Dungeons ... a screenshot from Diablo III, unveiled at game developer
Blizzard's Worldwide International event in Paris / IGN
(news.com.au) -- THE third instalment of the popular Diablo game series has been announced by video game development studio Blizzard Entertainment.
11,000 passionate fans watched the first demonstration of Diablo III at Blizzard's two day Worldwide Invitational event in Paris.
The studio, part of Vivendi Games, is well known for its game World of Warcraft, which now has over 10 million subscribers to its online world. Blizzard is also behind Starcraft – one of the most popular videogames for competitive play, even ten years after its original release.
Diablo III comes almost eight years after Diablo II was released in 2000. The new role-playing game (RPG) will see players cut a swathe of bloody destruction across a dark fantasy world teeming with evil.
Whether playing alone or with friends, the game promises plenty of replay value thanks to a heavy emphasis on randomly generated content, and a choice of five distinct character archetypes.
It also benefits from a heavily stylised visual design, giving its world a rich, painted aesthetic - the perfect backdrop to visceral, intense action.
The Worldwide Invitational, however, was about much more than just Diablo III.
The event was a chance for fans to get exclusive inside access to upcoming Blizzard games and to hear from members of the studio.
The hugely anticipated titles Starcraft II and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King were both available to play for members of the public, with around 500 PCs set up in the venue.
A number of panels discussed aspects of Blizzard's upcoming games in detail, giving members of the public an inside look at the process of making games, as well as a chance to ask questions.
The event also hosted several fiercely contested competitive tournaments. Teams from around the world flew in to compete for $100,000 in prizes across Starcraft, World of Warcraft and Warcraft III.
The tournaments were slick, professional and incredibly popular. They bore more than a passing resemblance to more traditional sporting contest - players competed in front of thousands of passionate fans while commentators followed the action and every detail was shown on massive screens.
In parts of Asia – South Korea in particular – "e-sports" are firmly entrenched as popular entertainment, while they are steadily gaining popularity in the West.
Starcraft is often dubbed the "national sport of South Korea", with tournaments regularly broadcast on television and the best pro players treated as legitimate sports stars.
Blizzard is one of many companies betting that competitive gaming will gain a similar status worldwide. It will probably continue to be a slow process, as the action can be nigh on incomprehensible for those not familiar with the games, but as the number of players continue to rise, the level of interest in watching the best of the best will too.
Regardless, events like the Worldwide Invitational play an important role in promoting the broader acceptance of video games as a powerful form of entertainment.
The sheer scale, excitement and passion of the fans was infectious, and sent a clear message: that video games are here to stay.
01 July 2008
Blizzard gives sneak peak of Diablo III
Blizzard calls for Microsoft to promote PC gaming
(gamesindustry.biz) -- Blizzard's chief operating officer Paul Sams has joined in calls for Microsoft to "put more emphasis on the Windows operating system" as a gaming platform.
Speaking to Gamasutra, Sams described how he felt Microsoft was focusing on the Xbox 360 as its primary gaming system to the neglect of the PC.
"Their gaming focus is very much on the [Xbox] 360. And that makes sense, cause they're a hardware manufacturer as well as a software developer. And so they've got a lot of money and investment tied up in that system," explained Sams.
"And I kind of look at it and say to myself that it would be great if they put more emphasis on the Windows operating system, certainly probably the most prominent operating system in the world. Even more so than console boxes."
"And they own and operate that system, so having them put more energy and effort against it - and they would say that they are, but I think that there's more that can be done," Sams added.
Meanwhile Microsoft's Peter Zetterberg, the business development manager for MGS Europe, told GamesIndustry.biz that the company would contine to support different release dates for Xbox 360 and PC titles as the PC versions would take away a significant portion of console sales.
18 June 2008
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games100M Gameplay From SEGA
SEGA releases a 100M event gameplay footage from Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Coming to PS3, Xbox 360 and PCs.
10 June 2008
Call of Duty 5 sees World at War
(gamespot) -- It's had its Finest Hour, there's been a Big Red One, and most recently, the series has waged Modern Warfare. Now, the latest Call of Duty game will see the World at War, reports the UK's Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine.
Confirming rumors, the game formerly known as Call of Duty 5 will indeed return to World War II, setting of all pre-Call of Duty 4 games. Developed by Treyarch--not series creator Infinity Ward--the game will portray US Marines fighting the Imperial Japanese in the Pacific. There will also be a "major chapter" in the game focusing on the invasion of Germany by the Soviet Union's Red Army.
Treyarch president Mark Lamir told the magazine, "The direction for the team was to make the best game they could, and as they were doing this they created a grittiness that quite frankly made some people very uncomfortable...This is a scarier Call of Duty than we've ever seen."
When asked about the decision to include graphic violence in the game, creative lead Rich Farrelly said, "It's not just gore and violence for its own sake, but reflects what veterans have told us and the actual history."
One of the levels described in the magazine--called "Maken Raid"--features the torture of an Allied prisoner of war, who then has his throat slit by katana. The brutal scene is watched by the player's character, who is rescued by US Marines much like the real-life Raid at Cabanatuan in 1945.
Based on the Call of Duty 4 engine, Call of Duty: World at War will include more destructible environments than prior games in the series. It will also allow players to swim underwater, as well as use Japanese machine guns and flamethrowers with "propagating fire" burning jungle scenery--and enemies--in realistic fashion.
As for multiplayer, the 360 version will sport a four-player co-op mode which can be played with four consoles over Xbox Live, or two consoles each using split-screen. The co-op campaign will be very similar to the single-player campaign, with gamers constantly accumulating points which can be used to unlock perks. Its multiplayer mode will feature vehicles and squad-based elements.
As revealed by Activision last month, Call of Duty: World at War is in development for the PC, 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, and PlayStation 2. The game will ship during Activision's current fiscal year, with almost all prior Call of Duty games being released in the holiday quarter. Treyarch is also currently developing the new James Bond game, Quantum of Solace, using the Call of Duty 4 engine.
"Consoles don't threaten PC gaming"
(eurogamer) -- NVIDIA boss Roy Taylor believes the value of consoles means no-one will make PC-exclusive games any more.
Speaking exclusively to Eurogamer, he said he wasn't threatened by the machines from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo; instead he sees an "exciting future" of co-existence.
"I think we have to face the facts - the value of consoles is such that no-one is going to make a PC-exclusive game in the future. Why would they? Why would they ignore consoles?" said Taylor.
"That said, PC gaming is changing - and consoles don't threaten PC gaming. They're just different. Adapting to that and understanding that is what I think is really, really important.
"Most PC gamers also own consoles - not all of them, but a lot of them. What we're seeing happen is that, yes, people are developing for Xbox 360, for PS3 - but they're also developing for PC," he added.
The reason Taylor is excited is that PC versions of games, which he says are generally "better", use console code as a baseline, and the better the baseline then the better the desktop conversion.
"The console is now a baseline. If you look at Gears of War or Assassin's Creed, they came out on console and they were great experiences - but the PC versions had additional aspects to them that also made them attractive, whether you owned the console version or not," continued Taylor.
"The PC version was better. That's something that people need to get their heads around - the console is a baseline, the PC is going to be an improved version. That's an exciting future, and that's why I don't see anything threatening about console at all.
Head over to our interview with NVIDIA boss Roy Taylor to see what he has to say about the future of graphics, why integrated solutions are ruining everything, and how the PC installed-base means it will never disappear as a gaming platform.
Australia goes Alone in the Dark July 3
(vooks.net) -- Atari has today confirmed the release date of Alone in the Dark. Well the release date on the Xbox 360, PC, Wii and Playstation 2 with the PS3 version hitting later. The Wii version of the game follows the story and setting of the other versions with the game being adapted to make best use of the controller in a variety of situations through the game. The games talked about DVD-style chapter select menu will also be in the Wii version. Atari says it “lets players of all abilities reach the game’s dramatic, riveting climax and get the full value out of the game”
04 June 2008
Bruce Willis Signs On For Kane & Lynch Movie
(kotaku) -- According to Variety, Bruce Willis is slated for the Kane & Lynch movie adaptation. Bruno will play mercenary Adam "Kane" Marcus, who with batshit insane partner James Lynch is out to retrieve a stolen microchip. Willis has been rumored to play Kane since last fall — and Billy Bob Thornton is supposed to be Lynch, but that's not confirmed. Veteran stunt coordinator Simon Crane will make his directing debut and helm the picture, and scribe Kyle Ward will pen the script. The flick will be produced by the guys that brought Hitman to the silver screen. Reviews for the film will be met with apprehension from the game community.
'Call of Duty 4' hits 10 million units sold
(CNET) -- There are few things that video game publishers--or any consumer products companies, for that matter--like more than reaching big, notable milestones.
So it was with considerable pride that Activision's wholly owned Infinity Ward studio told me Tuesday that its war game, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, has just sold its 10 millionth copy.
Infinity Ward studio head Vince Zampella didn't know exactly how many units the game had sold on each platform it is available on--the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC--but did say that COD 4 had been most successful on the Xbox.
These days, monster hits like Grand Theft Auto IV and Halo 3 have gotten most of the media's attention for best-sellers, but by reaching 10 million sold, there's no doubt that COD 4 deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as any other title.
And to be sure, it's not the only game that has reached 10 million units moved--Infinity Ward said that COD 4 is one of "less than 10" games to do so since 2000--but it's still a notable milestone, especially when you consider that, at a sticker price of $60 a pop, even when considering that you can buy it for less at some retailers, Activision has raked in many hundreds of millions of dollars with the game.
Of course, one wonders how many more copies it would have sold had it been available on Nintendo's Wii. But Zampella said that Infinity Ward decided not to make the game for that console because "it just doesn't fit on the Wii. We thought it would be compromised to be on (that) platform."
Well, with Guitar Hero III, Halo 3, and Grand Theft Auto IV inspiring record-setting sales in their own right, we might easily see a few more games reach the magic 10 million mark soon. And the next Call of Duty, COD 5, which is being produced by Tryarch, not Inifinity Ward, might see even bigger numbers.
Indeed, Zampella acknowledged that COD 4 has set the bar very high for his studio, and it's hard to imagine Infinity Ward being able to come right back with another 10 million-seller.
But, COD 4 still has some juice left. He suggested that the game is still selling, that it's map pack add-on has sold 1.5 million copies, and that the main game itself is expected to sell a lot more copies this holiday season.
True or not, hats off to Infinity Ward on reaching a milestone few ever reach.
02 June 2008
UMX from Taiwan vs. XcN from Indonesia at computex
Manila, Philippines (hardwarezone) -- abit will be holding a massive number of shows at their booth to attract and excite visitors from around the world. Apart from the almost already traditional gaming and over-clocking shows, this year abit is also hosting a special event: a match between top gamers from Taiwan and Indonesia.
DotA and Counter Strike will be the games played at the abit booth. Both UMX from Taiwan and XcN from Indonesia have stellar track records in their respective home countries as well as on the international stage. This time, UMX and XcN will show off their skills against one another at the abit stage presenting themselves to a vast audience at Asia’s biggest IT event, Computex 2008. The abit booth will definitely become the center of the attention once again.
Make sure to stop by the abit booth, M312 at Nangang Exhibition Hall 4th Floor to witness those fierce encounters for yourself. On top of things there will be competitions for end users as well as give-away shows too.
Top Gamers from Taiwan, UMX
Ultimate-Gaming (UMX-Gaming) was previously known as team “Final-Fantasy, FF”, which was an international well-known CS gaming team. It was established the Summer of year 2001 and was also known as the best and the most experienced CS team in Taiwan ever. From 2001 to 2006, FF had won countless awards internationally, including Champion of Hinet Online Gaming Event, WCG Taiwan Champion and WCG World Top 10. On year 2007, Final-Fantasy transformed into Ultimate-Gaming (UMX-Gaming), and will continue making great records in the gaming industry.
Top Gamers from the Indonesia, XcN
XcN team from Indonesia, sponsored by abit distributor, PT Spectrum, built their well-known reputation on both CS and DotA games. Their track records include winning 1st place in CS at the WCG Indonesia qualifier 2006 and at the ESWC Indonesia qualifier 1st place and champions in DotA at the WCG and GXL in Singapore in 2007.
22 May 2008
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 Gameplay from EA
EA releases a gameplay preview of the upcoming C&C. See more at redalert3.com.
10 May 2008
Burnout Paradise crashing PCs
This car won't be pretty for long.(gamespot) -- First-ever computer edition of Criterion racing series gets a tune-up to multiplayer and online features.
It's not often that games are actually designed to dramatically increase instances of crashing on the system, but that's the desired effect of Electronic Arts and Criterion Games' newly announced PC edition of Burnout Paradise.
Originally released earlier this year for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Burnout Paradise will arrive on the PC with a few after-market enhancements. For the series' first test-drive outside the world of handhelds and consoles, Criterion is expanding the game's multiplayer modes and adding "enhanced online features and community-driven content."
In a webcast on Criterion's official Web site, developers assured console gamers that the PC edition would not impact the release schedule for the already announced updates to the console versions of the game. A series of updates scheduled through the fall will add night driving, motorcycles, new locations, and more to the game.
Burnout Paradise has not been rated for the PC, but the console editions received an E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. No release date has been announced for the game. Read More......
21 April 2008
COD4 hits 9M milestone
(gamespot) -- From the get-go, Activision's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was a certifiable hit. Its PC performance notwithstanding, the Infinity Ward-developed modern-warfare shooter debuted with more than 2 million units sold across the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in its first month last November. Though having been available for only two months, the title also managed to take the 2007 sales crown, with Activision saying in January that COD4 had sold 7 million units worldwide by year's end.
Proving to have legs beyond 2007, COD4 landed the top slot in the NPD Group's monthly sales dump for January and February, though it was ousted in March by Super Smash Bros. Brawl's staggering 2.7 million-unit debut. Even so, March's NPD report did signify a significant milestone for Activision and Infinity Ward. According to a post by Infinity Ward director of communications Robert Bowling on the game's official blog, COD4 has officially sold more than 9 million units worldwide since launch.
With the Call of Duty 4: Game of the Year Edition out two weeks ago, Bowling also noted that the Variety Map Pack has set an Xbox Live Marketplace record of logging more than 1 million downloads in its first nine days. The four-map pack came as a free download with COD4: GOTYE, and those who already owned the Xbox 360 version of the game could purchase the add-on over Xbox Live for 800 Microsoft points ($10). The Variety Map Pack will be available on the PlayStation Network next week.
For a more in-depth look at Infinity Ward's record-setting Variety Map Pack, check out GameSpot's recent hands-on with the download.
DC powers Gears of War comic
(gamespot) -- DC Comics is all over the gaming world this week. First the publisher announced that it was adapting Sierra's upcoming action game Prototype into a comic book. Today Midway dropped the bombshell that the next installment of its flagship fighting series would be Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, with characters such as Sub-Zero and Scorpion going toe-to-toe with Superman and Batman. Capping off the trifecta, DC has joined with Epic Games to announce plans for comics based on the developer's sci-fi Xbox 360 and PC shooter Gears of War.
The Gears of War comic series will debut in October, just ahead of the November Xbox 360 launch of Gears of War 2. The comics will be published under DC's WildStorm imprint, home to such critically acclaimed titles as Planetary, The Authority, and the America's Best Comics line that includes Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
The first story arc of the series will fill in the storyline gap between the original Gears of War and the upcoming sequel. Further details, including the creative team behind the comic, are being kept quiet for now.
Gears of War is not the first Microsoft moneymaker to find its way to comic-store shelves. The Xbox 360 maker's other hit sci-fi shooter series, Halo, was adapted by Marvel Comics into a graphic novel in 2006, and a limited series last year.
17 April 2008
The Sims celebrates 100 Million Sold
Yesterday on April 16th The Sims officially celebrates 100 million sold in 22 languages and 60 countries around the world!
03 April 2008
The Witcher spin-off revealed
(gamesradar) -- Not one to sit on its laurels, The Witcher developer CD Projekt has revealed a spin-off game from its RPG - say hello to The Witcher: DuelMail.
The Witcher: DuelMail is described as a next-gen web browser game that'll be completely free to play when launches. Two players digitally represented as one of three character classes battle it out, essentially, with victory rewarding a fighter with experience which leads to level gain, character development and new skills to employ in battles. full story
22 March 2008
This is Vegas
(IGN) -- Prepare yourself for a different approach to the open-world game with the game that brings the "sin" of Sin City to videogamers. This is Vegas takes the oft visited open-world and fills it with everything Las Vegas is known for: gambling, parties, fast cars and scantily clad girls. All of that and you won't even have to take out a second mortgage on your house to foot the bill. full story
21 March 2008
The Sims 3 revealed
Featuring a brand new engine that has been in development for nearly three years, The Sims 3 allows you to immerse your Sims in an open living neighborhood right outside their door. The initial feature-set unveiled includes the new seamless, open neighborhood, new Create-A-Sim, new realistic personalities and new unlimited customization. The Sims 3 will launch globally in 2009. full story
(monstersandcritics) -- Electronic Arts announced today the first details on one of the most anticipated games in their portfolio, The Sims 3.
19 March 2008
Epic Games on Steam!
Unreal, Unreal II and, erm, Unreal Tournament on download service
(gamesradar) -- Epic Games and Valve have set off the PR fireworks this morning, revealing that the Unreal developer's vast catalogue of, erm, Unreal games are now available for purchase through Steam. The Epic shooters now available on Steam include Unreal Gold, Unreal II: The Awakening and every Unreal Tournament EVER made (apart from, oddly, Unreal Tournament 2003 - perhaps Epic wants to forget about that one?) You can get the lot of them in the Unreal Deal... full story
02 March 2008
KOEI to Launch Its First Blockbuster, Romance of the Three Kingdoms Online
KOEI Entertainment Singapore Pte Ltd today announced that its inaugural production, Romance of the Three Kingdoms Online (English working title), has been launched in Japan on 29th February 2008. This is an all-new Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) offering players a chance to experience life during the historic 2nd and 3rd centuries of China's Han Dynasty. [more...]
EA Announces The Sims 2 FreeTime Expansion Pack Now Available in Stores
