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E3 2009: Bigger, Better, More Badass

Nathan Grayson — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:31:28 -0500

It's official. E3 as you know it is no more. Again. E3 version 3.0 will return to the glitz and glamour of the gaming trade show's 2006 iteration, but with a few tweaks to put an end to those pesky money leaks.

"[E3 2009] will be smaller than E3 2006 because it will be a much smarter show than E3 2006," ESA President Mike Gallagher said, boasting the new format's cost-effectiveness.

Compared to its 2007 and 2008 counterparts, E3 2009 intends to stop sucking it in and let its girth flow freely. With a target attendance of 40,000 industry professionals, 2008's 5,000 will have plenty of company. However, 2006 and 2005 remain "king of the hill" and "hill," respectively, with totals of 60,000 and 70,000.

So, the question you probably skipped all of the other stuff to answer: Can you get into E3? Well, not really.

Strolling into E3's hallowed halls is as simple as being a "qualified" industry or media member -- though defining that position is much less simple.

"We have criteria set up to define what is an analyst, what is a media attendee," Gallagher said. "We want to make sure bloggers and others in the online space have the right path to admission, as long as they're legitimate."

"This is not a consumer show," he emphasized.

Unless, of course, you're a booth babe.

"Here's the thing," Gallagher said of the sisterhood of the traveling pants-less. "Our publishers will have the maximum ability to drive energy and excitement around their titles and their products. I would expect that you're going to see models there, but there will be controlled guildelines, just like we've had previous years."

E3 2009 will run from June 2-4. We'll be there, reporting with oodles of "energy and excitement." Oh, and booth babes -- look out. We've been known to get a little feisty while on show floors.

Gaming Roundup 9/3/08: Sex, Drugs, and Heroism

Nathan Grayson — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:24:52 -0500

Man, advertising sucks.

We've all been there: you're softly striding through a craggy cavern, imperceptibly thin rays of light squeezing their way through cracks in the ceiling. Your eyes pierce through the black just in time for you to notice a vaguely cylindrical enemy galloping your way. Steel clangs against claws and fangs, and your foe slumps to the ground. A thick liquid oozes from the beast's mangled form, but the scent of blood is curiously absent. You decide to take a closer look, and dab your fingers in the liquid. One tentative lick later, you realize what the cave-dweller was dispensing -- the smooth taste of Coca-Cola! Visibly excited, you bottle up a sample. And with that, it's quest complete. Time to head back to Doct R. Peppyre's place for your brand new, Sunkist-orange tabard. Awesome!

But then, while emerging from the cave, you spot a poster on a nearby tree. Turns out, it's a blatant ad for McDonald's. "What the hell?" You wonder aloud. Then, sense of immersion annihilated, you rage-quit the game.

Obviously, the above situation is completely ludicrous. In-game advertising is never so out-of-place or in-your-face. And, in a fairly roundabout way, that's the point I'm trying to make: in-game advertising isn't as bad as gamers seem to think. Given a decent context, true-to-life ads can even make a game more immersive, while also putting extra cash into publishers' pockets.

But what's your take? Are in-game ads a detriment to your experience, or is Human Billboard your favorite race/class combination?

Well, today's Roundup is loyal only to you, fair reader, ~~but could use some extra money~~ and aims its commentary straight at the pleasure center of your brain. Inside, you'll find the latest news on a public E3, the oft-delayed Firefly MMO, EA's secret plans, and more.

It's all after the break.

EA Wants To Sign More Japanese Developers, Teases Board Covered In Secret Plans

“On that board are deals that we’ve contemplated, deals that we would like to make in the future, deals that we have in progress," said EA's David DeMartini. "It’s one big, kind of covered-in-cloth status board. We just keep track of what’s going on in various places in the world. Who’s signed with who. When such-and-such company might be available or free from an encumbrance that they might have with another publisher.”

While DeMartini wouldn't allow a soul to strip search his beautiful board, he wasn't afraid to throw out a few hints -- mostly concerning Japanese developers.

"If EA was to work with some of the best designers in Japan in a limited way, with a limited number of these partners, we would be creating a unique situation where some of the best developers in Japan are actually partnering with one of the largest publishers that are not Japanese. That would represent something that is slightly uncomfortable for both parties, but also represents something that is very unique and very special.”

Since Japan's taste in gaming is currently stuck in the mid-to-late 90's -- with nary a DeLorean in sight -- EA's Partners program is probably starting to look mighty appetizing to many floundering publishers. But do they have the scratch to hang with EA? And, more importantly, will their stubborn pride allow them to slip into bed with a non-Japanese company?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Goes Virtual

Remember Multiverse?

Ok then, Firefly MMO.

Remember them now? Well, they're back -- without actually having gone anywhere -- with another MMO yanked from Joss Whedon's archives.

"The ground-breaking MMOG will offer a new experience for gamers, allowing them to play it either as a fully immersive 3D environment or as a Flash-based 2D game, where both types of players can interact. The game will be launched within 'Multiverse Places,' a new social virtual world from Multiverse. Currently under development, Buffy will go into beta testing later this year."

Are you sure it's going to be a beta? Are you sure it won't be a "nothing"?

Grand Theft Auto Blamed for Saving Family

"She just knew, from playing 'Grand Theft Auto.' She saw on there that when a car rolls over, it can blow up. She knew that could happen to us," said Karen Norris, Plique's mother.

Plique then assisted her family in escaping through a shattered window. So, take that, alarmist groups and Lassie!

E3 Board In Talks About Making Show Public

Of course, it's all "rumor and speculation" right now, but if this happens, we'll definitely need to arrange an MPC meet-up of some sort.

Spore expected to sell 2 million in US in September

Will you turn your nose up at the game's middling review scores and join the club?

Don't be bear naked in Warhammer Online; preorder Red Alert 3!

It speaks for itself.

Gaming Roundup 8/28/08: When You Wish Upon A Rockstar

Nathan Grayson — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:44:44 -0500

I can't sate my Twitter addiction. I'm loathe to hit up my favorite gaming sites. I can't even allow my glance to linger on iGoogle. Why? Because PAX is in town, and I'm, well, not. Due to circumstances beyond my control, PAX is out of my reach this year. So while the hardest of the hardcore come together for a weekend of gaming goodness, I'm doing my best to avoid a jealousy-induced pity party. But, even though my non-presence at PAX is a huge loss for the entire gaming community, it got me thinking:

The PAXian legion, as I mentioned earlier, is predominately composed of so-called "hardcore" gamers. Without even being in the same state as the community-focused gaming expo, I can assure you that over 100 attendees will be clad in "Green Linen Shirt" T-Shirts, replete with armor stats and a sour tinge of body odor. Why? The answer's obvious: they're gamers -- and proud. For a number of reasons -- the medium's relative youth, alarmists' tendency to buzz about, etc. -- dedicated gamers embrace their hobby with a near religious fervor.

Sure, movies have "cinemaphiles" and literature has its bookworms, but gamers are Scientology to other mediums' group of co-workers who meet sporadically for a round of Putt-Putt. With time, I imagine our community will fragment -- genres will expand and tastes will narrow -- but for now, we're a thick stew, full of assorted meats and veggies, but still part of a cohesive whole.

So, do you call yourself a gamer? Are videogames an integral piece of your personality? Is your pride inextricably tied to your Gamerscore? Or are you just a person who happens to play games, and nothing more?

Today's Roundup is like a perfect sundae, with just enough gooey non-gamer-friendly fare drizzled over a vanilla base of terms like "ESA," "second-hand videogame sales," and "Starcraft II release date." There is a spoon, and it's after the break.

ESA Welcomes Game Pirate Jail Sentences

"These decisions illustrate, once again, that game piracy will not be tolerated and the extent at which these criminals will be prosecuted. The ESA and its members will continue to support law enforcement's efforts to protect the intellectual property of our industry," said Michael Gallagher, CEO of the ESA.

The red-handed duo, composed of one part Kevin Fuchs and another Kifah Maswadi, have been sentenced to eight and 15 months in prison, respectively. But before you rage indiscriminately about these acts, note that these pirates actually deserve to have cuffs dangling from their wrists.

Fuchs was a big-time "supplier" for other pirates, "reproducing and distributing copyrighted works." Meanwhile, Mawadi made over $390,000 from his slice of the scandal.

So don't light your custom-made anti-ESA torches just yet, but if your pitchforks are looking a little dull, some sharpening might be in order.

EA: Second-hand sales are a "critical situation"

"It's actually also a very interesting discussion to ask how much cannibalisation do you really have on second-hand sales?" Asked Jens Uwe Intat, senior VP and general manager for European publishing at EA.

"That's such a complex subject, we're not going to be overly confrontational, we're going to solve it with better, more interesting and online offering going forward - and that should actually solve the whole current dilemma."

Gamestop, I believe sh**t just got real.

Rush Hour Director Dreams of Guitar Hero Movie

"I would love to do a Guitar Hero movie, if Activision would ever let me," the director told MTV. I'm trying to convince them, but why would you have a movie screw up such a huge franchise?"

"Not that I would make a bad movie," he added. "It could be about a kid from a small town who dreams of being a rock star and he wins the Guitar Hero competition. One of these dreams-[come-true] kind of concepts."

I'm ok with this. Just don't let him near Rock Band.

New Full Albums Announced For Rock Band 2

Nope, no Beatles or Led Zep, but plenty of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Jane's Addiction, Megadeth, Stevie Ray Vaughn and No Doubt.

Sony's Choice: EyePet beat out Eight Days

Crazy cool-looking, totally interactive virtual pet, or a generic-looking, cardboard box-colored shooter? For Sony, it was akin to sacrificing one child to save another. Or speed up its birth. Or something.

Pearce on StarCraft II release date: “This year? Like, 2008? Too much work to do”

Any bets on when it will hit?

Gaming Roundup 8/20/08: Eye Candy

Nathan Grayson — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:08:02 -0500

Gaming, in at least one major way, imitates real life -- and I hate it. Year after year, the game release schedule ebbs and flows with the prototypical real life schedule, and the end result isn't pretty. Spring is simple enough; summer is a time for basking and vacationing. But winter and fall make up for summer with gusto. Papers flutter about as work and/or school top-off on the overwhelming meter, family members get traded amongst households for myriad holiday celebrations, and nothing ever goes according to plan.

Meanwhile, spring showers usually herald games that winter and fall somehow missed, summer deludes us into getting excited about games like Too Human, and fall/winter try to cram as many games as possible into what little free time we have left over thanks to, you know, life. And guess what: everyone's favorite part of the cycle kicks off yet again in only a couple of weeks.

So, my question: as a result of the so-called "most wonderful time of the year," what games do you most regret having missed out on? Are there any games you plan on sacrificing for the greater good this year?

Sadly, if today's Roundup is any indication, don't count on a dam for the annual game flood any time soon. Inside, you'll find a concrete release date for Fallout 3, the first details about the greatly enhanced PC edition of GTA IV, and tons of other news nuggets in between. Give it a read after the break.

GC 2008: Grand Theft Auto IV PC First Impressions

When GTA IV first hit the mean streets, laygamers and press alike scrambled to plant big sloppy kisses right on the game's tuckus. But as with every (highly disturbing) relationship, the honeymoon period could only last so long. Soon, the boisterous praises vanished -- replaced by criticisms of the game's story and gameplay. Now, given the chance to right GTA IV's wrongs, Rockstar isn't touching Niko's ridiculously discordant personality or his finicky sense of what's cover and what's not. Instead, they're adding a camera.

"They've also added a replay editor," reads the preview, "which allows you to view 30-second instant replays and then chop and edit them, add filters, and even combine them into a montage of clips to upload to a Web site of your choice, or to Rockstar's Social Club."

Best news out of Leipzig, in my opinion. Really. I'll take two!

ESA Appoints New, Piracy-Focused General Counsel

Kenneth Doroshow is his name, and he's here to take a bite out of piracy. His credentials include a position at the Recording Industry Association of America, where he of course battled music (sadly not "musical") pirates. More specifically, he headed-up lawsuits against some of the biggest names in illegal music, including LimeWire, Usenet, and AllofMP3.com.

Yeah, this guy knows his stuff.

With any luck, Doroshow will become the canines within the ESA's all-bark-and-no-bite set of pearly whites. And with how hard they seem to be banking on Doroshow, we can only hope he'll come through for them. Lord knows, they need something to swing in their favor.

Warhammer Online Not Crediting All Developers

"Over the years, we've had hundreds of people work on the game, and we thank everyone who helped us bring our Warhammer passion to life, but only current employees that have continued until the end will be credited in the final game," Mythic VP and general manager Mark Jacobs told Shacknews.

If you're so thankful, why can't you toss their names into a seldom-viewed credit screen? It really doesn't seem all that difficult.

And yet it is. Apparently, this a monster lurking in the shadows of the industry -- a huge issue that's rarely discussed. Check out the full article; it's enlightening stuff.

Fallout 3 Release Date Announced: October 28

October 28 in North America and three days later in Europe. According to Bethesda, the launch will be "one of the biggest launches of any game released this year,” falling smack-dab in the middle of all the other biggest launches this year.

First Heavy Rain Trailer and Screenshots Emerge

The graphics are so glorious that they deserve their own Bible, but even so, this showing leaves me cold. "Press X to not die!" should've accidentally pressed O a long time ago. But here we are, with a trailer whose "gameplay" is nothing more than a rapid-fire button-pressing minigame.

10 most unbelievable lines of dialogue from Too Human

Damn comedians.

California Bears ESA's Litigation Costs, Pays $282K

Pulkit Chandna — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:21:38 -0500

The state of California has paid $282,794 to the Entertainment Software Association as compensation for the attorney’s fees the latter incurred during the legal tussle between the two. Last year, a Federal court had quashed a controversial Californian anti-videogame legislation, deeming it unconstitutional. Soon after, ESA successfully claimed compensation from the state for the attorney’s fees it paid. ESA has now extracted $1.9 million in compensation for attorney’s fees from various states in similar First Amendment litigations.

The videogame trade body ridiculed Californian legislators, in a press release, for prodigally using taxpayer’s money for such preposterous litigations, especially at a time when the state is faced by a humungous $15 billion budget gap. The state of California is currently pursuing an appeal against the Federal court’s decision, and so, California might receive another hefty bill if its appeal fails.

Gaming Roundup 7/21/08: Super Sonic Sword-Fighting

Nathan Grayson — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:59:00 -0500

Pro: E3 was tons of fun. Con: It served little-to-no purpose. Sure, the California-based trade show presented journalists with a relaxed pace and a civil atmosphere, but the only thing it served up for lay-gamers was a heaping plate of disappointment. No big announcements, no mind-blowing demos, and only one or two cases of easy fodder for the Internet's flames. We can only hope the show will see a drastic revamp soon, because it's quickly circling the drain.

But let's not dwell on the recent past; today has provided us with plenty of interesting stories, including Peter Molyneux's MMO aspirations, another new Sonic game, and, er, Michael Pachter's damning comments towards E3. Ok, so maybe the past deserves one more quick peek into the rearview mirror.

Pachter: E3 is headed for extinction

“In our view, E3 is headed for extinction, unless the publishers and console manufacturers wake up to the fact that nobody cares about the show anymore,” said Pachter. "We believe that show is ill-timed, coming after most major holiday announcements are out, and landing during ‘quiet period’ for most of the companies."

Truer words have not been spoken by Pachter in the last five minutes. But the ESA's President, Mike Gallagher, seemed fairly complacent about this sad state of affairs at his keynote speech, so I'm not exactly brimming with sunshine and butterflies optimism at the moment.

So, how do you think the ESA should swoop in and save E3?

Peter Moore: "Every consumer will go online"

Moore believes that, eventually, all gaming-related commerce will be performed online, in the form of DLC. On one hand, it's a nice idea, insofar as it benefits publishers (no more physical media, retailer prices, or shipping costs), but a few large, locked doors stand in full-DLC's way, and I'm not sure if our industry possesses the correctly-colored key with which to open them.

After all, if brick-and-mortar retailers had looks, and if looks could kill, they'd be cutting down millions everytime the word "DLC" was mentioned. And even if Gamestop's empire falls, stores like Wal-Mart will always be around. Plus, out of curiosity, how many of you are hell-bent on owning physical media? Would you have a fit if optical media went the way of the FMV game?

Peter Molyneux considering MMO options

First MMO where your vicious, scarred avatar can be with child?

When asked about his thoughts have been on MMOs, Fable 2's ambitious creator said "Well, there's someone in this room to make sure that I don't say too much about that question. Then, when asked up front about whether or not he's considered what a Lionhead-developed MMO will be like, he simply answered "Yes."

Portal: Still Alive already available on PC

Cool in a "Hooray, we're superior" sense, but disappointing in the "So wait, is Glad0s actually still alive?" sense. Portal: Still Alive is simply a console port of levels from flash Portal that were recreated in real Portal earlier this year.

Mythos development halted

The denouement of our harrowing tale, and quite a disheartening one at that. Flagship's promising Diablo-alike looks to stay in its trademark dank, dark dungeons -- never to see the light of day.

Sega announces Sonic and the Black Knight for Wii

At least it's not a gun.

Gaming Roundup 6/30/08: Treyarch Attacks Gearbox, Blizzard Doesn't Much Care for Consoles

Nathan Grayson — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:07:48 -0500

Everyone, I have huge news! Diablo III was announced. With the Internet drooling and licking its chops in eager anticipation of Blizzard's latest devil-puncher, I figured you wouldn't be needing me today. However, gaming news moves with blinding speed, and there is life after Blizzard's Big Day. Thus, I've brought you all kinds of stories -- and only one or two of them are about Blizzard. Promise! Jump past the break to read all about it.

Blizzard's Sams: Microsoft Should Put More Emphasis On PC Gaming

As Sams points out, Microsoft is both a hardware and software developer, and stands to gain a pretty penny (thing is like a mirror!) from both sides of their business. However, their entertainment division, which houses the Xbox brand, only recently began to rake in more cash than it spattered out, whereas Windows is the most prominent OS in the world. Could the Xbox pull in more money than Windows sometime in the future? Possibly, but come on -- we're talking about Windows here. I have to side with Sams on this one.

Treyarch producer: Gearbox making 'a crappy war game'

Wow, where'd this come from? Sure, Treyarch is creating Call of Duty 5 with a renewed sense of determination, but guys, you don't buy an "I survived The Mega-Twister" T-Shirt until after you've lost your lunch on the ride. Gearbox has released two spectacular war games, and Treyarch has slapped-together a single mediocre one. Treyarch's wild bunch even went on to say that Brothers in Arms "isn't even in the same league" as COD5. Fightin' words? No, this means war.

Funcom: AoC is “undisputed #2 subscription MMO in the western world”

700,000 subscribers already. Does Blizzard have something to worry about? Probably not, but at least Conan has violently carved out a niche in the ever-expanding crowd that is the MMO market. It'll be interesting to see what happens when WoW: Wrath of the Lich King hits the shelves, though. Are Conan's mighty forces simply jaded WoW players? We'll find out sooner or later.

Minnesota pays $65,000 to ESA after game-related legal conflict

You know the drill: State wants law that's unconstitutional; ESA fights it and wins. The glittering prizes? Merely legal fees. Still though, I'd say this serves as a reminder of what the ESA does for the industry.

Rock Band 2 Announced

As if there was any doubt. Will Harmonix's new title have what it takes to combat Guitar Hero: World Tour? Ok then, what about Rock Revolution? Yes, that part was a joke.

No Starcraft 2 release in 2008

Yeah. Move along.

Gaming Roundup 6/25/08 Diablo III Confirmed -- No, for Real This Time, Microsoft's Glowing Comments About PC Gaming

Nathan Grayson — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:43:33 -0500

Welcome, one and all, to the brand new Maximum PC website. Lucky for you, we saved the best for last, and it should be coming right after this column. In the meantime, why not read about what happened in the world of gaming today? Read on to hear about Diablo III, Games For Windows, and which flying creatures are the most badass -- presented in the form of a simple chart.

Diablo 3 "Announced!"

Numerous sources around the industry are positively giddy, spewing the good gospels of Diablo III. The main message to take away from their back-alley sermons? Diablo III absolutely will be announced this weekend at Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational in Paris. Want even more proof? This morning, Blizzard's VP of Design, Rob Pardo, hinted at a new game announcement from Blizzard. And I think he's a reliable source considering that he'll be the one giving the Invitational's keynote address. So mark your calendars folks, because Diablo III is coming, for real this time.

Microsoft: "PC gaming has never been stronger."

Earlier today, Microsoft's John Schappert sent out an open letter to PC gamers, essentially pulling a "It's cool mom, we didn't throw a huge, curtains-shredding party while you were away on vacation." In other words, Schappert says PC gaming is better than ever, but I'm a tad skeptical. See, with the help of online distribution services like Steam, I do believe PC gaming is out and about, nowhere near its deathbed, but that's not what the big M harped on. No, Games For Windows is PC gaming's savior, and don't you forget it. In fact, if you have forgotten, just read Schappert's letter. He'll certainly convince you that GFW isn't a long-in-tooth Vista marketing scheme at all.

EA: Byron regulations may delay games for UK

UK gamers are used to outrageous delays, right? So what's one more? Essentially, a new set of game regulation laws might prevent UK games from launching on time thanks to a nice, sticky layer of red tape blocking their path. The good news is, if your game lacks sex, violence, or criminal activity, it'll probably get a free pass. But if you're slaving away on a pole-dancing, nuke-launching, jaywalking sim, your fans might be in for a wait.

Why Crave left the ESA

The plot thickens. Unlike the four other publishers who packed their bags and left the ESA teary-eyed on the shore, Crave departed because of the impending sale of their company. Any guesses on who's plunking down the cash?

Guitar Hero III set to Rock Your World... of Warcraft

"I am Murloc," a thrash-metal song by Blizzard's very own in-house band, is making its way to Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Words cannot describe my excitement.

The God of War Chart Of Flying-Creature Badass-ness

Click the link. We both know this is why you were reading the column in the first place.