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Nokia Closes Vancouver N-Gage Studio
Oh, Canada. You marvelous country with your marvelous Canadian things. While we’d never want to leave the country, Nokia has shuttered its N-Gage development outfit in the region. Its Vancouver studio was shuttered on June 30, nixing 100 or so jobs in the process. This decision seems to be part of Nokia’s March announcement to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 14, 2009 - Uncategorized
When Google Maps Meets SimCity
While Google Maps is pretty useful at the moment – especially Street View – we can’t help but look at this Chinese map of Hong Kong and wish that, instead of “Street View”, we could instead have “SimCity View”. This map is real (though not provided by Google), and accurate, and can be used to…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 14, 2009 - Uncategorized
BioWare: Activision’s PS3 Comment Is “Silly”
After Activision CEO Bobby Kotick expressed his displeasure at Sony for not announcing a price cut, he came back a few weeks later threatening to “stop supporting” the console. Sony honcho Howard Stringer then retorted that a price cut would cause the company to lose money on every PlayStation 3 sold. Now BioWare co-founder Greg…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 14, 2009 - Uncategorized
Some Words That Are, And Are Not, In Scribblenauts
There are over 10,000 nouns you can conjure in Scribblenauts. That’s a lot. To help give you an idea of just what’s included – and not included – in that number, please, consult this list. A writer from Britain’s Official Nintendo Magazine has a build of the game, and having asked readers for a list…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 14, 2009 - Uncategorized
Hideo Kojima Met With Heavy Rain Developer
Cut scenes. Some love them, others loathe them. In games like Metal Gear Solid, players sit and watch as cut scenes push the story forward. In the upcoming thriller Heavy Rain, gameplay pushes the story forward. Metal Gear Solid designer Hideo Kojima meet with David Cage of Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream. Cage calls the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 14, 2009 - Uncategorized
Check Out Korean Team Fortress 2 “Rip-Off” Gameplay Footage
When South Korean game company SK-Imedia released the trailer for its upcoming PC title H.A.V.E. Online, some freaked about similarities with Valve’s Team Fortress 2. Now a gameplay clip is out, is there still need for the hyperventilation? Previously, some were calling the game “an embarrassment” to South Korean gaming to which SK-Imedia replied, “Debating…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 14, 2009 - Uncategorized
Microsoft To Launch Streaming Music Service, Could Hit 360
Microsoft have announced that they’re working on a streaming music service, similar to Europe’s Spotify, which should be ready to go by the end of this month. We’re interested because it could hit the Xbox 360. Peter Bale, executive producer of MSN, told The Telegraph that the Microsoft service would be similar to Spotify, “but…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 14, 2009 - Uncategorized
A Better Look At LBP’s Ghostbusters Costumes, Sticker Pack
Yes, it’s true. These sacks have no dick. And while we got a decent look at them courtesy of Japan’s LittleBigPlanet website, there’s nothing like Media Molecule‘s official shots, especially since they include a look at the accompanying sticker pack. The whole lot will be out this Thursday. Those stickers (which will for $6 for…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 14, 2009 -
UncategorizedStreet Fighter IV Characters Swap Moves, Faces
Now that Street Fighter IV is on PC, the PC community can get cracking on what they’re best at: silly hacks. Like these ones, which switch up the player’s moves, leaving us with a creep, stretchy Dan and a..special Sakura. Here’s A Reason To Play Street Fighter IV On PC [Giant Bomb]
By Luke Plunkett Published July 14, 2009 - Uncategorized
BioShock Designer Picked “Zelda” Over Girlfriend
The original The Legend of Zelda made quite an impact on BioShock designer Ken Levine — so much so that it cost him his first serious girlfriend. Levine had just graduated from college and moved to San Francisco. The lady friend was a few years younger than him, and at the end of the summer,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 14, 2009 - Uncategorized
Black Wii Box Is From The Dark, Distant Future
Here’s the box art for the upcoming Black Wii, the first coloured variant of the console. Looks a lot like the white version! Only black. Amazing what a change in colour can do for a console. The white Wii is simple, clean, innocent. This black one? Menacing, stylish, ominous. And probably the best-looking games machine…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 13, 2009 - Uncategorized
You Can’t Escape From This Erotic Dragon Quest Homage
From the folks that brought you Rapelay comes this erotic game: Yuusha kara wa nigerarenai (You Can’t Escape From The Hero). Characters look familiar? They should. Japanese developer Illusion seems to be “inspired” by the Dragon Quest III female character designs. The PC game does not yet have a release date, and there is no…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 13, 2009 -
UncategorizedResident Evil 4 Sneaks Up On The iPhone Like A Spanish Midget
Japanese site AppBank were browsing the App Store the other day when, oh, hello, what did they find but a copy of Resident Evil 4. For the iPhone. It’s since been taken down, but as you can see from this clip, it’s pretty unlikely this is a fake. That sure looks like a real iPhone…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 13, 2009 - Uncategorized
Younger Girl Did Hatsune Miku Motion Capture
Pantsu-heavy PSP music game Hatsune Miku -Project Diva- features a 3D version of Vocaloid character Hatsune Miku. To get that 3D character modeling, SEGA enlisted child star Yui Ogura to do the motion capture. The kicker? According to Hatsune Miku’s official profile, the character is 16 years old. Yui Ogura is only 13. What gives?!…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 13, 2009 - Uncategorized
The King of Fighters XII Arrives July 28
No longer is The King of Fighters XII scheduled for “Summer 2009” in North America. No longer will its release date be shuffled. It will arrive on these shores July 28th. That’s according to The King of Fighters XII Facebook page and Twitter account, putting an end to the torment that is the 2D fighting…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 13, 2009 -
UncategorizedModern Warfare 2’s Ridiculous “Prestige Edition” Unboxed
Infinity Ward’s Robert Bowling has your first look at the regular, “Hardened,” and “Prestige” editions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in this new unboxing video. What makes the uber-expensive edition so “Prestige”? Night vision goggles maybe? Yes, night vision goggles will be included in the top tier version of the Modern Warfare 2…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 13, 2009 - Uncategorized
Indies Being Shut Out Of Xbox Live Arcade? [Update]
Having spoken with several “concerned” developers, Screen Play is reporting that Microsoft have begun to “dramatically reduce” the number of independent titles they publish on Xbox Live Arcade. It’s believed that the crackdown is a response to fears that there’s simply too much stuff available on the service, and that major publishers are behind the…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 13, 2009 - Uncategorized
Double Round-Up Special: 1C and Ubisoft
The hazy period between Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett’s untimely ends and the celebration of my our great nation’s birthday was dominated by two game companies that couldn’t be more different. We all know (and possibly love) Ubisoft – the French game studio has been bringing us multiplatform hits for years. This month’s preview event…
By AJ Glasser Published July 13, 2009 - Uncategorized
The Bonus Round Talks Motion Control Bundles, Vitality Sensors
In part three of our four part Bonus Round discussion, Geoff Keighley, Michael Pachter, Shane Satterfield and I wag our tongues about waggle controls. What’s left to talk about? Plenty! Pachter expresses his thoughts on the bundling opportunities for Project Natal and the Xbox 360, the cheaper PlayStation 3 with PlayStation Eye packed in, and…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 13, 2009 - Uncategorized
id Starts Teasing With Rage
id Software‘s Rage is about to get the cover treatment from Game Informer magazine. But if you aren’t a subscriber, you may be able to get your fix online, as id has begun teasing its next game. The slow roll out of Rage info is happening right now at the After The Impact web site.…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 13, 2009