EA Sports: Gamers Wanted Digital-Only Euro 2012

EA Sport's executive vice president has claimed that gamers wanted the Euro 2012 game to be made available as a DLC addon rather than a boxed release.

According to MCV, Andrew Wilson said the company delivered the title this way due to popular demand, and would consider doing the same for 2014's World Cup tie-in.

“

We’re going to listen and we’re going to do our best to deliver what is asked for by gamers.

"Gamers in all honesty asked for it to be delivered that way, and what you’ve seen from us over the last 18 months, is that we are listening to gamers more now ever before," he explained.

"When you asked ‘will all tournaments go this way?’, we will do things based on gamer demand. And you know with 25m people engaged playing 10m games a day with us, and with nearly 20m Facebook fans involved in a daily conversation about what we do and how we do it, not to mention the many millions of people in our forums.

"We’re going to listen and we’re going to do our best to deliver what is asked for by gamers."

UEFA Euro 2012 launched as a downloadable expansion pack for FIFA 12 in April to a review from us that centred on this very issue; whilst the pricing of DLC may be cheaper than that of a new boxed release, the absence of significant changes to gameplay made it hard to justify the premium price tag.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant.  You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Rainbow Moon Review

SideQuest Studios may be an unknown quantity to most gamers, but for the hardcore PlayStation Network audience, the small German developer has made a name for itself. Its two previous titles -- side-scrolling shooters known as Soldner X and Soldner X-2 – were popular forays into a retro genre. And for its third outing, SideQuest Studios decided to throw a curveball in the form of an equally retro RPG called Rainbow Moon.

Rainbow Moon may have a deceptive name suggesting that it’s more of an ‘80s cartoon than a hardcore role playing experience, but rest assured that it’s very much the latter. Taking inspiration from a variety of games from the past, Rainbow Moon combines obsessive grinding, equipment and character upgrading with strategy-based battling. While it doesn’t quite soar to the heights occupied by the best RPGs ever created, it’s still a worthwhile purchase for those looking to dump scores of hours into something that we don’t see too much of today: a bona fide old-school RPG.

The plot of Rainbow Moon is simple and, like many old-school RPGs, largely unimportant. The game’s protagonist, Baldren, finds himself stranded on a mystical satellite aptly known as Rainbow Moon. The same dimensional rip that deposited him there also brought a plethora of monsters to the once serene moon, and it’s up to him, along with the various characters that join him on his adventure, to rid the moon of its unwelcome new inhabitants before getting back home. Don’t expect a story in the vein of Final Fantasy VI or Wild Arms here; Rainbow Moon emphasizes mechanics and gameplay far more than plot. Mountains of roughly-translated (yet strangely endearing) text and an almost complete lack of character development affirm this fact.

As soon as the game begins, it becomes impossible to ignore Rainbow Moon’s crisp graphics and vivid colors. Sure, the character designs leave something to be desired, but the enemies you fight might as well have been lifted straight out of Dragon Warrior on your NES. Battle a poison-hurling scorpion here, a laser-firing mech there, or a fast-moving zombie in another locale; the variety of enemies is fairly vast, but expect palate swaps as enemy types get stronger (no doubt a nod to the RPG glory days of yore). Rainbow Moon also benefits from a strong soundtrack with some truly catchy tunes and a limited voice track that gives virtually all characters you speak with quirky “hello” and “goodbye” sound bytes bound to put a smile on your face with their ridiculousness.

But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: gameplay and, more succinctly, combat. As you explore, you’ll run into enemies both directly (like in Chrono Trigger) and via random battles (like in Final Fantasy IV). Regardless of how an enemy party is engaged, things typically play out the same way. Your party – which can consist of up to three characters at a time – will be pitted against a hostile crew that may only contain a single enemy, 20 enemies, or anywhere in between. Even if the way you initially get launched into battle proves conventional, the actual fights themselves are anything but.

Don’t assume you’re going to get a deep combat experience like Final Fantasy Tactics here, but you’ll still get something very much inspired by that kind of game. Turn-based combat plays out on a grid, forcing you to think more tactically than many other games in the genre. Your characters will have various skills at their disposal, varying speeds at which they move, and even a certain amount of moves they get to execute each turn. Enemy and character strengths and weaknesses also play a huge part in combat. Fighting is only marginally deep, but still exceptionally satisfying and quite different from what you’d find in other likeminded games.

Outside of battle, Rainbow Moon assaults players with all manner of options, upgrades, equipment and more. The game’s two currency types – Rainbow Coins and Rainbow Pearls – serve different purposes that make your party stronger in equally different ways. Coins purchase items, weapons, armor, skill scrolls and more, while Pearls upgrade specific character traits ranging from strength and defense to speed and luck. Purchased equipment can be further upgraded by using items found during and after battle. These items provide varying types of permanent statistical boosts to your gear that can make a strong character setup even stronger.

All of these features mix seamlessly with a fairly straight-forward questing and side-questing system that’s shallow on story but still fun to work your way through. The main quest often sends you from character to character for brief conversations, an occasional fetch quest or a foray into a deadly dungeon. Side quests have you doing all kinds of activities, from retrieving lost items to killing devious enemies. Combined with Rainbow Moon’s vast map to explore – rife with geographic diversity and plenty of territory to cover – the game is dense. For the audience that this game is aimed squarely at, that’s a good thing.

Source : ign[dot]com

Livingstone Claims We'll Always Want Single-Player Experiences

Eidos president Ian Livingstone has claimed that gamers will always want high-quality single-player experiences, despite the diversifying industry.

In an interview with MCV Pacific, the man behind Lara Croft said that the increased prominence of social and casual gaming doesn't necessarily threaten demand for core single-player experiences, such as the Tomb Raider reboot.

“

A game like Tomb Raider has historically been a graphically intensive single player experience, and that’s not simply going to disappear overnight.

He explained, "I think people still want a single player experience. The games industry is diversifying and is making new ways of delivering, new ways of playing games. One is certainly not totally at the expense of each other, and I think games as a product and as a service can live happily alongside each other for a long time to come.

"A game like Tomb Raider has historically been a graphically intensive single player experience, and that’s not simply going to disappear overnight. What we’re seeing is an emergence and a growth in the digital area and a new consumer which has come along (the casual gamer, which has almost reached ascendancy), but niche gamers are still going to be here and want content delivered specifically for them."

Livingstone suggested that consoles will remain the natural home for that type of experience for the foreseeable future, due to the intense power needed by the dependent system to run it.  He compared this preference to choosing to watch a film at the cinema, rather than view it at a considerably lower quality on YouTube.

"Well, you’ve got to create a game that’s relevant to the platform on which it’s delivered, therefore the graphic-rich interactive experience of console Lara is inevitably going to be different to the experience that you’d expect on a mobile device" he mused.

"The important thing is that they’re all linked by the IP and type of experience you get with that IP will depend on the device."

Given the recent furore surrounding scenes from the Tomb Raider reboot, it's debatable whether the same issues could have been rendered as emotively on a handheld device.

His comments paint a contrasting picture of the diversifying industry when compared with the claim by EA's Peter Moore that the future of games lies entirely in going free-to-play, regardless of content quality.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant.  You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Preview

I think most gamers were surprised that Mario and Sonic's first major interaction was destined to take place in an Olympic brand title, yet it seems the colorful take on the classic events was worthy of a sequel. So now we have Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, which should prove to be another thrill geared toward the younger crowd. We went to an exclusive event showing off the new title and saw how the game has evolved since its last inception. The main focus is on the new party mode, a four-player romp through a Mario Party series of events--rampaging through the gameboard streets of London and collecting stars stickers, for example. All of the characters from the original return; in other words, there are no new characters. Given the wealth of options from the first game, it will be hard for fans not to find a favorite in the roster. 

One exclusive event we got to see behind closed doors was the new Rhythmic Ribbon event. In it, Princess Peach took to the athletic mat for what resembled a simplified version of Elite Beat Agents, with the player performing various moves with the Wiimote as the shrinking target circles demanded. While it was entertaining to watch a middle-aged Japanese game developer show off his twirling skills, I was disturbed to see Princess Peach in such a high-cut leotard. More exciting were the dream events, designed to involve all four players without the use of split-screen. First was a break-neck obstacle course, with Mario and friends dodging buses and traffic signs. Another was a simple race through the streets of London, with characters gobbling up coins like Pac-Man. And then finally, we watched a giant scripted chase sequence, with all the players working to maneuver a cart around obstacles and away from enemies to keep a cache of Yoshi eggs intact. 

Again, this is obviously a game made for a younger audience, but there's a lot to like. All the familiar characters are perfectly rendered. With events like the Ribbon and Equestrian events, there's definitely a nod to bringing in some young female gamers, too. Overall, Mario & Sonic at the London 2013 Olympic Games looks like a great party game for the Wii crowd.

Source : gamezone[dot]com

Game Against Kate Upton… For a Good Cause

As gamers, we live for that moment of triumph: edging an opponent in a close online match, scoring the winning goal, passing the competition seconds from the finish line. But how much better would that feel if your win also helped to save lives? Gamers will get a chance to find out June 1st, when the first-ever (RED)RUSH Games tournament kicks off, and they can join in the fight against AIDS by doing what comes naturally: competing to win.

“Gaming is a passion for millions of people around the world, and (RED) is going to tap into that passion to get people focused and engaged in our efforts to help deliver an AIDS Free Generation by 2015,” said Deborah Dugan, (RED) CEO.  “We’re giving gamers an incredibly fun way to compete in a world-class tournament while doing good at the same time."

Not only will gamers get the opportunity to help (RED)RUSH TO ZERO (going on June 1-10) build on the staggering $190 million the organization has already raised, but participants will have the opportunity to win prizes, including tickets to the upcoming MTV Movie Awards  and the opportunity to game against celebrities like Kate Upton, Jorge Garcia, Michelle Rodriguez and Kris Allen.

IGN is the official media sponsor of the (RED)RUSH Games, and will be bringing you full coverage of the event from E3, where the tournament will have a huge presence. The (RED)RUSH Games are being powered by STiKS GAMING, a new platform that allows gamers to register their Gamer IDs, sign up for teams, and game for charity to "battle for a better world."

“(RED) is one of the most respected, and innovative causes in the world, and we are honored to launch the STiKSGAMING platform with The (RED)RUSH Games,” stated STiKS GAMING partner Brett Claywell.  “We are excited to unite gamers in support of a global cause, and look forward to building a strong community in an effort to better the world while having some fun.”

“

We’re giving gamers an incredibly fun way to compete in a world-class tournament while doing good at the same time. --Deborah Dugan. (RED) CEO

Gamers can get involved immediately in the (RED)RUSH Games effort by visiting STIKSGAMING.com. The tournament will pit two teams against one another: TEAM INSPI(RED) and TEAM POWE(RED). After signing up on STIKSGAMING.com, gamers will get to choose which team they'd like to represent, and after making a small donation (as little as $10 USD), they will get to select a platform (PS3 or Xbox 360), and choose from a variety of games to compete in. Games in the tournament include EA Sports FIFA Soccer 12, EA Sports NHL 12, 2K Sports' NBA 2K12, KINECT SPORTS Season 2, and Forza Motorsport 4.

STiKS GAMING partner Michael Wasserman explains. "Once you make the donation and enter the system, that $10 is turned into a certain amount of points… As you accumulate points, you can then use those points to have the opportunity to play against your favorite celebrity who is part of the campaign."

After playing in a match against another (RED)RUSH gamer, wins and losses will be recorded on the STiKS GAMING website, each player's accomplishments will count toward the team score, and their donations will count toward the team's efforts to raise money for the cause.

"We narrowed the issue from just AIDS in general to one Millennium Goal which is quantifiable," said Dugan. The virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is the ultimate goal, and will be instrumental in halting the spread of HIV/AIDS by the target date of 2015.

During E3, the (RED)RUSH Games will be in full swing, and celebrities will be in attendance to play their games against each other and online against contest winners. Show goers will get the opportunity to visit the (RED)RUSH booth on the E3 floor and get a taste of the Games live. The booth will feature huge video screens to capture the celebrity gaming action, a live DJ and private gaming rooms.

“

We are excited to unite gamers in support of a global cause --Brett Claywell, STiKS GAMING partner

"The booth is designed for two main purposes. It's designed to give celebrities the opportunity to play from our booth against donors around the world, and for us to put on big exhibitions to create awareness at E3, with a huge jumbotron screen where people can watch celebrities battle each other," said Wasserman.

In addition to those already mentioned, celebrities involved include Wayne Brady,  Chingy , Samantha Ronson, Michael B. Jordan, Scott Porter, Ryan Cabrera, DJ Colleen Shannon, Aldis Hodge, Al Shearer, Kerli, Brian White, Cobi Jones, Stephen "tWitch" Boss, iLuminate, Chad "Madd Chadd" Smith and Fatal1ty. And the list keeps growing. "Every day, we're getting more and more people in," said Dugan.

Gamers can track who will be at E3 gaming at various times. Donors to (RED) who register through the STIKSGAMING.com site can have the opportunity to play celebrities two ways: by gaining points or by entering into a sweepstakes where they will enter a code to play a particular celebrity.

Players who participate will have a stake in a global effort to halt the spread of HIV. Once the goal is met, Dugan says, "There's culturally a victory lap at the end. You can actually check a box and say, 'We did this.' All these gamers came together for the first time in such a huge way, and we'd like to do it every year."

Stay tuned to IGN throughout E3 for updates on the (RED)RUSH Games, including celebrity gaming interviews and more.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/game-against-kate-upton-for-a-good-cause

Minecraft Review

Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition:
I’m a jealous of gamers who are getting their first hit of the gaming-crack that is Minecraft. Those who download this diamond will be rewarded with a totally unique and wonderful gaming experience. 4J, the developer of the 360 version of Minecraft, have done an amazing job translating Mojang’s PC and Mac game over to the 360, but it’s not an exact translation. New gameplay elements and trappings have been added for consoles, but a lot has been taken away as well. Minecraft remains a once-in-a-lifetime game, but the 360 version suffers more for what’s missing than it gains from its additions.

The basics of Minecraft are represented well on the 360. The low-tech-looking sandbox gameplay is in place, as is the self-directed search for survival and material goods. You punch trees, collect ingredients from a blocky, 3D world, craft increasingly complex tools, delve deep into endless, dangerous caverns, and create a space that’s safe from the inexplicably terrifying 8-Bit skeletons, spiders, zombies and creepers that spawn at night. Once you’ve got basic survival locked (a huge accomplishment), you can move on to creating a beautiful home, a 1-to-1 scale re-creation of The Defiant from Deep Space Nine or anything else you can imagine… Or you could just walk around in the woods and shoot arrows at skeletons. In other words: If you’re the right kind of person, this barely guided, creative experience will become more like a way-of-life than a video game, for a time, anyway. Eventually, most 360 gamers will run across the boundaries of Minecraft, both physically and conceptually, long before PC players will.
Let’s start with the positives: The 360 version of Minecraft adds two much-needed and appreciated elements designed to make Minecraft more user-friendly: Tutorials and a map.

Building Blocks Of Minecraft Learning
The original Minecraft lacks any in-game documentation, leaving you at the mercy of your own ability (and online wikis) to figure out how a relatively complicated game works. The 360 version of Minecraft, gives you a tutorial level that walks you through the basics of how to get wood (heh, heh), mine rocks and build basic shelter to keep from being eaten alive when night falls and the monsters come out. It also includes a little village and an impressive castle to give you something to aspire to in your Minecraft-ing.

The learnin’ continues into the game-proper, with context sensitive menus to identify any new items you find. Crafting has been streamlined, and trial-and-error has been eliminated. No great loss, as almost every PC Minecraft player uses a wiki anyway. All of this will be very helpful to beginners, but it’s not so exhaustive that it takes away from the discovery elements of Minecraft or feels like school.

Along with the docs and hints, the 360 version of Minecraft gives players a map at the start of each game, for free. Getting something for nothing in Minecraft is almost sacrilege, but it’s much appreciated here. Maps are craftable in the PC version, but not until you’ve found some redstone deep in the earth and crafted iron to built a compass, which means you have to figure out how mining and smelting works before you’ve ever figured out where you are.

Sitting next to loved ones (or tolerated ones, anyway) and playing a game is an often overlooked source of fun in the age of online multiplayer, and in an open-world game like Minecraft, it’s like bringing your friend to a massive playground, except with more zombies.

Even with a four-player split screen going and other players in your server, navigating through Minecraft’s complicated menus is quickly mastered, if your television is big and HD enough. The menu system is about as serviceable as you could realistically expect from a 360, which is not to say it’s good or anything. Consoles just aren’t suited to complicated menus–a mouse and keyboard is the much preferable input solution.

“I Played Minecraft Before It Was Cool.”
So that’s all the good, but here comes the bad: Overall, console-Minecraft is based on an early version of the game. The PC version of Minecraft has evolved through updates to contain a whole lot more stuff than the 360 version, as well as noticeably improved lighting and graphics. A partial list of content that’s missing: Modding. The hunger mechanic that drives the PC version. The ability to raise animals from babies. Jungle cats. The jungle biomeme. Ruins in mines. NPC characters and villages. The enchanting system. The alchemy system. The End World, Ender Men, and the Ender Dragon final boss. And more. While some of these “later” additions aren’t all that great, and none are necessary for having a good time, on the whole, the PC Minecraft experience provides greater diversity and much deeper gaming, especially for more seasoned players. While 4J has said it’s interested in frequently updating Minecraft-360, those updates are not available at the time of this review. Let’s hope they’ll come soon.

It’s A Small World After All
The list of Minecraft features missing from the 360 is long, but the most egregious omission is the sheer scope of the PC version of Minecraft. While computer Minecraft’s procedurally generated geography is limited only by the amount of memory your PC has, the 360 version takes place on a 1024 by 1024 block level. That’s pretty big in terms of many games, but tiny in terms of Minecraft. It’s dispiriting to get to the edge of the map with so little effort, especially when the boundary has been so shoddily defined. A wall of lava or an un-climbable peak would have been preferable to Minecraft’s lazy invisible barrier. The absence of endless open spaces means that you can essentially never get really lost, and it also limits the amount of sheer raw materials in the world, potentially scuttling hugely ambitious building plans.

Speaking of resources, the PC version of Minecraft contains a creative mode where you have access to everything the game has to offer. It’s perfect if you prefer building with an infinite Lego set and don’t feel like being ravaged by skeletons. The 360 game offers only the survival mode. Big points off for that. And big points off for not allowing gamers to change difficulty in the middle of games, too.
On the whole, any Minecraft is better than no Minecraft, and the 360 version is a full, satisfying game, when not judged against the PC version -- even in slightly-gimped form, Minecraft is better than most games on earth.



Source : http://www.g4tv.com

Halo 4 Multiplayer Details Announced: Infinity Multiplayer, Spartan Ops And More Ads By Google » Blog Tags Today's Most Popular Videos »

343 Industries and Microsoft just dropped a TON of Halo 4 multiplayer details, gamers, so pay close and meticulous attention to the following: 

While you're in a very Halo mood, Check out the Halo 4 boxart, and some details on an upcoming Halo live action film.

Source : http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723833/halo-4-multiplayer-details-announced-infinity-multiplayer-spartan-ops-and-more/

Diablo III game-breaking bug found

Gamers have found a game-breaking bug in Blizzard Entertainment's just-released Diablo III. The issue triggers Error 3006, which boots users from Diablo III servers and prohibits them from logging back in, according to reports on the Battle.net forums.

Evil has returned…in the form of a game-breaking bug.

As detailed on Blizzard's Diablo III known issue page, while playing a Demon Hunter, players who equip a shield to a Templar follower run the risk of being disconnected from the game's servers. Blizzard is currently investigating the issue, and according to the company's European customer service Twitter feed, a fix is on the way.

Diablo III launched today for the PC and Mac. It is the first title in the series since 2001's Diablo II: Lord of Destruction expansion and adds a variety of new features, character classes, and a new auction house system, which charge gamers a range of fees. It launched without player-vs.-player multiplayer, and set preorder records at Blizzard and Amazon. For more on Diablo III, check out GameSpot's latest preview.

Source : http://gamespot.com/news/diablo-iii-game-breaking-bug-found-6376781

Capcom 'Re-evaluating' Its On-Disc DLC Policies Ads By Google » Blog Tags Today's Most Popular Videos »

Gamers continue to express their dissatisfaction with the idea of on-disc DLC and Capcom has been specifically targeted as one of the more egregious offenders, a fact that the publisher is now setting out to take ownership of. A message from senior VP Christian Svensson on Capcom Unity (via GamePolitics) reveals that the approach taken in the past with offering bonus game content post-release is now being given a second look.

Svensson admits that Capcom has begun the process of re-evaluating how such additional game content is delivered in the future," though he asks that fans be patient since the process only just started within "the past month or so." He then goes into an explanation of the extra content that you'll be able to get when Dragon's Dogma arrives on May 22, 2012, since that stuff is apparently on the disc. 

Product pimping aside, the important takeaway here is that your complaints are being heard and considered. There are valid arguments on both sides of the on-disc DLC discussion, but the customers wield the most power in the end and it's good to see Capcom recognizing that. Now we just have to hope that the promise to give the established policies another look results in some real action, or at least a more open and frank dialogue.

Read on for the full text of Svensson's statement:

Hey guys,

We've been getting several questions, here and elsewhere about the future of on-disc DLC.

We would like to assure you that we have been listening to your comments and as such have begun the process of re-evaluating how such additional game content is delivered in the future. As this process has only just commenced in the past month or so, there will be some titles, where development began some time ago and that are scheduled for release in the coming months, for which we are unable to make changes to the way some of their post release content is delivered.

One such title is Dragon’s Dogma, where the decision to include some additional (but not all planned additional) game content for the game on disc was made at the beginning of the game’s development cycle as at the time this was determined to be the most efficient way of ensuring certain content was made available. Owners of Dragon’s Dogma will be able to further their gameplay experience with the release of additional quests, weapons and other items in the months following the game going on sale.

Dragon’s Dogma’s post-launch content will extend the lifespan of a title that already offers around 30-40 hours of gameplay by following the main story thread, but if a player was to complete all the side quests Dragon’s Dogma ships with, that increases to around 100 hours. Players will also be able to add to the stock of 100s of weapons and 1,000s of customization options to create not only their ideally equipped, but also their most elaborately designed character.

Just wanted people to know in advance the whys, wherefores and where we're going in the future. You are being heard. Thanks.

Source : http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723783/capcom-re-evaluating-its-on-disc-dlc-policies/

Mario & Sonic hurdle 3.28 million

Mario's latest trip to the Olympics was popular with gamers. As part of Sega Sammy's latest financial report, the company revealed Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games has sold 3.28 million copies between the Wii and 3DS versions.

Mario's Olympic outing was a bright spot on Sega Sammy's earnings report.

Other million-sellers on Sega's resume were Sonic Generations at 1.85 million and Virtua Tennis 4, which sold 1.04 million copies. Other titles called out by Sega were Football Manager 2012, which sold 710,000 copies, and Yakuza: Dead Souls, which moved 550,000 units.

The most lucrative platform for Sega software sales during the year was the Wii, which accounted for sales of 3.05 million titles. This is compared to 2.45 million for the PlayStation 3, 1.79 million on 3DS, 1.54 million on Microsoft's Xbox 360, and 1.1 million on PSP.

As for Sega Sammy's actual earnings, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, the firm's Consumer Business (which houses its game division) posted revenues of ¥85.6 billion ($1.1 billion), down 3.6 percent from the year prior. The Consumer Business division posted operating losses of ¥15.1 billion ($189 million) for the year, a marked decrease from an operating income of ¥1.9 billion ($24 million) recorded a year ago.

In total, Sega Sammy recorded revenues of ¥395.5 billion ($4.96 billion) for the year, down 3.6 year-on-year. Profits came in at ¥21.8 billion ($272.7 million), down a significant 47.4 percent from the ¥41.5 billion ($519.1 billion) tallied a year ago this time.

Looking to its current fiscal year, Sega Sammy is predicting net sales to surge 18.8 percent year-on-year to ¥470 billion ($5.88 billion), with net income ballooning some 83.3 percent to ¥40 billion ($500.37 million) for the year ending March 31, 2013.




Source : http://gamespot.com/news/mario-and-sonic-hurdle-328-million-6376264

Draw Something Charts Show Off The Perils Of Casual Gaming Ads By Google » Blog Tags Today's Most Popular Videos »

Well, that went South quick -- casual, mobile game Draw Something is hemorrhaging players at an amazing rate. It was only  a month ago that 14,300,000 gamers were drawing little pictures with the game. Now there are 9,100,000 iPhone and Android artists online. That's still a lot of players, but the percentage user drop is huge too, and if you check out the chart below (from Appdata.com) you'll see that the trend line is not moving in a positive direction--unless you think "toward the center of the earth" is positive. Something could happen to reverse the slide, sure, but if it doesn't...

So what happened?

Draw Something came out in February, and by April, the company that made it, OMGPOP, was purchased for $180 million dollars by small-game titans Zynga. Then, almost as suddenly as it blew up, Draw Something deflated. It's hard to say specifically why, but it seems to me that the answer lies in a simple idea that game companies sometimes forget, but gamers never do: It just wasn't fun enough to keep playing it.

Like everyone else, I played Draw Something when it came out. I was quickly enthralled with the simple gameplay, instant gratification and ability to draw dongs on everything (that's how I roll.) It's a simple game, unencumbered by extraneous material, and at first, that purity of function was really cool-- who doesn't like drawing things? I played DS pretty hardcore for a week or so, but then, suddenly and with no warning at all, I no longer had any desire at all to play the game, and never made another doodle. I put it down as casually as I'd picked it up.

I didn't think about it at the time, but it seems like my experience mirrored the overall player charts for Draw Something. Everyone seem to have quickly loved it, worn it out and moved on. Why is that? For me, the effort it takes to draw something, while fun at first, just doesn't "pay off" over the long haul. There are no levels to the gameplay. No risk. No reward. No depth. Just the same repetitive motions, again and again. The game's not-subtle-at-all attempts to pry my credit card out of my wallet didn't help either. Once I started noticing that the same clues came up again and again, and you had to buy new ones, I was right out. Words should be free, man. So should colors. How are you gonna make me pay (in either time or money) for the color orange while giving me the clue "pumpkin?"

Even something like Farmville has a cumulative effect over time. A reason to build your farm and harvest your crops. Angry Birds has varying levels, a cool combination of chaos and thought, and the audacity to make a sequel with radically different physics from the original.

The rise and fall of Draw Something (and the continuing success of Angry Birds and various "-villes") can be seen as a lesson in how to have a successful game. At the final level, marketing, buzz, hype and a huge payout can only take you so far. It's the game design that ultimately determines longevity for gamers, especially for casual games, which can be put down as easily as they are picked up.

Source : http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723648/draw-something-charts-show-off-the-perils-of-casual-gaming/

Reconsidering Mindjack, Or Why Playing Smaller Multiplayer Games Is Awesome, Even If You Suck Ads By Google » Blog Tags Today's Most Popular Videos »

While the great masses of other gamers may be into Call of Duty or Halo, I’ve been happily rocking Mindjack with a small, but dedicated collection of online scrubs, losers, and miscreants. I love it, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I stumbled into Square Enix’s third-person action game while researching a column about dead multiplayer arenas. The one-star game has become sort of a joke around G4’s offices, and I was hoping to find an occasional straggler still logging in to this backwoods of the multiplayer world and ask: “Why the hell are you playing this terrible game?” But when I actually gave Mindjack a fair look, I ended up liking it a lot.

Instead of strolling into a virtual ghost town or an unplayable crap-fest, I chanced into a small, but relatively dedicated community of players and a game that is quirky, weird and sort of great.

I don’t disagree with much of G4’s review of the game. There are huge problems with Mindjack– rough edges, inexplicable design decisions, terrible single-player campaign, and uncomfortably amateurish moments – but overall, it’s a little like punk rock. The musical form is really basic, and it’s played inexpertly, so at first, all you notice are the mistakes, but after you develop a taste for the style, you start to love the rough edges themselves.

The main hook/gimmick of Mindjack is the ability to change into a cyber-ghost (or something) at will and “hack” into other character’s bodies. In single-player, you can switch to a nearby pawn and flank enemies or even take over turrets and monkeys. This mechanic quickly becomes repetitive in the single-player campaign, but the option of jumping into someone else’s campaign is awesome in multiplayer. Think of it like Demon Souls if it were a sci-fi shooter designed by gifted amateurs and enthusiastic 12 year-olds.

Crappiness aside, the joy of jumping into someone else’s campaign and either helping them by jumping into a co-op game, or bedeviling them by taking on the enemies’ AI and shooting them in the face can’t be denied.

Other than floating around like a ghost, Mindjack is a very basic third-person shooter, like a gimped-out version of Gears of War. The controls and response is a little clunky, but serviceable, the cover system usually works, and you can take a lot of damage without dying (or, rather, being forced to vacate your body and take over another one – there’s no real death in the game). All of which makes it perfect for a beginner or someone who isn’t “serious” about multiplayer. Mindjack even offers a rudimentary perk system, so you can earn extra damage, armor or other help through the game.

The game’s very lack of perfect tuning and polish make it great for people who just want to have a little stupid fun and run around shooting people -- no “serious” multiplayer fan will be caught dead playing this instead of Gears 3. Because there aren’t many “veteran” players online, you’re generally only pitted against people who, frankly, kind of suck. But, I suck too, so we’re like one big sucky family.

The steady stream of low-rent newcomers means that you can basically have fun, get a little better, and not get totally owned every five seconds by someone who has devoted his entire life to playing a video game. And if you lose, who cares? It’s Mindjack for god’s sake. It’s impossible to embarrass yourself further. You’ve already surrendered any gamer cred by being there in the first place, what difference is being a bullet-sponge for a few minutes going to make?

Plus entering someone else’s single player campaign feels like griefing, even though it’s officially sanctioned and part of the game. There’s nothing sweeter than changing upon someone else involved in a boss battle and having the ability to take over the AI on the NPC and make things even more difficult [Insert Evil Laugh Here]. The single-player AI sucks so bad, you can justify your pseudo-griefing by imagining you’re actually making the game more fun for the campaigner.

I like to think some of my opponents forgot to turn off the option that lets other people enter their game, and the lower population means it’s truly a surprise when I show up and start shooting them. Like they’re wondering why the AI just changed so significantly and game went from annoying-but-easy to very difficult in seconds. I’ve even received a profanity-laden message from a gamer who warned me to stay out of his game unless I wanted to play co-op. I consider that a victory.

Mindjack is also cheap. You can pick it up used on Amazon for like 6 bucks. So hopefully, I’ll see some of your guys soon. I’m usually Mindjackin’ it after 9 PST on weeknights. There are not many people online, so I’m sure we’ll run across each other. I’m the guy with the high level and extra perks – a medium size fish in a very, very small pond.


Source : http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723592/reconsidering-mindjack-or-why-playing-smaller-multiplayer-games-is-awesome-even-if-you-suck/

Spec Ops: The Line Demo Marches Onto PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Ads By Google » Blog Tags Today's Most Popular Videos »

Starting today, console gamers get to try out a taste of Yager Development's 2K Games-published third-person shooter Spec Ops: The Line, compliments of a newly released playable demo. The chunk pulled from two of the game's early chapters offers a glimpse at the dark and frequently disturbing story which carries echoes of Joseph Conrad's novella, Heart of Darkness.

The demo is available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms, but on the 360 side only Xbox Live Gold subscribers can start downloading it now. Silver subscribers will have to wait until May 15 for access. There's no rush though, since we've still got a bit of time before the game is released. Spec Ops: The Line arrives in stores on June 26, 2012 for PS3, Xbox 360, and Windows PC platforms.


Source : http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723559/spec-ops-the-line-demo-marches-onto-playstation-3-xbox-360/

New Modern Warfare 3 Maps Finally Coming to PS3

Back in early April, Xbox 360 gamers got their hands on two maps that have yet to be released on the PlayStation 3. The Sanctuary and Foundation maps came to 360 on April 10th for Call of Duty Elite members, though no date was specified as to when PlayStation 3 gamers would have access to the new content.

Well, wonder no more, PS3-owning Modern Warfare 3 players. Call of Duty Elite's Twitter account has revealed that the Sanctuary and Foundation maps will drop on PS3 this Thursday, May 10th. These maps will be for "PS3 ELITE Premium members," according to the Tweet.



Source : http://ps3.ign.com/articles/122/1224483p1.html

Mass Effect 3 Made As Much As Avengers' Opening Weekend Ads By Google » Blog Tags Today's Most Popular Videos »

Mass Effect 3 has generated over $200 million in sales since its release in March. The conclusion to BioWare's trilogy was met with mixed reviews from gamers, but one thing is certain: that's a lot of money. EA shouldn't get too excited though, The Avengers made the same amount in one weekend.

I bought Mass Effect 3 and I saw The Avengers. You're welcome, economy!


Source : http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723539/mass-effect-3-made-as-much-as-avengers-opening-weekend/

Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse hitting this fall

Gamers yearning to take part in the wacky hijinks of the Family Guy series will have a new console title to play this fall. Activision and Twentieth Century Fox this morning announced Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse.

Somewhere, Peter Griffin is saying "freakin' sweet!"

Due out on unspecified "gaming consoles," the title is inspired by the 2009 Family Guy episode "Road to the Multiverse." In this episode, Stewie and Brian use a remote control to travel to parallel universes, including destinations inspired by Walt Disney, The Flintstones, and one where Christianity never existed.

Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse will be the first console game set in series creator Seth MacFarlane's cartoon universe since the 2K Games-published Family Guy in 2006. That game was developed by High Voltage Software, and shipped for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and PSP. It featured the original voice cast of the TV series, including MacFarlane.

Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse follows Family Guy Online, which is a free-to-play PC title currently in beta. A new console Family Guy game was announced by Activision in February 2011, when Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg described the franchise as "strong," with "passionate niche audience that can achieve repeatable and profitable success."


Source : http://gamespot.com/news/family-guy-back-to-the-multiverse-hitting-this-fall-6375382

Next Xbox hardware already in manufacturing - Report

Microsoft has said gamers shouldn't expect to see its next gaming console anytime soon, but developers might already be getting their hands on the system. IGN is citing an unspecified source with the news that the next Xbox hardware has entered manufacturing.

The next generation of hardware is beginning to loom large over the industry.

The report says hardware for the next Xbox has been produced at the Austin, Texas, branch of electronics firm Flextronics, which was the first manufacturer of the original Xbox and one of three Microsoft initially employed to work on the Xbox 360. The firm also reportedly created a testing group focused specifically on "comprehensive marketing, software, and hardware tests of the next Xbox."

As for what exactly is being produced, IGN speculates Flextronics is producing dev kits so the next Xbox developers have hardware on which to create their games. Microsoft had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment as of press time.


Source : http://gamespot.com/news/next-xbox-hardware-already-in-manufacturing-report-6375148

Microsoft planning $99 Xbox 360 with subscription - Report

Gamers holding out for a price cut on the Xbox 360 might have a new deal to consider soon, as The Verge is reporting that Microsoft will soon offer its 4GB Xbox 360 hardware with Kinect for $99, provided purchasers sign up for a two-year Xbox Live subscription that will cost $15 a month.

Microsoft wants people to get Kinect-ed.

Attributing the info to unspecified sources, the site reports that the package will be offered through Microsoft Stores in the US, and is being positioned as a competing product to streaming media offerings like Apple TV and Roku, as well as the PlayStation 3. The deal will come with a two-year warranty, as well as an early termination fee for those who want out before the end of the deal. The report also suggests those who sign up will be given access to some of the paid media and sports streaming services on Xbox Live.

If purchased separately at today's standard prices, the console and two-year Xbox Live subscription would cost $420. If purchased under this promotion, the total cost at the end of the two years would come out to $460. As of press time, Microsoft had not returned GameSpot's request for comment on the report.

The Xbox 360 hasn't received a price cut to its entry-level configuration since September of 2008, when the hard drive-less Xbox 360 Arcade was dropped to $199. However, when the redesigned Xbox 360 was launched in 2010, previous bundles of the hardware were dropped by $50, putting the discontinued Xbox 360 Arcade at $149 for a brief time.


Source : http://gamespot.com/news/microsoft-planning-99-xbox-360-with-subscription-report-6374682