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Following switch to F2P model, Hi-Rez switches focus to PC edition of fast-paced, online shooter; PSN version possible.
When Global Agenda creator Hi-Rez Studios first announced it would be reviving the pioneering Tribes franchise, the game was planned as a full retail release for Xbox Live and the PC later this year. However, over the past several months, those plans have changed, most notably with Hi-Rez’s decision to turn Tribes: Ascend into a free-to-play, microtransaction-supported shooter.
Now, Hi-Rez has also tweaked how it plans to release the game. Today, the studio confirmed for GameSpot that it has back-burnered the Xbox Live version of the game in favor of throwing its entire weight behind the PC edition.
Hi-Rez is not ruling out the Xbox Live version entirely; indeed, the studio is also considering a PlayStation Network release for the free-to-play title. “An eventual XBLA version–and even PSN version–is not out of the question but neither will be this year,” the Hi-Rez representative told GameSpot.
As with its predecessors, Tribes: Ascend will focus on large-scale, fast-paced sci-fi combat. The game’s free-to-play model sees players rotating between a number of different equipment loadouts, which include heavy, medium, and light armor and supplies. Alternatively, players will be able to purchase the loadouts they wish to continue playing with.
For more on Tribes: Ascend, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
“Tribes: Ascend back-burnered on Xbox Live” was posted by Tom Magrino on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 12:01:28 -0700 -
Following EA’s acquisition of Bejeweled factory, source says Farmville studio offered a cash deal financed in part by Goldman Sachs.
Yesterday, Electronic Arts ended weeks of speculation and announced its intent to acquire Plants vs. Zombies and Bejewled house PopCap Games for as much as $1.3 billion. However, the publisher was not the only party interested in scooping up the company for a large figure.
According to a source speaking with financial news hub Forbes, Farmville creator Zynga offered PopCap $1 billion in cash to buy the company.
The deal was to be financed, at least in part, by investment firm Goldman Sachs. As of press time, Zynga had not responded to GameSpot’s request for comment on the matter.
The report also named China-based Internet company TenCent as an additional party considering a purchase of Zynga. However, the source noted that final bidding was between Zynga and EA, with the latter ultimately winning out.
EA’s deal to acquire PopCap includes $650 million up front, another $100 million paid out in shares, and $50 million in employee retention rewards. Additionally, the terms of the deal include performance-based payouts, where $550 million is on the table.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
“Zynga bid $1 billion for PopCap – Report” was posted by Eddie Makuch on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:59:59 -0700 -
MUNICH – alaplaya, the leading international free-to-play gaming portal, today revealed that a new expansion is coming to hit its online third-person shooter S4 League later this month. The new season, entitled “Iron Eyes,” will be the second installment in a series of major updates to the action-pa…
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Kabam is pleased to release new content features and upgrades for the hit title Dragons of Atlantis, including higher-level Fortress upgrades and an all-new combat class, the Fire Dragon. These new features will expand the options as players reach high levels of the game and introduce a fierce new combatant to the battle for Atlantis…
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Exclusive features and new screens shown.
Sega has detailed all the exclusive additions coming to the impending PlayStation 3 version of Wii rail shooter House of the Dead: Overkill.
Highlights include two additional levels, new weapons, game modes and some hitherto unseen enemy types.
Here’s the full list, as posted on the PlayStation Blog:
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Apple “rebalances” global pricing.
Apple has jacked up its App Store prices in the UK in an effort to “rebalance” global discrepancies.
As reported by MacRumours, 59p apps now cost 69p, whereas £1.19 apps now go for £1.49. Prices have also apparently gone up in Norway and Mexico.
However, users in other countries around the world have seen prices go down. In Australia, $1.19 apps now sell for $0.99; in Japan ¥115 apps now cost ¥85; and in Switzerland 1.10Fr apps sell for 1.00Fr.
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Developer of Warhammer 40K Kill Team, Juiced shutting doors, but some former employees have already struck out on their own with three new companies.
Last month, THQ confirmed it would be shutting down its UK-based Digital Warrington studio, developer of the Juiced series of racing games and Warhammer 40K: Kill Team, which debuted on Xbox Live yesterday. While the studio will stay open just long enough to get the PlayStation 3 version of Kill Team out the door, UK trade site Develop is reporting that the impending closure has already spawned no fewer than three startups.
Two of the new businesses are game development studios, with the first one a three-man squad going by the name D3T. That shop will be helmed by programmer Jamie Campbell and project manager/designer Stephen Powell. The second developer is being established by Digital Warrington studio director Don Whiteford and lead designer Ric Badger, but it does not have a name as of yet.
The third outfit to spring from Digital Warrington is Alien Apple Studios, a conceptual design studio for various media founded by artists Stu and Donna Jennett. All of the aforementioned developers except Stu Jennett worked at Digital Warrington from the studio’s first game, the 2005 racer Juiced, back when the studio was independent and known as Juice Games.
According to Develop, approximately 36 developers at Digital Warrington were made redundant after the release of Kill Team on the Xbox 360, with 10 remaining until the PS3 edition of the game is released.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
“THQ studio closure spawns new startups – Report” was posted by Brendan Sinclair on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:13:40 -0700 -
2 million volunteers ready to serve.
The first wave of invitations for the Call of Duty: Elite beta go out today, Activision has confirmed.
As explained by community man Dan Amrich on his One of Swords blog, those who signed up should check their email inboxes to see if they’ve made it in.
Access is being granted, for the most part, in order of who signed up first. If you don’t get a call-up today, fret not – further waves of invitations will go out “later”.
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As promised at GDC 2011, Netflix has arrived on the Nintendo 3DS. Today’s eShop update includes the free downloadable application for the movie and TV-streaming service. Netflix subscribers with an “unlimited streaming” membership will be able to access the service immediately…
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[UPDATE] EA Sports confirms architect of classic arcade-style sports games Mark Turmell’s departure from Tiburon studio to join FarmVillve creator.
EA Sports’ Tiburon branch is having a tough time holding onto its talent. In March, Madden series creative director Ian Cummings and EA Sports CTO Richard Wifall left the studio, followed by Madden executive producer Phil Frazier, who jumped ship last month. Now, another prominent EA Sports staffer has reportedly left the developer.
According to gaming blog Kotaku, EA Sports senior creative director Mark Turmell has left the publisher’s Tiburon studio for a position at FarmVille creator Zynga. Turmell–who joined EA Sports just last year–created the arcade sports franchises NBA Jam and NFL Blitz, as well as the arcade game Smash TV. As of press time, neither Zynga nor EA Sports had responded to GameSpot’s requests for comment on the matter.
If Turmell does in fact move to Zynga, he will join ex-Electronic Arts COO John Schappert, who was hired by the social game house in late April. Zynga is the creator of the wildly popular casual games FarmVille, CityVille, and Mafia Wars, which are played on the Facebook social network. The game company recently went public, valued in the range of $15 billion to $20 billion.
[UPDATE] EA Sports has confirmed Turmell’s departure from the Tiburon studio, telling GameSpot in a statement, “We appreciate Mark’s contribution to Tiburon and EA Sports and wish him well in future endeavors.”
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
“NBA Jam, NFL Blitz creator joins Zynga – Report” was posted by Eddie Makuch on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:48:31 -0700
