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Acquire Search Results

Your search for Acquire located the below Acquire Search Results. The Acquire Search Results are returned from stories QJ publishes stories covering Acquire news, Playstation news, Xbox news, PC news, Wii News, Nintendo DS News, Gaming News, Reviews, Downloads, Custom Apps, Homebrew and much more.

Skyping on the Xbox?

Posted May 28, 2012 at 11:40AM EST by Brett Huffman Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: next gen xbox, Skype, xbox 720

Rumors and job ads always lead us down strange paths that sometimes result in conversations that go nowhere. This one looks pretty legit, however.


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38 Studios Becomes 0 Studios

Posted May 25, 2012 at 3:15PM EST by Mr Ham Listed in: PS3, PC Gaming, Xbox 360 Tags: 38 studios, Big Huge Games, kingdoms of amalur

While some of you are still enjoying Skyrim and awaiting the next title from Bethesda, there's a little less in store for you Amalur fans.


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Dishonored Cover Art Aims to Intimidate

Posted May 10, 2012 at 1:00PM EST by Todd B Listed in: PS3 Tags: Arkane Studios, Bethesda, dishonored, ZeniMax

Bethesda reveals the box design for Dishonored, and provides us with a release date. Ready to stab some stuff?


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Luigi Takes Over Club Nintendo!

Posted Mar 17, 2012 at 8:20PM EST by Mr Ham Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: 3ds accessories, club nintendo, Luigi

Some more green themed news for you, this time without the police.


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Interview with Brandon Cobb - SNES Nightmare Busters developer

Posted Mar 14, 2012 at 6:40PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Wii Tags: brandon cobb, interviews, nightmare busters, retro, SNES

Harrison E talks to the creator of the first SNES game in over a decade.


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Major League Gaming Got Some Serious Cash

Posted Mar 14, 2012 at 1:00PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: league of legends, major league gaming, MLG, mw3

What would you do if you were one of the fastest growing entertainment industries and acquired 13 million dollars?


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ME3 player banned for spending money in multiplayer

Posted Mar 12, 2012 at 7:00AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3 Tags: BioWare, ea games, mass effect, me3 banning

But...if you gave them the option to do so...who's to blame?


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On Shelves this Week: February 19, 2012 – February 25, 2012

Posted Feb 16, 2012 at 12:03PM EST by Listed in: PS Vita Tags: alan wake, asuras wrath, hot shots golf, little deviants, metal gear solid, ps vita, syndicate, uncharted: golden abyss, wipeout 2048

Judgment day for the PlayStation Vita finally arrives.

Welcome to On Shelves, everyone! How has your week gone? Spend a little time with Twisted Metal, did we? Well, put that game in the garbage—new games are coming out! New games, and one very special handheld system.

Yes, next week we’ll finally get to find out if the Vita is just waiting for its western surge, as Sony and fanboys have been suggesting, or if it’s going to tank here as it did in Japan. Who knows where the winds of the market will take it?

Prepare yourself with this week’s edition of:

PlayStation Vita

(Hardware)

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Vita

ESRB Teen

Naughty Dog

WipEout 2048

Vita

ESRB E10+

Studio Liverpool

Little Deviants

Vita

ESRB 10+

Bigbig Studios

FIFA Soccer

Vita

ESRB Everyone

EA Sports

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

Vita

ESRB Everyone

Clap Hanz

ModNation Racers

Vita

ESRB Everyone

SCEA

Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen

Vita

ESRB Mature

Acquire

Dynasty Warriors Next

Vita

ESRB Teen

Koei

Army Corps of Hell

Vita

ESRB Mature

Entersphere, Inc.

Touch My Katamari

Vita

ESRB E10+

Bandai Namco

Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus

Vita

ESRB Mature

Team Ninja

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Vita

ESRB Teen

Capcom

Asura’s Wrath

Xbox 360, PS3

ESRB Teen

CyberConnect2

Alan Wake’s American Nightmare

Xbox 360

ESRB Teen

Remedy Entertainment

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D

Nintendo 3DS

ESRB Mature

Kojima Productions

Syndicate

Xbox 360, PS3

ESRB Mature

Starbreeze

Fractured Soul: Deep Void

Nintendo 3DS

ESRB E10+

UTV Ignition Games

Whew, that’s one hell of a list. What are you planning on picking up? Perhaps a Vita?

Let us know how it turns out!

Judgment day for the PlayStation Vita finally arrives.


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EA and THQ losing staff

Posted Jan 29, 2012 at 8:37AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3, iPhone, Xbox 360 Tags: ea games, Electronic Arts, layoffs, playfish, THQ

2012 will be a big year for EA and THQ but it looks like some of their staff are either jumping ship or being fired from the big gaming companies.


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Letter from Alleged THQ Staffer Calls Out Management, CEO

Posted Jan 25, 2012 at 3:30PM EST by Listed in: PS3 Tags: saints row the third, THQ

THQ hasn’t been doing great over the last few months, and this nasty letter from a former employee doesn’t make things look any better.

THQ, the company behind Saints Row: The Third, had a tough 2011. The company was in such dire straits that rumors floated around about it canceling its entire 2014 lineup, rumors the company vehemently denied. This morning we received word that THQ was shifting its strategies yet again, this time focusing more on its core franchises over third party licensing.

It’s hard to get a bead on exactly what’s happening with THQ. Rumors and sales indicate the company is in serious trouble despite the success of Saints Row, but the company refuses to admit that they have any sort of problem. Only one person seems to be willing to comment on the state of the company – an alleged former employee with an obvious bone to pick.

In a letter written to THQ’s Board of Directors, CEO Brian Farrell as well as the general public and a collection of gaming news sites, this “Formerly Mismanaged” employee rattles off a laundry lists of complaints about the company.

The letter essentially claims that THQ’s problems stem from mismanagement and a Board of Directors that has no clue how to strategically run a gaming company. It gives examples like acquiring game studios with no plan on how to utilize their talents (then later shutting them down), investing money into shrinking niche markets, the company’s refusal to dump a CEO that has tanked its stock price and high-paid executives making enormous mistakes that call their competency into question. The disastrous uDraw tablet also makes an appearance.

These allegations of management incompetency surface just a few days before THQ announces its current financial standing on February 2, and things certainly don’t look good. One analyst has gone on the record by stating that THQ, without some sort of financial windfall, with run out of cash near the middle of this year.

You can read the letter in its (extremely long) entirety below:

[JoyStiq]

"To:

THQ Board of Directors

Lawrence Burstein

James Whims, Gigex, Inc.

Henry DeNero, Arcturus Capital

Brian Dougherty, AirSet, Inc.

Jeffrey Griffiths , Lumber Liquidators

From:

Current and Ex-Employees, Shareholders, and The Public

Dear THQ Board,

I am an ex-employee at THQ. I saw the tweet-started headlines over the past week from an "industry expert." This expert is one who I and my friends and co-workers in the industry have never heard of after a long time in the field. I had been reading the various following articles and accounts and it generated sympathy for friends both recently laid off and currently still there. I thought it would be a good idea to send a note with their input. This note has honest facts and thoughts about THQ and the current problems there. Most of these facts are public knowledge and they have been confirmed by public records or can be confirmed by current and former THQ staff there both before and after my and their time.

I have long felt the need to explain to outsiders how this beaten-down company has wound up in this position. It is to the point where having it on your resume is not a point in your favor. And that shouldn't be the case. I'm/We're sending this note anonymously because some of us are still awaiting final checks and others know how little corporations like employees who air their dirty laundry. We feel the need to say something to combat the partial misinformation being written.

THQ had been known through the years for having a formula. They find a hot license, make a cheap game, barely advertise it, and make money. This formula worked during the Playstation and Xbox and Gameboy days and made the company a lot of cash. Unfortunately, THQ's old guard executives seem to be stuck trying to manage the company the same way they did back then and haven't realized the industry has changed.

The beginning of the end came years ago as Brian Farrell lead an executive team to acquire a large number of studios. A large amount of cash was used in the acquisition or setup of game developers with different degrees of talent. The problem was they were bought without strategic reasoning or specific plan on to use them. So after awhile another large amount of money was spent as those studios failed and were sold off and shut down. The executive team at the time were an entirely different group of people with one key exception in the CEO. The CEO/the then executive team wasted the cash that the company had built up with these massive investments and selloffs.

The studio purchase errors were not helped by the mistakes in the licensing deals that were signed by the same CEO. Millions and millions of dollars were wasted on acquiring licenses at the same time the kids, family, casual business was declining at a rapid rate. Instead of slowing those acquisitions he overpaid for more of them until again cash was wasted in paying for brands that didn't sell well anymore.

The mistakes in decisions and cash losses triggered wave after wave of layoffs. In the most recent wave, about 40 people lost their jobs this past December through no fault of their own. The reason why is the chronic and constant mismanagement of their company. The fact is that the CEO and executive committee were so focused on trying to hit an unrealistic financial goal that they bet everything on an extremely risky proposition in the uDraw tablet. When they lost, they further displayed their lack of management skills by not having a contingency plan. Three weeks after the game launched, an entire business unit was wiped out when it didn't meet its goal due to relying on that one product to hit an unrealistic target.

After the layoffs many ex-employees walked around shell-shocked and trying to figure out who was responsible. They came to the understanding that most of us do after leaving the company. The issue with THQ has never been one of lack of staff creativity, intellect or business intelligence. It all rests of the failure of its management team and you the Board of Directors.

This Board has allowed the Brian Farrell, the CEO, the ongoing ability to take a cash-rich profitable company and drive it from a $30 share price down to around $.70 without acting despite numerous mistakes that even for those lacking business training, could see were errors. Even without glaring mistakes how can the same CEO stay in charge after a 99% share price loss? Aside from the board, who is responsible for the current situation and who is accountable for the current and future job losses at the company? When you ask the recently departed who are a good source of information, you get the same answers. This uDraw failure is the largest and most recent one in a string of them that were hushed over and hidden. The answer aside from the Board is the current executive team that allowed this uDraw implosion to happen.

Brian Farrell, CEO with a 2011 salary of $1,289,558, for a lack of business intelligence or fiscal accountability. A vocal inside group pointed out the mistake of trying to launch a year-old product that received almost no software support in the last 12 months. Instead of listening and having a back-up plan, he went ahead and invested a ridiculous amount of money in the manufacturing and advertising of the product and failed miserably. It is passed time for him to go. We are wondering what is taking so long for you to act. We have been wondering this same question for a long time.

Martin Good, EVP and head of Kids, Family, Casual with a 2011 salary of $1,198,023, for bringing no strategic thought or business sense to the role. He was brought out from Australia sales to replace an outgoing head of the business unit and rapidly displayed a complete lack of leadership skills, vision, and any sort of analytical sense. Looking at his compensation package, he is an excellent negotiator as his salary is higher than anyone's except for the CEO. On the plus side he lost his job with the rest of those laid off. On the minus side, he will be floating down on a golden parachute while the rest of the former employees scramble to look for jobs in this challenging environment. Most of those jobs will be at studios in other parts of the country, so they will be forced to relocate their families in the middle of their childrens school years. It is incredible that he made this level of income while doing such a poor job, but it serves as a reflection of the lack of Brian Farrell's ability to staff well and manage.

Paul Pucino, CFO with a 2011 salary of $674,855, for not planning for this possibility and having a safety net or a plan to cover THQ just in case of failure. We have a line of credit that we likely used to buy the plastic that is not selling to customers. It is like taking a cash advance to buy THQ stock and just as worthless of an investment. Paul is known as an absentee executive who is missing when business situations gets complicated. While he was in the loop at the point of the risk, with the following failure he has been clearly unavailable. It is another example of Brian Farrell's inability to staff.

Ian Curran, EVP and head of global publishing with a 2011 salary of $1,037,047, for not flagging an unrealistic sales goal to the CEO or the Board when a big part of the corporation felt the numbers were unrealistic. He blindly held up an unachievable target and didn't act when multiple people told him he was aiming to high and out of step with the marketplace. If a sales executive's job is to anticipate the market, he has done a poor job of it. Another example of Brian Farrell not being able to find the right people for the right job.

Ed Kauffman, EVP of Legal and Business Affairs who clearly was signing bad deals on licensed products, not factoring in the changes in the business and being more critical with financial terms with partners. uDraw by itself cannot possibly explain the companies poor financial health. It is a combination of that product and a string of bad licensed deals that the company took on against better judgement. While Brain Farrell would logically be the final decisionmaker for deals, Kauffman is either unpersuasive in his arguments to not do them or supported them. Either situation equates to another example of poor staffing choices by the CEO.

uDraw was failure and the only people to blame are the people listed above. THQ and its current financial situation is also their responsibility. And they were paid around $4.5 million dollars for their poor decisions. If there is any doubt we would recommend talking to current and former staff to get the straight story. Don't read this note as bitterness on their part, but more as long overdue truth.

So, Board, it is time. Passed time for you to act and passed time for you to do something about the mismanagement that has gone on for too many years. We've watched the stock from the outside and read the comments and the reason why the company is valued so low despite its sales is because of this underqualified management team.

Board it is time for you to act before your names are added to the list above of things that must change.

Sincerely,

The Formerly Mismanaged"

THQ hasn’t been doing great over the last few months, and this nasty letter from a former employee doesn’t make things look any better.


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Zynga Purchases Four Mobile Developers

Posted Jan 19, 2012 at 4:49PM EST by Listed in: iPhone Tags: gamedoctors, hiplogic, mobile ape, page44 studios, zynga

The social gaming giant continues its push into the mobile market.

Zynga hasn’t been doing so great as of late, with attendance on their social games a pale shadow of what they used to be. But the company is on the prowl for ways to expand its business model, and has the mobile market at the center of its crosshairs. Early today, Zynga confirmed that it has acquired no fewer than four mobile developers with the intent of extending its mobile grasp.

Gamedoctors, HipLogic, Page44 Studios and Mobile Ape were all confirmed to have been picked up, giving Zynga a deep portfolio from which to choose and a few established franchises on which to build. All things considered, it’s a smart move for the company, especially when you consider their stock has been steadily declining in value since the company went public back in December.

There’s no information on what games Zynga plans to make or how the company will be using its new development studios, but we’ll keep you posted as information becomes available.

In the meantime, what do you think of Zynga snapping up smaller studios?

[Reuters]

The social gaming giant continues its push into the mobile market.


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Hudson Closes March 1

Posted Jan 18, 2012 at 5:00PM EST by Listed in: Wii Tags: bomberman, bonk, Hudson, Konami, mario party

Konami has confirmed that Hudson, the studio behind Bomberman, will shutter its doors this spring.

Hudson is one of the most recognizable developers in the gaming world, responsible for popular games like Bomberman, Mario Party and Bonk. Sadly, Hudson’s reign over fun comes to an end March 1, just over a year after the studio was acquired by Konami Digital Entertainment.

While Konami had originally signaled its intent to keep the studio open and harness its experience in the mobile and social gaming markets, it appears that someone in the company must have had a change of heart. As of March 1, Hudson and all of its properties will be absorbed into the Konami machine – there’s no word on whether the company intends to continue with Hudson’s franchises.

It’s a dark day for fans of simple, fun and cute games – a genre of which Hudson was one of the masters. So pour a drink out for Hudson in March, and fire up some Bomberman to wish them a fond farewell.

Do you think Konami will revive any of Hudson’s franchises?

[Edge]

Konami has confirmed that Hudson, the studio behind Bomberman, will shutter its doors this spring.


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Codemasters speak about "Unlawful" working conditions

Posted Jan 15, 2012 at 5:15PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Xbox 360, PS3 Tags: bodycount, Codemasters, guildford, semi essessi

You remember the memorable and fantastic Bodycount from last year? Well apparently the developers weren't treated so well...


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Activision Snaps Up BlackOps2.com Domain Name

Posted Jan 10, 2012 at 9:45AM EST by Brett Huffman Listed in: PS3, Xbox 360 Tags: Activision, call of duty: black ops, Treyarch

Could this be the birth of another COD franchise?


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Additional Vita Launch Games Surface

Posted Jan 2, 2012 at 1:20PM EST by Listed in: PS Vita Tags: fifa soccer, golden abyss, gravity rush, hot shots golf, little big planet, lumines, marvel vs. capcom, uncharted

A leaked GameStop document hints that North America’s Vita launch may be accompanied by more games than previously thought.

We talked a couple of weeks ago about Vita’s confirmed launch titles, but it looks like a few games managed to slip through the radar. A leaked internal document from games retailer GameStop indicates that there are more titles hitting shelves than we were led to believe, chief among them Gravity Rush and Lumines.

Destructoid acquired an update launch list thanks to one of their clever readers, who likely scored the document from a friend or works at GameStop himself. Take a look at the list and see what you like:

Launch Day

Lumines Electronic Symphony --$39.99

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 --$39.99

Uncharted: Golden Abyss --$49.99

Hot Shots Golf World Invitational --$29.99

Wipeout 2048 --$29.99

Little Deviants --$29.99

Reality Fighters --$29.99

ModNation Racers --$29.99

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extended --$39.99

Virtua Tennis 4 World Tour --$39.99

Gravity Rush --$39.99

Post-Launch

Supremacy MMA(Feb 16) 2/16

FIFA Soccer (Feb 21)

Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen (Feb 21)

Touch My Katamari (Feb 21)

Ridge Racer (Feb 21)

F1 2011 (Feb 22)

MLB 12: The Show (March 6)

Disgaea 3: Absense of Detention (March 20)

Army Corps of Hell (March-ish)

Little Big Planet (March 31)

Ruin (April)

Resistance: Burning Skies (May)

Are you planning on picking up a Vita at launch, or are the problems surrounding the device enough to make you wait until a potential price drop?

A leaked GameStop document hints that North America’s Vita launch may be accompanied by more games than previously thought.


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Viacom Slammed for $383 Million in Harmonix Suit

Posted Dec 28, 2011 at 3:45PM EST by Listed in: PS3 Tags: Harmonix, rock band law suit, viacom law suit

The legal battle between Viacom and the creators of Rock Band rages on, with the latest blow being delivered straight to Viacom’s wallet.

Viacom and Harmonix have been in and out of courtrooms for months, trying (and failing) to work out an issue that stems from bonuses paid during the parent company’s acquisition of the small games developer. Both companies are trying to wring high, multi-million dollar settlements out of the other due to this disagreement, but it looks like Viacom is the big loser this morning.

In documents released this week, it was revealed that a private arbitrator ruled that Viacom owes Harmonix and its shareholders a whopping $383 million in unpaid bonuses - a number with which Viacom naturally disagrees.

Here’s a breakdown: In 2006, Viacom acquired Harmonix (and Rock Band). The deal required that Viacom pay big bonuses to Harmonix, with $175 million paid upfront and $150 million paid for Rock Band sales in 2007. However, the company paid no bonuses at all in 2008, and actually demanded that Harmonix return the previous two bonuses. Viacom had to give up Harmonix due to the Rock Band franchise losing money, but Harmonix filed a suit claiming that Viacom still owed $550 million in promised bonuses.

Now we’re just watching the drama unfold. Viacom plans to fight the ruling, which was issued December 19, and is claiming that some evidence was “improperly excluded” from the arbitration hearings.

This one probably has a few months to go and it’s unclear who exactly is right, but Viacom is certainly on the ropes for now. We’ll keep you posted as new details emerge.

[L.A. Times]

The legal battle between Viacom and the creators of Rock Band rages on, with the latest blow being delivered straight to Viacom’s wallet.


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PoV: Should Jailbreaking Be Illegal?

Posted Dec 12, 2011 at 1:56PM EST by Listed in: PoV Tags: Emulators, homebrew games, jailbreaking, xbox firmware

The EFF thinks you have the right to modify your gaming console, but are they fighting for the wrong legal precedent?

There are obvious advantages to jailbreaking your gaming console or mobile device. For starters, you get rid of the often-clunky manufacturer’s OS. You also earn yourself access to dozens of applications you couldn’t get any other way, like homebrew games and old-school emulators. Oh, and sometimes you acquire games through less-than-legal means.

Like it or not, concerns over piracy seem to be irrevocably intertwined with the jailbreaking argument. While the EFF, the organization behind the latest push to earn legal protection for console jailbreaks, would argue that jailbreaking a console doesn’t violate copyright law in and of itself, it would be foolhardy to assume that a significant number of systems aren’t jailbroken just for the ability to play pirated games.

But here’s the real question – if you purchase a console from Microsoft, are you legally obliged to use the system in the manner they dictate? There is absolutely no argument that favors jailbreaking when it comes to online play -Xbox Live is a service, and you agree to follow the rules of the service when you sign up. The same goes for PSN. However, jailbreaking your console and playing offline surely doesn’t violate any ongoing customer agreement, and if you’re not stealing games it shouldn’t really matter to Microsoft what you do with your console.

If I want, I can purchase an Xbox 360 and use it as a coaster. I could smash it with a hammer, or strip it and use the case to hold my super-secret diaries (of which there are many). I can do whatever I want with it, except apparently change the way it operates. If I touch the Xbox firmware, I could be in for a mess of trouble.

Right now, there’s no legal status on jailbreaks. The EFF won a victory by securing the legal right to jailbreak mobile devices, but the issue is still very much in the air when it comes to consoles.

Personally, I’m landing on the side of legality – if your console mod doesn’t violate copyright law or an ongoing terms of service, I think it should be considered an acceptable way to use the device. It’s like a pipe – owning one isn’t illegal, but packing it with weed is (depending on where you live).

Console jailbreaks are all about what you pack them with.

What do you folks think? Should jailbreaking be illegal?

The EFF thinks you have the right to modify your gaming console, but are they fighting a losing battle?


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PoV: Rocketbirds Hardboiled Chickens

Posted Nov 30, 2011 at 10:00PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3 Tags: hardboiled chickens, psn, ratloop, rocketbirds, rocketbirds hardboiled chickens, sian tan yue

Rocketbirds Hardboiled Chickens is exactly what it sounds like...okay, it's a lot more than that.


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Sega picks up Doctor Who MMO and Puzzle Pirates

Posted Nov 21, 2011 at 11:00AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Xbox 360, PC Gaming, PS3 Tags: doctor who, doctor who mmorpg, puzzle pirates, Sega, three rings design

Whovians and puzzle fans rejoice! I know you're probably one and the same.


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PS3 News: More details revealed on DUST 514, the MMOFPS due Spring 2012

Posted Nov 4, 2011 at 9:50PM EST by Tim Curtin Listed in: PS3 Tags: dust 514, Eve Online, mmofps for ps3, ps3, ps3 mmo, ps3 news, sony dust 514

Dust 514 is large scale, we mean REALLY large scale, MMOFPS that connects to the Eve Online universe.


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Ubisoft buys up Trials HD developers

Posted Nov 3, 2011 at 8:00AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: red lynx, trials evolution, trials hd, Ubisoft, xbla, yves guiillemot

Finnish company Red Lynx have just been taken under the Ubi-Wing.


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Classic Dungeon Crawling with Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls

Posted Oct 28, 2011 at 10:30AM EST by Tim Curtin Listed in: iPhone, iPad Tags: acquire corp, ios rpg, lost souls, tench, wizardry: labyrinth of lost souls

Japanese mobile games developer Acquire Corp takes us back to the good old days, with a classic RPG for iOS.


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Splosion Man Dev bought up by Microsoft

Posted Oct 13, 2011 at 2:23AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: gunstringer, Microsoft, Rare, splosion man, twisted pixel

Twisted Pixel officially bought out by Microsoft.


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Skyrim Game Manual Leaked

Posted Oct 11, 2011 at 2:23PM EST by Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: Bethesda, game manuals, leaks, skyrim

We’re still a month away from Bethesda’s eagerly anticipated RPG, but some industrious gamer has found and leaked the included game manual for all to see.

If there’s one thing people on the internet seem to love doing, it’s leaking things about Skyrim. First, the achievements were leaked, and then someone in Russia gave up the game map. Now, some clever gamer has acquired the manual that comes packaged with the game, and has uploaded it in its full glory.

The game manual is taken from the Xbox 360 version of the game, and covers everything from basic movements to in-depth spell explanations. If you’re trying to avoid Skyrim spoilers, you may want to stop reading here, as the rest of this post discusses information gleaned from the manual.

Fast Travel still exists in Skyrim, and much like Oblivion, time will pass while you travel from one location to the next. You won’t be able to transport from inside or during combat, and you may only use the feature to visit places on the map you’ve already discovered.

You’ll level your skills through repetition (as usual), finding Skill Books, or paying other skilled characters to teach you what they know. The more you level your individual skills, the more times your character levels up, allowing you to add new perks and boost your stamina or magical capabilities.

The manual is massive so if you want a full grasp of everything it covers, it’s probably best for you to check it out here: Skryim Game Manual

In the meantime, we’ll keep our ears to the ground for any other leaks or newsbreaks regarding what is shaping up to be one of the biggest titles of the year despite heavy competition from the Battlefield and Call of Duty franchises.

Via Game Informer

We’re still a month away from Bethesda’s eagerly anticipated RPG, but some industrious gamer has found and leaked the included game manual for all to see.


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Blizzard Legitimizes WoW Gold Buying with New Pet

Posted Oct 11, 2011 at 1:09PM EST by Listed in: MMORPG Tags: auction house, Blizzard, guardian cub, rmt

The cute and cuddly Guardian Cub gives World of Warcraft players a somewhat safe method for turning real dollars into digital gold, but may not be the gold-farmer takedown many are imagining.

For years, World of Warcraft players interested in skipping nasty grinds or boring resource farming turned to the billion-dollar black market that is digital currency sales. For just a few of your hard-earned real life dollars, you could buy a nice pile of gold to use for item upgrades, rare recipes and, most commonly, your epic flying skill.

What many gold buyers didn’t realize is that the gold they purchased didn’t necessarily come from farmers, but game from the hacked accounts of their fellow gamers. Gold buying is the leading cause of account theft in WoW, as gold sellers strip as many accounts as they can to keep up with demand. Now, Blizzard seems to have made it easier and safer for you to use your actual money to buy fake money, via the in-game Guardian Cub pet.

Here’s how it works – you, the player, want to earn some extra gold. You purchase a couple of these Guardian Cubs for $10, then you put them up on the auction house. While you can’t sell the pet immediately, it is bind-on-equip and once the initial cooldown expires you are free to trade it however you see fit. A player with gold to burn then purchases the pet, giving you in-game money for your real-life purchase.

Blizzard even confirmed this as a possible use:

“While our goal is to offer players alternative ways to add a Pet Store pet to their collection, we’re ok with it if some players choose to use the Guardian Cub as a safe and secure way to try to acquire a little extra in-game gold without turning to third-party gold-selling services.”

It’s an interesting strategy, and one that has worked well in EVE (where players sell game time for currency). However, it’s worth noting that the auction house is a buyer’s market – if a large number of players are trying to make gold by selling Guardian Cubs, the eventual price drop may still make Chinese gold farming operations a more lucrative investment for your character.

We’lll just have to wait and see how this impacts the economy and gold buying market. What do you think of this new method for earning World of Warcraft gold?

Via PC Gamer

The cute and cuddly Guardian Cub gives World of Warcraft players a somewhat safe method for turning real dollars into digital gold, but may not be the gold-farmer takedown many are imagining.


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Skyrim Achievements revealed

Posted Oct 4, 2011 at 7:35AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: achievements, Bethesda, the elder scrolls v: skyrim

With the games release date just around the corner, the list of Achievements for Bethesda Softworks' high anticipated open-world RPG The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has found its way to the interwebs.


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The Witcher 2 2.0 patch notes

Posted Sep 28, 2011 at 12:35PM EST by Karl B. Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: cd projekt red, the witcher 2

Hit the jump to see the complete list of changes.


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Final Fantasy XIV patch 1.19 adds chocobos and airships

Posted Sep 24, 2011 at 7:15AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: MMORPG Tags: final fantasy xiv, patch, Square Enix

Upcoming update just won't remove the physical levels and add automated character development, as Square Enix revealed, it also includes two of the series mainstays - chocobos and airships.


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Pachter: Netflix may sell streaming to Amazon

Posted Sep 22, 2011 at 3:55PM EST by Carl B Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: Michael Pachter, Netflix, streaming

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter has returned to his soap box.


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TGS 2011: Clan of Champions unveiled

Posted Sep 18, 2011 at 10:43PM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: PS3, Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags: clan of champions, NIS America

NIS America introduced a brand new title for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. Coming in the form of Clan of Champions, the said title is expected to be a tad different from their well-known trademark of tactical RPG games such as Disgaea.

According to NIS, Clan of Champions is going to be a fantasy action game, bringing in multiplayer components as well. The game will also be featuring three player co-op and three-on-three competitive modes.

Of course, character customization will also be available, letting players pick from classes of human, elf or orc. As with any action game, weapon leveling is also a must, and that, therefore, will also be present.

Clan of Champions is set to be released by Spring 2012 for North America and Europe.

Via [GamesRadar]

NIS America introduced a brand new title for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.


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Doom no longer considered a danger to German Youth.

Posted Sep 5, 2011 at 1:17AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3, Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags: Australia, doom, fallout, Germany

The classic first person shooter finally gets what it deserves...ummm...an appropriate audience?


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Sony's TGS 2011 lineup revealed

Posted Sep 1, 2011 at 3:33AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PSP, PS3, PS Vita Tags: news, Sony, tgs 2011

Check out Sony's lineup for the upcoming Tokyo Game Show.


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PS Vita gets new launch title in Europe

Posted Aug 27, 2011 at 3:30PM EST by Carl B Listed in: PS Vita Tags: Namco Bandai, shinobido 2, Sony, tales of the ninja

Namco Bandai Europe revealed a new title to release at PlayStation Vita's launch: Shinobido 2: Tales of the Ninja.


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Black Ops Rezurrection Map Pack out now on Xbox Live

Posted Aug 24, 2011 at 1:27AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: Activision, call of duty: black ops, Treyarch, xbox live

List of achievements plus Double XP weekend announced.


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Zynga and EA take over two big casual devs

Posted Aug 17, 2011 at 8:44PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: iPhone Tags: astro ape, bight games, casual gaming, ea games, ipad, iphone, zynga games

A battle of the casual wits is heating up.


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Trophy list for Team ICO Collection revealed

Posted Aug 10, 2011 at 4:08AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: PS3 Tags: Sony, Team Ico

Sony has revealed the official Trophy List for the much awaited Team ICO Collection.


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Diablo III beta details trickle out

Posted Aug 7, 2011 at 12:34AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: Blizzard, diablo iii

All you Diablo III fans will have something closer to watch out for. Blizzard's confirmed that a beta will be arriving sometime this month.

They still aren't very forthcoming as to the exact date, what they are amenable to divulge about it are the following:

"Countless hours of consulting the ancient prophecies and poring over dusty tomes have resulted in the unearthing of new information about Diablo III. The upcoming Diablo III beta test will introduce a treasure trove of exciting new features, including a new Auction House that will provide a powerful new way for your characters to acquire the implements of war. Prepare yourselves!"

Lead content designer Kevin Martens reveals their focus for the beta test:

"Polish, polish, polish. In particular, we're going to keep refining our approach to the game's action-storytelling. We want the player to experience the story, instead of just being told the story by NPCs, so we're moving a lot of the dialogue into the gameplay and leaving the quest hubs with just the bare, essential details needed to keep the plot moving.

One example of this kind of a change can be found when players first get to New Tristram. When they arrive, they find the town under siege by a horde of zombies, and the guards need help fending off the attack before they can open the gates. One of the conversations between the player and the guards used to take place before the main zombie attack, but it now takes place during the attack.

The subtle change took a short conversation and moved it into the action of the game, which made it more impactful and intense. Ultimately, we want the story to feel ambient and organic, instead of something that only happens between battles.

All you Diablo III fans will have something closer to watch out for. Blizzard's confirmed that a beta will be arriving sometime this month.


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Sucker Punch reassures fans Sony acquisition won't be a bother

Posted Aug 3, 2011 at 3:15AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: PS3 Tags: infamous 2, Sony, sucker punch

Sucker Punch has spoken out yet again regarding the acquisition of their company by Sony.


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Nintendo explains the reasons behind the 3DS price cut

Posted Aug 3, 2011 at 1:36AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: Nintendo, Satoru Iwata

Flat out apologize to existing 3DS owners who they feel was ticked off by the sudden shift.


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Sony acquires Sucker Punch

Posted Aug 2, 2011 at 6:50AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PS3 Tags: infamous, Sony, sucker punch

Sony has announced that they have officially acquired inFamous developer Sucker Punch Productions.


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EA's John Riccitiello comments on faster development cycles

Posted Jul 27, 2011 at 2:59AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: PSP, PS3, Nintendo DS, PC Gaming Tags: Electronic Arts, John Riccitiello

Companies like publishers who are in the business of technology should be well aware and highly adaptive to the demands of such a fast-paced development cycle, especially in an industry like gaming.


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Shaiya gets content update

Posted Jul 21, 2011 at 5:00PM EST by Carl B Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: Aeria Games, browser, shaiya

Aeria Games had announced a large content update for their PC title Shaiya.


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EA Origin deletes inactive games

Posted Jul 16, 2011 at 5:00PM EST by Carl B Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: ea origin, Electronic Arts, terms of service

Hidden away in the Terms of Service for EA Origin is something that will make no gamer happy.


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Uplay Passport is official

Posted Jul 16, 2011 at 12:44AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Xbox 360, PC Gaming, PS3 Tags: driver: san francisco, online pass, Ubisoft, uplay passport

Ubisoft has officially announced Uplay Passport, its own version of the online pass initiative which is said to provide players with “access to online features and exclusive content” for the firm’s upcoming titles.


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Shinobido 2 announced for PS Vita

Posted Jul 15, 2011 at 10:23PM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PS Vita Tags: Acquire, shinobdio 2: tales of the ninja, spike

Acquire brings back a classic hack and slash stealth-based video game for Sony's next gen portable.


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Analyst questions EA's purchase of PopCap Games

Posted Jul 13, 2011 at 2:30PM EST by Carl B Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: EA, plants vs zombies, PopCap Games

Why exactly did Electronic Arts buy out PopCap Games? Industry analysts from the Cowen Group are wondering the same thing.


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EA to acquire PopCap Games for US$ 750 million

Posted Jul 12, 2011 at 10:39PM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PSP, Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PC Gaming, iPhone, iPad, Nintendo 3DS, PS3 Tags: Electronic Arts, news, PopCap Games

EA has announced that it is to acquire PopCap Games, the creators of the hit casual titles Bejeweled and Plants vs. Zombies.


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Manhunt 2 no longer on PC

Posted Jul 11, 2011 at 12:24AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: Direct2Drive, GameFly, manhunt 2

If you were hoping to still be able to get your hands on Manhunt 2 on the PC, you just had your hopes dashed madly away.

The Adult Only title was reportedly taken down by digital games distributor, Direct2Drive. Unfortunately, D2D was the only one distributing said game. The removal occurred after D2D was acquired by Gamefly.

It would appear, however, that the game's removal may not necessarily be a direct consequence of D2D's acquisition. An official statement from D2D was sent out, when asked by a user regarding this very matter.

"Unfortunately, not all games are offered on Direct2Drive. Games offered are decided by the game's publisher and can be removed at their disgression. We regret that we do not have any detailed information in regards to titles recently removed from our site. We're sorry for any inconvenience this has caused you.

Manhunt 2 also came out on the Wii. It was one of those games that caught Jack Thompson's ire, calling it a murder training device.

Via [Gamersbook]

If you were hoping to still be able to get your hands on Manhunt 2 on the PC, you just had your hopes dashed madly away.


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Japanese top 50 software sales

Posted Jul 5, 2011 at 5:30PM EST by Carl B Listed in: PS3 Tags: atlier, Japan, Nintendo, Sony

The top 50 software sales for Japan have been revealed.


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Tatem Games expands

Posted Jul 5, 2011 at 3:30PM EST by Carl B Listed in: iPhone Tags: apple, carnivores, tatem games

Tatem Games today announced the opening of a brand new office.


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