PCs always better than PS3 Xbox and Wii, says Crytek

Crysis' recommended graphics card costs more than PS3, XBox, 360, or Wii

While admitting that he doesn't spend that much time playing them, Crytek's art director says that videogame consoles can't compare to the PC.

"My opinion on them in comparison to the PC is that I think the PC is always better," Michael Khaimzon told GamesIndustry.biz.

"Because the PC you can do so many things with, and the console is just there for the gaming."

Khaimzon, who grew up in Communist Russia, hasn't worked on any console games. He has, however, helped create the amazing visuals in the Crysis PC game.

He views consoles as inferior simply because there are so many more things you can do with a PC.

"You cannot create characters on a console - you can't run a 3D programme from one, as far as I know. You can't play certain strategy games on a console well, like Total Annihilation for example, or at least I haven't seen one, I think it's limiting to certain types of games," he said.

At the same time, he noted that PCs allow user to plug in a controller and play the same kinds of games as consoles.

Khaimzon isn't concerned with compatibility issues and the price of graphics cards, criticisms that are often brought against PC gaming.

"[N]obody forces you to upgrade your PC. You can take Crysis and play it on a medium-spec machine and it will still run, even on an older machine.

That said, Crytek recommends that Crysis be run on an Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 PC with an NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 640 MB graphics card that costs upwards of USD 400--more than the 40GB PlayStation 3, the Arcade or Pro model Xbox 360, or the Nintendo Wii.

"If people think there are games that are worth buying a USD 500 video card for, then they should go ahead and buy it and enjoy games of that quality - but they can still enjoy games at a lower quality as well," he explained.

500,000 Super Mario Galaxy sales in first week

Fastest-selling Mario title in the US (Surprise, Surprise)

Nintendo has revealed that Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii sold over 500,000 units in its first week of sale in the US.

"Super Mario Galaxy had the strongest one-week debut of any Wii game to date and has also become the best-selling Mario title ever in its first week, with US sales of more than 500,000, based on internal sales figures," commented George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing.

Released in Europe last Friday, the game debuted at number five in the UK all-formats charts, although the Chart Track data only accounts for the first two days of sale in the region.

PC Store won't kill off UMD, says Sony

New download service complements disc format, great for casual games and demos (See earlier post)

The newly-launched PlayStation Store for PC does not spell the end of the road for Sony's Universal Media Disc format, according to Darren Cairns, head of online marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

He told GamesIndustry.biz: "The UMD business is still good for us and our publishers. It's still a burgeoning market, and we're still selling a large number of PSPs on a weekly basis, so there are a large number of new people coming into the market."

The potential to offer titles at a lower price point, because the costs of production and retail are cut, might seem like good news for gamers - but there are no plans to head down that path any time soon.

"I don't think that this would give us any cause for concern over UMD, I think they sit very well together. When you talk about the more casual games, pick-up-and-play games, you would definitely want to put them through the Store rather than have disc production, in to retail, and so on."

When asked if he felt that the Store could go on and offer a much wider selection of general entertainment media in the future - building on the current film trailers available and adding music tracks and video perhaps - he reiterated that the focus to begin with was on games.

"The PC Store is very much targeted at getting lots of really good game content at the start for the millions of PSP users that we've got. Longer term, the PlayStation Store is predominantly for game content for day one and we're working on the plans to build that out after.

"For us being able to deploy and push additional content, whether it's an additional overlay for a GPS or whatever, it's important going forward. But what we wanted to do was really establish the PlayStation Store on the PC, as it is already on the PS3."

The downloads themselves currently have no defined size limit, and they will vary according to game title. As an example the Bboy full game download weighs in at around 835MB, but full titles won't necessarily include all content found on the corresponding retail UMD.

PopCap Launches Bookworm Mobile Game

No1 Digital Word Game Now Available On-the-Go For 500 Handsets

PopCap Games, the leading developer and publisher of casual games, today announced the immediate availability of its hugely popular game Bookworm™ for a wide array of cell phones in North America and the United Kingdom. Originally launched for Web and PC play in 2003, and the recipient of numerous accolades including “Puzzle Game of the Year” from Games for Windows magazine (nee Computer Gaming World), Bookworm has been a resounding success on BlackBerry since becoming available for that handheld device in April of this year. Bookworm is the second mobile game PopCap has developed internally, and is available today from T-Mobile in the UK and all major mobile carriers throughout North America.

“Bookworm is very well suited for mobile phones because it can be played in short bursts of a minute or two whenever and wherever the opportunity arises,” said Andrew Stein, director of mobile business development at PopCap. “At the same time, the game also offers a great challenge for marathon word-builders since it’s essentially infinite in its replayability. We’ve streamlined and optimized the controls so that playing Bookworm on a phone is even easier than via a mouse or keyboard. And the game now references the Oxford English Dictionary, so even the most inveterate ‘lexophile’ will be satisfied.”

In Bookworm, players must build words from contiguous letter tiles on a grid. Longer and more difficult words score more points and produce a variety of “gem tiles” that offer additional bonuses (and mega-bonuses when multiple gem tiles are used in a single word). Burning tiles sear through normal tiles, reaching the bottom of the grid more quickly; they must be used before they reach the bottom or the game ends. With the new mobile version, players have the option to control the selection of letter tiles via d-pad/cursor, triple-tap or predictive text entry, such that the game controls are streamlined specifically for on-the-go play.

Key features of Bookworm Mobile include:
Classic and Action game modes with all the game-play of the award-winning PC version
Vocabulary of up to 140,000 words based on the authoritative Oxford English Dictionary
Historical tracking of all-time highest scoring as well as longest words, enabling players to compare their personal bests to friends’ all-time best words and scores
Choice of 3 input methods (two of which are unique to mobile) to optimize experience on the mobile phones

Kane and Lynch blasts on to mobile

IO's two anti-heroes bring their explosive mix of action and betrayal to a game created specifically for mobile handsets

Eidos Interactive, one of the worlds leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, will bring its eagerly-awaited next generation action title Kane and Lynch: Dead Men to mobile phones this November, in a specially-created version developed for mobile by Danish Developer, Kiloo, with input from Io Interactive, the original development studio for the game.

Timed to coincide with the PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game, Kane and Lynch mobile will be released through the publisher’s fast-growing Eidos New Media division.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is a cinematic crime drama that tells a raw and gritty tale of two anti-heroes – one a flawed mercenary, the other a medicated psychopath: Forced to embark on a violent and chaotic journey and hating each other every step of the way, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men features a gripping storyline and relentless third-person action.

Spanning 38 action-packed levels across five very different scenarios, Kane and Lynch mobile takes the form of a fast paced action game. Armed with a wealth of firearms, explosives, deadly booby traps and gadgets, the pair must blast a path through each heavily-guarded location, using simple yet effective menu systems to switch between shotguns and assault rifles with ease.

With its mixture of platform elements and exploration – coupled with a seemingly endless army of enemies and interactive backdrops – Kane and Lynch mobileis a testing game where the stakes are high and the action is unrelenting…

For full details of Kane and Lynch: Dead Men for mobile phone and release dates, please visit http://www.eidosmobile.com/kaneandlynch/index.php?lang=UK for more information.

Unreal Tournament 3 PhysX Mod-Kit And Exclusive Unreal Engine 3 Content

Tornado & LightHouse PhysX Mod Maps for UT3 Ready for Download Now

AGEIA™ Technologies, Inc., the pioneer in hardware-accelerated physics for games, today announced a PhysX Mod-Kit for Unreal Tournament 3 (UT3) that will allow developers and modders to create completely new experiences in the game and customize existing levels to enhance game-play and interactivity. As the engine that drives underlying physics interaction in UT3, PhysX enables dynamic game-play on all systems with additional benefits for PhysX Processor owners. The AGEIA PhysX UT3 Mod-Kit will offer modders everything they need to easily add PhysX-powered content into the UT3 universe. Complementing Epic’s Unreal Engine 3 (UE3) tools that are already deeply integrated with PhysX technology will be additional tools, guides, tutorials and documentation and assets and examples. The PhysX UT3 Mod-Kit will be available for download from AGEIA and distribution partners in December. For more information, visit http://www.ageia.com/physx/ut3.html.

To showcase the power of the PhysX UT3 Mod-Kit and the PhysX processor, AGEIA Technologies is rolling out a series of Extreme PhysX Mod Levels for UT3 available as a free download starting today. The first set of PhysX mods includes the “Tornado” and “LightHouse” levels. The AGEIA Tornado PhysX Mod, which was first revealed at the Leipzig Games Conference earlier this year, features incredible physical realism and revolutionary new environmental impact powered by the PhysX processor. This completely new CTF map is named for the PhysX-powered tornado which tears the battlefield apart as the game progresses. In addition, the tornado actually lures rockets and projectile weapons into its vortex, if fired too close, presenting both dynamic risk and reward to daring players. Complementing Tornado is a new PhysX mod called LightHouse, which introduces an ominous, dungeon-like structure with myriad levels and hidden corridors, featuring a variety of destructible walls, floors and ceilings and new weaponry. Additional maps and mods showcasing other types of PhysX implementations and level morphs will be available soon as part of this ongoing AGEIA Mod-Kit program. The Mods will continue to offer compelling game-play scenarios as well as provide examples of AGEIA PhysX use encouraging modders to produce their own PhysX-driven experiences.

Together with the recently announced AGEIA Adaptive Physics EXtensions™ (AGEIA APEX™) Development Platform, the PhysX UT3 Mod-Kit provides a comprehensive technology suite to customize UT3. Coupled with great deals on PhysX cards in place for the holiday season and the upcoming UE3-based Warmonger: Operation Downtown Destruction from NetDevil on November 28th, now is the time to get involved in expanding the Unreal experience with PhysX.

”We’re excited to be a part of the future of the Unreal Universe. Integrating AGEIA PhysX has never been easier,” said Manju Hegde, CEO of AGEIA Technologies. “Designers and modders can use our powerful PhysX UT3 Mod-Kit and UE3 developers can build on the AGEIA Adaptive Physics EXtensions™ (APEX™) Platform to manipulate physically realistic and interactive worlds in next-generation games – this is what the future of modding and game design is all about.”

Bubbins Going Gold

Bubbins, the highly anticipated action arcade title from Nordic game developer Skalden, is going beta and is on track to be available for full distribution in February. The bubbins are small creatures living in fruit houses in a village tree beneath an old castle. Usually, they use their ability to bubble to transport huge fruits from the surrounding forest and back to their village. Their peaceful existence is shattered when Lule, a young female bubbin, is captured by the Green Maboo and dragged into the castle. A team of rescue-bubbins sets out to release the fair maiden. When these disappear as well, young Dundun decides to take things in his own hands and save the day.

The player controls the young bubbin Dundun as he begins a hunt through a castle to free nine fellow bubbins captured by the green maboo Grubb. The gameplay is based on the bubbin ability to spit bubbles that pushes the target backwards. The player must use this ability to make opponents and objects collide. Whenever a game entity collides into another, something happens; 20 entities means 20 times 20 = 400 possible outcomes. This gives the player a lot to explore. The gameplay is a mix of action and puzzle elements. Sometimes the player bubbles (spits bubbles that push objects) to defeat enemies, and struggling to control the physics of bouncing opponents and objects is part of the fun. At other times the player will scratch their heads wondering how to solve the puzzle that leads to a new area. The comic animations and fun puzzles make the game suitable for players of all ages.

FOG Studios exclusively represents Skalden and is seeking digital distribution and co-promotional partners for Bubbins, as well as Licensees or Publishing Partners for Nintendo DS, Wii, XBLA, PSN and mobile versions of Bubbins. FOG Studios will be showcasing Bubbins at the Montreal International Games Show in November, and at Game Connection Lyon in December.

PLAYSTATION Store now on PC

Introducing a world of PSP (PlayStation Portable) content accessible via PC: downloadable games, playable demos, trailers and exclusive non-game content

This November sees the launch of PLAYSTATION Store for PC at http://store.playstation.com. It’s the answer to every PSP™ (PlayStation Portable) owner’s dreams: an all new website that, similarly to PLAYSTATION Store on PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3™), brings together in one place all the great PSP content – and, this time, makes it available from your PC. Access to the site is completely free*, with no purchase necessary and no subscription required, leaving you to enjoy PLAYSTATION Store when and how you like.

The site goes live on November 20 – and it launches packed with content. You’ll find exclusive full game downloads including Beats™ and Go! Puzzle™ - titles for PSP only available on PLAYSTATION Store for PC. You’ll find downloadable versions of existing PSP games such as B-Boy™ and Fired Up™ as well as a range of downloadable PS one® classic titles that includes some longstanding favourites – think WipEout® and Crash Bandicoot™. There are also brand new playable demos like the breathtaking WipEout® Pulse and Syphon Filter™: Logan’s Shadow as well as trailers for forthcoming PSP titles – so you can try your hand at new games as well as watching what’s in store for the future. As if that wasn’t enough you can download cool music content and keep up to date with new and upcoming bands.

Managing your money becomes easy: payment will work in the same way as PLAYSTATION Store on PS3. If you’ve already registered with PLAYSTATION Network via PS3, your login details will remain the same for PLAYSTATION Store on PC – so there’s no need to register again! You can even manage your PLAYSTATION Network account via your PC – topping up the funds in your wallet, editing your personal profile or managing your friends list.

Overleaf are a few of the things you can expect to find when PLAYSTATION Store for PC goes live on 20th November at http://store.playstation.com.
Check out hot exclusive PLAYSTATION Network full games

http://store.playstation.com launches with a raft of exclusive PLAYSTATION Network titles, only downloadable via PLAYSTATION Store. Log on now to enjoy exclusive full downloadable games for your PSP.

Interact with your favourite music tracks on the move with Beats™ - an exclusive title featuring an addictive rhythm action game and a ‘Jamming’ composer feature. There’s also Go! Puzzle™: three highly original puzzle games that you can play on your own or with friends.
Revisit your favourite PSP games

Some of the best-loved PSP titles released on UMD™ (Universal Media Disc) are now available to download from PLAYSTATION Store for PC. So if you didn’t get your hands on them first time around, now’s your chance.

Get your Sudoku fix wherever and whenever you want with Go! Sudoku – an interactive Sudoku experience with 1,000 puzzles, multiplayer modes, and more. If dancing is your thing, check out B-Boy™, a breakdancing game in which players take to the floor to battle real-life breaking legend Crazy Legs. Or, if you feel like combat, there’s a cutthroat world of high-octane vehicles, big guns and even bigger explosions awaiting you in Fired Up™, where a valiant team of resistance fighters need a hero to turn the tide of battle in their favour.
Classic PS one® games

Whether you’re taking a trip down memory lane or discovering these games for the first time, you’ll love the selection of PS one classics we’ve got in the Store for you. There’s hyperactive island-hopper Crash Bandicoot®, sword-and-sorcery high jinks with skeleton knight Sir Dan Fortescue in Medievil™, futuristic, no-holds-barred anti-gravity racing in WipEout® and much, much more. Looking back has never been so much fun.
Free playable demos

Want to play the hottest new PSP titles before you buy them? You need to check out the free playable demos in the Store. Try your hand at anti-terrorist espionage in Syphon Filter™: Logan’s Shadow, race adrenaline-fuelled anti-gravity tracks at 600 kmh in WipEout® Pulse and lead a batch of bouncing, rolling creatures through amazing environments in LocoRoco™. Remember – it’s all free, so download a playable demo today.
Game trailers

For exclusive previews of what’s coming out on PSP, you need look no further than the Store, where we’re launching with a host of new game trailers on the site and with more to follow. To check out forthcoming titles like crime-fighter Pursuit Force™: Extreme Justice, military simulation SOCOM™: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike or mythological rampage God of War™: Chains of Olympus, just head to the Store right away.

Getting online and registering for your first downloads is easy – just visit http://store.playstation.com and follow the on-screen instructions. You’ll need to download a small application; then, it’s jut a case of connecting your PSP to your PC via a USB cable, and choosing the content you want. With so much on offer, choosing could take a while!

*Broadband internet service required. Users are responsible for broadband access fees. Charges apply for some content. PLAYSTATION Network and PLAYSTATION Store subject to terms of use and not available in all countries and languages: see eu.playstation.com/terms. Users under 18 require parental consent.

Boulder Dash- ROCKS! trailer shows Rockford at work and lifts the shroud of mystery surrounding his new look

Dyed-in-the-wool Boulder Dash fans will remember Rockford™ as an insect-like creature, and may just be more than a little surprised upon seeing Rockford’s new look in his new title „Boulder Dash-ROCKS!“, due for release on the Nintendo DS™ on November 22nd 2007 in Europe and on the Sony PSP in the first quarter of 2008. Did he just fall into a vat of blue paint, or did some cosmetic surgery go drastically wrong? www.boulder-dash-rocks.com now officially reveals the secret behind his new look!

First Star Software, Inc.’s tricky puzzle and dexterity game made its debut in the early 80s and continues to fascinate its large fan base making it a classic in the history of interactive entertainment. Now Boulder Dash® is back with a hot new look to take the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP platforms by storm. The hit game’s principle remains unchanged: players have to collect sparkling diamonds while avoiding numerous traps and beating opponents to reach them, all the while watching out for falling boulders.

Each platform version contains four gaming modes. In addition to the classic single-player mode, taking players through 80 levels across four different game worlds, Boulder Dash-ROCKS! now offers a new multi-player mode and two additional play modes. When developing Boulder Dash-ROCKS! a new game and different, game mode was custom designed for each of the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP platforms, modes never seen before in any Boulder Dash® game.

GNGWC 2007 Finished its Last Regional Final Match

The last regional final match, the Japanese match, successfully finished on 17th November in Tokyo.

The long journey of this year's GNGWC competition now remains the Grand Final Match on 1st December in Seoul, Korea

Tokyo, Japan - November 21, 2007 - Hundreds of Massively Multiplayer Online(MMO) gamers across the Japan gathered to Harajuku Quest Hall to see who will be the Japanese winners of the global MMO game festival "Game and Game World Championship (GNGWC) 2007".

This last regional final match, after Europe (Leipzig, Germany on August 23th), Korea (Yongin, On September 30th ), S.E.ASIA (Ho Chi Minh, on October 13th), and US (LA, on October 20th) match, attracted 195,000 Japanese MMO gamers to join the preliminary match from five official games: "Silkroad Online (www.silkroadonline.net)" , "Shot Online (shotonline.gamescampus.com), "Record of Lunia War (global.lunia.com)", "Navy Field (www.navyfiled.com)", "Warrock (www.warrock.net)".

Around 100 players who passed preliminary competition stepped up to the final round, and their supporters, from game buddies to family members, visited this show too to cheer players. Plus, the biggest Japanese MMO news site, "4Gamers", and Japanese branch of the global IT news site, "CNET Japan" visited the show to cover this 2nd annual Japanese final match.

On this year's final match, 17 players won tickets to the Grand Final Match, which will be held in Seoul, on December 1st. Players who win the 1st place at the Grand Finals will receive $5,000 (US), $3,000 (US) for 2nd place, and $1,000 (US) for 3rd place player.

Mr. Kwon (president, KIPA) said "Online game is a great network tool which connects gamers from all over the world", and he added "GNGWC is getting the core of this global community created in the virtual world. We are realizing the power of this global MMO festival."

The Grand final on December 1st will also be aired on GNGWC webpage. The broadcast schedule will be announced soon on its homepage(www.gngwc.com).