During QuakeCon 2010, John Carmack announced that they are working on a version of Rage for iPhone. The 60 frames-per-second title, he bragged, is able to “kill anything done on the Xbox or PlayStation 2.”
The mobile version of the game is working off of a version of id Tech 5. There will apparently be a smaller iPhone release before a more significant iPhone version releases simultaneously with the PS3, PC and Xbox 360 version in 2011.
Like many JRPG heroes, Link has always been a silent protagonist save some grunts, groans and screams dialog is filled in by characters around him, but he never says anything. It’s almost become an established tradition and those in power want to keep it that way.
“Personally, I don’t want to have Link speak in the game,” says producer Eiji Aonuma in Nintendo Power. “We haven’t had him talk at all up to this point. It’s part of the series history. It would just, to me, break the image of Link to have him speak.”
“In terms of other characters, if Link never talks and everybody else in the game is chatting and whatnot I also think that’s sort of an off mixture, so it’s not something that, to be honest, I’ve really thought I want to be superactive about or I’ve really pressed for it. It just hasn’t come up to me personally.”
Source: Desctructoid
The latest dust up over net neutrality for mobile phones because of the recently revealed Google-Verizon talks has brought up all sorts of opinions. Facebook, perhaps endangered by the sorts of decisions the other two companies might make, has issued a statement on their own.
“Facebook continues to support principles of net neutrality for both landline and wireless networks,” read the statement by Facebook. “Preserving an open Internet that is accessible to innovators regardless of their size or wealth will promote a vibrant and competitive marketplace where consumers have ultimate control over the content and services delivered through their Internet connections.”
Source: Mashable
ZeniMax Media, parent company of Bethesda Softworks, announced that it has acquired Arkane Studios. With offices in France and Texas, the studio has created Arx Fatalis and Dark Messiah of Might and Magic.
“We are very pleased to be able to bring another experienced, high quality developer like Arkane to the ZeniMax group of studios,” said Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO of ZeniMax Media. “Raphael and his talented team have earned a reputation for creating immersive, innovative games which enhances our ability to deliver AAA quality games to our many fans.”
Arkane’s founder and CEO Raphael Colantonio will serve as president of Arkane within ZeniMax. The developer is currently working on an unannounced project with Bethesda.
“This is an exciting moment for Arkane. After 11 years of independent development, we couldn’t think of a better publishing partner,” said Colantonio. “We share so many creative values. Joining the ZeniMax family will allow us to grow stronger while staying true to the games we love.”
Irrational Games and Ken Levine’s latest project has been unveiled, and it is both a sequel to the BioShock series… and not at all at the same time. It takes the name and some basic ideas of the BioShock franchise, but instead of entering a Cold War underwater city, it goes above the clouds in a 19th century steampunk America.
The effort put into some fan projects is sometimes quite staggering to behold. Take this for example: a four player split-screen rendition of Don’t Stop Me Now using Super Mario World.
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Right on the heels of the release of the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World release in theaters is this mash up take on the trailer with the original graphic novel. Check out how faithful it is to the original source material (pretty faithful, all in all).
While it’s well known that Windows Phone 7 is Microsoft’s latest attempt to counter the increasing functionality of competitors’ phones based on iOS and Android, it turns out that a recent job post has revealed Microsoft’s intent to produce its own first party games to support the platform.
“Microsoft Games Studios Mobile Gaming will support first party development [and] evangelize mobile gaming across MGS,” read the post, adding, “the Mobile Gaming studio will be the hub for MGS franchises and titles on mobile devices and a center of excellence for mobile games.”
Source: microsoft-careers.com
2K Games has announced three different community and social events prior to the launch of Mafia II. There will be a Mafia II Hit List on Facebook, the Mafia II Mix Tape on Pandora, and Mafia II Community Launch Events.
Mafia II Hit List, which has more than a passing resemblance to Mafia Wars, features the ability to be a mob boss and put hits out on friends, with a Top 5 Hitmen and Top 5 Most Wanted hit list for the top players. To find out more visit http://apps.facebook.com/mafiahitlist/.
Mafia II Pandora Mix Tape on Pandora has some of the 120 notable songs from the ’40s and ’50s featured in the game, along with other period songs. Songs include Ain’t that a Kick in the Head? by Dean Martin, Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker, Mambo Italiano by Rosemary Clooney, It Don’t Mean a Thing by Duke Ellington, and Rave On by Buddy Holly. Find out more at www.mafia2game.com/pandora.
The three Mafia II Community Launch Events will be hosted by Gamertag Radio and SFX-360 in Chicago, Miami and New York City and will be sponsored by 2K, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Nvidia and Playboy; find out more at www.gamertagradio.com or www.sfx-360.com {link no longer active}.
Mafia II will release August 24 on PS3, PC and Xbox 360.
Reports are that Sony Ericsson is working on a new PlayStation Phone. It will have a landscape slider with game controls in place of the typical QWERTY keyboard, with a “long touch pad” for analog controls along with standard PSP buttons and shoulder buttons.
The screen is described as being between 3.7 and 4.1 inches with WVGA or better resolution, a 5 megapixel camera and likely a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU. There will be both Xperia and PlayStation branding.
The system will be running Android 3.0 and will be capable of 3D graphics. The graphics are described as being in the PSOne, PSP range.
This PlayStation Phone could be introduced as soon as October 2010.
Source: Engadget
