Indie developer Jeff Vogel (whose Spiderweb Software studio recently released Avadon: The Black Fortress) writes an interesting article for GamaSutra today explaining his philosophy on the most effective method for dealing with piracy. The thrust of his argument is that players will pay for easy-to-pirate games because it makes them feel good about supporting a developer.

A petition urging Namco Bandai Games to bring the popular action-RPG Dark Souls to the PC has apparently caught the attention of someone at the company. Responding to it in the game's official forums, Namco Bandai Games' community manager Tony Shoupinou expressed his amazement at the accomplishment.

When it comes to Portal 2, it seems that most gamers prefer the game on PC and via Steam, according to Valve Software. That's according to Valve's Gabe Newell, who talked at length with Gamasura in a recent interview on a variety of topics. On the other end of the spectrum (and somewhat surprising), PC gamers didn't enjoy Left 4 Dead as much as console users did - at least when using sales as a metric for popularity.

Some sad news for anyone that wants to play Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition on the PC; it will have some pretty awful DRM enabled and ready to get in your way. Capcom announced via its Unity Blog that the popular fighting game will feature "always-on DRM" and described how it might be a little less draconian than Ubisoft's solution that forced players to stay connected to the internet in order to play - even in single player.

From the blog:

Eidos and Square Enix announced today that the Windows version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution will use Valve's SteamWorks DRM solution. The long-awaited sequel will support SteamWorks features such as auto-updating, Steam Achievements and Steam Cloud support. Square Enix did not disclose whether the digital version of the game would support SteamWorks across all platforms such as Direct2Drive, GamersGate, or GameStop's recently acquired Impulse platform.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is available now for pre-order on Steam at a special limited-time pricing of $44.99 (standard version) and $53.99 (Augmented Edition), for release on August 23 in North America. The Augmented Edition comes with a digital 40-page art book, a "making of" special, trailers, an animated storyboard of the CGI trailer, a motion graphic novel, soundtrack, and a free download of the Deus Ex Game of the Year Edition. Find out more here.

DC Universe Online subscribers, upset over Sony Online Entertainment's and Sony's security issues, will get some compensation in the form of a virtual item and some free play time in the super hero-themed MMO for PC and PS3. According to the DC Universe Online community site, subscribers will receive a 30 day subscription credit in addition to one day for each day the DCUO was unavailable. Subscribers will also receive a Batman-esque cowl. SOE is calling all this the "make good" plan. More from SOE:

Empire Avenue is now available as a Facebook App. The financial-social simulation game was developed by former BioWare employees and basically lets players trade in other people via a virtual stock market. Participants buy and sell shares in their friends, family, celebrities, etc. As you earn a higher stock price for yourself and others, you gather virtual currency and achievements. The goal of the game is to be more social and to show your appreciation for the social activities of others that use things such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and more.

Empire Avenue is at least worth a look if you haven’t checked it out already and it being on Facebook makes it easy to jump right in. Plus it doesn't hurt that the BioWare founders have invested in it. Anyway, you can check it out at apps.facebook.com/empireavenue or at its original location - empireavenue.com.

Crysis 2 Executive Producer Nathan Camarillo admitted in a recent GameShark interview that Crytek is looking at digital rights management solution for its PC titles. This closer look at a DRM solution was initiated by the leak of the PC game earlier this year to file-sharing sites around the world.

"I know there's a lot of negative feelings toward DRM. But, I mean, what are we supposed to do? The actions of a few are causing maybe a mild inconvenience for others," Camarillo told GameShark.

"If I'm playing a game and it has DRM on it, do I notice? Not really. I just know that there's something going on, but doesn't really enhance (sic) my play experience. So, it's something that we'll have to look at in the future."

Expect Crysis 2 to use some sort of DRM solution when it is released this week. All we can hope for is that it isn't obnoxious.

While Crytek CEO Cervat Yerli expressed disappointment earlier this week concerning the leak of Crysis 2, he still has mad love for the PC gaming scene. Writing on the MyCrysis message boards, Yerli said that his deep disappointment in this week's events have been eclipsed by the kind words and support from the community:

"While we are deeply disappointed by these events, we are all completely overwhelmed by the support we have received from you, our community," said Yerli.

"We can assure you that PC gaming is very important to us and will always be important to Crytek in the future. We are all still focused on delivering a great gaming experience to our true and honest fans," he continued. "I hope you will enjoy Crysis 2 on PC, as we think it is our best PC game yet!"

Indie developer Zeboyd wants your help in bringing its groovy Xbox Live Indie game, Cthulhu Saves the World, to the PC. Zeboyd has set up this Kickstart.com page asking for donations to port the game to the PC. Zeboyd also wants to enhance the original XBIG release with a special mode that did not make it into the final game. From the Kickstarter page:

In an article called Don't Believe What You Read: OnLive and Netflix, GamePro catches up with Onlive CEO Ron Perlman to set the record straight after both Reuters and the Wall Street Journal erroneously reported that Onlive had its sights set on competing with Netflix.

OnLive President and CEO Steve Perlman spoke to GamePro yesterday about those stories and said that his quotes about Netflix were taken largely out of context. The quote he is referring to is "OnLive can deliver any experience that Netflix can."

StarCraft II sold over 1.5 million copies during the first 48 hours after release, according to reports from Activision Blizzard earlier this week. Yet despite these record-breaking numbers, analysts are noting that sales aren't quite living up to expectations.

According to investment group Lazard Capital's analyst Colin Sebastian, "[T]his number is light of some forecasts, [but] we view this as largely a U.S./Europe number, with the majority of users in Korea still not reflected in the count." Sebastian notes that distribution models in Korea are often different than in the West, where users typically purchase a game outright, at or near launch. As a result, U.S. and European sales tend to be "front-loaded" towards heavy sales at launch that trail off fairly quickly.

A pretty dramatic statement for sure, but GAMESbrief (a games business blog with a decent reputation by most accounts) lays out the case against Steam for what "it might do" in the future if it becomes a monopoly in the PC games digital distribution space. The author prefaces his points by noting that Steam is not currently a monopoly and that it has done a good job of helping to keep the PC games market alive.

The points made in the story "Five reasons why Steam will destroy the PC games industry" are a response to feedback received from the book "How to Publish a Game," when it was suggested that "it made sense for a developer making PC games to work hard to get on all the distribution platforms (not just Steam, but GamersGate, Metaboli, Direct2Drive and so on)."

The PC Gaming Alliance (PCGA) has announced the addition Arxan Technologies, Corsair and Logitech as members, while Razer has joined the organization’s Board. Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan will also serve as the PCGA Board Director.

PCGA, a nonprofit, charges itself with driving the continued growth of gaming on personal computers. PCGA President Randy Stude commented on the group’s additions, “By joining our rapidly growing organization, they are demonstrating their support for expanding the PC Gaming industry and their commitment to improving the PC gaming experience.”

Logitech and Razer are peripheral manufacturers, while Corsair is known most for its memory, but also markets power supplies, USB drives, harddrives and PC cases. Arxan specializes in software application security.

A terrible story emerging from Russia details the story of a 14-year old boy reacting to having his videogame privileges revoked by killing his sleeping father with two blows to the head from a sledge hammer.

The events took place in the Russian town of Tuapse just after midnight on April 12, reports a story on News.com.au. The boy’s parents had taken his keyboard away from him in order to curb his computer game playing, but after the killing, “the boy's frightened mother gave him the keyboard back and the boy played computer games for several more hours until he fell asleep.”

Once the boy fell asleep, his mother called relatives, who, in turn, called police. The boy is old enough to be charged with murder under Russian law.


|Via Kotaku, Thanks Andrew|

In response to CNN’s RapeLay coverage, a Japanese artist has penned an open letter to the network decrying its reporting of the matter.

Nogami Takeshi wrote that his career began drawing hentai manga (sexually explicit anime comic), though most of his current work was described as non-hentai manga. As such, Nogami calls himself “well qualified to object to the views you present.”

After noting that, “... we Japanese enjoy one of the most safe and peaceful societies on Earth,” Nogami admits that Japanese society does have its problems, but that, “I frankly do not think that you are the ones to tell us [about the problems]."

He continued:

RapeLay, the difficult-to-defend game that’s a favorite target of politicians, is the focus of a CNN story which attempts to paint a picture of the game’s rising viral popularity.

While a voiceover says, “the game infuriates women’s rights groups,” the video cuts to Taina Bien-Aime, Executive Director of Equality Now. She states, “These sort of games that normalize extreme sexual violence in women and girls really have no place in our communities”

Bien-Aime later adds:

What we are calling for though, is that the Japanese government ban all games that promote and simulate sexual violence, sexual torture, stalking and rape against women and girls, and there are plenty of games like that.

Illegal downloaders of a recently released Japanese erotic game are running into malware that gathers their personal information and uploads it to a website.

A pirated version of the game Cross Days is causing the mayhem, according to a story on Torrent Freak. Those downloading a certain illegal version of the game run a program that appears to be an installer, but turns out to be a Trojan, which grabs the user’s IP address. The virus then presents some kind of survey, which further mines more personal information from the user. All the data, along with a screenshot of the pirate’s desktop, is then uploaded to a website.

Those who had their information uploaded can have it removed from the site it has been posted to, states the site Japanator, but users must admit that they tried to steal the game (by clicking a button).

As DRM technology becomes more invasive, an article on CNET takes a look at the methods used and offers some possible suggestions for DRM-free gaming.

The reaction to Ubisoft’s DRM, which requires a constant Internet connection, has been well documented, with a reverse boycott organized and hackers taking down the publisher’s authentication servers twice. The new Electronic Arts release Command & Conquer 4, despite employee claims that the game “has NO DRM. Zip, zero, zilch, none,” also requires an Internet connection to play, which has already resulted in a thread full of complaints on the C&C forums.

A German website (translated) is reporting that the Collector’s Edition of Ubisoft’s Silent Hunter 5 PC game has been recalled in Germany due to the appearance of “anticonstiutional symbols” in the game.

This would indicate that some type of Nazi symbol or imagery was left in the local edition of the game, which is verboten according to German laws. Edge received confirmation from Ubisoft that the game’s standard edition was not recalled, only the special edition.

The PC Gaming Alliance (PCGA) has issued a few bullet point statistics from research into the status of the worldwide PC gaming market.

The group’s Horizon Report stated that the global sales of PC gaming software rose 3.0 percent from 2008 to 2009, totaling $13.1 billion last year. The industry has taken a remarkable turn towards digital distribution, which is reflected in the report—less than 20.0 percent of all revenues in the category were derived from the sale of retail boxed copies.

The report, authored by DFC Intelligence, claimed that the “high-end subscription” game market suffered from a lack of new releases and a declining number of users of older products. Additionally, free-to-play and social networking games caused PC game revenue to “decline in some markets.”

Educators in the United Arab Emirates are attempting to push fledgling game developers towards making more socially conscious games and now one school will be able to create such applications using one of the most powerful game engines available.

The Khaleej Times reports that American University in Dubai has inked a deal with Crytek in order to use the developer’s CryEnginge as a basis for developing Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC “edutainment” titles. UAE teachers are trying to get students away from creating violent action games in order to “create content that imparts values, culture and critical thinking skills to digital natives.”

Dr  Basel Dayyani, Associate Professor of IT at the American University in Dubai on the movement:

In deference to games from the same genre as RapeLay, a title so controversial even the United Nations urged it be banned, a new Japanese erotic game sends up Japanese restrictions on games that contain content simulating forced sex.

Shinobiryuu, a Softhouse developed PC game of the eroge variety, revolves around several Japanese warrior clans that end up having consensual sex with members of the opposite sex, as described by the website Canned Dogs. The consensual part of the description is key, especially in light of a ban of games featuring rape by Japan’s Ethics Organization of Computer Software (EOCS).

Before even beginning Shinobiryuu, users are presented with the following declaration:

This is a declaration made with the consensus of all the characters that appear in this story.

All the characters appearing in this game have gone through special training and all actions carried out are done on the basis of mutual agreement.

Even if you’re a inhuman person who believes that fictional characters in creative works do not have human rights, please do not ignore this.

We also thank all the kind people who see a character in the story saying phrases such as “help me” and take it as a real call for help.

However, even though you are worrying for the characters in the story, these are all lines spoken from a script.

They are not saying all this from the bottom of their hearts. We are sorry that they have put in so much effort into their acting that some people will confuse it as something that is really happening.

This game is a fictional story.

Canned Dogs also has some sample character dialogue from Shinobiryuu that has a little fun with the topic. Head over to their website to read the translation.



|Via GameSetWatch|

Australia’s Classification Review Board has overturned a ban on Sega’s Aliens vs. Predator PC game, granting it an MA15+ classification.

The decision of the three-member Board (PDF) was unanimous and the game will carry the descriptor “Strong Science Fiction Violence.” The Board determined that the fantasy nature of the game reduced the impact of its violent content:

… violent scenes are not prolonged and are interspersed with longer non violent sequences. The violence is fantastical in nature and justified by the context of the game, set in a futuristic science-fiction world, inhabited by aliens and predators. This context serves to lessen its impact. The more contentious violence is randomly generated and is not dependent on player selection of specific moves.

Refused-Classification notes that this is the first successful appeal since F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin in 2008.

The Classification Board had originally Refused Classification for Aliens vs. Predator, citing violence as a factor.

Inspired by anti-war posters, Reid Kimball created a side-scrolling game for the PC echoing the same message.

The posters sparked Kimball’s motivation were created by Big Ant International, under a campaign called What Goes Around Comes Around which backed the Global Coalition for Peace. The artwork is designed to wrap around objects in order to show, for example, a soldier’s gun muzzle pointing at himself.

The game itself, called What Goes Around, is rather simple, and has players fire a Predator missile from a drone (at a UFO adorned with a turban) and then, mimicking the posters, having to avoid the missile as it loops around and comes up behind the drone. The game (7MB) can be downloaded from Kimball’s SparkPlugCreations website here.

Kimball talked about the What Goes Around on his Gamaustra blog:

I have a passion for creating games that explore more serious topics like health, the environment, human rights and war. I don't get to make these kinds of games during my day job but I hope to one day because I believe games can provide very engaging and empowering experiences for people.

In light of Australia’s refusal to classify Sega’s PC game Aliens vs. Predator, the country’s ABC News outlet ran a short video piece on the controversy with comments from everyone’s favorite Attorney General, Michael Atkinson.

The report quickly covers the Aliens vs. Predator story, noting that the game’s developer, Rebellion, will not edit the game in order to appease censors.

Gary Farrow, cast as a typical gamer, was asked about the  lack of an R18+ rating in Australia. The 42-year old offered, “We’re talking about just labeling content, so we have a fairly educated idea as to what to expect [from a game].

Atkinson’s comments on calls for an adult videogame rating:

This is a question of a small number of very zealous gamers trying to impose their will on society. And I think harm society. It’s the public interest versus the small vested interest.

Atkinson on violence in games:

I accept that 98%, 99% of gamers will tell the difference between fantasy and reality, but the 1% to 2% could go on to be motivated by these games to commit horrible acts of violence.

You don’t need to be playing a game in which you impale, decapitate and dismember people.

Australia’s Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) CEO Ron Curry was also interviewed in order to counter some of Atkinson’s remarks. He stated:

It doesn’t seem democratic that a single attorney general should be able to dictate what the vast Australian population can interact with.

The government trusts us to be adults with films, but they only want us to be children with games.

Thanks Ryan!

Looks like 2009 will go down as a record year for games Refused Classification (RC) in Australia.

Sega’s PC game Aliens vs. Predator is the latest game to be deemed unfit for release by the country’s Office of Film Literature Classification (OFLC) board. Games.On.net got their hands on a copy of the Classification report, which labeled the game too violent to receive a classification:

The Predator collects "trophies" by explicitly ripping off human heads, their spinal columns dangling from severed necks. Heads can be twisted completely around in order to break a character's neck. Eyes can be stabbed through or gouged, leaving empty, bloodied eye sockets. It is noted that a player is able to combine manoeuvres together in quick succession, which further increases impact; for example, a Predator can stab a character through both eyes with its wrist blade, and then rip off their head, with spinal column still attached. Extensive post mortem damage, including decapitation and dismemberment, is also possible.

 

Depictions of violence such as the above are accompanied by copious amounts of blood and gore, include ample wound detail and visible skeleton.

As the Refused-Classification site notes, this brings the total to six games effectively banned this year by the Classification Board, a new, and dubious, record high for a single year. Aliens vs. Predator joins CrimeCraft, Necrovision, Sexy Poker, Left 4 Dead 2 and Risen as games tagged with an RC classification.

Sega told GameSpot that they may appeal the decision:

SEGA Australia can today confirm that the initial submission of Aliens vs. Predator has been refused classification by the Classification Operations Board of Australia. We will continue to investigate all options available to us, including the possibility of appeal," the company said in an e-mailed statement.

Thanks to Ryan, Steven and Michael for sending this in!

Vision Audio Inc. has developed a PC game designed to provide assistance for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) by teaching them to cope with noise while improving sensory processing.

EASe Funhouse Treasure Hunt combines therapeutic music with several different types of interactive immersion “designed to stimulate, but not over-stimulate, a child who is challenged by sensory processing and organization.”

Bill Mueller, president of Vision Audio explained, “Our goal is to balance the child’s sensory experiences. Too much stimulation can result in fight-or-flight responses. Too little stimulation and we won't get past the child's existing sensory defense mechanisms."

Those afflicted with ASD have difficulty filtering information from their environment, which can result in overstimulation, “A touch may feel like a burn, lights may be blinding, sounds deafening, smells repugnant.”

The game, recommended for kids ages six and up, is on sale for $39.00 on the EaseCD website. A demo is also available for download.

Rockstar Games’ controversial Manhunt 2 is being released for the PC this week in an uncensored version that carries an Adults Only (AO) rating from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB).

Originally released in 2007 for the Wii and PlayStation 2 platforms, the title drew fire over its content and a perception that using the Wii’s motion controls to enact virtual violence could carry over to real-world violence, despite evidence that eventually emerged to the contrary.

The BigDownload notes that Manhunt 2 will be offered via the digital delivery system of Direct2Drive for $29.95. Purchases are limited to those who live in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.  While Valve offers a full Rockstar Games collection through its Steam service, no mention of the pending availability of an AO-rated Manhunt 2 game can be found anywhere on their site or within Steam.

The ESRB content descriptor for the game states: “Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs.”

As part of a plan to bolster its digital distribution offerings, GameStop may look to acquire or invest in an established company or service already involved in the sector.

At a recent analyst meeting, the videogame retailer outlined three ways to accelerate its digital distribution plans reports IndustryGamers: Increase in-store sales of online point cards, expand GameStop’s current digital distribution platform and make a strategic investment in or acquire a current provider of online games.

In an opinion piece in its newsletter, GamesIndustry speculates which companies/services make sense for GameStop to acquire. Metaboli, which purchased GameTap last year, might be one logical answer, as the French-based company would provide double the pay off for GameStop, offering a way into the European market in addition to its digital catalog of games.

The other acquisition possibility? GamesIndustry writes:

Unconfirmed industry scuttlebutt suggests that Zenimax - the parent company of Bethesda, which made headlines back in June when it acquired legendary PC studio id Software - is still on the acquisition trail, and has been making eyes at Half-Life creators Valve across the bar. Whether Bethesda, a hybrid developer / publisher itself, would want to keep Steam on board, or spin it out to a third party, is unclear - as are many other aspects of a potential deal…