Games for Windows

ESA CEO: Videogame Ratings Bill is unconstitutional

Mabie A. — 2008-05-10T03:21:51-07:00

Still on the controversial Video Game Ratings Bill. This time around, it is Entertainment Software Association (ESA) CEO, Michael Gallagher, giving his two cents. According to him, the best way to control the games children play is to empower the parents, and not through enactment of unconstitutional legislation.

The Video Games Rating Enforcement Act would essentially require the retailers to conduct ID checks on buyers of games that have been rated as having mature content. It was proposed by Reps. Lee Terry and Jim Matheson. Of this, here's what Gallagher had to say:

The [ESA] shares Reps. Matheson and Terry s goal of ensuring children are playing parent-approved computer and video games. That is why the ESA consistently works with parent groups, encouraging caregivers to check each game s ESRB rating and content descriptors a system three-quarters of parents rely on regularly according to the Federal Trade Commission.

We also urge parents to make use of the parental controls available on all new games consoles.

We'll be sure to keep you updated on more information as they trickle in. We have a feeling this controversy isn't about to die any time soon yet.

Games For Health Conference 08: Neils Clark on understanding and dealing with game addiction

David T. — 2008-05-10T01:18:50-07:00

Yes, addictions need to be dealt with, but it's important to first understand exactly what it is you're dealing with. That's why writer and researcher Neils Clark addressed the subject of video game addiction at the 2008 Games for Health Conference. His talk centered on the problem, its elements, real world relationships and its solutions.

Clark noted is that it has no differentiation between children and adults with regard to game addiction, though pathologies may differ. He also admitted that health professionals are still "in the interim" in their understanding of the addiction.

According to Clark, three distinct elements help us understand what constitutes game addiction:

immersion - Different people are immersed differently into different games.
culture - This is basically how the virtual world works. These worlds have structures and cultures all their own, so researchers need to look at how these elements relate.
how people interact with games - Generally speaking, people play games not for nefarious reasons, but because they get good things out of them (friendships, rewards, etc.).

Nevertheless, Clark admitted that pathologies tend to affect both real and virtual worlds (for example, insomnia due to excessive grinding in World of Warcraft). Researchers, however, still need a more robust way of looking at the problem because taking away a game also means taking away all the good things that go with it.

Clark noted that developers can be a big help in helping to solve the problem, as they can design tools to help players monitor their own playtime and remind gamers to pace themselves.

For the long term, though, Clark mentioned that both developers and researchers still need to connect with each other, work together, keep themselves up to date with the latest research and "move outside internet addiction criteria to get a handle on what's really happening."

Ben Heck's Guitar Hero pedal controllers

Ryan C. — 2008-05-09T22:43:29-07:00

Legendary hacker and modder Ben Heckendorn is at it again, and this time he's set his sights on an alternative way to play Red Octane's Guitar Hero with one hand. The result? Very cool and very awesome-looking pedal controllers that respond to both your toes AND your heel.

Definitely a must, for those of us who want to experience the rockstar fantasy of Guitar Hero but have some issue with our other hands(damn you, Carpal Tunnel!).

So just how do they work? Pretty simple, actually. The pedal controllers perform two key functions of the game: the strum and the whammy. To strum, all you have to do is to lift your toes up or down to click against the toe pedal, and to perform a whammy you have to use your heel. It's that simple, and just as intuitive as using the whammy bar or the strum bar for those purposes.

All in all, another awesome breakthrough from the legendary Ben Heck himself. Here's hoping that he gets to form his own massive company that makes awesome peripherals as these. Updates as we get them, and you can check out the via link for more info regarding these babies.

Burnout Paradise to have PC game version

Ryan C. — 2008-05-09T22:24:19-07:00

Good news, Burnout fans! The next-gen car-crashing, rubber-burning game from Criterion Studios, Burnout Paradise (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) is finally making its way to your nitrogen-cooled gaming rigs. This comes directly from a press release doled out by none other than Criterion Games itself, and from the looks of things, this is going to be a version that pretty much offers you everything that the console versions also enjoy and more.

While the news of a PC version is certainly enough to celebrate about, there's also the deal with this particular version having more than what the console versions have. An excerpt:

Burnout Paradise will be the first Burnout title ever made for the PC, customized with expanded multiplayer, enhanced online features, and community driven content.

Community driven content? Awesome. If there's any luck, we'll be able to come across some very neat customizations to the game, like custom cars or even completely new vehicles. The possibilities are pretty much endless. No word yet on just when it'll be released, but we're definitely pumped for it. Updates as we get them!

Electronic Arts prepares US 1 billion loan for Take-Two acquisition

Sally B. — 2008-05-09T21:08:54-07:00

Electronic Arts may be not desperate in acquiring Take-Two, but they're already preparing for the big acquisition if in case it goes through. In fact, EA just recently secured a US 1 billion loan for additional funding that will be used if ever the merger will push through on or before January 2009.

The current deal of US 25.74 per share still stands, but for Take-Two Interactive, that amount isn't enough considering the success of Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto 4 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3).

Apparently, EA managed to get their funding from several banks, which include the Morgan Stanley Bank, the Bank of Nova Scotia, KeyBank National Association, and others. The funds are meant "to provide a portion of the funds for the Offer and/or the Merger," according to EA.

Could this be another way of pressuring the Grand Theft Auto 4 publisher into accepting EA's deal? The clock's ticking, and it's slowly ticking down towards January 2009.

BioWare: Mass Effect will NOT be having ten-day reauthentication

Ryan C. — 2008-05-09T20:06:58-07:00

If you've heard about the deal about the PC version of Bioware's Mass Effect (Xbox 360, PC) having a rather nasty-sound 10-day period online re-authentication, then good news: it seems that BioWare has listened to the massive outcry following the announcement, and has responded in kind. No, there will be no ten-day periodic re-authentication, replaced instead with a one-time online authentication process. Sweet.

This comes directly from a post in the official BioWare boards, where Community Manager Jay Watamaniuk explained how the decision came to be. He revealed that due to the outcry of the fans, as well as gamers in the armed services, they have decided that the ten-day periodic re-authentication has to go. Here's his statement, verbatim:

To all the fans including our many friends in the armed services and internationally who expressed concerns that they would not be able re-authenticate as often as required, EA and BioWare want you to know that your feedback is important to us.

The solution being implemented for Mass Effect for the PC changes copy protection from being key disc based, which requires authentication every time you play the game by requiring a disc in the drive, to a one time online authentication.

Very awesome, indeed. So instead of having to constantly remind yourself that the ten-day re-authentication process is looming over your head as you play, instead it's just a one-time deal that you probably have done before for your other games.

This online verification also takes care of the deal with having to keep the DVD in your DVD drive as you play - instead, you can just keep it around for re-installation.

It's good to know that some companies can still listen to its fans. Now only if they can clear the DRM/SecuROM bits. Updates as we get them, and you can check out more info in the via link below.

Codemasters secures worldwide licensing deal with Formula One

Glen D. — 2008-05-09T13:08:24-07:00

The Formula One line of games has been one of the racing genre's flag bearers since time immemorial. In recent years, however, the series has fallen into the middle of the pack with good, but not necessarily great, showings on the track.

Fortunately for fans of the brand, that may soon change as acclaimed UK-based developers Codemasters have won themselves the licensing rights to Formula One from the body's administrators. With this, they hope to inject high-octane lifee into games based on the world's most popular b.

No titles have been announced thus far, but Codemasters is looking forward to bringing Formula One games to home consoles and the PC. The devs say that this game will use the company's proprietary EGO game engine which is designed for optimum performance across multiple platforms.

Codemasters has had some good runs at the genre in this gaming generation with such hits as Colin McRae's DIRT (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) and Race Driver: GRID (PS3, PSP, Wii, DS, Xbox 360, PC). Will they raise the bar even higher in this new project? That's almost a foregone conclusion. The expectations are just too high.

Activision confirms release of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance sequel within the year

David T. — 2008-05-09T06:03:58-07:00

There's something about playing as your favorite Marvel superhero that has an appeal all its own. Now all you fans of the original Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (PS3, XBox 360, Wii, PSP) have reason to rejoice: Activision has recently confirmed it will be releasing the sequel within the year.

Activision made the announcement in a recent conference call, whereupon it also announced its plans for the rest of the year. The company, however, did not announce any specific platforms for the sequel, nor did it mention an exact title, either.

Nevertheless, until Activision reveals the official name of the sequel, we'll be referring to it as Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 for simplicity's sake. Watch this space for more updates regarding the sequel to Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.

Activision conference call: new CoD game in development, Tony Hawk game for the DS, and more

David T. — 2008-05-09T04:54:34-07:00

Encouraged by the record results of the Q4 and fiscal year 2008 reports, Activision is already planning its next set of projects for the year. The company recently announced these in a recent analyst conference call.

Activision executives Bobby Kotick and Mike Griffith and others mentioned several particularly noteworthy franchise endeavors and projections:

Guitar Hero - The company will triple the number of Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC) SKUs in fiscal year 2009. Further details regarding the next entry in franchise will be coming within a couple of weeks.
Call of Duty - a new Call of Duty game is in the works for the next fiscal year. Early reports have suggested the game is being developed by Call of Duty 3 developer Treyarch. The game will be set in "a new military theater" and will reportedly be released for the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo DS.
Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) engine - This will also be used in Activision's first James Bond title. The new game is set to be released concurrently with this year's film "Quantum of Solace."
Tony Hawk - Activision is "inventing the franchise from the ground up." The company has two games planned: one exclusively for the DS and another one for consoles. The DS title will launch this year, to be reportedly developed by Vicarious Visions. The latter one has been set for some time in the fiscal year starting April 2009. It will supposedly be innovative in a different kind of way than other Tony Hawk games.
Console growth projections - Activision expects the following console sales to rise:

PlaySation 2 - by 2-3 million units
PlayStation 3 - 3-4 million units
Xbox 360 - 4-5 million units
Wii - 7 million units
handheld sales (combined) - 11 million units

The merger between Activision and Blizzard - Execs said that the deal will give stronger inroads into the Asian (especially the Korean) market. Conversely, Activision will be leveraging Blizzard's experience in the online arena worldwide.

Looks like this next fiscal year will be a busy one for Activision. Stay tuned for more updates on all the plans that the company has mentioned above.

Activision reports record Q4 and fiscal year 2008 results

David T. — 2008-05-09T02:39:14-07:00

It's the end of another fiscal year for companies, which is why they've been busy noting the cashflow, revenues and losses over the last quarter period and the previous fiscal year. This time, it's Activision's turn at the bat.

According to the report, things are looking up for Activision. For the fiscal year that ended last March 31, 2008, the company received net revenues amounting to US 2.9 billion. Net income for the same period was pegged at US 344.9 million.

For the fourth quarter that also ended last March 31, Activision reported net revenues of US 602.5 million and a net income of US 44.2 million. The net revenues clearly exceeded both the predicted Q4 guidance and estimated figures of analyst Michael Pachter.

Activision's success has been attributed to best-selling titles Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC) and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3, Xbox 360, PC). Company CEO and Chairman Bobby Kotick said that fiscal year 2008 was "the best year in our history." He also said that Q4 was "the largest and most profitable holiday quarter, even though we did not release any new titles."

Rumor: is LucasArts out of the Entertainment Software Association, too?

David T. — 2008-05-09T02:36:39-07:00

Have you visited the Entertainment Software Association's (ESA's) official website recently? For those of you who haven't, suffice it to say that there is a listing of current ESA members right on the front page. Of course, Vivendi and Activision are longer on the list, since it's been reported that they left the association some time ago due to "business reasons."

What's peculiar is that LucasArts isn't on the current list, either. Could the company have left the ESA as well, or was the emission of the company's name due to error? GamePolitics has already sent messages out to contacts at the company in order to confirm this. An ESA representative even said that "he would look into it."

Until official word comes in, we'll consider this a rumor. Stay tuned for more updates as we get them. Regardless of whether or not LucasArts has actually left the ESA, though, the fact remains that certain parties have been critical of the way the organization (and current president Mike Gallagher) have been running things.

Gore Verbinski on directing the BioShock movie, Little Sisters and more

David T. — 2008-05-09T02:23:09-07:00

It looks like Mr. Bubbles will be getting some attention on the silver screen after all: Universal and Take-Two Interactive have struck a deal for the movie version of 2K Games' BioShock (PC, Xbox 360).

Gore Verbinski will be the film's director. That being the case, the director took the time to tell us a little bit about his work on the movie adaptation.

Apparently, BioShock designer Ken Levine was already considering a film to begin with, and Verbinski picked it up from him. Both Verbinski and Levine are communicating on a regular basis regarding the movie's content. This is especially important, as even Verbinski noted that he'll have to make some tough choices as to what to include or not to include in the film.

One question that may be burning in your minds is how the movie's protagonist will treat the Little Sisters, as that option came up in the BioShock game. Without going into specifics, Verbinski said:

I think we'll go right up to the edge with the Little Sisters. I don t want to soften it to the point where the core audience feels betrayed. At the same time, the gameplay is completely different than it will be for an audience watching.

The movie audience s imagination is a lot more graphic if you let them imagine it. We'll have to be really clever with that.

And what about the Big Daddies? Verbinski mentioned that he could go for either costumes or CG effects. Considering that he doesn't want to get bogged down with animatronics, chances are that the director will probably go for a hybrid between the two.

Finally, Verbinski noted that he'll likely be designing the BioShock film's main character around the concept of free will. He mentioned that he'll be starting work on the movie immediately after he receives a worthy script.

NVIDIA to make product range more consumer friendly

Ryan C. — 2008-05-08T22:41:47-07:00

If you've ever bought a product from NVIDIA's excellent line of video cards (as well as tons more other computer stuff), you'd probably have noticed that the highly-respected brand is not quite as accessible to the less-techy of us, in terms of figuring out just what product from their line is best for our rigs.

Now, we catch wind NVIDIA Vice President of Content Business Development Roy Taylor saying that it's an ongoing challenge for them to make things a bit simpler for the consumers. His statement, taken as is:

It is a challenge that we're looking at right now. There is a need to simplify it for consumers, there's no question. We think that the people who understand and know GeForce today, they're okay with it - they understand it. But if we're going to widen our appeal, there's no doubt that we have to solve that problem.

Well, that's definitely a very commendable cause. After all, PC gaming is a force to be reckoned with, and while it's certainly good to be able to tell the difference between a GF 7950GX2 and a 9800GX2 (besides the fact that the latter has dual G92 spec graphics processing units), it's also good that anyone can easily recommend this or that product in the NVIDIA line without confusing people with jargon. In any case, updates as we get them!

NASDAQ warned you: Atari now delisted

Abraham A. — 2008-05-08T22:14:08-07:00

Atari has been duly warned by NASDAQ to raise their stock value to above the US 15 million until March 20 or face delisting. Well, Atari has failed to fulfill the requirements thus they are now being delisted from the Nasdaq Global Market.

What will this mean for Atari? All of their shares are now suspended when business opens again on May 9. Their stocks will be quoted on Pink Sheets and OTC Bulletin Board. In short, tougher financial times are awaiting for the classic gaming brand that is Atari.

On the bright side of things, Atari is confident that this low point will not affect their completed merger with Infogrames. More developments as QJ.NET retrieves them.

NVIDIA strikes out against pirates

Ryan C. — 2008-05-08T21:52:53-07:00

Videogame piracy has been one of the major problems of today's industry, and no one knows that more than NVIDIA bigwig Roy Taylor. In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Taylor said that he believes that the industry is in a point where it's hard to justify PC game piracy, and that it's a tad unfair to keep stealing from the same developers who are trying to keep the PC market alive.

His statement, verbatim:

I think that we've arrived at a point now where I don't know how anyone could ever possibly justify pirating a game. I just don't know how anyone could consider that a cool thing to do - it's not. It sucks.

One of the things that I find frustrating is that PC gamers tend to be very passionate, and they love the people that make great PC games. If you ask any PC gamer what they think of John Carmack, they'll say he's a hero. What do they think of Tim Sweeney? He's a hero. Ken Levine is a hero. And yet many of them, sadly, will go and steal from them. I just don't get that, I really don't.

He then went on to say what he thought about what should be done to combat piracy, and that's by ramping up digital authentication - as well as making it the user's worth to buy an original copy, by way of post-launch content. Of course, an alternative is also to pile exclusives onto a retail copy, or freebies that any fan would definitely like. In any case, updates as we get them, and you can have your say via the comments below.

NPD reports U.S. online subscriptions exceed US 1 billion yearly

Nicolo S. — 2008-05-08T20:39:14-07:00

Testifying to the massive reach of subscription-based online gaming, the NPD Group came up with numbers and revealed that the online game subscriptions market exceeds US 1 billion annually. According to data gathered between October 2007 and March 2008, 11 million gamers are subscribers.

As many would expect, Blizzard's World of Warcraft topped the list of MMOs with the most subscribers. Aside from the usual suspects RuneScape and Lord of the Rings Online which came second and third respectively, Final Fantasy XI made its way to the fourth spot. City of Heroes trailed the rest.

Gaming websites contribute to the industry, spearheaded by Pogo.com and followed by Realarcade.com. Most players who visit these sites are reportedly females over 35 years old, while males below 35 dominate the MMO scene.

Street Fighter film writer explains Chun-Li focus of movie

Ryan C. — 2008-05-08T20:35:38-07:00

For those of us eager to behold just what's in store for us when the upcoming Street Fighter movie, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li rolls out next year, here's a special update: the writer of the movie's plot itself, Justin Marks, and his explanation just why the movie focuses on the high-kicking wonder rather than the game's more visible characters.

So, just why Chun-Li, then? Justin Marks reveals that he picked Chun-Li as the focus of the movie simply because he believed films are about unexpected heroes, and not because he wanted to have a "blatantly sexualised female lead".

While he admits that Ryu and Ken are more visible and familiar in the series, Chun-Li is the heart and soul of the game, having lost her father and being left for dead. His quote, verbatim:

First, I've never seen a successful action movie (in my mind) that blatantly sexualised its female lead and succeeded for its audience; Catwoman, Elektra, the list goes on and on.

Then I think back to The Terminator, or possibly my all-time favourite movie, Aliens, and I think of how Ripley is depicted in that film. She's a tough woman, but not because she came from a place of wearing tight pants and beating up men.

She's tough because she had this core emotional story about a life that could have been and never was. To me, that's the way you write a woman in these kinds of movies.

Very well said. Here's hoping that the movie is worth the wait. Updates as we get them!

New Pro Cycling Manager - Tour de France 2008 screenshots revealed

Charles D. — 2008-05-08T11:03:16-07:00

Three thousand miles is a long way to go, even for virtual athletes as they take on the Tour de France in this latest cycling sim from Cyanide and Focus Home Interactive. A new set of visual assets was recently released for Pro Cycling Manager - Tour de France 2008 showing off some of exciting shots of this racing title.

This year's version of the premier cycling sim features even more depth from the management aspect of the game. It will feature an entirely new stamina system, a more realistic progression curve, a complete skills editor, and a new talent recruiting system with a more aggressive AI.

Taking a look at the shots, the developers weren't kidding when they said that this year's title will be even more realistic than ever. Coupled with the new user interface and lighting system, it makes the perfect complement to the detailed environment bikers can travel through in their race to be number one.

Pro Cycling Manager 2008 is set to be released in June for the PlayStation Portable and PC. In the meantime, why not feast your eyes on the rest of the new screenshots we have from the game below.

Pandemic announces The Lord of the Rings: Conquest

Glen D. — 2008-05-08T10:32:07-07:00

Fans of The Lord of the Rings franchise who are waiting for the fantasy world to come to life in the next generation of gaming will be glad to know that they need not wait too long for their wish to come true. Pandemic Studios is working on it and it'll be called The Lord of the Rings: Conquest.

Slated for release in the Fall of 2008, The Lord of the Rings: Conquest will go out for the PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, and the Sony PlayStation 3. Pandemic says it'll be a spiritual sequel to Star Wars: Battlefront with plenty of improvements to create a totally immersive experience.

The Lord of the Rings: Conquest will have massive battles featuring as many as 150 characters at any given sequence. Two campaigns will be available for solo play, including a scenario that tells the tale of what would have happened if Sauron got his hands on the One Ring again.

The multiplayer end of The Lord of the Rings: Conquest will feature up to eight players fighting it out with each other online. For those who like their multiplayer experiences more friendly, a four player co-op mode will also be available.

"Our experience creating massive, rich, action-packed games means that The Lord of the Rings: Conquest will give fans exactly what they want: full control of the blade, bow and magic to fight its epic battles any way they want even if they choose to play from the evil side," says Pandemic Games general manager Josh Resnick as he teases fans about their upcoming release.

THQ and Marvel enter an agreement to make video games based on Marvel's Super Hero Squad

Jay P. — 2008-05-08T05:34:27-07:00

Marvel might have a shaky start this year due to their falling out with Electronic Arts on the Marvel fighting game franchise, but things are definitely looking up now.

The company has just signed a partnership with THQ to bring Marvel's Super Hero Squad to consoles. Video games based on the squad will soon invade next-gen consoles, handhelds, and the PC in fall of 2009.

The promised video game series is set to be kid-friendly. The companies will try to bring out the best in Marvel's iconic characters with fun and humor. Here's a list of the superheroes and supervillains who are apparently going to make an appearance in the game:

Iron-Man
Hulk
Spider-Man
Captain America
Wolverine
Thor
The Fantastic Four
Doctor Doom
Magneto
Iron Monger
Loki
The Abomination

With this new agreement, Brian Farrell, president and CEO of THQ, remarked on the matter, saying:

Marvel is one of the true crown jewels in the entertainment industry and we are thrilled at the prospect of both building the Marvel Super Hero Squad brand and further developing our relationship with Marvel.

We are dedicated to expanding our unmatched success story in the kids space and this agreement with Marvel is an excellent complement to our portfolio.