GameCyte

To All Our Readers, See You Later — For Now

Sean Hollister — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:50:36 +0000

UPDATE: Just to be clear, GameCyte.com and its archive will remain online. We are not taking the site offline. In fact, we may resume posting in the future when things improve. Meantime, visit our sister sites: CameraCyte and ToyCyte -- The Editors.

When I joined GameCyte one year ago, we had but a single mandate: quality.

Over the months, quality has taken many forms. Some days, we tried to produce better writing than our competitors; others, we vowed that we would dig deeper; double-check our facts; and find original scoops.

Always, we felt that if we couldn't add something extra to a story – a thoughtful analysis, an engaging interview, a touch of humor or enough context to help readers see the bigger picture – it probably wasn't worth writing about anyhow.

But aside from these simple constraints, we had free reign to write whatever we chose.

What this meant for you was that GameCyte was a veritable smorgasbord of stories, where you never knew what you might read next. What this meant for us was that every day working on GameCyte was fresh and exciting.

We quietly shed three excellent writers in January; today, it's my sorrow to tell you that the rest of GameCyte will now follow.

The adventures of Marie Kare will continue at HyperComboFinish, a blog and webcomic about gaming culture. She will also continue to contribute to our sister site, CameraCyte.com;

Brendon Lindsey is now Chief Editor at MMO Life. See his growing editorial influence at teen gaming portal MMOHub.org;

The collected works of Alexander Galerakis will be found at his new website, GameRants;

Jesse Henning has found what will hopefully be a lucrative and rewarding position as community manager of an MMO company;

And for the time being, Sean Hollister is out of a job. Anyone need a freelancer pre-approved for GDC?

‘Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X.’ Review (360)

Sean Hollister — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:24:53 +0000

What Is It?

"Tom Clancy's HAWX," simply put, is an arcade-style air combat game where players pilot a variety of famous modern aircraft equipped with futuristic weaponry, while engaging in story-based sorties in order to bring down a powerful private military corporation in the year 2021. Ubisoft's answer to Namco's popular "Ace Combat" series, the game is rooted in the same traditions -- an emphasis on dogfighting, little regard for realistic physics, and enough missiles on board each plane to decimate the population of Tasmania -- but attempts to up the ante by adding intuitive new ways to control the action, as well as jump-in, jump-out co-op play.

What's to like?

Whether you're new to air combat games or a grizzled vet who's getting a little tired of the same ol', the "Enhanced Reality System" in "HAWX" really does provide an accessible, thrilling way to play.

See that F-22 Raptor buzzing Cape Canaveral in the screenshot above? In most flight games, you might be able to see from that angle during a post-flight cutscene. But in "HAWX," vets can dodge every missile and splash every bogey in a cinematic third-person view -- and beginners can learn the ropes using a computer-assisted system that teaches the basic angles of attack using a series of simple gates. See video below:

Levels are well-designed, with enough diverse objectives (seek and destroy, escort, provide close air support, etc.) and surprises to never feel stale, and each is set over picturesque real-world terrain culled directly from professional satellite imagery. Controls are also spot-on, responsive without feeling touchy, and with optional voice commands for directing wingmen and firing off missiles. (No "Fox Two," sadly, but "Double Whammy" works wonders.)

What's not to like?

While I can forgive the game's story for being a forgettable excuse to bomb everything in sight, and while the game's repetitive audio chatter did little to help suspend my disbelief, the most surprising negative in "HAWX" was how poorly Ubisoft integrated co-op functionality.

Though jump-in, jump-out co-op means friends (or random strangers) can supplant your piss-poor AI wingmen at any time, there's no way to tell whether "any time" will be the beginning of a mission -- or the very end, less than a minute from completion. There are no lobbies in which players can gather to attempt a level from beginning to end, those who choose to watch mission briefings will miss out on part of the level -- and because the way "HAWX" compensates for additional human players is by adding additional enemy forces, there are even certain missions where a co-op player joining late can spoil others' chances of success.

But not by a lot, because the other thing missing from "HAWX" is serious difficulty. There are loads of enemy pilots to shoot down, but no aces to seriously test your mettle -- and the majority of your targets will be dumb ground emplacements anyhow.

Is it fun?

If you like the idea of maneuvering a twenty-two-ton aluminum bird through batteries of deadly missiles, absolutely. The dogfights are spectacular, the missions keep you on your toes, and a brilliant "Call of Duty 4" style carrot-and-stick experience system will keep you playing level after level to unlock increasingly awesome planes -- including the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and even a battle-ready version of the famous Blackbird Jet, the YF-12A. And then there's Versus mode...

Buy, Try, Fry?

While I might balk at paying $60 for the 19-mission "HAWX" campaign alone -- don't get me wrong, it's a brilliant weekend rental -- true aircraft enthusiasts should not miss this game's versus mode.

Pure and unadulterated, the eight-player Team Deathmatch available in "HAWX" has exactly what the single-player game lacks: smart opponents and co-op potential. No matter your favorite plane, it likely has a role in a four-player team, as Ubisoft has given each plane useful perks (the A-10 Thunderbolt II carries immense payloads and a heavy vulcan cannon, while the speed demon YF-12 can practically outrun missiles) and team-wide powerups like radar jamming add a "Call of Duty 4"-like edge to play. Versus mode is also where you'll find the opportunity to carry out realistic combat -- there's one game type where players are restricted to a detailed cockpit view, and aircraft are limited to the number of missiles they could carry in real life.

But as usual, don't take our word for it -- if you have a system that can play "Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X," then you almost certainly have access to the free demo.

‘Unreal Tournament 3′ Titan Pack Now Available for PC — Full Game Free on Steam This Weekend

Sean Hollister — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:56:41 +0000

'Unreal Tournament 3' didn't launch to the nigh-universal praise of its 2004 precedecessor -- it had to contend with critics ragging on its ho-hum bots and general lack of ingenuity. But if you steered clear of UT3 the first time around, you might want to take a second look this weekend.

Yesterday, Epic Games released the "Titan Pack" -- a massive DLC overhaul of the game that adds new levels, game types, weapons, Steam achievements, AI and UI improvements, and the ability to morph into that fifteen-foot-tall rocket-launching beast you see immediately above -- for free on Windows PC.

(PS3 owners will get the "Titan Pack" on March 19.)

And this weekend, you can try the entire game for free as well. Steam is hosting a temporary full version of "Unreal Tournament 3 Black" right now, and all you need to play is a Steam and 8GB+ of free hard drive space.

To top things off, "Unreal Tournament 3 Black" is also 40% off on Steam this weekend. If you decide you like the game, you can pick it up immediately after your frag session for $12.

[Steam via Shacknews; see full Titan Pack changelog at FilePlanet]

‘Prince of Persia Epilogue’ DLC Impressions (PSN, XBLA)

Sean Hollister — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:00:01 +0000

Is Ubisoft's "Prince of Persia Epilogue" DLC worth your $10? That depends on what you're looking for.

If you enjoyed every spectacular blade dance and linear platforming sequence in the original, then yes. There's plenty more such experiences to be had here, and each is as inventive as -- and thankfully, more difficult than -- those in the original game. Despite appearing in the guise of familiar foes, the new Shapeshifter boss never quite feels stale; and though Ubisoft uses almost exactly the same old elements to create the corrupted trap runs, the configurations you'll see here are all new.

If you simply can't get enough of the witty banter between Elika and her Prince, then maybe: there is a bit of new dialogue, and I found myself laughing out loud on at least one occasion. That said, there's not a lot of dialogue, either. By the end of my three-hour tour of The Underground Palace, repeated lines were beginning to wear on my patience.

If you want to see the setup for "Prince of Persia's" inevitable sequel, perhaps. $10 is a steep price to pay for the few hints you'll get.

But if you're looking for closure, finality, an explanation for why the Prince did the things he did in the final moments of "Prince of Persia" and how he intends to set things right, well -- you won't find any of that here. Loose ends stay untied, and you will remain that one grain of sand in the desert -- that one grain amongst the storm.

GameFly Opens First “G-Box” Game Rental Kiosk

Marie Kare — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:14:03 +0000

Online video game rental service GameFly has extended its "universe into the physical world" with the opening of its first rental kiosk, the "G-Box," on the campus of Texas Tech University. Similar to the DVD-rental vending machines currently available in grocery stores and kwik-e-marts across the country, the G-Box kiosk instantly dispenses video games without any of the hassles of human interaction. Renters can browse hundreds of titles by genre or console, swipe their credit cards and receive bacon. Rented games can be kept indefinitely without due dates or late fees, but incur a daily charge ranging from $1.99 per day for Wii games to $2.49 per day for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games. According to campus newspaper The Daily Toreador, the G-Box will also offer a rent-to-own option.

GameFly says it plans to install G-Box kiosks at colleges and universities nationwide.

[Daily Toreador via Kotaku]

‘Prince of Persia Epilogue’ DLC is $10 — Now Available on PSN, XBLA

Sean Hollister — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:24:05 +0000

Today, with absolutely no fanfare (no press release, no Major Nelson spotlight and a surprisingly low mention on this week's PlayStation Store update), Ubisoft has released the "Prince of Persia Epilogue" DLC on Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network.

$10 (or 800 Microsoft Points) will buy you the game's true ending and an estimated three additional hours of gameplay.

If the unusual lack of press surrounding this hotly anticipated update makes you wary, then feel free to hold off on your purchase -- we'll have thorough impressions of the DLC for you to read tomorrow morning.

Update: Those impressions are now available right here.

EA Begins Teasing ‘Army of Two: The Fortieth Day’ With T-Shirts

Sean Hollister — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:56:10 +0000

On March 9, game journalists stationed in Montreal will attend a presentation by EA's Alain Tascan. On March 16, their embargo will lift, and they will likely provide you with full details about an heretofore unannounced game developed at EA Montreal.

But we've already got a pretty good idea of what they'll be showing, because viral marketers at EA have begun targeting certain individuals with "Army of Two" T-shirts and the acronym "TFD" -- and a variety of foreign game websites list the existence of a product dubbed "Army of Two: 40th Day."

The last, but not least major hint is this website, in whose source code PlayStation Lifestyle not only found the phrase "ARMYOFTWOTFD" and the development studio acronym "EAM," but also the phrase: "Army to Two. The definitive third person co-op shooter is back."

[via Army of Two Forums, Joystiq]

GameStop CEO Responds to Amazon Trade-In Program; So, Too, the Stock Market

Marie Kare — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:43:25 +0000

GameStop CEO Dan DeMatteo has responded to the launch of internet mega-retailer Amazon's used game trade-in program. In an interview with Edge Online, DeMatteo placed the probability of Amazon's success with the program squarely at zero.

DeMatteo may know what he's talking about. GameStop itself attempted an online trade-in program some years ago, but without success. "It didn't work for us, and I can't see it working for them," said DeMatteo, adding "There's no consumer acceptance. With consumers, there is an immediacy for currency when they want to buy a new game."

GameStop (NYSE: GME) shareholders, however, appear to think differently. Since this morning's announcement of the Amazon (AMZN) trade-in program, GameStop stock has fallen 13%, amid fears the online retailer may encroach upon the brick-and-mortar chain's $3.5 billion annual sales. Wall Street's knee-jerk reaction should be taken with a grain of salt, of course. UBS analyst Ben Schacter counsels (via Variety) against overreacting, noting that there is a significant difference between online and in-store trade-ins:

Online game sales currently comprise less than 2% of GME’s total business and we estimate well-less than 10% of industry game sales [...] We believe the 'instant gratification' of the trade-in process at physical stores remains a key advantage for GME, and we note that GME once offered online/mail-in trade-ins but stopped after issues w/product quality/shipping expenses. The bottom line is that [Amazon] is a formidable competitor, but we don’t see any meaningful near-term risk, and online used just isn’t a particularly big market.

[via Edge, Variety]

‘BioShock 2′ Teaser Site Opens

Sean Hollister — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:06:02 +0000

There's something in the sea... and it smells like viral marketing. Today, 2K Games has launched a teaser website for "BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams," complete with antiquated world map, missing child poster, and a picture of what looks like a Big Daddy voodoo doll -- with a corkscrew-thimble drill on his right hand, and a baseball studded with thumbtacks for a head.

The map currently points out the country of Ireland, dating one particular spot 2/20/67. The original "BioShock" took place in the year 1960.

No doubt further marks and thumbtacked items will appear on the map during the weeks and months to come.

The website appears legit -- domain name servers for the teaser site point to 2K Games and Rockstar, and a moderator on the 2K Forums is currently directing users to the page.

Update: An astute Kotaku reader found that 2K Games is teasing their viral website in real life as well.

[Somethinginthesea.com via Chris Remo's Twitter]

‘The Beatles: Rock Band’ Arrives 9.9.09 — Limited Edition Bundle Costs $250

Sean Hollister — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:40:06 +0000

"It's not a Rock Band game, it's a Beatles game," said Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos in late October.

But today, Apple Corps, MTV Games and Harmonix announced that their hotly-anticipated music game will be both. "The Beatles: Rock Band" will arrive in stores worldwide on Sept. 9, for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, at a $60 price point.

Limited edition bundles, including special peripherals "modeled after instruments used by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr throughout their career" will be available for $250, and standalone "The Beatles: Rock Band" guitars for $100, on the very same day.

However, existing music game lovers won't necessarily need new instruments to play. Harmonix has announced that "Beatles" will be compatible with all existing "Rock Band" hardware, and a selection of "other current music-based video game peripherals," likely referring to the peripherals for rival "Guitar Hero."

Developer Harmonix says that the title will be "an unprecedented, experimental progression through and celebration of the music and artistry of The Beatles." Giles Martin, co-producer on The Beatles' "LOVE" album, will serve as music producer on the game.

You can find a sparse official website for "The Beatles: Rock Band" right here; but if you're interested in hints and details about what to expect from the new game, you'd probably be better served reading our teleconference report from October.

[press release via The Beatles Official Website]

Dubya Demo Day: Trials of ‘Wheelman,’ ‘Wanted,’ ‘WWE Legends’ Appear on XBLA

Sean Hollister — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:37:05 +0000

Didn't get your fill of Vin Diesel while controlling drones in yesterday's "Riddick: Dark Athena" demo? Today, you can take him out for another joyride with a 1.31GB demo of "The Wheelman," available now on Xbox LIVE Arcade and coming to PlayStation Network March 12.

The demo reportedly features "a sample of the Wheelman story mode," as well as two of the game's 105 side missions. The full game is currently slated for March 24 in the North America, and March 27 in Europe.

But if you're an Xbox 360 owner, don't go away -- there's even more free gameplay available today. XBLA also received the 911MB "Wanted: Weapons of Fate" demo this morning, featuring all the tutorial levels and parts one and two of the game's Airplane level, and a demo of "WWE Legends of Wrestlemania."

Both "Wanted" and "WWE Legends" demos were spotted on the European PlayStation Network today, so expect them on North America's PSN soon as well.

‘Fallout 3′ DLC ‘The Pitt’ Gets Release Date, New Screens

Marie Kare — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:29:59 +0000

After a month's delay, Bethesda's next "Fallout 3" DLC "The Pitt" has finally been given a release date of Tuesday, March 24. The DLC will be available for download for 800 Microsoft Points ($10) on both the Xbox Live Marketplace and Games for Windows Live.

Additionally, Bethesda has released three new screens for "The Pitt," which sees the "Fallout 3" protagonist journeying to the steel yards and ruins of a post-apocalyptic Pittsburgh, PA.

[Fallout Official Site]

A New Challenger: Amazon.com Enters the Used Game Market

Marie Kare — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:56:28 +0000

Internet mega-retailer Amazon.com is the latest company to make a foray into the pre-owned games market, following in the footsteps of Toys R Us with the beta-test launch of its Video Games Trade-In service.

To promote the service's launch, Amazon is currently offering a 10% discount on a single video game or accessory purchase to users who trade in a game before March 19th. For the gist of Amazon's new trade-in service, see the graphic above or check out the Video Games Trade-In page

Could Amazon be poised to break GameStop's stranglehold on the used game market? It will likely depend on the ease-of-use of Amazon's trade-in/mail-in process and the rapidity with which funds are deposited into user accounts. Whereas Amazon users must wait for their games to ship and be processed before receiving compensation, GameStop provides the instant gratification of in-person transactions at hundreds of brick-and-mortar shops worldwide. However, GameStop's customer service is notoriously both boon and bane for the retailer.

In an interesting side note, Cheap Ass Gamer reports that games traded into the Amazon.com service are actually purchased by third-party merchant NorAm International, a wholesale group specializing in media sales through online storefronts including Half.com, Amazon.com and Alibris.com.

[via Cheap Ass Gamer]

‘StarCraft II’ Release Dated June, According to GameStop Flyer

Sean Hollister — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:24:48 +0000

According to MTV Multiplayer, GameStop is currently passing out flyers that show a June 2 release date for "StarCraft II."

Now, when it comes to providing rock-solid video game release dates, GameStop doesn't exactly have a perfect track record. Call it occupational hazard -- games have bugs that need to be ironed out, and marketers have windows of opportunity to meet. Games get delayed all the time, and so the rough estimates GameStop gets from publishers months and years ahead of time rarely match up to reality.

In short, it's not particularly likely that "StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty" will actually ship June 2.

(Also note: Atari has officially announced "Riddick" will arrive April 7, not April 1.)

But the exact release date of "StarCraft II" isn't what we're getting from this GameStop ad. What we're getting is a good idea of which Blizzard title, out of the three possibilities ("StarCraft II," "Diablo III" and Blizzard's unannounced MMO), is the "one front line release" that Activision Blizzard COO Paul Sams promised would arrive this year.

[MTV Multiplayer]

First ‘Boy and His Blob’ Remake Screens Look Absolutely Adorable

Marie Kare — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:22:02 +0000

Following yesterday's announcement that it will remake "A Boy and His Blob" for Wii in celebration of the the NES classic's 20th anniversary, Majesco has released the game's first screens, and they are adorable.

Developed by WayForward, the remake's seemingly hand-painted, hand-drawn graphics provide depth and visual richness to the game's side-scrolling 2D action.

"A Boy and His Blob" will be available this fall for the Nintendo Wii.

Picture time!

[via Destructoid]

Hanbitsoft Admits ‘Hellgate: London’ Will Not Receive US Updates

Sean Hollister — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:10:46 +0000

Fans can officially stop dreaming: there will be no free-to-play relaunch of "Hellgate: London" in the United States.

Although "Hellgate: London" will continue to receive updates created by a US developer, and press releases for those updates will likely continue to appear in English, HanbitSoft global PR manager Janelle Ha today clarified that the company still does not hold the publishing rights for "Hellgate" in either the United States or Europe.

Those publishing rights remain with Namco Bandai, who decided to shut down "Hellgate: London" for good on February 1st.

According to Ha, HanbitSoft can publish "Hellgate: London" in South Korea, and certain other parts of Asia, excluding Japan.

[Game Espresso]

‘Resident Evil 5′ Out for Blood (Drive)

Marie Kare — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:32:19 +0000

For thirteen years the "Resident Evil" franchise has provided players with countless gallons of blood and gore. Isn't it time you Resi fans gave a little something back?

In a particularly clever charitable promotion, Capcom will partner with the American Red Cross to conduct a blood drive at LA's World of Wonder gallery on March 13th, in celebration of the release of "Resident Evil 5." Attendees will have the opportunity not only to donate their blood to a worthy cause, but play demos of the new game; check out exclusive, limited edition Resident Evil 5 collectibles; and enter a raffle to win a blood-red limited edition Resident Evil 5 Xbox 360 console bundle.

Don't worry, your donated blood won't be used to genetically engineer zombie-producing bio-weaponry. The similarity between the Umbrella Corp. and America Red Cross logos is simply a remarkable coincidence. Of course it is!

Need more info? Have a look at Capcom's pun-laced press release:

Come Give Resident Evil 5 A Shot and Make A Positive Change For the Community on Resident Evil 5 Launch Day

Capcom will usher in the launch of Resident Evil 5 (on Xbox 360® and PlayStation 3) on Friday, March 13th by partnering with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive. On the way to pick up their very own copy of Resident Evil 5, gamers in the LA area will be invited to give back to the community by donating blood at the World of Wonder gallery on Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, Calif. from 11 am – 5 pm. In addition, fans of the series will have the chance to get exclusive limited-edition Resident Evil 5 Blood Drive collectibles, win copies of the game, enter a raffle for one of several exclusive red Xbox 360® Resident Evil limited edition consoles and most importantly, do their part to help a good cause.

Kiosks showcasing the game will also be on-hand for fans to get a sneak peek at the eagerly anticipated new game before heading to retailers to buy their own copy. Generous fans who donate blood will receive exclusive Resident Evil 5 limited edition items created specifically for this event, including a series of hand-numbered stylized posters, bumper stickers, buttons and a chance to win a copy of the game or an exclusive red Xbox 360® Resident Evil limited edition console. All Type‘O fans will learn that they can B Positive agents for their community, and they will find that AB it of blood can go a long way.

If you are interested in covering the event, please contact Melody or Laura (all contact info is below)

Those who would like to participate can pledge and schedule appointments by visiting www.capcom-unity.com/snow_infernus/blog/2009/03/04/give_resident_evil_5_a_shot__win_a_red_xbox_bundle. For more information on blood donation eligibility requirements visit www.givelife2.org/donor/faq.asp.

When:
Friday, March 13, 2009
11 AM - 5 PM

Where:
World of Wonder Gallery
6650 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028

‘Riddick: Dark Athena’ Demo Hits Xbox LIVE — PSN Version To Follow

Sean Hollister — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:13:22 +0000

Ready to see just how much Butcher Bay has improved since Starbreeze Studios revamped Riddick's prison for the Xbox 360? Too bad -- because the 639MB demo of "The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena" is set on the main deck of the titular Dark Athena starship instead.

Hopefully that won't keep you from picking up the demo, available on Xbox LIVE Arcade today. Atari says it "showcases the evocative art style and breadth of gameplay" available in the full game -- and will let you pilot a Drone (see above).

According to a press release, the PS3 version of the demo is still on its way; we'll see it sometime later in March.

[Atari Press Release]

If Square Enix Buys Eidos, We’ll Know March 27

Sean Hollister — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:59:06 +0000

"Tomb Raider" publisher Eidos has today laid out a tentative schedule for their acquisition by "Final Fantasy" creator Square Enix, according to a release obtained by Britain’s Regulatory News Service (RNS).

Though Eidos' board of directors and upwards of 36% of shareholders are already in favor of the 32 pence per share buyout, Eidos will hold a general meeting on March 27 where the deal will come to a vote.

Should the board obtain the necessary 75% of votes required to approve the transaction, Square Enix will purchase Eidos on April 22, and finalize the deal in May.

[Regulatory News Service]

‘ExciteBots’ — ‘A Boy and his Blob’ — ‘Rhythm Heaven’ Pics and Details at Nintendo Power

Sean Hollister — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:17:53 +0000

Looking for information on the new "ExciteBots"? Want final confirmation on WayForward's Wii remake of "A Boy and His Blob"? Are you in need of instruction for the first twenty-three games in the upcoming "Rhythm Heaven" for DS? This month, Nintendo Power's got you covered. Today, they released free digital images of print articles on each of the preceding subjects. You can see them in all their high-res glory by clicking on the thumbnails above and below.

While these images are obviously worlds better than the blurry, pixelated scans one normally finds on the internet, I have to wonder: do these make you want to go out and pick up a copy of Nintendo Power?

[Nintendo Power via Kotaku]

Babel Media Expands Montreal Base

Marie Kare — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:59:36 +0000

Babel Media -- the game localization and outsourcing company that serves as QA test partner for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo -- announced it will be "significantly expanding" its Montreal facility, adding to the company's already impressive roster of 350 contract QA testers and 400 in-country translators worldwide.

In addition to the Montreal facility, Babel Media currently holds offices in Brighton, New Delhi and Los Angeles. The Montreal office is the company's most recent addition, but has already seen significant growth since its opening in 2005, with staff size doubling in 2007. Babel Media CEO Richard Leinfeller stated he is delighted to announce the expansion, saying "Babel's expansion will further increase our offering high quality deployment solutions for our clients helping them to improve their profits by giving them the much needed flexibility and allowing them focus on IP generation and exploitation."

News of Babel Media's Montreal expansion follows on the heels of BioWare's announcement just yesterday that it would be forming a new development group within Electronic Arts' Montreal studio.

All of this leads to the inevitable question: What is up with Montreal? Is it a portal to another dimension? The home of an electromagnetic abnormality? Could Montreal be poised to become the next great hub of video games development?

I, for one, welcome our new Quebecois overlords.

[via Gamasutra]

Sony Planning Their Own Virtual Console — For PSP

Sean Hollister — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:19:27 +0000

Sony's John Koller has yet to confirm whether or no the next iteration of the PlayStation Portable will have a UMD drive, but he's quite bullish about digital distribution on PSP nonetheless. Today, he told MTV Multiplayer that the company is planning to redouble their efforts on creating and obtaining a catalog of downloadable PSP titles -- including some classics that have never appeared on a PlayStation console.

From the article:

Sony’s internal studios are preparing more internally developed download-only titles.

Sony is working to bring more of its PSOne back catalog to the U.S. market, to catch up with the flood of PSOne releases available digitally in Japan. (”Those are being worked on now,” Koller said. Of the regional disparity, he added: “That’ll change.)”

The company is preparing to being more PS3 PSN titles to PSP for download, in the vein of “Flow” and the upcoming “PixelJunk Monsters.”

And Sony is reaching out to other publishers for their back catalogues, now appearing to expand their interest to non-PlayStation platforms, a broader multi-console appetite seen elsewhere in services like GameTap or Nintendo’s Virtual Console.

While Koller said there might be technical issues with bringing some games to market, he comes across as confident that PSP will see a large infusion of downloadables this year.

Hopefully, Sony's proprietary Memory Stick (currently available up to 16GB) will be able to handle the storage requirements of a PSP Virtual Console. "Geeks and otaku" who own the Nintendo Wii have yet to stop complaining about the limited space afforded for their own retro collection.

[MTV Multiplayer]

Midway Say They Don’t Want To Sell “Mortal Kombat,” $3.25 Million Says Otherwise

Sean Hollister — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:33:00 +0000

29 key employees at bankrupt Midway Games could split a bonus payday worth $3.25 million if they sell off the company's "Mortal Kombat" franchise. That's direct from bankruptcy filings obtained by netDockets last week. But according to company spokesperson Geoffrey Mogilner, that's not what Midway actually intends to do.

"It's not our goal to sell Mortal Kombat," Mogilner told MTV Multiplayer. "It is something that, in the world of scenarios, it is something that could happen here. But it’s not something that we as a company are going for."

Edge Online got a similar story yesterday afternoon. "We're not going out of our way to sell Mortal Kombat," Mogilner told the publication, adding that "management's goal" was "to keep the company together."

According to court documents, there are actually two ways for employees to obtain that $3.25 million bonus. Instead of convincing a third party to buy "Mortal Kombat," Midway personnel can alternatively submit a debt restructuring plan to the bankruptcy court. $1.29 million is payable after a party agrees to buy the franchise OR such a plan is submitted, with the remaining $1.96 million cashed out after the deal is complete OR the plan approved by the court.

The Cut Scene suggests that bonuses for operations like these are not unusual during bankruptcy proceedings, as the company needs to give competent employees incentive to stay on the understandably bumpy ride. But if the company sees itself in such hot water that they need to pay out these sums in the first place, will employees truly want to stay, or go for the easy payday instead?

The same 29 employees were also offered a $497,000 bonus if Midway could obtain a publishing/distribution agreement for the "Wheelman" franchise; Ubisoft announced that it would publish "Wheelman" on February 18.

Update: Though the $3.75 million incentive plan has been approved by Midway's board of directors, Seeking Alpha reminds readers that it has not yet been approved by the bankruptcy court, and that a hearing regarding the plan is currently scheduled for March 10.

Download Your Own Street Fighter IV Training Manual

Marie Kare — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:11:23 +0000

Can't get enough Street Fighter IV? Desperate to know the stories behind your favorite characters? Need a little help kicking some ass? Capcom's official "Street Fighter IV Training Manual" is now available for download, free of charge, via the Capcom-Unity site. The artfully illustrated manual features an introduction to the new game; an interview with Capcom Community Manager Seth Killian, for whom the SFIV boss "Seth" was named; and extensive SFIV character biographies and move lists.

You can download yours at this link: Street Fighter IV Training Manual.

[Capcom-Unity]

Perry Challenges Sony to Confirm PSP2 UMD Outright

Sean Hollister — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:46:07 +0000

As PSP2 (or PSP-4000) rumors pick up steam, Sony is on the fence, doing all it can to keep hardware enthusiasts guessing. Last week, Sony's John Koller told MTV Multiplayer that he could not confirm or deny whether a new PSP, sans power-hogging UMD drive, would arrive by the end of the year.

But in that same conversation, Koller did deny one crucial rumor -- the existence of the PSP2 development kits upon which Acclaim's David Perry based his well-publicized claim that the UMD drive is no more. Taking umbrage at Koller's remark, Perry has today called out Sony:

John Koller is publically questioning my post about PSP 2. So I confirmed with Top PSP 2 developers. John, state that PSP 2 WILL have UMD.

Since Koller will not confirm or deny the existence of the PSP2 itself, he cannot of course say whether or not the ephemeral device will have a UMD drive, and so the retorts will likely end here. However, I expect that Sony will have to field questions about their commitment to the UMD format, period, in the weeks and months to come.

[Dave Perry's Twitter via Gamesindustry.biz]

Toys R Us Dips Its Toes in the Used Game Pool

Marie Kare — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:41:14 +0000

It would appear international toy store chain Toys R Us wants a piece of GameStop's billion-dollar used game action. In a recent trip to his local Toys R Us, Cheap Ass Gamer user phear3d snapped pics of a new in-store promotion offering to purchase used games in exchange for store credit.

Following up on the story, Joystiq spoke with a Toys R Us representative, who confirmed that the new trade-in program is being tested in a number of stores throughout New York state, but refused to give further info on plans to spread the program nationwide, or what the current "testing" phase entailed.

A nationwide trade-in program could be a boon not only for the struggling retailer, which suffered the closure of 87 stores and the elimination of 3000 jobs in 2006, but also for gamers, providing an alternative to GameStop's used game monopoly.

[Cheap Ass Gamer via Joystiq]

‘Halo 3′ Hits One Billion Online Matches

Marie Kare — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:11:02 +0000

According to Bungie, over one billion 'Halo 3' online matches have been played since the sci-fi shooter's September 2007 release to Xbox 360. The landmark one-billionth game occurred Saturday night at precisely 6:36 PST. The four-player game of Infection on Foundry lasted just 3 minutes and 19 seconds.

To put the enormity of this achievement into context, Bungie did a little fancy reckoning for you: If each 'Halo 3' online match played thus far lasted as long as the one-billionth game, "the total amount of time played would eclipse sixty-three centuries, [...] that's roughly 630 decades, 6,300 years, or 2,300,000 days."

[Bungie via Joystiq]

Forget What You Heard, ‘Dead Space’ Wii Won’t Use MotionPlus

Sean Hollister — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:57:17 +0000

It wasn't wishful thinking -- EA COO John Pleasants really did say that the upcoming "Dead Space: Extraction" would feature the Wii MotionPlus controller. But today, an Electronic Arts representative has confirmed that regardless of Pleasants' comments, the actual rail shooter will not have support for the gyroscopic MotionPlus peripheral.

EA was unable to say whether the game supported MotionPlus earlier in development, nor give further explanation for Pleasants' mention of the technology when speaking about the game to investors Thursday.

PSP2 Sliding Screen Rumors Gain Developer Credibility

Sean Hollister — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:55:27 +0000

The above CG mockup isn't exactly what the Sony PSP-4000 (or PSP2) will look like, but it may not be too far off, either. According to anonymous development sources contacted by Eurogamer and VG247, the next iteration of Sony's handheld gaming system will include a sliding screen that covers the controls, shed its power-hungry UMD drive, and feature shoulder buttons that allow for gaming while the screen is still in the closed position.

"The screen is basically the same as the one in the 3000 - except it slides," said Eurogamer's source, adding that the redesign would be "significantly smaller in width" due to the newly recessed controls. But unlike the image above, the screen won't constitute the entire front of the unit -- there will be still likely be grips of some sort, upon which will rest the system's shoulder buttons.

VG247's source confirms both sliding screen and aesthetic overhaul, as well as an earlier Eurogamer rumor that the device would arrive late 2009.

Last week, Acclaim CCO David Perry stepped forward to confirm that the PSP2 would have no more UMD drive, and voiced suspicion that the device would rely on digital distribution and flash memory instead.

Sony has no comment.

BioWare Opens Montreal Studio to Work on Mass Effect 2

Marie Kare — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:27:07 +0000

While layoffs, bankruptcy and restructuring predominate video games industry news, it is something of a pleasure to hear of growth within the industry. Today, BioWare announced the formation of a new Montreal-based team to work within Electronic Arts' existing Montreal studio. The team will focus its efforts on the highly anticipated Mass Effect 2 and will employ around 30 people, half of which will be brought in from BioWare's Edmonton studio, the other half to be new hires.

In regard to the new BioWare Montreal studio, BioWare co-founder and CEO Ray Muzyka told GameDaily: "We're really excited about it, and we think it's going to be a huge opportunity to tap into the talent base in Montreal while supplementing our existing teams in Edmonton and Austin, which are doing some great stuff on all the other projects BioWare's working on."

[via GameDaily]

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