All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

#gameface 90210 actress Jessica Lowndes undergoes Nintendo's Dragon Quest IX Exterience at the Wired Cafe during Comic-Con 2010. More »

Disney is purchasing social gaming company Playdom (Social City, Sorority Life) for half a billion dollars. EA's got Playfish. Disney now has Playdom. FarmVille maker Zynga still rules. Facebook gaming's huge and the big companies are clearly very into it. More »

#infographic The 150 most commonly used words in more than 28 million games-related Tweets, July 2009 to present, as compiled by AggreTweet. The entire infographic is on the jump. More »

Being a giant, beloved video game site has its downsides. For example, we sometimes neglect to give independent developers our coverage love (or loverage, if you will) as we get caught up in AAA, AAAA or the rare quintuple-A titles. To remedy that, we're giving indies the chance to create their own loverage and sell you, the fans, on their studios and products. This week we talk with Sjoerd De Jong, Project Lead at Teotl Studios, about how his team has spent one-and-a-half years polishing The Ball.
Joystiq: How did you or your company get started?

Sjoerd De Jong, Teotl Studios: Our game started out as a mod for Unreal Tournament 3, and was originally made for Epic Games' Make Something Unreal contest. Our first version was released in May 2008, and it was received so well (double first place in the first round of the contest), that we decided to carry on. We continued working on our project and we regularly released new versions all the way until the end of the contest, one-and-a-half years later. By the end of the contest The Ball had secured five first places, and won the second place in the Grand Finals. That gave us the confidence to quit our day time jobs, and start up our own small game development studio: Teotl Studios. We used the money we won throughout the contest to fund our company, and we have recently also been awarded a government grant. We are very happy with that, it has given us some financial stability and allowed us to get this far with no publisher or investor breathing down our necks.

As long as you never want to send any mail.

Despite digital moves, retailer still focused on disc-based gaming.

Despite digital moves, retailer still focused on disc-based gaming.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was one of my favorite titles at E3 this year. It's got a terrific story foundation upon which Ninja Theory has built rock-solid combat, jazzed up by great art direction. This past week at Comic-Con, I spoke with Namco Bandai brand manager Laili Bosma, who filled in the background behind the game and fleshed out more of the gameplay mechanics that shape this promising action adventure.

The game's key aspect is the relationship between its two main characters. While their names and basic personalities have been taken from the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West, Bosma stresses that Enslaved is "very, very loosely based" on the famous tale. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where Trip, a fragile 19-year-old redhead, embarks on a perilous journey to return home. In order to survive, she recruits the player-controlled Monkey, a brutish slave, bound to Trip by a deadly, magical headband.

A hidden arcade game in the story mode.

Hi Everyone – It’s time for the weekly PlayStation Store Update.

PlayStation Plus

Critter Crunch (Free to PlayStation Plus subscribers)

Syphon Filter (Free to PlayStation Plus subscribers)

Kahoots (Free to PlayStation Plus subscribers)

Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (PlayStation Plus price $3.00, original price $5.99)

Super Street Fighter IV PSN Avatar Bundle ($4.99) (Exclusive to PlayStation Plus Subscribers)
*Includes 35 Super Street Fighter IV Avatars

Updates

MLB 2K10 PSP – Permanent Price Drop (now $19.99, original price $29.99)
Silent Hill Origins – Permanent Price Drop (now $9.99, original price $14.99)
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo – Sale (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
Section 8 – Sale (now $9.99, original price $29.99)
Blast Factor – Sale (now $4.99, original price $12.99)
Blast Factor Advanced Research (now $2.49, original price $4.99)
Blast Factor Multiplayer Pack (now $1.49, original price $2.99)

PSone Classics

The Emperor’s New Groove ($5.99)
Emperor Kuzco was turned into a llama by him loyal advisor! Now, he must team up with a simple citizen in order to return to the palace and reclaim the throne! Download this PS one classic today!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 381 MB

Hercules ($5.99)
Play as Hercules and go from zero to hero! Battle through a series of action-packed levels to prove you are a true hero! Download this PS one classic today!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 213 MB

A Bug’s Life ($5.99)
Play the role of Flik, a klutzy but inventive worker ant, as he searches for other insects to help defend his colony against the cruel grasshoppers! Download this PS one classic today!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 479 MB

Toy Story Racer ($5.99)
Join all of the Toy Story crew in this fun racer! Use your power-ups and put the pedal down to cross the finish line first! Download this PS one classic today!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 138 MB

Game Demos (free)

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days – Multiplayer Demo
Demo for Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days, a raw and brutal crime shooter. Relentless action in single player and Fragile Alliance multiplayer.
ESRB Rated M
File size: 1.38 GB

Madden NFL 11 Demo
Madden NFL 11 is SIMPLER. QUICKER. DEEPER. Experience an all-new streamlined playcall system, FULL games in HALF the time, and intuitive Dual Stick Control- all to the exciting play-by-play of Gus Johnson. For added strategy, dive deep into the playbook and create custom Game Plans. Download the demo, and get rewarded for sharing it with friends.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 1.66 GB

Section 8 Trial
Section 8 is a large-scale, sci-fi first person shooter where fast-paced action meets military strategy in the far reaches of the galaxy. Join the epic battle between the 8th Armored Infantry and the Arm of Orion by taking part in fierce squad-based combat across majestic alien worlds. Play now and enjoy a free trial on “Hornet’s Nest,” one of our most action-packed maps! Play time is time-limited per session, with unlimited sessions allowed.
ESRB Rated T
File size: 3.54 MB

Flower Demo
Flower lets you take control of the wind as you explore and navigate beautiful, lush environments using only the SIXAXIS motion controls. This is an interactive escape that takes you on an emotional journey like no other game you’ve ever experienced. Download the demo today for a taste of this highly-acclaimed hit.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 704 MB

Add-on Game Content

PAIN – Pinball Abusement Park ($1.99)
Get ready to test your Ooching skills in a totally different way with PAIN’s Pinball: Abusement Park mode. This PAINful version of pinball will launch your character into a giant table inspired by the crazy theme of the Abusement Park, filled with tons of ways to bump and Ooch your score up onto the Global Leaderboards. As with other Add-on modes, you can play with any launchable character you already own. Download PAIN Pinball: Abusement Park today!
File size: 100 KB

Transformers: War For Cybertron: Map and Character Pack ($9.99)
Become the ultimate weapon and wage war in four new maps – engage in multiplayer combat in HAVOC and FORTRESS or fend off waves of Autobots and Decepticons in the FORSAKEN and DISTRICT Escalation mode maps. Also gain access to 5 characters and their chassis for use in Escalation mode and Multiplayer character creation – SCATTERSHOT, ONSLAUGHT, DEMOLISHOR, SHOCKWAVE and JAZZ.
File size: 290 MB

Lost Planet 2 Rush Arena Mode ($2.99)
Run the gauntlet against the biggest beasts of E.D.N. III in Rush Arena, a new mode for LOST PLANET 2! Form a team of up to 4 players in this mode that pits you against all the bosses that appear in LOST PLANET 2, and compete with other players on the Leaderboards to post the best completion time!
File size: 6.43 MB

Super Street Fighter IV: Super Complete Alternate Costume Pack ($17.99)
Download the eighth pack of alternate costumes for Super Street Fighter IV! Outfit every character in the game with brand new threads! Only available for use with Super Street Fighter IV.
File size: 100 KB

Skate 3: After Dark Pack ‘Available via in-game Store only’ ($4.99)
Night Skate for the first time in the brand new Sanatorium, then hit up the classic San Van DIY park for a shred after dark.
File size: 197 MB

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11: Carolinas Pack ($6.99)
Head to the Carolina’s and tee off at one of these beautiful courses. Whether you want to challenge yourself at South Carolina’s top rated course, Harbour Town or hit the links at North Carolina’s historic Pinehurst course both courses require aim accuracy and consistency from the player to score competitively.
File size: 390 MB

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11: Championship Pack ($4.99)
Whether you want to play the award winning Cog Hill or discover Pebble Beach’s hidden gem, Spyglass Hill, you will be sure to challenge your game. Spyglass is consistently ranked as one of America’s Greatest Public Courses and is known for having some of the toughest holes on the PGA TOUR. Watch out for Cog Hill’s hole 6, a two-tiered green that slopes toward the front and is surrounded by deep sand bunkers.
File size: 412 MB

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11: International Pack ($4.99)
Tee it up and experience either Shanghai’s unique Sheshan or play one of the world’s top 100 courses–Gary Player located in South Africa. Challenge yourself on Sheshan’s hole 16 and 17 where you play around and over the quarry giving awe inspiring views. Watch out for Gary Player’s hole number 9 which is known for its risk and reward.
File size: 434 MB

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11: North America Pack ($4.99)
Hit the links at one of these beautiful courses and test your abilities. Play alongside the pros at Bay Hill, home of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Walk one of the most famous courses in the world and enjoy Banff Spring’s spectacular views as you challenge your entire game. Banff’s demanding signature hole, nicknamed “The Devil’s Cauldron”, features a magnificent tee that is perched over an emerald lake.
File size: 475 MB

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11: The Predator ($4.99)
Grab your clubs and prepare for a true adventure at The Predator! This fantasy course is designed in and out of a jungle set amongst the Mayan ruins near Belize. Test your entire game with multiple options on each and every hole for the aggressive golfer as well as the safe swinger. But, bring all your shots including your ability to work the ball left and right as creativity will help you get around this jungle of a course.
File size: 159 MB

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11: The TPC Blue Monster at Doral ($4.99)
Hit the links at this legendary Florida course known as the TPC Blue Monster at Doral. And maybe bring a few extra balls for this tough test as you’ll need stamina, strategy, and accuracy to navigate all the water that’s waiting to drown your round.
File size: 241 MB

Trinity Universe – Mightiest Meteorite Pack ($1.99)
“Hero Souls,” “Magic Defender,” “Laser Point,” “Miracle Gambler,” “Supernova Blast,” “Valkyrie Justice,” “De Lux Fighter,” “Eternal One!”
These are the Super Galaxy Class Meteorites’ power?!
It’s almost as wonderful as cooking with carrots!”
File size: 100 KB

Zen Pinball – Mars Table ($2.49)
What will we find when we finally land on Mars? Explore the red planet using the latest space technology, and uncover the ancient secrets hidden within.
File size: 55 MB

Guitar Hero
For all song credits please visit www.guitarhero.com.

• “Devour” – Shinedown ($1.99)
• “Second Chance” – Shinedown ($1.99)
• “Sound of Madness” – Shinedown ($1.99)
• Shinedown Track Pack ($5.49) – Downloadable Track Pack featuring “Devour”, “Second Chance”, and “Sound of Madness” by Shinedown. Please Note: Many songs are available both as singles and as part of a Track Pack, so please carefully consider your purchases before downloading.

File size: 38 – 40 MB (singles), 115 MB (track pack)

Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

• “A Dios le Pido” – Juanes ($1.99)
• “Fijate Bien” – Juanes ($1.99)
• “Gotas de Agua Dulce” – Juanes ($1.99)
• “La Camisa Negra” – Juanes ($1.99)
• “Mala Gente” – Juanes ($1.99)
• “Yerbatero” – Juanes ($1.99)
• Juanes Pack 01 ($9.99) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: Juanes Pack 01. This pack includes “A Dios le Pido”, “Fijate Bien”, “Gotas de Agua Dulce”, “La Camisa Negra”, “Mala Gente”, and “Yerbatero” by Juanes.
• “Nightmare” – Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
• “Scream” – Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
• “Seize the Day” – Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
• Avenged Sevenfold Pack 01 ($5.49) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: Avenged Sevenfold Pack 01. This pack includes “Nightmare”, “Scream”, and “Seize the Day” by Avenged Sevenfold.

Rock Band Network

• “Goth Girls” by MC Frontalot ($1.99)
• “Higher” by Creed ($1.99)
• “River of Tuoni” by Amberian Dawn ($1.99)
• “Tastes Like Kevin Bacon” by iwrestledabearonce ($1.99)
• “Walls” by All Time Low ($1.99)

File size: 23 – 48 MB (singles), 125 – 157 MB (track pack)

Bundle

Blast Factor Bundle (Full-game and Add-ons) (now $6.49, original price $12.99)
Blast Factor is a physics based action game which takes players into a fierce microbiological arena to guide a nano-machine against viral swarms. The Bundle includes the full game as well as the Multiplayer Pack and the Advanced Research Pack.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 325 MB

Avatars

Flower Avatar ($0.49)
File size: 100 KB

UNCHARTED 2 Avatars ($0.49) (x8)
File size: 100 KB

UNCHARTED 2 Avatar Bundle ($1.25) (x2)
File size: 400 KB

Super Street Fighter IV Avatars ($0.49) (x5)
File size: 105 – 116 KB

Game Videos (free)

DC Universe Online CG Cinematic Trailer
File size: 275 MB (HD)

Piyotama PSP Launch Trailer
File size: 40 MB (HD)

Naughty Bear – Episode 8 Trailer
File size: 13 MB (SD), 33 MB (HD)

Crysis 2 – Marine Salvage Trailer
File size: 111 MB (HD)

Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Trailer
File size: 49 MB (HD)

Skate 3 – Danny Way Trailer
File size: 50 MB (HD)

Family Feud Trailer
File size: 24 MB (HD)

PS3 Themes

Clash Of The Titans Dynamic Theme (US Only) ($2.99)
File size: 5.09 MB

Shark Week Dynamic Theme (US Only) ($3.99)
File size: 16 MB

Sexy Theme ($0.99)
File size: 2.07 MB

Bikini Theme ($1.99)
File size: 1.58 MB

Destination Theme ($1.99)
File size: 1.18 MB

Wallpapers (free)

Fat Princess Fat Roles Wallpaper 4
File size: 1.03 MB (1080)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 Storefront)

Piyotama PSP ($4.99)
Piyotama is an excitingly addictive action-puzzle game for your PSP system that tasks players to help her hatch the eggs before they overflow the nest by simply lining up eggs of the same color and chaining them together four at a time to create combos for a hatching frenzy! Download Piyotama today!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 33 MB

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 Storefront)

BUZZ Quiz World: Celebrities Quiz Pack ($2.99)
Test your knowledge on the Hollywood’s most popular celebrities! This pack features hundreds of new questions to play in any of your favorite BUZZ! Quiz World game modes for your PSP or PSPgo system. Download this quiz pack today and turn your party into the ultimate trivia showdown.
File size: 27 MB

Game Videos (free)

Piyotama PSP Launch Trailer
File size: 7.21 MB

PSP Themes (also available from PS3 Storefront)

Terran 3020 PSP Theme 3 ($1.49)
File size: 579 KB

Terran 3020 PSP Theme 4 ($1.49)
File size: 624 KB

Clash Of The Titans PSP Theme (US Only) ($1.49)
File size: 682 KB

Despite digital moves, retailer still focused on disc-based gaming.

#wii Not wanting to neglect the Wii version of its international seller, EA Sports Canada built a five-on-five street soccer mode into this year's edition, with venues ranging from indoor (with Andrés Iniesta, pictured), to the streets of Brazil and France. More »

What good's a secret project without a secret teaser website? WhatIsIcarus.com isn't much at the moment -- as evidenced by the image above -- but it's likely to fill in leading up to the August 11 reveal of Irrational Game's "Project Icarus."

While domain registry info does not directly link the mystery site to Irrational, its nameservers point to parent-company Take-Two, along with (curiously) sister subsidiary Rockstar Games. For those of you who enjoy a long tease (without a countdown clock), keep an eye on WhatIsIcarus -- and let us know when something happens!

#ea EA combat's Activision's inclusion of a soulful song from Eminem's new album in Call of Duty: Black Ops with the inclusion of a soulful song from Linkin Park's new album in Medal of Honor. More »

We can't imagine why you'd be taking a break from StarCraft 2 right about now but, regardless, you've chosen quite the appropriate post to read while resting. Activision-Blizzard has revealed some of the discovered bugs and issues hassling the game, the majority of which seem to be sound related. There are also some problems with the game crashing on Windows 7 (maybe that's why you're taking that break).

If you're one of those people trying to download StarCraft 2 through Battle.net, you may want to prime yourself with the thread on hardware configurations below. We know, it's all a lot to digest, but keep in mind this is StarCraft 2 we're talking about -- AKA the most important thing ever. We'd hate for you to finally boot up your game after all these years of waiting only to run into a fatal error.

#blizzard With a relatively successful, albeit questionably marketed version of the original StarCraft released for the Nintendo 64 in 2000, how would StarCraft II fare on today's consoles? More »

#wii During an afternoon full of upcoming Wii and DS games yesterday, I got a chance to play the next Donkey Kong game with a second player. It went better than my first co-op Mario Bros. gaming last year. More »

Disney Interactive today announced its acquisition of social game developer Playdom. Rumor of the deal surfaced late last week, when it was suggested that Disney was ready to pay in excess of $600 million for the studio. The final handshake was over a much more reasonable sum of $563.2 million. And now, our expert analysis of the transaction: "Sweet baby Jesus, that's so much money."

Playdom, which has only been in operation for two-and-a-half-years, has created a number of successful social gaming properties that you've ... probably never heard of, including Social City, Sorority Life and Market Street. It's properties have about 42 million active players every month, which gives some indication as to why Disney was so eager to bring Playdom into its magic kindgom. Then again, maybe Big D didn't want to be the only publisher that missed out on the recent craze over social game developers. Haven't you heard? They're all the rage.

Watch live video from hhhmiruru’s channel on Justin.

One last look at cinematic crime thriller before its release next month.

A trusted tipster sent us the image above, which appears to reveal that Kmart is knocking $20 off the usual $200 price of the Wii this week. According to the fine print in the image (full size), the deal runs from today through August 2.

At the time of this writing, both the white and black Wii bundles on Kmart's website were still listed at $200, so it's unclear if this is an in-store only promotion or if it simply doesn't exist at all. Kmart would not confirm to Joystiq whether the deal is available, but it's worth noting that our tipster has always been right on the money.

Let us know if you spot the deal at your local Kmart.

[Thanks Master X!]

Wouldn’t it be nice to go on a trip with your girlfriend, write her a love letter about how much you care for her, and then cozy up in a hotel room for a night away from the hustle and bustle of regular life? It sure would…if you had a real girlfriend. Instead, [...]

Keep following the signal to the end.

The sale carried the hefty price of more than $700 million.

This past week was Comic-Con in San Diego – a gathering of all things relating to pop culture, from gaming to movies to television, and everything in between. The Ghost of Sparta development team headlined a Comic-Con panel called “The World that is God of War” in which they discussed details about the new game. Watch the video below to catch the panel.

Dana Jan (game director), Derek Mulder (lead gameplay programmer), Nathan Phail-Liff (art director), and Adam Byrne (lead animator) from Ready At Dawn Studios performed a live demo, along with a brief Q&A session for more than 250 fans and media in attendance.

Also, we were thrilled to include God of War: Ghost of Sparta in the Comic-Con festivities beginning with an unveil of new gameplay footage on SPIKE’s Friday night GameTrailers TV episode. Watch it for yourself below.

We’re calling this footage the “Midas Moment” since is depicts Kratos’s battle against King Midas. The terrain in the environment is volcanic with lava all around, providing a great glimpse into another part of the world Kratos will explore in Ghost of Sparta and another example of the breathtaking aesthetics found in the game. This scene also shows off a more immersive “in your face” battle with up-close and personal brutality. It cinematically presents the brutal, bulldozing force that Kratos exerts to obliterate each and every obstacle in his path (a la the Poseidon kill in God of War III). And with the inclusion of King Midas, it seamlessly integrates another popular character from Greek mythology into the God of War universe.

We saw Boba Fett's appearance in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 teased at the Comic-Con panel last week. Now, thanks to LucasArts and the magic of the internet, so can you! While the complete scope of his role in the game has not been revealed, it does involve Mr. Fett picking up a bounty on your head. (Don't fret -- "you" are a savage master of the Force, remember?)

Check out a pair of new screens in the gallery below and the Boba Fett teaser cinematic after the break.