Gamernode: Latest Industry News

Sony says it has a better lineup of games for 2008...

Sony is feeling pretty confident about the future of its PS3 game lineup for 2008. So much so that SCEE chief, David Reeves, said that he thought Sony's lineup was better than Microsoft's. No surprise here. 

But Reeves really may have some facts to back up his sanguine outlook. With the arrival of expected blockbuster hits coming down the pike such as Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance 2 and LittleBigPlanet, it looks like a pretty solid lineup indeed.

Reeves was asked if he thought the Xbox 360 was in trouble but was diplomatic in saying that Microsoft has really helped the game industry.

"No I don't think it's a sinking ship. I think they have contributed amazingly to the growth of the industry. And I think we have done exactly the same. We don't criticize the competition because we are all in t...

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GameSpot Bumps GTA IV Score?

GameSpot is still under scrutiny thanks to the ordeal earlier this year regarding Kane and Lynch. It seems like any small hiccup and the gaming community is crying foul against the site. The latest is the slight increase in the GTA IV score from 9.5 to a perfect 10.

First off, this is not a huge change. It is not as if GameSpot originally gave GTA IV an 8.0 and now magically it is a 10. The difference between a 9.5 game and 10 is so small that this shouldn't raise a single eyebrow in the gaming community.

Secondly, why does everyone assume this is a bump in the score? Why can't this be explained as a simple database error? These things do happen, and it may have been a glitch in the system that caused the score of GTA IV to be shown incorrectly. One can only imagine the intricate setup GameS...

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Doom 4 announced!

Today, id Software announced they are working on the fourth entry in their highly successful Doom franchise as well as expanding its team of developers to work on the sequel to Doom 3.

"Doom is part of the id Software DNA and demands the greatest talent and brightest minds in the industry to bring the next installment of our flagship franchise to Earth," said id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead.

"It's critical for id Software to have the best creative minds in-house to develop games that meet the standards synonymous with our titles."

No further details were revealed but the company will most likely utilize its new id Tech Engine 5 to produce the game. id Software's lead artist Kevin Cloud had the following to say:

"You don't even have to worry about how it's going to look on PS3 or 360. Right ...

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E3 loses Vivendi/Activision

Poor E3. It's just never been the same since the public was left to stand outside in the cold. The Electronics Entertainment Expo takes place this July, however this year, as already reported, it will be without the world's largest gaming publisher Vivendi/Activision.

Vivendi is part of a growing number of publishers saying sayonara to what was once the biggest gaming spectacle this side of the Pacific. With more and more companies having their own self contained events during the months of April and May, a grandiose event in the middle of July just seems redundant.

Capcom is the most recent company to have completed their press event, and Ubisoft's is coming up later this month. Sony has their own also, and Microsoft has X08.

I mean think about it, wouldn't you rather show off your stuf...

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Play the game of chess with Raving Rabbids. Yes!

I've been a fan of the game chess for quite a while although I don't know really why--I'm not that good at it. But I've got everything from chess video games to pocket electronic chess to prove that it has some sort of fascination and allurement for me.

The next game that definitely will be on my list of games to buy is Chessmaster Live on Xbox Live Arcade or the Grandmaster Edition on the PC. Why? You won't have the typical knights and pawns to do battle with in this new series. Instead you'll be going head-to-head with those silly and crazy Raving Rabbids from the Rayman game.

Those nutty plunger wielding characters will star on this iteration of the Chessmaster series and will surely prove to be a fanatical fun fest. How wild will it be? Well, if you look closely at the rook, he seems to ...

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Valve not bringing Left 4 Dead to PS3...

...but that doesn't mean that someone else won't, according to Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi.

Lombardi recently spoke about the upcoming zombie-splattering first-person shooter, and when questioned about the possibility of a PlayStation 3 release, he had this to say:

"We're not PS3 developers - we're doing PC and 360 like with Orange Box. EA came to us and said 'Wow, Orange box was an incredible project, can we do a PS3 version?' Left 4 Dead doesn't have that guaranteed appeal yet - it's a new IP. If you mention a new Half-Life, people want to make as many versions of it as possible. If Left 4 Dead is big, then we may see a PS3 version later, or if and when we do a sequel, people may be more interested in that.

We're only 150 people, so there's only so many things we can do. But it'...

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Sony launching a new online gaming publication?

Trademark filings have become a great source of advanced industry information as of late - and videogame journalists like myself love to make use of them.

Recently, industry giant Sony filed a new trademark for a product or service called QORE, described as "computer services, namely, providing interactive online magazine and entertainment services in the field of video games."

With a name like QORE, this project will most likely be related to the PlayStation Network, which is indeed at the core of Sony's videogame marketing plan. This makes more sense than a typical videogame website; a new source of information for PlayStation 3 owners about upcoming Sony products and services would be much more effective when delivered directly via PSN.

Then again, trademarks are filed and go unused all...

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Jack Thompson sends a letter to Zelnick's mother

All of you guys that have been appalled by Take-Two's unruly behavior in creating the killer creating game GTA, your prayers have been answered.

That's right, Jack Thompson, the only person who seems to actually care about our youth and still know enough about video games to be useful, has set matters straight by sending a letter to Adolph Hitler's mother to tell her of her son's company. Did I say Adolph Hitler? I meant Strauss Zelnick (Chairman of Take Two). I sometimes get the two confused.

With Mother's Day around the corner, our old friend Jack Thompson took it upon himself to inform Zelnick's mother of his ghastly actions. Well, technically he sent it to Zelnick's attorney because he's not allowed to send correspondence to Zelnick or his mother directly, but that's beside the po...

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Activision and Vivendi call it quits for the ESA

If you visit the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) official website, you'll find a virtual who's who of game publishers listed there. But among them are two that are conspicuously missing--Activision and Vivendi.

The reason? Both game companies have cancelled their memberships and hence, will not be attending the ESA sponsored E3 convention this year.

What does the ESA do? According to its website:

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is the U.S. association exclusively dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies that publish video and computer games for video game consoles, personal computers, and the Internet.

The ESA offers a range of services to interactive entertainment software publishers including a global anti-piracy program, business and con...

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Infogrames and Atari merge

After all the attention of Electronic Arts trying to move in to take over Take-Two for the nice tidy amount of $2 billion, the news of Infogrames merging with Atari for the paltry sum of $11 million seems like chump change.

As for the Infogrames/Atari merger, the tying of the knot will occur during the third quarter of this year.

David Garner, CEO of Infogrames said:

"Bringing Atari US and Infogrames businesses together will enable us to create a simplified global structure for our business as we seek to re-build a well-managed, cohesive and financially disciplined company. This is a key strategic event for Infogrames that will benefit all of our shareholders. I believe that this transaction will generate significant benefits for the Group."

Both Infogrames and Atari have had a rough time in...

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It's alive! Duke Nukem Forever demo exists

There are certain things in the world that seem to defy explanation as to their real existence. The Loch Ness monster, UFOs, the Yeti, and Bigfoot come to mind. Sure, we've seen photos and videos of them, but the question still exists as to whether they are factual or not.

Among this glorious list of speculative reality lies another...the sporadic sightings of none other than Duke Nukem Forever-the long promised game sequel that gamers have been waiting for over a decade.

Now, as if the Roswell incident has visited us again, there is direct evidence that DNF is not only real; there are witnesses who have seen actual gameplay demos. After this revelation, it seems that many of us found it easier to believe in the existence of Nessy rather than the existence of DNF.

Shacknews was privy to an ac...

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Rockstar feels "terrible" about GTA IV issues

The problems with GTA IV crashing and freezing on PS3s and Xbox 360s are apparently more than just a fable. Internet gaming sites are reporting the instability of the game and Rockstar has heard the cries of the citizens on the streets of Liberty City and elsewhere.

What did Rockstar say? A customer support rep said, "I feel terrible about this." Or for you Charles Barkley fans, Rockstar feels "turrible."

Not exactly a great consolation to those who have hit the wall while playing GTA IV.

The issues occur when certain PS3s and Xbox 360s freeze during the opening scenes of the game or while exiting multiplayer mode. The player then finds that the game prevents any further advancement in gameplay or locks out all game modes altogether. The condition, according to reports, affects some consoles...

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Prince of Persia (not Prodigy) due in 2008

Ubisoft has announced that the next Prince of Persia game will be hitting the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 in time for this year's holiday season. It will not be entitled Prince of Persia Prodigy, as trademark information led GN to speculate last week, but will simply be called Prince of Persia (again).

The game is in development at Ubisoft Montreal, which is the same team that brought us the Sands of Time trilogy and Assassin's Creed. For this new game, they are working on a new "illustrative art style," and will be "opening a new chapter in the Prince of Persia universe." Prince of Persia, according to Ubisoft, is "poised to rejuvenate the action-adventure genre."

As long as this game is recognizably Prince of Persia, then I think gamers will be happy. It's definitely time for some ...

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Co-founder William "Bing" Gordon departs EA

How does the old saying go, "out with the old, in with the new?" Electronic Arts co-founder and chief creative officer William "Bing" Gordon announced that he'll be leaving the company in June to join venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

According to Gordon, here's why he's leaving the company, "Being on campus with young people in videogame classes; seeing what they're interested in; seeing what's going on with the Internet turning into new kinds of platforms, from iPhone to Facebook and Amazon Web Services--I've gotten fired up about an all-new ride."

With Gordon's departure, all the original founders of EA have left. Some may view this as a new resurgence for the company. Former EA president and COO John Riccitiello re-joined the company in 2007, along with former Micros...

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Man stabbed over GTAIV. Welcome to the real world

Uh oh guys, better be careful when picking up your copy of GTAIV. A man was stabbed outside of a Gamestation store in Croydon, England during last night's midnight release of GTAIV.

Police said the victim was walking past the queue when suddenly he was stabbed several times by a hooded man waiting in line for the much-anticipated game. The victim survived after treatment in a hospital and has since been allowed to go home.

I feel for the young man. How would you feel if you were walking home minding your own business when suddenly you're assailed and find many bloody wounds in your body? Next thing you know, surgeons are cutting open your chest and operating on you. Finally you get home and find out your wife didn't record that TV show you would've seen if not for that unlucky occurence in...

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Gamer claims GTA IV installation crashes PS3/360

According to an early report from psnathome.com, one gamer who bought his edition of GTA IV found that there were installation problems with the game. He claims that his game froze while trying to install it and has raised questions on whether the released game is stable or not.

Other forum members report no problems with the game although "MattG" says that he has heard of similar problems occurring on the Xbox 360 as well. He has resorted to contacting GameStop, where he purchased his game, and will be bringing his copy back for an exchange.

If the report is true, it is possible that it may be faulty media instead of a problem with the hardware. We'll keep you informed. The post by MattG is shown as it appeared on psnathome.com.

"Alright, so I got home from the midnight release with my c...

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Grand Theft Auto IV released today!

Yes, the magical day has come at last and Rockstar Game's Grand Theft Auto IV has been released to the masses.

While a few people may have gotten the game early thanks to the usual pre-order shipping mix-ups, the majority of gamers will be cracking open their game cases today, ready to experience the wonderful world that is Liberty City.

Well, what are you waiting for? Why are you still reading this? You should be playing GTA IV!

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A message to anti-gamers: We've won, get over it

The Guardian, a UK-based newspaper, available online, published an article yesterday in which author Richard Bartle sends a clear message to all the grey-haired, ancient-thinking, anti-gaming journalists and politicians in the world. That message is that gaming is here to stay, and pretty soon the resistance to the medium will be dead and gone.

The piece is entitled "We've won: get over it," and opens with the following lines:

"I'm talking to you, you self-righteous politicians and newspaper columnists, you relics who beat on computer games: you've already lost. Enjoy your carping while you can, because tomorrow you're gone."

Bartle goes on to cite the fact that the median age in the UK is now 39, and that the members of that demographic have grown up in the ubiquitous presence of computers ...

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Those on the Madden cover raise your hand

Does anyone really pay attention to the covers of videogames? You can't judge a game by its cover. I mean some covers have cool images or crazy looking characters, but does that make it a good game?

Does that even tell you much about the game? Even titles can be disconcerting. Grand Theft Auto, for example, is not a game where your main objective is to steal lots of cars.Why then has the mass media covered the Madden cover athlete in great detail? So much so that the dude on the cover gets a spot on Letterman. It's still a football game, and the only game officially licensed by the NFL. Hell, I could be on the cover and it would sell the same.This year's cover athlete is Brett Favre. A first for EA, but I'll let Peter More (head of EA Sports) talk about that.

"It is with great prid...

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Fans develop Sonic the Hedgehog 2 HD Remix

Games like Bionic Commando and Super Street Fighter II are getting their own HD remakes. However one game that is more than worthy of the HD makeover isn't getting any attention.

Enter Sonic the Hedgehog 2 HD Remix. Developed purely by the fans, this project is coming along quite nicely despite it being a week old (if that). There is already a capable staff working on the game and they have some absolutely beautiful sprite work done.

The goal of project is as follows:

"The purpose of the S2HD project is to remaster Sega's classic Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in high definition graphics, whilst at the same time precisely preserving the original gameplay. New features that were not present in the original will also be made available. The S2HD project is always searching for new talent to aid us in o...

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