BioWare make top-shelf games. This, I’d like to think we all knew. What few of us outside the company don’t know is how super-great a place it is to work. It’s so super-great, in fact, it’s been named one of Canada’s top 10 employers. And not just in the games industry, across all industries. The list was compiled by the swank Financial Post, and is designed to reward companies “who offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs”. Great games AND a great workplace… coincidence? The great architect, who speaks through me, says… no.
BioWare a Top Canadian Employer [Next-Gen]
Do you feel that? It’s the new sensation that’s sweeping the nation. That’s right, gaming pumpkins! Model citizen Jamison sent us not one (oh, no), but two Jack-o’-Lanterns. He writes:
My girlfriend made this great set of two pumpkins featuring Katamari and the Prince! Hope it tickles your fancy!
Oh, yes. Fancy tickled!
Eds Note: Got gaming pumpkins? Send them to tipsATkotakuDOTcom.
Just in case, you know. Didn’t know. A Syracuse University study, which involved taking 100 people and splitting them into four gaming groups, has found MMOs suck up waaaay more time than any other genre. Of the 100, 25 were given a copy of… Gauntlet: Dark Legacy on PS2. 25 were given Diablo II on PC. 25 were given tokens for the local arcade. And the final 25 were given subscriptions for MMO Dark Age of Camelot.
After a month, the Dark Age players were spending an average of 14.4 hours gaming, more than double the time the next group, Team Diablo II, were spending. As an added bonus, they also reported poorer sleep patterns, poorer health and “were more likely to find the games interfered with their studies and social lives”. Interesting results, but would’ve been nice seeing other MMOs taken into account. I’d like to think the negative side-effects of a Star Wars: Galaxies subscription wouldn’t be so adverse.
[AP Press Release]
This week, The Escapist’s fast-talking resident-cranky pants Yahtzee Croshaw reviews three games: Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2 and Portal. He actually adores one of them. Before you watch, guesses in the comment section!
Blathers? On a pumpkin? But fire at night attracts insects! And Blathers hates insects! Oh, the cruelty! He’s the work of Dan & Julie, who write: Take heed, will you, of kindly Blathers By Night. Some of the details actually came out ok, but his checkerboard cumberbun (or whatever it is) was a biotch to carve.
A biotch? I can imagine. Totally worth it, though. All pumpkins to tipsATkotakuDOTcom, thanks.
And just in time for Christmas! Bet you didn’t see that coming. The 40GB PLAYSTATION 3 will go on sale November 2nd, which is before the console drops in Japan (November 11th), but after Europe (October 10th). No word whether America will be getting the Ceramic White version that will go on sale in both Japan and Korea. The 40GB version will retail for $US 400, while the 80GB version will get a hundred price cut from $US 600 to $US 500. The 40GB PLAYSTATION 3 will not be able to play PS2 games — unlike previous versions of the consoles, which either featured BC or gimped BC. Addressing this issue, Sony Computer Entertainment of American honcho Jack Tretton remarked:
We’re choosing to focus on the PlayStation 2 consumer with the PlayStation 2, which remains incredibly relevant, and focus on the PlayStation 3 consumer with the new 40-gigabyte model and the great software coming out… Backward compatibility is a nice secondary consideration, but it’s far from the number-one priority.
Oh? Is the number one priority then unnecessarily cluttering up the living room with Sony consoles?
40GB Coming [Reuters]
The episodic adventure on a console thing? Great idea! Everything else? Not so great. Awful, even. Or maybe even worse than that. This might be the worst thing ever, I don’t know, I’ll have to dig through the archives and check.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is compatible with four different types of controls: Wii Remote and Nunchuk, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller and Wii Remote turned on its side. Above is the button layout for the last option. It’s pretty great that Nintendo is providing players with so many options. Though, I think I’m going to stick with the GC Controller thank-you-very-much. You?
How to Use Wii-mote [Smash Bros. DOJO!! via Infendo]
Please, stop e-mailing us about the Japanese sales chart position of DS Nishimura Kyotaro Suspense Shin Tantei Series: Kyoto Atami Zekkai no Kotou – Satsui no Wana. We’re well aware that you’re all fans of Tecmo’s Nishimura Kyotaro Suspense Shin Tantei Series, but numbers don’t come in until late Wednesday night from Media Create, so we simply can’t answer your questions until then. Yes, it placed well in this week’s sales charts, beating out last week’s retail champ Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Meteor by a wide margin. Exciting, isn’t it? Yes, it is.
Hey, look! Lair showed up on this week’s chart, too! Wave to it as it passes by. More ordered lists after the jump.
01. DS Nishimura Kyotaro Suspense Shin Tantei Series: Kyoto Atami Zekkai no Kotou РSatsui no Wana (DS) Р61,000 / NEW 02. Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Meteor (PS2) Р47,000 / 251,000 03. Gundam Battle Chronicle (PSP) Р28,000 / 114,000 04. Pok̩mon Mysterious Dungeon: Time Expedition Party (DS) Р26,000 / 502,000 05. Arcana Heart (PS2) Р23,000 / NEW 06. Pok̩mon Mysterious Dungeon: Shadow Expedition Party (DS) Р22,000 / 440,000 07. Lair (PS3) Р22,000 / NEW 08. ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat (DS) Р17,000 / 67,000 09. KanKen DS 2 + Jouyou Kanji Jiten (DS) Р16,000 / 67,000 10. Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day (DS) Р16,000 / 631,000
As far as tall bald guys in suits go, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios President Phil Harrison seems alright. Sure, he’s said some stupid things. But, he’s also said a few clever things. Take his recent interview with Playboy in which he talks about how disc based games and download titles can co-exist, how he used to get embarrassed telling girls about his job and what he would change if he had a magical wand. His answers are refreshing, surprising and most importantly not dumb. Hit the jump for those three quotes.
