Gamenews Weekly
Production Pages
Every month in Gamenews Weekly: Production Pages - games in development in Australia. To get the next issue, and lots more, subscribe to Gamenews Weekly today!

Dissecta Events: Check the Next Event Here

Industry
GameNews Weekly: Monthly Production Pages and Xbox 360 Pre-Orders
The latest issue of our weekly enewsletter contains our monthly look at video game production in Australia with 46 games from 28 studios listed, while our profile article looks at pre-ordering the Xbox 360 in Australia: "we canvassed nine of the major retail chains; we expect these chains will take the bulk of Xbox 360 pre-orders. And we spoke with a total of 11 different store salespeople, asking set questions." "In all, the exercise of trying to determine the offers was far from exacting. The general feeling we developed however, from a gamer point of view, is that it is certainly still possible to pre-order an Xbox 360 console to have it launch day and the best chance would be via the VIP Premiere Pack. Gamer trade-in wise, while great games may actually earn a gamer a few bucks more than the minimum stores are offering, the GameTraders Moonee Ponds deal would seem to be providing better value for gamers and although it is the Core version on offer the gamer will go home with all the essentials to start playing. For those who at least want the hard disk, the JB HiFi $694 deal seems spot on." The GameNews Weekly enewsletter comes out every week, and includes our weekly Game Japan news item (this week: Nintendo DS Lite), industry sourced quote, editorial, and events list amongst other items. [31 January 2006] [top]

Government
Los Angeles Sues Rockstar/T2 Over GTA: San Andreas
The Age reports today that the City of Los Angeles in the US is suing Rockstar and Take 2 Interactive over the content of the original Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas video game. "Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo said today his office sued game developer Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, for allegedly violating the state's business code by making misleading statements in marketing the game and engaging in unfair competition" reports the Age in this article here. [28 January 2006] [top]

Development
War World - Tactical Combat Goes Gold
Netherlands based publisher Lighthouse Interactive and Melbourne developer Third Wave Games have announced that "their highly anticipated mech shooter War World: Tactical Combat, has reached gold status and will begin shipping throughout Europe on February 17th, 2006." The publisher has previously said the game would also be distributed in Australia (War World Secures Publisher for Europe, 24 October 2005). Third Wave Games CEO Morten Brodersen said "it has been a pleasure working with Lighthouse Interactive to make War World ready for the retail launch and we are looking forward to giving players worldwide the chance to experience the unique game that is War World: Tactical Combat." For the game website, click here. [28 January 2006] [top]

Events
7th Annual Animex 2006, UK 6-10 February
The 7th Annual Animex International Festival of Animation and Computer Games will be held 6-10th February at the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough, North East England. Speakers include Ernest Adams, game designer and founder of IGDA, Ken Wong from Enlight Software (publishers of Seven Kingdoms Conquest being develop by Melbourne studio Infinite Interactive), Richard 'Levelord' Gay, level designer of Duke Nukem 3D and Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre. Driving game specialist Eutechnyx (Big Mutha Truckers; Ford Vs Chevy) from North East England, will also be on hand to discuss its latest art techniques for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Highlights are also set to include: Animex Game, a two-day computer games event; Animex Screen, a week long festival of specially curated films; and Animex Talk, a showcase of animation talent. For their website, click here. [27 January 2006] [top]

Development
Infinite Interactive Game Design Notes
Melbourne studio Infinite Interactive has put up design notes for its current title, Warlords 5. The first set of notes concerns how players will construct a side, and also includes comments comparing Warlords 5 design features with ingame features found in its predecessor, Warlords 4. For the entry page, click here. [27 January 2006] [top]

Industry
Sony Buys SOCOM Developer Zipper
Sony Computer Entertainment has bought Redmond Washington based developer Zipper Interactive. Zipper Interactive was founded in 1995 by Jim Bosler and Brian Soderberg, and is the creative force behind the SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs game series franchise. Zipper will become part of the recently established SCE Worldwide Studios lead by Phil Harrison, president, and will work closely under the same management with the SCE WWS Foster City Studio. Harrison said “Zipper Interactive is one of the most well-known and respected development teams in the industry and we have enjoyed a great working relationship with the company since July 1999.. Zipper’s tremendous achievements and expertise in creating top-selling games with fantastically loyal online communities is a great addition to our development organization. We are delighted that Zipper Interactive is now a core member of the SCE Worldwide Studios network.” Sony says that SCE Worldwide Studios is responsible for the global strategy, management and production of computer entertainment software published by SCE companies worldwide for the PlayStation platforms incorporating the development organizations of Japan, North America, Europe, Asia and Polyphony Digital, Inc. (Background: Sony Buys Killzone Developer Guerrilla Games, 9 December 2005). For the press release, click here. For the Zipper website, click here. [25 January 2006] [top]

Events
4th Russian Game Developers Conference 2006, April
The fourth annual Russian Game Developer's Conference, known as KRI, will take place 7-9 April 2006 at the Kosmos Hotel in Moscow. KRI is an annual professional event devoted to game development, publishing and distribution. The conference also hosts the KRI Awards ceremony, the only professional award for game developers in Russia according to the organisers KRI Ltd. The conference will also include, for the first time, a Business Lounge for game makers, publishers and other conference visitors. For their website, click here. [25 January 2006] [top]

Industry
Stargate SG-1: The Alliance Cancelled?
Sydney based developer Perception appears to have shut down its Stargate SG-1 project last week, with the news spreading through the industry both here and overseas very rapidly based on an administrator's forum post in the official game forum. The game was being developed under licence from MGM Interactive. The first sign of trouble for the project was a public dispute between publisher JoWood and developer Perception, which erupted August last year and promised to lead to legal action between the two (Perception Refutes JoWooD Productions Recent Press Release, 15 August 2005). However Perception otherwise appeared to come out unscathed as it was the one who held the MGM Interactive licence. Internal alpha testing of the game was carried out late last year and even included a few very lucky members of the public as part of the internal testing as well as to verify the state of the development, presumably in an effort to assure fans the game was going ahead. Up until two weeks ago, everything appeared business as usual for the developer, and only over the weekend has it emerged that a person close to the project has stated the game has been cancelled, despite no word having been issued by Perception or MGM Interactive on the issue at this time. For Perception's website, click here. For the forum post, click here. [24 January 2006] [top]

Industry
US Game Industry Sales in 2005: Saved by Portable
US based market researcher NPD Group has put its slide rule over the 2005 US video game market and believes sales of consoles, portable consoles, games (excluding PC games), and accessories "were up 6 per cent to $US10.5 billion ($13.9 billion)" according to Reuters as published in the Australian this week. "Console sales were down 3 per cent by value in 2005, while games for consoles dropped 12 per cent by value" states the report. "The 2005 result beat a previous high of $US10.3 billion in 2002. But an analyst said it did not reflect the volatility spawned by the industry's move to new console technology, which was dampening sales as consumers wait and save for next-generation machines and games." The report goes on to say supplies of the Xbox 360 have been well down on expectations and are contributing to lower figures. The Associated Press reported the NPD Group figures stating the 2005 figures "were 6 per cent higher than the $9.9-billion reported in 2004" adding "software for portable players such as Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and Sony's PlayStation Portable jumped 42 per cent to $1.4-billion in 2005 — the second straight year with sales above $1-billion." "Game Boy Advance programs made up 52 per cent of total sales." "Electronic Arts Inc.'s "Madden NFL 06" for Sony's PlayStation 2 was the most popular title of the year as measured by units sold. It was followed by Nintendo's "Pokemon Emerald" for Game Boy Advance and Sony's "Gran Turismo 4" for the PlayStation 2." United Press International reported that "the portable gaming market stoked overall software and hardware to" the 2005 high. For the Australian/Reuters article click here, for the API/Globe and Mail article click here, for the UPI article click here. [19 January 2006] [top]

Events
Penny Arcade Expo 3rd Annual Gaming Festival, 25-27 Aug 2006
Game related comic strip creator Penny Arcade Inc will run a three-day nonstop celebration of videogames and gamer culture, Friday 25 - 27 August 2006 in Bellevue, Washington, called the Annual Gaming Festival. This will be the third such event. The organisers state "last year's Penny Arcade Expo saw 9,000 hardcore gamers gather just outside Seattle for an over-the-top, game-oriented fun fest. Attractions included an exhibit floor packed with playable game demos of titles that were still a good six months or more from being available in stores, game-industry conference panels, big name music concerts in the 'nerd core' rap and rock genres by artists such as MC Frontalot and The Minibosses, and plenty of gaming tournaments including the Survivor-style Omegathon: a gaming Olympics where participants' names are drawn from the pre-registration list to compete in multiple game formats." Last year's Omegathon prize was a collection of every product ever made for the Nintendo Entertainment System, as well a state-of-the-art limited-edition Star Wars-branded Alienware computer. This year's PAX will include an expanded tabletop gaming experience. Game industry professionals interested in exhibiting or speaking at PAX 06, should contact Robert Khoo at rkhoo@penny-arcade.com. For the PAX 06 website click here. [19 January 2006] [top]

Industry
Valve Alarmed by In-Game Ads in CounterStrike
A recent press release from San Francisco based in-game advertising company Engage has led to harsh words from developer Valve. The release cited an example where its client's ads were placed in "the most popular online action game played among men 18 to 34" leading to a successful campaign. Gamepro found out from Engage that the game in question was Counter Strike, and in an effort to seek comment from Valve on the issue of in-game advertising, was told by Valve that it was a legal matter now and that permission to run the ads in their game had not be obtained. For the Gamepro article, click here, for Engage's website, click here. [17 January 2006] [top]

Industry
GameNews Weekly: Serious Games Part 1
The latest issue of our weekly enewsletter contains Part 1 of our article on serious games: "Bill McIntosh, Managing Director of Melbourne based Torus Games, says "the term 'Serious Games' refers to the use of video games methodologies and engines in training." "Using this approach, training organizations are able to provide tuition to a larger number of students on equipment with a high capital cost." The enewsletter also introduces a new weekly profile article, starting with Telstra's Gamenow.com.au service: "At first glance the Gamenow.com.au service looks impressive. Almost 200 games at this time, play any you want, and some big names used in the promotional materials like Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots, and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow. However, moving through the Gamenow.com.au game list generates the feeling the games themselves are..." The GameNews Weekly enewsletter comes out every week, and includes our weekly Game Japan news item (this week: Talkman for PSP), industry sourced quote, editorial, and events list amongst other items. [16 January 2006] [top]

Industry
Take-Two Acquires Irrational Games
New York based publisher Take-Two Interactive Software says it has acquired developer Irrational Games, which has studios in Boston USA and Canberra Australia. Irrational Games is known for its innovative action titles including System Shock 2 and Freedom Force, and is currently working on next gen game BioShock, a role-playing shooter expected to be released early 2007. Irrational's SWAT 4 PC game released last year, which has an expansion due soon, is published by rival publisher Vivendi Universal Games. Ken Levine, co-founder and President of Irrational Games states "We are excited to be aligned with a publishing label like 2K Games that shares similar development goals and vision... Fans will be blown away when they see the next-generation titles we are working on." Listed on the US Nasdaq exchange, Take-Two operates Rockstar Games, 2K Games, 2K Sports and Global Star Software publishing labels, and also distributor Jack of All Games in North America, as well as accessories brand Joytech. Take-Two most recently acquired Firaxis (Take 2 Revels in Firaxis Deal, 21 November 2005). For the press release click here. [10 January 2006] [top]

Industry
Vivendi Adds High Moon Studios to Development Stable
The Californian based developer of Darkwatch, an orginial first person shooter in the horror/action genre released last year, has been bought by game publisher and developer Vivendi Universal Games, owned by French corporation Vivendi Universal. VUG promises business as usual at High Moon, with John Rowe, president and CEO, High Moon Studios stating “High Moon has assembled an experienced team of development professionals who are passionate about creating compelling interactive entertainment for audiences around the world...We are happy to be a part of Vivendi Universal Games, and we believe that the acquisition is a very positive step for the growth of our studio.” High Moon Studios has over 100 staff and joins two legendary game devleopment brands, Sierra Entertainment and Blizzard Entertainment, as well as Radical Entertainment, Massive Entertainment, and Swordfish Studios, in the VUG group of companies. VUG is 99% owned by Vivendi Universal, which is listed on the Paris Bourse, with a tracking stock on the New York Stock exchange. For the Studio website, click here. [9 January 2006] [top]

Industry
PlayStation 3 will be Sign of Japanese Recovery
Commentators generally now view Japan as showing solid signs of recovery after 15 years of bust, in particular an October issue of the Economist magazine had Japan as the focus of a special issue cover story "The Sun Also Rises." The Age today follows on with coverage of the Japanese rise, and lists the pending next generation console battle between the PS3 and the Xbox 360 as one of two "great battles" to be fought this year between Japan, the number two economy in the World, and the number one economy, America. "It is Sony versus Microsoft in a fight for world domination of the $US35 billion ($A47.8 million) electronic games market, and Toyota versus General Motors in an equivalent contest in the car industry" states the Age article, here. [5 January 2006] [top]