South Korea May Ban Steam

For a country so heavily involved in online gaming, I am surprised to report that South Korea's Department of Video Game Rating Board has expressed the possible action of completely banning Valve's Steam in the country. The claim is that Korea wants every game with Korean language support to have been rated by Korea, including indie and flash games, but this would be quite a feat to accomplish with over 1,000 titles available (even though not all have Korean language support). I can appreciate that a crackdown on unrated games shows that the country is taking responsibility in regulating the industry, but I am suspicious of Korea's intentions; it turns out that the fee charged to rate a game can be thousands of dollars, something smaller developers cannot afford in their budgets. The board is still looking at alternatives to 100% banning Steam, but it is doubtful that Korean gamers will have access to anything near the full library of games and that makes me a sad consumer.

Are We There Yet?

Everyone gets pretty excited about new gaming technology whether it be as simple as shiny new graphics and sound or as futuristic as 3D gaming (although you all know my thoughts on the latter). Sometimes, though, it seems as though hardware developers and manufacturers are getting a little ahead of themselves, so taken with a great idea that the proper QA isn't completed and so a flawed product is introduced. I am at the moment concerned with Kinect, Microsoft's controller-free game device due to come out in North American markets on November 4. Rumors have been circulating that there is a major problem with interference that prevents Kinect gaming from functioning except in the most barren and matte locations (see this comic for details). Microsoft has alarmingly not issued any statements as to how it will deal with the issue. I have the feeling that the developers feel pushed to get this highly hyped product out on time and just deal with any bugs later (oh Microsoft, have you learned nothing from the red ring of death?) but in my opinion, consumers are tired of paying full price for products that are pretty much just the beta versions. Please, Microsoft, fix it and then deliver - we'll wait.

Another Microsoft Money-Maker

Microsoft has finally decided to respond to the strong consumer demand for a controller with a non-sucky D-pad. Let the world rejoice! ...As long as you have $65 lying around to buy one of them since it will only be available as part of a play-and-charge bundle out November 9. The product itself is pretty cool-looking as you have the choice of using the normal (sucky) flat D-pad or switching (via a neato twisting motion) to a more defined (non-sucky) D-pad a la Wii, PS3 and pretty much every other console controller ever. I just continue to be boggled by Microsoft's tyrannical pricing decisions. When the majority of your customer base hates an easily modifiable part of your product, you'd think a low-cost alternative might make a top 10 list of development ideas somewhere. Instead, if we want an improvement, we're saddled with a bundle that (let's be honest) we're not really interested in. Booooooo. I suppose with Kinect out we may as well wait for controllers to be rendered obsolete anyway?

Microsoft Raising XBox Live Gold Subscription Prices

In a questionable move, Microsoft is increasing its XBox Live Gold subscription prices starting in November. A one year subscription will cost $59.99 (up from $49.99), three months will cost $24.99 (up from $19.99) and one month will cost $9.99 (up from $7.99). This seems to be that favorite corporate action of charging consumers more and delivering less - in direct opposition to all major competitors. Online services are free for the PS3 and the Wii (and of course, for PCs), so aside from mulitplayer online gaming being free, this means that Netflix and hulu streaming are included at no additional cost from Nintendo or Sony, making the consoles versatile at a much lower overall cost. Granted, XBox Live is arguably the best online platform available, but when competitors are providing the service for free, I just don't feel the need to burn a hole in my pocket for slightly better quality. What is the fee for, anyway? Most games are hosted locally, not on their service, so it's hard to explain a monthly subscription fee and even harder to explain a price increase for it. Sadly, the popularity of online gaming on the XBox 360 doesn't look like it's going to be dying down anytime soon and as such, Microsoft will continue to reap the (increasing) profits. I'll be sticking with my PS3 for online content until (if ever) the tides change and gamers start refusing to be hosed.

Man Sues NCsoft Corp: No Warning of Possible Addiction to Mediocre Game

No, really. Apparently Craig Smallwood (name indicative?) is proceeding with a lawsuit against NCsoft as a result of his addiction to the game Lineage II. If I were the judge, I would throw this case out on the grounds that Lineage II is not even a particularly good game - it got a 6/10 from GameSpot and a 6.7/10 from IGN, and its unique user base is well under a million. For comparison, WoW also came out in 2004 and has a user base of roughly 11.5 million - try that for addictive, Mr. Smallwood. Looking at the larger issue, however, I just don't see how anyone can define a non-chemical-producing product as addictive. Cigarettes have nicotine and coffee has caffeine, but MMORPGs have... a power switch for those times you need to "function independently in daily activities, such as getting dressed, bathing or communicating with family and friends." An analogy to this case would be a man with a rage control issue breaking his TV and blaming it on Sesame Street because there was no disclaimer that Elmo might really piss him off. All I'm saying is that the problem seems to lie with the user in these cases - learn some self control or get help, don't blame an industry that already suffers from massive amounts of scapegoating.

Blizzard Makes a Good Decision

So, for those of you not in the know, Blizzard recently decided that gamers would have to use their real names - yes, real, first and last - in order to participate in their online forums. For those gamers who are at all concerned with privacy, who maybe have jobs or girlfriends or are in the market for jobs or girlfriends, or who just love being anonymous jerks, this was a pretty big misstep on Blizzard's part. The interwebs were in an uproar. In a shockingly rational and well thought-out move, Blizzard has decided not to enforce the Real ID idea. This is a great marketing ploy - get everyone upset and talking about a potentially bad move and then you look like a hero just by not following your plan. Nice work.

Ebert: Slightly More Rational This Time Around

So Roger Ebert has posted a follow-up piece to his inflammatory diatribe wherein he claimed that video games could never be considered art. He has now (sort of) admitted that he can't make such sweeping statements about a medium he has never experienced, he (grudgingly) accepts that it is possible that future video games could be classified as art, and he even (kind of) allows for the possibility that current games can be experienced as art by some gamers. My final thought on this whole debacle, a quote from TV Tropes: "Art isn't about making you feel good. Art is about making you feel." And now, I feel like playing the original Final Fantasy.

Less Scary Blizzard News

In non-cataclysmic Blizzard news - no wait I suppose this does by definition count as cataclysmic - closed beta testing has begun for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. This is the third expansion for the insanely popular game and is expected to break more PC sales records upon its release as did the first and second expansions. Now might be a good time to work on account security before the new release swells the ranks of active users once more.

Breaking: Blizzard's Account Database Breached

If there were ever a case to be made for avoiding putting all gaming out in the cloud, this would be it. Thousands of users' Blizzard accounts have been stolen. Support lines are overloaded and they are telling users to call back at a later time while the issue is being investigated. It looks like one group of hackers is logging into multiple accounts to sell off items, delete accounts and cause other general mayhem. This could be the End of the World... of Warcraft.

Okay probably not, but it does yet again raise the question of internet security (or the seeming lack thereof). Without the use of an authenticator, even the most careful users are at risk of having their accounts hacked. We either need to develop better security measures or come up with something more interesting for hackers to do.

E3 2010 Rundown

Here's what you need to know from E3 2010.

Games to watch:

• Dead Rising 2 (XBox 360, PS3, PC)
• Rock Band 3 (XBox 360, PS3, Wii)
• Goldeneye 007 (Wii)
• Sid Meier's Civilization V (PC)
• Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (XBox 360, PS3)
• Fable 3 (XBox 360, PC)
• Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
• Final Fantasy XIV (PS3, PC)

System announcements:

• Nintendo's 3DS is official and a slew of 3D games have been announced including titles from the Mario Kart, Zelda, Kingdom Hearts, Star Fox and Paper Mario series, among others.
• Microsoft has unveiled the newest XBox, featuring a removable 250GB hard drive, built-in wifi, and most significantly, a Kinect-ready port to allow access to Microsoft's new controller-free gaming device.

Post from Argentina

Although your NPC is on vacation in Argentina, I´ve discovered some interesting information about the relatively untapped markets in South America that I´d like to share. Gaming is not as prevalent here, and per my discussions with some locals, piracy is absolutely the norm. The two issues seem to be a lack of parity whereby South Americans generally do not have the purchasing power to even consider legitimately buying a game for USD60 and also the lack of controls and consequences in the online world. As a result, South American gamers seem to have the idea that anything found online should be free, and without any serious legal ramifications, they turn the idea into reality. I feel as though there must be some better way to approach this market. There is always a level of acceptable loss when it comes to exporting a product to other countries, and clearly prices have not come down enough to truly take advantage of the buying potential in South America.

Joe Danger: Bigger is Not Always Better

A nice little game called Joe Danger is out on the PSN. Per IGN, it's what you'd get if "Excitebike and Trials HD got together and totally did it. Their baby would be Joe Danger." With an overall rating of 9.5/10, that's a pretty awesome baby. The game itself follows a previously injured motorcycle stuntman trying to regain his moves through completing objectives like successfully performing tricks and collecting items. There is also a splitscreen mode for two-player races and a level editor (like in Excitebike). What I find most interesting about this little gem of a game is that it was developed by the 4 guys at newcomer Hello Games in less than a year. Think about it this way: we had to wait 4 years between Final Fantasy XII and XIII and the latter isn't even fun. All the pretty graphics and music and complex gameplay in the world couldn't make a game half as enjoyable as Joe Danger. This is a good lesson to keep an eye out on smaller, lesser-known developers as well as newcomers to the game.

Who Else Loved The Lost Vikings?

If, like myself, you've been waiting for a new cooperative action adventure game to come around a la Lost Vikings, there may be an answer in Q1 2011 (as long as you have an XBox 360 or a Windows PC). Kalypso Media has announced The Lost Templar, a two player co-op following a Templar and a noble heretic uncovering the mysteries of the Templar Order. While everyone loves a good medieval-themed game, what I am more interested in is the gameplay. You can play either one player with the computer controlling your second character, able to swap your active character at will, or you can play two player co-op to solve puzzles and defeat enemies with another player. The best part is that they have thrown in RPG elements wherein your two characters have different abilities and stats to level up, enriching the action/adventure experience with player-determined skill paths. This is a relatively unexplored game type and I for one am excited to see a developer take it on. Too many games lately have nickel and dimed the consumer, forcing multiplayer modes to be online only so every player has to buy a copy of the game, and I think this is deteriorating the multiplayer experience. I'll be happy to pick up a game I can start out by myself and then have a friend join in live when available. That kind of flexibility in games is hard to find.

Piracy: Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

Cracked.com has a great piece posted called "5 Reasons It's Still Not Cool to Admit You're a Gamer." It's a funny article, but the number one point the author makes is actually an important and eloquently stated one regarding the way gamers' entitlement issues are preventing the industry from flourishing as much as it should. Here is the link to the article; I highly urge you to read it in its entirety as David Wong has managed to put to writing everything I believe about game pirates.

Censorship Alert: StarCraft 2 Edited for South Korea

In case anyone is not yet aware, South Korea is easily the biggest individual market for the original StarCraft, with about half of the roughly 10 million copies sold in the Korean market. Gamers have continued to play and join competitions to this day despite the game having been released in 1998. The obsession with this game was so all-encompassing that the government had to step in and implement forced gaming curfews in order to get residents to sleep instead of staying up all night playing StarCraft. All that said, it is easy to imagine the level of insane drooling excitement going on in South Korea right now in regards to the impending release of StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty on July 27. In that light, it was perhaps a smart move by Blizzard to remove some adult themes from the Korean version of the game, such as references to smoking and vulgar language, in order to release the game with an Age 12 rating. This will enable the game to reach a far larger audience than if the aforementioned parts were left in, and therefore pretty much the whole country can take part in the second installment of their national pastime. I am generally against any form of censorship, but in this case, the edits are small, they don't appear to affect the overall theme of the game, and if they didn't happen, the combined screams of thousands of teenage Koreans would haunt our dreams forever. Good thinking, Blizzard.

Creator of Counter-Strike Developing New FPS

Minh Le, the creator of Counter-Strike, is currently developing a new FPS called Tactical Intervention. Considering all the upheaval in the world of FPSes lately what with Halo developer Bungie signing with EA and ousted Infinity Ward developers coming together under new studio Respawn (also funded by EA), now would seem to be an opportune time to come out with an all-new title from a trusted developer. Closed beta testing is planned for May through June. Tactical Intervention could spawn a whole new line of FPSes focusing not just on reflexes but also on adapting to dynamic environments in a team setting. The genre could really use this game to move forward in a new direction as the stream of solid but predictable sequels keeps getting churned out.

EA Sports Disabling Multiplayer on Games Bought Used

I don't know why I am still amazed at the way game companies keep finding new ways to nickel and dime customers, but this latest effort from EA is simply baffling. Try to follow with me the new lifecycle of a game purchased new and then used:

1. Gamer 1 buys new EA Sports game. Game comes with one-time registration code called an Online Pass that allows Gamer 1 to access assorted online modes including multiplayer.
2. Gamer 1 sells game to, say, GameStop.
3. Gamer 2 buys used game from GameStop and has the option to pay an additional $10 to EA for an Online Pass to access various online features. This version of the pass, however, does not allow even basic multiplayer online play.

So... Even with the extra fee paid to EA, which in theory should make up for some of the revenue going to GameStop instead of the publisher when a title sells used, gamers still cannot access the full game? If this is the way EA wants to go, why not just add say another $5 fee to enable multiplayer online play? I am finding it difficult to believe that EA is truly putting its foot down when it comes to online multiplayer access instead of just using the opportunity to charge a little more (on top of the little more they are already charging for "features" that don't include the only one I care about online - multiplayer). Based on the popularity of EA Sports games, I'd say this move will be initially financially successful, but if I were EA I'd be wary of pirates and defectors to other sports publishers.

EA Trademarks "Darkspore"

Following the success of Spore, it looks like EA will be taking the franchise in a dark new direction. They have made three separate trademark filings for "Darkspore" covering many media including video games, online games, movies, playing cards, and others. According to their financial report, a TBA Spore title will be released by March 2011, so I think we can deduce that Darkspore is it. I am excited for this new iteration of Spore as hopefully EA has fixed some of the glitches that bogged down an otherwise fantastic idea for a game (and also, here's hoping they found a way to prevent every player from creating a race of giant male genitalia).

LucasArts Executives Resign

It has just been released that yesterday, LucasArts president Darrell Rodriguez has resigned along with several other executives. Reasons are not yet known but games currently under development are not expected to be affected. To be honest, with their most popular games being the LEGO series, Star Wars Battlefront and Tales of Monkey Island, I am not overly concerned with the quality of LucasArts games going forward. I think that the best thing LucasArts can do at this point is to bring in some new visionaries to pump new life into their strong brands.

New Dragon Age Add-On: Play as Darkspawn

BioWare has announced a unique new add-on, Darkspawn Chronicles, for Dragon Age: Origins Awakening wherein the player can fight as darkspawn. In this alternate storyline, your original character dies in the Joining ceremony, and instead you control darkspawn trying to thwart the Grey Wardens' quest to defeat the Archdemon. This DLC brings to mind the recent debate of whether choice is a positive or a negative in gaming. Some gamers (including myself) have trouble making "unethical" choices in video games, even if those choices lead to better loot or abilities. However, the new DLC does not appear to give you a choice; you are definitely campaigning against the side of good. I am reminded of the level "No Russian" in Modern Warfare 2, where the player is forced to go through the level either participating in or just witnessing the mass murder of innocents in an airport. Some players treat games as just a challenge to be beaten and as such, will make the most profitable choices in any scenario and may not be as affected by the ethical dilemmas that sometimes arise. Others approach such content as Darkspawn Chronicles and No Russian with a certain amount of distaste and may even hesitate to play at all. I am not sure if I will be able to hunt down Alistair and the Grey Wardens without qualms after having him as a party constant in my first playthrough and this question of morality could interfere (despite the inherent silliness of becoming attached to video game characters) with my enjoyment of the add-on.

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.

Sony Removes Feature Through Firmware Update: WTF

In a new bout of megalomaniacal insanity, the all-powerful Sony has decided to take away the ability to install other operating systems on the PS3 (such as Linux). Considering this is a somewhat major feature (even if only among major geeks ♥), Sony's move is causing an uproar reminiscent of that time Amazon deleted books off of customer's Kindles. Advertising a product feature for the PS3 and then deliberately removing it from already-purchased items sounds suspiciously like an illegal bait-and-switch. It seems that, against our will, consumers are being shifted away from owning content in favor of renting it. I believe that as a society we are not quite ready to fully relinquish real possession of a physical product in favor of the flexibility (on *both* sides) of digital "ownership" that can be taken away/corrupted/deleted in a heartbeat. As such, we will continue to experience growing pains in the form of lawsuits that will spawn legislation to address the new needs caused by such advances in technology. Watch out, Sony, because it looks like you'll be next in line for a class action suit.

Netflix Streaming for Wii Faster Than PS3?

Netflix streaming has been available to XBox 360 and PS3 owners for a while and now the Wii is finally gaining movie-streaming ability. Several concerns have been raised by this. The obvious issue is that the Wii's resolution is only 480p, so HD streaming is out of the picture. Secondly, current hardware limitations require an instant streaming disc similar to that of the PS3; this is a minor inconvenience but annoying nonetheless. Lastly, there were worries that the load time for Wii streamed movies would be slow. Interestingly enough, of these potential problems, the third looks to be the least worrisome. Testing has shown that the Wii's load times are often faster than the PS3's, so the underdog in this competition isn't quite so far behind as you may think.

The fact that the competition exists at all is a more compelling matter than it may appear at first glance. With most current consoles, the user has the ability not just to play games, but to browse the web, play music, watch movies and more, including the new ability to stream movies from Netflix. When did video game consoles cease to be just video game consoles? An early offshoot of gaming was the Game Boy Camera, released in 1998, which interfaced with the Game Boy printer to essentially use the Game Boy (or GB Pocket, Color or Advance) as a camera. This was one of the earliest signs of the trend we are seeing today in multimedia, all-in-one type consoles. Arguably, the success of the iPhone can be attributed not so much to its cell phone capabilities, but to its App Store, which has made the iPhone one of the most versatile handheld systems in history. The major players in the video game industry have caught on to this trend and seek to simplify users' access to the various media we use regularly. By definition, however, just the fact that there are multiple competitors in this market means we will never have the perfect all-in-one console for all of our needs (unless of course one of the hardware manufacturers gained a monopoly, but this is unlikely in a creative market). As such, for me it will always come down to which producer has exclusive rights to the best games, not the best internet browser or even the highest quality Netflix streaming.

Super Mario Kart out on Virtual Console April 2

The game that created and defined a genre will finally be available on the Wii's Virtual Console on April 2. Kart racing at its finest, I'm sure fans of the series will be happy to return to the original for arguably the best Battle Mode in kart history, and I know I will be pleased to play a Rainbow Road without walls again. With this much anticipated release comes the inevitable talk of producers convincing consumers to pay for the same game multiple times through ports such as Super Mario Kart. Some wish that game companies would focus their efforts on new games instead of continuing to milk older cash cow titles and think it is crazy that gamers will buy the same game two or three times. As a member of the latter group, for better or for worse, I personally love having old favorites ported onto more recent systems, especially when some new content is added (think anime cutscenes in Chrono Trigger for PS). You really can't argue with supply and demand; there is a real demand for ported or updated versions of popular games, and as long as consumers buy them, producers will keep putting them on shelves. I don't see a major issue with this anyway as development time is generally considerably shorter than it is for a new title so ports don't take much away from the creation of new games. Now if we can just get Squenix to re-do Final Fantasy VII as they've been hinting for years, we'll be ready for business.

SpyParty: Psychological Multiplayer Gaming at its Finest

Wired contributer Gus Mastrapa has tested out a new type of game designed by Chris Hecker (Spore) called SpyParty and it is awesome. Adding a deeper level to psychological gaming, the game challenges one player, the sniper, to determine which of the attendees of a cocktail party is player two, the spy, with other attendees being controlled by the computer. The spy must complete four tasks of espionage before the sniper shoots him/her; the sniper has just one shot. The best parts of this game actually occur off-screen as the sniper studies the real-life spy, looking for tells, and the spy tries to hide them. This type of asymmetrical multiplayer is rarely done and is reminiscent of a video game version of hide and seek. SpyParty is still in the earliest stages of development but I am excited to see what Hecker can do with the concept. The game is part of a long-term trend moving toward innovative, personally engaging multiplayer options and away from traditional console gaming. MMOs allow for, well, MMOs/human interaction; the Wii incorporates movement and encourages casual gamers to participate; Rock Band and Guitar Hero use additional equipment to enhance the experience, especially among multiple players; and now SpyParty can take much of the game off-screen, increasing the connection between the two players. So much for the traditional stereotype of the lonely gamer; these new kinds of multiplayer games dominate the markets.

Nintendo 3DS Officially Announced

As predicted, Nintendo has announced the newest iteration of its handheld product line, currently going under the name of "3DS." The big selling point of this system is that it will feature the ability to utilize 3D effects without forcing players to wear special glasses. Further details will be provided at E3. It looks like just about everyone is aboard the 3D train so here's hoping someone will develop new technology that won't give us all a big headache.

XBox 360 Slim to be announced at E3?

Gofanboy has conjectured that Microsoft will finally announce plans for an XBox 360 Slim at E3 this June, and rumor has it that "fat" XBox 360s will be liquidated at the low price of $149 to make room for the updated system. This comes on the heels of the recent XBox 360 news of a firmware update to allow USB storage capability, affording gamers with a greater degree of flexibility in hard drive choice as they would not need the pricier higher-capacity 360 to have access to more space. From this information, it looks like Microsoft is making a strong attempt to lower manufacturing costs, allowing them to decrease retail pricing to make their console more cost-accessible to gamers. Efficiency of this sort can only be a positive thing for consumers, and the implied future increase in console sales would mean greater market share and the potential for increased profits for Microsoft. It's a win-win; nice work, Microsoft.

Pokewalker: Anti-piracy exercise at its finest

Amidst all the noise involving DRM and other anti-piracy measures, Nintendo has come up with a fun idea to prevent game piracy without angering gamers: the Pokewalker. Bundled with Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Pokewalker is a pedometer that connects to the DS games via infrared signals and helps to level up the Pokemon you transfer to it by traveling along different routes. On each route there are different wild Pokemon and items to be found. At first only certain routes are available, but as the player uses the Pokewalker more, additional routes open up, allowing for more game options and keeping the Pokewalker accessory relevant and addictive.

How does this relate to piracy prevention? The Pokewalker can be thought of the same way as DLC - content that adds to the basic game. By introducing a fun new piece of hardware that greatly enhances the gaming experience, Nintendo has effectively deterred players from pirating this game, as software may be easily crackable but hardware is difficult to replicate. Although pirates could still most likely get their hands on an illegal basic copy of HeartGold or SoulSilver, they would be missing out on an integral and engaging part of the game, so it would be significantly less enticing to pirate a copy.

For many games, adding on hardware to enhance the in-game experience may not make sense. However, if an appropriate opportunity for such an add-on comes up, it seems to be a viable option to help deter piracy.

Nintendo to unveil DS2 at E3?

Per engadget, Nintendo may be announcing the Nintendo DS2 at E3 this year. They are speculating that the newest in the line of handheld systems could be available by the holiday season this year as several developers have stated they will have games ready for it by the end of the year. This is coming right on the heels of the DSi XL and would be the 11th major handheld system developed and manufactured by Nintendo for distribution in the US since the original in 1989:

1. Game Boy
2. Game Boy Pocket
3. Game Boy Color
4. Game Boy Advance
5. Game Boy Advance SP
6. Game Boy Micro
7. Nintendo DS
8. Nintendo DS Lite
9. Nintendo DSi
10. Nintendo DSi XL
11. Nintendo DS2

Considering the strong growth in the handheld market, it is clear why Nintendo has such a fast turnaround on developing new systems. Unfortunately, it looks like the iPhone is whittling away at the need for a gaming-exclusive handheld device; Nintendo's DS sales have dropped 15% in the last year while the iPod Touch and iPhone game sales have doubled. As Nintendo undoubtedly knows from the success of the Wii, accessibility has become key to selling games, and for the millions of people already carrying an iPhone/iPod Touch in their pockets regularly, downloading and playing a game are just a touch away. The question for consumers lies in whether it is better to have a separate, more powerful handheld gaming device, or a less powerful but more diverse one (over 21,000 titles vs. DS' ~3,700) in a multi-function device. I would bet that for hardcore gamers and children, the choice will continue to be a gaming-exclusive console, with casual gamers flocking to the ease of gaming on their phones and MP3 players. There is room in this growing market for everyone (for the time being).

Multi-platform game differentiation a plus

Dragon Age producer Fernando Melo has told gamasutra that having clear platform differentiation "paid off" for Dragon Age. DA:O was originally created as a PC game and then brought over to the console market for XBox 360 and PS3, but it was not done as a direct port, instead having many components specifically tailored to the individual systems. For example, the battle system managed to be intuitive for both PC and console versions, as more controls are easily accessible via keyboard to PC gamers (top left pic), whereas in the console versions the shoulder buttons were used in conjunction with the front-facing buttons to provide easy access to multiple menus without being overwhelming (top right pic). The general vision of differentiated versions has turned out to be a great move on BioWare's part, garnering best game awards for both PC and console versions. As a mainly console-based gamer myself, I hope that other developers follow suit in providing solid, version-appropriate games going forward.

In related news, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening is out tomorrow!

Final Fantasy XIII review

It is with a heavy heart that I write the following: Squenix has sacrificed fun gameplay in favor of being pretty and story-heavy. I am about 15 hours into the game and I can verify what other reviewers have alleged; FFXIII is beautiful and boring. I have been a fan of the series since its inception on the NES and even made it through FFVIII without a problem (although I wouldn't want to replay it), but the fact of the matter is, FFXIII has failed to captivate me. A list will best illustrate the pros and cons of playing this game:

Pros:

• Visually stunning, maybe the best in-game graphics I've ever seen.
• Interesting storyline.
• Paradigm shifts in battle have potential.
• The Crystarium is a fun leveling device.
• Music is appropriate.

Cons:

• Extremely linear to the point of boredom. The pace is set by the game, not the player.
• The camera is awful. It bobs around, making me dizzy, and always seems to default to looking out higher than the field of vision I want.
• Walk in a straight line for 5 minutes, then watch 5 minute long cutscene. Repeat. Enough with the cutscenes; I was hoping to play a video game, not watch a movie.
• Ridiculously melodramatic voice acting. Lightning can't possibly be 21; she sounds like my angsty 15 year-old cousin. And don't get me started on how annoying Vanille's voice is, or the fact that she can't stop exclaiming, giggling and breathing heavily for 5 seconds.
• Normal battles = easy, repetitive, no thinking necessary. Boss battles = sharp increase in difficulty that the player is simply not prepared for.
• Damage in battle is difficult to see. I can't tell which abilities are causing more damage than others.
• Auto-battle vs. selecting abilities manually: auto-battle is much more efficient than I am; the AI is frighteningly good. In normal battles, there is little point in trying to choose the best abilities to use in the 5 seconds you will be fighting, and in boss battles, it is hard enough just trying to Paradigm Shift in time to save your main character.
• You cannot control the actions of the two characters in your party who are not the main character. With FFXII, you could set up Gambits so at least the characters were doing what you told them. In XIII, I feel like I am just watching the computer play the game for me.
• Why is it Game Over when your main character dies? This is insane. The other members of your party don't know how to use a Phoenix Down? The worst part is that healing (thus far) is difficult as your main character is usually someone who does not have the Medic specialization, so you must either use a potion or hope that the Medic in your party heals you in time. There is little control.
• The game tries to prevent the player from having to grind by capping growth in the Crystarium in each chapter, but all this does is make the player feel even more as though his/her actions are irrelevant to moving the game forward.

I will stick it out with FFXIII for the time being in the small hope that it will improve later in the game, but at this point, the release of Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening tomorrow is looking better and better.

Overall rating: 6/10

Android Market gaming revenue increases 50% in February

Mobile gaming sales have proven to be on the rise and Google's Android Market is beginning to reap some of the benefits. Although still light years behind the iPhone's dominating 99.4% market share app store, Android Market's revenue growth of 50% from January to February could signal a positive trend for the service. With 1200 new games added to the Android Market in 2010 alone, it appears that developers are finally taking advantage of the only open and free mobile platform. The hope, of course, is that the ease and speed of game development for Android will encourage increased game output to the market, enticing mobile gamers to make the switch to mobile phones using the Android platform. It will take some time to get the installed base of Android phones to the critical point where game development and sales can really take off, but as Android's smartphone market share increases and devs become more frustrated with Apple's app approval process and turn instead to game development for Android Market, more consumers can be expected to jump ship to Android phones and Android Market mobile gaming.

Sony unveils the Move, a new motion controller

In a "Move" (har har) designed to challenge the Wii's stranglehold on the motion controlled games market, Sony has announced the Playstation Move, their new motion controller. Pictures defy work-appropriate words for this gadget, but the reviews are generally good. Apparently the Move is lighter than the Wiimote and it features a main controller supplemented by a subcontroller, much like the Wiimote with nunchuk feature. There are still some issues to work out, such as a slight lag and the lack of exact mimicry of movements on screen (per engadget, "You're still working through a library of sensed, pre-defined actions instead of a true 1:1 fighting game with simulated physics."). Overall though it looks like Sony has developed a solid product that could provide many additional gaming options to the PS3 and appeal to new demographics.

EA Project Ten Dollar

EA has come up with a new plan to regain profits from used game sales. Essentially, new games will come with a voucher code that will unlock a subset of content from the game. This code is good only once for one account. Should the game be re-sold, the new user will need to pay $10 to the publisher to unlock this content for their account. Considering the fact that about a third of all games sold are secondhand, this could mean serious recouping of profits for publishers.

There are a couple of small problems I see with this plan.

1. What happens if the original buyers lose their codes or somehow get locked out of their accounts? This is a common issue coming up lately, especially as gaming continues to shift from the physical, disc-based space to the online world. Information stored online can be corrupted, and codes written on physical paper can be lost. EA will need to address this, perhaps by having users register their games so that codes can be reset and re-sent. This would however add extra time and annoyance to the process of playing a game; what gamer is going to want to have to fill out forms before being able to access a game when the current model requires only sticking the disc in the system?

2. What about if there are multiple players in the same household sharing the game - will one of them need to shell out an extra $10 to have access to content that should be included with the purchase? My guess is that EA will need to implement a sharing system similar to that of iTunes home network sharing, enabling a small number of authorized accounts to access the full game.

Despite these two issues, I think Project Ten Dollar is a smart move on EA's part, and I expect other publishers to announce similar plans once it has proven successful. This could mean trouble for major game retailers who rely heavily on the secondhand market for profits. For example, Gamestop's used game sales represent 23% of their total revenues, and used games have a much higher profit margin than new games (50% for used games vs. 21% for new). With Project Ten Dollar and other similar programs in effect, buyers may become more likely to just buy new if buying used would mean they have to pay for both the game and the added extra content fee on top of it. To combat this, retailers would be forced to reduce their pricing on used games (on average, Gamestop sells used copies of new releases at $5 less than the new price), cutting into their profit margins, unless of course they start paying out less for trade-ins (right now, Gamestop typically pays 30% of the title's worth). It is likely that lower trade-in values would affect the volume of trade-ins as gamers may instead look to alternative, more lucrative methods of reselling their games, such as eBay or craigslist, so used game retailers may not have much wiggle room for decreasing trade-in value.

tl;dr Project Ten Dollar and similar plans are likely to cut into game retailers' profit margins on used games. Producers will reap the benefits.

Sony 3DTV Unveiled

Sony has released information regarding their upcoming line of 3DTVs. In addition to enabling 3D TV watching through the use of an IR emitter and RealID active shutter glasses, the TVs will have some interesting features, such as the ability to detect if a viewer is sitting too close or too far away as well as that of determining if the viewer has stopped watching and turning off the screen as a result.

What will the eventual widespread home use of 3DTVs (should the trend take hold) mean for future video game development? 3D features have been attempted many times over the years (mostly unsuccessfully; see Virtual Boy) but gamers have yet to experience true 3D gaming. These new 3DTVs could enable game developers to work with the TV technology to create high-quality realistic game atmospheres. However, studies have shown that the current mechanism for creating the illusion of depth causes discomfort for viewers, from eye soreness to extreme nausea. Filmmakers have made recent improvements in 3D technology that ameliorate some of the problem, but the basic technique is still the same and as such will always be an issue. This would only be exacerbated by potentially hours-long gaming sessions (in contrast to watching a 2 hour movie). As such, I think that gamers will sadly have to wait for a major breakthrough using brand-new 3D technology before we will find success in 3D gaming despite the buzz surrounding 3DTVs.

Valve announces Steam for Mac

Parent company Valve has officially announced that starting in May, their popular gaming service Steam will be available for Mac users. In addition, those gamers who own the PC versions of Valve games but want to play on their Macs will be able to re-download games they have purchased onto their Macs for free. Thank you Valve for having a clue about what consumers really want. It's also a smart business move - with computer game sales at roughly $1 trillion, and the Mac market share at about 10% and increasing each year, the installed base has reached a point where it makes sense financially to port titles to the Mac. Valve's move is likely to inspire other developers to follow suit. Apple fanboys must be thrilled with this news, and gamers who have previously hesitated to make the switch from PC to Mac due to gaming limitations may start rethinking their positions and investing in shiny new Apples as more developers jump on board.

Game Censorship Abroad

There has been an alarming new trend of non-US countries cracking down on games they consider too violent or sexual in nature. Most gamers are aware of Australia's relatively new stance on violence, drugs and sex in games. Many Australian versions of games have been reclassified as unfit for gamers under the age of 15, and some have even been modified to remove objectionable content, such as stripping the real-world drugs from Fallout 3. Germany regularly changes the content of games as it pleases, such as when the country only allowed the Germany-modified version of Call of Duty 4 to be purchased online. Now Venezuela is jumping on board, imposing a ban on violent games that would put distributers and manufacturers of banned games in prison for 3-5 years. This trend is alarming, for as more countries decide to impose stronger censorship on games, more companies will edit down their original games to fit foreign guidelines. It would be costly to create multiple versions of the same game with differing levels of "obscene" content, so instead the entire gaming world will get watered-down versions of games that were intended to be powerfully edgy; for example, the above-mentioned drug references in Fallout 3 were removed from every version of the game, not just Australia's. In my opinion, video games are a multimedia art form, and it is sad to think that potentially envelope-pushing games may end up like a Venus de Milo sans visible bosom - defeating the purpose entirely.

Sony patents new kind of game demo

Interesting idea from Sony: They have patented a game demo that essentially gives the user the full game to begin with but over time (or based on number of plays) it will gradually lose features until the user purchases the full game. For example, if the game is an RPG, when you reach certain levels or after you have played so many hours, your character stats may decrease or you may lose your more powerful weapons. In addition (or alternatively), the sound or visuals of the game could degrade, becoming quiet or fuzzy (good for a cat, bad for a game). If done well, this could be a good move on Sony's part - regular demos usually have that limited feel to them, while this new degradable demo would give a better idea of the whole game. Furthermore, once the played is hooked and decides to purchase the game, it would only require some kind of re-unlocking (not a word) of the demo, so any play done beforehand would not be lost. That has always been my pet peeve about demos - if you like the game and want to buy it, you will typically have to play back through the parts you've already beaten on the demo. If a player could simply enter in a code to authorize full play on the degradable demo, it would save time (wouldn't have to go to the store to buy the new copy) as well as the irritation at having to replay old levels. It also adds the ever-so-important ability to impulse buy the game; if a player is enjoying the demo, it can only boost sales if s/he has the ability to immediately pay for and unlock the entire game rather than ordering it online or making the trip to the store.

Ubisoft's DRM Cracked

Much to the glee of game pirates everywhere, Ubisoft's DRM has already been cracked for Silent Hunter 5 and Assassin's Creed 2, rendering the illegally downloaded versions of these games playable. When the new DRM was announced, the general response was righteous indignation, as new Ubisoft games would require gamers to maintain a contant connection to the internet lest their account be inauthenticated. This ridiculous (and French) idea did not take into account those of us on wireless connections that occasionally are reset, on wired connections with spotty providers, or even those of us with clumsy roommates or selves or cats. With the successful crack (despite Ubisoft's official statement claiming the downloadable versions are incomplete), the only gamers being punished by the DRM are those of us who legitimately bought the games. There has to be a better way to protect games that won't have the unintended consequence of encouraging pirates and punishing honest gamers. I've always been a big proponent of password + fingerprint authorization (like Bloomberg terminals use, for you I-bankers reading this). Enable each member of a household to use the game and maybe have temporary authorizations permitted for visiting friends. Something, anything, that is not so easy to crack so that pirates will actually be deterred and maybe prices could come down a bit (see, I'm an optimist).

Activision vs. Infinity Ward Update

Looks like Infinity Ward is fighting back. The two lead developers who were let go, Vince Zampella and Jason West, are filing a lawsuit against Activision. It turns out that the royalties from Modern Warfare 2 were just about to kick in, making the timing of the devs' terminations suspiciously lucrative for Activision. In addition to attempting to gain some sort of compensation for their groundbreaking work, the devs are also trying to regain the rights to the Modern Warfare brand. If they are successful, and in my opinion they will be, so much for Treyarch; the co-developer has exclusivity with Activision and as such would no longer be able to participate in the development of CoD7.

Wow, WoW

In case anyone has been wondering if the video game industry is booming, please refer to this handy infographic detailing revenues, demographics and other statistics of World of Warcraft alone. It's statistics time: This one game brings in $800 million a year in revenue, which the chart helpfully points out is larger than the GDP of Samoa. 11.5 million players subscribe worldwide, and Americans play an average of 22.7 hours a week. This is all for one game, people. Even withstanding the fact that Wow is an outlier, gaming is a $20 billion industry. The Wii has made gaming accessible to casual gamers and non-gamers (your mom, your grandparents, your dog), helping to make 65% of American households gaming households in 2008. Who else wants in?

Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing review

Sega's new kart racing game is surprisingly fun and worth buying - just not on the Wii. If you have a PS3 or XBox 360 and have been looking for a solidly fun kart racer that isn't just a disappointing version of Mario Kart, you've found a contender. When it comes to the Wii, it's a better idea to just stick with Mario Kart, the clear winner in this genre. For other consoles, Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing delivers a racer that rides like Mario with its responsive controls and excellent track design. Sonic also adds a few twists such as the items rock-paper-scissors effect where you can use some items to defend against others. Despite some background choppiness at higher speeds, the stages are visually compelling, and the music is appropriately energetic for a racing game (although I do recommend turning off the commentary as it can become grating quickly). The online play sees little downturn in quality with the only notable difference being that you cannot perform "All-Star Moves," special abilities exclusive to each character. This game is well worth owning on PS3 or XBox 360.

Overall rating: 8/10

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow update

New renders, screenshots and concept art have been released for the newest installment of the Castlevania franchise: http://bit.ly/bSSsJe

Release is anticipated sometime this year on PS3 and XBox 360. The plot is being rebooted, not continued from the original canon, but the producer Dave Cox said in an interview it will draw inspiration from older titles, including Castlevania for the NES and Super Castlevania IV. I think fans will be pleased with the new direction. With the way it's shaping up, it's no surprise that C: LoS has been ranked the #7 most anticipated game of 2010 by gametrailer.com.

Activision fires lead developer at Infinity Ward

Story at Kotaku

A lead developer at Infinity Ward, Jason West, has been fired by Activision for insubordination and breaches of contract. Vince Zampella, another lead dev, was also present in meetings with management and his status with the company is currently unknown. As respected as West is, I don't think it's a stretch to expect other IW developers to jump ship with them. I have two main questions at the moment:

1. Where will West and whoever follows him go? IW devs (then under 2015, Inc.) left EA in late 2003 for Activision in order to develop non-Medal of Honor titles. After the success of the Call of Duty series, I'd be willing to bet that EA is tripping over itself trying to recruit the IW boys back on their team.

2. What will this mean for future installments of the Call of Duty series? The brand is one of the strongest in the industry and they know it - note that Activision's new FPS Singularity, developed by Raven (exclusive contract with Activision), was delayed to June 2010 due to strong demand for CoD: MW2 despite solid hype and positive previews. Clearly they are maintaining focus on existing brand awareness and not so much on riskier new ventures. I wonder which way they will go to keep the series on top: keep CoD mainly at IW with presumably weaker developers, or shift more responsibility on to Treyarch (lesser dev of MW, known to be working on CoD 7)?