Warp Zoned Presents
Author: Mike Gutierrez
Former Bizarre Creations developer blames us for the studio’s closure
It was a very sad thing to see Bizarre Creations close its doors last week. In the last edition of the Warp Zoned Podcast, we went into further detail about all the studio closures going on at Activision, and largely pointed to the publisher’s insane methods of exploiting developers. Well, a former developer at Bizarre gives another reason.
“It was a perfect storm of unfortunate circumstances,” former lead designer Gareth Wilson told Edge. “The landscape of the industry has changed massively even in the time from when Bizarre was acquired [in 2007]. Getting a new IP noticed at this stage of the console cycle, combined with the global economic situation meaning gamers are less willing to take a risk, is really difficult.” Wilson gave a couple examples noting, “it’s not just Blur that didn’t sell in 2010, great new IPs like Enslaved, Alan Wake and Vanquish have struggled to make an impact while Halo and Call Of Duty have broken sales records.”
Wilson does make a point, as the Game of the Year contenders and top sellers these days are often sequels. But I think our Editor-in-Chief John Scalzo put it best when he said, “Blur was pitched as ‘Mario Kart for adults,’ but most adults indicated that they’d rather play Mario Kart.” Not to mention they were trying to find success in one of the most over-saturated genres in gaming. Wilson also fails to account how MAG and Heavy Rain, the former of which was in a saturated market and the latter of which no one expected would sell, both did decent as new IP’s last year, and as console exclusives at that. From my perspective it just seems their closure had more to do with the contemporary practices of publishers and mindsets of studios.
Posted in News
Epic Games talk NGP and Unreal Engine 3, may lead to launch titles
It’s always tough for a new platform getting studios to adapt to the new hardware with software that takes advantage of its true potential. Luckily for Sony, Epic Games and their Unreal Engine 3, arguably the most prolific engine this generation, are ready to go. Studios may now license Epic’s engine for NGP development, and founder Tim Sweeney said, “we see NGP as a true game-changer with a perfect combination of performance, innovative controls and gamer appeal that make it truly a high-end console in your pocket.”
Epic Games was one of the studios on stage at the PlayStation Meeting 2011 when NGP was revealed, showcasing the things UE3 can do on the handheld. “We were very proud to be onstage with SCE to give the world just a taste of what Unreal Engine 3 can do on NGP. NGP raises the bar for the performance of handheld platforms with its multi-core GPU and shader-based, multi-core CPU. This makes Unreal Engine 3 a particularly advantageous fit for NGP,” said Vice President Mark Rein. Teasing the launch lineup a bit, Rein further confirmed “multiple UE3 licensees are already working with NGP, some of which have indicated they intend to release their games for the platform’s launch.”
While the engine’s momentum may have slowed since the beginning of this generation, some of the most celebrated titles still use it, like Batman: Arkham Asylum, Mass Effect 2, and Borderlands. Seeing some of those titles appear on Sony’s handheld would be amazing, but a port of Epic’s own Unreal Tournament III, an early PS3 title, would mesh well with the NGP’s cross-platform interactivity theme, (it had PS3/PC cross-platform co-op and multiplayer) and certainly bring me closer to a day one purchase.
Posted in News, Vita
Tagged Unreal Tournament III
SOCOM 4’s online co-op detailed, kinda insane
The long awaited SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy Seals is getting closer and closer to release and the official blog assures us the multiplayer beta is imminent. Today, we’ve gotten some information on the co-op mode, which will support up to five players in two modes: “Takedown,” where you search for and eliminate enemy VIP’s, and “Espionage,” where you gather intel and sabotage enemy communication infrastructure. Instead of playing through the single player campaign, you essentially make your own, selecting from a list of maps and designating enemy density at different areas. SOCOM 4 is releasing April 19 on the PlayStation 3.
Stay tuned to Warp Zoned for beta impressions and other info as the launch draws nearer.
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs
THQ announces video game adaptation of Rio
THQ and Twentieth Century Fox today announced the standalone game adaptation, Rio, for the latest CG extravaganza from Blue Sky Studios. This game will be separate from the movie’s cross-over with Angry Birds, which Nintendo President Reggie Fils-Aime called “a great piece of experience,” in an apparent loss of understanding of the English language.
The movie depicts a group of birds and their adventures on the Rio de Janeiro. The game will be a multiplayer party game with 40 mini-games across five modes that players can easily hop in and out of. Rio will be released for every platform under the sun except the soon to be irrelevant PSP (re: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Nintendo DS). The DS version will be different from its big brother home console version, in which the character Blu discovers hip hop and Latin beats in a rhythm-style game.
Martin Good, THQ’s Executive Vice President of Kids, Family and Casual Games, stated “Rio’s humor, compelling characters, thrilling story, colorful characters and wonderful music inspired us to create a unique and imaginative game experience.”
The game will be available April 12, three days before the film hits theaters.
Watch the final launch of the Discovery space shuttle today in PlayStation Home
Today, the first live streaming event for the Sunset Yacht premium personal space in PlayStation Home will take place. NASA and Sony have announced that the Discovery space shuttle’s final launch will be streamed live today at 4:50pm Eastern Time. This is a watershed moment in LOOT’s Entertainment-On-Demand service, which allows players to watch popular TV shows, web series, and other content from inside their personal space. This is also a big moment for NASA TV’s initiatives in PlayStation Home, which include two additional space shuttle launches to be streamed in April and June, as well as hundreds of videos showing footage from NASA missions and other spectacular views of the universe.
Basically it’s all kinds of geeking coming together. If you’re interested, head to PlayStation Home for your super exclusive yacht, as you only have a few hours before the live stream.
Radical Entertainment draws on Penny Arcade for new Prototype 2 teaser
Fans of Penny Arcade may remember this comic where Gabe gave some nice consumer advice on whether to buy the original Prototype. Recognizing the logic of the strip, Radical Entertainment has incorporated it into a special teaser expounding on the complementary nature of karate kicks and helicopters. The short trailer was created to promote the game’s appearance on the cover of the April 2011 issue of EGM.
Unfortunately, we have about a year to go before we can get in on the helicopter-kicking action with Prototype 2 sometime in 2012.
Posted in PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Prototype 2
Gearbox wants to know if you worked on Duke Nukem Forever
For a game that’s been in development for so long, it’s understandable that Duke Nukem Forever would have had a lot of different people working on it over the years. As such, it’s completely feasible that a lot of them have gotten lost in the shuffle, and their contributions may not be remembered and recorded when Gearbox ships the game on May 3.
To remedy that, they’ve launched a website where you can request to be credited for working on the Duke’s latest adventures. You can first select one of seven categories: worked for a developer, worked for a publisher, contractor/agency, press with notable affiliation, community, fan, and, of course, “Other.” After that, you’re asked to submit your information along with a short statement on what you contributed to the game.
Given community, fan, and other being on there, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a lengthy section in the credits for “fans who never gave up hope.” I guess we’ll just have to see when the game releases for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 this coming May 3.
Posted in PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Duke Nukem Forever
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood infiltrates PC on March 18
It may have taken a couple months, but Ubisoft is finally bringing Ezio’s latest exploits in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood to PC on March 18. Players will be able to choose from four different editions (wow) to start their adventures in Rome and multiplayer mayhem. Hit the jump for system requirements as well as the overwhelming purchasing options. (more…)
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood