It looks like the exclusive practices for developers and publishers is still going strong. Not that anyone should expect it to die out. Publisher THQ has announced that the first DLC map pack for their upcoming title Homefront, developed by Kaos Studios, will be debuting on Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE. Following in the footsteps of Call of Duty, in a path that many gamers may not be a fan of.
THQ has partnered up with Microsoft to bring the upcoming title’s first DLC to the Xbox 360 first. But, that’s not all. Major Nelson, or Larry Hryb, at the THQ presse event for the game itself announced that the deal extended to all future DLC made available for the game. That means if Kaos Studios adds anything to the game after launch, it will be made available on the 360 first.
To sweeten the deal for 360 owners, a single map, called “Suburbs” will be an exclusive to the Xbox 360 version. This map will be available at the launch of the game, but won’t be available for anyone who purchases the game for the PlayStation 3. Homefront will be released on March 8, 2011, and will retail for $59.99.
Bulletstorm is one of those rare titles that, even if you see all the videos and read all the reviews on it, you still need to actually play it to get a sense of what the game is about, and why it’s so unique in its place amongst all of the other First Person Shooter (FPS) titles out there. From developer People Can Fly and published by EA Games, Bulletstorm is a shooter that mixes in over-the-top action, along with plenty of creative combinations that players can use to score points.
EA has officially announced that gamers will get their shot at trying out the game before it hits retail shelves in late February. The title will hit both Xbox LIVE Worldwide and Sony’s PlayStation Network in the United States on the same date: January 25th, which is a Tuesday. The demo will feature a single “snippet” of Echo Mode, which is a competitive addition to the title that will pit gamers against their friends, as they try to rack up the highest score. They’ll be able to do that with the “skillshot” system, which is a classy title for stringing together kills with over-the-top actions, and combinations.
The demo will be made available for PlayStation Network users in Europe on January 26th. There’s no mention of a PC demo coming any time soon, unfortunately. The game will officially ship on February 22nd, 2011, and have a price tag of $49.99 for the standard edition. But, if you opt-in for the Epic Edition, you’ll have a chance to play Gears of War 3 online Beta. Full press release below.
Press Release
Epic Games and EA Kick-Start the New Year With a Demo for Bulletstorm
Get a Taste of One of 2011′s Most Anticipated Games Starting on January 25
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– People Can Fly, Epic Games and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced a demo for Bulletstorm, the highly anticipated new action shooter from the makers of the award-winning Gears of War and Unreal series of games. Starting on January 25, the demo will give players a taste of the guns, action and attitude Bulletstorm has to offer, with Entertainment Weekly describing Bulletstorm as “an intense, outrageous shooter,” and Seth Schiesel from the New York Times stating, “the name should say it all; big guns, lots of lead and over-the-top mayhem.”
Bulletstorm ships with three game modes: the pulp sci-fi, single-player campaign; Anarchy multiplayer mode; and Echo mode, a unique experience that tracks and compares players’ scores while they play through locations found in the campaign. The Bulletstorm demo introduces a slice of Echo mode in which players traverse a collapsed building on the deadly paradise planet Stygia as ex-Dead Echo leader Grayson Hunt. Players will utilize the “Skillshot” system in Bulletstorm as they crush enemies in increasingly creative ways to rack up points using an arsenal of powerful weapons, from a futuristic assault rifle called the Peace Maker Carbine, to the Flail Gun, which fires two grenades linked by a chain, and the Screamer, a powerful revolver that turns enemies into human fireworks.
From highest score to total number of skillshots performed, players can compete with their friends for bragging rights in Echo mode as they decimate enemies with over-the-top combat moves using some of the most innovative weapons ever seen in a first-person shooter. With more than 45 skillshots in the demo, players are encouraged to “Kill with Skill” in Bulletstorm, finding stylish and ever imaginative ways to take down anyone that stands in their way. The Bulletstorm demo also allows players to unlock platform-specific upgrades* to use in the game’s Anarchy mode, from the Crimson Leash to Stealth Armor, when they purchase the full game.
The Bulletstorm demo will be available for download January 25 on Xbox LIVE™ Marketplace Worldwide and the PlayStation®Network in North America. The demo will be available on January 26 on PlayStation®Network in Europe. Poised to be one of 2011′s most original games, the Bulletstorm Epic Edition will be available for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and grant early access to the Gears of War 3 beta as well as additional bonus content in-game**. The Bulletstorm Limited Edition will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC and will also offer additional bonus content in-game**. Bulletstorm will be available on Feb. 22, 2011 in North America and Feb. 25, 2011 in Europe. For more information on Bulletstorm, please visit www.bulletstorm.com and www.facebook.com/bulletstorm or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bulletstorm.
* Content subject to availability.
** Conditions and restrictions apply. Whiles supplies last. See back of pack for details if and when available.
About People Can Fly
People Can Fly, an Epic Games studio, creates visually and technically superior action games for PC and console entertainment systems. Founded in 2002 and based in Warsaw, Poland, People Can Fly is developing “Bulletstorm,” an original, Unreal Engine 3-powered onslaught of ‘kill with skill’ gameplay and blockbuster moments to be released in 2011 by Electronic Arts. People Can Fly made its mark on the shooter genre with its award-winning “Painkiller” series of games for PC and Xbox prior to shipping Epic’s “Gears of War” for PC. Additional information about People Can Fly can be found at www.peoplecanfly.com.
About Epic Games
Founded in 1991 and based in Cary, N.C., Epic Games develops cutting-edge games and cross-platform game engine technology. Epic’s “Gears of War” series has sold more than 12 million copies and won more than 50 Game of the Year awards. Epic’s Unreal Engine 3 is the five-time winner and Hall of Fame inductee for Game Developer’s Best Engine Front Line Award. Unreal Engine 3 has also won three consecutive Develop Industry Excellence Awards, and consequently Develop magazine has dubbed it the number one game engine. Visit www.epicgames.com and www.unrealtechnology.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, and POGO are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. People Can Fly and Bulletstorm are trademarks or registered trademarks of People Can Fly Sp z o. o. in the United States of America and elsewhere. Epic, Epic Games, Gears of War, Gears of War 3, Unreal, Unreal Engine, UE3, and Unreal Tournament are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Earlier today, we reported that Microsoft was seeing strong sales of its home videogame console, the Xbox 360. So strong, in fact, that Larry Hryb (or Major Nelson, if you prefer) was told that Microsoft had literally “run out” of the consoles. With stock supposedly tight in January and February as well, Major Nelson was quick to note that if they didn’t get first place in console sales from the NPD group with their results today, it would be due to strong sales, and not the opposite. Microsoft has released the NPD’s highlight reel for the 360, and sure enough, Microsoft’s console is doing very well.
The NPD reports that the Microsoft Xbox 360 is the only console that saw year-over-year growth through December at 42%. That makes the Xbox 360 the fastest-growing console in 2010. Their records show that a total of $6.2 billion was sold in 2010, which means that the most money was spent at retail outlets on the Xbox 360, versus the other current generation consoles.
Microsoft sold 1.9 million consoles in December, which marks Microsoft’s biggest month for the console yet. The NPD’s highlight reel also points out that three of the top ten selling videogames in December launched on the 360: Call of Duty: Black Ops (which was also a multi-platform release), Kinect Sports, and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (which was another multi-platform title). So, we’ll have to see how Nintendo’s and Sony’s numbers were in the console race, before we can compare the month of December against the competition.
Highlight Reel
December 2010 NPD highlights include:
· Xbox 360 was the only console to show year-over-year growth at 42%, making it the fastest-growing console in 2010. (Source: NPD Group, December 2010)
· With $6.2 billion spent at retail, more money was spent on Xbox 360 than any current generation console in 2010. (Source: NPD Group, December 2010)
· December Xbox 360 console sales remained strong, with 1.9 million units sold, our biggest month ever in the history of Xbox 360. (Source: NPD Group, December 2010)
· During the month of December, three of the top ten console game titles were for Xbox 360 including: “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” “Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood,” and “Kinect Sports.” (Source: NPD Group, December 2010)
In order to keep up with holiday demand in December for Xbox 360 and Kinect, Microsoft pulled units from its January and February production. Despite this, Microsoft still experienced out of supply situations in late December, and it expects supply constraint to continue in January and February as it works with retail and manufacturing partners to expedite production and shipments to replenish the channel.
Not too long ago, I wrote on these pages that the Nintendo Wii in my house was collecting dust. I explained that Wii games aren’t as appealing to me as they might be to other gamers. I also told you that I wasn’t all that impressed by the Wii Remote itself. Suffice it to say that I’m perfectly content with a traditional controller.
So, when I purchased Microsoft’s Kinect after a few weeks of deciding whether or not it would be a sound purchase, I was a little concerned that the unique motion option would fall flat in the same way.
And then I played Kinect Adventures. The experience was unique, to say the least. And I was generally quite pleased with the gameplay. More importantly, I found that the Kinect followed my actions quite well.
I had a similarly impressive experience with Dance Central. I’m not much for dancing, but in trying the game with friends and family, I started believing that the Kinect would do what the Wii couldn’t in my life: make motion gaming a staple in my daily game sessions.
But after a while, just as it did with the Wii, my interest in the Kinect waned. Most of the games available for the device are more casual in nature, and they require multiple players to make them fun. The technology still impressed me, but the games themselves couldn’t quite stand up to the more traditional, “core” titles I typically enjoy.
More than a month since I came to that realization, my Kinect has done little but collect dust. I haven’t played a Kinect game in that span, and I haven’t missed it one bit.
Now, I’m sure some Microsoft fans would say that I’m premature in my judgement of the Kinect. After all, the platform has been out for only a couple months and some core titles should be supporting the device later this year.
That might be true. And I am hopeful that more serious titles can change my stance on the Kinect. But I’m not confident that will happen. Jumping around in my living room isn’t all that appealing to me. And once the novelty wears off on any casual Kinect game, I quickly realize that I’d rather sit on the couch and play a better title.
I can say the same for Sony’s PlayStation Move. Like the Wii, it falls short for me. And I can’t help but wonder why I’m flailing my arms around, rather than enjoying a game with a traditional controller.
So, unless the Kinect can deliver on my hopes of a viable hardcore experience, I’m not quite sure if it will do much in my house besides collect dust. It’s certainly a neat technology, and I think it offers more fun than the Wii, but when it’s all said and done, it still can’t match traditional gaming for me.
What about you? Is your Kinect collecting dust or are you playing with it each night?
Today, market researcher NPD is supposed to release the sales rankings of the video game consoles. While it may not be released publicly, which NPD has chosen to do in the past, Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE Director of Programming Larry Hryb has come forward and tweeted why Microsoft may not be at the head of the pack if the numbers do get released. And, in a strange twist of fate, it’s not because the Xbox 360 isn’t popular, but it may be because the console is too popular.
According to Hryb, who is better known as Major Nelson, he was told that Microsoft had actually run out of the consoles. In light of that, he doesn’t think that Microsoft will “win” the NPD sales rankings, when –or if– they get announced. It’s an ironic twist that, if this is true and the Xbox 360 did run dry durin the holiday season, Microsoft wouldn’t win the first place spot, all because they couldn’t keep up with demand.
Hryb didn’t help the situation either, when he went on to tweet that the stock for Xbox 360 consoles would continue to be tight throughout January, and even into February. The stock isn’t completely dry, though. Retailers like Amazon and Walmart still have consoles waiting for potential customers to come by. We’ll have to wait and see about those NPD numbers, though, and whether or not they’ll be made public. If not, we’ll have to hope that the console manufacturers report the sales.
If you know a few people who haven’t jumped onto the Xbox LIVE Gold Membership bandwagon yet, and you feel like with a gentle nudge from you they just might, here’s your time to act. Not only because you’ll get even more friends to play your favorite online games together with, but also because Microsoft has just launched the Xbox LIVE Refer a Friend program, which means you’ll get a cool prize for getting one of your friends to sign up for Gold.
Microsoft’s new Refer a Friend program is meant to draw in more users to the Gold Membership plan, by rewarding those with a current gold membership for bringing more folks into the fold. The idea is that if you refer someone, and they successfully sign up for a Gold Membership, you’ll be provided with a “token.” Once you receive that token, you’ll be able to cash it in for a prize.
One reward provides you and your friend with 400 Microsoft Points, or 600 Microsoft Points depending on the amount of time the new Gold member signs up for. If you get someone to sign up, you can choose to have Microsoft pick an Xbox LIVE Arcade game for you and your friend to download. And finally, if you get a friend of yours to just try Xbox LIVE Gold with a promotional token, you’ll receive 200 Microsoft Points.
The promotion is set to end on July 1st, 2011, and people will be able to refer five friends every day until that date. As for the prizes themselves, referrers to the program will be eligible to win each of the four prizes only once until July 1st. The tokens will expire by December 31st, 2011, while the Microsoft Points received from the referral will expire by June 30th, 2012.
Further details about Microsoft’s CES 2011 announcements have leaked, with a new Xbox 360 social communication system called Avatar Kinect expected to make its debut this week. First spotted by Glimpsedog as a leaked snapshot of Microsoft’s keynote run-through, according to WinRumors Avatar Kinect uses the motion-gaming peripheral to control gamers’ Xbox LIVE avatars as they interact with each other.
The functionality will have its own area in Xbox LIVE, they suggest, similar to Nintendo’s Mii channel. Gamers will be able to interact with each other, have conversations and watch content or play games together. It will apparently take the form of an Xbox LIVE update, rather than a new, Kinect-specific game.
Microsoft is also expected to bring a selection of new tablet PCs on stage during its CES 2011 keynote, as part of the company’s attempt to win market share from the iPad. Meanwhile, there are rumors that a Windows TV STB to take on Apple TV and Google TV is also going to debut, as a sub-$200 box that will run a specially-modified version of Windows embedded.
Microsoft’s online gaming and media service, Xbox LIVE for the Xbox 360 is a place where gamers, and entertainment-loving folks in general can go and download all sorts of things to pass the time. A strong moneymaker for the Redmond-based company is Xbox LIVE’s Arcade, where developers and publishers can release “classic” titles, along with smaller games that may not be big enough to fit into a full “retail” package. Titles like Limbo and Monday Night Combat managed to garner plenty of rave reviews, and even some “best of” lists. But, there’s another section on Xbox LIVE that hasn’t received so much attention: Indie games. In fact, getting any kind of face time on Xbox LIVE for the Indie game developer has been sort of a rough patch recently.
Back at the beginning of November, Microsoft decided to shove the Xbox LIVE Indie Games section way, way into the depths of the Marketplace. No longer could you find it with a few flicks of a joystick. You’d have to go all the way into the “Specialty Shop,” and there you’d find your favorite “small-time” games. This didn’t sit well with the developers of these titles, and they made it apparent that they believed Microsoft was worried about these other games taking the limelight away from Microsoft’s cream-of-the-crop Arcade titles.
Microsoft eventually relented, and returned the Indie Games panel back to the main section of the Marketplace. However, it doesn’t look like that’s enough for some Indie game developers, as they still believe they do not receive the same treatment that Arcade developers get. The result? The Indie Games Winter Uprising. It started off from a pair of developers coming together to promote not only their titles, but other Indie games that they believed looked too good to pass up. After the Xbox LIVE Indie Games panel was moved into the Specialty Shop, a lot of developers started losing money as sales dropped suddenly. It was bad enough that, according to Robert Boyd, the development head of Breath of Death VII, “a lot of developers talked about quitting the service.”
That’s when Ian Stocker, the developer behind Soulcaster II, got in touch with Boyd and suggested that the two of them team up, more or less, to promote their games. Boyd was just about finished with Cthulhu Saves the World, and figured that it would be a good idea. He didn’t want it to just focus on their games, though, and suggested that they should widen their scope to include other top-notch Indie games. And that’s how the Indie Games Winter Uprising was conceived.
In total, there are 14 games that are part of the Winter Uprising. A few of them are already out, but most of them won’t be released until early 2011. What’s interesting, though, is the support that the Winter Uprising has received from Microsoft. After the company wanted to squander the service into the depths of the Marketplace, the Winter Uprising now has its own promotional panel in the main section of the Dashboard. It’s not just in the Marketplace — it’s right there in the front, where everyone can see. And, what makes it better, is that the idea for the large promotion was apparently Microsoft’s.
The developers taking part in the Winter Uprising are not only hoping that their games pick up in sales due to the promotion, but also that the overall traffic increases significantly into the Indie Games section of Xbox LIVE. One of the games, Epic Dungeon has already managed to sell over 10,000 copies. You can see the game in action below.
We’ve been writing about Duke Nukem Forever for years, and it seems our patience might finally be paying off. According to the Amazon pre-order page – which, along with GameStop and the official site – the much-anticipated title is expected to arrive on May 31 2011.
The announcement follows a legal battle by developers after 3D Realms folded back in May 2009, and which was only settled in May 2010. Gearbox Software took over development and promised a 2011 release, though given the title has been in the works since 1997, gamers took that news with more than a pinch of salt.
Now, it seems, Duke Nukem Forever really is on the way, with pre-orders being taken for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Windows 7 versions of the game. We’ll only believe it when we see it drop into mailboxes, frankly.
For companies at the Consumer Electronics Show, showing off your latest, greatest, and flashiest gadgets is a sure-fire way to make sure that people notice you at one of the largest tech-based events of the year. For Origin PC, they’re planning on showing off one of the craziest hybrid gaming PCs ever, making sure that they get noticed, and memorized, at CES in 2011. While it may look like a normal, albeit bigger than usual gaming rig, there’s something extra thrown in for good measure: a liquid-cooled new Slim Xbox 360.
This new gaming rig from Origin PC not only has a high-end gaming set up inside the case, but one of the brand new slimmed-down Xbox 360s. Microsoft’s video game console is liquid-cooled, making sure that it can stand-up to the heat, and extra-long hours of playtime, while in use. The base set-up for the powerful piece of equipment has an Intel Core i7 930 processor, which has been overclocked to 4.9GHz. You’ll find dual NVIDIA GTX480 graphics cards inside, along with 6GB of Corsair Dominator memory, clocked at 1,600MHz. The whole set-up is water-cooled.
As for a price? Origin PC says that the base model will go for around $7,669. But if you’ve got even more money to toss around for something like this, you could always go for the “high-end” version, which Origin says will set you back $16,669.
