Fable 2 sold 3.5 million copies, Lionhead ‘needs’ 5 million for Fable 3
Mar/100
Speaking during GDC, Peter Molyneux highlighted Lionhead’s strategy for Fable 3, specifically noting that a franchise will die if it fails to grow. “If we don’t grow as a franchise, If Fable doesn’t get bigger as a franchise,” said Molyneux, “then it will eventually die.” Lionhead is “very happy” with the success of Fable so far, with Molyneux stating that the original Fable sold “about 3 million” copies, while Fable 2 moved approximately 3.5 million.
He added that he hopes that 25-30 percent more people will play Fable 3, explaining Lionhead’s plans to craft Fable 3 as more of an action-adventure title — a genre which tends to perform better than RPGs. The overall goal for Lionhead is to sell more than five million copies of Fable 3. According to Molyneux, Fable 3 needs to sell that many in order to “be part of the big boys, the big blockbusters.”
How will Lionhead rope in that many new customers? Read our full coverage of the Fable 3 GDC panel to find out.
Fable 2 sold 3.5 million copies, Lionhead ‘needs’ 5 million for Fable 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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THQ developing downloadable games based on ‘core’ brands
Mar/100
“Very aggressive” is the phrase THQ executive VP of Core Games Danny Bilson used to describe his company’s plans for downloadable titles across the Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and PC platforms during a GDC 2010 interview with Joystiq. With two studios dedicated to the downloadable space — THQ Digital Studios Phoenix (formerly Rainbow Studios) and THQ Digital Studios UK (formerly Juice Games) — Bilson told us THQ plans to release “up to six” downloadable titles within the next year, some based on the company’s biggest brands.
“We’re going to be building stuff on some of our core brands,” Bilson said, noting the plan is to create downloadable titles within the same universe as THQ’s major franchises in order to improve brand awareness. Surprisingly, Bilson’s plans include “giving away” some of the upcoming downloadable games, although he did not specify how this idea would be executed.
Bilson’s theory is that by getting players “involved” in its franchises via downloadable titles, THQ can help drive pre-orders and awareness for their big-budget (in relation) retail counterparts. While he would not specify which THQ franchises would get downloadable titles, we were told the plan is to roll out this strategy on “two or three” of THQ’s biggest franchises (? la Square Enix’s upcoming Lara Croft game from developer Crystal Dynamics).
But the plan doesn’t end there: Similar to the approach taken by Microsoft’s Fable II: Pub Games experiment, downloadable releases based on THQ’s major brands will unlock content within the retail releases, teasing players with potential advantages to purchasing retail releases; retail games will also unlock content in downloadable titles, to help drive players to explore more content within that franchise’s universe. “You’re going to see some of our core brands built out in different kinds of gameplay to get people involved in the brands and drive awareness towards a launch.”
THQ developing downloadable games based on ‘core’ brands originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light launching this summer for $15
Mar/100
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It may not have “Tomb Raider” in the title, but Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light — scheduled to launch on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and PC this summer — will mark the leading lady’s return to a crumbling underworld and its unreasonably hostile caretakers. And while the game’s aesthetics are unmistakably consistent with previous games, its unique format draws inspiration from a wider range of sources, including last year’s polished XBLA hit, Shadow Complex.
Like Shadow Complex, the game will launch for $15, offering approximately six hours of two-player co-operative action and puzzle-solving (though your pace may vary). According to developer Crystal Dynamics, Lara Croft & The Guardian of Light will be cognizant of the bar set by other high-production games in the download space, while offering a unique interpretation of the well-established Tomb Raider franchise.
Catch Joystiq’s impressions of the game and an interview with Crystal Dynamics later this week.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light launching this summer for $15 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light launching this summer for $15
See a cut of Shank gameplay
Mar/100
The brutal violence may dominate the trailer, but our eyes were immediately drawn to the acrobatics. There’s so much somersaulting, swinging, hanging, and other exciting-looking methods of movement that they even manage to distract us from the usually thrilling shoot-stab-saw combos on display.
See a cut of Shank gameplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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XNA Game Studio 4.0 includes Windows Phone support
Mar/100
Microsoft took yet another step today in convincing us that Windows Phone 7 will be a legitimate gaming platform. The company just unveiled XNA Game Studio 4.0, which, in addition to supporting PC and Xbox 360, will also let designers make games for the new mobile platform. Besides being great news for indies, it also means that you’ll be able to use your gamertag and Avatar on the phone, as well as unlock Xbox Live Achievements.
You can read more about the technical integration of XNA and WP7 on Microsoft program manager Michael Klucher’s blog. Hopefully we’ll have even more details for you as the tech is rolled out during GDC.
XNA Game Studio 4.0 includes Windows Phone support originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rock Band Weekly: Lady Gaga, Cartman’s ‘Poker Face’
Mar/100
Don’t even lie! You’re just as excited as any club kid that boundary-pushing pop sensation Lady Gaga is coming to Rock Band next week. So, in the privacy of your living room, break out the tight-fitting pleather and get your jam on (to the tracks you, publicly, tell everyone you hate).
Of course, you could pretend you “accidentally” bought the Gaga Track Pack, when you actually meant to purchase South Park chubby charmer Eric Cartman’s rendition of “Poker Face.” Yup, that lil’ ditty will also be available. See, now you can cover up that undeniable desire to go goo-goo for Gaga with a veil of irony!
Check out the full release list after the break.
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Rock Band Weekly: Lady Gaga, Cartman’s ‘Poker Face’ originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Vintage Playboy centerfolds grace Mafia II
Mar/100
It appears mobsters aren’t the only things getting rubbed out in Mafia II, as 2K Games announces it has signed a license agreement with Playboy magazine for the mob saga. The pictorial publication will have over 50 of its “vintage covers and Centerfolds” inside the game when it eventually releases.
The iconic publication first premiered in 1953, so unless the game, which covers the ’40s and ’50s, is rewriting history, the Playboy collectibles won’t show up until the latter part of the game’s story. The magazine apparently won’t merely be window dressing either, as players will have the ability to “collect virtual copies of the iconic magazine” — to read the articles, of course. If you have roommates, we recommend investing in Purell hand wipes. We’re not implying anything, simply “safety first.” It is still flu season, after all.
Vintage Playboy centerfolds grace Mafia II originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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This Wednesday: Scrap Metal rocks the XBLA Block Party
Mar/100
Slick Entertainment’s top-down racer Scrap Metal continues Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade Block Party promotion this week, Major Nelson reports. It’ll be available this Wednesday for 1200
and almost begs comparison to classic racer-shooter hybrid, Rock N’ Roll Racing — in that, both games have rock and roll and racing. And guns … to be used during the rocking and rolling and racing. It’s like a fruit salad of slaughter and sweet licks, we guess.
This Wednesday: Scrap Metal rocks the XBLA Block Party originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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First screens from Fallout: New Vegas surface, feature glorious beards
Mar/100
Around these parts, we’re all avid supporters of a thick, lustrous beard. Though our tastes for the gaming industries various genres differ greatly, we can all get behind any game so long as it includes characters with copious amounts of facial hair. For this reason alone, a recent batch of screenshots has placed Fallout: New Vegas firmly on our list of most anticipated games of 2010.
You can check out images depicting New Vegas‘ unprecedentedly hirsute ensemble in the gallery below. There’s also a Super Mutant with heart-rimmed glasses and a doo-wop weave, and man, we’ve got to find out what that’s all about.
First screens from Fallout: New Vegas surface, feature glorious beards originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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GDC hands-on: Deadliest Warrior (XBLA)
Mar/100
Okay, honesty time. Most of the preparation for my GDC appointment to check out Pipework Foundation’s TV-to-game adaptation Deadliest Warrior was spent thinking up jokes about the game’s cast of anachronistic characters. “So, what are we looking at,” I would snidely remark, “Templars? Cavemen? Wizards? Robots? Robot Cavemen? Grizzly bears?” To which Pipework would politely laugh, as I would insist, “No, seriously. What’s the grizzly bear situation?”
I was prepared to be underwhelmed by the game, so I’d attempt to cajole an entire preview out of this line of questioning. Fortunately, this precaution wasn’t necessary, as Deadliest Warrior looks to be a surprisingly competent, enjoyable fighting game, and a welcome addition to the Xbox Live Arcade lineup. Here’s the takeaway: Think Bushido Blade; but instead of being stuck with controlling boring ol’ samurai, there are ninjas, Spartans, Apache, knights and four other yet-to-be-announced warriors (Including, hopefully, wizards).
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