[Reupload]
The guys discuss EA closing servers for older games, the Red Dead Redemption controversy, Tekken 8 and Killer Instinct.
The news includes:
Let us know what you think.
After four years of development, Popcap lit up Seattle Monday night with the launch of Bejeweled Twist sparing no expense to show off their new casual game. It took four years to complete but Popcap isn’t going to release a game until it’s perfect. You won’t play it until they believe it is a game their mom would love.
“Popcap builds games for people, not demographics,” says CEO David Roberts. At the launch the founders, John Vechey, Brian Fiete and Jason Kapalka talked about the casual game market while the “Gem Girls” walked around looking sexy and flashy. Roberts talked about the casual game industry and forecasts it growing to become an $8 billion market — not too shabby for USD $19.99 games.
Downloads of Bejeweled, of course, show no signs of stopping and Popcap explained that 40% of their revenue comes from the old concepts of “Diamond Mine.” Phil Spencer, Microsoft Game Studios’ General Manager, hopped on stage and explained how Microsoft saw Popcap’s vision in their Diamond Mine flash game and suggested a rename to Bejeweled, the founders hated the name but took the big companies suggestion on the change.
Since then, we’ve had many folks attempt to clone and replicate the success in Popcap’s flagship product. Complete with open bar, Gem Girls, camera flashes and glitter this game launch shows the growing casual games industry the great power and momentum of “simple” casual games.
Nothing about Bejeweled Twist is simple. The game play of Bejeweled Twist aggregates all the knowledge Popcap has acquired over the last seven years to design one blockbuster title. From classic Bejeweled to Chuzzle to Peggle, the game takes pieces of each successful title and combines the game play, sounds, graphics and modes into a product that will bring casual gaming to a new level. Bejeweled Twist is going to be the new bar to reach in the industry in terms of addictive game play and a unified casual vision.
Stay tuned for the full review as we get deep into the full features of Bejeweled Twist. Special thanks to Dale North from Destructoid for hanging out for some drinks during the after party.
This episode was recorded on short notice thanks to last week’s late posting, so the Listener Feedback that responded to 382 couldn’t make it here. Paul and Jonah discuss some board games with remarkably similar themes they played in the past few days. Paul also waits for his compensation for The Sims Freeplay.
The news of the week includes:
No Listener Feedback this week, so the Question of the Week remains the same: “What do you think the future is for old games?”
This week includes a Gaming Flashback about the sticky puzzle game World of Goo, which was one of the first games released without DLC — which is one of the main themes running through this podcast: videogame obsolescence. The guys also discuss James Gunn’s work on Lollipop Chainsaw and speedrun cheating.
The news for the week includes:
All this and Listener Feedback.
Hi guys.
Thanks for the episode as usual 🙂
I am still playing a lot of Pokémon Go cause I walk around a lot. My life is too fucked up at the moment that I don’t want to start a new game like baldurs gate. I really want to play it, all my friends are playing it and they love it.
Jonah is the first person I know who doesn’t like it and talks that bad about it …. But that’s ok for sure… it’s everyone’s personal thing to like something or don’t like it. Even if it’s only to be against 96% of all reviews ?
The other games you talked about, I really don’t know … besides suikoden .. that’s the only one I heard of from the Original PlayStation.
I did not play any sf6 but I like that tmnt costume idea, but I don’t like the price 🙁
I still want to watch the evo, especially the Street Fighter tournament … so I had to skip the last minutes of your podcast… I was afraid you talk about it ?
Ok, that’s all for today.
Stay healthy and happy 🙂
Greetings from Germany,
Ralf