Is it just me, or have video games finally started to come into their own within popular culture? Certainly the Pac-Man and Mario references have been around for a long time. But it seems like gaming is starting to intersect with other media and enter into the lexicon much the way Star Trek, Star Wars, and other large franchises have done in the past. Gaming icons are also becoming just as recognizable to diverse groups; Mario, Sonic, and Lara Croft can be recognized and named by audiences of children and adults, much like Darth Vader, Miss Piggy, and Wolverine. I definitely think video games have had a more concentrated effort to be seen as respectable medium, going to great lengths to intersect with the movie, book, comic, and television audiences. Maybe that’s simply because of the innovation required to be successful in game marketing and development.
Of all the cross-hobby endeavors I’ve seen from gaming, the latest from Crystal Dynamics seems to be one of the most interesting. The developer of the current Tomb Raider reboot is teaming up with Geocaching.com to collaborate on the marketing for the game’s release. Geocaching is a real life game/sport with well over five million participants and 1.6 million active geocaches hidden around the world. “Players” use clues, pictures, GPS systems, and whatever other tools at their disposal to follow virtual “treasure maps” to find these hidden geocaches. Caches can be found in Times Square, the Berlin Wall, the Great Wall of China, or in your local Little League ballpark. For the Tomb Raider project, Crystal Dynamics will be combining traditional Geocaching techniques with the photo-based projects in Geocaching Challenges. While it’s doubtful you’ll be shooting giant jungle cats, battling zombies, or plundering ancient ruins, you will be able to bring your virtual treasure hunting experience to bear in a real life adventure. Think of it like LARPing without the silly costumes, styrofoam swords, and hippies at the park making fun of you.
In a more insular way, working within the gaming medium, EA has certainly figured out how to cross promote their big titles. With demos coming for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Mass Effect 3, EA is providing incentives for you to try both games. The demo for Reckoning should be available on January 17th. Similar to what was done with Dragon Age and ME2, playing that demo will unlock exclusive content for ME3. The Reckoner Knight Armor will increase your melee damage and increase projectile velocity in your weapons; the Chakram Launcher sends out lightweight explosive discs. The Reckoning demo will also unlock content for its own full release (February 7th), including a Twist of Fate Card, Chakram Twinned Blade, and Infernal Helm. ME3‘s own demo will be out shortly after, allowing you to unlock further content in Reckoning. The N7 Armor is inspired by Shepard’s outfit, but doesn’t seem to have any bonuses beyond looking awesome; the Omni Blade Daggers will be a powerful holographic weapon coming from the player’s gauntlet, though I don’t how that will make sense in Reckoning‘s universe. This seems like an obvious play to get EA’s core of Mass Effect fans to try out their new IP, and it’s going to work on me and countless others. And who knows, the demo may be enough that I’ll buy Reckoning as well.
However, I won’t need a demo to convince me to buy Mass Effect 3. I am currently marking dates off an advent calendar that counts down to March 6th. So you can bet I perked up about possible DLC plans for Mass Effect 3. Casey Hudson, executive producer, says they have “some multiplayer stuff, but we’re also planning some DLC on the single-player side, because it did really good in Mass Effect 2. There’s a reason why we can add stories to what’s there.” Similar to the second game, the single-player DLC will be accessible at any point during your main storyline.
Speaking of DLC, it looks like Modern Warfare 3 may be expanding more than just its maps. Infinity Ward has promised at least 20 pieces of DLC in the next nine months. The first expansion will be the Park and Coast maps, available to Elite subscribers on January 24th. Four more pieces will come in the next 90 days, followed by a bundle pack for non-Elite players. According to Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward, additional content will come in the form of Spec Ops missions, new game types, and new game modes. Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer, and Raven have been collaborating on these experimental modes, culling the only the best of their ideas to further develop and eventually release.
Upcoming DLC is also being rumored for From Software’s Dark Souls. Supposedly a source “close to the project” has told EGM that the developers are currently finalizing the project trademarked last year as “Yama No Mori” (translated: Forest of Darkness or Dark Forest). If true, this looks to be a new area of the game with additional, horrible ways to die.
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is suffering another delay. Explaining the move to May 25th, Adrian Lacey (IP Development Director) has said “Today we are feature complete in our MP, Single player and 4 player coop campaign modes. We have taken the decision to move the date in order to ensure that all these ingredients are pushed to the highest level and provide a truly unique shooter experience.” On a related note, the multiplayer beta will no longer be exclusive to XBox 360. Expanding to PS3, it will open in April.
Kaz Hirai recently addressed the rumors of PlayStation 4 being revealed at E3, rumors I hadn’t exactly heard but was already assuming for myself. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Hirai backed up SCE’s Andrew House, saying “Andy is absolutely right in that we are not making any announcements at E3. I’ve always said a 10-year life cycle for PS3, and there is no reason to go away from that.” His reasoning doesn’t hold with me though, as the PS2 had a ten year life cycle as well, continuing long past the release of the PS3. That said, I don’t necessarily think the PS4 is needed right now. I’m not sure a new XBox is needed either. I’m simply not convinced technology has moved far enough to require new machines (unless Microsoft wants to add 3D like Sony did with a firmware update). Ultimately, I see the Move and Kinect as half-steps to a new console, catching up to the Wii’s motion control. Likewise, I see the Wii U as a 3/4 step catching up to Sony and Microsoft’s HD (and hopefully online service). Assuming the XBox[catchy name] is announced and released this year, will Sony follow suit? Or will it make more sense to stagger development cycles and refuse to even compete? By that I mean that I don’t expect Microsoft’s next console to be much of an improvement over the PS3, meaning Sony could make slight improvements over the new XBox and release it in two or three years – followed by a similar release from XBox in another two or three years, with another Nintendo outing in the meantime. This could put all three developers back on the standard six year cycle of consoles, but not set them opposite one another for release day buyers. Ultimately, would this create more dual (or triple) console owners, benefitting all involved? Something to ponder….
The latest update to Sony’s first party Gran Turismo 5 will be hitting next week. Along with the 2.03 title update, Car Pack 3 and Speed Test Pack will be arriving on January 17th. The car pack seems pretty expansive as well, coming with the Lamborghini Aventador, Jaguar XJR9, Aston Martin V12 Vantage 2011, VW 1200 1966, Mini Countryman S 2011 and the Nissan Leaf.
If you’ve been following the stories about Sony’s upcoming dungeon-crawler you’ll want to note a fairly significant name change. Ruin, coming this year for PS3 and Vita, is now called Warrior’s Lair. Both names are fairly generic, but I think I preferred the original title. It was just a little more… poetic? Announced at the same time was a street date for the upcoming Vita title, Unit 13. That will be landing alongside Mass Effect 3 on March 6th. Hmm, I’m starting to think I may be obsessed with Mass Effect 3.
DC Universe Online is celebrating its first birthday, and they want to give you a present, but you’ll have to earn it. The Anniversary Cape is now available through a specific mission that was recently added. Lorin Jameson of SOE also threw out a bunch of stats to celebrate. Since launch, over 3.5 million heroes and 2 million villains have been created, 2.3 million users have registered through the PS3, and over 3.6 million days of playtime has accrued.
Armored Core V has gotten a release date and a pre-order announcement. The new, tactics-based Operator Mode is making its debut in this iteration of the mech shooter franchise, with the player commanding the battle from a general’s perspective rather than taking control of a mech and shooting up the countryside. The game is announced for March 20th. GameStop is offering the Heavy Assault Pack for additional weapons and parts. No word yet on whether that bonus, or others, will be available at other retailers.
Also coming March 20th is Ninja Gaiden 3, which has a newly announced Collector’s Edition. It’s a fairly typical package with one exception. In addition to the game, soundtrack, and art book there’s also a four fighter demo (including Ninja Gaiden‘s own Ryu Hayabusa) of Dead or Alive. The real gem of this collection though is the “Duel of the Masked” figurine, pitting Ryu against the game’ mysterious masked antagonist. Personally I was hoping for a full size katana, but you know how those parent groups can be. The figurine actually looks very nice and I’m sure plenty of collector’s will be willing to shell out the $100 MSRP for this kit.
It’s starting to look like March might be the new November. Not all of the releases are quite as high profile as turkey month’s, but there’s a nice batch of great games coming. First and foremost, of course, is Mass Effect 3. But it’s in good company with Max Payne 3, Street Fighter x Tekken, two Silent Hills, Mario Party 9, Yakuza: Dead Souls, RE: ORC, Ninja Gaiden 3, Armored Core V, and Ruin/Warrior’s Lair. Don’t forget we’ve got the PS Vita coming at the end of February. And Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is coming in early February, kind of like you’d expect to see a new franchise with potential drop in October to avoid the heavy competition of the holiday season. Has March always been a big month and I’m just noticing this year?