Came back from my summer vacation, and Joshua is right: Sunscreen is your best (even bestest) friend. After having to deal with a burnt out neck for a few days, I'm just about done with going outside pretty much for the rest of the summer. Then people wonder why gamers don't go outside more often. Okay, time for the news.E3 Related News
KENTIA WHO? [credit: GameDaily]
After the announcement of E3 scaling back, the ESA sent this letter a Kentia Hall exhibitor about how the event was referred as cancelled:
"Dear Valued E3Expo Exhibitor,
As you may have read in the enclosed Press Release, the 2007 E3Expo has been officially cancelled. As the industry has evolved and matured over the past 12 years, the needs of the exhibitors and key attendees have also changed. To address this change, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced a new event tentatively scheduled for July 2007.
Details of the event have not been finalized at this time, however our vision and goal is to create a more intimate climate for personalized meetings and product demonstrations. The ESA will announce additional details and information in the ensuing weeks and months.
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere and profound gratitude for your past support of this event. It has been exciting and rewarding to see the growth and significance of this industry mirrored on the exhibit floor of the E3Expo through the years. We look forward to many more years of industry growth, vitality and opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
Mary Dolaher
Vice President"
At first I was going to feel sorry for the small developers that would have to miss out of the new E3, but then I find out that these guys are from Kentia Hall. Who really has ever given a crap about what came out of Kentia Hall? Here's how my letter would've gone like:
Dear Unknown Developer,
Nobody has ever given a crap about anything from Kentia Hall with the exception of maybe Seanbaby. Whatever you planned to show at our event would probably be either half-broken or just really lame.
Keeping it real,
Vincent Chiucchi
CEA TO REPLACE E3? [credit: Gamasutra]
Officials from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the owners and organizer of the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), have announced that the association is forming an advisory committee to consider creating a new video game event.
"Since ESA decided to eliminate the E3 event in its known format, we have been deluged with inquiries on whether we could fill the tradeshow needs of smaller video entertainment companies," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. "Our executive board met yesterday and unanimously asked staff to explore ways that we can help the gaming community."
E3 was formed because we wanted to get away from being seen as a joke on the CES. Now the CEA, who makes the CES, are willing to help. Ironic, no?
OR PERHAPS GEN CON INSTEAD? [credit: GameSpy]
Gen Con, LLC is planning to expand the amount of videogame content it has in its shows and is changing its west coast location to a place that will have more space and be better suited for videogame industry people to attend, specifically to the Los Angeles Convention Center, the same place where E3 traditionally took place.
Gen Con does nearly every other kind of game, so it just makes sense.
HOW ABOUT VGXPO? [credit: Gamasutra]
Officials from event organizers Lunar Tide Communications have announced that annual America's VideoGame Expo (VGXPO) is being positioned as a potential alternative video game event in the wake of E3's recent downsizing. The consumer event aims to provide both casual and hardcore gamers with the opportunity to play new titles, meet industry figures, compete in tournaments and buy new and retro games. VGXPO is scheduled to take place from October 27-29, 2006 at the Valley Forge Convention Center, outside of Philadelphia, PA. Tickets are available at the event's website.
E3 goes down and suddenly lots of other events try to become the next great expo. But which one will officially be the new "E3" of the future?
Non-E3 Related News
DON'T LIKE THE CURRENT XBOX 360 GAMES? MAKE YOUR OWN! [credit: GameDaily, Gamespot]
With the rise of game development costs on the way, Microsoft is offering a possible solution to the problem. They will be releasing a development toolset for the public: the XNA Game Studio. The beta version will be released on August 30th. This development toolkit is said to allow people like small developers, game enthusiasts, and students to make games and distribute them for the PC (for free) and Xbox 360 (for $99 a year as part of Microsoft's Creators Club).
In spring 2007, Microsoft will release the professional version, the only way to sell games created using the toolset. The pro version will feature "new capabilities more geared toward professional game developers" and a higher price, said Scott Henson, the director of platform strategy at the Microsoft Game Developer Group. Henson declined to reveal the amount. All the various methods of selling games--digital distribution, Xbox Live Marketplace, and boxed retail games--will probably be available to game makers, but the details haven't been decided, he said.
Sounds really awesome for the potential game makers and homebrew developers out there. Should any of you actually get this kit and make a game, please make it a good one (here's a tip: lots of explosions and boobs).
ANOTHER PSP PRICE DROP? [credit: Gamespot]
According to analyst P.J. McNealy of American Technology Research, he told CNN/Money that the PSP's price will drop down to $149 in the fall. "There is a price cut coming in the second half of the year," McNealy told CNN. "[The PSP] has lost momentum. Nintendo has had a great run since it launched the DS Lite and Sony needs to regain some ground."
When the Gamecube was failing it dropped to $99 to gain some sales, so the PSP dropping down to $149 could actually happen.
ESA RESPONDS TO STUPID ACT[credit: GameDaily]
ESA president Douglas Lowenstein has responded to Chairman Stearns' "Truth in Video Game Rating Act", an act that says the ESRB would be required to play through every single video game it rates.
"We share Chairman Stearns' commitment to the continued effectiveness and accuracy of the ESRB's ratings system. However, as introduced, we do not believe his legislation will serve consumers and parents. For example, the proposal that every video game be played through in its entirety before a rating is issued means that the only people rating games will be professional gamers with the skills necessary to play through games that can take more than 100 hours and who are not likely to be representative of the mainstream American parent."
One bad game mod and suddenly the ESRB is seen as failing? Here's my official response: "Screw you Chairman Stearns".
WII IS TRAUMATIZED [credit: GameSpy]
Atlus U.S.A. has confirmed today that a remake of Trauma Center: Under the Knife will be a launch title for the Nintendo Wii. The name of this revamped version of the popular DS game is Trauma Center: Second Opinion. TC:SO introduces new surgical implements, new operation types, new missions, multiple difficulty modes, a second playable character, revamped graphics and animations, and other enhancements. It will also include full support for the Wii Remote and Nunchuk attachment.
Is Trauma Center really that popular? I didn't know that. It's also going to be a launch title, so that will really strengthen the variety of launch games for the Wii. It takes a very steady hand, but don't touch the sides! (ENNH) Trauma Center!
PSP IS FINALLY #1! [credit: Gamasutra]
According to Japanese game sales for the week of July 31 - Aug 6, the #1 selling game was SD Gundam G Generation Portable for the PSP, marking the first time the PSP has had a #1 selling game of the week.
Positive Sony news at last!
AND THE NOMINEES ARE...[credit: Gamasutra]
TheCanadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts (CAEAA) has listed it's nominees for it's upcoming awards show Sept.14th (hosted by William F'n Shatner!). The complete list of nominess can be found here.
The games up for Game of the Year are Prince of Persia : The Two Thrones, The Outfit, Need for Speed Most Wanted, and Age of Empires: The Age of Kings. Quite a strange list for Game of the Year.
CRAZY STOCK OPTION LOVE ACTION! [credit: Gamasutra]
Stock Options. Companies just love to mess with them these days. Every week I get more news about companies in trouble for messing with stock options. Even the week I was away I hear about THQ doing the same crap. This week is no freaking different, as now EA is being accused of it.
And of all people to sue EA it's the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local No. 572 Pension Fund , which alleges "improprieties" in Electronic Arts' issuance of stock options in a suit filed again EA's Larry Probst and the company as a whole. WTF are Plumbers doing suing a freaking game publishing company?! My head officially hurts. EA has indicated that it does not intend to file further reports describing any additional lawsuits based on similar allegations, and has so far refused to indicate whether it is being investigated by the SEC or any other agency
In other news, tune in this saturday for "Gaming Trends" where I will cover companies messing with stock options and predict who will be messing with them in the future!
COURT RULED IN YOUR FAVOR! COLLECT $500,000. [credit: Gamasutra]
Following lawsuits over a Illinois state law that would restrict video game sales, U.S. courts have ruled that the State of Illinois must pay the Entertainment Software Association, Video Software Dealers Association and Illinois Retail Merchants Association $510,528.64 in attorney's fees racked up fighting the successfully blocked law.
"Judge Kennelly's rulings send two irrefutable messages – not only are efforts to ban the sale of violent video games clearly unconstitutional, they are a waste of taxpayer dollars," said ESA president Douglas Lowenstein. "The sad fact is that the State of Illinois knew this law was unconstitutional from the beginning. Taxpayers have a right to know that over half a million of their dollars and countless government hours were thrown away in this fruitless effort."
$500,000 thrown away because parents just don't want to take responsibility. Or rather, they wanted to but the people of Illinois got screwed over anyway.
WHY I HATE IDIOTS [credit: Gamasutra, GameSpy]
Take-Two has officially announced that Bully will be getting released this October. The game has been protested by many parents and Jack(ass) Thompson even before official details about the game were released.
I'm really sick of all these parental groups and senators and Jack(ass) Thompson that think this game is going to cause violence in the schools and make kids become bullies. Guess what people? There was ALREADY violence in the schools and bullies way before this game came out! I should know, because I've been bullied for years and years and it wasn't because of some damn video game or some damn TV show or whatever the hell you people are trying to blame! You know why there is violence in schools? Because schools and parents fail to do their job of stopping bullies, which leads the kids getting picked into committing suicide or shooting up the schools. This game wasn't made to create violence. This game was made because of violence.
Freaking amazing isn't it? When bullies exist in real life parents and schools do nothing to stop them until it's too late. But when it comes to fictional ones, everybody suddenly gets up and protest.
OH GOD NO! [credit: Gamespy]
World of Warcraft is getting it's own Collectible Card Game.
Do I really need to say anything more then that?
And now it's time to play everyone's new favorite weekly gameshow
WHO'S GETTING SUED?
Welcome to "Who's Getting Sued?", the show where you guess who in the Video Game Industry is currently getting sued! If you guess correctly, you'll win this week's prize: Free Stock Options! I don't know what the hell they are, but we're giving them to you anyway. Here are the clues for today's company:
-This company traces its roots to a mall software retailer named Babbage's.
-It's the publisher to the number 1 selling yet one of the worst gaming magazines, Game Informer.
-The company is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, and is the world's largest video game and entertainment software retailer.
Can you guess the company that's getting sued? That's right, it's...
GAMESTOP!
Gamestop is getting sued by six store managers who claim Gamestop violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by not paying them for overtime. As such, the six exmployees would like the court to allow other managers who have been affected by this since April 2003 to opt into the collective-action lawsuit.
Thanks for playing "Who's Getting Sued?". We'll you again next week right here on The Select and Start News Report! [credit: Gamespot, GameDaily]
The Other Crap
JUMP ULTIMATE STARS
This is Jump Ultimate Stars. It's the sequel to Jump Superstars. I will buy this game ASAP once it comes out. If you like anime or own a DS, you too will buy this game. This is not an opinion...it's an order.
TRICKSTER
My brother showed me this free online RPG called Trickster and it looks like it could be fun. Once I sign up and start playing for a while I'll let you guys know if it's any good or not.
OMG FEEDBACK?
Apollo22237 asks about the Mario Mario interview:
good column... im just glad that there is another person that doesnt like XBOX since everyone who lives around me love it. Actually 2 cuz mario doesnt like it either... wut i really liked was the mario interview since it was different than wut im going to see in the other columns.... ha ha Pik-Achoo... (cough) im just wondering how the Mario worked. Was there a room somewhere nearby or a person in the back or has technology gotten good enuf to have Mario recognize all of those questions. wow
Thnx
The moment you walk into the store there was a corner with a plasma screen and a web cam at the bottom. I'm assuming that someone somewhere (probably some room behind the store) was operating the web cam and talking to us in real time using Mario and Wario's voices.
Joe Resowski writes about other grown up characters from my Gaming Trends column:
An argument could be made for Link in Ocarina of Time, followed by a step back, but then back to adult again with the upcoming Twilight Princess. The themes of the game haven't shifted to adult's only material, thank god, but the overall look of the adult link portions of Ocarina of Time certainly felt less kid oriented than the previous games. I suspect this is as much due to the advancement in graphics technology as anything. Another character that matured due to graphics is Samus Aran. Just the transition from 2D to 3D adds a more grown up atmosphere to the game – it also allows the bodysuit to be rendered with appropriate curves.
I can't think of any other characters that could use a growing-up treatment. I can't think of many other characters other than the Mario family that aren't already grown up. Maybe a slightly more grown up, little bit more twisted version of Earthbound? Teenage Ness could be pretty cool.
Apollo22237 also wrote in again about grown up characters:
Good column. Ur right about mega man and bomberman... I used to love the older Bomberman games especially for the SNES but Hudson did screw him over...
And about other grown up characters... what about Link... He sorta goes up and down. He went from the original on the NES to those weird CD games to the N64 more grown up Link then back down for Wind Waker and now hes gonna be part werewolf on Twilight Princess lol
And a character that would be cool is Kirby. Kirby games are awesome like Kirby Super Star. I know the Kirby for N64 the crystal Stars was a lil different but then he went back to Pinball and a Mario Kart Spinoff. Wonder wut an Adult Kirby would be like... Hmmmmmm
I was almost thinking of putting in Link, but like Joe says he goes back and forth between E and T with the two different styles and Ocarina of Time to me didn't seem like a sudden change in appealing to different demographics. Same about Samus. An adult Kirby game would be funny, especially if it was anything like the Perfect Kirby flash cartoons. A more twisted version of Earthbound would also be cool, as long as you still fight enemies like "The Annoying Old Party Man" and UFO's causing "night-time stuffiness". Annoying Old Party Man...now I really feel like playing Earthbound now.
Thanks for the feedback!
Guys who probably need a vacation
Your 411 Action Game News Team:
Joshua Richey with The Digital Pulse
Tommy Coloma with The Negative Edge
The Koopa to my Paratroopa, Caleb Newby with News from Bitopia
And now covering Friday is Steven Masters with The Casual Gamer News
This Week's Columns:
Hate game designers with big egos? Check out Angry Gaming by Damian Sarcuni
Remember how awesome the Dam level in Goldeneye was? Check out Great Moments in Video Game history by Micheal Joyeux
Will Nintendo's Wii be the best next-gen console? Check out Working Title by Jordan Williams
And speaking of Wii, Will it truly capture those casual gamers Nintendo wants? Check out Hardcore Haven by Joel Beggs
411's Top 5 One on One Beat-em-ups
Previews:
Fifa Soccor 07
Star Fox Command
Gothic III
Tales of the Abyss
And that's it this week for the news. While you wait for next week's report, read all the other columns on 411Games and send them feedback as well.
