Hoecs Games

Oh boy. Looks like the sale of 1UP to Hearst hasn’t gone as smoothly as you’d expect. Rather than simply move house, it seems most of the site’s most experienced/popular writers have instead been let go.

Looks like when Ziff CEO said “Many of our employees will travel with this business and become part of the UGO team”, he actually meant “we’re taking the interns and tea lady and that’s about it”.

According to twitter posts, GAF posts and phonecalls to MTV, around 30 staffers were let go today, including Skip Pfister, Ryan O’Donnell, Philip Kollar, Jay Fresh, Cesar Quintero, Nick Suttner, Anthony Gallegos, Matt Chandronait, Shane Bettenhausen and former EIC James Mielke.

Also cut were most of the Gamevideos.com team, as well as production of the 1UP Show.

Leaving, what, Sam Kennedy and Garnett Lee? That’s a day of long knives if ever we’ve seen one.

EGM Shuts Down, More Than 30 Ziff Davis Employees Laid Off [MTV]

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Now isn’t the best time to be buying into the games mag business. Times are tough. But hey, if you’re not swayed by this harsh reality, Hardcore Gamer are for sale. And for only $42,000!

And that’s not even the best part. No, the best part is that owners Double Jump Books are selling the magazine on eBay. So to get it, you’ll have to bid. $42,001 is as good a place as any to start.

Not sure you should bother, though, as crassly, when settling on a sales pitch, Double Jump haven’t exactly chosen to extol the virtues of the magazine’s contribution to the medium. Instead, they’re flogging it off as a swag-n-junket extravaganza.

Want your own video game magazine and have all the big game companies beg you to cover their latest games before they’re released? Want to be wined and dined by Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Rockstar, Capcom, and Konami, to name a few? Want to have your editors flown on all expenses paid press junkets to Japan, the UK and all across the US? Want exclusive-access passes to attend closed, industry-only trade shows, like E3 and GDC? Good luck with that if you’re starting from scratch. We’ve already got what takes years to build right now and it could be yours now instantly.

Enticing, sure, but with a corrupt attitude like that, it’s no wonder they’re being forced to sell it off in the first place. What is this, 1994? It’s 2009, that kind of shit just doesn’t fly.

Besides, as the EGM shuttering has shown, these days it’s survival of the fittest, not survival of the fattest.

Nationally distributed video game print magazine [eBay]

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What began as a rumour last month now seems to have escalated into full-blown fact; several sites, and sources, are reporting that Ziff Davis have sold the 1UP network to competitors Hearst.

Hearst - who own UGO, many of the nation’s biggest newspapers along with ownership stakes in ESPN and the History Channel - will however only be taking ownership of the network’s online presence.

According to sources at GameSetWatch, this means long-running print magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly won’t be along for the ride (though What They Play, run by former 1UP man John Davison, say further details will be disclosed tomorrow). This will be the last month the magazine is published, bringing to an end nearly two decades of independent, influential games editorial.

If this pans out - as seems likely - RIP, games magazines.

Ziff Davis Gets Out Of The Game: Sells 1UP Digital Net To Hearst; Shutters EGM Mag [socialmedian, reprinted from paidcontent.org]
Magweasel Extra: EGM Reportedly Closing, Sorrow Ensues [GameSetWatch]

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Xbox 360 manufacturer Microsoft is reported to be jumping on the cost-cutting bandwagon, according to reports from CNBC. Said to be pursuing “significant” savings measures, spokespeople say that reports of mass layoffs are greatly exaggerated.

Over the past week, reports from other sources, namely Fudzilla, pegged the Redmond giant as laying off as much as 17% of its 95,000-plus workforce, a figure that doesn’t include contractors. Fudzilla speculated that the newly profitable games division would be unaffected.

CNBC’s source says that the Fudzilla reported is “grossly exaggerated” and that cost-cutting measures include attrition — meaning employees leaving voluntary by retirement or resignation wouldn’t be immediately replaced — and the non-renewal of contract employees.

If Microsoft does scale back, it would likely announce those plans officially before the end of the month.

Competitor Sony is also rumored to initiate severe cuts in 2009, with The Times reporting that the electronics and entertainment giant would shutter “major divisions.” Things are tough all over, man.

Microsoft Readies Cuts; Though Big Layoffs Unlikely [CNBC via Seattle PI]

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Eidos has just launched Battlestations.net, the community-focused website for their upcoming follow-up to Battlestations: Midway, Battlestations: Pacific, and they’re celebrating by bombarding fans with new screens and trailers.

The Battlestations.net website will play host to new screenshots, movies, developer blogs, podcasts, and just about everything Battlestations: Pacific you can imagine. Fans will be able to chat with other fans about the series, offer the developers their helpful input, and even participate in Eidos-hosted Battlestations: Midway competitions in order to polish their skills for the sequel, due out this spring.

While I’m not a big fan of Battlestations’ particular brand of strategy, I have friends who swear the first game was the best thing since World War II. Not going to argue, as they’re a bit off-balance, and armed. Check out the latest screens and the new trailer below.

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Battlestations.net Weighs Anchor

Battlestations: PacificTM community-focused website launches today

Tuesday 6th January/… Eidos Interactive, creator of some of the world’s leading video game properties, today announced the launch of a new community-focused destination site for Battlestations: Pacific™.

Sequel to 2007’s critically acclaimed Battlestations: Midway™, Battlestations: Pacific™ picks up where its predecessor left off. Pitching players into the might of World War II’s Pacific conflict, the game delivers intense, action-packed combat and strategic warfare on an extraordinary scale and features two distinctly different single-player campaigns. A historically accurate US Campaign puts players in command of the US fleet through The Battle of Midway to Okinawa as they try to secure peace in the Pacific. Or play as the Japanese and take control of the Imperial Japanese fleet with the unique chance to fight at Pearl Harbor before attempting to change the course of history and take full control of the Pacific Ocean. Players can also take the battle online with an enhanced multiplayer, offering five new and innovative co-op and team-based modes.

“Battlestations offers a blend of action and strategy unlike any other videogame on the market and as such has a dedicated and committed community of fans,” said Lee Singleton, General Manager of Eidos Game Studios. “The launch of Battlestations.net as a destination site for both information and discussion on the game comes as a direct result of listening and interacting with our communities.”

Launched today, the new Battlestations.net site offers a feature-rich destination for information, entertainment and discussion on this anticipated sequel. News, screens and movies on the game will be accompanied by in-depth developer blogs, podcasts, exclusive website competitions and Eidos-hosted Battlestations: Midway™ multiplayer sessions, allowing fans of the game a chance to brush up on their skills before the launch of Battlestations: Pacific™.

Those interested in enlisting can join the discussions at www.battlestations.net.

Battlestations: Pacific™ is set for release on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Games for Windows® in spring 2009.

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Lord of the Rings Online developer Turbine confirmed that they are working on a new massively multiplayer online game that will sell in-game items for cash.

Word of the game leaked out after a job posting for a micro-transaction and e-commerce manager hit Turbine’s website.

In the description, the company said the position would be for someone “responsible for delivering and maximizing the revenue derived from Turbine’s micro-transaction-based in-game store.”

But yesterday a Turbine employee posted in the company’s forums that the job was for an “unannounced future project.”

Hey guys! We know the recent job listing has caused a bit of a stir, but please be aware that this posting is for an unannounced future project. We appreciate the thoughts and feedback on both sides thus far.

While selling items in a game for additional money has been met with some criticism among gamers, I think it’s much less likely to hit a wall if it launches with a game rather than being added on after a game goes live.

Turbine at work on micro-transaction MMO [Games Industry]

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From now until the end of March, succumbing to that damnable “Five Dollar Foot-Long” jingle could net you some plastic DDR crap and a $10 coupon good towards your next living room-eating dance pad game.

In the name of promoting healthy lifestyles in children, Subway has teamed with Konami in order to include DanceDanceRevolution toys in every Fresh Fit for Kids meal at participating locations through March. Sure to be a big hit at raves, the premium items include an Action Armband, Water Bottle, Disco Revolution, Pencil Pal, Dancemania and Break-it-Down. Other than the armband, which is pretty self-explanatory, and the water bottle to help rehydrate your children before they collapse to the ground and have to be hauled off by security, I have no idea what any of that stuff is. Included with whatever you wind up with will be a $10 off coupon good on the latest DDR games, currently stacked five high at your local game store.

Haven’t they done this before? I could have sworn I’d gone into a Subway back when I was concerned about my health and laughed at the silly DDR merchandise sometime in the past. Oh well.

SUBWAY® RESTAURANTS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT, INC, WILL HAVE KIDS DANCING AT THEIR TABLES WITH DANCEDANCEREVOLUTION® PREMIUM

Thru March 29, 2009, Subway Restaurants To Offer DanceDanceRevolution® Premiums With Each Purchase Of A Fresh Fit For Kids Meal

WHAT:
Kids can dance into the New Year at SUWBAY® restaurants with the all-new DanceDanceRevolution® promotion. Konami and SUBWAY® restaurants today announced a partnership that will help promote a healthy lifestyle for children by delivering the fun and excitement of Konami’s best-selling get-up-and-move video game to children everywhere. From December 29, 2008 thru March 29, 2009, participating SUBWAY® restaurants will offer one of six exclusive, high quality DanceDanceRevolution® branded premium toy accessories along with a $10 coupon good on any of the newest DanceDanceRevolution games with each purchase of a SUBWAY FRESH FIT FOR KIDS™ meal.

Available for a limited time while supplies last, the SUBWAY FRESH FIT FOR KIDS™ meal premiums include, DanceDanceRevolution® branded Action Armband, Water Bottle, Disco Revolution, Pencil Pal, Dancemania and Break-it-Down. The kids meal and each premium will come in four color DanceDanceRevolution® kid’s meal bags that feature DanceDanceRevolution® images on one side and details about the SUBWAY FRESH FIT FOR KIDS™ meal program on the other.

The SUBWAY® promotion is the latest in a series of initiatives that has made the DanceDanceRevolution® franchise a fitness phenomenon that has received a tremendous amount of recognition for helping people of all ages lose weight and achieve better health. DanceDanceRevolution® has truly pioneered the latest trend in gaming that takes players off of the couch and away from the joystick. Each version of the game has a Workout Mode that allows users to track calories burned and monitor their own fitness regiment. Additionally, DanceDanceRevolution® has been an official part of the physical fitness curriculum in multiple school districts throughout the United States including every school in the State of West Virginia. The game has also been a valuable tool used in numerous research studies on fighting childhood obesity and has been a mainstay in health clubs and libraries across the nation as organizations look for new and innovative ways to fight childhood obesity.

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One of many titles banned in Australia last year due to a rather wonky classification system, Konami’s Silent Hill: Homecoming has now been granted a rating of MA15+, clearing it for launch.

As we’ve touched on in previous stories, Australia’s game classification stops at MA15+, lacking the R18+ rating that particularly violent films are afforded. Seeing as Silent Hill: Homecoming isn’t exactly children’s fare it was originally deemed too violent and graphic for an MA15+, which in effect banned the game from release in the country. Now an update to the Classification Board’s website dated yesterday indicates the title has now been given the MA15+ rating, and therefor may see the shining light of those lovely Australian store shelves.

Now word on what if any cuts were made to the game to garner the new rating. I just think it’s silly that a country filled with bears that drop out of trees to eat unsuspecting foreigners would be concerned with video game violence at all.

Silent Hill: Homecoming unbanned in Australia [GameStop]

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Despite an 18.8% drop in year to year PlayStation 3 sales in November, Sony Computer Entertainment America states early internal data puts them at a 130% increase over last year’s PS3 sales.

Although November saw relatively disappointing PS3 sales and analysts were expecting numbers to be slightly lower than or right on track with last year’s, Sony says that they’ve managed to more than double year to year sales for the 2008 holiday season. SCEA VP of sales Ian Jackson knows the score.

“Early internal data points to an increase of more than 130 percent of PS3 hardware sales for the holiday season—since Black Friday—and we’re also seeing a growth of nearly 40 percent in total PS3 hardware sales for the calendar year. We remain confident this momentum will continue into the new year.”

And what about the November dip? Merely an anomaly, created by the sales surge that came in November of last year following the introduction of the 40GB PS3. See? The PlayStation 3 has momentum! As long as December’s NPD numbers hold true to Sony’s internal data, everything will be just fine.

Early returns show strong holiday video game console sales [CNET via Gamasutra]

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Beleaguered publisher seeks further extension on potential debts owed to holders of Convertible Senior Notes

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