Independent Games Festival entrants aren't just charming, attractive, and creative -- they're also potential XBLA developers. At least they are now, after today's announcement of the first "XBLA Prize" by Microsoft and Game Developers Conference administrators UBM, which gives IGF entrants a crack at being fast-tracked on Xbox Live Arcade for publishing by Microsoft.
According to the prize sponsors, a "standalone jury of independent game creators" will apparently collaborate with Microsoft to "identify a shortlist" -- a list which will then be considered for the XBLA prize. If the winner so chooses, his/her project will then be offered funding for development across Xbox 360, Windows Phone 7, and Windows, as well as given the opportunity to employ Microsoft's bevy of testing, marketing, and usability support.
Alongside today's prize announcement, Microsoft head of first-party publishing Ted Woolsey also revealed that Microsoft invests upward of $20 million annually on XBLA titles, and offered support for the multi-year partnership with the IGF. "The independent development scene wouldn't be nearly as robust as it is today without the exposure provided by the IGF. We look forward to working with the IGF and having a window into to the huge array of independent games that are submitted every year so that we can continue to find the best games to share with our customers."
We had a hunch -- okay, it was less a hunch and more an obvious thing to think, but here we are: Modern Warfare 3 has dominated Xbox Live activity on the week of November 21. When not chowing down on turkey and karate-chopping fools at Walmart over waffle makers, it seems most Xbox 360 players answered the call.
The second most-played game for the week was another Call of Duty game: Black Ops. It bested Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Battlefield 3 and FIFA 12, which took the remainder of the top five games played respectively. On the XBLA side, Pinball FX2, Super Meat Boy and Marvel vs Capcom 2 took top honors, thanks to Microsoft's "Fan Appreciation" sale.
Double Fine has announced that Iron Brigade (which is the updated version of its great game Trenched, renamed and revamped for sale overseas) is now available worldwide on Xbox Live Arcade. The game is available for 1200 Microsoft Points (about $15) and Double Fine is also selling an official release day I-shirt (not a T-shirt, they say -- "that would get us sued") for $20 on its website.
Anyone who already owns Trenched will find an update when they log into the game, and that update will not only change the name, but it will add a whole list of new features, including new items, leaderboards to compete on, and a new survival mode. We loved Trenched back when it released in June, and we're sure that by spending a little sit-down time with Iron Brigade, we can probably learn to love it, too.
If you like teaser trailers that are shorter than your best burps, go watch the teaser for the new downloadable Alan Wake game. A longer trailer of some sort will air during the Spike Video Game Awards on December 10. More »
#pinballfx
A year and a month ago I sat in a hotel room in Anaheim, California, telling the folks from Zen Studios how much their Marvel Pinball series for Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network needed a healthy dose of the fist of Khonshu. I don't recall making a pact for my firstborn, but if I did I'll totally honor it. More »
You already know that Alan Wake's Night Springs is headed towards its big debut at the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards, and you already know that it'll arrive on Xbox Live Arcade. What you didn't know is that Mr. Wake has got himself a whole new "Bob Vila meets Twin Peaks" look going on, as revealed by Game Informer's exclusive first screenshot. Also, hey, he's got a gas-powered pneumatic nail gun! The darkness isn't gonna like nails in its stupid face, is it? Yeah!
It also appears that Wake's got quite a bit of walking ahead of him, as a nearby highway sign puts 15 miles between him and the titular town of Night Springs. Hopefully the Desert Shore Motel can help sate him for that journey with a damn fine cup of coffee and some delicious cherry pie.
Trials franchise creator RedLynx may be warming up to its new publisher marriage with Ubisoft, as this morning's acquisition announcement revealed, but it doesn't mean that the Finland-based studio is moving in immediately. "We will still be working directly with Microsoft to bring Trials Evolution to Xbox Live Arcade once it's ready," RedLynx Director of Marketing and PR Jason Bates told me this morning.
It doesn't look like that'll be this year, however, as Bates explained that the company is taking a "when it's done" attitude to development and the game's launch date. "What we've been holding to is the 'when it's done' approach," Bates said. "We are going to take the time to polish and test the game to the best of our ability before we release it, to ensure it matches the quality people have come to expect from a Trials game."
Trials Evolution will be the last game that RedLynx puts out as an indie studio, as the game is still being published by Microsoft for Xbox Live Arcade, rather than Ubisoft. "We are looking forward to working with Ubisoft to ensure that Trials Evolution does get the attention it deserves when the game arrives," Bates said, though he also admitted that, "Ubisoft will respect the current commitments ... Microsoft is still the publisher of the title." The last Trials entry, Trials HD, has racked up over 2 million sales to date on Xbox Live Arcade -- a franchise Ubisoft is no doubt eyeing for potential future projects at the Finnish studio. Might we suggest TrialsMania? Just a thought!
Things are a little quieter this week, with just one high profile XBLA release in the form of BurgerTime World Tour, so this week's XBLA in Brief is dedicated to letting you know if the modern remake is perfectly rare, or way overdone.
There are new Xbox Live Arcade games released every week. We realize that our readers are busy, attractive people, and may not have time to download and examine each and every new XBLA game. You've got busy, attractive person stuff to do, after all. Not to worry though, because we've done the work for you, downloading every single trial game and giving you a taste of what to expect. Watch XBLA in Brief every week to see which games deserve a closer look. When you have the time, of course.
Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace schedule for the next couple weeks is up, with discounts on solid XBLA titles. This week finds Limbo and Dishwasher Vampire Smile for 50 percent off, at 600 MSP ($7.50) and 400 MSP ($5), respectively. Next week will have Deadliest Warrior and Scott Pilgrim fighting for your space bucks at 400 MSP apiece.
New XBLA titles include Burger Time World Tour this week, with Fusion Genesis on November 9. Check out Major Nelson's post for all the details, which include DLC for Batman: Arkham City, Dead Rising 2 and Forza 4.
Joe Danger, the exciting bike game from Hello Games, just might be flipping its way to Xbox 360. The Korean Game Rating Board has classified the stunt-driven racer for the Xbox, with Microsoft Korea listed as publisher. Pre-zoom-ably, the game will be coming to Xbox Live Arcade, perhaps ahead of the launch of the sequel, Joe Danger: The Movie.
#pinballfx
Today Zen Studios revealed that X-Men will be the latest entry in its Vengeance & Virtue series of Marvel-themed tables for Pinball FX2, joining Ghost Rider. More »
#pinballfx
Johnny Blaze, the subject of the upcoming live-action sequel starring Nicholas Cage's hair, is the next Marvel superhero to get the Pinball FX 2 treatment, but what virtuous secret is he hiding? More »
#fusion
Fusion Genesis is meant to be a mix of a twin-stick shooter and a massively mulitplayer online game. But it felt more like a space combat game than an MMO. More »
#southpark
Eric Cartman's arch-nemesis returns to South Park to exact his revenge in the Xbox Live exclusive South Park: Tenorman's Revenge. Why is he so vengeful? I suppose it has something to do with Cartman making him eat his own parents. More »
Cartman's long-standing feud with half-brother Scott Tenorman is about to come to a platforming-based turning point, as South Park: Tenorman's Revenge launches next spring exclusively on Xbox Live Arcade. This marks the second and final game under Microsoft's exclusivity agreement with South Park Digital Studios, as we revealed earlier this year. South Park: Let's Go Tower Defense Play!, the first game in the deal, debuted at NY Comic Con two years ago (nearly to the day!).
For Tenorman's Revenge, South Park Digital Studios and Comedy Central are teaming up with quirky developer Other Ocean Interactive to put together a downloadable platformer where players will control Cartman, Stan, Kenny and Kyle against a red-hued army of "gingers," controlled by none other than Scott Tenorman. Beyond the main campaign of (presumably) hopping over gingers and avoiding their evil tricks, the game also features a multiplayer co-op mode (online and off), though it's unclear if that's a separate mode or a co-op version of the campaign.
We'll know more very soon, though, as Tenorman's Revenge will be making a more thorough debut at this weekend's New York Comic Con, where developers and South Park producers alike will present the game and take questions from the crowd. That debut takes place tomorrow at 6:15PM ET. So, uh, if you're not in New York yet, it's probably a good idea to start planning. Head past the break for an exclusive look at the first image, featuring everyone's favorite three animal combo (besides the turducken, of course), ManBearPig.
#daytonausa
Sega's classic arcade racer Daytona USA is just coming to consoles with a high-def visual overhaul, steering wheel support and online multiplayer. And it's coming in just two weeks! For ten bucks!! Rolling staaaaaarrrrt!!! More »
#deadliestwarrior
Robert Daly, the head of Deadliest Warrior: The Game developer Pipeworks Software, today resigned from his position, saying he regrets misleading others into thinking that he was a Green Beret. More »
#deadliestwarrior
Robert Daly, the head of Deadliest Warrior: The Game developer Pipeworks Studios, today resigned from his position, saying he regrets misleading others into thinking that he was a Green Beret. More »
Well, more specifically, they will crash land. After all, nothing in A World of Keflings would be so violent as to invade anything. Thus, the new "It Came from Outer Space" DLC will see players helping a group of marooned aliens repair their mother ship and return to their (undoubtedly adorable) home world. The DLC will include a new alien-themed kingdom as well as new resources, buildings, characters and, if the above teaser art is to be believed, space blazers.
Pipeworks Studio head Robert Daly tells Kotaku that accusations by a group of former Green Berets that he never served in the Special Forces isn't true. More »
#deadliestwarrior
This is Pipeworks, an Oregon-based game studio headed up by Robert Daly. Apparently, Daly's been saying he was in the Special Forces. Apparently, Daly is a liar. More »
#orcsmustdie
I am personally always a fan of new twists on the tower defense genre. Setting up traps on the ground and walls while you stab and shoot enemies, Orcs Must Die! balances offense and defense almost perfectly. More »
#skullgirls
Downloadable 2D fighting game Skullgirls has a new contender, Ms. Fortune. Who is she? And why is she so gross? Mostly because none of her extremities or her cat-head seem too well attached. More »
There may be only a very small handful of Xbox 360 devotees living in Japan, but Kojima Productions doesn't want them feeling totally left out of the upcoming Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. While 360 owners won't be treated to the same free download of Metal Gear Solid 1 that PlayStation owners get, they will have the option of unlocking several MGS-themed Avatar items. Better news? All of the items are simply adorable. Just look at that tank box!
#fez
Earlier this week, Polytron released another "long screenshot" for Fez the perspective-rotating indie platformer stuck in development hell for more than three years now. Promised for release on Xbox Live Arcade this year, Phil Fish just tweeted that his game has been delayed, yet again, until 2012. More »
Despite a long-term disappearance (perhaps into the bowels of the Earth?), Ubisoft's I Am Alive will arrive on consoles via Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, confirming previous suspicions. The game is said to arrive at some point "this winter."
Following the story of a yet-to-be-named "everyman," Ubisoft Shanghai's I Am Alive is a digital romp through a city (Chicago, last we saw) that has undergone a devastating catastrophe. Resultantly, said everyman must fight for survival against the elements as well as various other people, all the while attempting to find his wife and daughter.
Combat is said to be based on intimidation more than brute force (briefly demonstrated in the original announce teaser). We'll presumably have more info for you soon, as Ubisoft finally seems ready to talk about the game once again.
Update: Ubisoft confirmed with Joystiq that there are currently no plans for a PC version of I Am Alive.
Despite a long-term disappearance (perhaps into the bowels of the Earth?), Ubisoft's I Am Alive will arrive on consoles via digital distribution services Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, confirming previous suspicions. The game is said to arrive at some point "this winter."
Ubisoft PR rep Alex Monney noted as much in his Twitter feed just minutes ago, also teasing a trailer that "should be in folks' email inboxes now." We've yet to receive the trailer, but we'll have it up for you as soon as we can.
Despite a long-term disappearance (perhaps into the bowels of the Earth?), Ubisoft's I Am Alive will arrive on consoles via digital distribution services Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.
Ubisoft PR rep Alex Monney noted as much in his Twitter feed just minutes ago, also teasing a trailer that "should be in folks' email inboxes now." We've yet to receive the trailer, but we'll have it up for you as soon as we can.
#shank
Last year's side-scrolling slice 'em up Shank is getting a sequel, EA and Klei Entertainment announced today. They're calling it Shank 2 and it's coming to PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade and PC early next year. More »
Are you ready for round two with Las Plagas? Today marks the launch of Resident Evil 4 HD on Games on Demand, along with some other goodies. In addition to the HD remake update of Leon's rescue mission, Major Nelson has listed some Xbox Live Arcade games and next week's deals.
