Facebook and Video Games converge

Gamasutra wrote a piece about several topics within today's social gaming spectrum. One, dealing with Facebook integration in gaming consoles. It's a bit lengthy, but I am telling you, as someone who is very curious to see the merge of gaming with social network capabilities, I suggest reading below:

So, yes: Facebook integration is coming to Xbox 360 and, in a more limited way, to Nintendo DSi, by the end of the year.

But the integration and collaboration between the traditional games industry and the social gaming industry has not seemingly gotten much further in the year since the last Social Games Summit, despite the obvious hopes of last year's speakers.

I think that there are really obvious reasons this isn't currently happening. Tech-oriented, web-trained, fast-paced, hard-nosed Silicon Valley culture is not really that similar to game developer culture. Outside of GDC Austin (operated by Think Services, which also owns Gamasutra) I haven't seen a lot of opportunities for the two industries to mix.

Most crucially, everybody's too damn busy trying to get their jobs done to really spend a lot of time or thought on the issue.

That said, Facebook's Davis is still optimistic that we're just in the run-up period. "I think we're at the beginning and it's going to take a few years. There's a lot to learn as both industries converge, and they're both complementary."

The reason for his optimism? Davis has seen unannounced projects from big companies that work with Facebook Connect. "It's still very early, and I don't think any of these projects are announced, but I'm very impressed." He describes them as "fundamentally social" and "device-based and hooked into a social network," with the "device" in question most likely to be an iPhone or Xbox 360.

Most developers get into games because they're fundamentally interested in the medium. Zynga's Mark Pincus has a different perspective on the function games serve on social networks: "People get fatigued on the news feeds and they want another experience they can share with their friends."

Games have always been used to kill boredom; but with all the statistics the packaged game industry trumpets about being the primary form of entertainment for so many, these days, the mindset that they're just second-string timewasters may be tough to swallow for many developers.

James Liu, COO of Oak Pacific Interactive, one of the biggest social networking companies in China and home to a 400-strong MMO development team made a really interesting observation about the reading material the OPI engineers have by their desks.

"These guys are [engineering] PhDs from top notch schools, but they study economy right now," as well as psychology: the better to understand and motivate user behavior in social networks. That's simply not broadly the case in the game industry as we think of it, right now.

The cultural difference between the extant game industry and the social gaming people does seem to be rooted in pretty deeply in pure terms of organization and process. The Silicon Valley term "engineer" was constantly thrown around; the game industry's "designer" was never really spoken of.

Back to Siqi Chen's obsession with metrics: "Internally I always consider metrics our most important project, probably to our detriment," he says, while Dave King pegs his engineering staff at "60 or 80 percent metrics and analysis, 20-ish percent to other stuff."

His engineers are experts in analysis, too -- they have to understand what the data represents to make the required changes to the games. The granularity that Chen and King showed on stage was extremely impressive.

These include RPG games broken down by level 1-100 showing exactly where users dropped off; multicolored charts showing every quest in the game and how frequently each is completed at a per-level basis; hourly reports on clickthroughs of different variations on promotional copy for the same game.

King's games are simple -- really, really simple -- but the thought that goes into making them sticky and making users pay is conversely rather complicated. In a weird way, it's almost the reverse of the packaged game industry.

As noted above, it's simple to get a lot of users quickly, but they may not be useful -- which is why King wants to figure out why the ones that are playing continue to do so, and make them pay when they reach content they enjoy. His engineers respond instantly with tweaks. He doesn't have a business otherwise.

Wii Sports Resort, wakeboarding gameplay video!

TheNintendoJP

Wii Sports Resort, Sky Dive/ Air Plane gameplay demo

TheNintendoJP

Wii Sports Resort, air sports plane flying video

ContraNetwork

Windows 7 upgrade website coming tomorrow

Website Neowin claims that Microsoft plans to bring Windows 7's Upgrade website to the public Friday (tomorrow). According to Microsoft's website, reveals this message "Thank you for your interest. Please return to this site on June 26, 2009." At the very least, pricing could be confirmed.

FiringSquad found a leaked Best Buy memo indicating that those who bought a boxed copy of Windows Vista Home Premium or a computer with the OS installed, would be eligible for a free upgrade in October. Additionally, it stated preorders for Windows 7 would be opened on June 26th (tomorrow).

A Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade would cost $50 while the Windows 7 Professional Upgrade would cost $100.

Visit the upgrade website here!

Rumor city: Microsoft has 1TB Hard Drive in the works?

Here's an exerpt from Team Xbox, who claim Microsoft may have a 1 TB hard drive planned for the Xbox 360:

The rumor is out there and every where. Several publications, analysts and forum users claim Microsoft plans to release a 1 terabyte (1,000 GB) hard disk drive for the Xbox 360. The reason? The new Games on Demand service, which will offer both Xbox Originals and classic Xbox 360 titles as digital downloads. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter is one the analysts who think Microsoft needs such big hard drive on the Xbox 360 so the Games on Demand service is not held back by current storage options.

"I don't see the timing between new release and digital download being a function of anything other than hard drive sizes," offered Pachter, speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz. "I think as soon as we have large hard drives - think the rumoured Project Natal 'new' Xbox 360 with a terabyte of storage in 2010 - we'll have day-and-date downloads."

So what do you think? Would you buy one?

EA's NCAA Basketball 10 cover features Blake Griffin

As a player for the Oklahoma Sooners, Blake Griffin will appear on the cover of EA Sport's NCAA Basketball 10. A few months back, Blake was also named AP player of the year. Congratulations!

Joystiq

Mega Fan Star Force 3, Red Joker & Black Ace boxarts

I'm in love with these two covers. Very colorful, very Pokemon meets Transformers-esque, very action packed.

Eye Doctor

Because my pupils are about to be fully dilated all morning, I will do my best to update the site the best I can!!!

-Jason

ZeniMax Media (Bethesda) acquires id Software

"ZeniMax Media Inc., parent company of noted game publisher Bethesda Softworks, today announced it has completed the acquisition of legendary game studio, id Software, creators of world-renowned games such as DOOM, QUAKE, Wolfenstein, and its upcoming title, RAGE. The acquisition by ZeniMax Media joins together two of the finest, most respected videogame developers in the world, combining the first person shooter (FPS) expertise of id Software with acclaimed role playing game (RPG) developer Bethesda Game Studios – creators of the 2008 Game of the Year, Fallout 3, and the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Bethesda Softworks will publish the titles of id Software other than upcoming releases previously committed to other publishers.

Founded in 1991, id Software established itself as an industry leader with some of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed video games of all time. id Software created the original first-person shooter, Wolfenstein 3D, and subsequently set new standards in the genre with the blockbuster releases of its DOOM and QUAKE titles. In addition, id Software developed cutting edge, proprietary technology with the id Tech engine which powers many notable FPS titles, and continues to make great advances in game technology under the direction of John Carmack, one of the country’s technology leaders and a member of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) Hall of Fame.

Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, commented on the transaction: “This was a unique opportunity to team with a smart, sophisticated publisher like Bethesda Softworks where the interests of the studio and the publisher will be fully aligned in the development and marketing of our titles. In addition, we will now have financial and business resources to support the future growth of id Software, a huge advantage which will result in more and even better games for our fans.”
id Software will continue to operate as a studio under the direction of its founder, John Carmack. No changes will be made in the operations of id Software in the development of its games. All the principals at id Software have signed long-term employment contracts, assuring they will continue in their roles developing games at the studio.

“This puts id Software in a wonderful position going forward,” said John Carmack, who will continue to serve in his current role as Technical Director. “We will now be able to grow and extend all of our franchises under one roof, leveraging our capabilities across multiple teams while enabling forward looking research to be done in the service of all of them. We will be bigger and stronger, as we recruit the best talent to help us build the landmark games of the future. As trite as it may be for me to say that I am extremely pleased and excited about this deal, I am."
Robert Altman, the founder, Chairman & CEO of ZeniMax Media stated, “We, along with many others, consider id Software to be among the finest game studios in the world, with extraordinary design, artistic and technical capabilities. They have demonstrated, repeatedly, that rare ability to create franchise properties that are critical and commercial successes. Our intention is to make sure id Software will continue to do what they do best – make AAA games. Our role will be to provide publisher support through Bethesda Softworks and give id Software the resources it needs to grow and expand.”

Bethesda Game Studios, the development group at ZeniMax Media, is one of the top video game studios in the world. Its most recent release, Fallout 3, was the 2008 winner of more than 60 Game of the Year awards, including The Associated Press, Official Xbox Magazine, Yahoo, PC Gamer, IGN, Game Critics Awards, Game Developer Choice Awards, and Gamespy. Bethesda also created the 2006 PC and Xbox 360® Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and the 2002 PC and Xbox® Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Game Studios has created 2 of the 10 best games of all time, Fallout 3 and Oblivion."
ZeniMaxPR
(PS. I live 2 seconds away from ZeniMax Media! Aren't I cool?)

New Play Control! Metroid Prime Trilogy boxart

Check out the simple but enticing boxart for the New Play Control! Metroid Prime Trilogy. The trio of games come packed on one single disc, and are set for a Wii release August 24th in the US.

TMNT: Smash Up new characters (finally) announced!

Forget Mikey,... forget Raph. Those guys were givens.

Finally, Ubisoft has confirmed a few more characters we can look forward to using when we brawl in the upcoming Wii exclusive TMNT: Smash Up. These new characters are:

-FOOT NINJA


-CASEY JONES


-UTROMINATOR

Okay, so no confirmation of Tokka or Rocksteady. But I'm still hopeful.
IGN

Retro Game Challenge 2 a US possibility?

Ironically, the day I write a story about how you should be buying the first game, we get more news that the sequel could be released in the US if they hit a certain sales goal. Here's the interview between Spencer, a writer for Siliconera and Ken Berry, Director of Publishing and Jun Iwasaki, President of Xseed games:

So about Retro Game Challenge 2…

KB: It looks very unlikely that we will localize and bring it.

We’ve gotten tons of e-mails from fans that say ‘thank you so much!’, ‘we love Retro Game Challenge’, ‘it’s my favorite DS game of all time’, but when you look at the sales numbers that actually picked it up and really being vocal about it, it’s pretty small compared to the other DS owners out there. The sales aren’t quite there to justify bringing the sequel.

JI: Fortunately, we got that title, but honestly it has not reached our expectations sales wise. It’s tough to bring the game over. If the sales of Game Center CX 1 (Retro Game Challenge) dramatically increase we will of course consider it. It’s up to you guys.

OK! Tell my readers how many more copies need to be sold.

KB: 20,000.

JI: 20,000 more? That’s too small. We need more than that.

KB: At least 20,000.

JI: We have to reach 100,000.

KB: OK, that’s a lot more.

Games You Should Be Playing: RETRO GAME CHALLENGE

Developers put tons of money into making games, regardless of whether they are good or bad. Sometimes, these games serve as a "make it or break it" title that can easily determine whether that genre can be successful on a specific platform. Madworld became an example of a mature title that couldn't bring home the bacon for Wii. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars also did the same for the DS. However, sometimes a great title just isn't being picked up due to lack of awareness. That is the case with Retro Game Challenge.

Retro Game Challenge is an extremely fun and addictive DS title, bringing all twenty-something year old's back to their gaming roots. RGC features a slew of full length 8-bit titles, played one at a time in a linear fashion. Taking place in the 1980's, the evil Demon Arino is challenging your gaming abilities, giving you goal after goal to accomplish. The more missions you complete, the more games you unlock.

Each game is fun and surprisingly deep, especially compared to the titles they are obviously influenced by. Cosmic Gate is a Galaga type space shooter. Rally King is similar to RC ProAM and Robot Ninja Haggle Man is the most unique, taking its design (and name) presumably from Japanese retro titles. In the game, you even hear references to gaming pop culture, including the best gaming film of all time, The Wizard.

After playing all of the games, you'll be craving for a sequel, and luckily one was created! However, due to poor sales in the US, we'll doubtfully see its released. This is an example of a title that has everything you would want in a retro gaming experience, but gets penalized for a lack of consumer knowledge about the title. That's the only excuse I can come up with that this game isn't a best seller.

Retro Game Challenge is a game you should be playing.

Doubt: The Video Game, courtesy of The Lonely Island

You've seen this video if you watched the MTV Movie Awards, but it's worth another look. Comedy group The Lonely Island sat down to play the SEGA Genesis release of Doubt: Flynn's Revenge, a fictional video game based on the award winning 2008 film. Take a look:



Kotaku

Grand Theft Horse, and other reimagined game titles

I'm not sure if anyone will find this as funny as I did, but I laughed out loud. Check out a slew more over at Kotaku!

NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Council 4 screens

Incase you haven't picked up your copy of NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Council 4, these screens below are provided to perhaps entice you:

TOMY

Age of Conan update 'Gangs of Tarantia' debuts, (screens/details)

The fifth update of Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, titled 'Gangs of Tarantia' has just been launched, according to developer Funcom. This update brings a new environment, storyline and new enemies.

“The team has poured a lot of dedication and hard work into making this update a reality,” says Funcom game director Craig Morrison. “Not only are we adding a massive new area to the game where level seventy players can find hours of more entertainment, we have also made significant changes to core systems in the game that will hopefully make the game experience more fun and a lot more rewarding!” To date, Age of Conan has sold 1.2 million copies since it debuted last May.

Check out the additional screenshots below:

AgeofConanPR

Max Payne 3, screenshots and game details

Here is the official fact sheet for, Max Payne 3!

Developer: Rockstar Vancouver (as primary) other R* studios contributing
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Releases: Winter 2009

About The Story
Max Payne 3 begins 12 years after the events of Max Payne 2, with Max visibly older, more violent, and more world-weary from the events of his own life. Having left the NYPD, Max has been taking odd jobs in security and consulting, and when we find him he is providing personal protection for a wealthy family in Sao Paolo, one of the world’s deadliest and most crime-ridden cities. At absolute rock-bottom, Max discovers that trouble still dogs his every step, and he finds himself drawn into the brutal heart of the Brazil’s dark underworld.

About The Game
Max Payne 3 retains many trademarks of its predecessors; a focus on story and character-driven action, a large number of sophisticated weapons with dual-wield capabilities, Bullet-Time, an addiction to painkillers, mature themes and Max’s ever-present internal monologue. Max Payne 3 also utilizes Natural Motion and Rockstar’s own RAGE engine, working with brand-new particle physics technology to deliver spectacular, highly advanced close-quarters combat, an intelligent cover system, and constantly varied gameplay in every level.

About Brazil
Brazil is the fifth-largest country in the world, by area and population, and is notoriously known to house a number of the world’s worst drug traffickers, street gangs and kidnappers. The number one cause of death among the youth is murder.

Sao Paolo’s young gangs are amongst the most violent in the world, and the most dangerous of those is said to be the Primeiro Comando da Capital. The PCC has organized prison breaks, prison riots, drug trafficking, highway robberies and kidnappings since it was formed in 1993. With one gun for every 75 people in the country and 95% of those firearms obtained illegally, Max will need every skill he has in order to survive.
RockstarGamesPR

More Pearl Jam riffs on Rock Band 2

Get out your plaid shirt and ripped jeans, because the Nineties are upon us. Today on Xbox LIVE and Thursday on PS Store, 3 Pearl Jam tracks will be ready for download. And for Wii? Presumably screwed again:

Tracks:
Pearl Jam “Brother”
Pearl Jam “Alive (Live: Drop in the Park)”
Pearl Jam “State of Love and Trust (Live: Drop in the Park)”
(All tracks are original master recordings)
These tracks will be available for purchase as part of the “Ten Bonus Pack” or as individual tracks for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 systems.

Release Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2009
(Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
(PlayStation®Store)

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change **

Price: $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
$5.49 (440 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Ten Bonus Pack”

RockBand