Lucy Bradshaw of Maxis gives an update about SimCity

Mar 10, 2013

Yesterday, Lucy Bradshaw, Senior Vice President at Maxis, live tweeted from 12:00-12:45pm to discuss and answer questions about SimCity and what went wrong. Anyone could tweet to @SimCity and use hashtag #AskLucy to make sure they got their questions answered. This is the official statement Lucy posted, after the event.

UPDATE #4:

I’m happy to report that the core problem with getting in and having a greatSimCity experience is almost behind us. Our players have been able to connect to their cities in the game for nearly 8 million hours of gameplay time and we’ve reduced game crashes by 92% from day one.

A combination of optimizing our server architecture and response times, deploying these enhancements on both a series of new and the original servers and issuing a few critical client updates has achieved getting virtually everyoneinto the game and, once in, having a great time building cities and sharing regions.

I had hoped to issue an “All-Clear” tonight, but there are still some elements coming together. Tonight and tomorrow we’ll be monitoring each server and gameplay metrics to ensure that the service remains strong and game is playing great. We need a few more days of data before we can assure you that the problem is completely solved and the game is running at 100 percent.

The good news is that tens of thousands of new players are streaming into the game every day and the confidence our fans have shown is truly humbling. I can’t begin to explain the way a development team feels when something you’re proud of is threatened at launch. Our biggest fear was that people who love this franchise would be scared off by bad reviews about the connectivity issues.

But you put your faith in us. You bought the game with the understanding that we’d quickly fix the server issues. For that support – that incredible commitment from our fans — we are deeply grateful. As the general manager of Maxis, I want you to know that we cherish your faith in us, and the love you’ve shown for this franchise.

Thank you very much.

ORIGINAL / UPDATE #1:

Here’s a quick update on the problems we were experiencing with SimCity – and a little something extra for people who bought the game.

The server issues which began at launch have improved significantly as we added more capacity. But some people are still experiencing response and stability problems that we’re working fast to address.

So what went wrong? The short answer is: a lot more people logged on than we expected. More people played and played in ways we never saw in the beta.

OK, we agree, that was dumb, but we are committed to fixing it. In the last 48 hours we increased server capacity by 120 percent. It’s working – the number of people who have gotten in and built cities has improved dramatically. The number of disrupted experiences has dropped by roughly 80 percent.

So we’re close to fixed, but not quite there. I’m hoping to post another update this weekend to let everyone know that the launch issues are behind us.

Something Special for Your Trouble
The good news is that SimCity is a solid hit in all major markets. The consensus among critics and players is that this is fundamentally a great game. But this SimCity is made to be played online, and if you can’t get a stable connection, you’re NOT having a good experience. So we’re not going to rest until we’ve fixed the remaining server issues.

And to get us back in your good graces, we’re going to offer you a free PC download game from the EA portfolio. On March 18, SimCity players who have activated their game will receive an email telling them how to redeem their free game.

I know that’s a little contrived – kind of like buying a present for a friend after you did something crummy. But we feel bad about what happened. We’re hoping you won’t stay mad and that we’ll be friends again when SimCity is running at 100 percent.

SimCity is a GREAT game and the people who made it are incredibly proud. Hang in there – we’ll be providing more updates throughout the weekend.

I think Maxis is on their way to earn back the trust of their customers, and while it may not do much to help save “EA”s face, it will make considerable improvement overall. As of today, the servers have been more stable and I’ve seen less complaints. These guys are working around the clock to ensure a proper experience, things are getting better.

BRIAN BLESSED, Now Dramatically Commanding War of the Roses Players

Mar 08, 2013

Paradox Interactive, publisher of games and self-diagnosed Anglophiles, today released the powerful vocal performance of Brian Blessed as an add-on for their medieval combat title War of the Roses. Players can now charge into battle with the acting legend commanding them to victory. Available as optional DLC for the game, the “BRIAN BLESSED VO” pack replaces the existing announcer with the hearty, dramatic commands of England’s greatest voice. The DLC can be purchased via Steam for $4.99 athttp://store.steampowered.com/app/218844/.

Turn your headphones down—or up, if you like that sort of thing—and listen to BRIAN BLESSED in this newly released video:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/zxx2ql8KCsA]

Edge of Space is having an Open Beta Weekend this March 8, 9 and 10

Mar 08, 2013

This weekend, starting on 7 pm EST, Friday, March 8 through 7 pm EST, Sunday, March 10, players can join in a free beta experience for the spacefaring adventure title Edge of Space. Edge of Space challenges players to build, create, mold, and fight to survive in the deepest, darkest, weirdest, and possibly most interesting part of the universe. With thousands of players already taking part in the on-going beta, now is the perfect time to explore the unknown thrills and dangers found in Edge of Space.

Interested? Follow this link to download an Edge of Space beta code: www.playedgeofspace.com/

[youtube=http://youtu.be/tnFOUKaPcCU]

Warface – Weapon Customization trailer

Mar 07, 2013

Preparation is essential for success before any battle, but in the upcoming free-to-play shooter Warface®, it can take place during the battle so that your soldier is best equipped for the situation at hand.  The video released today from Crytek and Trion Worlds highlights the epic real-time weapon customization feature that allows gamers to add and adjust accessories and attachments to weapons on the fly. Swapping between different scopes, muzzles, rails and other state of the art gadgets mid-game enable the Warface elite to aim better, strike faster, shoot farther and hit harder.

The Warface beta servers will be live continuously until the game’s official launch in Spring 2013. Players who have not yet registered for the beta can still do so at www.warface.com.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/tnKj_VB0tGQ]

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Teased with Trailer and New Screenshots

Mar 07, 2013

Today, Ubisoft is releasing a new teaser trailer for Call of Juarez Gunslinger.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/wGiO_IQnthE]

The Showdown Effect has a Demo

Mar 07, 2013

Paradox Interactive, a publisher of games and a face-transplant surgery clinic, today allowed gamers everywhere a taste of action-movie stardom by releasing a free demo of The Showdown Effect. The new multiplayer action title from Arrowhead Game Studios, released earlier this week, throws players into a no-holds-and-no-oneliners-barred brawl for survival, placing them in the roles of 1980s action hero archetypes armed with a terrifying pile of weapons. The demo will allow players to access the game’s training stage—a singleplayer mode—as a means to get familiar with the controls before they take on live action heroes in the retail version. To check out the demo, visit store.steampowered.com/app/204080/

If the prospect of trying to personally survive The Showdown Effect is too intimidating, gamers can also witness others being subjected to the explosive chaos in a live stream event today, featuring players from The GD Studio, creators and producers of e-sport shows that will melt your face off. Other faces to be melted include representatives from Paradox and Arrowhead, all competing in team matches with commentary from Paradox’s Shams Jorjani and Johan Pilestedt. The stream will pit four teams against each other as they battle to become the last clichés standing. Check out the action at 7 p.m. GMT (11 a.m. PST) by tuning into the official Paradox Interactive channel on TwitchTV at www.twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive

Aspiring combatants can also learn everything there is to know about The Showdown Effectduring an “IAMA” event on Reddit, scheduled to begin on today at 9 p.m. GMT (1 p.m. PST). Jorjani and Pilestedt will take questions about the game’s development, their personal action film preferences, and whether or not they are getting too old for this.

[box_light]The Showdown Effect is available from digital distributors everywhere, to see the list of retailers please visit http://www.theshowdowneffect.com/buy.[/box_light]

Gears of War: Judgment – Cinematic Launch Trailer

Mar 07, 2013

Ready your Lancers and prepare to jump back into the fight, Gear-heads! To equip fans for the impending launch of “Gears of War: Judgment” on March 19, Epic Games and Microsoft today premiered a new cinematic trailer showcasing the intense, grub-stomping action and thrilling gameplay of this spring’s most hotly anticipated blockbuster.

Featuring the hit single “Shooting the Moon” from acclaimed UK band Mona, the trailer offers a glimpse of “Judgment’s” heart-pounding campaign and embodies the bold defiance, bravery and heroism of fan-favorite Damon Baird and Kilo Squad as they face an unjust trial and fight to rescue the planet Sera from the brink of annihilation. The trailer was rendered entirely in-engine on Unreal Engine 3, showcasing the stunning graphics of the most visually spectacular “Gears” game yet.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/YR4WpfW1Dfc]

Alien Spidy descends onto XBLA and PC on March 20th, PSN shortly after

Mar 07, 2013

Kalypso Media Digital Ltd. announced today its long-awaited action-platformer Alien Spidy will hit Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 800 Microsoft Points, and the Apple Mac and Windows PC for $9.99 Wednesday, March 20. The PlayStation® Network version will launch soon thereafter.

Developed by Enigma Software, Alien Spidy is a single-player action-platformer packed with dozens of challenging levels, boss fights, and a colorful array of insectoid, mammalian, and amphibious enemies that are as cute as they are deadly.

“Alien Spidy is a new take on the classic sider-scroller, but with all sorts of modern twists,” said Jonathan Hales, managing director, Kalypso Media. “The game is filled with colorful characters, beautiful animations, and just the right balance of pick-up-and-play accessibility and ramps up the challenge in later levels, making it perfect for all types of gamers.”

Alien Spidy, follows the exploits of “Spidy,” an alien spider who has crash landed on Earth in search of his friend Virgi and the lost parts of his scattered spaceship. The game features 69 levels, three settings (Forest, Pond, Caves), and more than 350 collectibles and achievements.  Players will find a mixture of side-scrolling action artistically crafted with bright landscapes and constantly evolving physical puzzles.

Alien Spidy will be available March 20 on Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 800 Microsoft Points and the Mac and Windows® PC for $9.99. The PlayStation® Network version will launch soon thereafter for $9.99.

Army of TWO The Devil’s Cartel – Speak of the Devil Gameplay Trailer

Mar 07, 2013

EA has also released a brand new gameplay trailer for the game called Speak of the Devil. The new action-packed trailer sheds light on the storyline for Army of TWO The Devil’s Cartel and introduces a mysterious new enemy players will face off against in the co-op destruction-fest.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/dnDyA5T1pZk]

Drag a friend to safety for the Co-Op Demo of Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel on March 12th

Mar 06, 2013

When the stakes are high, risk it all by going double or nothing! Electronic Arts Inc. today announced that a downloadable demo for Army of TWO™ The Devil’s Cartel, the next installment of the franchise celebrated for its dynamic two player co-operative gameplay and over-the-top blockbuster action, will be available on Xbox LIVE®  Marketplace and PlayStation®Network starting on March 12.

In the demo, players will step into the boots of private military contractors Alpha and Bravo as they embark on a mission to rescue a kidnapped politician while diffusing an additional hostage situation. From the bottom floor of a dangerous drug lab, to the rooftops of a sky rise, Alpha and Bravo must infiltrate the Cartel’s stronghold and overcome hordes of cartel members, all the while working together to survive. With the lives of others on the line, the dynamic duo will need to split up as one player runs into battle face-to-face with their opposition, while the other takes to the sky in a helicopter to man a mini gun and provide cover. Complete with epic explosions, massive destruction and the brand new Overkill feature, gamers will be able to experience the adrenaline and palm sweating action before the game launches on March 26.

[box_light]In Army of TWO The Devil’s Cartel, players find themselves on the war-torn streets of Mexico as Alpha and Bravo, two operatives working for Tactical Worldwide Operations (T.W.O.), fighting for justice against a dangerous drug cartel. Featuring both online and split-screen co-op, Army of TWO The Devil’s Cartel gives players the chance to distinguish themselves from their friends by providing a deeper and more advanced upgrade and customization system. From the mask that protects them in battle to the very weapons that keep them alive, players can customize their own Alpha and Bravo to create the deadliest mercenary team as they see fit.[/box_light]

Lost Planet 3 will finally be de-iced on June 26th in North America

Mar 06, 2013

The extreme conditions that characterized the Lost Planet series return, harsher than ever before, with the release of Lost Planet 3 across North America on June 25 and in Europe on June 28. The latest chapter in the Lost Planet series will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Lost Planet 3 continues the story of Jim Peyton’s time on E.D.N. III as a NEVEC employee seeking out further sources of the planet’s energy supply T-Eng. During one of these missions, Jim comes under attack from E.D.N. III’s indigenous Akrid, causing his Utility Rig to fall down an icy fissure, leaving him unconscious and injured. Jim wakes to find himself in what appears to be a secret base, hidden beneath the planet’s frozen surface. On discovering he was rescued by one of the base’s inhabitants, Mira, the daughter of Snow Pirate leader, So’ichi, Jim realizes that NEVEC are not the only human inhabitants of E.D.N. III.

TOMB RAIDER Caves and Cliffs Multiplayer Map Pack Arriving First Exclusively to Xbox LIVE on March 19

Mar 06, 2013

Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX interactive entertainment products in the Americas, today announced they will be releasing three new multiplayer maps for the critically-acclaimed TOMB RAIDER in the Caves and Cliffs Multiplayer Map Pack coming first exclusively to Xbox LIVE for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft on Tuesday, March 19, 2013.

The Caves and Cliffs Multiplayer Map Pack opens up more of the island’s fantastic geography to players. Each of the three maps are playable on all four multiplayer game modes and sees the island’s indigenous Scavengers pitted against the crew members from the shipwrecked Endurance.

Players must use traversal and hunting skills to create fast-paced combat in a selection of four versus gaming modes. The map locations include:

Scavenger Caverns
An extensive subterranean network of caves used by the island’s scavengers as an underground prison

Cliff Shantytown
This scavenger settlement was built high up on the island cliffs. Its many layers hide some of the deadliest traps on the island

The Burning Village
A raging fire has embraced an abandoned Japanese village, the burning buildings offer multiple ways to escape or engage your enemies

TOMB RAIDER fans will be able to purchase the Caves and Cliffs Multiplayer Map Pack first exclusively on Xbox LIVE for 400 Microsoft Points.

Torment: Tides of Numenera by inXile entertainment launches on Kickstarter

Mar 06, 2013

 inXile entertainment announced today that it has kicked off its Kickstarter campaign (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/torment-tides-of-numenera) for Torment: Tides of Numenera™ (Torment), which continues the thematic legacy of Planescape: Torment. After the successful funding of Wasteland 2 in April 2012, inXile entertainment has chosen to abandon the traditional publisher-developer business model and focus on crowdsourcing for upcoming projects, beginning with Torment.

inXile entertainment’s second Kickstarter marks a historical first with Kickstarter as they try to become the first video game company to attempt to successfully fund a second major project concurrently, thereby proving that crowdsourcing is a viable business model. inXile entertainment’s first Kickstarter project, Wasteland 2, recently released a first look gameplay video to the game’s backers in February to an overwhelmingly positive response.

“As we continue our progression toward launch of Wasteland 2, it is important to secure funding now in order to cover the costs of preproduction and to properly scope Torment: Tides of Numenera. This method of development helps to both create a better a RPG game and to keep the winning team together from project to project. The crowd has become our financing partner and we embrace the stronger bond that it creates between us” said Brian Fargo, CEO of inXile Entertainment.

“As with Wasteland 2, 100% of the crowdfunding will be invested into creating Torment. Our biggest goal is to create a game people actually want to play rather than force a game onto people, which is what can happen with the current publisher model. We are designing Torment: Tides of Numenera to appeal to the RPG connoisseurs, focusing on the deeply personal and philosophical themes and the meaningful choices and consequences that made Planescape: Torment great. With support and feedback from the community, we believe Torment will return to the RPG genre a more cerebral experience that we’ve been hoping to revisit for over a decade,” said Kevin Saunders, product director for Torment: Tides of Numenera.