Joystiq

Microsoft Flight is free as a bird on Feb. 29: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST

Microsoft clearly has no care for the silly paramaters we call "seasons," as its launching Microsoft Flight on February 29, bucking the original "spring" launch window. Microsoft Flight's official site will be hosting downloads of the free application starting that Wednesday -- no other distribution channels are named, but we suspect it'll also be up on Games for Windows Live's Marketplace as well.

That guess' accuracy is bolstered by the news that the "Hawaiian Adventure Pack" wil be made available as well on the 29th, coming in at $19.99. The pack is said to include the "remaining Hawaiian Islands, a new plane, and 20 new missions," should you have already exhausted your enjoyment of the other content, perhaps during the simulation's beta period. More details on the DLC can be found just after the break, including two additional planes, priced at $7.99 and $14.99 (for regular and "deluxe" models, respectively).

At this point, we were gonna make a flippant joke about Flight being little more than flying simulation, but then we thought about that Louis CK bit and started feeling all guilty. So, here we are. Either way, how about those DLC prices, eh? Madness!

Gallery: Microsoft Flight (Hawaiian Adventure Pack)

Continue reading Microsoft Flight is free as a bird on Feb. 29

Microsoft Flight is free as a bird on Feb. 29 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shoot Many Robots introduces squirrely, hot and gassy robots: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:45:00 EST

It's nice to know the names of the things you kill, and Demiurge wants you to have the most pleasant experience possible in its coming title, Shoot Many Robots. In the video above, meet Hot Rod, Hummer, Gasbag, Six-Pack and Dirt Screw. One of them "screws dirt." We'll let you deduce which one.

Shoot Many Robots introduces squirrely, hot and gassy robots originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Natural Selection 2 demonstrates Darwin's theory in new video: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

With the advent of antibiotics, platinum credit cards and thermal underwear, the purist's notion of natural selection remains a long-forgotten, useless ideal -- at least until the aliens attack. Sequel to a 2002 Half-Life mod, Natural Selection 2 will act as a survival-of-the-fittest simulation for both sides: Players will inhabit the bodies of aliens and Marines to see which traits will be passed on to the following generations. We're guessing large teeth and precise trigger fingers will make the cut, but not necessarily on the same species.

Natural Selection 2 is set to launch this summer, but those who pre-order will get early access via the beta on Steam.

Natural Selection 2 demonstrates Darwin's theory in new video originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corpse Party butters up iOS in Japan: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST

Corpse Party was a pleasant surprise on PSP -- well, "pleasant" in that it was a good game. There's nothing pleasant about being trapped in an inescapable nightmare dimension of malicious ghosts and dead children. And now it's moving to iOS, at least in Japan, where it will be even more convenient to access the game's unexpectedly disturbing imagery (and random asides about hemorrhoid cream).

Publisher 5pb will release a port of the PC98/PC/PSP game Corpse Party Blood Cover Repeated Fear this Thursday, on February 9. The app will sell for the terrifyingly steep price of 2,200 yen ($29). We're inquiring with American publisher XSEED about a localized (hopefully cheaper) release.

Corpse Party butters up iOS in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGF 2012 Audience Award voting now open: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

Despite being into awards shows before they were cool, we're hoping you're not above voting for this year's Independent Game Festival "Audience Award." Voting has just kicked off for 2012's entrants, which comprise all finalist games across all IGF 2012 categories (yes, the list once again includes Fez).

Should you choose to cast your favor towards any particular game, you'll want to head to this particularly yellow form and fill things out before February 19. Once you've done as much, we're told a verification email will come through to make sure you're not an evil robot. If you are, in fact, not an evil robot, things should go swimmingly.

IGF 2012 Audience Award voting now open originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alan Wake's American Nightmare illuminated in latest dev diary: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST

When Alan Wake makes his second appearance on the Xbox 360 this year in Alan Wake's American Nightmare, he's bringing more than just his flair for writing and a new set of clothes to the fight. He'll have ... umm ... a nail gun, too!

Continue reading Alan Wake's American Nightmare illuminated in latest dev diary

Alan Wake's American Nightmare illuminated in latest dev diary originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hawken brings pretty multiplayer mech battles to the web Dec. 12: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST

We're sure you watched thousands of YouTube videos last year, but we bet only a handful featured flying robots with guns, and just one of those was an explosive multiplayer mech battle built on Unreal Engine 3 -- yeah, that one, right up there. Hawken, the breakout title from indie studio Adhesive Games, is scheduled to launch on Dec. 12, published by Meteor Entertainment.

Hawken will be web-based, free-to-play and feature fast-paced action in short bursts, styled after Call of Duty multiplayer, Adhesive co-founder Khang Le said. Players in Hawken will battle for survival and resources inside flying, rocket-equipped mechs in various regions of a barren industrial wasteland (or heaven, as we call it). Hawken is multiplayer only and will play in a session-based format similar to League of Legends, Le said.

For a further glimpse at Hawken's universe, hit up the video after the break, which displays desert gameplay. If that intrigues you, sign up for the closed beta right here -- get three friends (enemies, strangers) to enlist and guarantee your spot.

Continue reading Hawken brings pretty multiplayer mech battles to the web Dec. 12

Hawken brings pretty multiplayer mech battles to the web Dec. 12 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple removes dozens of clone games from App Store: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST

Apple has removed 59 copycat games from its App Store, including Temple Run lookalike Temple Jump, Words with Friends contender Numbers with Friends, Angry Birds clones Tiny Birds and Angry Ninja Birds, and the self explanatory Plant vs. Zombie. All of the offending clones were developed by Anton Sinelnikov.

Temple Jump, specifically, had achieved incredible success on the App Store, surpassing its source material to reach the number 1 spot on the paid Apps list. "This was really upsetting to us and damaging to our brand, because we work really hard to put out very high quality polished games and win the love of our fans," said Natalia Luckyanova, co-founder of Temple Run dev Imangi, during an interview with Gamasutra. "We don't want them to think that we would put out crap to steal a dollar from them."

This App Store raid comes roughly one week after Triple Town developer Spry Fox sued 6Waves LOLAPPS over Yeti Town, another aggressively similar iOS title. We like to imagine Apple Store employees rappelling from the ceiling of a dank, filthy warehouse, shooting iPod Nanos out of high-powered slingshots with extreme prejudice.

Apple removes dozens of clone games from App Store originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cave mercifully provides Dodonpachi Blissful Death on iOS this week: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

We'll be transparent about this: we had to look up the difference between Dodonpachi Blissful Death, the new iOS game announced by shmup developer Cave, and current App Store release Dodonpachi Resurrection. How embarrassing.

It turns out that Blissful Death (known in Japan as Dodonpachi Daioujou) is the direct predecessor to Resurrection, first released in 2002. Cave is bringing the classic bullet-hell shooter to iPhone 4 and above this Thursday, February 9, at a price lower than Cave tends to charge for its iOS releases: $4.99. It comes with multiple difficulty modes, for those of us prone to involuntary phone-smashes.

Cave mercifully provides Dodonpachi Blissful Death on iOS this week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Celebrate Valentine's Day alone with new Gal Gun demo: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST

Do you have the following three items: 1) a Japanese PSN account, 2) a PlayStation Move, and 3) a complete lack of shame (or roommates)? If you meet all three conditions, a special "Valentines Day Demo" of the pheromone shooter Gal Gun awaits you on February 14. Take advantage of the PS3's region free gameplay and easy downloading of import demos! You know, if that's your thing.

First, we suggest seeing if you can get all the way through the new trailer for the self-identified "baka-ge" ("stupid game") without dying of embarrassment.

Celebrate Valentine's Day alone with new Gal Gun demo originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TIGA: 71% of UK startups focused on digital distribution: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST

Digital distribution is the future in the UK -- for the sake of a lot of jobs, it had better be. UK game industry trade organization TIGA issued a new census report today, revealing a heavy focus on downloadable or social games.

71% of UK game company startups between 2008 and 2011 are "focused exclusively on network gaming," the report indicates. Taking all of the UK industry in consideration (not just new companies), 67% work on digitally distributed games.

"For too long developers have laboured under the traditional 'give your IP away, never see royalties' model," said TIGA Self-Publishing Committee Patrick O'Luanaigh. "So TIGA strongly supports the trend towards online gaming and self-publishing. Online gaming can deliver greater company stability and revenue sustainability for studios. This is because studios can circumvent traditional publisher business models and build relationships directly with customers. Network gaming businesses can create original games, retain their IP and attain greater financial stability."

We suspect this boost in digital gaming involves two major factors: the rise of iOS and Android games, and the end of large UK game companies like Bizarre Creations.

Continue reading TIGA: 71% of UK startups focused on digital distribution

TIGA: 71% of UK startups focused on digital distribution originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't call it a remake: Final Fantasy X is a 'remaster,' to be clear: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST

While regaling Chinese Final Fantasy fans with tales of upcoming downloadable content headed to Final Fantasy XIII-2 during the Taipei Game Show, Square Enix producer Shinji Hashimoto also took time to answer fan questions about various FF projects. One such question directed at Hashimoto wondered if the upcoming PlayStation 3 and Vita re-rerelease of Final Fantasy X would be a "remake" (like the recent re-release of Halo: Combat Evolved) or a "remaster" (like last fall's Ico/Shadow of the Colossus collection).

Hashimoto left little space for interpretation of his answer, directly stating it is a "remaster." He also pointed out that "the screen is much prettier than the original," though we're unable to corroborate that just yet as the game hasn't even been mentioned since its announcement last fall at Tokyo Game Show 2011, let alone shown.

We've followed up with Square's US reps to see when we might hear more about the upcoming Vita and PS3 remaster, but aren't holding our breath for new info.

[Image credit: GNN.Gamer.tw]

Don't call it a remake: Final Fantasy X is a 'remaster,' to be clear originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dungeon Defenders hits a million paid downloads: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST

The old jokes are the best.

Surprise hit Dungeon Defenders has sold a million units across Xbox Live, PSN and Steam, the game's publisher told us in a recent interview. The well-received co-op tower defense action game launched on October 19, 2011, and has kept a steady sales beat going on Steam with deep discounts and consistent support.

"It is tremendously successful franchise," Reverb Publishing CEO Doug Kennedy said. "We have lots of plans to support it both with DLC and additional add-ons for the franchise."

There are still three more packs planned across all platforms in addition to "The Lost Eternia Shards: Mistymire Forest" DLC. On Steam, there is also the current and future Holiday DLC, the New Heroes Pack, the Barbarian character, Assault Mission Pack, Nightmare Mode and more, which will not make its way to consoles. due to "technical and business" concerns.

Dungeon Defenders hits a million paid downloads originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Naughty Dog considered new Jak & Daxter game, but decided on The Last of Us: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:30:00 EST

Before deciding on the post-apocalyptic survival adventure The Last of Us, Naughty Dog considered putting its team to work on a game starring a more familiar duo: Jak & Daxter. According to a Game Informer interview (quoted by VG247), Naughty Dog looked into a new Jak & Daxter game on PS3. "I don't know if this is going to make [fans] happy or sad," but we did explore the idea fairly extensively," company co-president Evan Wells said. "Something that we talked about early on was, 'Lets go back and apply what we've learned with the Uncharted games to Jak & Daxter.'"

Wells and the team realized, however, that an experimental Jak game wouldn't satisfy the fans, and working on a game like its predecessors wouldn't satisfy Naughty Dog. "We would end up limiting the direction that the company had this passion for while simultaneously not creating the game that fans wanted," he said. "We just realised we were going to just do everybody a disservice. So at that point, the conversations started to move in a new direction."

Wells suggested the possibility that the Uncharted team could work on the series. "I guess there's a possibility the Uncharted team could move on to Jak & Daxter. "It's still up in the air, but I wouldn't think that's going to happen because I think we'd run into all of the same problems with that team that we did with this team."

Naughty Dog considered new Jak & Daxter game, but decided on The Last of Us originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sanctum 2 defends PC, consoles in 2013: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

Sanctum 2, the sequel to Coffee Stain Studios' hybrid tower defense and first-person co-op shooter, is expected to launch sometime next year Joystiq can exclusively reveal. The first Sanctum, which has sold over 300,000 units on Steam, was a PC-exclusive title. The sequel is planned for PC and "digital console platforms," with Xbox Live and PSN specifically mentioned.

"Sanctum has been a huge success on Steam for Coffee Stain Studios, and bringing the next version to console players as well as the PC market is a great next step to share this unique experience," said Ted Lange, executive producer for Reverb Publishing. "We all have logged quite a few hours with Sanctum and can definitively say that what Coffee Stain has in store for Sanctum 2 will blow the minds of Sanctum fans and new gamers alike."

Beyond revealing the title to us, along with a release year, details are still tight on Sanctum 2. Doug Kennedy, CEO of Reverb Publishing, told us, "The team is diligently working to get the title ready."

Update: After receiving updated information, altered 2012 launch window to 2013.

Update 2: Sanctum is $3.39 on Steam today.

Sanctum 2 defends PC, consoles in 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII-2, Metal Gear Collection debut atop UK charts: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST

Three new titles entered Chart-Track's UK sales top ten last week, led by Final Fantasy XIII-2. Sneaking the silver was the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, which includes MGS2: Sons of Liberty (2002), MGS3: Snake Eater (2005) and MGS: Peacewalker (2010). Rounding out the top three is Battlefield 3, up two spots, as FIFA 12 slides from first to fourth.

Another new addition to the top ten, SoulCalibur 5, premieres in fifth. Chart-Track notes that the prior SoulCalibur debuted in the top spot back in August of 2008.

The solid debut last week of 3DS action horror title Resident Evil: Revelations finds the game retreating from sixth to 19 on the latest chart. Wander past the break for the UK top ten.

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIII-2, Metal Gear Collection debut atop UK charts

Final Fantasy XIII-2, Metal Gear Collection debut atop UK charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayStation Vita's Feb. 8 update adds video capture, OS X support, GPS tracking: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

PlayStation Vita firmware version 1.60 is set to drop on February 8 (as least in Japan), and it'll bring several major features when it arrives. Among those features are standards like GPS tracking via a newly added Maps application, the ability to capture video, and the release of a support application for Mac OS X. It can also now serve mixed vanilla/chocolate froyo swirl. Finally!

Additionally, the update will banish mentions of the the phrase "PlayStation Network" from various services and replace it with the newly renamed "Sony Entertainment Network" branding. Considering that the PSP is still supported by Sony but has yet to receive any form of Mac support for content management, we're gonna go ahead and call this a big step forward.

PlayStation Vita's Feb. 8 update adds video capture, OS X support, GPS tracking originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese hardware sales, January 23 - 29: Crystal ball edition: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:30:00 EST

By now, Super Bowl XLVI has finished and the victor has emerged victorious, their glimmering rings reflecting a light of shame into the hearts and souls of the defeated. This article was written much earlier in the day, however, so I'm going to use this as an opportunity to flex my fortune telling muscle and predict the outcome. You have my absolute word that this post will not be altered or edited in any way prior to it being posted.

If I'm right, you owe me 50 bucks. If I'm wrong, and frankly when has that ever happened, I'll record an acoustic cover version of any song the commenters decide on, and post it as next week's hardware sales post. Ready?

Based on the fact that Venus is in Pisces until February 8 and Mercury won't be in retrograde for another 35 days, I'm going to call the NY Giants as tonight's winners.

Continue reading Japanese hardware sales, January 23 - 29: Crystal ball edition

Japanese hardware sales, January 23 - 29: Crystal ball edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shank 2 video schools us all on survival: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:30:00 EST

In Shank 2's Survival mode, you may think staying alive is simply slicing and/or shooting dudes before they slice and/or shoot you. Turns out, it's not that simple.

Shank 2 video schools us all on survival originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You should get The Cat That Got The Milk: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST

One of our goals here at Joystiq is to notify you as soon as we possibly can about awesome things. It's something we've been doing for quite some time and now we've got something new and neat to inform you about: The Cat That Got The Milk.

No, we're not talking about that junkyard cat you're certain stole that half gallon of milk from your fridge (how would it carry the container?) but a new indie game that lasts around 10 to 15 minutes. And the best part is it's free -- all you have to do is go over to the website and download it for OSX or Windows.

As you can see in the video above, it's all quite simple: you use the up and down arrows to navigate a beautiful and abstract world that's meant to show us what cats see every day. Also, cats are apparently, like, high all of the damn time. Catnip must be a helluva drug!

You should get The Cat That Got The Milk originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Witcher 2 on Xbox 360 dev diary talks engine changes, new content: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST

The Witcher 2's Xbox 360 conversion is more than your run-of-the-mill port, at least according to the first episode of CD Projekt Red's development diary, where executive producer John Mamais and crew discuss the changes and additions being made to the game's engine and storyline.

The Witcher 2 on Xbox 360 dev diary talks engine changes, new content originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phantom Breaker gets a new website, trailer and arcade stick giveaway: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST

With all the hubbub lately over SoulCalibur 5's recent release and the impending punches contained within next month's Street Fighter X Tekken, its easy to lose track of more obsure upcoming releases like Phantom Breaker. The 360 exclusive fighter, developed by 5pb of Japan and localized for North American audiences by 7sixty, now has an English website and a new trailer to go with it, as seen above.

7sixty is also giving away two limited edition Phantom Breaker-themed Fusion Sapphire arcade sticks from boutique custom shop eightarc. Considering that only those deeply mired in the intricacies of the fighting game community know of eightarc's existence, this contest at least shows that 7sixty knows how to do its homework, if nothing else. You can enter for your chance to win either on the game's official site, or at its Facebook page.

Phantom Breaker gets a new website, trailer and arcade stick giveaway originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tomoyuki Tsuboi is Konami's new president: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST

Konami Digital Entertainment has made 14 year company veteran Tomoyuki Tsuboi its newest president. Tsuboi, who comes from a global business planning background within the company, replaces Shinji Hirano, who is now president of Konami's European branch, Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. Tsuboi will "look to grow the business and institute strategies" around the publisher's marquee franchises, such as Metal Gear and Silent Hill, which we're pretty sure means "use our recognizable IPs to make boat loads of cash" in business speak.

Technically speaking, Tsuboi now mans the helm at Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., which is not to be confused with Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd., a division of the publisher's Japanese branch (Konami Corporation), which also includes baby-stroller manufacturer Combi Wellness Corporation and valve/pump/fittings manufacturer Takasago Electric Industry Co., Ltd..

Continue reading Tomoyuki Tsuboi is Konami's new president

Tomoyuki Tsuboi is Konami's new president originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qanba introduces line of ambidextrous arcade sticks: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

The raging battle between Southpaws and Righties wages ever onward, with each side continuing to produce products for their own kind in an attempt to eventually convert the global population to their way of doing things. Some companies, however, are trying to create peace between the warring factions by introducing products that either side can use.

Take Qanba, for instance: The Chinese arcade stick manufacturer has announced a new line of ambidextrous sticks that can be flipped and reversed with the flick of a switch. Launching sometime next month, the "Q2-PRO Battle of Wits" can be oriented with the stick on the left or on the right, depending on how you were raised, and will be available in PS3/PC, 360/PC and PS3/360/PC flavors. No pricing information is available as of yet, but can you really put a price on world peace?

Qanba introduces line of ambidextrous arcade sticks originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 summons your wallet on Feb. 28: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST

The above trailer for Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 not only shows off the title's battle system, character interaction mechanics, "master demon fusion" system and demon auctions, but it also reveals the game's North American release date: February 28.

Set in an alternate dimension from the first Devil Survivor, Devil Survivor 2 concerns a group of Japanese high-school students who must use their newly discovered "Devil Messenger" abilities to summon demons and rid Japan of the "Septentrion," a group of creatures who also have the ability to summon demons.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 summons your wallet on Feb. 28 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skullgirls reimagines anatomy in its story mode: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

This trailer introduces the story mode for the downloadable fighter Skullgirls -- and introduces some striking pieces of poster artwork at the same time. Each of the combatants has been cursed by the "Skull Heart," a wish-granting artifact. We're now left wondering if this is a heart shaped like a skull, or a heart that resides inside a skull, or just, like, the middle of a skull.

A dev diary on the PlayStation Blog lays out this and the other modes found within the game, and also teases the inclusion of four exclusive Trophies in the PS3 version.

Skullgirls reimagines anatomy in its story mode originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gface, Crytek-backed streaming game network, goes into beta: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST

No longer content with making incredibly technologically advanced games, Crytek is going after the casual space with a browser-based, social gaming platform called Gface (so that's what that trademark was for!), developed and maintained by an affiliate, also called Gface.

Gface is sort of like a game-focused Facebook: a cross-platform social network designed to facilitate playing casual or hardcore, 2D or 3D games with people, and finding more people to play with. Games are delivered through a plugin based on the "Seed Engine," enabling installation-free, streaming gameplay.

If you're interested in checking out Gface, the company is hosting signups for a closed beta. Maybe if you get in, you can find out what the games are!

Gface, Crytek-backed streaming game network, goes into beta originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is giving you some serious advice: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:30:00 EST

So, Resident Evil: Revelations is shipping with a pretty hilarious spelling error, and Capcom is offering to send a replacement insert to people who receive the misprinted box. For the love of God, don't take them up on that offer. Or if you do, hang on to that defective insert for dear life. This is the kind of thing that, in 15 or 20 years, will be going for thousands of dollars on the collector market.

If "quickly corrected printing error" and "fairly limited production run" don't sound like the bank-account infusing ding of a 1950s cash register, I don't know what does. While you're frantically calling your local game shop to see if they have any in stock, take a look at our favorite webcomics from last week, and vote for your favorites after the break.

Dream Land Mix (Brawl in the Family)
The Creative Spark (Penny Arcade)
Moral Victories (GameOver Nation)
Wardrobe Malfunction (Awkward Zombie)
Keptocalypse (Hejibits)
Overwear (Nerf Now!!)
Call of Booty (Dueling Analogs)

Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is giving you some serious advice

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is giving you some serious advice originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prepare yourself for Sonic Boom 2012 at SDCC: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:30:00 EST

The House of Blues in San Diego will play host to Sonic Boom 2012 on Friday, July 13, during the San Diego Comic Con. Comic Con badges will not be required to enter the event, although what the event actually is still remains completely unknown, save for the fact that Sega's ultimate goal is to "make it a great time for Sonic fans of all ages." Last year's Sonic Boom centered mostly on Sonic Generations, prize giveaways and a musical performance by Crush 40, the greatest band in the world.

If we had to guess, we'd figure that this year's Sonic Boom will focus mostly on Sonic 4: Episode 2, since that's the only pressing Sonic release on our immediate horizon. We'll be keeping our collective ear to the ground for more ~~Crush 40 live show~~ Sonic Boom 2012 news as it develops.

Prepare yourself for Sonic Boom 2012 at SDCC originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition now on Games on Demand: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:30:00 EST

Pugilists with a penchant for downloads will be delighted to hear that Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition has been added to Xbox Live's Games on Demand list. No longer are you forced to download that ordinary, boring Street Fighter IV -- a Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition download will set you back $29.99.

Now, before you go rushing to download this, we'd be remiss if we didn't point out that you could buy a physical copy of Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition for $19.99, a whole $10 off the price to download.

Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition now on Games on Demand originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: PSN accounts changing to Sony Entertainment Network accounts Feb. 8: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST

As part of Sony's efforts to phase out the Qriocity brand and replace it with the all-encompassing Sony Entertainment Network, Sony will be phasing out the term "PlayStation Network account" and will instead be using "Sony Entertainment Network account," beginning next Wednesday, February 8.

The change, however, is purely cosmetic. Your account will still function in an identical fashion and it will not be necessary to change your username or password; the PSN itself remains unaltered.

"The goal is for there to be one networked log-in for all Sony services," a Sony spokesperson told us after news of the switch made its way to neoGAF. "Changing the name 'PlayStation Network account' to 'Sony Entertainment Network account' helps clarify the unity between PSN and other Sony Entertainment Network services." The change does not apply to the PSP, so users will still see "PlayStation Network account" when logging on with that device.

PSA: PSN accounts changing to Sony Entertainment Network accounts Feb. 8 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends announced by Atari: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST

Atari has announced a new version of Test Drive, but instead of the open-world, tropical setting of the two Unlimited iterations, this time the franchise is headed back to the race track. Test Drive Ferrari Racing Legends will focus on Ferrari's history across almost all of the racing disciplines, including Formula One, rally racing, and GT. There will be over 50 different Ferrari vehicles to drive, and each will show off full realistic interior and exterior models, as well as damage effects, which means Atari didn't skimp on the Ferrari licensing budget.

The game should be out for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC later on this spring. Too bad the company didn't stick with the more fantasy-based version of the Test Drive series, this time based exclusively on night drives in Africa; They could have named the game the Starry Atari Ferrari Safari. Don't like that joke? Sorry.

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends announced by Atari originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBL getting Crackle, CinemaNow apps: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST

If Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus and the Zune marketplace haven't been enough to satiate your unquenchable thirst for all things cinematic, perhaps two more apps will help quell the raging torrent in your soul. Crackle, a free service, has a somewhat limited and eccentric selection of movies and television shows to choose from, although they do have a rather impressive selection of classic anime like Ah! My Goddess and Galaxy Express 999.

Best Buy's CinemaNow ecosystem has more new releases to choose from, but its services require cash money. It's unclear whether all of the content on these two services will be available through the respective apps, or if some content will be restricted, like the YouTube and Hulu Plus apps. If our calculations are correct, Xbox Live only needs 2 more movie apps and 4 more internet radio apps before it becomes self aware.

XBL getting Crackle, CinemaNow apps originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brand swings on to Xbox Live Indie Games: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST

Brand caught our eye all the way back in August of last year, and we've just gotten word that the game is available now on Xbox Live Indie Games, yours for the low price of just 240 Microsoft points ($3). You can see a release trailer above, and all of those swords you see in there are custom-made, because the game allows you to create your own.

We're also told that you can play as your own Xbox Live avatar, and that there's about five hours of nonlinear exploration gameplay across three big areas. Looks good -- if you give it a download, let us know what you think.

Brand swings on to Xbox Live Indie Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Outernauts' trademarked by Insomniac, could be part of EA Partners deal: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST

The wily gentlemen at NeoGAF have spotted a copyright registration by Insomniac Games for something called Outernauts, supposedly a new game the developer is working on. If you thought the company was already working on "O-something," you're also right: Overstrike was announced at last year's E3. But Outernauts is new, and Insomniac has also registered "outernauts-game.com," and "outernauts-game.net," so the game, as they say, is afoot.

There's more, too: A Google search for the recently unburied title revealed a wiki page that was apparently meant for EA Partners marketing planning, and revealed both Overstrike and Outernauts, along with "Respawn" (probably the new project from the studio of the same name), The Secret World (which EA is publishing with Funcom) and "Populous," which might be a new version of that old strategy series. And as if all of that isn't enough, the wiki page was created by one "pmarineau," which matches up to Phil Marineau, who happens to be EA's director of marketing.

Whew! Did we mention that the NeoGAF folks were wily? We've contacted Insomniac for comment on this one, but it's unlikely they'll confirm at this point. We'll probably just have to wait for the official Outernauts announcement to know what it's all about.

'Outernauts' trademarked by Insomniac, could be part of EA Partners deal originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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M. Bison, Xiaoyu, Akuma, Jin and Ogre confirmed for SFxT: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST

Street Fighter X Tekken's character roster has had more leaks than a Civil War-era submarine; this time, the unannounced character details come courtesy of a move list card deck included in a Taiwanese collector's edition of the game, which happens to include cards for five unannounced characters: M. Bison, Xiaoyu, Akuma, Jin and Ogre.

M. Bison and Xiaoyu were leaked once already, but this is the first we've heard of Akume, Jin or Ogre's inclusion in the game. This collector's edition also includes a 46 track soundtrack and a Yoshinori Ono bobble-head figurine (!!), so we're desperately hoping that the US will get a similar package.

M. Bison, Xiaoyu, Akuma, Jin and Ogre confirmed for SFxT originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space (and other) Quests half off on GOG this weekend: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST

If you grew up on the LucasArts side of the adventure game turf wars, you missed out on some really wonderful Sierra stuff -- specifically, the Space Quest series; a consistently funny, wonderfully designed set of sci-fi adventure games.

GOG just happens to have them on sale this weekend for 50% off, so you can get the entire series for ten bucks. Other Sierra adventure game packs are marked down too, including King's Quest and Police Quest. Those are fine, but they lack a certain something. There are no pet facehuggers, for example.

Space (and other) Quests half off on GOG this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arkham Asylum action figures coming to Japan: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST

Not to be confused with the upcoming line of DC figures based on the Caped Crusader's escapades through Gotham and its related institutions, these new figures from Square Enix recreate Batman: Arkham Asylum's Harley Quinn, who happens to come with her own little Scarface, as well as a new armored Batman variant.

Each toy comes with interchangeable hands and accessories and will be available in Japan this May for ¥5,800, or about $76.

Gallery: Batman: Arkham Aslyum (Square Enix Figures 2)

Arkham Asylum action figures coming to Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ partners with Innovative Leisure for digital and mobile: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST

You gotta hand it to THQ, despite posting a $56 million loss last quarter, the publisher is still willing to take a risk on bringing a fresh-faced developer into the fold. Of course, when you take into account that said developer is staffed by a who's who list of classic game designers, the proposition sounds less risky.

Innovative Leisure, the brand-new developer in question, touts Seamus Blackley, Ed Logg, Ed Rotberg, Rich Adam and others among its ranks. If those names sound slightly familiar, it's for a good reason: Blackley co-wrote the original Xbox proposal and helped shepherd the product into existence. Meanwhile, Logg was responsible for Asteroids, Centipede and Gauntlet, while Rotberg and Adam were responsible for Battlezone and Missile Command, respectively.

The studio will focus on creating titles for mobile, downloadable and social platforms; THQ is applying Innovative Leisure's extensive collective experience in design-driven experiences to produce accessible titles that work well in small doses. Here's hoping for a Saints Row-themed Missile Command clone for iOS and Android.

THQ partners with Innovative Leisure for digital and mobile originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: XBLA prices rising (slowly), Summer of Arcade review scores dropping: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:01:00 EST

XBLA Fans has done an exhaustive analysis of Xbox Live Arcade sales, Metacritic scores, and trends over the past few years in a four-part writeup. The most interesting finding in the article, in our estimation, is how the perception of rising prices squares with reality. Yes, there are more 1200 point ($15) games being released on the service as compared to previous years, but there are more 800 point ($10) games coming out as well, and there are more of those than $15 games. The average is rising overall, but it hasn't yet reached the 1200 point mark, even if that price is being assigned to some of the more high profile (and high quality) games on the service.

The quality of the Summer of Arcade, on the other hand, is dropping overall, according to the average price and Metacritic score. In 2008, the first year the promotion existed, the games had an average Metacritic score of 84.8, with an average price of 960 points. This past year, however, the Metacritic score dropped to 78.8 (which still isn't too bad), but the average price was at 1120. This is purely mathematical, remember: The games are probably more complex these days, which allows Microsoft to set a higher price, and reviews on any site are subjective.

Finally, XBLA Fans found 73% of titles on XBLA have gone on sale within their first year, though many of the games on XBLA were only on sale for a day or so. That means that patient XBLA buyers can save a lot of money, if they pay attention and move quickly. There are a few other interesting conclusions in the analysis as a whole, and lots of insight on how Microsoft's Arcade has developed over the past few years.

Report: XBLA prices rising (slowly), Summer of Arcade review scores dropping originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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