Microsoft Getting Ready for Digital Distribution
November 12, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Corporate, Development, Digital Distribution, Miscellaneous, Newsbits
With the recent Games for Windows LIVE update, Microsoft has climbed another step to reach the Digital Distribution door. The software conglomerate has been eying digital distribution for a while now and we may soon see Microsoft launching a dedicated Games for Windows LIVE Application to compete with the likes of Steam and Impulse. Whilst content such as games and DLC. (Although, given its Microsoft, don’t expect it to be free) How will Microsoft fare against Valve’s gigantic userbase, their comparatively unintrusive DRM and constant product support? Only time will tell.
When we get to the place where we do distribute games digitally, will we have a digital rights management system? Maybe. Or maybe we’ll just continue to support the industry leaders in that. Because it is a hard thing to do. You talk to any of those companies, and that is their whole company, is doing digital rights management.
Valve Storming Steam Cloud This Week!
November 3, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Corporate, Development, Digital Distribution, Press Releases, Steam
The highly-anticipated Steam Cloud feature will be rolled out later this week with the Left 4 Dead demo.
Valve, creators of best-selling entertainment products and advanced technologies, today announced the roll out of Steam Cloud, a set of services for Steam that stores application data online and allows user experiences to be consistent from any PC. Steam Cloud is a free extension to Steam, a leading a platform for PC games with over 15 million accounts worldwide.
Steam Cloud support will ship with Valve’s Left 4 Dead demo later this week and the full game on November 18. In this first release, the information stored and accessible through the Steam Cloud includes keyboard, mouse, and gamepad configurations, as well as multiplayer settings such as spraypaint images.
The Steam Cloud will “just work,” meaning any user changes to their game options will propagate to the Cloud by default. Upon logging into Steam from another PC, these settings will be brought down from the Cloud and automatically leveraged by the game. Any configuration changes on this second machine are then synced to the Cloud for future sessions.
Steam Cloud will be available to all publishers and developers using Steam, free of charge, and Valve will add Cloud support to its back catalog of Steam games. Cloud services are compatible with games purchased via Steam, at retail, and other digital outlets.
“For some time now, Steam has allowed gamers to log on from any computer in the world and access their applications. This also makes it easy to upgrade a PC without worrying about losing your games,” said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. “Steam Cloud is a natural extension of the portability Steam affords gamers and developers, and we intend to expand its feature set as it is used in Left 4 Dead and other games coming to Steam.”
Age of Conan Rides the Steam Train!
September 4, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Action, Adventure, Corporate, Development, Digital Distribution, Genre, MMORPG, Miscellaneous, Newsbits, RPG, Steam
Everyone’s favorite (?) and hugely successful MMO, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures has boarded the Steam train. The MMORPG is now available via Valve’s brilliant content delivery system, packing a steep price. Read more
Audiosurf is Updated
September 4, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Corporate, Development, Digital Distribution, Downloads, Genre, Miscellaneous, Newsbits, Patches, Steam
Another bunch of updates for the “ride-your-music” title, Audiosurf!
Added 6 new achievements
- Brutus: Dethrone a friend from a global scoreboard
- Ambush: Beat a friend’s score less than 15 min. after they earn it
- Olympian: Earn triple a gold medal requirement. 2 min minimum
- Bauer: Collect a match of 24 blocks
- Ninjutsu: Stealth and collect every color block. 3 min minimum
- Bizarro: Fill all columns within 15 seconds. No greys. No matches
Why Do You Pirate Games?
August 15, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Corporate, Development, Miscellaneous, Newsbits, Piracy
Call it a clever marketing tactic or an actual crusade to explore the reason behind piracy, the developer at Positech Games decided to ask people why they pirated his games. Ofcourse, the response he got was overwhelming and certainly makes up for an interesting read.. Read more
Team Fortress 2 - Badwater Basin Unveiled
August 14, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Action, Adventure, Corporate, Development, Digital Distribution, First Person Shooter, Genre, Miscellaneous, Newsbits, Screenshots, Steam
Valve has unveiled a brand new Payload map: Badwater Basin. Unlike the map Goldrush, Badwater Basin lacks multi-stages. Instead, the level has multiple checkpoints spread across the large and open-ended level,
Badwater Basin is a Payload map focusing on more open spaces and less chokepoints than Gold Rush. (A) Right out of the gate is a multi-level area where the Blu team needs to control the high ground while moving the cart through a tunnel below.
Check out the full details as well as three screens of Badwater Basin after the jump. Read more
Devil May Cry 4 Cries Over Piracy
August 1, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Action, Adventure, Corporate, Development, Genre, Miscellaneous, Newsbits, Piracy
You may kick evil ass in DMC games, but it seems like sales are kicking DMC4’s ass as well. The game is doing not-so-well in sales as told by Capcom themselves. DMC4 has been pirated like hell.
I’m not sure about how Capcom in general feels but It’s not doing as well as I would like in the US at retail. It’s such a good version and it really deserves better sales. I know it’s getting pirated to hell and back (it was up on torrents literally the day it shipped).
I certainly have pushed for digital distribution on the title (globally, I’m responsible for all DD deals) but Capcom Japan so far has not allowed it.
Midway Goes Digital!
July 11, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Action, Adventure, Corporate, Development, Digital Distribution, Downloads, First Person Shooter, Full Client, Genre, Horror, Miscellaneous, Newsbits, Press Releases, RPG
Midway is now going the digital distribution way as the company has launched two online digital stores. MidwayArcade.com will feature Midway’s classic arcade titles while Midway.com will feature the newer titles. Midway’s digital stores are being managed by Digital River. For the time being, the following title are available on Midway.com:
- Unreal Tournament 3 - USD $29.95
- Midway Arcade Treasures - USD $19.99
- Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe - USD $19.99
- Area 51 - USD $14.
- Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy - USD $14.99
- The Suffering - USD $9.99
- The Suffering: Ties That Bind - USD $14.99
- Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War - USD $19.99
- Stranglehold - USD $19.95
- Blacksite: Area 51 - USD $19.95
Midway didn’t reveal anything regarding the DRM method, though.
More info in the press release below: Read more
Stardock Impulse is Here!
June 18, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Development, Digital Distribution, Miscellaneous, Newsbits, Release Dates
Stardock’s answer to Steam is here. In case you’re not aware, here’s a bit of info:
Introduction
Impulse is Stardock’s new state of the art digital distribution platform. Impulse allows users to quickly and easily find their favorite game or software and download it automatically to their PC as well as get the most out of their existing games and software.What makes Impulse so great?
Impulse has multiple features that makes it one of the best digital distribution platforms around. Some of these great features include:
- Doesn’t need to be on-line to play single player games.Supports all types of PC software (games, applications, utilities, etc.).
- Hundreds of games, applications, utilities, themes, and more available to purchase or free download.
- Includes the Impulse dock which lets users organize all their programs and data together regardless of where it came from.
- Next-generation community features integrated in. Make friends and play games together on-line, start a blog, chat, and more.
- Delivers a next generation virtual platform that developers can freely use to add exciting new features to their games and apps.
Grab Impulse from here. (1.8MB)
Mass Effect PC Ships to Retails
May 28, 2008 by Raj
Filed under Action, Adventure, Corporate, Development, Genre, Miscellaneous, Newsbits, Press Releases, RPG, Release Dates, Screenshots
PC port of BioWare’s successful RPG has shipped to US retails. You can get it for MSRP of $49.95.
Press Release:
Leading video game developer BioWare, a division of Electronic Arts Inc., has announced that the award-winning space epic Mass Effect for the PC is now available in stores across North America. Rated “M” for Mature, Mass Effect is available at a MSRP of $49.99 at all major retail outlets. Mass Effect is also available for purchase online and can be downloaded from major digital distribution sites including the EA online store at www.eastore.ea.com. Read more
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