2:00 PM, Sunday, August 29th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
Acclaim, the shuttered classic game maker reborn in 2005 as an online game company, shut down the vast majority of its online games Thursday, according to the company's website.
All Acclaim's client-based online games switched off on August 26. The company is offering reimbursement of Acclaim's virtual currency Acclaim Coins, and specifically for players of the game 9Dragons, refunds on purchases made in the last 30 days.
 However, the company's Flash-based MMO Kogamu, which was in development prior to the company's acquisition, continues to live on on Facebook under the Playdom name, and music game RockFREE also continues.
The shift at Acclaim comes after social gaming company Playdom acquired Acclaim in May this year. Only about two months after that buy, Disney bought Playdom in a $763 million deal, including $200 million in target-based earnouts.
Playdom's CFO was unavailable for comment, while a PR rep for Disney Interactive Studios did not have a comment immediately available. Aside from 9Dragons, Acclaim also ran the online games Spellborn, 2Moons and Bots, among others.
Acclaim was founded in 1987, and published some of the most popular titles in gaming, including the first and second Burnout games, Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II and NBA Jam.
But a long string of subpar games led the publisher to be associated with low-quality product, and sales showed it. The company closed its doors in 2004.
The following year, former Activision executive Howard Marks bought the name for a reported $100,000, and relaunched the brand as a publisher of translated Asian MMOs in the West. Industry veteran David Perry partnered with Marks and was chief creative officer for Acclaim, before he moved on to co-found the cloud-based gaming company Gaikai.
Source: Gamasutra Add a reply 
| 11:00 AM, Sunday, August 29th, 2010 - Posted by Brant Fowler
Coming out on Sep 7, 2010
from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
 Game Overview
Feel the boldness of adventure and the bravery of justice as you become Batman and his superhero teammates in the videogame based on your favorite animated TV series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Tread through the exciting terrain of the DC Universe and test your might in this side-scrolling action thrill ridethat will take you through crime-filled alleys, strange alien planets, abandoned underground cities, and mysterious island laboratories. Go behind the cowl of the Caped Crusader himself and team up with one of this many superhero friends to solve puzzles, fight dozens of foes, and discover new worlds as you battle to save the day and see if you truly have what it takes to be a superhero!
Features
•SUPERHEROES TEAM UP - Play alongside your friends as Batman or one of his powerful allies, including Green Lantern and Robin, or call in the help of other heroes like The Flash and Aquaman to flatten those dastardly villains...
• ADVENTURE ABROAD! - Jump, swing, and punch through wild worlds including Gotham City, Science Island, London, and the planet Oa.
• IT'S ALL ABOUT THE GADGETS! - Unlock awesome gadgets such as Batarangs, the Plasma Sword, flash grenades, and more, to accomplish your missions and then extend the fun by replaying levels with your cool new tools.
• THE MISSING LINK! - Control Batman's number-one fan, Bat-Mite, with Nintendo DS by linking the Nintendo DS version with the Wii version and have Bat-Mite wreak havoc or fight alongside the superheroes in all of the episodes of the Wii version!
• DOUBLE THE TROUBLE! - Just like the show, the fun kicks off in the midst of an exhilarating battle, followed by encounters with ever bigger and badder villains like Catwoman, Gorilla Grodd, and more! Add a reply
| 4:00 PM, Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
Ever since Doctor Who redesigned the interior of the Doctor's time machine, the TARDIS, we've all been dying to see more of the inside. And next week, a new game will let us explore every inch, including a never-before-mentioned drawing-room!
 The third Doctor Who adventure game comes out next week, on August 27, and it's entitled simple "TARDIS." According to Eurogamer, you have to explore every "nook and cranny" of the TARDIS to restore normality to the time machine. (Maybe after the events of the season finale?) And this includes exploring a previously unmentioned room, the Doctor's drawing room. According to the press release:
The game allows players to explore the Doctor's wondrous drawing room, featuring treasures and artefacts from his many adventures - a location specially created for the game, which will go on to form part of the Doctor Who canon....
With the TARDIS stuck in a riptide, and the Doctor sucked into space, Amy Pond must explore the secrets of the time machine in order to restore normality. The adventure will uncover the secrets of the TARDIS, unveil two brand new monsters - and allow players to pilot the TARDIS themselves.
Adds producer Steven Moffat:
Since 1963, kids have wondered what it would be like to control the TARDIS. Now we're handing complete control of the most powerful ship in all of space and time to a generation of children. Everybody duck!' ... 'TARDIS is a brilliant, brilliant adventure. It's funny, touching, terrifying, amazing - everything a Doctor Who episode should be.
The game will be available as a free download next Friday, and simultaneously will be available for purchase outside the UK.
Source: I09 Add a reply
| 12:00 PM, Monday, August 16th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
"Writing Video Games: Tall Tales of Triumph & Terror."
 Tomorrow I'll be joining writers Gary Drucker, Sean Jablonski, F.J. Lennon and Susan O'Connor at the Writer's Guild West to discuss writing video games. Based on their track record, I have a hunch I'm the new guy in town, having only written games for 6-7 years now, so the panel we're on should be as interesting to me as I hope it will be to those in attendance.
I've played games since the first coin machine version of Pong. Like most I wasted an unGodly number of quarters losing at PacMan, Popeye, Donkey Kong and the rest. Later, I owned a Calicovision. Moved onto PC-games. Stopped for awhile because games got to be the same (nobody improved significantly on either Doom or Wolfenstein) then got back into it when they started to be different again. I currently own a PS2, PS3, X-Box 360 and a Wii. I no longer play games on my PC (Mac!) because I don't want to game where I work. I want to physically go elsewhere rather than still sit at my desk.
But for the longest time I never thought about getting into the business of writing games, partially because for the longest time they weren't quite written. There were some brilliant games coming out (Myst, 7th Guest, etc.) but most writing was in-house and done by those producing, designing and programming the games. Only in the last number of years, when story started to be more important in many games have outside writers been brought in to structure complicated concepts, develop interesting characters that people might want to see again and again, and write dialog that draws you further into the gaming experience. There are still games that don't require that kind of writing. And in many cases writers simply aren't needed to supply either structure or dialog, but as some games become story and character driven, it's been proven that a good writer can make the difference.
 My job has always been to make characters who are interesting and turn them into what today we call franchises. Whether I'm creating a comic such as New Teen Titans where I have to come up with dozens and dozens of new characters and concepts, or if I take over an old, established title such as Superman, where I helped recreate both Brainiac and Luthor and introduced Cat Grant and many others, my job is not only to write interesting stories, but to make the characters themselves worth following. There are only so many plots and concepts out there but there are as many character concepts as there are people in the universe. We are all hard-wired to love to follow the stories of interesting people, and that's the real job of the writer, no matter what medium he or she is working in.
But how do you do that in games where the player is in charge? I believe it's in the way you structure your story and make it come out of character. It's in the way the characters react. It's in the dialog that makes them interesting. When I'm brought into the game writing process early enough, sometimes before the game is even worked out, I try to influence the story by having it important to the characters in the game. If the characters feel what is happening is not only important but vital to themselves, then that enthusiasm will be transferred to the player. The player won't be going through just a series of fights or puzzles, but through something that is important and meaningful. It's slight of hand, smoke and mirrors, but that's what story-telling is all about. We create a situation that is unreal and make you care about it using every trick we can.
Beyond writing games I'm sometimes brought in to help companies restructure their games, to find a way to make their stories, beyond great game play, dramatic and compelling. I refocus the stories and try to make the dialog important rather than purely informational. How many games do you come across where the characters just tell you something? Where the dialog is bland exposition rather than interesting and snappy. I believe it doesn't take much to turn it all around and make the dialog as compelling as the game play.
Games are first and foremost about the game play. A writer can't forget that though sadly all too often they do. They want linear construction to take over. But games are not about that. Our job is to enhance the game play, not control it. Maybe it's working in comics all my life where I virtually work side by side with the artist, but writing games, like comics, is a collaborative medium. If a writer wants to control everything, write a novel. If you want to work in games, you have to work with many, many others who actually make the game work. But when a writer works hand in hand with the producers and developers, then you have the possibility of getting a great game where play and story are completely intertwined. Many games do that these days, games such as Uncharted 1 & 2 for example, which immediately pop into mind. Wonderful game play where the story and dialog and play mesh completely.
I think as games continue to mature as a medium, story, character and play will keep getting stronger and stronger. Least I hope so. I love writing games and I can't wait for tomorrow's panel to discuss the process and learn more from the other writers as well.
Source: Marv Wolfman's Blog Add a reply
| 4:00 PM, Sunday, August 15th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
For another month, Nintendo had the largest number of games in NPD Group's monthly top 20 best-sellers list of console video game sales in the U.S.
The Mario house led all other publishers with eight published titles in the top 20 for July, NPD revealed to Gamasutra, including Super Mario Galaxy 2, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, New Super Mario Bros., Wii Fit Plus, Mario Kart w/ Wheel, Pokemon SoulSilver and Mario Kart DS.
 There were 13 games in total on the list that are either on Nintendo's Wii (seven games) or DS (six games), when combining both first- and third-party titles. Xbox 360 had four games on the list and PlayStation 3 had three games.
Activision Blizzard had the second-highest number of titles in the top 20 with three titles: the Xbox 360 and PS3 version of the eight-month-old Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Wipeout: The Game, a $30 budget Wii title based on the obstacle course reality game show on ABC.
(The company also had the highest-selling retail game of any kind, Blizzard's RTS StarCraft II, which sold 721,000 units at PC retail, but is not included in NPD's Top 20 charts, which are console-specific.)
The number of games a publisher has in the top 20 doesn't tell the whole story. Electronic Arts only had two games on the list, but they were both the top-selling games for the month.
The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of NCAA Football 11, which sold 368,000 units and 298,800 units, respectively. NPD recently started only officially offering media the sales figures for the top five games instead of the top 10.
Take-Two also had two games in the top 20, with the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of May's Red Dead Redemption. According to NPD data, the title has sold over 2.7 million units in the U.S. through the end of July.
Other publishers making the top 20 for July were Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Disney Interactive Studios, Microsoft and Ubisoft. News of the top 20 games for July came after Thursday's monthly NPD report, which saw U.S. video game console software sales fall 8 percent to $403.3 million.
Source: Gamasutra Add a reply
| 10:00 AM, Saturday, August 14th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
 Meet Bat-Mite. According to the IGN comics database, this little imp from the Mite Dimension "shabbily dresses like his favorite superhero, Batman."
He's also playable in the upcoming Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
The reason I bring this guy up: he's one of the rare instances of Nintendo DS to Wii connectivity. Here we are six years into the Nintendo DS's life and four year's into Wii's, and very few developers have taken advantage of the feature where the Nintendo DS can communicate wirelessly with the Wii console.
This September, if you snag a copy of Batman: The Brave and the Bold for the Wii and a copy for the Nintendo DS, you'll be able to activate a feature where you'll have a second (or presumably third) player assume control of Bat-Mite on the Wii using the Nintendo DS.
Source: IGN Add a reply
| 11:00 AM, Friday, August 13th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
Marvel is proud to show you what the folks over at Gameloft have in store for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in "Spider-Man: Total Mayhem," coming to iPhone and iPod Touch on September 2!
 You may know Gameloft from their work on another Mighty Marvel game, "Iron Man 2," for idevices, so you can count on these expert craftsmen to deliver a handheld gaming experience worthy of the web-slinger!
Get ready for an all-new spider-experience in this full 3D adventure! With graphics that truly emulate the comic book style, you'll swear you were watching your favorite Spider-Man comics come to life in this incredibly detailed game! And, with a storyline inspired by the ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN series, "Spider-Man: Total Mayhem" has everything for comic fans and gamers alike!
Take to the streets with an unprecedented combat system, featuring over 20 different combos for dispatching evildoers! Use your web to swing from the tops of the New York City skyline in pursuit of your foes! Keep an eye out for your spider-sense to help you avoid incoming attacks and projectiles, and power up your energy meter to unleash Spider-Man's Ultimate Web Combo, dealing some serious damage to your attackers! Come September 2, you'll be jumping, punching, and web-slinging your way to victory in this one-of-a-kind experience!
Throughout your adventure, you'll tackle a ton of classic Spider-foes across 12 massive levels! This spectacular cast of villains includes none other than Eddie Brock, aka Venom!
We can't wait to show you more about "Spider-Man: Total Mayhem" for the iPhone and iPod Touch, so be sure to check out all of the screenshots in the gallery below, and keep your eyes glued to Marvel.com for more on "Spider-Man: Total Mayhem" and all the latest and greatest Marvel games!
Source: Marvel Add a reply
| 1:00 PM, Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
The video game industry contributed $5 billion to the U.S. economy in 2009, industry trade group the Entertainment Software Association said Tuesday.
Word of the industry's economic contribution comes after repeated month-on-month losses in the video game industry during 2010. March has been the only month that saw month-on-month growth this year, and even that was a modest 6 percent boost.
 But despite recent declines, the ESA said that from 2005-2009, the game industry saw an annual growth rate of over 10 percent, according to a new study. That's more than seven times the overall U.S. economy's growth rate, the group said.
"Despite a challenging economic environment, the entertainment software industry continues to grow and create new jobs at a rapid pace," said ESA president and CEO Michael Gallagher in a statement.
In the ESA's study, Video Games in the 21st Century: The 2010 Report, the organization said that the U.S. video game industry directly employs around 32,000 individuals, up nearly 9 percent annually since 2005. The industry employs around 120,000 people directly and indirectly in the U.S.
Industry employees, the ESA's study said, earned an average annual compensation of $89,781. Total compensation for all workers directly employed within the game industry was $2.9 billion in 2009.
The ESA also said California remains the largest employer for the game industry in the U.S., providing over $2.6 billion in direct and indirect compensation to Californians last year. Game companies in California added about $2.1 billion to the state's economy, and grew by an annual rate of 11.4 percent from 2005 to 2009.
Other data points provided by the ESA in its full report (methodologies included) are:
- Texas ranked second nationally in computer and video game personnel in 2009, with 13,613 direct and indirect employees;
- Washington's entertainment software companies directly and indirectly employ 11,225 individuals;
- Virginia's computer and video game industry continues to experience tremendous growth, expanding by 77 percent from 2005 to 2009; and
- The six states with the greatest number of entertainment software industry employees were, in order, California, Texas, Washington, New York, Massachusetts and Illinois.
Source: Gamasutra Add a reply
| 9:00 AM, Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
Despite the fact that it won't be released for over a year, anticipation for the "Batman: Arkham City" video game (the sequel to the very well-received "Arkham Asylum") is building fast, thanks to the new information and art in an upcoming issue of "GameInformer."
But today, we not only have more details about the both the "Arkham City" storyline and gameplay, but also the revelation that concept art for the sequel has been available to fans for almost a full year -- they just didn't know it.
 According to Crave Online, the game will in fact see Quincy Sharp as the mayor of Gotham City walling off a section to build a super-prison that replaces both Arkham Asylum and Blackgate Penitentiary, in which Two-Face has risen to prominence as a gang leader. More than anything else, this sounds reminiscent of "No Man's Land," the 1999 story arc where an earthquake-ravaged Gotham was cut off from the rest of the country, essentially giving Batman a year of "post-Apocalyptic" style stories, and I have to admit that it makes a pretty good setup for a video game.
Another key element of the storyline? With Sharp as Mayor, Arkham City will apparently be under the direction of Hugo Strange:
Strange, a Golden Age character who was revived by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers in the '70s, is a psychiatrist obsessed with both stripping Batman of his secret identity and assuming the role of Batman himself, and if you're going to set your story in a super-asylum, you could do a lot worse than casting Strange as your villain.
One of my few gripes about the original "Arkham Asylum" game was that it was very combat-oriented, but the Joker is a far more mental villain who doesn't present much of a physical challenge to Batman. It seems like something the game's makers realized, too, leading to the.. well, "video gamey" nature of the last boss battle. Strange, though, is a villain that can challenge Batman both psychologically and physically:
Plus, his history of making "Monster Men" means that the makers of "Arkham City" will have plenty of opportunity to throw those roided-up "Titan" inmates that they loved so much in the original at you.
As for Gameplay, the only big reveal is that Batman actually starts the game with all of the equipment that he got over the course of "Arkham Asylum," thus proving that unlike Mega Man, Batman doesn't assume that he'll never have these same problems again. Probably a good call.
But equally interesting is a video GameInformer posted yesterday showing an especially well-hidden area of the game: Quincy Sharp's secret office, which contains both concept art and blueprints for Arkham City.
According to GI's Dan Ryckert, who shows players how to access the hidden area in a video, the blueprints for Arkham City -- which are labeled with area names like "Steel Plant," "Psychiatric" and "Penitentiary" -- aren't quite the final layout that will be appearing in the game. It's worth noting, however, that they do show a bridge that connects Arkham City with the first game's Arkham Island, which gives me the idea that there may have been plans at one time to revisit the first game's setting in the sequel. But again, these are early designs, so who knows if they'll end up doing it.
I probably shoudn't be surprised by it, but I've got to confess that it's pretty interesting to see how much groundwork they were laying for the "Arkhamverse" (as they're calling it) in that first game. Setting up Quincy Sharp as a mastermind and having Hugo Strange's biography as an unlockable are one thing, but actually going so far as to include concept art for the sequel in a hidden area? That's planning ahead.
Source: Comic Alliance Add a reply
| 12:00 PM, Thursday, August 5th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
IDW Publishing once again breaks ground in the new world of digital comics, announcing a partnership with Cartoon Books to bring Jeff Smith's Bone and RASL to Sony's hot new PSP Digital Comics.
 Jeff Smith fans can now follow the adventures of the three Bone cousins on their PSP, starting with the very first issue. In July 1991 and inspired by the work of Carl Barks and Walt Kelly, Jeff Smith started publishing the adventures of three cartoon cousins, Fone, Phoney and Smiley. In 2004, the Bone cousins finally found their destiny, concluding an incredible 1300-page single story. Word of mouth, critical acclaim, and a string of major awards have propelled Bone to the forefront of the comic book industry, including Time Magazine's Top Ten Graphic Novels of All Time.
Also newly available on the PSP, Jeff Smith's new adventure series, RASL, is a stark sci-fi series about a dimension-jumping art thief - a man unplugged from the world who races through space and time searching for his next big score and trying to escape his past. RASL is distinctly for mature audiences, showing the breadth of Smith's creativity.
"We're very excited to bring Jeff's work to the PSP and kick off our partnership with Cartoon Books," said Jeff Webber, Director of ePublishing at IDW. "Bone is the perfect all-ages classic to bring to PSP audience worldwide. RASL is for more mature audiences and brings out a whole new side of Jeff's creativity. The PSP's wonderful comic reader is an excellent way to introduce new readers to these epic stories."
Originally released in black and white, PSP customers can enjoy the full-colored version of Bone, first introduced in 2004.
Source: IDW Add a reply
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