Daily News: 04/22/13

Monday, April 22, 2013

Alien Defense Mode Launched for ARCTIC COMBAT

Alien Defense Mode Launched for ARCTIC COMBAT:
WEBZEN Inc unleashes a heart-stopping new Alien Defense Mode for the modern military FPS, ARCTIC COMBAT. For the first time in ARCTIC COMBAT history, players

EA shutting down Playfish games

EA shutting down Playfish games:
Publisher pulling plug on division's last remaining Facebook titles; SimCity Social, The Sims Social, Pet Society, more closing by mid-June

EA shuts down Sim City Social, The Sims Social and Pet Society June 14

EA shuts down Sim City Social, The Sims Social and Pet Society June 14:
Game developer and publisher Electronic Arts announced that on June 14 it will retire three of its Facebook games: Sim City Social, The Sims Social and Pet Society. EA

Buy Toothpaste, Get New Buildings In SimCity. Because Advertising.

Buy Toothpaste, Get New Buildings In SimCity. Because Advertising.:
Move over, Nissan Leaf®. We've got some new brands in town: Crest® Toothpaste and Oral-B®. According to EA, specially marked Crest® and Oral-B® products come

Vendetta Online: The iPad Version Takes Flight

Vendetta Online: The iPad Version Takes Flight:
Venerable Vendetta Online has gone from the PC to the iPad in the latest version and we've taken a good hard look at it. We have a great hands-on preview to share that you

Hyung-Tae Kim Interview by Elle and Nara Revealed the Released Plan of Blade and Soul's English Version

Hyung-Tae Kim Interview by Elle and Nara Revealed the Released Plan of Blade and Soul's English Version:
Elle, an Illustrator & Gallery painter, now living in Seoul, Korea, is a big fan of Hyung-Tae Kim, the lead artist and art director of Blade and Soul. Elle and her friend Nara, another professional artist just got a chance to get a tour of NCsoft- Seoul as industry employees. The most important information from this interview is the released date of Blade and Soul's English version!

Blade and Soul CN Server's 3rd CBT Is on May 7th

Blade and Soul CN Server's 3rd CBT Is on May 7th:
On April 18th, the date of 3rd CBT of Blade and Soul (CN) has officially announced at Tencent Games 2013 Annual Press Conference. It is on May 7th. Continue

Ubisoft completes Related Designs acquisition

Ubisoft completes Related Designs acquisition:
Publisher purchases remaining 70% of German strategy studio behind Anno for unspecified amount of cash

Shipments of PC hardware suffer worst decline on record - Report

Shipments of PC hardware suffer worst decline on record - Report:
IDC report shows 13.9 percent decline in shipments of PC hardware year-on-year, pointing finger at slow uptake of Windows 8 as a cause. Worldwide shipments of PCs

Check Out The 18 New Games That Were Just Green-Lit On Steam

Check Out The 18 New Games That Were Just Green-Lit On Steam:
Steam just got a whole bunch of new games approved by its community. From Japanese RPGs to strategy games to zombies to I-Don't-Even-Know-What-That-

Ragnarok Online 2 NA Beta Weekend Kicks off

Ragnarok Online 2 NA Beta Weekend Kicks off:
Ragnarok Online 2 will be officially published in North America by WarpPortal. The first RO2 beta weekend is set to begin April 18th and last through Monday April

Lost Saga Begins Open Beta Test, Announces Commercial Launch Date

Lost Saga Begins Open Beta Test, Announces Commercial Launch Date:
Popular Fighting MMO to Re-launch on May 2nd with First-ever Premium Character. Continue reading Lost Saga Begins Open Beta Test, Announces Commercial Launch

Xsyon: Prelude: Economy Update Released

Xsyon: Prelude: Economy Update Released:
Notorious Games has announced the deployment of the lasted Xsyon patch that is focused directly on making vast improvements in the in-game economy. In

Massively Exclusive: Neverwinter pre-launch interview, part two

Massively Exclusive: Neverwinter pre-launch interview, part two:
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Interviews, Launches, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter We're back with Cryptic Lead Producer Andy Velasquez to continue our discussion of

Massively Exclusive: Neverwinter pre-launch interview, part one

Massively Exclusive: Neverwinter pre-launch interview, part one:
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Interviews, Launches, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter Andy Velasquez has seen his fair share of MMO launches, but that doesn't make a new one

New dev blog details Neverwinter's crafting

New dev blog details Neverwinter's crafting:
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Crafting, Neverwinter How would you feel about a Neverwinter

Kritika - New Dungeon Mode Added For Max Level Players

Kritika - New Dungeon Mode Added For Max Level Players:
New updates have been continually added since Kritika launched a few months back in Korea, although most of them are endgame content. The latest update sees the arrival of

DK Online Suspend Service for Revamp

DK Online Suspend Service for Revamp:
Less than three months after launching, yesterday Aeria Games announced the closure of DK Online which will go offline on April 25th. The game is being retooled and

Sony adds DualShock 3 support to Android Xperia devices

Sony adds DualShock 3 support to Android Xperia devices:
Sony beefs up its Xperia lineup with PS3 controller support

League of Legends pro hits largest ever personal stream on TwitchTV

League of Legends pro hits largest ever personal stream on TwitchTV:
Evil Geniuses player Mike "Wickd" Petersen breaks record with 137,769 concurrent peak viewers. Professional League of Legends player Mike "Wickd" Petersen, who plays for

Slant Six institutes temporary layoffs

Slant Six institutes temporary layoffs:
Bowling Dead, Operation Raccoon City studio trims headcount with intention of hiring back for the third time in as many years

Marvel Heroes will allow purchase of heroes, costumes

Marvel Heroes will allow purchase of heroes, costumes:
Filed under: Betas, Super-hero, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes Who says developers don't listen? Gazillion Entertainment has

MechWarrior Online devs talk Update 15, new UI, new mechs

MechWarrior Online devs talk Update 15, new UI, new mechs:
Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Interviews, Previews, PvP, War, Free-to-Play, Post-Apocalyptic, MechWarrior Online, Player-Generated Content Mechwarrior Online is about to hit its fifth month of open beta, with promises of a late

War Thunder opens US beta server, starts development on mobile version

War Thunder opens US beta server, starts development on mobile version:
Filed under: Betas, Real-Life, Patches, War, Mobile, Miscellaneous War Thunder, formerly World of Planes, has been soaring through open beta for several months now.

War Thunder: Gaijin Strikes Gold

War Thunder: Gaijin Strikes Gold:
We have been playing War Thunder, the game formerly known as World of Planes. We've got a lot to say about the game that sends players soaring into the wild blue

Stick and Rudder: Why Star Citizen's development model matters

Stick and Rudder: Why Star Citizen's development model matters:
Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Opinion, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Stick and Rudder, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play

Capcom and Tencent Announce Monster Hunter Online, Developed in Cry Engine 3

Capcom and Tencent Announce Monster Hunter Online, Developed in Cry Engine 3:
The biggest surprise for video game players and the game industry does not come from either Sony or Microsoft, but from Tencent in China. After they successful completed their

The $5.1 Billion Future Of Crowdfunding Is More Than Kickstarter

The $5.1 Billion Future Of Crowdfunding Is More Than Kickstarter:
The concept of offering a few bucks to help out a project might have started to help your friend’s new album, but new numbers show it’s growing rapidly--and turning into a

Siege on Stars Closed Beta Preview

Siege on Stars Closed Beta Preview:
JOYHUBS brings us Siege on Stars a sci-fi RPG which puts the player in the middle of an intergalactic war, with each side fighting for their own goals and which side you choose to pick is up to you. Continue reading Siege on Stars Closed Beta Preview.

Siege on Stars is in Beta and Looking for Online Beta Testers

Siege on Stars is in Beta and Looking for Online Beta Testers:
JOYHUBs is proud to release its second game for 2013 and second game in the company's history. Siege On Stars (SOS) is an online browser MMORTS that will allow players to fly throughout the galaxy, searching for new worlds and new resources for your people. Our beta will be open on April 12th Continue reading Siege on Stars is in Beta and Looking for Online Beta Testers.

Siege on Stars Closed Beta Starts on April 12th

Siege on Stars Closed Beta Starts on April 12th:
The countdown clock is ticking for the closed beta of browser based realtime strategy game Siege on Stars. We are now recruiting the pioneer players to join our

General: Cultural Reference, Localization & Assumed Knowledge

General: Cultural Reference, Localization & Assumed Knowledge:
The games we played are filled with all sorts of symbolism that pertains to the worlds we inhabit. What is sometimes overlooked however, are the cultural

Number of devs switching solely to mobile "frightening," says Divnich

Number of devs switching solely to mobile "frightening," says Divnich:
EEDAR analyst expects 11 million consumers to transition to next-gen consoles by 2014, says devs need to take advantage

Fez preorders begin April 22 on GOG and Steam

Fez preorders begin April 22 on GOG and Steam:
Polytron's is opening up its award-winning puzzle-platformer Fez for preorders on Steam and GOG starting April 22. The...

ArcheAge: English Videos and Korean Updates

ArcheAge: English Videos and Korean Updates:
ArcheAge is getting ready to wing its way Westward as Trion Worlds brings the game to North America and Europe. In the meantime, a lot has been happening with

Sieges coming to ArcheAge Korea, new trailer released

Sieges coming to ArcheAge Korea, new trailer released:
Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, Patches, PvP, News Items, ArcheAge, Sandbox If yesterday's ArcheAge fishing

The Psychological Appeal of Violent Shooters

The Psychological Appeal of Violent Shooters:
Jamie Madigan asks why headshots, loadouts and military themes are so attractive to video game players

Genia: Brain Storm seeks beta testers for knowledge-centric gameplay

Genia: Brain Storm seeks beta testers for knowledge-centric gameplay:
Filed under: Betas, New Titles, Free-to-Play, MMORTS Would you play an MMO that was more about using your brain than your virtual brawn? Would you be fine with said

Virgin Gaming (not actual virgins) launches Xbox Tournaments app on Xbox LIVE

Virgin Gaming (not actual virgins) launches Xbox Tournaments app on Xbox LIVE:
Today on Xbox LIVE, competitive gaming company Virgin Gaming launched an Xbox Tournaments app. Xbox LIVE Gold members can...

Designing the infinitely replayable game

Designing the infinitely replayable game:
So you want to make a game that could last forever. What elements of the design space are most relevant to your goal? This blog post is an ambitious attempt to figure that

Unity's co-founder has a brand new studio

Unity's co-founder has a brand new studio:
Nicholas Francis, co-founder of Unity, left the company after a decade to form a studio and create a game he's been dreaming of for years. ...

Arcane Legends: Expansion to Launch Today

Arcane Legends: Expansion to Launch Today:
SpaceTime Studios has announced that the latest expansion to Arcane Legends will launch today. Called Battle of Nordr, the expansion raises the level cap and adds a

Second Wind: Spiral Knights

Second Wind: Spiral Knights:
Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Business Models, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Hands-On, Second Wind There's something to be said for the rise of

Up your game with the MOGA Pro Controller, available today from major retailers

Up your game with the MOGA Pro Controller, available today from major retailers:
Last year gamers got a pretty solid alternative to touch-based gaming on their smart phones. The MOGA controller (Mobile...

Yodo1 raises $5M in Series A funding, CEO Henry Fong on the company’s partner selection process

Yodo1 raises $5M in Series A funding, CEO Henry Fong on the company’s partner selection process:
Full-service Chinese mobile games publisher Yodo1 announced it has secured $5 million in Series A Funding. The round was led by SingTel Group with additional

Yodo1 reveals Kryptanium, a social games platform with 100% adoption rate

Yodo1 reveals Kryptanium, a social games platform with 100% adoption rate:
Full-service Chinese mobile games publisher Yodo1 revealed a social games platform it plans to launch in Western markets. The platform, titled Kryptanium,

Yodo1 to launch robust social service for your smartphone games

Yodo1 to launch robust social service for your smartphone games:
The Beijing-based startup has built a new end-to-end rewards and social layer called Kryptanium, and it's planning to launch it in the U.S. in June -- first details from the CEO

Heroes of Newerth Announced the Details for Tournament Series Grand Finals

Heroes of Newerth Announced the Details for Tournament Series Grand Finals:
S2, developers of the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) title Heroes of Newerth (HoN), today announced the official lineup and details for their tournament series

Path of Exile Season Two starts April 19th, adds solo challenge

Path of Exile Season Two starts April 19th, adds solo challenge:
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Path of Exile Although still in open beta, Path of Exile has already

Gloria Victis teases with more screenshots, talk of alpha two

Gloria Victis teases with more screenshots, talk of alpha two:
Black Eye Games' brand-spanking-new MMO Gloria Vicitis is promising a lot; realistic weather effects, day and night cycles, and NPCs that don't just stand there

Elite Beat Agents developer iNis’ new mobile game to be published by Zynga

Elite Beat Agents developer iNis’ new mobile game to be published by Zynga:
Zynga’s latest publishing partner is Elite Beat Agents developer iNis, which is getting ready to launch its new mobile title Eden to Green on Zynga’s network. The game’s

The Femme Fatale Takes Center Stage in District 187: Sin Streets

The Femme Fatale Takes Center Stage in District 187: Sin Streets:
It's time to get seduced by the mysterious femme fatale as District 187: Sin Streets (D187), an urban combat first-person shooter (FPS) published by Netmarble,

The New Cut the Rope Transcends the Laws of Time and Space

The New Cut the Rope Transcends the Laws of Time and Space:
As the star of ZeptoLab's incredibly popular Cut the Rope series, the adorable Om Nom has eaten all the candy he possibly can without temporal physics coming into play,

The economics of mobile game publishing

The economics of mobile game publishing:
Supercell’s recent $100mm secondary financing round raises some interesting questions about how mobile game developers capitalize on a hit game. A title in

Supercell raises another round of funding at $130M on a valuation of $770M, sees revenues of $2.4M a day

Supercell raises another round of funding at $130M on a valuation of $770M, sees revenues of $2.4M a day:
Supercell confirmed to Forbes that is had raised another round of funding at $130 million in February on a valuation of $770 million from Index Ventures, Atomico

Gender issue a chicken and egg problem, says Monaco dev

Gender issue a chicken and egg problem, says Monaco dev:
Andy Schatz on the difficulty of making the industry more hospitable to women, indie tensions, and why you won't see Monaco on mobiles

City of Steam gets the green light

City of Steam gets the green light:
Filed under: Betas, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Browser, City of Steam, Steampunk The steampunk browser MMO City of Steam is happy to announce today that it has been

Firefall Sets the Date for Open Beta | Ten Ton Hammer

Firefall Sets the Date for Open Beta | Ten Ton Hammer:
Red 5 has inked the date for Firefall’s open beta and it’s coming your way this July.

JOYHUBs Announced Beta Release of Seven Seas Saga

JOYHUBs Announced Beta Release of Seven Seas Saga:
JOYHUBs continues its parade of high quality browser games with the beta release of Seven Seas Saga, an MMORPG that allows players to fight on the bloody

Hawken brings in new mech and map in Technician update

Hawken brings in new mech and map in Technician update:
Technician class specializes in support and on-the-fly repairs; Front Line map is a new version of game's alpha build test maps. Meteor Entertainment and Adhesive Games

Aion 4.0 (JP) - Update Previewed at Massive Annual Fan Festival

Aion 4.0 (JP) - Update Previewed at Massive Annual Fan Festival:
The annual fan festival organized by NC Japan was held over the past weekend to make sure every gamer in Tokyo knows what is coming in Aion 4.0. Continue reading Aion 4.0 (JP) - Update Previewed at Massive Annual Fan Festival.