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So, Why Did Ensemble Studios Close Up?
Bruce Shelley is an industry legend. Helped Sid Meier make Civilization, created Age of Empires, then joined Ensemble. Now, though, Ensemble are gone. And Shelley is trying to explain why that happened. Taking the stage at this year’s DICE get-together in Vegas, Shelley’s address was devoted to pondering aloud how a studio that had only…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 20, 2009 -
Jay Mohr Tells Jokes About The Game Industry
Jay Mohr is a comedian. Comedians tell jokes. As host of the 12th annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Mohr did just that. We’ve cherry picked three of our favorites Mohr told about the gaming industry: Directed at LittleBigPlanet‘s Alex Evans about the DIY hit: “It’s like buying CD, plugging it in, and then having to go…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 20, 2009 -
PAL PlayStation Store Update: Enter A New Challenger
This week, Europe and Australia finally got Super Street Fighter II HD. Shame, really, since with Street Fighter IV also with us this week, it misses much of the point. Also available for PAL owners this week, Noby Noby Boy. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’d be like playing a game where you…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 20, 2009 -
Gothic Lolita Shooter Goes Christmas
Here’s more reason for ghoulish smiles. At this year’s arcade show AOU, the sequel for Lolita maniac shooter DeathSmiles has been unveiled today. It’s all Christmasy. Last month, we broke the news that DeathSmiles was getting a sequel. DeathSmiles was released in Japanese arcades in 2008 and is getting an Xbox 360 port this Spring.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 20, 2009 -
Okami Creator Says Western Developers Are Superior
Capcom’s Jun Takeuchi spoke today about the “rise” of Western gaming. But former Capcom man Atsushi Inaba, well, he goes a little further, saying that, overall, “Western developers are superior to those in Japan”. Chatting with Develop, Inaba says: To be honest, I think that western developers are superior to those in Japan overall. So…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 20, 2009 -
Suggestive Star Ocean 4 Screenshots
Star Ocean producer Yoshinori Yamagishi really wants to make erotic games. Square Enix has already nixed that idea, but that doesn’t seem to have stopped Yamagishi from spicing up Star Ocean. Below is a batch of Star Ocean: The Last Hope screenshots. Granted, they are taken out of context, and the game has been given…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 20, 2009 -
Noby Noby Boy T-Shirts: Classy
You may remember Panic from their line of Katamari Damacy t-shirts. They were great. Now that Katamari creator Keita Takahashi has a new game out, Panic are doing shirts for it too. There are 8 shirts available, and Panic tell us they’ll be ready to ship in around three weeks (though you can order them…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 20, 2009 -
LittleBigPlanet Dominates Interactive Achievement Awards
The 12th annual Interactive Achievement Awards wrapped up late Thursday night in Las Vegas. Hosted by comedian Jay Mohr, the awards recognized the best of the game industry in 2008. The winners were selected by 300 members of the industry by secret ballot. This year, PS3 exclusive LittleBigPlanet dominated, snagging eight awards. Here they are…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 20, 2009 -
Japan Gets Cute Little Resistance 2, DualShock 3 Bundle
We’ve a soft spot for Resistance 2 and Japan. Why? Because the game’s marketing there was vastly superior, and also because it’s led Sony Japan to come up with adorable little bundles like this. To be released on March 12 for ¥8980 (USD$95), the little box will include a copy of Resistance 2 along with…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 20, 2009 -
PSN Accounts Top Two Million In Japan
As of February 20, Sony Computer Entertainment have announced that the number of PlayStation Network accounts has surpassed 2 million. The PSN was launched in Japan in November 2006 when the PS3 launched. Every month, 700,000 accounts access the PSN domestically and 35 million pieces of content are downloaded in The Land of the Rising…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 20, 2009 -
Microsoft Would Like You To Believe This Model Is A Halo Fan
Well done, Microsoft UK. Here we were, thinking that, come 2009, gaming – yes, even 360 gaming – was for everyone, when you go and shove a set of Halo Wars-covered tits in our face. It’s not that we’re complaining. After all, yes, Microsoft, they are a lovely pair. But, just like the Gears of…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 20, 2009 -
Want Beyond Good & Evil For Free? Buy Some Cheese
True story. If Canadians pick up select packets of Cheese Heads brand mozzarella cheese, they’ll not only get a bag of delicious cheese, they’ll also get a copy of Beyond Good & Evil. Really. What’s more, it’s not a download key, not a mail-away deal. The disc – for the PC version – is right…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 20, 2009 -
Thanks To Erotic Game Design, Rapper Kanye West Got Into Hip Hop
Kanye West. Rapper, producer, fashion designer, former erotic game designer. When 31-year-old rapper Kanye West was in 7th grade, he created his first hip-hop beat. It was made for a video game he was designing — a game populated with a giant penis hero and vagina ghosts. West explains to DETAILS: First beat I did,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 20, 2009 -
EA Calls Gaming Recessing A “Blessing”
Like many companies, Electronic Arts is having a rough time. Earlier this month, EA exec John Riccitiello called the lower than expected earnings “a clear disappointment,” announcing additional, extended layoffs. The impact of the cratering global economy on the game industry is not a bad thing necessarily says Riccitiello. It is a “blessing.” Hard times…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 20, 2009 -
Former Nintendo President Not As Rich (Still Filthy Rich, Though)
Hiroshi Yamauchi, who ran Nintendo from 1949 to 2002, was the richest man in Japan last year with a net worth of approximately US$7.8 billion. What about this year? With even Nintendo hit by the global financial crisis, the 81-year-old Yamauchi’s net worth plunged by $3.3 billion to $4.5 billion. He is now ranked third…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 20, 2009 -
Grand Theft Auto IV Censorship Was Accidental, Will Be Fixed
It’s OK, Europeans. Yes, your versions of Grand Theft Auto IV have been censored. That’s the bad news. The good news? It’s all a mistake, and Rockstar are working on a fix. “We are aware of an error with the latest GTA IV title update and are confident the issue will be fixed within the…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 19, 2009 -
Three Masks With Bonus Shirtless Man
Scary Tim Curry face! Nice watch though. Kotakuite Neo Deus writes: “I have a recurring nightmare in which a shirtless Tim Curry is stalking me at a masquerade ball, dressed as the scariest thing he knows of (consequently, also Tim Curry), and suspiciously proffering an apple to me. This is my attempt to share this…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 19, 2009 -
Street Fighter Movie Won’t Be Screened For Critics
Do you still hold high hopes for the Street Fighter movie? Really? This might dash them a touch. Turns out the movie won’t be screened for film critics. Which is rarely a good thing. Rather than open the film up for a potential savaging from reviewers, Fox have decided that critics can get in line…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 19, 2009 -
The Nintendo DSi’s Launch Video
As previously announced, the Nintendo DSi is launching in the U.S. on April 5 for US$169.99. Nintendo has released this slick, glossy video to help explain the hardware. Watch it. Alrighty, quick show of hands: Who’s buying? Thanks, Supa_S for the tip!
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 19, 2009 -
Harmonix, MTV Games Give $50,000 plus 650 Rock Band Bundles to Sick Kids
The Starlight Foundation has been using gaming as part of their charity operation for years — but it looks like they’ve struck it big with a Harmonix/MTV Games partnership and a hefty donation. Fifty-thousand dollars is described as a “generous minimum donation” by Starlight, but they’ve got to be thrilled about the 650 Rock Band…
By AJ Glasser Published February 19, 2009