Sony Online’s PoxNora Launches on Facebook
Posted by ShackNews on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
In what is sure to become a more common occurrence, Sony Online Entertainment just launched a Facebook version of PoxNora–its free-to-play, turn-based strategy and collectible-card-game.
Though the game is free to play, users are encouraged to purchased additional content. In this case, Runes that manifest as in-game “champions, spells, relics and equipment”.
PoxNora was acquired by Sony Online Entertainment officially on January 16, 2009. Meanwhile, Firaxis continues...
Ubisoft DRM Issues Leave Games Temporarily Unplayable for Some (Updated)
Posted by ShackNews on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Update: “Our servers are under attack again,” Ubisoft says. “Some gamers are experiencing trouble signing in. We’re working on it and will keep you posted.”
Added the company: “We’re happy to say ACII & SH5 are withstanding the efforts to crack them. We see the rumors but still confirm no valid cracked versions exist.”
Original:
Further reinforcing outspoken community concerns regarding Ubisoft’s new PC DRM scheme, a denial...
Sony Files ’Eroding’ Game Demo Patent
Posted by ShackNews on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Offering a glimpse into the possible future, PlayStation console distributor and video game publisher Sony Computer Entertainment America recently applied for a patent on video game demos that would gradually lose features and content over time.
Noticed by Siliconera, the patent proposes offering “most or all of the full version of the game” for free, then slowly “eroding” the demo’s functionality in the hopes of enticing a purchase. For example, a...
Developer of Black Has New FPS: Bodycount
Posted by ShackNews on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
The new first-person shooter coming from Codemasters Guildford and former Black designer Stuart Black is titled Bodycount.
While it has been known that Black was working on a game for Codemasters, no details had been revealed until today. A news story intended to run with the newest issue of OXM UK, which includes a cover-story on the game, gave us the game’s title. That post has since been removed, but not before being cached by Google. (Thanks, Destructoid!)
Details are light,...
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Server Issues Continue; PS3 VIP Content on the Way
Posted by ShackNews on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
It would appear that DICE and Electronic Arts were not prepared for the massive player counts for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 as both companies continue to struggle with keeping the multiplayer servers up and running.
On Friday night, an outage kept PC and PlayStation 3 players offline for several hours before being fixed as the number of concurrent users for Bad Company 2 passed the all-time player count for 2005’s Battlefield 2.
Sunday morning brought an outage across all three...
Shack PSA: Steam PC Savings on Deus Ex, Hitman and Battlefield Bad Company 2 Bundles
Posted by ShackNews on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Though it’s only Monday, Steam is already rolling out the PC digital download savings.
First up, a Battlefield: Bad Company 2 four-pack. Sure, it may sound mighty expensive at $149.97, but split it four ways and that’s just $37.50 (a savings of 25%) per copy.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Deus Ex
In addition, Steam will be running daily discounts on games published by Square Enix and Eidos across the next week, with today’s offerings outlined below:
Deus Ex &...
The Red Star Revived on PSP, iPhone
Posted by ShackNews on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Close to three years after releasing The Red Star on PlayStation 2, publisher XS Games has declared that the shooter / beat ’em up hybrid is headed to PSP and iPhone.
The Red Star PSP and iPhone
“Fresh visual polish and improved controls” are promised for the handheld editions, which will be available as digital downloads (via the PlayStation Store and iTunes App Store) sometime in the “early spring” timeframe. No word yet on price.
Based on Christian...
Evening Reading: GDC Week
Posted by ShackNews on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Unfortunately, Evening Reading for this week will be brief as I prepare and attend the 2010 Game Developers Conference. Your (newly) regularly scheduled ER content like Game of the Evening, links, and whatever random point I want to make will return next week.
Super Street Fighter IV fans: I’ll be attending the SSFIV Fight Club at GDC tomorrow night. If you have any questions for Yoshinori Ono or anything you want me to test out in-game, let me know in the comments.
GG’s...
Modern Warfare 2 DLC Details Due Soon as Game Accumulates 25 Million Players
Posted by ShackNews on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Emerging like a phoenix from last week’s craziness, Infinity Ward’s Robert “fourzerotwo” Bowling is back on Twitter with an update wholly-focused on Modern Warfare 2:
…annnd we JUST hit 25 MILLION unique players on Modern Warfare 2. Insanity! Also, got a lot of #MW2 DLC details coming this week! FINALLY!
Infinity Ward is still working on two DLC map packs for Modern Warfare 2, according to publisher Activision’s plans for the Call of Duty franchise....
Mafia II developers partner with Playboy for rights to feature vintage covers and centerfolds
Posted by Game News on Mar 07, 2010 | Leave a Comment
2K Games announced today that it has signed a license agreement with Playboy magazine for a unique in-game integration to use more than 50 of their vintage covers and Centerfolds in Mafia(R) II, this year’s highly anticipated epic mobster game for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC. Set in the fully realized and immersive 1940s and 1950s American urban cityscape of Empire Bay, Mafia II will enable...
You can subscribe by e-mail to receive news updates and breaking stories.
