Joystiq

Christopher Grant

Philadelphia, PA - http://www.joystiq.com

Motivated by either an unhealthy Messianic complex or a dearth of career opportunities (he never could decide which), Chris put his college education to good use as a carpenter before becoming editor-in-chief of this here gaming blog. If he isn't busy playing or writing about games, he's doing other, no doubt less important, things ... though he probably shouldn't be.

Brink: Bethesda / Splash Damage collaboration revealed

by Christopher Grant { 5 months ago }

Just a few scant days before the year's biggest gaming event and GameTrailers has snuck into E3's living room and unwrapped one of its biggest gifts. Oh, and it televised what it found inside, spoiling it for everyone.

So, what was inside? Namely: "Brink" – the product of Bethesda and Splash Damage's collaboration, first revealed just over a year ago. And what does the teaser trailer tell us about said project? Well, for starters: it's a video game, it appears to have a science fiction theme and, if the sound of bullets are any indication, there will be shooting in it. More details? It's coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC (with Games for Windows support). Oh, and you'll be playing it by Spring 2010 – take that, holiday shopping season!

Curt Schilling's 38 Studios acquires THQ's Big Huge Games

by Christopher Grant { 5 months ago }

Looks like THQ's short-lived ownership of Rise of Nations-developer Big Huge Games has finally come to a close, with upstart MMO dev 38 Studios announcing an acquisition today. According to this here press release, the "acquisition is a critical step in 38 Studios' strategy to deliver a broad range of entertainment products centered on its original fantasy IP, codenamed Copernicus."

So, Copernicus-themed projects only from here on out? 38 Studios' CEO and President, Brett Close, says, "The acquisition enables us to develop and deliver top-quality games in multiple genres that are based in a shared world, ultimately maximizing the value of our Copernicus MMOG and the intellectual property as a whole." However, the presser also mentions that BHG is actively developing an unnamed RPG for 360, PS3, and PC (ostensibly the rumored Ascendant), but makes no mention of God: The Game, in development for Wii. Will Ascendant be relocated into the world of Copernicus? We have no idea, but we do know that while BHG will be integrated into [Massachusetts-based] 38 Studios," the Maryland-based developer will stay put.

More as we learn it.

Tony Hawk Ride's board powered by dual accelerometers, imagination

by Christopher Grant { 5 months ago }

We still don't know much about Tony Hawk Ride's board-shaped peripheral. Things like "How much will it cost?" (GameStop indicates that it won't be cheap) or "How does it work?" While clearly powered, in part, by your "imagination," a recent video from USA Today (found after the break) adds some technological jargon to that list of ingredients: dual accelerometers. Says developer Robomodo's Josh Tsui:

"Inside are two accelerometers, and that gives us our tilting for navigation, our lifting on either side for doing things like ollies and nollies, and then it also gives us rotation. One accelerometer will give us the tilting and the lift, but having two of them allows us to read two different settings, two different rotations so that this way it allows us this type of skating mechanic. That's something that a lot of peripherals have never done before, is the rotation and the popping."

So, basically what Mr. Tsui is trying to tell you, in a very circuitous fashion, is that your vintage Top Skater arcade cabinet has finally been outgunned. Oh, and that you – as the owner of a vintage Top Skate arcade cabinet – are a relic from an ancient time ... a simple time when simple people were content to enjoy simple skateboarding peripherals.

[Thanks, Markus]

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Introducing WoW.com - the new home of WoW Insider

by Christopher Grant { 5 months ago }

We know – you love WoW Insider, Joystiq's very own World of Warcraft blog. You read everything from the latest breaking news straight out of Azeroth, to every little detail on every little patch, to the guild drama (oh the drama!). Tonight, WoW Insider is undergoing a substantial change.

Introducing WoW.com, the new home of WoW Insider. Pretty nice digs, right? As long as we've got a new domain to call home, we thought we'd spruce the place up. First, you'll notice a new, streamlined design that puts the emphasis on what you're there to see: the content! But we're bringing you more than just a shiny new paint job and a new address. We're also excited about the beta launch of WoW.com Profiles! Check out the welcome post at Insid ... err, WoW.com for details on what you can do with this new functionality (spoiler: show off your characters, make blog posts and galleries, and download the WoW.com addon, to name a few things).

Before you go over there and check the place out, join me in extending a huge thanks to everyone involved in the development and launch of WoW.com. From the GameDaily team: John Benyamine, Willis Lambert, Paul Heuts, and Patrick Lucas. From the Joystiq team: Elizabeth Harper, Justin Glow, Barb Dybwad, and the entire WoW.com team. And lastly, from the Weblogs team: Matt Heerema, Erik Sagen, and Brad Hill.

Valve and Arkane's The Crossing 'on hold'

by Christopher Grant { 5 months ago }

click for gallery of The Crossing

Bad news for those of you anticipating Arkane Studios' and Valve's "crossplay" FPS The Crossing (and for those of you with good memories). After the two-year anniversary of the game's debut passed earlier this year, we renewed our attempts to get some information on the innovative shooter. In case you don't remember, The Crossing promised to merge single-player and multiplayer gaming (hence the "crossplay" moniker). Two years ago, the premise seemed impossibly ambitious; now, after the success of Valve's Left 4 Dead (and, specifically, its Versus mode) we're a lot more confident the approach could work.

So, what happened to the project? "We ran into an unexpected financial challenge some months ago and we had to put The Crossing on hold," Raphael Colantonio, CEO and creative director of Arkane Studios, told us. "Since then, we shifted our efforts to other very good projects." Two of those projects are reportedly underway at Arkane's Austin studio, an FPS RPG and a "casual strategy game" for the iPhone, under the direction of Deus Ex-alum Harvey Smith.

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Eidos Montreal confirms Thief 4, 'worst kept secret' in industry

by Christopher Grant { 6 months ago }

It's May 11th. You know what that means! Right: It's the 60th anniversary of the name "Thailand" which replaced the country's previous name, "Siam" in 1949.

... Also, Eidos Montreal confirmed its second project today, just like it promised last week. Up next from the studio currently cranking on Deus Ex 3? Thief 4, of course. And no, we're not prescient. Eidos Montreal even calls the announcement "the worst kept secret in the industry."

Details on the sneak-em-up sequel are scarce, with www.thief4.com dishing out ... well, another teaser site. No platforms. No release window. Nada. What you do get: A "general discussion" forum, where you can advise Eidos Montreal on the development of Thief 4. Here, we'll get you started: "HEY EIDOS, DON'T MESS UP THIEF, OKAY?"

We'll update as we learn more.

MIT BiG: Levine talks life before BioShock

by Christopher Grant { 6 months ago }

We're here at the MIT Business in Gaming conference this afternoon to watch Ken Levine – who holds the title trifecta of "co-founder, "president" and "Creative Director" at 2K Boston (née Irrational) – take the hotseat in a Q&A format (that, for some reason, is being billed as a "keynote"). No bother – given an opportunity to hear the BioShock developer discuss the current state of the industry (not to mention regaling us backstage with amusing yarns about Strauss Zelnick's protein-centric diet), we took our spot in the front row, laptops at the ready.

After an introduction by one of the show's sponsors (get off the stage, bub!) the Q&A was handed over to MIT graduate student Dennis Fu, who peppered Levine with a series of questions inspired by the day's panel topics: digital distribution; in-game advertising; MMO business models; and serious games. Fu stepped right into the deep end, asking Levine "What can you tell us about BioShock 2?" As he's said before, he's keeping himself intentionally in the dark so that he can play it "as a fan." "We're sort of keeping ourselves at a distance," he explained.

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Ken Levine: Next project will cost 'a fair amount of money'

by Christopher Grant { 6 months ago }

During his Q&A at the MIT Business in Gaming conference, Ken Levine revealed the cost of some of his projects and hinted at the cost (and scale!) of 2K Boston's latest, still secret, project.

"Freedom Force was $2 million; System Shock 2 was $600K, it was nothing. BioShock, I think it's been published, was $15 million," Levine said. When we asked how much, on that scale, his new project would cost, Levine teased, "It's more than System Shock 2."

He elaborated, "It's a fair amount of money. Our goal is to build experiences." Referring to the craft of building experiences, Levine noted that BioShock "didn't have the best shooting compared to Call of Duty" and "it didn't have the most revolutionary AI." What it did have was an "experience [gamers] couldn't get anywhere else." It was something "that people can look at it and say, 'I can't have this experience anywhere else.'"

Here's the thing: "Generally those experiences cost a fair amount of money to make," Levine says. Of course, he can't say how much – "because I would probably get fired before I walked out the door" – but he assures us "It won't be the cheapest product ever made." So we've got a ballpark here: Somewhere between $600K and infinity.

EA reports Q4 loss (but yearly revenue's up 15%!)

by Christopher Grant { 6 months ago }

Electronic Arts – still vigilantly "managing costs" says CFO Eric Brown following the restructuring plan – reported a $42 million loss and revenues down $267 million for the Q4 fiscal period, ending March 31. While that may sound pretty grim, the loss wasn't as bad as analysts were expecting, and wasn't even half of the $94 million loss the company posted for the same period last year. And while quarterly revenues were down (though still beating estimates), EA's annual revenue was up 15% year over year, from $3.7 billion to $4.2 billion. You can thank those 31 million-plus sellers it's claiming for the year (that's four more than in the prior year for those of you keeping count at home).

What about 2010? "EA's strong cost actions in Q4 FY09 together with our investments in our digital service businesses will set us up for a stronger FY10," said John Riccitiello, Chief Executive Officer. Sounds good, but what about your strategies in this growing industry, Mr. Riccitiello? "EA is well positioned with the right strategies in a growing industry." Oh, we see ... sounds like you've got it all covered then. The company confirmed its fiscal '10 expectations of net revenue between $3.7 and $3.85 billion.

But oh, what's this buried at the bottom of your report? A "Loss on Licensed Intellectual Property"? In Q4, EA "amended an agreement with a content licensor" resulting in "the termination of [its] rights to use the licensor's intellectual property in certain products." That amendment cost the company a cool $38 mil and has also piqued the curiosity of game bloggers everywhere. If you've got any insight, leave a tip (anonymity assured!).

Joystiq interview: Epic's Mike Capps responds to accusations of 'exploitative' working conditions

by Christopher Grant { 6 months ago }

Several weeks back, independent game designer, Manifesto Games co-founder, and outspoken industry critic Greg Costikyan took Epic Games President Michael Capps to task for comments made during an IGDA [International Game Developers Association] panel in 2008. The debate over Capps' comments has raged on in IGDA forums and blogs, with Costikyan framing it writing, "The notion that a fucking board member of the IGDA should defend (and indeed, within his own studio, foster) such exploitative practices is offensive on the face of it, and has caused a considerable kerfluffle within the organization." Exploitative practices? At Epic Games? We spoke with Mr. Capps to get his perspective:

Joystiq: There's a – I believe the industry term is – a "kerfuffle" over comments that you made at a panel back in 2008 when you were still an active IGDA board member. So just for the sake of setting the record straight, could you contextualize those comments for us from your point of view?

Michael Capps: "Contextualize." That's interesting.

Well, in reference to your comments, Greg Costikyan said, I think his exact quote was, that you were "a management dickhead." So I would ask you to perhaps put a different angle on that.

Well, he really invites a reasoned debate on the issue.

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Stephen Totilo leaves MTV News for cross-net rivals, Kotaku

by Christopher Grant { 6 months ago }

Stephen Totilo – MTV News' stalwart gaming reporter – has announced via the MTV Multiplayer blog that he is "leaving MTV News this Friday after a wonderful four-year run." His next stop? "It's not game development. It is games journalism," Totilo writes. And that outlet: none other than cross-net rivals, Kotaku.

Now, before you hiss and throw your MTV t-shirt to the ground in disgust (put your shirt back on!), we want to be the first to congratulate Stephen on the move. While gaming blogs, like Joystiq and Kotaku, have long fought against the bias of major publishers to be accepted as legitimate outlets, Stephen's presence at Kotaku not only gives the staff some much-needed good looks but lends legitimacy to the format. A rising tide lifts all boats, blue and purple alike. So, on that note: congrats, Stephen.

His title will be Deputy Managing Editor for Cake-Related Posts.

Source – The End Of My Run, MTV Multiplayer's Next Step
Source – Games Journalist Quits Job For More Games Journalism

GDC09 interview: OnLive founder Steve Perlman, continued [page 2]

by Christopher Grant { 7 months ago }

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GDC09 interview: OnLive founder Steve Perlman, continued

by Christopher Grant { 7 months ago }

You didn't think that was it, right? Following up on part 1 of our interview with sounds-too-good-to-be-true cloud gaming platform OnLive's Steve Perlman from yesterday comes ... part 2! In our final installment, we ask about bandwidth caps, cable box integration, DLC, server cost, privacy concerns, second-hand sales, classic games, and more! Don't believe us? We know, Steve Perlman wants you to be skeptical, but read on!

Joystiq: So you're working with developers. Say you're working with Ubisoft on Prince of Persia, is that Prince of Persia the same exact Prince of Persia that would be on the PC? Are they changing parts of the game and if so what are they changing? What are the differences?

Steve Perlman: It's the exact same Prince of Persia and the only things that are being changed are really externalities like, you know, if you pick up a controller we've got to recognize the buttons the right away. For example, you can't change the resolution to anything other than HD, but even if OnLive figures out that your speed or your connection is too low and they've got to make it small screen, it still runs in HD and anybody who's spectated you sees you in HD; or if you do a Brag clip it saves in HD. So, we don't want you to changing the resolution. So, there's a couple of switches to turn off. We don't want you to bring up the Windows dialogue box for saving games. I don't know about that particular game, but some games, it actually shows the Windows so that you can navigate through the hierarchy for saving games. You know, we've to disable those kinds of things. The actual gameplay is the same.

Then you were talking about something like FIOS for example, that really improves the experience?

It doesn't improve the experience; it just lets you go further away from the service center.

Gallery: OnLive: Microconsole and Game Service

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(Not?) April Fools: Red Faction Guerrilla gains 'Ostrich Hammer'

by Christopher Grant { 7 months ago }

Game developers aren't robots. If you cut them, they'll bleed. And so it went when the Sweeney Todds over at NeoGAF started teasing some early stills of Red Faction: Guerrilla. They cut and series developer Volition bled ... creativity! It all makes more sense after watching the video above. If you've ever shared our sentiment that today's multiplayer action games are heavy on metal (and/or energy-based) projectiles and short on bird-based bludgeoning, the Ostrich Hammer has been lovingly crafted with you in mind. Bon appétit!

Update: When asked if the weapon would be unlockable in the final game, Volition's community manager told us, "We're just waiting to see what the community reaction is and we'll proceed from there." Well, what are you waiting for, community? React!