Kotaku: jowood

Finally A Dedicated Wii Yoga Game

Mike Fahey — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:40:00 MDT

The Nintendo Wii becomes even more attractive as a Mother's Day gift with the announcement of Yoga for Wii, a Balance Board exploration of personal wellness.

The cleverly named Yoga for Wii is exactly what it sounds like - a yoga game for the Nintendo Wii. Using the Wii Balance Board, players will be able to yoga their way through three different modes. There's a training mode that teaches you new poses, a Routine Mode, which lets you create your own daily yoga routine, and Story Mode, where you start off as a novice and end up a yoga guru, presumably after defeating your mentor in yoga combat. Just a guess, really.

It actually sounds like a rather interesting product. The Balance Board and Wii remote are used in conjunction to measure your balance, while a computerized guru tracks your overall progress, giving you suggestions and plotting a course towards whatever the goal of yoga is. Finding Shangri-la or something. Not really well-versed in yoga.

The game is basically a part of the same pattern for Wii Fit that we saw with Wii Sports. Nintendo releases mini-games, other publishers step up to create full versions. This time around it's JoWooD and DreamCatcher, who plan on an October release for Yoga for Wii. A bit late for Mother's Day, but I'm sure she'll be happy with an I.O.U.

Agatha Christie Screens Show Off Powerful Tennis Ball Dropping On Turd Engine

Stuart Houghton — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:20:00 MDT

JoWood software's Agatha Christie: Evil Under The Sun places you in control of Christie's Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot as you investigate a mystery based on the classic novel.

These screens are meant to show off the intuitive WiiMote control system that will let you manipulate objects in a natural(ish) way. If these pics are representative of the game we can look forward to some exquisitely rendered clothes-washing, dart-throwing and bath-filling action.

Nice to see someone is trying to put the WiiMote to more than the usual bat/stick/sword/pointer gestures, and a Poirot game could be intruiging... but But BUT - what is going on in the picture above?

The JoWood press site claims that "Three scenes from the game are shown in which the Wii Remote™ is the key to solving a puzzle. An important clue buried in the dirt must be uncovered by simulating a digging motion, and a screw is tightened by rotating the Wii Remote."

None of which seems to describe what is going on. Theories?

Sam And Max Totally Headed To The Wii

Mike Fahey — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:00:00 MDT

Our money was indeed on a full release of the episodic Sam And Max season one for the Wii, and now all we have to do is sit back and wait for our winnings to pour in, as Telltale tells GameSpot official tales of just such a release. Both European and North American Wii consoles will be graced with the first season of the dog and bunny-thing show this fall, with Dreamcatcher and The Adventure Company handing U.S. publishing and JoWood handling Europe's version, which comes complete with German and French voiceovers plus Italian and Spanish subtitles. I almost want to import the Euro version, just to hear Max threatening people in the language of romance, or perhaps French.

Sam and Max report for Wii duty [GameSpot - Thanks Dathcha!]

Dungeon Lords Somehow Expands, Sequalizes

Mike Fahey — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:20:55 MST

JoWood Productions has announced plans for a stand-alone expansion and sequel to 2005's PC action RPG, Dungeon Lords. The production of the games will be overseen by Dreamcatcher Interactive, the original game's publisher which JoWood purchased in November of last year in an effort to move into North America. For the record, Dungeon Lords was probably the buggiest, most incomplete game I had ever seen upon release. Buttons didn't work, tutorials were hosed, etc. Even now the game isn't complete, over 2 years after release. It was the only PC game that GameStop ever let me return, calling it defective. How that game scores an expansion pack in 2008 that bridges the gap between the original and the 2009 sequel is completely beyond me. Apparently it sold over a million copies. I'm guessing they've figured bargain bins sales into that number. Ew.

JoWooD Productions Announces Dungeon Lords 2
Stand-alone expansion pack due in Q3 2008 with full sequel to follow in Q3 2009

November 20, 2007 (Liezen, AUSTRIA) - JoWood Productions announced today that it will release Dungeon Lords: Expansion (working title) for Windows in Q3, 2008. At the same time, the company announced the development of Dungeon Lords 2 (working title) for a next-gen console platform and the Windows platform for home personal computers.

Not requiring the base game, the Expansion Pack is a complete stand-alone game and will contain an all new story which acts as a link between the original game and the Sequel. The Sequel will deliver an all new graphics and physics engine, a new epic quest and all new art.

Dreamcatcher will oversee the production process.

Released in May, 2005 for Windows, Dungeon Lords has been well-received commercially, selling in excess of 1 million copies worldwide in a variety of formats.

Gothic 4 Gets Spellbound

Mike Fahey — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:00:55 MDT

Or more to the point, Spellbound gets Gothic 4. JoWooD Productions, which I will always fondly remember for random letter capitalizations, has announced that Spellbound Entertainment AG will be the developer for the fourth installment in the adult PC RPG. Why Spellbound?

One of the most convincing and central arguments for choosing Spellbound, was the scope of RPG experience brought in by Spellbound team member Jochen Hamma, who was involved in creating the legendary „Nordland Trilogy" based upon the Pen & Paper RPG „Das Schwarze Au

Oh yeah, that Spellbound! Okay, I have no idea who they or their previous games are. I just hope combat is ever bit as hot and steamy as Gothic 3's was.

JoWooD presents Gothic 4 developer
Liezen, Austria, 23rd of August: JoWooD Productions Software AG is proud to present Spellbound Entertainment AG as the official developing team for Gothic 4.

One of the most convincing and central arguments for choosing Spellbound, was the scope of RPG experience brought in by Spellbound team member Jochen Hamma, who was involved in creating the legendary „Nordland Trilogy" based upon the Pen & Paper RPG „Das Schwarze Auge".

Furthermore, Spellbound has created own tools for achieving exceptional standards in Quality and Quality Assurance. Both parties are confident to produce a game of highest quality, and Spellbound intends to focus on the traditional strengths of the brand, setting new standards in the original, authentic Gothic essentials.

At the Games Convention 2007 in Leipzig, Mr. Jochen Hamma, Spellbounds Executive Producer, is showing the first facts and plans to curious fans and special interest media, outlining which strengths are essentially to be intensified, and which weaknesses are tagged for elimination.

Gothic 4 is being developed for PC and Current Gen console systems, a release date will be announced in the coming weeks.
About JoWooD

About Spellbound Entertainment AG:
The Spellbound Entertainment AG is one of the leading German Game developers. The company based in Kehl has been responsible for the creation of more than 20 games. Spellbound got known internationally by its Desperados and Airline Tycoon series that sold worldwide with great success.
www.spellbound.de

Sam and Max Box Set Bonus

Mike Fahey — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 10:20:46 MDT

So you've religiously followed the Sam and Max episodic adventure series from JoWooD since its inception, and you're wondering why you should bother picking up the official retail box set when it hits in August? Well wonder no more, fair reader. The list is in, and it isn't bad at all. Along with the six episodes themselves you shall receive:

An all new "Making Sam & Max" behind the scenes video
A full-sized printed poster featuring artwork by Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell
Trailers for all six episodes
Previously unreleased character bios
Loads of concept artwork
Desktop wallpapers
An MP3 soundtrack sampler

Also included: A box! The opening theme music on the soundtrack sampler alone is worth the set's $29.99 price tag for the sheer cruising down the road pretending you're a dog and a rabbit-thing factor alone.

Perhaps that's just me.

Anyway you look at it, it is a fine set that could very well inspire me to play episodic adventures like I watch television...waiting for the box set. Michael Fahey>

The Adventure Company And JoWooD Announce Bonus Content For Sam & Max: Season 1 Retail Release

Funniest game of the year to retail with a full-size printed color poster and a Bonus CD of extras!

Toronto, Canada; Vienna, Austria. June 7, 2007. After much anticipation, Sam & Max, the legendary dog and rabbit crime-fighting stars, are making their way to all major retail stores worldwide in August 2007 with Sam & Max: Season 1 for Windows® - and they're bringing along a full-size printed color poster and a Bonus CD full of hilarious extras!

This is the stuff of every collector's dream, with goodies that include:

* An all new "Making Sam & Max" behind the scenes video
* A full-sized printed poster featuring artwork by Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell
* Trailers for all six episodes
* Previously unreleased character bios
* Loads of concept artwork
* Desktop wallpapers
* An MP3 soundtrack sampler

All of this is included with The Adventure Company/JoWooD retail version of Sam & Max: Season 1 for Windows® releasing to fans around the world in English, French and German!

Sam & Max aren't your average crime-fighting duo. Sam is a six-foot tall canine shamus with a love of justice. Max is hyperkinetic rabbity-thing with a taste for violence. Together, Sam & Max are the Freelance Police, ridding the streets of bottom-feeding sludge one dastardly miscreant at a time. Now you'll finally be able to learn how this episodic series came together with its bizarre humor, vivid 3D graphics and clever gameplay in the all-new behind the scenes video footage. Hear development secrets about Sam & Max, straight from the mouths of series creator Steve Purcell and members of the Season 1 development team.

"We are very excited to bring Sam & Max: Season 1 to a bigger audience than ever with our Windows® release this summer and can't wait to give fans the treats they've been asking for on the Bonus CD!" said Albert Seidl, President and CEO for the JoWooD Group.

Sam & Max: Season 1, the funniest game in years, will be released worldwide for Windows® in August 2007 for a suggested retail price of $29.99 USD/€29.99.

Sam and Max Hit Retail In August

Mike Fahey — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 10:20:07 MDT

Telltale, the developers of the Sam and Max episodic adventure game, have announced a partnership with JoWooD Productions to bring the popular series to retail shelves this August. Sam and Max: Season 1 will collect the first six episodes into one retail boxed set, to be released worldwide in five languages, bringing many their first-ever taste of the dog and bunny detective duo. It is a delicious taste.

This is a prime example of why drinking and GDC don't mix. I was actually given this information by a slightly drunk PR girl at the Sam and Max party, only to completely forget it due to blue alcoholic beverages. All part of their sinister plot, I'm sure.

I believe that this is the future of adventures games, released like television episodes over the internet, and then collected in boxed sets after the fact. As the proud owner of over fifty seasons of various television shows, it's a business model that really speaks to me. Michael Fahey

JoWooD Productions And Telltale Announce Partnership To Bring Sam & Max: Season 1 To Retail

JoWooD will distribute funniest PC game of the year

Vienna, Austria. March 15, 2007. Sam & Max, the legendary dog and rabbit crime-fighting stars that have been reintroduced to the gaming public with Telltale's downloadable episodic series Sam & Max: Season 1, are finally returning to retail stores worldwide beginning in August 2007.

Over the last two de cades, Sam & Max have appeared in a number of formats, including independent comics created by Steve Purcell, an interactive PC adventure game, a Saturday morning cartoon, a webcomic strip, and now innovative episodic games developed by Telltale. The Adventure Company's Sam & Max: Season 1 release marks this series' first foray into retail stores, giving customers worldwide an opportunity to see why the game's bizarre humor, crazy characters, vivid 3D graphics, and good, old-fashioned point & click gameplay make Sam & Max: Season 1 the funniest PC game in years.

"We are excited about working with Telltale. Sam & Max is a strong franchise and fans across Europe, and the world over, are highly anticipating Sam & Max: Season 1," said Albert Seidl, CEO of JoWooD Productions Software AG. "The worldwide retail release will allow us to bring Sam & Max to a wider audience since the game will be available in the five main languages."

Sam & Max: Season 1 will be released for Windows with a targeted global release date of August 2007.

About the JoWooD Group

Shares of the JoWooD Group are traded at the Vienna stock exchange. They are one of the leading publishers of computer and videogames with a worldwide network of distribution partners. JoWooD develops and publishes state-of-the-art entertainment software for all major existing and new generation systems. For more information please visit www.jowood.com or http://corporate.jowood.com.

About Sam & Max

Steve Purcell published "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple" as his first Sam & Max comic in 1987. Sam & Max solved assorted crimes and mysteries as Freelance Police in their sturdy 1960 Black and White De Soto Adventurer from their home base in New York City. After a series of follow-up comic books, Purcell worked with a team at LucasArts to create the critically acclaimed Sam & Max Hit the Road adventure ga me in 1993. The dog and rabbity-thing duo moved to television in an award-winning animated series in 1997, and are now appearing in an all-new webcomic series at www.telltalegames.com.

About Telltale Inc.

Telltale delivers Tales for Your Imagination - high caliber interactive entertainment which features engaging stories, strong characters, and rich environments. A new era of interactive entertainment is emerging, with customers expecting more from their investment in play time. Telltale is developing and deploying cinematic quality animation and storytelling technologies, to create entertaining and exciting interactive adventures which meet these new expectations. Staffed with long time industry veterans, Telltale creates tales based on Jeff Smith's Bone series, Steve Purcell's Sam & Max characters and television's popular CSI program in partnership with Ubisoft. Telltale offers content development and custom publishing services for license-h olders interested in adapting their properties for interactive delivery. Telltale has created innovative tools, designed specifically for rapid development of high quality, space-efficient titles for digital distribution. Telltale titles can be downloaded from its website, as well as online partners such as Yahoo! Games, Direct-to-Drive, Trymedia Systems, Boonty, and CNET. To learn more about Telltale, please visit www.telltalegames.com.

Gothic 3 E306 Trailer

brownlee — Thu, 11 May 2006 16:20:22 MDT

Esoteric interface aside, which felt like piloting an advanced NASA Tolkein simulator, we preferred Gothic 2 to Morrowind, and we'll probably like Gothic 3 a hell of a lot more than Oblivion. Coming from JoWood and Piranha Bytes in Q4 2006.

Half Naked Tank Babes Promote RTS

Brian Crecente — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 12:00:26 MDT

Ummm, WTF? I'm a few syllables (OK, a whole bunch of syllables) shy of speechless. JoWood sends word that FHM magazine is running a spread of "Tank Babes" to promote their game Panzer Elite Action. Judging by the women and their... outfits(?) I'd say that in the game you're given bits of twine and strips of camo and forced to make alluring outfits for the local peasantry out of them.

Ya know, maybe a picture of a tank would have helped. I've safely ensconced the images on the jump so no one get's fired. They're not naked or anything, just very close to it.