In Heavenly Sword's name, the first trailer for a CGI movie [update]

Six months ago it was a footnote to the Ratchet & Clank movie's announcement. Now the Heavenly Sword film has a full-blown trailer and is really rather real, apparently. Yes, it does seem bizarre that an IP neglected by Sony since it was a 2007 PS3 game is being converted into a CGI movie. Nonetheless, that is what's happening, and the film will be shown at "some theaters" in the coming summer, before heading to DVD.

Blockade Entertainment's movie stars the very recognizable likes of Anna Torv (Fringe), who voiced Nariko in the game, Alfred Molina (all the best films), and Thomas Jane (The Punisher), as well as Nolan North (all the games) according to an IGN interview.

The interview also revealed Andy Serkis, who acted in and provided motion-capture for the Ninja Theory game, wasn't available. That's a precious shame, but by the sound of things the film will at least tie closely to the game's plot, albeit with one "major deviation."

"In the game you never actually get to see the true 'chosen one' because he was never born," producer Brad Foxhaven told IGN, "In the film, though, we introduce him-and give Nariko the task of getting the Heavenly Sword to him. This creates a driving element through the second act of the film, and places even more pressure on Nariko when everything falls apart."

Update: According to the PlayStation Blog, "The Heavenly Sword film is slated to be released digitally worldwide, as well as theatrically in select global markets, in Spring 2014."

In Heavenly Sword's name, the first trailer for a CGI movie [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reinventing Shadow Warrior for the modern era

Just over 16 years ago, Shadow Warrior launched on PC. As the follow-up to 3D Realms' popular shooter Duke Nukem 3D, the two bore similarities; both donned an iconic first-person shooter style, substituting substance for violence at every turn. While Duke Nukem was a macho, chauvinist with all the ammo he could ever need, Shadow Warrior's main character was crass in a slightly different, albeit still offensive way.

The ninja assassin protagonist, Lo Wang, intended as a spoof on East Asian action heroes, was a walking racial stereotype. Lo Wang shouted "you want-a some wang?" with a mocking Asian accent, used chopsticks to catch flies, picked up fortune cookies in secret areas and fought sumo wrestlers. For many, Shadow Warrior was offensive and the game was criticized heavily for it.

Sixteen years later, Devolver Digital and developer Flying Wild Hog have announced a collaboration to reinvent Shadow Warrior; the spoils of the partnership due this fall on PC and in 2014 for unspecified next-gen consoles. While a modern Shadow Warrior will bare an updated skin, the "reinvention" isn't expected to be a departure from the original game's roots.

Gallery: Shadow Warrior (Announce)

Continue reading Reinventing Shadow Warrior for the modern era

Reinventing Shadow Warrior for the modern era originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 May 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's a little girl versus the world later this year in Walking Dead Season 2

The Walking Dead rise again soon, after Telltale Games confirmed the second season of its graphic adventure is due on PC, Mac, iOS, and "home consoles" later this year. A new teaser name-checks the PS3 and Xbox 360, but Telltale said additional platforms are to be announced at a later date; the dev previously said the second season is coming to Ouya.

Spolier Central: Those of us who guided a certain lady to the end of season one won't just be reunited with the cherubic heroine. Clem's story will continue with us playing as her for the first time, with the young child apparently left to her lonesome following the dramatic conclusion to the first season. We'd say she looks, ooh, around 400 Days older.

If you skipped that bit, open your eyes again (or however that works). So, the second season consists of five episodes once more, with the final episode due some time next year. A season pass for the PC and Mac versions is up for pre-order on Steam and Telltale's store as of today, granting access to all five episodes at a 10 percent discount of $22.50. Our rudimentary grasp of maths tells us that each episode is priced $5 regularly.

And if this really is your first stumble upon The Walking Dead game, we heartily advise you go back and check out the first season. Telltale's adaptation of Robert Kirkman's comic book series took third place in our Top Ten of 2012 vote, its gut-wrenchingly tough decisions breaking our hearts sweetly, oh so sweetly.

Continue reading It's a little girl versus the world later this year in Walking Dead Season 2

It's a little girl versus the world later this year in Walking Dead Season 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Oct 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samurai Gunn nets investment from Cards Against Humanity designer

Samurai Gunn, the precision-based Bushido brawler from developer Teknopants, was nominated for Excellence in Design at the 2013 IGF awards, is one of the eight Spotlight games at this year's Fantastic Arcade, was a featured title in the EVO 2013 Indie Showcase and it has a spot in the PAX Prime Indie Megabooth, among other accolades. People seem to like this game. People like Cards Against Humanity designer Max Temkin.

Under his company, Maxistentialism, Temkin provided an angel investment to Teknopants, insuring designer Beau Blyth and his team can finish the game on time and to its full potential.

"I first got to play Samurai Gunn at GDC and I was immediately hooked," Temkin says. "Beau shared a build with me and I started taking it around to parties .... Whenever I brought it out the party would grind to a halt and everyone would gather around the laptop. I want to share that experience with everyone."

Samurai Gunn is a local multiplayer extravaganza, which jives with Temkin's expertise. Blyth is pretty fond of that aspect, too.

"The conventional wisdom is that you need to have online multiplayer for a game to sell, but I guarantee that getting a bunch of your friends in a room together will always be more fun," Blyth says.

Samurai Gunn is on its way to PC this holiday, via Steam and direct purchase. It's also (be)headed to PS4 and Vita in 2014.

Continue reading Samurai Gunn nets investment from Cards Against Humanity designer

Samurai Gunn nets investment from Cards Against Humanity designer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Aug 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weekend deals: RPG bundles, Deep Silver sale, Xbox Live points, Injustice

PC owners with an itch for leveling up and a lot of free time are in luck this week - Gamefly has several bundles with some deep discounts, so long as you use the promo code GFDOCT20 during checkout. The Witcher series can be collectively snagged for $17.99, both Torchlight games can be looted for $13.99, and the Mass Effect Trilogy's price tag has gone Paragon at $13.99. Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition (and a sadness simulator) can also be had for $9.99, while Deus Ex and Deus Ex: Invisible War can be had with couch change at $3.49.

If you're a Steam user, you have until tomorrow to pick through the sale for publisher Deep Silver's catalog. Offers include Saints Row 4 at $24.99, the Metro franchise and its DLC for $36.84, and the Dead Island games and their DLC for $33.49.

If you need to gear up for the Xbox One launch, GamerDeals found an Amazon promotion that pairs a $20 code for Xbox Live with the purchase of a 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription. The offer is good until November 9, so if you don't have the cash now, no worries!

Lastly, console owners can gruesomely rip a chunk off the price tag for the 360, PS3 and Vita versions of Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition for $14.99. If you'd rather spout comic-worthy one-liners while dealing out death, Injustice: Gods Among Us is on sale for the 360, PS3 and Wii U for under $40.

Weekend deals: RPG bundles, Deep Silver sale, Xbox Live points, Injustice originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Oct 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BioShock Infinite: Clash in the Clouds out today

The first piece of BioShock Infinite downloadable content is an arena combat mode called Clash in the Clouds. Available for $5, the DLC will launch around noon today on Steam for PC, with the Xbox 360 and PSN versions being pushed to their respective marketplaces as soon as possible (could be today, could be shortly).

At its core Clash in the Clouds is arena mode. Players gain access to four different maps, fighting 15 waves of enemies in each, earning varying amounts of money based on how they fight (headshots give a slight bonus, along with chain kills). Between each wave, players are able to restock. There are also "blue ribbon challenges," which require defeating a wave in a particular way (eg. shotguns only).

The cash earned is banked and can be used to open up items in The Columbian Archeological Society, which is the hubworld for the mode. Players can unlock and display concept art, character models, Lutece backstory Voxophones, Kinetoscopes and more. This trophy room is the highlight of the DLC.

From my brief experience with the mode yesterday, I was able to break it a couple times. After failing a blue ribbon challenge I decided to "restart checkpoint," but it turns out you can't restart a wave, so you'll be dropped back to the hubworld. After that I couldn't access the world and required a restart. After restarting I bought a vigor, which didn't show up in my menu.

Overall, the DLC features four maps, 15 encounters per map and a ton of unlocks for $5. It may not be the BioShock DLC that season-pass holders were expecting out of the gate, but it's good if you're looking for combat challenges in the world of Columbia. Burial at Sea is likely more in (sky)line with what season pass holders are hoping for.

BioShock Infinite: Clash in the Clouds out today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steam Summer Getaway Sale, day 10: Prison Architect, Assassin's Creed 3, Saints Row The Third and more

I knew she was trouble the moment she stepped through my doorway. She said her name was "Steam;" that she had a proposition for me and that I'd do well to listen close. Now, I'm no stranger to mysterious women and their troubles, especially since I started putting "We specialize is mysterious women and their troubles" on the advert for the agency, but something about her told me I needed to be careful.

Maybe it was the way she carried herself as she walked to my desk, or the glint off the snubnose revolver tucked beneath her heavy, snow-soaked coat.

"For the next 40 or so hours, Prison Architect costs $19.79," she said. "Assassin's Creed 3 has also been discounted, down to $23.99."

Before I could say anything, she rattled off more alien names and their associated prices: Worms Revolution for $3.73, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive for $5.09, Omerta: City of Gangsters for $9.99 and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 for $3.39. I didn't know what any of it meant. I was confused as hell, and she just kept going.

"Saints Row The Third is just $4.99," she said, her voice now a dead, flat monotone. "Meanwhile, Natural Selection 2 is $6.24, Starforge Alpha is $9.99 and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed costs just $7.49."

"Lady," I said, "you're an insane person and I want you to get out of my office." It would be hours before I discovered that all of my money had walked out with her.

Steam Summer Getaway Sale, day 10: Prison Architect, Assassin's Creed 3, Saints Row The Third and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 20 Jul 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nordic Games explains who the f they are, plans for THQ assets

Nordic Games spent $4.9 million to acquire THQ's back catalog in April, but has yet to reveal any concrete plans for the intellectual properties, although it certainly knows what you'd like to see. And, with any luck, will announce some plans by Gamescom.

"We want to carefully select which franchises are up for getting a sequel or new installment. We closely monitor the communities on that," said Reinhard Pollice, who handles Nordic's business and product development. He mentioned the games receiving the most feedback are Darksiders, MX vs. ATV, Red Faction and Titan Quest.

Personally, Pollice would also like a new Deadly Creatures, but there are other challenges. Nordic has described itself as a "middle man," since the company doesn't have internal studios or the capital to make the AAA sequels that fans of these games would expect. This is particularly true in the case of Darksiders, which Nordic would need to seek another publishing partner to help out.

"Darksiders is really big. We know we need a partner for that. An established development team that can pull out such a big action adventure. We obviously talked to former team members and, if they are free, we want to somehow involve them. If they are allowed to because, you know, some of them found other jobs or are with Crytek now," said Pollice.

He expressed that Darksiders is the franchise Nordic wants to do right by, to continue the story that's already been established. As a fan, Pollice doesn't want to mess up Darksiders and he wants to make sure that nobody else ruins what's been started in the first two games. Although, with the road ahead, he said, "I would not look for a Darksiders 3 before two years from now."

Continue reading Nordic Games explains who the f they are, plans for THQ assets

Nordic Games explains who the f they are, plans for THQ assets originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Demowatch: Diablo 3, FIFA 14, PES 2014, Etrian Odyssey Untold

What do Diablo 3, FIFA 14, Pro Evolution Soccer 2014, and Etrian Odyssey Untold have in common? Fantastically little, really, they're drastically different games after all - well, apart from FIFA 14 and PES 2014. Not our best riddle, frankly.

Oh wait: They all have demos coming out soon! Diablo 3 on consoles, FIFA 14 and PES 2014 get theirs this week, while 3DS RPG Etrian Odyssey Untold receives an eShop demo on September 16.

The Diablo 3 demo is out now on Xbox Live (as a Gold-exclusive), and hits PlayStation Network later today. The demo goes as far as the Skeleton King, the action-RPG's first boss, and features all five Hero classes and both local and online multiplayer.

Meanwhile, the FIFA 14 demo has already kicked off on PC and XBL, taking to the field on PSN later today. It lets you play as one of eight teams: Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris St. Germain, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Barcelona, New York Red Bulls, and Boca Juniors. As for the PES 2014 demo, it's out on XBL now too, and should hit PSN today.

Bear in mind, Euro-folk, PSN tradition is for updates there on Wednesday, so FIFA 14, PES 2014 and Diablo 3 demos may arrive then. However, EA Community Manager Rob Hodson tweeted this morning to say the FIFA 14 demo could hit today, around 5PM UK time.

Demowatch: Diablo 3, FIFA 14, PES 2014, Etrian Odyssey Untold originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview: Saints Row 4

Our review deemed Volition's return to Steelport a "non-stop cavalcade of self-aware meta-humor and surprising, bombastic gameplay decisions from stem to stern," but there are other crews in town. Here's a meta-sampling of the net's judgments on Saints Row 4.

• The Escapist (100/100): "A fantastic game, keeping up the series' tradition of giving players a wide open world and the tools to go absolutely bonkers within it. It's hilarious, it's action-packed, and most of all, it's fun to play."
• Destructoid (95/100): "What I love most about 4 is how it puts the player first -- absolutely every new feature and ability gifted to the player seems designed purely to make the game more convenient to enjoy, and more fun to play."
• Giant Bomb (80/100): "The game is packed with some great moments that subvert the open-world crime genre even further than SR3 did, it's funny, and its references aren't just lazily tossed off, they're earned. You'll feel like you've played some of this before, but if you're at all interested in Saints Row's brand of weird, it's absolutely vital."
• Eurogamer (80/100): "Saints Row 4 may lack refinement - nothing thwarts a superhero quite so frequently as an overhanging roof or your homies standing in a doorway - but it compensates with sheer exuberance. It's a heartfelt love letter to the superhero genre and to a medium that makes such madness possible."
• OPM (60/100): "Occasionally excellent, often mired in mediocrity, Saints Row 4 is inferior to Red Dead Redemption and even five-year-old GTA 4 in almost every way. And while you're always likely to miss when comin' at the kings, Volition's effort still falls short of the more cohesive Sleeping Dogs, the expansive frolicking on Just Cause 2's Panau and the polished pantomime of Infamous 2."

Metareview: Saints Row 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thomas Was Alone dev's 'Project 2' due next year at the earliest

Mike Bithell's next game, the mysterious Project 2, is definitely not coming out this year, although he plans to unveil it in the coming months. The Thomas Was Alone creator told Joystiq he's hoping to bring the game out in 2014, but noted he could be underestimating how long it'll take, so no promises. Bithell previously revealed it'll be playable at this year's Eurogamer Expo in London, scheduled for late September.

Codenamed Project 2, Bithell's latest endeavor isn't another jumping rectangle game. The British indie kept shush about what it is, but told us he has two big storytelling goals in mind for it. The first is to become a better writer; he acknowledged the acclaim Thomas Was Alone received, but noted it was his first project and feels he can improve. The second, which sounds particularly ambitious, is to give players the ability to spin their own yarns in the game.

"There's going to be a very strong authored story by me, I'm going to take my time and make that as good as I can get it," Bithell told us. "And then at the same time, the other big issue with Thomas was players couldn't make their own stories in the game. There was no room for players to choose how they played on that level, but even actually on the greater level of editability. It's one of the most requested features on Thomas: 'Can I have a level editor? Can I have a story editor so I can tell my own stories with this engine?' So I want to do that as well, I want to make a game that allows people to tell their own stories as well."

With the game still unannounced, platforms are up in the air, too, although Bithell told us he doesn't see it not coming to PC. Going by his ever-busy Twitter timeline, there's a good chance it'll come to PS4, on the back of his previous game's success on PS3 and Vita.

Thomas Was Alone dev's 'Project 2' due next year at the earliest originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Jul 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kentucky Route Zero 'Act 2' delayed to mid-May

"Our goal for Act 2 has been to release it by the end of April," a monthly newsletter sent to Kentucky Route Zero players notes, before announcing the second episode of the five-part series has been pushed to mid-May. No exact release date has been specified.

Developer Cardboard Computer says that "exciting but unexpected work" setting up the adventure game's distribution, troubleshooting issues for users, and venturing to the IGF have forced the team to push the release of the second act by a few weeks.

"It's looking really good though, and we're anxious to have it out in the world." To tease the release, Cardboard Computer will be posting "a small/weird screenshot from Act 2" on its Twitter and Facebook pages daily, the first of which is available above.

Kentucky Route Zero launched its first act in January 2013, before finding its way on Steam in February. For more on the game that looks out of this world, make sure to read Joystiq's detailed Indie Pitch feature with the developer.

Gallery: Kentucky Route Zero

Kentucky Route Zero 'Act 2' delayed to mid-May originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rose and Time returns to Ouya following funding program changes

Indie puzzler Rose and Time returned to Ouya after the game was pulled from the store in September by its developer, Sophie Houlden. The "time-travel stealth" game was initially removed from Ouya's store during the height of the controversy surrounding the console manufacturer's Free the Games Fund, a program designed to match funds donated by crowdfunders for timed-exclusive Ouya games on Kickstarter.

In her latest blog, Houlden wrote that "at the time a lot of developers besides myself were upset at how the free the games fund was going and said so." Games like Gridiron Thunder, which received $171,009 on Kickstarter thanks to a handful of suspicious backers, and the Ouya-suspended Elementary, My Dear Holmes were the center of attention for the funding program's detractors. Ouya's response to the criticism at the time was to assert that the the Free the Games Fund would not be changed, prior to being overhauled a week later.

Addressing that decision, among other decisive missteps during a recent talk at the XOXO Festival in Portland, Oregon, Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman said the company "did not think about all the different ways people could take advantage of that kind of program," She later added that the Ouya team "didn't have enough rules around the program and people took advantage of it out the gate. So having the best intentions isn't always best. But you have to be quick to hear the feedback no matter how painful it is and iterate and change as you go."

As for Houlden's decision to bring Rose and Time back to the Ouya store, she wrote that "The Free the Games Fund was changed, none of the scam games received a single cent of the fund, the company admitted its mistakes, and was asking for yet more feedback to further improve things," concluding that she is "confident at this point that I can no longer justify keeping the game off the console."

Rose and Time returns to Ouya following funding program changes originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Oct 2013 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Publishers rejected Remember Me because of female lead

Dontnod Entertainment's Remember Me - set in Neo-Paris 2084, the game stars Nilin, a memory hunter - got a lot of dismissals from publishers thanks to its female lead. For some publishers, successful games and male leads are synonymous, so when creative director Jean-Max Morris and his crew were shopping for publishers, this spurred the cold shoulder.

"We had some that said, 'Well, we don't want to publish it because that's not going to succeed. You can't have a female character in games. It has to be a male character, simple as that,'" Morris told The Penny Arcade Report. Capcom, of course, didn't seem to mind.

Morris said the decision to have a female lead was "something that just felt right from the beginning" of development. "It's one of those things that we never looked at from a pure, cold marketing perspective because that would have endangered the consistency of the whole game." That's not to say Morris didn't receive the advice to switch Nilin from a girl to a guy, but changing Nilin would've been relatively impossible for the stage Remember Me was at. Still, hypothetically that change would've brought its own set of problems.

One anecdote Morris talked about is a scene where we see Nilin kiss a man and Morris was told that scene wouldn't work if she was switched to a guy, even though technically it would be far from the first depiction of same-sex romance in video games. "We had people tell us, 'You can't make a dude like the player kiss another dude in the game, that's going to feel awkward.'" For Morris, that response is puzzling. "I'm like, 'If you think like that, there's no way the medium's going to mature,'" he said. "There's a level of immersion that you need to be at, but it's not like your sexual orientation is being questioned by playing a game. I don't know, that's extremely weird to me."

Remember Me launches on June 4 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Publishers rejected Remember Me because of female lead originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Splinter Cell: Blacklist's EMEA special editions include watches, figurines, no planes

Right off the bat, we'll tell you that none of the Splinter Cell: Blacklist limited editions announced for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa come with a plane. What you lose in radio-controlled miniature vehicles, you gain in choice, as there are four different special editions.

The 5th Freedom Edition is exclusive to GAME in the UK and GameStop in Ireland, and comes with a Sam Fisher figurine, Splinter Cell Echoes graphic novel, two co-op maps, and some in-game gear, all in a steelbook case (well, except for the in-game items that exist only in a digital state).

The 5th Freedom Silver Edition, exclusive to Uplay, is like the other 5th Freedom, but with a fancier steelbook and a silver Sam Fisher.

The Ultimatum Edition comes with a digital watch, a shorter selection of Splinter Cell Echoes, and a bit less unlockable gear, along with a really silly name. Finally, the Upper Echelon Day 1 Edition comes with a bunch of digital stuff: the maps, some gold goggles, the "legendary Upper Echelon Suit," and more. It's exclusive to GAME in the UK and Xtravision in Ireland.

Gallery: Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Collector's Editions - UK)

Continue reading Splinter Cell: Blacklist's EMEA special editions include watches, figurines, no planes

Splinter Cell: Blacklist's EMEA special editions include watches, figurines, no planes originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo games tumble in opening day of Xbox Live's Ultimate sale [update: and more]

Microsoft's week-long Ultimate Game Sale for Games on Demand content makes its opening pitch today, and first up to the plate is Master Chief of the Halo Space Marines. We'll let you be the judge of whether or not the green giant knocks it out of the park with today's offers.

Three games slide down from $29.99 to $9.99 in the form of Halo 3, Halo: Reach, and real-time strategy black sheep Halo Wars. It's not quite as big a discount for the Chief's most recent adventure; Halo 4 shifts its price to $39.99 for a 33 percent discount.

Update: A number of other games are also on sale, including Grid, Call of Juarez, BioShock, and Tomb Raider: Legend. It's not wholly clear, but the wording suggests these particular games are staying discounted through to the end of the Ultimate Game Sale on March 5.

• Dirt 2 - $4.99
• Grid - $4.99
• Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements - $2.99
• Rayman Raving Rabbids - $2.99
• Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X - $4.99
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas - $4.99
• Kane and Lynch: Dead Men - $4.99
• Call of Juarez - $4.99
• Tomb Raider: Legend - $4.99
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter - $4.99
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 - $4.99
• Virtua Fighter 5 - $4.99
• BioShock - $4.99
• El Shaddai - $2.99
• The Darkness - $4.99

Halo games tumble in opening day of Xbox Live's Ultimate sale [update: and more] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forza 5 director on Day 1 download: 'It depends on what you define as finishing'

According to a previous report, to complete the career mode in Forza Motorsport 5 players will need a Day 1 download. That's based on prior comments made by Turn 10 Studios Creative Director Dan Greenawalt, who happens to be here at Gamescom. We are too, so we caught up with Greenawalt and asked him to clarify just how much players would miss out on without the Day 1 data.

"What it comes down to, Forza Motorsport 4 came on two discs, right? So on Disc 1 did you have all the content? Were you able to finish the game?" Greenawalt asked, the answers to those questions being no and yes respectively.

"Could you drive all the cars? No, you couldn't," he continued. "Could you drive all the tracks? No, because there were tracks that were Day 1 DLC on Forza 4. So when you say 'Do you have all the content?' - well no you don't, just like Disc 1 of Forza 4 did not, and if you had no internet connection for Forza 4 you didn't get all the content because tracks are downloaded in Forza 4. Could you finish the game? Well, you could get to Level 999, you could race a lot of cars."

"So it depends on what you define as finishing. Are you defining it as I raced every track that I deserve because I don't have to pay for these? You're not [paying for these], because you [already] paid for it; if you download it, it's free. So [the reason] you're not playing all this stuff is because you didn't download it; the same thing as Forza 4. If you define finishing as you can level up, you can earn money, you can buy cars, and you can play for 400 hours, yeah, you can do all that."

Greenawalt said he understands it's confusing, and until he actually announces the track list, it's not going to be as clear. Hopefully it will be crystal when the game arrives on retail shelves alongside the Xbox One, which will happen sometime in November.

Forza 5 director on Day 1 download: 'It depends on what you define as finishing' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Aug 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stiq Figures, October 7 - 13: Favorite pre-order bonuses edition

Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter.

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When pre-order bonuses are done well, they're a great argument to throw down some cash for a game months before its actual release. They help retailers get a general idea of the game quantities they should request, and customers get a sweet trinket related to the game they're anticipating! Seems like a win-win situation to me.

The best bonus I ever got for pre-ordering a game I wanted anyway was The Legend of Zelda: Master Quest, a version of Ocarina of Time with completely re-worked dungeons. T-shirts and game cases are great, sure, but Master Quest struck me as the Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels of the Zelda series. The idea of accessible room layouts was thrown out the window in favor of some really bizarre dungeon design, and I remember it taking me quite a while to wrap up the game's quest. I refused to use a guide, though, so I feel that those weeks of confusion make up for my cracking under the pressure of Majora's Mask's last temple.

With digital distribution becoming more prevalent, it's safe to assume that tokens for downloadable maps or skins will become the norm for pre-order incentives - tangible goodies seem to exist almost exclusively in the realm of collector's editions now. Be they digital or physical, were there any pre-order bonuses throughout your gaming career that still stick with you as great incentives? Share them with us after you witness the Vita 2000's affect on this week's Japanese hardware sales after the jump!

Continue reading Stiq Figures, October 7 - 13: Favorite pre-order bonuses edition

Stiq Figures, October 7 - 13: Favorite pre-order bonuses edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Oct 2013 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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