So what if top-shelf developers are fleeing the good ship Microsoft. So what if Microsoft Game Studios has been described as sitting on “quicksand”. So what if we get some rad Wu-Tang and Anthrax jokes out of the whole mess. Think any of that matters to Microsoft? Course it doesn’t. MGS General Manager Phil Spencer doesn’t need Bizarre, or Bungie, or even BioWare on the books any more. Not when they’ve got Fable! And…Banjo Kazooie! I will say – and I mean it respectfully – that I find it all a little humorous. I don’t think people sometimes completely understand the relationship between a publisher and a developer. But I know what our relationships with our partners are, and I know the collaboration.
I think speculation is fine – it’s good to have smart people talking about what’s going on. But I think this time next year, when we’re sat here talking about a great Banjo game or a great Fable game, or other upcoming games, it will all be a distant memory. I understand the speculation – but quicksand in our foundations? No way.
Phil, you’re so right. Forget Halo, Mass Effect and PGR, all you really need are more Rare Xbox exclusives. Those things are great. Game On – Part 1 [Develop][Image] More »
Well, POV cry-babies, your squeaky wheel is about to get well and truly greased. 2K will be fixing the game’s widescreen “problems” as part of the game’s next update, which we’re promised will be “out soon”. So rest easy tonight, kids, safe in the knowledge your indignant vigil over this critical issue, which left one of the year’s best games utterly unplayable, has paid off. wheres the 360 WS-patch? [2K Forums, thanks Chito!] More »
Silent Hill fans will know Akira Yamaoka as the man responsible for the series’ creepy score. Everybody else, well you probably won’t know him at all. You might soon, though! Guy’s been given the keys to the developer’s bathroom, and is apparently responsible for the “planning and also producing – and overall supervision” of an unannounced Konami title. No idea what kind of game it is, or what platform it’s for, but Yamaoka reckons “it should be announced soon, probably”. Silent Hill Composer Akira Yamaoka Helming New Project [Gamasutra][Image] More »
There are whispers this is a NEW RROD, the result of what happens when a Falcon chip goes bad. Maybe! Looks too pretty to be an error display, though. We’d like to think it’s just the 360′s way of spreading a little Christmas cheer. [via Gizmodo AU] More »
When Reggie said Nintendo would have 200 games on the US Virtual Console by the end of the year, something didn’t add up. Like the maths. They didn’t add up. Unless they kicked it up a notch and started releasing 4+ games a week, no way would they hit that number. And they won’t! Nintendo PR have stepped in to “clarify” Reggie’s comments, saying that the 200 figure was only an approximation, not a hard number. Sorry. Nintendo Not Upping VC Output [IGN] More »
To: Ash From: Geoff Keighley Subject: Good Night…and Good Luck!
Well, the time has come for me to officially turn in my badge (or logon as it may be) as guest editor here at Kotaku. It feels like I was only starting to get to know all of you and understand the ins and outs of posting daily on a blog. The good news: The rest of the Kotaku editors seem to have tolerated my posting. (Crecente no doubt told them to be on their best behavior). And to you, the readers, I hope I’ve added some worthwhile perspective. I appreciate all the nice comments. Oh and Fahey, you’re welcome to come on Game Head whenever you want! I might even let Crecente host if he wears that red eagle shirt again.
What’s my take away from a week at Kotaku? On a personal level I really enjoyed having an outlet to express my thoughts on a daily basis. As some of you may remember, about a decade ago (when I was in college) I used to post my thoughts on the business on GameSlice.com. One thing led to another and eventually I felt burned out from having a daily web post hanging over my head. But this week has been so much fun I’m seriously considering a return to the blogosphere. There have been some nice offers already and maybe Crecente will ask me back to contribute a post once in a while…I hope so, as I’d love to stick around in some form. Thanks to Brian, Noah, and the rest of Kotaku gang for inviting me here in the first place!
But for now I’m kicked to the curb! So this is guest editor #1 signing off to go play some Guitar Hero III. (You see, I really do like it Ryh-Ming!)
What you missed today Reggie on Fox Business News Spike VGA Nominees Announced Jaffe Says God of War 3 To Be Best Yet Dirk To Be Max Payne More »
Something tells me I should’ve been paying closer attention to the first Super Swing Golf beyond the fact that it exists and that the game shipped with an unlockable Kasumi outfit. Given that the trailer for Super Swing Golf 2 seems to have upped the bizarre quotient to prominently feature golfing gothic lolitas, ultra-busty snowbunnies, a sasquatch, and some sort of hyper speed warp ring, I may have to reevaluate my thoughts on bobbleheaded golf sims. I’d really have liked to have been a fly on the wall when the director at Ntreev said to his team “Fuck it, we’re doing dragons. I don’t care anymore.” More »
After we posted a link to IGN’s gameplay capture of the Mass Effect sex scene a lot of people started wondering: That’s it? Did Bioware get cold feet and cut something out of the final version? A few weeks ago you may remember that there was talk about “partial nudity” in the game. Well, it’s time to squash the rumour: My sources tell me that nothing has been removed from the final version and the “breast nudity” just refers to one side view of a blue alien breast, no nipple. Yes, that’s all you’ll get. For more on love (and many other things) in Mass Effect, forgive a shameless plug: tonight’s Game Head on SpikeTV has me travelling to Edmonton to meet up with Bioware. We world premiere the launch trailer and I find out which EA franchise Bioware wants to reinvent for the next-generation. Any guesses? More »
A Week In Comments
1:00PM November 10, 2007 | Brian Ashcraft
Does Brain Age Actually Work? No, Apparently. Comment by Kuraudo Nominated by geekgrrl
This is why there’s no class division in high school between the intelligent and the sporty.
The Cake Goes to Portal’s Commentary Comment by BolognaFire Nominated by sethmad
Imagine: BABIES – Commentary
“A big issue we had with starting off development was deciding who our target audience would be.”
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