Activision Signs 10-Year Deal with Makers of Halo

In one of their smarter moves, Activision has signed a 10-year exclusive contract with Bungie, the developer of Halo (and other less noteworthy games). Having lost (both deliberately and then more as backlash) their main FPS talent at Infinity Ward, Activision was forced to scrabble for a new deal to keep their name in the adventure/FPS market. There are two interesting parts to this contract. First, in a blow to Microsoft, the deal is for cross-platform game development, so we can expect to see games on the PS3 and maybe also the Wii instead of just on XBox and Windows-based PCs. Second, the creation of an online community is part of the terms. Whether this just means continued support and updates for XBox Live play or a whole new paradigm of online FPS play (MMOFPS? World of Halo?), I am interested to see what a talented developer such as Bungie will come up with when partnered with Activision. Per Thomas Tippl, Activision's COO, "When it's ready and when we're talking about it, I think you will be blown away." I hope he's right for both gamers' and Activision's sakes.

Sony Sued for Removing Features in Latest Firmware Update

I didn't think Sony would get away scott-free with changing its PSN Terms of Service to include the ability to remove features at will, and they haven't (yet). Plaintiff Anthony Ventura is bringing a class-action lawsuit against the company claiming that "Sony's decision to force users to disable the Other OS function was based on its own interest and was made at the expense of its customers." This kind of bait and switch is clearly illegal and I think Sony has little hope of winning this one despite their claims that the feature was removed "due to security concerns." The suit seeks "damages for Plaintiff and each class member, including but not limited to compensatory damages; restitution; injuctive relief; attorneys' fees; and the cost of this suit." Court documents have noted that "the amount in controversy is in excess of $5 million." I expect them to settle outside of court.

26 Infinity Ward staffers leave; 2 join Respawn

Another update on the backlash from the West/Zampella sacking: since the lead Infinity Ward developers were fired by Activision, 26 other IW employees have voluntarily left, with 2 joining up with West and Zampella at Respawn (funded by EA). This is clearly terrible news for the Modern Warfare 2 dev team. I won't be surprised to see a steep decline in game quality for the next installment and/or a lack of continuity with the rest of the series.

MMORTS Announced: End of Nations

Trion has announced that End of Nations, an MMORTS game developed by Petroglyph, will be released next year. There is clearly demand for this genre of gaming as evidenced by the continued strong following of Shattered Galaxy, a successful MMORTS released back in 2001. There are few outstanding examples of MMORTS games, and as such, the market is clamoring for a new title worth the jump from Shattered Galaxy. I believe End of Nations could be just what consumers are looking for; Petroglyph was founded by former employees of Westwood, developer of the popular Command & Conquer RTS series. With a background including a Guinness world record for selling over 10 million copies of Command & Conquer worldwide, I have faith that Petroglyph could provide the reboot the MMORTS genre needs to thrive.

PS3 June Update to Add 3D Gaming Capability

Adding to the overpowering wave of 3D tech assailing consumers at every turn, Sony has announced that the June firmware update for the PS3 will enable gamers to play 3D games (assuming they have the pre-requisite 3D TVs). Four titles are being hyped so far in the 3D lineup: Wipeout HD, Pain, Motorstorm Pacific Rift, and Super Stardust HD, all to be made available both on a physical disc and on the PSN. The update will not, however, allow users to play 3D blu-rays.

Despite my general distaste for 3D movies and the inevitable detrimental side effects to my brain, I will admit to being excited at the prospect of 3D gaming, allowing the player to be drawn further into a game. I am hearing good things about the technology behind 3D stereoscopic gaming. For example, bit-tech.net has the following to say about Nvidia's new technology:

"The technology relies on 3D shutter glasses designed by Nvidia and what’s interesting is that, unlike any other attempt at 3D display technology, the glasses don’t use polarised lenses. Instead, they use mini LCD screens that sync with the PC via an infra red sensor that sits down by your keyboard – this ensures that the correct image is sent to each eye and there is no loss of resolution, claims Nvidia. Upon using the glasses, it was clear that the game looked appreciably sharper than what has come before and, more importantly, you can adjust the depth of the effect using a simple wheel on the back of the sensing device. This should go a long way to alleviating eyestrain caused by so many other attempts at delivering a truly 3D experience."

Tomshardware.com has a fantastic article up about 3D technology if you want to go into more detail. What it comes down to for most people, though, is that although 3D stereoscopic gaming is a cool idea, what we all really want is 3D autostereoscopic gaming like in Nintendo's 3DS, meaning: no goofy glasses.

Update: Sony Stands By Decision to Remove Features At Will

Sony has sent members of the Playstation Network an updated Terms of Service. It looks like the company is trying to retroactively make it allowable to have removed features from the PS3 (such as the ability to install an alternate operating system). The final statement issued is an aggressive one: "If you do not agree with the new Terms of Service and User Agreement or Privacy Policy, please contact Customer Service to terminate your PlayStation(R) Network account(s) and do not visit PlayStation(R) Network or our websites." So basically, if you don't like it, GTFO. This is not the kind of customer service I would expect from a company with such a good reputation. Sadly for Sony, it appears that they have violated consumer law prior to issuing the new ToS, so in my opinion they are still open to a lawsuit.

Fighting Words from Roger Ebert

The title of Roger Ebert's April 16th blog post is "Video games can never be art." Building on the arrogance of the title, Ebert goes on to describe many different kinds of art from their beginnings to generally accepted masterpieces (for example, from cave paintings to Michelangelo's works), and to dismiss out of hand many excellent examples of video games as art. The following quote tidily sums up his viewpoint: "No one in or out of the field has ever been able to cite a game worthy of comparison with the great poets, filmmakers, novelists and poets." Apparently he is unaware of the black mage's struggle to find meaning in his existence in Final Fantasy IX, of Chell's "test experience" that leads to questioning the veracity of what we are told in life in Portal, or even of the controversial "No Russian" level of Modern Warfare 2 in which the gamer is forced to either take part in or witness the slaughter of civilians, causing the gamer to think about free will and whether the ends justify the means. Ebert managed to criticize one of the most simple yet deepest games of 2008, Braid, saying that the idea of traveling back in time to correct your mistakes is akin to "taking back a move" in Chess and "negates the whole discipline of the game." Is it really so far-fetched to imagine a different type of game, one that isn't just a direct competition between two players, one that entails a different kind of winning? I am dismayed at Mr. Ebert's lack of imagination, especially coming from a man whose very job it seems is to look past the obvious to see the true meanings and purposes behind films, media highly related to games. It appears to me that Mr. Ebert and I disagree on the definition of art. A medium that makes me think, feel, and question; that comprises original scores of music and new technologies for creating visual aesthetics; that utilizes voice actors to emote the feelings and passions of the characters and their conflicts: this, to me, is art in an advanced form. So please, Mr. Ebert, go back to reviewing movies; when it comes to video games, either do the proper research or STFU.

Heroes of Might and Magic MMO Announced

In yet another attempt to bring about the end of the World...of Warcraft, Ubisoft has announced an MMO version of the popular Heroes of Might and Magic series. Gameplay is to be based off of Heroes V and beta testing is already set to begin in May so it shouldn't be too long before launch. Will this be the next big thing in MMO gaming? My prediction (not really going out on too much of a limb here): it will gain a modest following (much like most installments of the series) but won't come close to generating the numbers WoW has. The brand is a solid one but has never achieved true greatness (Game Rankings scores have averaged in the 70s and 80s - good but not amazing), and being under Ubisoft's license will only hurt the game. There has been too much backlash recently regarding Ubisoft's draconian DRM system and many gamers have vowed to boycott the publisher until the situation has been rectified to their satisfaction. In order for the new Heroes of Might and Magic MMO (and any other Ubisoft games) to be successful, I think the publisher will need to revise their overly severe anti-piracy measures so as to re-brand themselves in gamers' minds as a reasonable company to be trusted.

Update: Sacked Infinity Ward Developers Sign with EA

Jason West and Vince Zampella, developers fired from Activision's Infinity Ward, have officially signed with EA, coming as no surprise based on the preceding events of the last month. They are creating a new company called Respawn Entertainment which will grant exclusive publishing rights to former employer EA. Infinity Ward is still wholly owned by Activision and the question of legal rights to the Modern Warfare brand will not be settled until July at the earliest. In the meantime, keep an eye out on the aptly-named newcomer Respawn; I am sure we can expect development to begin on a fantastic new FPS.

iAds: Because Bigger is Better, Right?

Apple is taking mobile marketing to a new level (of annoyance). In his press conference to discuss the iPhone's new OS, Steve Jobs described iAds, in-app ads guaranteed to make me want to play less games on my iPhone. For those of you iPhone users out there, you are probably familiar with the small, unobtrusive ads that border many apps. Apple is looking to change the game by making ads full-screen and forcing users to interact with them (via a short game, a questionnaire, or the like) before continuing on to the app they are trying to access. One of the beautiful things about gaming on the iPhone is how casual the process is; you can suddenly find yourself in a 5-minute line and immediately pick up your iPhone to play through 3 rounds of Trafficjam. Add in obligatory interactive ads and the ratio of irritation to gaming bliss increases dramatically. I don't want to rearrange furniture in a Target ad, I want to rearrange blocks to get the red block out! Which sounds similar but damn it, gaming will be on my terms or not at all. Until AdBlock comes out with an iPhone version (which of course will never happen as Apple would have to actively decide to shoot itself in the foot), I have a feeling that consumers will be losing some of the "casual" part of the iPhone's casual gaming apps.

EA Places $1 Million Bounty on Infinity Ward Developer Recruitment

Rumors are circulating that EA is eager to get its hands back on head Infinity Ward developers, reportedly offering a recruitment bonus of $1 million to any EA employee who can lock one down. Remember, you heard it here on Ahead of the Games first. I previously predicted and continue to believe that Activision will lose the lawsuit posed by Vince Zampella and Jason West and therefore lose the rights to the Modern Warfare brand to the Infinity Ward developers. EA must agree with me, as in hiring the devs, they would gain not only their raw talent, but also the rights to the lucrative MW series. I will continue to update as events unfold.

PS3 Portable - LCD Add-On for PS3 Slim

Japanese retailer Hori is releasing a slide-on LCD screen PS3 Slim attachment on May 27 to enable on-the-go gaming for the PS3. This trick has been attempted before for the PSOne back in 2001 with mixed reviews. The issues with turning a home console into a portable game center just by adding an LCD screen are numerous:

1. Even the PS3 Slim is heavy and large, weighing in at 11.5 lbs with dimensions 13.5 x 13.3 x 6.3 inches. Not so portable.


2. Without a way to charge the battery, the PS3 still needs to be plugged in whenever you use it.


3. HD resolution is only 720p, not quite utilizing the full potential of the PS3, and the screen is even smaller than the surface of the console.

I am trying to figure out what kind of trip I would be taking to want to carry around an 11.5 lb game console instead of a lighter, rechargeable laptop or iPhone and I find myself coming up short. I and many others would certainly love the ability to continue playing favorite games while on the road, but this product does not fulfill that market demand to the extent desired.

Activision-Blizzard Restructures Management Teams; Change is Scary

Acti-Blizzard has undergone a full restructuring of its management team. There will be four units with different focuses: 1. Call of Duty; 2. Activision brands including Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero; 3. Blizzard; 4. licensed properties. This news follows the sacking of Infinity Ward developers Vince Zampella and Jason West; it comes as no surprise that some rearranging would need to occur. Without these visionaries, it is difficult to imagine that the future of the CoD series could live up to its past, but with an entire business unit focusing on its development, it is clear that Acti-Blizzard continues to place much value on the brand. Without legal closure on Zampella's and West's lawsuit to regain control of MW games, though, it strikes me as odd and early to enact such a major restructuring. Activision must be pretty confident that they can't lose this battle.