NocrenLt Futz, Back in ActionNorth CarolinaRegistered Userregular
I caught the tail end of something on Bloomburg about Zynga. Are they about to implode? I couldn't hear what they were saying but they threw some numbers on the screen that seemed impressive, but I didn't have a context for them.
Zynga made a bad buy with that drawing game that promptly lost a ton of people right after they bought it and now the IPO for the main vehicle of their games is down like crazy. Add in the fact that Zynga's IPO didn't go that well in the first place and you've got a lot of doom and gloom facing their direction.
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Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
edited May 2012
Draw Something almost certainly cratered right after Zynga bought it because support more or less evaporated. I bought it only a little before the buyout and there were a couple of revisions in just a few weeks; since the buyout, there's been basically no improvement, not even a decent addition of new words despite the wordbase being woefully inadequate.
Zynga going down has been overdue for a while. You can buy throw money around to turn a profit when you buy stuff cheap, but not when you dump tons of money on somebody and have really no idea where it will go.
It's a damn shame, too, because I really liked Draw Something. On the upside, now somebody will probably take the idea and run with it, making it a lot better without Zynga's bullshit in the way. Oh, and the Draw Something folks got a huge payday out of a company which commits outright theft before the company started to really go downhill. Nice bit of karma there.
Zynga's buying patter reminds me of THQ a few years ago, before their declin
Speaking of THQ, Jason Rubin is joining them is awesome. I'm not working for them anymore, but I still have a lot of friends that do and they're really happy with the news. I hope he can right that ship.
In a move that will rock the next generation of console gaming, Sony is close to agreeing an acquisition of a high profile cloud gaming firm, MCV understands.
It was reported earlier this week that Sony was to reveal a partnership with a cloud gaming firm – specifically either OnLive or Gaikai – at E3 next week.
Subsequent chatter had seemingly calmed the rumours, suggesting that the proposed agreement was to do with Sony streaming TV services, and not consoles.
However, MCV understands that the deal is far more extensive than anyone could have predicted and will see Sony fully acquire one of the two firms. The deal, our source says, “is close to being signed”.
The acquisition has implications for all parts of Sony’s business, both in the consumer tech and console divisions.
Although work on PS4 is already well underway, Sony is very likely keen on bringing its PlayStation gaming content to non-console owners – a move finally made possible by this deal.
And there could be benefits for console users, too, with gaming content likely to be available when on the move and without the need for a direct connection to the console.
If nothing else, the deal should hit home the fact that the digital gaming revolution is not a distant dream – it’s happening. Now. And the implications for games retail are both obvious and colossal.
A PS3 ebook strategy will be unveiled by Sony at E3, MCV understands.
It will be called ‘Storyteller’ and will see PS3 – and possibly Vita – used to present interactive documents and books, with a particular focus on children’s content.
This content will form another sub-section of Sony’s PlayStation Network Store – the rejuvenation of which is expected to constitute a large part of the company’s E3 offering.
Speculation has also linked Nintendo to the ebook sector, with both its portable 3DS and upcoming home console the Wii U seen as viable platforms.
Sony will have to take on major players like Amazon’s Kindle and Apple’s iPad, however, if it wishes to claim meaningful slice of the market. It’s a sector the company has dabbled in before with its now closed PSP comics offering.
When contacted by MCV, Sony said that it does not comment on rumour or speculation.
This won't. I don't see a huge demand for that stuff on the PS3 and especially the Vita.
Microsoft has announced some key figures for the Xbox 360, including the console’s lifetime sales numbers.
Since its launch in 2005 the 360 has sold 67m units, bringing in over $56bn at retail. Xbox Live boasts 40m members, and Kinect has sold 19m units.
A rise in sales like-for-like from years five and on indicates that console found a sweet spot in its ability to offer and expand on its various entertainment options beyond gaming.
"The more entertainment options we add, the more time people spend on Xbox," Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi said.
It's a damn shame, too, because I really liked Draw Something. On the upside, now somebody will probably take the idea and run with it, making it a lot better without Zynga's bullshit in the way. Oh, and the Draw Something folks got a huge payday out of a company which commits outright theft before the company started to really go downhill. Nice bit of karma there.
I haven't really noticed anything different since the little Zynga logo appeared in the corner of the loading screen for Draw Something. That appears to be the only change Zynga has made(Unless there was a facebook version I didn't know about or something, and they really fucked that over). Also, the flow of new words into the game hasn't been terribly steady, but I'm definitely seeing less repeats and words I hadn't seen before.
Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
Either cloud streaming service could be great. Plus members could do those 1 hour trials of games without having to invest the time in downloading the entire things. I have to think something is ready to roll out for E3 given they hinted via twitter and we haven't heard anything yet on the free stuff for Plus members for June and I think usually by now news would have come out.
I'm going to make my E3 prediction: Onlive bought by Sony - Plus members get the Playpack content for free.
Obsidian Entertainment working on Next-Gen console title according to Robert Nessler's resumé (they already worked on a big one (launch or at least near) for Microsoft, but that was cancelled resulting in the layoffs earlier this year)
April 2012 - currently | Art Director | Obsidian Entertainment, Irvine, CA
Unannounced Next-Gen Console title
Tools: 3dsMax, Maya, Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator, Z-Brush, Painter, Perforce, Vegas.
The bad news: Only in Europe... and it's temporary.
The price of the PlayStation Vita will be cut by €50 from June 1st, Sony has confirmed.
The platform holder is offering to rebate €50 (£39.87) on any purchase of a PlayStation Vita between June 1st to July 15th.
Crucially, it is a limited time offer that will not be available after July 15th.
"The PS Vita is the latest generation of handheld console and more than 1.8m have been sold worldwide since its launch,” SCE Europe VP Philippe Cardon stated.
“Its innovations are numerous. With this offer we want to make it more accessible to the greatest number throughout the approaching summer vacation.”
MCV will reveal the UK pricing as soon as we have obtained it.
Bethesda has announced that Doom 3 BFG Edition is on the way to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC later this year.
Set for release this autumn, the game will feature completely re-mastered versions of Doom 3 and the Resurrection of Evil add-on pack, as well as "hours of new content" in the form of seven new levels entitled 'The Lost Mission', plus the original Doom and Doom 2.
Its release will mark the first time a Doom game has ever launched on PS3.
According to the press release: "This genre defining game and its add-on pack offers greatly enhanced graphics, deeply immersing the player in the demonic world of this terrifying horror masterpiece.
"Players will also experience a never-before-seen single-player story, The Lost Mission featuring seven heart-pounding levels that will once again have them on the edge of their seats."
The game has been optimised in 3D and feature 5.1 surround sound, Achievements and Trophies, improved rendering and lighting, plus a new checkpoint save system.
"id Software has fine-tuned the controls to bring the intensity of the Doom single and multiplayer experience to the consoles, and Doom 3 now features the new armour-mounted flashlight, allowing players to illuminate dark corners and blast enemies at the same time," the announcement adds.
id Software technical director John Carmack said: "Doom 3 was enthusiastically embraced by gamers worldwide at its release. Today, the full experience has been enhanced and extended to be better than ever, and is delivered across all the platforms with a silky smooth frame rate and highly responsive controls.
"New support for 3D TVs, monitors, and head mounted displays also allows players to experience the game with more depth than ever before. We think shooter fans everywhere will love it."
Oh yeah all those head mounted displays people own. But whatever armour mounted flashlight bitches.
Is it just me or are updated ports now a much bigger thing than before? It is fairly common on the PS3 now, and we are also seeing downloadable ones like Jet Set Radio.
The bad news: Only in Europe... and it's temporary.
The price of the PlayStation Vita will be cut by €50 from June 1st, Sony has confirmed.
The platform holder is offering to rebate €50 (£39.87) on any purchase of a PlayStation Vita between June 1st to July 15th.
Crucially, it is a limited time offer that will not be available after July 15th.
"The PS Vita is the latest generation of handheld console and more than 1.8m have been sold worldwide since its launch,” SCE Europe VP Philippe Cardon stated.
“Its innovations are numerous. With this offer we want to make it more accessible to the greatest number throughout the approaching summer vacation.”
MCV will reveal the UK pricing as soon as we have obtained it.
Doom 3 is an incredible game that hasn't aged well. Not because of the gameplay (which I enjoy) and not because of the visuals, which are still quite good. It's because it doesn't have widescreen support and barely runs on newer machines. Dunno why, it's just a bitch to replay.
Announcing a rerelease with a lick of paint, and Dooms 1 and 2, well I'm sold.
Seriously, Doom 3 had some flaws (monster closets) but the atmosphere was incredible. And the soundtrack. And the little gameplay innovations that are essentially industry standards now, like the interactive in-game monitors and the PDA thing.
Square Enix will unveil a major update to its beleaguered massively-multiplayer online game Final Fantasy XIV at E3 next month in Los Angeles, according to an announcement on the game’s official forums.
Version 2.0, as the update is called, should arrive this October.
“In order to make version 2.0 a success, we need to appeal to not only our current players (naturally!), but also as many new players as possible, including PS3 owners,” wrote Yoshida, telegraphing the eventual release of the long-delayed PlayStation 3 version of the MMO, which was originally slated to drop in 2010.
Final Fantasy XIV, the second MMORPG in the Final Fantasy series, debuted in September 2010 and was met with critical damnation.
Square Enix continuously extended the game’s free trial period in a bid to keep players online, only starting to charge for service (at a discounted rate) in January of this year.
Last October, the company first announced Version 2.0 along with sharing a “roadmap” with fans to outline future changes to the game. Following today’s announcement, the roadmap now lists the beta test for the PlayStation 3 version as well as a free trial period for Version 2.0 in late November or early December of this year.
A new trailer dedicated to Version 2.0 was scheduled to be revealed at E3, but Yoshida wrote that “we’ve decided to keep it under wraps for now.” He explained that “everyone did their part” and finished work on the trailer in time for the show, but instead it will accompany the new marketing push in August.
Wait... it's taken THIS LONG to get the update that actually makes the game playable? Do they really, really think that anyone is going to give the game another chance this far out of the gate?
Bethesda has announced that Doom 3 BFG Edition is on the way to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC later this year.
Set for release this autumn, the game will feature completely re-mastered versions of Doom 3 and the Resurrection of Evil add-on pack, as well as "hours of new content" in the form of seven new levels entitled 'The Lost Mission', plus the original Doom and Doom 2.
Its release will mark the first time a Doom game has ever launched on PS3.
According to the press release: "This genre defining game and its add-on pack offers greatly enhanced graphics, deeply immersing the player in the demonic world of this terrifying horror masterpiece.
"Players will also experience a never-before-seen single-player story, The Lost Mission featuring seven heart-pounding levels that will once again have them on the edge of their seats."
The game has been optimised in 3D and feature 5.1 surround sound, Achievements and Trophies, improved rendering and lighting, plus a new checkpoint save system.
"id Software has fine-tuned the controls to bring the intensity of the Doom single and multiplayer experience to the consoles, and Doom 3 now features the new armour-mounted flashlight, allowing players to illuminate dark corners and blast enemies at the same time," the announcement adds.
id Software technical director John Carmack said: "Doom 3 was enthusiastically embraced by gamers worldwide at its release. Today, the full experience has been enhanced and extended to be better than ever, and is delivered across all the platforms with a silky smooth frame rate and highly responsive controls.
"New support for 3D TVs, monitors, and head mounted displays also allows players to experience the game with more depth than ever before. We think shooter fans everywhere will love it."
Oh yeah all those head mounted displays people own. But whatever armour mounted flashlight bitches.
It has taken them about two years to port it to the PS3. This is because they fucked up when designing the game and didn't realize that they would have so much problems with the memory.
It has taken them about two years to port it to the PS3. This is because they fucked up when designing the game and didn't realize that they would have so much problems with the memory.
It's been a lot more than 2 years.
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Doom 3 is an incredible game that hasn't aged well. Not because of the gameplay (which I enjoy) and not because of the visuals, which are still quite good. It's because it doesn't have widescreen support and barely runs on newer machines. Dunno why, it's just a bitch to replay.
Announcing a rerelease with a lick of paint, and Dooms 1 and 2, well I'm sold.
Seriously, Doom 3 had some flaws (monster closets) but the atmosphere was incredible. And the soundtrack. And the little gameplay innovations that are essentially industry standards now, like the interactive in-game monitors and the PDA thing.
Man, Doom 3 was so good.
Yeah, this rerelease is a good idea just to make it easier. That said, if you already own Doom 3 it is possible to mod the crap out of it and get it looking/playing great. Visual-wise, it does not look that old at all.
If I didn't already own all the Doom games I'd definitely consider getting this. Wonder if Doom 1/2 are going to come with all of the mission packs...
Good to see Dragon's Dogma made a strong showing - that game was criminally under-promoted. The only advert I've seen for it is a poster in the local Blockbuster.
I can't imagine that the Persona 2: EP port cost all that much to make so 30k sales is probably plenty to cover their costs.
Ouch to Samurai & Dragons.
EP numbers don't seem bad until you look at what P1P and IS did.
Also S&D did ok, it's the first Vita game to reach the top 20 in awhile and did give the Vita a slight bump up. It probably would have been around 5k for the week without it.
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Zynga going down has been overdue for a while. You can buy throw money around to turn a profit when you buy stuff cheap, but not when you dump tons of money on somebody and have really no idea where it will go.
It's a damn shame, too, because I really liked Draw Something. On the upside, now somebody will probably take the idea and run with it, making it a lot better without Zynga's bullshit in the way. Oh, and the Draw Something folks got a huge payday out of a company which commits outright theft before the company started to really go downhill. Nice bit of karma there.
Speaking of THQ, Jason Rubin is joining them is awesome. I'm not working for them anymore, but I still have a lot of friends that do and they're really happy with the news. I hope he can right that ship.
Teaser image: (spoilered for size)
My body is ready.
Sounds good to me!
Cyberpunk from the Witcher guys? I am fucking in.
Edit: One of the comments in that article sounds pretty convincing after looking at the wiki page. It could be a revived They.
Old PA forum lookalike style for the new forums | My ko-fi donation thing.
It's just Witcher 2495 and he got a new hairdo.
PSN: Beltaine-77 | Steam: beltane77 | Battle.net BadHaggis#1433
No one actually knows because Witchers die of Witching-related injuries long before they die of old age.
As for this new IP: Any new cyberpunk is more than welcomed by me. And if it's done by CD Projekt, even better!
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/sony-to-embark-on-storyteller-ebook-initiative-at-e3/096905 This won't. I don't see a huge demand for that stuff on the PS3 and especially the Vita.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/xbox-360-hits-67m-units-over-56bn-generated-in-retail/096896
I haven't really noticed anything different since the little Zynga logo appeared in the corner of the loading screen for Draw Something. That appears to be the only change Zynga has made(Unless there was a facebook version I didn't know about or something, and they really fucked that over). Also, the flow of new words into the game hasn't been terribly steady, but I'm definitely seeing less repeats and words I hadn't seen before.
I'm going to make my E3 prediction: Onlive bought by Sony - Plus members get the Playpack content for free.
http://robnesler.com/bio.html
The bad news: Only in Europe... and it's temporary.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/sony-cuts-playstation-vita-price/096919
Er... yay?
Oh yeah all those head mounted displays people own. But whatever armour mounted flashlight bitches.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/349883/doom-3-bfg-edition-coming-to-pc-and-consoles-first-trailer/
Not specifically for this E3, but iD is working on Doom 4.
Announcing a rerelease with a lick of paint, and Dooms 1 and 2, well I'm sold.
Seriously, Doom 3 had some flaws (monster closets) but the atmosphere was incredible. And the soundtrack. And the little gameplay innovations that are essentially industry standards now, like the interactive in-game monitors and the PDA thing.
Man, Doom 3 was so good.
http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2012/05/final-fantasy-xiv-2-0-e3/
Wait... it's taken THIS LONG to get the update that actually makes the game playable? Do they really, really think that anyone is going to give the game another chance this far out of the gate?
Woo! Sold!
It's been a lot more than 2 years.
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01./00. [PS3] Dragon's Dogma (Capcom) - 302,040 / NEW
02./00. [3DS] Mario Tennis Open (Nintendo) - 101,645 / NEW
03./00. [PSP] Uta no * Prince-Sama: Debut (Ah! My Prince's Song: Debut) (Broccoli) - 61,376 / NEW
04./00. [360] Dragon's Dogma (Capcom) - 29,024 / NEW
05./02. [WII] Mario Party 9 (Nintendo) - 20,820 / 380,763 (-17%)
06./00. [PS3] The [email protected]: Gravure For You! Vol. 8 (Namco Bandai) - 16,670 / NEW
07./04. [3DS] Fire Emblem: Awakening (Nintendo) - 14,642 / 391,345 (-2%)
08./00. [PSP] Jyuzaengi: Engetsu Sangokuden (Idea Factory) - 11,627 / NEW
09./00. [360] Monster Hunter Frontier (Online Forward 4 Premium Package) (Capcom) - 9,893 / NEW
10./06. [3DS] Super Mario Land 3D (Nintendo) - 9,858 / 1,595,096 (-6%)
11./00. [3DS] G1 Grand Prix (Genki) - 9,821 / NEW
12./00. [PS3] Steins; Gate Double Pack (5pb) - 9,223 / NEW
13./08. [3DS] Monster Hunter 3 G (Capcom) - 7,849 / 1,458,658 (-6%)
14./07. [3DS] Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo) - 7,648 / 1,720,566 (-11%)
15./01. [PSP] My Sister Can't Be This Cute Portable Can't Possibly Continue (Namco Bandai) - 6,753 / 59,929 (-87%)
16./00. [PSP] Elminage Gothic: Ulm Zakir to Yami no Gishiki (Ritual of Darkness and Ulm Zakir) (Starfish SD) - 6,169 / NEW
17./00. [PSV] Samurai & Dragons (SEGA) - 6,072 / NEW
18./00. [PS3] Steins; Gate: Hiyoku Renri no Darling (5pb) - 5,397 / NEW
19./00. [360] Mushihimesama (Cave) - 5,135 / NEW
20./03. [PSP] Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (Atlus Co.) - 4,885 / 29,431 (-80%)
3DS - 6
PSP - 5
PS3 - 4
360 - 3
PSV - 1
WII - 1
Hopefully people are just tired of ports, not old SMT.
Meanwhile, Dragon's Dogma is doing fucking well.
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Yes
http://kotaku.com/5302060/id-software-bought-by-bethesda-parent-company-zenimax
3 years ago
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5% bump in sales too! Never underestimate the raw sales power of the...checks name...Samurai & Dragons franchise!
Also those DD numbers are incredibly high. Lets see if single player next gen MH has any legs!
Yeah, this rerelease is a good idea just to make it easier. That said, if you already own Doom 3 it is possible to mod the crap out of it and get it looking/playing great. Visual-wise, it does not look that old at all.
If I didn't already own all the Doom games I'd definitely consider getting this. Wonder if Doom 1/2 are going to come with all of the mission packs...
I'll be surprised if it's as big a hit here, though.
I swear there are like 10 video game companies left these days :P Everyone important either owns or is owned by someone else now...
(incidentally I do think I heard about the zenimax thing, didn't connect that to Bethesda I guess)
Dragon's Dogma is doing very good but hey, it's got a Monster Hunter vibe.
Ouch to Samurai & Dragons.
Of course, the real winner is the new Idolmaster game seeing as how each person who bought it will end up paying approximately $5934 on DLC.
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EP numbers don't seem bad until you look at what P1P and IS did.
Also S&D did ok, it's the first Vita game to reach the top 20 in awhile and did give the Vita a slight bump up. It probably would have been around 5k for the week without it.