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We were far too busy a-wassailing yesterday to notice, but Valve released a soon-to-be-holiday-classic that we think is going to catch on like wildfire. It’s the latest track from Left 4 Dead 2’s quartet of bearded troubadours, the Midnight Riders, titled “All I Want for Christmas (Is To Kick Your Ass).” It’s a lot like that one song with the similar title, only … with more ass-kicking, we guess. Unsurprisingly, it’s not suitable for work — but incredibly suitable for your family gatherings. Click past the jump to rekindle that holiday spirit.

Continue reading Left 4 Dead 2’s Midnight Riders wish you a Merry Christmas

Left 4 Dead 2’s Midnight Riders wish you a Merry Christmas originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square Enix president Yoichi Wada estimates digital distribution and server-based gaming is poised for “exponential growth” within the next decade, advising developers to prepare for the shift. “In the past the platform was hardware, but it has switched to the network. A time will come when the hardware isn’t even needed anymore,” he said in an interview with MCV.

According to Wada, consoles as we know them will change dramatically, as “any kind of terminal becomes a potential platform on which games can be played.” Wada believes platform holders have been preparing for the shift to network-based games and delivery systems since 2005, forcing his company to respond by increasing production of social and browser games. Square Enix is also preparing a beta release for the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV in 2010.

While the Square Enix boss believes this shift has a greater global impact, especially in regions which do not have large console markets, our major fear is having to download an entire single-player Final Fantasy. Seriously, that’s a lot of gigs.

Wada emphasizes online delivery, advises devs to shift focus originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From the medium that taught us a console is just a “hard drive with games on it” comes a new episode of NCIS (not to be confused with CSI FYI or CSI NY) that highlights the significant military advantage of employing a video game tactician. But don’t even think about deploying them! As the episode’s summary reveals, “a government think-tank filled with child prodigies” may be the only safe refuge for the killer’s next victim.

You know what else could save a life? Not being so smug.

[Thanks, Danny]

Video game tacticians could save a lot of lives originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From the medium that taught us a console is just a “hard drive with games on it” comes a new episode of NCIS (not to be confused with CSI FYI or CSI NY) that highlights the significant military advantage of employing a video game tactician. But don’t even think about deploying them! As the episode’s summary reveals, “a government think-tank filled with child prodigies” may be the only safe refuge for the killer’s next victim.

You know what else could save a life? Not being so smug.

[Thanks, Danny]

Video game tacticians could save a lot of lives originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a statement made yesterday, Square Enix revealed plans to restructure Beautiful Game Studios, the team responsible for the Championship Manager franchise — a plan resulting in “unavoidable job losses.” Square Enix’s aim is to “re-focus” its vision in order to “build a successful commercial future” for the European football management series. Square Enix notes job cuts will occur before Christmas.

According to Develop, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada hinted that shuffling would occur at Eidos’ London offices during a keynote at the Montreal International Games Summit last week. It is unclear if Beautiful Game Studios — which is located at the London office — is a small piece of a larger restructure plan. Layoffs just before Christmas? Bah, humbug!

Square Enix makes cuts to Beautiful studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Regardless of what some developers may say about Valve’s digital distribution service, Steam, the Left 4 Dead 2 developer remains steadfast in its belief that listening to customers and developers is the best way to stay on top of the game. Ars Technica spoke with Valve director of business development Jason Holtman before his keynote at the Montreal International Games Summit, and Holtman explained his company’s one-two-punch plan of listening to Steam customers and developers for advice on running the operation. “They’re actually usually far better predictors of success than we ever could be,” he said.

He was also quick to point out that, despite the cyclical claims that PC gaming is “dying,” Steam has been enjoying strong digital sales for years. During his presentation in Montreal, he noted that Valve’s games have doubling sales numbers (or more) when they’re put on sale, with Team Fortress 2 sales having jumped by as much as 520 percent when the Sniper vs Spy update was released. With numbers like that to back up his claim, it’s starting to make a lot more sense to us why developers were so happy to defend Steam last month.

Valve: Keep listening to your customers, keep listening to your developers originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here’s a Thanksgiving treat from the vault – we’ve dug out the following interview with BioWare co-founder (and Group Creative Officer of EA’s newly formed RPG/MMO Group) Greg Zeschuk from earlier this year at PAX. But don’t let the date fool you! Our discussion of multiplatform console development, DLC strategies on future BioWare titles like Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2, and Greg’s recommendation that everyone buy two copies of the game (one on console and one on PC) defies time. Read on!

Joystiq: Dragon Age is the first PS3 game that BioWare’s developed. Can you talk about that process?

Greg Zeschuk: We did partner with Edge of Reality, so we partnered with folks who have had the experience, and that was a good process where we actually had some folks that knew how to do it but also, in general, just worked together with them. A lot of it ended up being like we needed a lot of work to get done and a lot of stuff very fast and everyone was very busy on Dragon Age itself. Collectively, on the console, I would say it was very interesting and challenging to take the richness of the PC game of Dragon Age, with all these different powers and everything else, and actually try to transpose it to the consoles. And the interesting thing about that, or where it worked out really well, is that we literally set ourselves a goal: We didn’t want console players to fell like we ripped them off by taking anything away, by minimizing or simplifying. We want them to feel they have all the power at their fingertips, but it’s very accessible. It’s got the multiple rings that sort of have subsets to them, and you can actually pretty much access any power just a couple little joystick twiddles and button presses. And so with that experience, I think we succeeded there.

Another place where we succeeded on both the PS3 and 360 versions: it feels very different from the PC. Where the PC has got the traditional Baldur’s Gate top-down [perspective], the PS3 and 360 are over-the-shoulder and they do have that kind of, very KOTOR feel and that’s probably what I play, and that’s what I feel most familiar with is KOTOR — and it actually feels more action-y than the PC does, so I think people will find a very different experience. I recommend both platforms actually, PC and console versions.

Continue reading Interview: BioWare’s Greg Zeschuk on Dragon Age, DLC, and more

Interview: BioWare’s Greg Zeschuk on Dragon Age, DLC, and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It appears that GamePro will reveal the first details of Puzzle Quest 2 in its next issue. Beyond a single image, the mag doesn’t drop any details on its website. After Infinite Interactive went a tad off course with Galactrix — meanwhile, developing Puzzle Kingdoms, Puzzle Chronicles and Neopets Puzzle Adventure — it’s good to see the team going back to its roots.

From the image, it seems that Puzzle Quest 2 is being developed for Xbox 360, but if it’s anything like its predecessor, the game will eventually release on every console, handheld and electronic device known to man. One can also deduce that purple is now a rune for spells instead of XP. But what purpose do the gloves serve? We’re sure to learn more very soon.

Puzzle Quest sequel revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harmonix’s Rock Band Network is still working out the kinks and will launch in “early 2010.” In a statement to Kotaku, the developer explained that it’s working on getting the public beta tools out “before the end of the year,” with the store front to launch sometime at the beginning of next year.

Musicians with ample time and high computer proficiency can begin preparing their tracks now with the creator tools, but the open beta will grant access to the private website where all the RBN community stuff will occur. If you’re a musician or programmer (or … procisian?), let us know what you think about the tools in comments.

Rock Band Network rolls out fully in early 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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