April, 2009 -

Game Time – Solid Steve vs. The M-Rated GamesGame Time – Solid Steve vs. The M-Rated Games

April 30, 2009| schommer| 0 Comment| 8:21 am

We’re lucky to have a lot of talented friends in the game industry and today we’re lucky to be able to share a new video show from Jerry Bonner. I asked if we could show off their new show, Game Time, and get a little audience response from the show and its content. Personally, I think it makes a great addition to the game industry and New Media in general, teaches something to people while entertaining at the same time.

So, here is the pilot, Episode 1: Solid Steve vs. The M-Rated Games:

Game Time! – Episode 1 (Pilot): Solid Steve vs. The M-Rated Games from Joel Young on Vimeo.

Gaming Podcast 120: Bringing The FiddleGaming Podcast 120: Bringing The Fiddle

April 28, 2009| schommer| 0 Comment| 1:44 pm

This week we read off some of our Audience Survey Dislikes and requests while plowing through some great community comments. We self-analyze Don to see if he’s really a freak based on some community feedback while tackling some news:

Nintendo Making Users Pay for Wii Hacks
Champions Online Coming July 14th
Guild Wars Reaches 6 Million Units Sold
Texas Trying to Entice Game Developers

We’re also taking a flashback peak at Return to Pirate Island and a bit of history on Scott Adams, the interactive fiction game developer (not the Dilbert guy). This week’s question is a reverse take on last weeks, thanks to Jonah Falcon: What games did you give up on, due to difficulty, despite wanting to see how it ended?

Eidos and Square Enix Birth Great ThingsEidos and Square Enix Birth Great Things

April 27, 2009| schommer| 0 Comment| 12:36 pm

tombraider Eidos was founded in 1990 and has been the king of its own destiny since its inception. As part of Square-Enix, Eidos and its destiny were called into question, would they continue to run the show or would they become one with Square-Enix. Square-Enix has come out to say they’ll be leaving Eidos to themselves and allow creativity to flow between the companies.

“This is an exciting beginning to what I believe will be an incredible journey. I am very happy that Phil Rogers has agreed to lead Eidos in what I see as an international marriage between our two companies, a marriage that will give birth to great things. Eidos is a content rich company and a culturally significant business to the Square Enix group.” (kotaku)

Square-Enix is playing it safe with this acquisition because this isn’t a great enviroment for shaking things up internally within a development studio. Eidos is well known for Tomb Raider, Hitman, Deus Ex, Thief and many other great projects and have built a solid foundation for the future.

A mind-share between these two groups is a powerful enemy to the competitors if they’re able to open a good dialog between the two companies and share resources, tools and engines. In a world of cost savings and salary cuts, leaning on each others resources to build a better product is a win.

At least we won’t have to call them Square-Enix-Edios because that’s just a mouthful!

Gaming Podcast 119: Love StickGaming Podcast 119: Love Stick

April 21, 2009| schommer| 0 Comment| 2:03 pm

This week we’re learning a bit about Donkey Kong Junior as well as listening to Don convince Derrick that the second stage in Donkey Kong was in Donkey Kong Junior. We’re also looking back to Billy Mitchell, a Guinness Book World Record holder for video games. This week, news was a bit light but we managed to cover:

Xbox 360 Most Satisfying Console in Japan?
User Generated Content for City of Heroes MMO
Game Sales Different on the DS
Sony Responds to Crashing Sales with Management Shift
Retired NFL Players to sue EA and Madden

We also tackle the incoming comments answering our question of the week about TSR and Wizards of the Coast. This week, we’re asking people if Don is wierd for replaying video games right after he beats them. Does anyone else do that?

Sony Responds To Crashing Sales with Management ShiftSony Responds To Crashing Sales with Management Shift

April 19, 2009| schommer| 0 Comment| 11:04 am

ps3 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has made some leadership changes in response to their in-ability to get things going in the sales department of the PlayStation 3. Gamer’s continue to refuse to believe the PlayStation 3 is in a bad situation by explaining how badly Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is doing in Japan and Europe compared to the Sony console. And, of course, the Wii isn’t competition to Sony.

“Andrew House, Chief Marketing Officer and Group Executive of Sony Corporation, has been named President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Chief Operating Officer (Co-COO) of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) as of May 1, 2009.” (smarthouse.au)

We’ve been told this is the year of the PS3, this is when they bring it all together. Nintendo’s losing some of their grip on the industry with slower sales, even in Japan. The economy isn’t playing nice with any of the consoles and sales continue to drop, reportedly 17% in March compared to last years numbers.

Australia isn’t proving to be any help to Sony, “for example in Australia a consumer can now buy the Xbox 360 for $299 and a separate Blu ray player and DVD upscale player for $199. Combined this is $200 under the recommended retail price for a Sony PS3.”

Here in the United States, we’ve bought more Wii balance boards than PlayStation 3 consoles. One can argue that the Wii is a novelty system but that really casts a dark shadow on the PlayStation 3. The PS3 is being beat out by a novelty item? Can the new SCEE management change the direction of Sony?

Gaming Podcast 118: Jump The SharkGaming Podcast 118: Jump The Shark

April 14, 2009| schommer| 0 Comment| 10:45 am

The gaming podcast of the week, the best gaming podcast on the planet! No, just kidding. This week we’re taking a look back at Starfox, we’re reading off some great community questions, covering history on Dave Arneson and hitting up some news:

Will Wright Leaves Electronic Arts
Nintendo Wii Bringing Video Download
Nintendo Wii Manufacturing Costs down 45% since launch
RockStar connecting Flash games and the Nintendo DS
Dave Arneson Dies at Age 61
Electronic Arts Want Their Brass Knuckles Back

Thanks for the great responses this week, as always, we’re also asking a question of the week: Is anyone else angry that Wizards of the Coast came out of nowhere to buy TSR, Inc back in the day?

Gaming Podcast 117: Grinding My Neighbors Pug?Gaming Podcast 117: Grinding My Neighbors Pug?

April 7, 2009| schommer| 0 Comment| 4:23 pm

This week we’re taking a stroll down memory lane of Deus Ex, hitting up some information about Warren Spector and crashing through some good game news including:

New Guitar Hero Game a “best of” compilation.
Latest DLC for Fallout 3, not working so well.
New Linux based gaming console.
PS3 Outsells Nintendo Wii in Japan.
Sony Gets Snippy about DSi.
Rumor: Mortal Kombat Devs Leaving Midway.

Of course, we forgot our Question of the Week, so let’s ask it now: How many bad/buggy patches and content updates would you accept before you give up on the developer? Ton’s of great comments this week, hopefully you’ll remember to answer the question we forgot to ask in the show.

Also, check out the show if you’ve got a PS2 and want two volumes of Popcap’s casual games, as we’re looking to give them away.