Tag: Industry - Page 34
News Doritos Wanted Geoff Keighley to Host The Game Awards as the Doritos Pope
Seriously
In the lighter days prior to the GamerGate scandal, there was an image of Geoff Keighley that went viral. It showed the journalist-turned-presenter sitting uncomfortably, surrounded by Doritos, Mtn Dew, and various bits of Halo paraphernalia. Fans, as they’re wont to do, had a little fun with the picture, and thus the Doritos Pope was...
News EA: Battlefront 2 Scandal a Great Learning Experience, Not Giving Up on Microtransactions
"You don't want Darth Vader in pink"
The past few weeks have not deterred EA from pursuing the “notion of microtransactions”, although the company’s clearly been humbled by the controversy surrounding Star Wars Battlefront 2 – a scandal which it has described as a “great learning experience”. For those of you who’ve been living under a...
News Sony: We Announced Some PS4 Games Too Early
Company candid about perceived errors
Perhaps one of the most vocal criticisms aimed at Sony is that it announces games too early. While we’re yet to see any real big cancellations from the company since the heady days of The Getaway 3, it has been at the helm of some laughably late projects – the brilliant but embarrassingly overdue The Last...
News UK Gambling Commission Has Its Say on the Loot Box Saga
Not gambling but not necessarily okay
Belgium’s already declared loot boxes to be a form of gambling, and indicated that it wants to take its ruling to Europe in order to prohibit the sale of random in-app purchases. Now the UK Gambling Commission has weighed in on the sticky subject matter, stating that while it doesn’t believe the...
News Retrace the Steps Leading to EA's Star Wars Loot Box Scandal
Andrew Wilson's ultimate dream
Most of the videos about Star Wars Battlefront 2 and loot boxes are basically just ‘Tubers screaming obscenities into Blue Yeti microphones, but this one by Skill Up is ten times more damning: it includes actual research. The 25 minute clip is a little on the long side, but it packs some fascinating info, retracing...
News Creative Assembly Embarks on Its Biggest Ever Multiformat Project
But unlikely to be more Alien
UK developer Creative Assembly, best known for Alien Isolation and a wealth of strategy games, is hiring for what’s being described as the “biggest multiplatform project [the developer] has ever undertaken”. Word comes way of a “studio insider”, quoted by the reliable PCGamesN. Apparently, the game is a new...
News Belgium Reckons Loot Boxes Are Gambling, Wants Them Banned in Europe
Declares the mix of gaming and gambling dangerous
Just another reason to pull the plug on Brexit: Belgium’s Gaming Commission has declared loot boxes to be a form of gambling – and it wants to ban them across Europe. News comes courtesy of VTM (via PC Gamer), with the verdict of a recent investigation determining that loot boxes are indeed a...
News Analyst: Gamers Are Overreacting Over Star Wars, Publishers Should Increase Prices
A different perspective
Well, here’s a take you won’t be hearing on next week’s Jimquisition: KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Evan Wingren believes that gamers are overreacting over Star Wars Battlefront 2’s microtransaction saga – and that publishers should increase the price of their software as they’re undercharging. We sure hope he...
News The Story of Kaz Hirai, Sony's Oddball CEO, Is Worth Reading
The suit who saved Sony
Sony was a bruised behemoth when Kaz Hirai took the helm in 2012; the company is now on the verge of recording its best-ever financial performance since all the way back in 1998. The former PlayStation president has completely transformed the juggernaut’s fortunes, then – but what is the secret to his success? A brilliant...
News Geoff Keighley's The Game Awards Return on the 7th December
Will you be watching?
The big man himself, Geoff Keighly, is back again next month with 2017's instalment of The Game Awards. Keighley's been putting together and hosting these award shows for a good few years now, spotlighting the best games and developers of the last 12 months. The shows themselves are a little too gaudy for some people's tastes,...
News EA Pondering Subscription-Based Services Instead of Traditional Game Releases
And it won't be the only one
Mega publishers like EA are always planning for the future, and CEO Andrew Wilson says that the company is looking at various rather interesting business models going forward. Speaking to Bloomberg, the exec ponders whether we'll eventually see subscription-based gaming instead of more traditional models like annual...
News PS5 Is Still At Least Two Years Away, Says Ubisoft
Next-gen chatter begins
You won’t be playing on a PlayStation 5 until at least 2019, according to Ubisoft. In an investors call earlier this week, CEO Yves Guillemot declared that he believes new consoles are “a minimum of two years” away. We’d always assumed Sony would release a new system in 2019, too – but we’re actually starting to...
News Telltale Culls a Quarter of Its Staff As It Refocuses on Quality
The staff will remember that
Telltale has cut a quarter of its staff, amounting to about 90 of its full-time employees. The cuts come as the company begins a “comprehensive restructuring” that it hopes will make it “more competitive as a developer and publisher of ground-breaking story-driven gaming experiences”. Basically, it wants to make...
News Microsoft May Bring First-Party Franchises to PlayStation in the Future
Halo, goodbye?
Microsoft already publishes multiformat games with Minecraft, but as the organisation increasingly looks to expand the reach of its services and subscriptions, there could come a time when it releases franchises like Halo and Gears of War on PlayStation platforms. That’s according to boss Phil Spencer, who’s revealed in an...
News Hob, Torchlight Developer Runic Games Is No More
Hob gone
Torchlight developer Runic Games has been shuttered by parent company Perfect World Entertainment – and there’s a pun in there somewhere which probably isn’t appropriate to use. Anyway, the studio most recently released the likeable – but, ultimately, overlooked – Hob on the PlayStation 4. It is, however, no more. “I'm sorry to...
News Digital Game Sales are Now a Huge Factor in the UK, and Charts Really Need to Track Them
Even for AAA games
More and more people are opting to buy games digitally in the UK, and the shift towards purchasing titles from online marketplaces such as the PlayStation Store is happening faster than most predicted. According to data that Games Industry has obtained, we're seeing a huge increase in users buying AAA games digitally rather than...
News Housemarque Canning Coin-Op After Commercial Flops
Arcade is dead
Housemarque is renowned for its arcade games, but the Finnish developer is moving on from the kind of coin-op experiences you’d typically associate with the company. Writing on its website, CEO Ilari Kuittinen explains that despite high reviews for releases like Nex Machina and Resogun, the studio’s games don’t sell in...
News Sounds Like PlayStation's New Boss Is a Fan of Microtransactions
Exploring in-game purchases for exclusives
Uh oh! PlayStation president Andrew House departed recently and has been replaced with John Kodera, a Sony veteran whose previous roles include running Sony Network Entertainment. He’s largely a services guy, which bodes well for future expansion of the oft-maligned PlayStation Network – but it also...
News PS4 Has Shipped 67.5 Million Units, Sony Increases Forecast
Expects PS4 to match PS3's install base in half the time
Sony has shipped a dizzying 67.5 million PlayStation 4 consoles as of 30th September, the manufacturer’s latest financial results reveal. The organisation moved an impressive 4.2 million units in the quarter spanning 1st July to 30th September, meaning that it’s once again up...
News GameStop's Power Pass Lets You Effectively Rent Used Games
$60 for six months and all the games you want
With more and more gamers flocking to digital storefronts, US mega-retailer GameStop is locked in a battle to remain relevant. Its latest solution? The newly leaked Power Pass: a $60 six month subscription that will give you access to an unlimited selection of pre-owned games. You’ll be able to swap...
News Microsoft Says Single Player Games Are Becoming Complicated
It's complicated, man
Sony’s portfolio is flooded with primarily single player experiences, but as part of a wider discussion regarding the future of solitary releases, Xbox Publishing boss Shannon Loftis believes the economics are becoming increasingly complicated. Speaking with GameSpot, she noted how gamers’ insatiable demand for better...
News NeoGAF Veterans Flock to New Forum Named ResetEra
A fresh start
A group of intrepid ex-NeoGAF posters have banded together to create a new forum named ResetEra, and already it’s recruited over 7,000 members – despite registration being invite only for the time being. The site – which has been founded by some of the forum’s most popular users – is promising a new beginning for enthusiasts,...
News Ninja Theory's Hellblade Has Exceeded Sales Expectations
But hasn't broken even yet
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice may not be the best game of the year, but it’s certainly one of the most memorable. Ninja Theory’s tale of mental illness was harrowing and hard to parse – but it was effective in using the medium to convey a very specific state of mind. So it’s refreshing to hear that it’s...
News Gaming Forum NeoGAF Returns as Site Owner Responds to Allegations
"It'll be a process"
For several days the hardcore gaming forum NeoGAF has been inaccessible, but the site is now operational once more. This follows allegations of sexual misconduct against its owner Tyler 'Evilore' Malka, which resulted in a mass walkout of moderators and a significant number of banned accounts before the site was taken offline...
News EA Moving to More Monetisable Open World Games
Some spent up to $15,000 on Mass Effect multiplayer cards
EA wants to release more games with “monetisable” open worlds, ex-BioWare staffer Manveer Heir has hinted in a 90-minute interview with Waypoint published over the weekend. The comments come in the wake of Visceral Games’ closure, where a statement from bigwig Patrick Soderlund seemed...
News Enthusiast Forum NeoGAF Offline Amid Allegations Against Owner
Believe
Hardcore video game community NeoGAF imploded over the weekend after allegations against the site’s owner went viral. A Facebook post appearing to accuse Tyler ‘Evilore’ Malka of sexual misconduct emerged on Saturday, prompting a moderator exodus as threads on the subject were shutdown. A statement was apparently being prepared but...
Poll Do You Think Single Player Games Are Really In Danger of Dying Out?
A dark future?
There was a big ruckus earlier this week when it was revealed that EA had shut down Visceral Games -- the developer behind the once fantastic Dead Space series. The studio was working on a single player Star Wars title -- that one that's been in development for what seems like an eternity -- and EA said in a statement that it had...
News EA Flings Dead Space Developer Visceral into Outer-Space
Studio shut down and Star Wars back to the drawing board
Visceral Games, the Californian developer best known for the Dead Space franchise, has been shut down. The studio most recently released Battlefield Hardline, which was met with mixed reviews. It’s since been working on an original Star Wars title helmed by Uncharted director Amy Hennig,...
News Naughty Dog Responds to Sexual Harassment Allegations
"We have not found any evidence"
Over the course of the weekend, former Naughty Dog employee David Ballard publicly stated that he was a victim of sexual harassment during his tenure at the developer. He claimed that he was harassed by a “lead” in late 2015, and after sharing his complaints with Sony’s HR department, he alleges that he was...
News Ratings Board Rules That Loot Boxes in Games Aren't a Form of Gambling
Lucky roll
Loot boxes are a hot topic right now, with Middle-earth: Shadow of War and its unnecessary microtransaction push at the very centre of the debate. One argument that we've seen spring up numerous times, especially over the last few weeks, is that loot boxes are essentially a form of gambling -- and more should be done to regulate them in...
News Xbox Boss Isn't Optimistic About Sony Changing Its Cross-Platform Play Policy
What's new?
It's time to talk about cross-platform play again! Yay! The conversation that simply never seems to end, the topic has once again been brought forward off the back of comments made by Xbox boss Phil Spencer. Talking to GameSpot, the chatty exec reveals that he doesn't hold out much hope when it comes to Sony changing its stance on the...
Poll Where Do You Stand on Microtransactions?
The big debate
In-game purchases, otherwise known as microtransactions, have been around for years. Originally associated with free-to-play titles in which you could spend real money to buy various bits and pieces, microtransactions have inevitably wormed their way into more traditional games. Like we say, this has been going on for years, but...
News PlayStation Chief Andrew House Leaves Sony After Over 25 Years
John Kodera steps up
Surprise! Andrew House has stepped down from his position as PlayStation president, with his deputy John Kodera taking the reins. The sudden change brings an end to a 25-plus year career at Sony, though the bearded businessman will hang around as director and chairman for a few more months before finally setting off into the...
News Single Player Games Are Really Struggling Right Now
Dark times for offline play
Are you the kind of person that prefers your games to be single player focused? Do you dislike this whole service-based initiative that many publishers appear to have adopted? Hard luck. In the wake of layoffs at Agents of Mayhem developer Volition, NPD analyst Mat Piscatella has been chatting with Games Beat about the...
News Agents of Mayhem Developer Volition Struck by Layoffs
Deep Silver supposedly unhappy with sales
Volition, the developer behind Agents of Mayhem but best known for the Saints Row series, has been struck by a round of layoffs. News comes courtesy of Kotaku sources, though owner Deep Silver has yet to comment on the situation. Reports suggest that more than 30 people have been made redundant, from a team...
News Sony Doesn't See Much Potential in Portable Platforms
Game over
Don’t hold your breath for a new portable PlayStation platform, as Sony has suggested that it doesn’t see much potential in the handheld market. Speaking with Bloomberg, group president Andrew House explained that the company doesn’t see a “huge opportunity” for the sector outside of Asia, and that it’s focusing on living room...
News Everybody's Gone to the Rapture at UK Studio The Chinese Room
Developer going dark for the time being
The Chinese Room has not officially closed, but it no longer has any staff aside from husband and wife directors Dan Pinchbeck and Jessica Curry. The studio – perhaps best known for Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture – has decided to “go dark” for the immediate future, as it figures out what it’s...
News Assassin's Creed Origins Up for Golden Joysticks Game of the Year Despite Not Being Out Yet
Mario Odyssey, too
Voting for this year's Golden Joystick Awards has opened, giving us a look at the nominees for the upcoming event. Unsurprisingly, the likes of Horizon: Zero Dawn and Persona 5 are contenders for multiple awards, but what's really caught our attention is the fact that two unreleased games are up for the...
News Square Enix Wants to Focus More on Multiplayer and Service Games Going Forward
This'll go down well
"Gone are the days in which single-player games were of primary status and multiplayer games secondary. Lately, multiplayer games have taken the lead, and it is standard for games to be designed for long-term play," reads Square Enix's 2017 annual report. "We will also endeavor to develop games designed not to be played once...
News Uncharted, The Last of Us Director Bruce Straley Departs Naughty Dog
Woof
He’s been on sabbatical for a year, but Naughty Dog veteran Bruce Straley will not be returning to the kennel. After spending 18 years at the Californian company, The Last of Us and Uncharted director has called time on his tenure at the award-winning studio. There’s no word on what he’ll do next, but we’re sure that we’ll be hearing...
News Sony Reveals TGS 2017 PS4 Software Lineup
Monster Hunter! Yakuza! Gran Turismo!
Sony’s booth at TGS 2017 will only be dwarfed by those belonging to Japan’s biggest smartphone success stories – but that’s the state of the industry overseas these days. Nevertheless, the platform holder has booked out plenty of space to showcase a slew of PlayStation 4 titles, including local...
News Uncharted 4 Was Almost An Entirely Different Game
Book reveals title's turbulent tale
Do you remember the very early days of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End? There was a mass exodus at developer Naughty Dog, with franchise director Amy Hennig being the most notable departure. Rumour had it that the sequel was in dire straits, and The Last of Us creators Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley were ushered in...
Gamescom 2017 PS4 Crime Thriller Hidden Agenda Wins Another Award
Assassin's Creed Origins voted best PS4 game
Supermassive Games’ smartphone-powered crime thriller Hidden Agenda is quietly starting to scoop up a sizeable number of awards, having netted the casual game gong at Gamescom 2017 – upon landing a similar statue at E3 2017. In truth, this was a lean year for PlayStation 4 winners at the German...
News Naughty Dog Is Hiring, Like, Everyone for The Last of Us: Part II
Studio on enormous recruitment spree
Looks like The Last of Us: Part II is about to enter full production, as Naughty Dog is hiring for… Well, a frightening number of new positions. The award-winning developer’s looking for everything from artists to programmers to designers to animators to… Well, you get the picture. You can find out more...
News Persona Maker Atlus Finally Found Europe on a Map
There is a God
Atlus fans have had it rough in Europe over the past few years. Persona 5 did just about make it out on time here – primarily thanks to a publishing partnership that the Japanese company signed with Deep Silver – but past releases from the firm have been notorious for their setbacks in the old world. And that’s if they even made...
Gamescom 2017 Sony Looking to Market PS4 to a New Audience
"The core gamer audience is bought in"
Sony wants the PlayStation 4 to appeal to a wider audience now that it’s successfully sold 60 million units. Talking about its new PlayLink line – where the games are controlled using a smartphone rather than a more traditional DualShock 4 – bigwig Jim Ryan believes that appealing to a new market outside...
Soapbox Pixel Art Is Prolific, and That's Pretty Great
Stephen loves modern gaming's diverse art styles
Video games have been around for a while now. We’ve now reached a position where children who played, and were inspired by, games such as Pac-Man, DOOM, or Super Mario Bros are now making games of their own. Chris Davis, creator of The Escapists, puts it like this: “I also happen to be a big...
News NieR: Automata May Very Well Have Saved Platinum Games
2B's bubble butt cushions company to safety
Platinum Games is no stranger to bombas, with practically every title that it’s developed flopping at some point or other. But you may remember that not too long ago, the studio was put in a difficult position: Xbox One exclusive Scalebound was cancelled, and NieR: Automata didn’t look like it was...
Soapbox Why Is Sound So Underappreciated in Games?
Sammy wants you to open your ears
It’s always about the graphics, isn’t it? Video games are, by their very nature, a visual medium – and we tend to judge technical progress by the number of polygons or pixels being displayed on screen. We analyse in deep detail the lighting, the resolution – heck, the rise of Digital Foundry means that even...
"We had no idea it'd be this popular"
We’re going trumpet our own horn a little bit here: we told you time and time again that Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy was going to be huge. But it seems even Activision didn’t predict the PlayStation 4 remake’s, ahem, N. Sane success – with CEO Eric Hirshberg admitting during an earnings call that the...
