2:00 PM, Wednesday, May 16th, 2012 - Posted by John Wilson
 The first issue of Dynamite Entertainment's Pathfinder comics will include a removable tactical map (with poster) that's playable in the Pathfinder RPG. The exclusive map and poster, over ten pages of character profiles and game stats, and the comic story will fill out the 40-page first issue, at a $3.99 MSRP.
Jim Zub (nee Zubkavich), who's worked on Skullkickers and Makeshift Miracle and is writing the Sky Kid Webcomic for Shiftylook, will write the Pathfinder comic, with Andrew Huerta contributing the art. Zubkavich has an art background in videogames and RPGs and is known to Paizo publisher Eric Mona from Mona's time as Dragon EIC. "His experience with fantasy and gaming make him the perfect writer for this series," Mona said.
Dave Dorman, Lucio Parillo, Matteo Scalera,and Erik Jones each did covers for the first issue.
Dynamite Entertainment is producing the comics under license from Paizo Publishing
Source: ICv2 Add a reply 
| 9:00 AM, Wednesday, May 16th, 2012 - Posted by John Wilson
 Capcom has heard the customer complaints over the "downloadable" content for Street Fighter X Tekken being locked away on the retail disc, and the publisher is changing in response. Senior VP Christian Svensson posted a statement about the change in direction on Capcom's official forums yesterday.
"We would like to assure you that we have been listening to your comments and as such have begun the process of re-evaluating how such additional game content is delivered in the future," Svensson said. "As this process has only just commenced in the past month or so, there will be some titles, where development began some time ago and that are scheduled for release in the coming months, for which we are unable to make changes to the way some of their post-release content is delivered."
For example, Svensson said next week's release of Dragon's Dogma will arrive with some DLC already on the disc. While he didn't specify which content was on-disc, Svensson said the game would receive an array of new weapons, quests, and customization options after launch.
On the eve of Street Fighter X Tekken's March debut, Capcom admitted that the 12 "downloadable" characters announced as PlayStation Vita exclusives were actually on the discs of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game. These fighters will be sold for $20 (1,600 MS points) sometime after the PS Vita version launches this fall.
Source: Gamespot Add a reply
| 2:00 PM, Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 - Posted by Brant Fowler
Tonight begins the Summer Games Preview on G4TV's X-Play. So if you're a gaming fan, you'll want to tune in to get the latest info on some of the cool games coming out soon. Here's the details:
Tune in tonight 6:30/5:30c as X-Play kicks off Summer Games Preview Week, our ultimate guide to all the season's hottest games. Tonight we'll start it off with Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Diablo 3, Max Payne 3, and more. Get full show details below:
- Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Single-Player Exclusive
The future of taking out bad guys is coming with Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. Get an exclusive look at the single-player campaign.
- Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker Exclusive
Get an exclusive sneak peek at the almost-here Dragon Age animated movie, Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker.
- Diablo 3 Gameplay Preview
Nearly four years after Blizzard first announced it and over a decade after the last game in the series, Diablo 3 finally launches tomorrow. Get yourself ready with another edition of Everything You Need To Know.
- Game of Thrones Launch Trailer Exclusive
This RPG based on the smash hit collection of novels and subsequent HBO series releases tomorrow, and we'll have an exclusive look at the launch trailer.
- NCAA Football 13 Gameplay Preview
In NCAA Football 13's Dynasty Mode, you'll create and control a team for as long as sixty years, doing everything from recruiting to going after bowl bids.
- First Look - Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition
If you missed Batman: Arkham City, now could be the perfect time to catch up with the Game of the Year Edition and its abundance of new content.
- The Amazing Spider-Man Gameplay Preview
The Amazing Spider-Man will release alongside this summer's blockbuster movie of the same name, but many of the similarities will end there, with an all-new open-world adventure.
- Max Payne 3 Gameplay Preview
At long last, tomorrow Max Payne 3 releases. Get yourself ready with a final look at what's coming.
Watch the X-Play Summer Games Preview tonight and all week at 6:30/5:30c!
Source: G4TV
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| 1:00 PM, Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 - Posted by John Wilson
 Reckoning, indeed! A developing story out of Rhode Island has Governor Lincoln Chafee talking in uncertain terms about the financial condition of Curt Schilling's 38 Studios, which the state gave a controversial $75 million loan to a couple years back to move down to Providence.
The Providence Journal reports Gov. Chafee, who was against the loan during his election, spent a "weekend of work on this subject," but wouldn't go into specifics. "We're doing everything possible, like I would for any Rhode Island company," he said this afternoon. The Journal reports he added the work was about "keeping 38 Studios solvent."
"We're concerned and just doing everything possible to ensure that 38 Studios stays part of the Rhode Island community," Governor Chafee told WPRI.com. "We're working on different issues with them." Asked if 38 Studios' issues could be resolved, Chafee said, "We're working on it."
38 Studios' "Project Copernicus" MMO has been in development at the Rhode Island studio. The studio has no booth planned for E3 and has given no indications as yet to have a product planned for this year.
Source: Joystiq Add a reply
| 1:00 PM, Monday, May 14th, 2012 - Posted by John Wilson
 Upper Deck is offering 20 stores the opportunity to host the first officially sanctioned Marvel Super Hero Squad Trading Card Game tournament, which will be held on the weekend of June 8-10th, 2012. The tournaments will be run in a constructed deck format so players can either bring a 40-card deck to their store or purchase booster packs on the day of the tournament. Upper Deck is providing prize support, which includes a Playstation Vita Wifi portable gaming system as the first prize at each location.
This inaugural Marvel Super Hero Squad TCG OP event is limited to Upper Deck's Certified Diamond Dealer Stores. Stores must place a minimum order of at least 3 cases of product. An order of six cases guarantees a tournament. An entry fee is acceptable for the tournament, but it should be limited to $5 per player and can be waived at the store's discretion.
Prizes provided to retailers by Upper Deck for the event include a "Spider-Man Spider Armor Loot Card" to give out as a door prize, the Playstation Vita Wifi as the first prize, and a choice of a Hulk playmat or a "Cold Snap Loot Card" for second and third place prizes.
The Marvel Super Hero Squad TCG shipped to retail on April 24th for a full description of the game.
Source:ICv2 Add a reply
| 9:00 AM, Monday, May 14th, 2012 - Posted by John Wilson
 The video game industry took another hit in April. Sales of video games software fell by 42% that month versus a year ago, reports market researcher The NPD Group.
Total US video games software sales came in at US$292 million, compared to US$503.2 million for the same period last year. With fewer games on the market, hardware sales also dropped by 32% to US$189.7 million, compared to US$279.9 million a year ago.
Despite the continuing declines, NPD industry analyst Anita Frazier reports that bright spots include sales of Microsoft's Star Wars Kinect 360 bundle (Xbox 360 console and controller, a Kinect sensor, and Kinect Star Wars game), and nearly 10 million unit sales of the three Activsion Skylanders character packs in the US since their October 2011 launch have helped to boost accessory sales.
In addition, sales of used games, digital game downloads and online game subscriptions helped drive up total consumer spend on games to US$1 billion.
Source: Kidscreen Add a reply
| 8:00 AM, Sunday, May 13th, 2012 - Posted by John Wilson
 Avengers: Battle for Earth has been announced by Marvel Entertainment and Ubisoft.
The game will be a motion-controlled offering for Xbox 360 and Nintento Wii U, based on the popular comic book storyline Secret Invasion.
"We are excited to team up with Marvel Entertainment to bring some of the most iconic comic book characters from the Marvel lineup to life in motion gaming," said Ubisoft marketing executive Tony Key.
"Fans of the Marvel universe and superhero games are going to love the extensive combinations of characters, motion-controlled moves and competitive gameplay."
Avengers: Battle for Earth will feature 20 playable characters from the Marvel Comics universe, including Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America and Thor.
Ubisoft lists the game as "coming soon" on its website
Source: Digital Spy Add a reply
| 3:00 PM, Thursday, May 10th, 2012 - Posted by John Wilson
It's become as routine for gamers to see or hear Stan Lee in the latest Activision Marvel video game as it is for moviegoers to catch the comic book legend's cameo in the latest movies like Disney's The Avengers. But with developer Beenox' The Amazing Spider-Man game, Lee is taking virtual to a whole different level. The creator of Spider-Man will literally become a web slinger in the new game, which serves as an epilogue to Sony Pictures' July 3 film.
Gamers who pre-order the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 version of the game at Amazon will get an exclusive virtual Stan Lee that's completely playable. In the past, Lee has provided cameos and voice narration in Activision games, but this marks the first time he's been digitally captured as a playable character.
 Lee will have his own special mission across the open world Manhattan that Beenox has recreated from the movie universe. The storyline sends Lee, equipped with Spider-Man's super hero powers, on a race through New York to collect pages of his latest script. Lee also provided his voice for the game's character.
"I love being involved in anything that has to do with characters that I've created in the past," said Lee. "When they suggested this, I jumped at the opportunity."
The new game and movie are part of the 50th Anniversary of Spider-Man.Set against an original story crafted by Hollywood screen writer Seamus Kevin Fahey ("Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" and the re-imagined "Battlestar Galactica") that takes place entirely after the events of the upcoming feature film, The Amazing Spider-Man game puts players in control of the super hero action. The game is also expected to utilize at least the likenesses of film actors like Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and possibly their voices.
"You look at any good video game today, like anything Activision does, it's like watching a big budget motion picture, and in some cases better," said Lee. "I don't know how they do it, I really don't. I think in motion pictures it's easier because you're following a direct story line. In a video game there are so many curves and switches and different angles, to me, it's like the highest form of the cinematic art."
Lee has remained active in the gaming world because he's watched as technology has taken a leading role in how kids live their lives today. The relationship between comics, which have expanded to digital versions in recent years, and games, remains integral for the continuation of the art form.
"Comics get kids interested in video games, and video games, in case a kid picks one up first, tends to get kids interested in comics," said Lee. "Just like the movies today, the super hero movies have made a lot of people who didn't read comic books turn to comics. People who went to see Iron Man, loved it, and had never read a comic, started looking for Iron Man comics to read, and so forth. It works either way."
With Disney Interactive Media Group working on games based on The Avengers, Lee could be appearing in additional games in the near future.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter Add a reply
| 9:00 AM, Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 - Posted by John Wilson
Electronic Arts is ramping up its investment in the next generation of consoles. The publisher revealed today that for the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2013, it is investing $80 million "in development of games for Gen4 console systems."
EA has already made some next-gen commitments, as CEO John Riccitiello took the stage at Nintendo's last Electronic Entertainment Expo to confirm support for the Wii U, and suggest that Battlefield 3 could find its way to the system. Representatives with the company have also teased a Mass Effect game for the system, but squashed hopes of Crysis 3 for Nintendo's next console. The Wii U is set for release later this year, but both Microsoft and Sony have told gamers not to expect word of their next systems before 2013.
 As for its present efforts, EA reported net sales of $4.14 billion for the full year, up from $3.59 billion for the previous fiscal year. The recently completed campaign also saw EA return to profitability, posting a net income of $76 million for the year, compared to a loss of $276 million for the year before. The publisher touted its digital business in particular, saying it brought in $1.2 billion for the year between its downloadable games, subscription fees, add-on content, and mobile and social platforms.
FIFA Soccer 12 did especially well, bringing in $108 million in digital revenues (largely through its FIFA Ultimate Team mode), with another $34 million expected for the current year. The company also has high hopes for Battlefield 3, saying the first-person shooter has generated $61 million in digital revenue, with another $97 million expected in the current fiscal year. Both series posted their best-ever years for digital sales.
EA also updated its Star Wars: The Old Republic subscription numbers, which have dropped off somewhat. In February, EA said the massively multiplayer online role-playing game had 1.7 million subscribers. Today, the publisher put the number at 1.3 million, down about 24 percent. Last month, a BioWare developer claimed The Old Republic wasn't losing subscribers at all, saying only that the peak concurrent user numbers were down.
The digital focus on EA is only going to grow, as the publisher told investors the sector will continue to drive its numbers for the coming year. For the full year ending March 31, 2013, EA expects net revenues to be $4.08 billion, with a loss per share between $0.36 and $0.16.
"In the coming year, we break away from the pack, with a very different profile than the traditional game companies and capabilities that none of our new digital competitors can match," Riccitiello said in a statement.
As for the quarter ended March 31, EA said it posted net revenues of $1.37 billion, up from $1.09 billion. The company's quarterly net income hit $400 million, up year-over-year from $151 million.
In a post-earnings conference call, Electronic Arts executives also confirmed that a new Need for Speed game will arrive in the holiday quarter. The game's existence first leaked through UK retailer GAME earlier this year.
Source: Gamespot Add a reply
| 1:00 PM, Friday, May 4th, 2012 - Posted by John Wilson
Bethesda Softworks will bring its popular Elder Scrolls series of single-player RPGs online next year.
 The Elder Scrolls Online, developed by Zenimax Online, will be the first multiplayer version for the critically-acclaimed and commercially successful franchise since its debut 18 years ago.
The series' last release, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, was one of the biggest releases in 2011, and had shipped more than 10 million copies around the world before the end of the year. Previous Elder Scrolls games were developed by Bethesda Softworks, a subsidiary of Zenimax Online's parent company Zenimax.
Set up in 2007 in Hunt Valley, Maryland as an MMO-focused studio, Zenimax Online is headed by Matt Firor, co-founder of Dark Age of Camelot developer Mythic Entertainment (now BioWare Mythic). This will be Zenimax Online's first release.
The game explores a new period in Elder Scrolls' history, and is set a millennium before the events of Skyrim, according to a report from Game Informer.
Bethesda Softworks will publish The Elder Scrolls Online in North America, Europe, and Japan next year for Windows and Macintosh-based PCs.
Source: Gamasutra Add a reply
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