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Medal of Honor Marketing Director Explains Taliban Name Change
Oct 12th
Medal of Honor’s marketing director Craig Owens explains that the recent controversy surrounding the reboot to Medal of Honor has been something of a surprise to the company. Though EA initially stated they would keep the Taliban present within the game, after major backlash from several interest groups and families of those who have lost loved ones in the war, EA removed the Taliban in favor of naming them “OPFOR” (Opposing Force).
Danger Close, the developer behind the campaign to the game, says that the objections came from a lot of people who didn’t even play games. “The objection was, kind of from an older generation that doesn’t understand games, that the sound byte was ‘Play as the Taliban and kill U.S. soldiers’,” Owens said, who also admitted, “There still is, it seems, a group that’s still a little bit leery of a game taking place around an active conflict.”
Though many seem to believe that EA changed its mind on the Taliban after AAFES’ embargo on sales of the game, Danger Close says that this is simply not the case as AAFES has not removed the ban on sales.
Owens clarifies, “Really the big thing was playing as a Taliban killing U.S. troops. So we basically just changed it to ‘OPFOR’ — which is a term they [the US Armed Forces] use, some of our competitors use — more out of respect.” The AAFES, he contends, didn’t factor into the decision whatsoever. He also pointed out that during the beta earlier this year, there were “about 500,000 people playing it, as the Taliban, killing U.S. troops,” without a single complaint. He further lamented the nefarious “sound byte” that led to the seemingly inevitable controversy, adding, “Later that sound byte kind of caught wind and got taken out of context, really.”
The “issues” to many outside of the gaming industry are simply not “issues” to those within, reasons Owens. “It’s just a misunderstanding. I think eventually, as guys like us — I’m 42 years old, right? — so as I get older and stuff, we’re becoming a world of gamers that are gonna be at all levels and I think that’ll go away.” Right now, however, he sees the climate as transitional. “It’s just one of those transition points, where people who don’t play games still think they’re just for 12-year-olds and they’re just all fun and games and they could never really tell a story like a movie does.”
In the end, the game has seen almost nothing changed. The campaign is still the same, the look and feel all remain the same; the only thing changed within the game is that the Taliban have become OPFOR. They remain the same character models, the same voices and the same intent. More importantly though it has “always been about the respect for the troops,” Owen said, adding that “It’s not about Afghanistan. It’s not about the enemy. It’s about the brother beside you.”
Uncharted Movie Unearths An Old Director
Oct 12th
Sony announced today that David O. Russell has stepped back into the director’s chair of the upcoming film adaptation of Naughty Dog’s Uncharted. Russell left the production back in August, with the L.A. Times reporting that the studio and director could not come to terms. He then attached himself to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, only to leave that film once projected star Natalie Portman dropped out.
The Hollywood Reporter says that Russell will be directing and writing Uncharted. Former Marvel Studios guru Avi Arad is among the producers of the film.
“David is a tremendous choice to take on this film. He’s equally adept at combining all the classic elements involved in this property: great character development, strong comedy and amazing action sequences. He has a brilliant vision for this material and we know he will bring his original, unique voice to this adaptation,” said Columbia president Matt Tolmach.
Russell’s next film is The Fighter, starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, which is scheduled for a December release.
Killzone Developer: Game Budgets Will ‘Continue To Rise’
Oct 12th
Near the end of August, EA Partners head David DeMartini said that he felt video game budgets had peaked and were starting to move in the opposite direction. Steven Ter Heide, lead producer at Killzone developer Guerilla, disagrees with that assessment. Ter Heide told GI.biz at the Eurogamer Expo last weekend that he expected budgets to continue to rise for some time.
“There’ll certainly always be big budget titles because audiences will always want to see these over-the-top kind of no-holds-barred titles,” Ter Heide said. “I don’t know where the budgets are going but they’ll probably continue to rise for the next couple of years because the amount of stuff that you need to put into games, the stuff that the audience is expecting, that’s still growing as well. I don’t see it levelling out – both spectrums are going to continue to grow, from top to bottom.”
Ter Heide believes that smaller studios can only succeed by throwing caution to the wind and taking big risks.
“Think about what it is that you want to accomplish and basically go for it. It’s very tempting to start small, and work on smaller games and slowly grow, but you have to have an end-goal in sight and say ‘how do I get there, what steps do I have to take, how do I build my engine, how do I make my technology positions, what’s my artistic vision, what kind of talent do I need to attract?’,” he said.
“I know it’s risky, but I don’t think there’s any other way. Playing it safe doesn’t hack it, you have to be able to take risks. It’s easier said than done, and it’s easier for me to say when I’m working with a big publisher and having that support, but I think for an indie developer it’s really important to aim high and take that risk. Go for the title you really want to make rather than trying to work your way up.”
GDC Online Boasts 3,000 Professional Attendees
Oct 12th
On Friday, October 8, GDC Online 2010 closed its doors, having been attended by more than 3,000 professionals. The event took place at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. GDC Online featured over 140 lectures, panels, and keynotes presented by 190 industry speakers. The expo show floor had over 85 exhibitors and 30 sponsors. This year also marked the first annual Game Developers Choice Online Awards.
The keynote speaker for the event was Zynga’s Chief Game Designer, Brian Reynolds. Reynold’s keynote was entitled, “Bears and Snakes! The Wild Frontier of Social Game Design,” and focused on the creation of Zynga’s Frontierville and adapting traditional game design for social titles.
The first Game Developers Choice Online Awards honored a wide variety of titles, with Riot Games’ League of Legends walking away with the most awards. Other winners included World of Warcraft, Aion, EVE Online and Social City. Dr. Richard Bartle received the Online Game Legend Award, and Ultima Online was inducted in the Choice Online Awards Hall of Fame.
“The success of GDC Online is not just in the number of attendees or the number of sessions, but it’s also in the impact that the event has had on future titles and technologies,” says Izora de Lillard, Event Director for GDC Online. “With content for forward-looking areas like 3D stereoscopic gaming, mobile gaming and online social games, we’re sure to see echoes of the event in the games we’ll be addicted to in the coming years. We hope to see everyone back in Austin next year for another great conference.”
GDC Online will be returning to the Austin Convention Center next year on October 11-14, 2011.
EA Cancels Spielberg’s Second Project
Oct 12th
Electronic Arts has officially confirmed that ‘Project LMNO,’ its second collaboration with director Steven Spielberg, has been cancelled. The ball began rolling on this confirmation when former EA dev Jake Kazdal, currently at Haunted Temple Studios, mentioned on the 8-4 Play podcast that he had worked on the project for two-and-a-half years before it was shelved. Joystiq then reached outto EA, finally receiving an official confirmation that the project was dead, despite EA maintaining a working relationship with Spielberg.
“I can’t say too much. It was very ambitious. We had a small team — very smart people on it. And we spent a lot of time thinking and talking. And doing some stuff. And it just sort of … I don’t know exactly what was the thing that made it fall apart,” said Kazdal on the podcast.
“I’m sure anybody you ask is gonna tell you something a little bit different, but it didn’t end up ever taking off,” he continued. “There was some rival game stuff that may or may not have come out of EA that was basically the same thing minus some of the stuff we were doing. There was just a lot of politics.”
On the bright side, this frees up more of Spielberg’s attention for a possible Halo movie.
PlayFirst Gets $9.2 Million in Financing, Ex-PlaySpan Executive
Oct 12th
PlayFirst announced today that it has received $9.2 million in financing, with $5.2 million coming from investors including Mayfield Fund, Trinity Partners, DCM and Rustic Canyon Ventures, and $4.2 million in debt financing from Comerica Bank. The new funding will be used to expand the company’s reach into the mobile and social gaming markets. PlayFirst has seen recent success with the Facebook launch of Chocolatier: Sweet Society, which has over 800,000 active monthly users. The Dash franchise continues to perform well, with the last title being the iPad launch game,Diner Dash: Grilling Green.
“This financing enables us to keep our focus on the opportunities in the mobile and social gaming sectors and provides the flexibility to quickly respond to changes and opportunities as the market continues to shift rapidly. With this capital, we will continue to aggressively optimize the PlayFirst brands that consumers love, like Diner Dash, to social and mobile platforms and look for growth through partnerships and potential acquisitions,” said Mari Baker, president of PlayFirst.
“PlayFirst, with its unique combination of best-selling casual game titles and emotionally engaging content, is well-positioned to thrive in today’s quickly growing market for social and mobile games,” said Gus Tai, general partner, Trinity Ventures. “We see tremendous market opportunity ahead and PlayFirst will continue to be part of that story.”
PlayFirst also announced that Eric Hartness, formerly of PlaySpan, has joined the company as vice president and general manager on social games. Hartness will be responsible for determining the overall strategy and executive of PlayFirst’s social gaming brand. At PlaySpan, Hartness served as Chief Marketing Officer, being an integral part of the recent Monetization-as-a-Service initiative. Prior to that, he spent nine years as VP of marketing for EA’s Redwood Shores studio, lending his services to numerous titles, including Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Simpsons Game, The Godfather, and Dead Space.
“PlayFirst continues to build out a winning team for the social game space. The addition of Eric, whom I’m known for a number of years, brings a recognized leader to drive PlayFirst brands in the social game market,” said Mike Vorhaus, president, Magid Advisors. “In fact, our recent research shows that Diner Dash is already better known among Facebook game players than many of the top Facebook games today.”
Sony Should Team with Google to ‘Redefine’ Portable Gaming With PSP Phone, say Analysts
Oct 12th
Sony’s PSP business has been a bit challenged in the U.S. but it’s fared quite well in Japan. ThePSP2 is clearly already in the hands of developers, but will Sony be taking the right direction overall with its portable business? In a recent op-ed, IndustryGamers strongly suggested that Sony should get into true mobile gaming with a PlayStation Phone that offers 3G access through a wireless carrier.
As it turns out, most of the prominent game industry analysts agree with our sentiment. We polled several analysts about their thoughts on the PSP business and how it could be “fixed.” Most of them independently answered that Sony should indeed turn to the PlayStation Phone idea, possibly by teaming with a strong competitor like Google and its Droid devices.
Here’s the summary of our roundtable:
Mike Hickey, Janco Partners
Sony should team up with Google, for a PSP-Droid device.
Billy Pidgeon, M2 Research
Put me in the PlayStation Phone camp. Personally, my preferred portable gaming experience is on PSP and DSi. Today, however, portables that are not primarily designed for gaming can support quality games. Currently there are at least three platforms (I’m thinking iOS, Android and Windows Phone 7) that are capable of supporting quality games for phones and convergent portable devices in the palmtop and tablet categories. Competition between these platforms will drive better user experience, not only for games. Frankly, I think it’s going to be very difficult for Sony to build a profitable business based on dedicated gaming handheld hardware going forward. Sony did better than many expected with the PSP hardware, but attach rates for first or third party software haven’t panned out. Nintendo will likely do well with 3DS because they practically invented the dedicated gaming handheld market, but even Nintendo’s days on gaming-only portables are numbered.
With backgrounds in the packaged software “razor blade” business model, neither Sony nor Nintendo have been successful in exploiting the real opportunity inherent in mobile device-based digital distribution. I think both companies had better get out on top of the device-based application store model with Microsoft on the way in. The carriers and Apple consider games a low value commodity and are driving the market away from high value high quality software, and it’s going to be increasingly difficult to maintain a business for portable games that are priced at $15.99 to $39.99 in the U.S. market. I believe there is a sweet spot between these extremes for a portable gaming market that will provide gaming enthusiasts with great experiences and will be profitable for publishers and distributors.
Sony has the opportunity to redefine the portable games category. I think the best move would be to get out in front of Microsoft’s inevitable Xbox LIVE Arcade Mobile and take on the App Store and carrier deck portals. I’d suggest moving completely away from packaged goods and dedicated handhelds and go directly to a network-based software distribution system that drives convergent portable devices on an 18-month upgrade cycle. They could put out a proper PlayStation Phone (and a PlayStation Pad) but these should compete with smartphones and tablets, not dedicated gaming devices. To do this quickly, Sony could partner with Google and take advantage of Android’s considerable momentum.
David Cole, DFC Intelligence
I think the PSP has been too narrowly targeted from the get go. It was basically targeted at core console consumers that wanted to have their games with them on the go. As Jack Tretton said, they didn’t want the kids who kick the back of your seat on the airplane while playing their Nintendo DS.
Unfortunately that was leaving a huge demographic on the table. Also they were forgetting about the 30 and older crowd that still like games but aren’t as so much into squinting to see a graphically intense experience on a small screen. Nintendo with the DS did a great job appealing to that crowd as well.
Of course, there is what Apple did. There is all kinds of talk about smartphone gaming, but it should also be noted that with the iPod Touch, Apple offered a product for a younger audience whose parents weren’t going to spring for an iPhone.
However, it should be remembered that overall mobile phone gaming is still somewhat overrated. Sure everyone has a phone, but lifecycles for phones are short and there is still a substantial audience willing to have multiple devices. But once again ignoring the audience that only wants one device (a phone) is another issue.
In terms of strategy I see a huge opportunity for Sony to take the lead in offering a complete portable solution to everyone. Apple has decent market share, but mainly because other manufacturers are relatively clueless in how to handle content. There is a huge opportunity for Sony to come out with a PSP branded phone that offers everything Apple doesn’t and allows for a more appealing business model to content creators. They really don’t even need to directly compete with Apple, they just need to offer a non-Apple solution.
This would not be eliminating other PSP devices. Once again I think the PSP has been incredibly narrowly targeted. Why wouldn’t you want every 10 year old kid playing your device? What about soccer parents or adults that like their portable games a little less intense than the console games? Some people want a device without a phone. Some people want a all-in-one device that does act as a phone. You need a strategy to appeal to them all otherwise you will always be stuck with the bleeding edge male 15-30 year old game enthusiast. A nice but limited demographic. The PSP has the potential to be a great overall portable brand across multiple devices.
Jesse Divnich, EEDAR
I think we all tend to forget that the PSP has sold over 59 million units worldwide and to date has outsold the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and even the iPhone. I don’t believe the PSP business model was ever broken in the first place, it just got a little long in the tooth as the handheld market evolved due to competitors such as the iPhone and iPad.
The PSP business doesn’t need to be “fixed”, it just needs to evolve to fit the current needs of today’s consumers, which is the same hurdle any technology manufacturer must face as they launch a new hardware cycle.
I’d like to see the next PSP platform to go truly mobile with a wireless service provider. The iPhone hardware, despite the hardware refreshes, are getting a little long in the tooth themselves, and I believe this presents a competitor a prime opportunity to capture the growing smart phone market with a fresh looking platform. Of course, much like the iPad, there should be an option to purchase a stand-alone version without mobile capabilities.
Michael Pachter, Wedbush Morgan Securities
I think Sony made a mistake focusing on the higher end and older customer with the PSP. It sounded like a good idea at the time, and I was totally supportive, but in retrospect, they really missed the market as Nintendo dominated the younger crowd with the DS. Now, it is probably too late to compete for the younger crowd, given the DS’s dominance, the emergence of the iPod Touch as a competitive device, and the launch of the 3DS. It also seems that the older market has just not materialized, and will never be larger than a marginal opportunity.
I’m not sure what they should do, given that they let Apple have a head start with multi-media devices, and it will be difficult to play catch up.
Final Fantasy XIV Xbox 360 Development Has ‘Paused’
Aug 20th
Final Fantasy XIV producer Hiromichi Tanaka has stated that the Xbox 360 version of the game has not been cancelled, only that development has been paused, as talks with Microsoft are still ongoing.
Speaking with VG247, Tanaka stated that previous rumors of the Xbox 360 version being cancelled are false. He added that a demo is in the works and that discussions with Microsoft are still ongoing.
“We’re still talking with Microsoft at the moment so there is no update as to when we’ll start again,” he said, admitting the only roadblock to the game hitting the console at the moment is restrictions imposed by Xbox Live.
Final Fantasy XIV is set for release next month worldwide on the PC, with a scheduled release date for the PS3 in March 2011.
Sony PSP 2 Demonstrated to Select Publishers, Touch Controls Present, says Report
Aug 20th
To the disenchantment of many, Sony did not unveil the oft talked about PSP 2 at Gamescom this week. Though the general public was not privy to a new handheld from the manufacturer, it would seem as though several unnamed publishers were afforded the opportunity to check the new system.
Reports indicate that three separate publishers were given access to the yet unfinished handheld. These publishers all say that it is very similar to the standard PSP model, closest to the PSP-3000. Features include an incredibly detailed screen and comfortable feel, but what is perhaps most surprising is the control mechanism. A “touch-sensitive area” has been placed behind the unit, on the other side of where the screen lies. The reports do not indicate how the screen is to be used, or how it will affect the ergonomics, but publishers were shown the console while “several” first-party games were running.
Sony has also decided on how to work a feasible business model for the PSP 2. The console, as it currently stands, is more than likely to feature a Flash Media-based layout, rather than disc-based one. The decision was reportedly due to developer feedback.
One source believes that the new system will be ready to launch by the end of 2011, but another source claimed that it might be at least 2 years before consumers get their hands on the system.
Sony has since answered queries about the new device with a standard response; they do not “comment on rumor and speculation.”
Sony: Motorstorm Apocalypse Will Prove 3D For Gaming
Aug 20th
Posted August 18, 2010 by Ben Strauss
“I think 3D gaming is huge,” said Mick Hocking, senior director for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Studio Liverpool, in an interview with Kotaku. “There are many, many benefits that 3D brings to games, but in general it enhances your sense of immersion. Your eyes pick up a lot more information that with 2D.”
Hocking leads PlayStation’s worldwide studio’s stereoscopic 3D team – a group within Sony that has been working with 3D gaming for the past two years now. To Hocking, 3D represents a huge opportunity to gaming. The most important aspect, though, is immersion, says Hocking, with racing and sports games representing genres that can benefit the most.
“In those you have more information to reach to, like judging the breaking point in a turn, where to overtake a car, or when to swing a bat in major league baseball,” he said. “All of that is much, much more intuitive in 3D than it is in 2D.”
3D, emergent as it is, still represents a cost that most consumers are not willing to pursue at this point; the glasses still represent a major problem for viewers.
“I think it’s crucially important that we produce high-quality 3D at this time,” he said. “We’re in the phase of building the market. We need to convince (gamers) to not only get the games but also to buy the 3D TVs.
“If you do produce 3D games in the right way it is a stunning experience and justifies the need to put glasses on and buy that TV,” he said. “If not done well it’s just used to add depth or worse it can put people off.”
“3D done right isn’t just about adding depth to a scene; it is a creative medium,” Hocking said. “There are choices about how much depth you put into a scene depending on what you’re after, whether it is to create a sense of suspense or vertigo.”
To Hocking, the concept of 3D was finally proven with the most successful movie of all time, Avatar. ”Avatar was proof that if you deliver a high-quality experience people will flock to it,” he said.
It is therefore time for video games to stand up and take 3D by the horns. The technology present within Avatar was truly impressive, but for 3D to really shine, a video game needs to bring full immersion and control into the equation. Sony’s upcoming line-up of games hope to be the first titles to really demonstrate what games are capable of producing for 3D, and Hocking thinks Motorstorm will be the best example of 3D gaming yet.
“My completely unbiased opinion is Motorstorm Apocalypse,” Hocking said. “I think Killzone 3 has a great sense of vertigo, especially in the jetpack levels, but Motorstorm has things blowing up all around you and past you.”
Hocking believes that Motorstorm will really demonstrate the capabilities that 3D can bring the table, but for improvement, developers need to really learn to embrace 3D not as technology, but as a technique. ”The teams are really coming to grips with it,” he said. “These guys are really starting to understand the medium.”
