, which may have been inadvertently exposed earlier this week. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Sony Japan unveils Panopticon with an enigmatic trailer May 16th 2013, 15:00 Teaser site suggests more information will be available on May 21. 
Sony has released a trailer for its new sci-fi adventure Panopticon, currently in development at its Japan Studio. The two-minute trailer shows a cel-shaded world of robotic dragons, futuristic London, and branded humans with identification numbers. No platforms or dates are mentioned in the trailer, and the mysterious, cutscene-heavy footage does not clearly specify exactly what kind of game Panopticon is going to be. A teaser site has also been created, showing a countdown to May 21--suggesting more information will be given on the game the same day as Microsoft unveils its next-generation Xbox. Sony's Japan Studio is also currently at work on PlayStation 4 platformer Knack, which was announced along with the console back in February. Sony would not comment on the game when approached by GameSpot. Last week the company promised some "intriguing" announcements on the horizon. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Mass Effect 3 PC is $6 on Amazon May 16th 2013, 14:43 Retailer marks down BioWare's role-playing game as part of wide-ranging digital PC sale; Saints Row: The Third going for $10. 
Gamers in the market for the PC version of Mass Effect 3 are in luck. Amazon is currently offering the digital version of BioWare's role-playing game for $6. By comparison, Electronic Arts' own Origin store is currently selling the title for $20. No matter where Mass Effect 3 is purchased, players must register through Origin to play. The deal is part of a wide-ranging PC download sale at Amazon that also includes markdowns on various single titles like Bastion ($3.75), Saints Row: The Third ($10), Deus Ex: Human Revolution ($5), and Lord of the Rings: War in the North ($5). Numerous compilation packs are also on sale, including the BioShock Dual Pack ($10), the Dead Space Dual Pack ($8), the Dragon Age Dual Pack ($10), and the Firaxis Complete Pack ($20), among many others. For the full rundown of discounted digital PC titles, check out the Slickdeals forum post. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | God of War, Twisted Metal creator lands at indie studio May 16th 2013, 14:30 David Jaffe appointed creative advisor at Pixelbionic where he will contribute to vehicular combat game Autoduel; Kickstarter campaign launching soon. 
The next project from Twisted Metal and God of War creator David Jaffe has been revealed. Independent game studio Pixelbionic announced today that Jaffe has joined the company's advisory board as a creative advisor for the company's first title, vehicular combat game Autoduel. The game appears to play to Jaffe's strengths, as it is described as one that pays homage to classic car games like Interstate '76 and Jaffe's own Twisted Metal. The game is a PC online multiplayer game that "combines the high-octane thrills and spills of team-based car combat with RPG-influenced persistence and progression." Autoduel is set in a post-apocalyptic future where warriors "drive to survive" in armored vehicles scavenged from the crumbled landscape. Players will be able to choose from over 20 cars divided into three factions: Ratters, Scavengers, and Techies. These cars can be upgraded with everything from mechanical modifications to weapons and armor. Gamers can also customize the paintwork and add decals to "show their allegiance and express their unique style." Pixelbionic management said it created the studio to create games like Autoduel because they are "ignored by publishers." As such, the game will be funded by a crowd-funding campaign through Kickstarter said to launch "soon." Jaffe joins Pixelbionic's self-described "dream team" assembled by cofounder Maxx Kaufman, formerly of inXile Entertainment. Other members of the Autoduel team include designer Scot Kramaric (Interstate '82) and coder Rafael Paiz (The Matrix: Path of Neo). "Our mission is to assemble a team of car combat visionaries to deliver the game fans want to not only play but also help create," said Pixelbionic cofounder and President Mike Arkin. "Autoduel pairs the vision of the best talent in the industry with the enthusiasm and support of gamers, a combination we are confident will set the bar for what can be achieved in a new PC vehicular combat game." Others sitting on Pixelbionic's advisory board include Interstate '76 creator Zack Norman and Microsoft veteran Chanel Summers. Jaffe left Twisted Metal studio Eat Sleep Play last year. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Ubisoft: core gamers 'starving' for next-gen May 16th 2013, 13:27 Assassin's Creed publisher says core audience chomping at the bit for new platforms; Ubisoft marketshare rises to 11.2 percent. 
The wait for next-generation consoles will soon be over and according to Ubisoft, gamers will be eager to adopt the new platforms. As part of its latest earnings report, Ubisoft said the eight-year wait for new consoles has left gamers "starving" for next-gen platforms. The company also detailed the various long-term opportunities it seems in next-gen platforms. Ubisoft said the social nature of these platforms will make players even more connected, which in turn will yield greater average revenue per user (ARPU). Overall, Ubisoft said it believes the arrival of next-gen platforms will lead to record sales for the industry. Outside of the Wii U, the only announced next-generation platform thus far is Sony's PlayStation 4. This is likely to change in five days, when Microsoft lifts the veil on its long-rumored next Xbox. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in prepared remarks that gamers today want to express themselves without limitation, noting that new platforms for Sony and Microsoft will key in on this to their benefit. "We live in a world of self-expression. Everywhere, everyone is creative and wants to add value," Guillemot said. "Customization, or curating, is a huge growth area across all services and that holds true for games. People want to play in their own way, they want to define their own experience and they want to share the way they're playing." Ubisoft also revealed new marketshare figures for the industry's leading publishers. Citing NPD, GFK, Chart-Track, and Nielsen data, the company said it was the third largest publisher in the business, with its marketshare jumping to 11.2 percent in the past year, up from 8.8 percent a year ago. Activision Blizzard was the top publisher in the year (19.5 percent), with Electronic Arts (18.4 percent), Nintendo (10.8 percent), and Take-Two Interactive (6.4 percent) rounding out the top five. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Dota 2's The International 3 reaches $2m prize pool May 16th 2013, 13:26 Valve adds new stretch goals to its interactive compendium as community helps fund largest eSports prize pool in history. 
Valve's third annual Dota 2 eSports tournament The International has accrued a total prize pot of two million dollars due to contributions from the community. At time of writing, the total amount of prize money available in the tournament is $2,001,670. Each Dota 2 player who purchases the in-game Interactive Compendium adds $2.50 to the total prize pool, and Valve will now unlock a new HUD skin for all Compendium owners after crossing the $2m threshold. Valve has also added more stretch goals to the Compendium, which will unlock for all players once the goals have been met. At $2.2m all players will be given "a taunt item with a brand new animation for all Compendium owners," while $2.4m will allow owners to "vote on participants in an 8 player Solo Championship (1vs1) at The International." The final stretch goal, which stands at $3.2m, will allow the community to choose the next hero released for the game. Speaking to GameSpot, Dota 2 analyst Matthew "Cyborgmatt" Bailey said "The International Compendium is a great example of how effective crowd-funding is becoming." Bailey also says that Valve has the option of allowing for crowd-funded third-party tournaments in the future. "In terms of the backend there is already an API in place now which allows for a custom prize pool supported by these passports to be tracked live," said Bailey, adding that the partial crowd-funding with The International "is something Valve will want to test the water with, to see how the community reacts with being given another possible way of supporting these tournaments and teams." "Moving forward I can only see this being the beginning, the way Valve have setup the Compendium provides plenty of room for this to be expanded into third party tournaments," concluded Bailey. The original prize pool for The International 3 stood at $1.6 million, meaning the Interactive Compendium has been purchased over 160,000 times. Valve has not said how the money will be distributed among the winning teams. The previous largest eSports prize pool was $1.97m in League of Legends' Season 2 World Championship, which took place in Los Angeles in October 2012. The International 3 will run from August 7 through 11 at Seattle's Benaroya Hall. 13 of the tournament's 16 teams have already been invited, with the remaining three spots up for grabs in the currently-running Western and Eastern qualifiers. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Sony gets rights for Angry Birds movie May 16th 2013, 12:46 Rovio says several "major" studios pursued the global film rights before Sony Pictures won out; movie to launch July 1, 2016. 
Sony Pictures Entertainment has obtained the exclusive worldwide distribution rights for the upcoming Angry Birds movie, developer and publisher Rovio Entertainment has announced. Several "major" studios reportedly pursued the film rights in recent weeks before Sony Pictures emerged as the winner. The 3D film will be developed, produced, and financed by Rovio Entertainment and released by Sony Pictures on July 1, 2016. Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton and co-chairman Amy Pascal said in a joint statement that their company is overjoyed to distribute the film, one that they believe will be a hit. "Every studio in town would love to add Angry Birds to their slate. There are few titles out there that bring this kind of excitement, brand awareness and built-in audience to the table," the pair said. "We're thrilled to be distributing this film and we hope this is just the beginning of what will be a long relationship with Rovio as we look for ways to work on future projects together." Iron Man producer David Maisel is attached to the Angry Birds film as executive producer, with Despicable Me producer John Cohen also on board in a producing role. The forthcoming Angry Birds film will mark Rovio Entertainment's first stride into feature films, but not the first animated video production from the company. Angry Birds Toons launched in March through apps, select video-on-demand providers, and TV networks. The series has drawn more than 150 million views through apps alone in its first six weeks. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Bungie shoots down Destiny for PS Vita rumor May 16th 2013, 12:08 Developer confirms image suggesting version of upcoming shared-world shooter in development for Sony's latest portable is a fake. 
Bungie's Destiny will not be revealed on the PlayStation Vita. The developer has confirmed with IGN that recent rumors of the shared-world shooter coming to Sony's latest portable are false. Yesterday, an image (click to expand) appeared online that contained Destiny imagery and appeared to be marketing material for a game called Destiny of Spirits. Bungie not only confirmed this to be a fake, but also told IGN that "when we announce something, we'll use our current logo." When Bungie announced Destiny in February, the game's preorder page suggested that the first-person shooter was in fact coming to the PlayStation Vita, as well as other unannounced platforms like the PC, Wii U, and Xbox 720. Though Destiny is not in development for the PS Vita, Sony may have something planned for Destiny of Spirits, which the company trademarked last month. The company has yet to discuss plans for whatever this may be. Destiny officially launches for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 next year. More information about the game is expected to be divulged at the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo next month. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Ubisoft planning to release games more frequently May 16th 2013, 11:42 Assassin's Creed and Far Cry publisher says its network of 26 studios and over 7,000 developers will allow company to ship major franchises more regularly. 
Ubisoft is aiming to capitalize on its "major production capacity" and release major franchises more frequently. In prepared remarks as part of the company's latest earnings report, CEO Yves Guillemot said the firm will be able to achieve this thanks to its network of 26 studios and over 7,000 developers across the world. "We believe that our major production capacity, strong of a network of 26 international studios and over 7,000 developers, now optimized with our lead and associate organization, will allow us to come with an enhanced pipeline of increasingly high quality franchises and new IPs," Guillemot said. "We will be able to release our franchises more and more regularly, providing solid visibility on our future revenue and profitability streams," he added. "All that, combined with the online expertise and know-how that we have been growing steadily internally make us believe that we will benefit disproportionately from the arrival of the new generation and from the continued growth of the online market." One of Ubisoft's biggest franchises is Assassin's Creed, which has seen a new entry hit store shelves every year since 2009. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag launches this October and its follow-up is already in production. According to Ubisoft Montreal boss Yannis Mallat, gamers want a new Assassin's Creed game every year. Ubisoft's Just Dance franchise has been annualized since its inception in 2009. Just Dance 4 was the most recent entry in the series, launching last fall. It has shipped over 8.5 million units to date. Some of Ubisoft's other major franchises, like Far Cry, Prince of Persia, Splinter Cell, and Rainbow Six, have in the past gone years without new installments. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | EA aims to take on League of Legends with Dawngate May 16th 2013, 10:54 Upcoming MOBA aiming to offer a community-driven lore; currently taking sign-ups for closed beta. 
Electronic Arts is getting involved with the burgeoning MOBA genre with its own League of Legends and Dota 2 rival: Dawngate. A site for the upcoming game has appeared, though games industry sleuth superannuation notes that EA might have set it live early--links to the Dawngate Facebook, Twitter, and Twitch accounts are all currently inactive. "Dawngate is a new MOBA," reads the site, "built from the ground up to look and feel familiar while offering a whole new way to experience MOBA gameplay." The website does not detail exactly how debut studio Waystone Games intends to differentiate itself from its genre peers, but hints at a community-driven lore and an emphasis on character customisation. "Dawngate empowers you to forge the champions you love for the roles you want in a competitive arena, shaped by ever-evolving, community-driven content and story." Interested users can sign up to the Dawngate beta from the website, which requires an account on EA's digital platform Origin. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Wargaming announces 15th anniversary World of Tanks tournament series May 16th 2013, 10:12 Global competition to take place in Europe, North America, Russia, Southeast Asia, and more. 
Publisher Wargaming will be hosting a series of World of Tanks tournaments to celebrate its 15-year anniversary. The tournaments will be held in Europe, North America, Russia, South Korea, Southeast Asia, China, and Vietnam. The winning teams from each of these regions will fly on an all-expenses-paid trip to Wargaming's studio in Minsk, Belarus. The event will start on May, with the finals scheduled for the end of June. The tournaments will use a seven-versus-seven format. For more information, check out the registration pages for Europe, North America, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
| | Google Play game services announced May 16th 2013, 07:20 Google Play for Android and iOS devices goes live; service supports achievements, cloud saves and real-time multiplayer. 
Google has announced the launch of Google Play game services, an initiative designed to serve as a gaming platform for Android, iOS and other connected devices. The service allows game developers to incorporate achievements, cloud saves, real-time multiplayer and public leaderboards. Integration with Google+ grants the ability for users to track high scores of those in their circles. Google Play has already been launched with several games for Android devices, including World of Goo, Beach Buggy Blitz, Kingdom Rush, Eternity Warriors 2 and Osmos. The service is currently available via a source development kit (SDK) for Android and a native iOS SDK for iPhone and iPad games. In 2012 Google revealed that more than 300 million Android devices had been sold, with a 250 percent growth rate year-over-year. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
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