Due to some email problems last week I missed an item that I probably should have included in Friday’s VGQH. To make up for it, it’s the lead item today. Peter Molyneux has left Lionhead Studios for “something really amazing, scary and brave a new company called 22 Cans.” Molyneux is the renowned creator of the Fable series as well as Black and White. This move effectively takes him out of Microsoft publishing leading to the question of whether he’ll be going multi-platform with 22 Cans. News of his departure came just one day after Fable Heroes, a hack and slash spin-off, was announced for XBLA, to be released later this year.
Releasing today is another chunk of Uncharted 3 DLC, the Shade Survivor Mode. This is a co-op mode consisting of eight waves of Djinn who can catch fire and teleport. Later waves give them extra armor and firepower so cooperation is key. Completing all eight rounds gives a nice cash and experience bonus. Price for the add-on is $5.99 but it’s included with the Fortune Hunters Club. The 14th and final add-on promised for FHC is coming next month. Look for more details here when they are announced.
Deadly Premonition, the 2010 360 exclusive (in North America), is finally making its way to western PS3s in a director’s cut of sorts. The game is a pretty out-there murder mystery that sees Francis York trying to solve a ritual murder of a young girl. In addition to following clues, leading you to supernatural creatures and weird locals, you also need to take care of York’s daily hygiene like shaving and showering. Other secondary activities including playing darts and fishing. The new PS3 version will have full Move support and other additional content. A release date hasn’t been confirmed but it looks to be coming later this year.
A UK retailer recently published a list of upcoming titles that comes with a few surprises. First, they’ve mentioned a movie tie-in with The Dark Knight Rises. The success of the Arkham games probably encouraged this release, something they didn’t do for the last film. We all love playing as Batman, but could a licensed release like this one possibly be as good? Shouldn’t they be concerned with diluting the brand loyalty created by Rocksteady? Second, is Battlefield Evolved from EA. This raises its own questions because it looked like Medal of Honor would be the publishers major FPS this year. Some rumors are indicating this might be a GotY version of Battlefield 3, or an arcade spin-off. I can’t help but notice the title’s not-so-subtle jab at the original Halo. Finally, this retailer’s list still shows Grand Theft Auto V as coming in fall. That’s been the line since Rockstar announced it, but the entire inductry is expecting it delayed to Spring 2013. It can’t come soon enough in my book, but I still think a 2012 release is doubtful considering Rockstar’s track record and the imminent release of Max Payne 3. I would like to point out that I received the information from a trusted source, but I could not confirm which “major UK retailer” had this list. That makes it unconfirmed rumor in my book, but still believable.
I’m generally a fan of Mixed Martial Arts, but I’ve always avoided the video games. I just can’t wrap my brain around it being any good. How can they port the constantly changing styles from each match into a game? How can they the technical grappling of jiujitsu fun? I’m sure it’s possible, as the games sell and review quite well, but I can’t talk myself into spending money on them. That’s why I’m happy to see the announcement of Bellator: MMA Onslaught. The “arcade style” game is being developed by Kung Fu Factory and published by 345 Games specifically for XBLA and PSN, suggesting a significantly lower cost of entry than its retail brethren. In addition to some of the sports’ top names, players will be able to create and customize their own fighter. Online and couch multiplayer is included, as well it should be for a game of this style. Other online functions planned are leaderboards and the like. Describing it as “arcade style” tells me this won’t be the most realistic MMA fighter available, but it also hints that the learning curve and barrier to entry will be a lot lower for gamers like me. Release is currently scheduled for Summer 2012.
How do you know when a game is actually getting close to get excited? When the preorder incentives start dropping. Sure, some get shown way too far in advance, but most of the come when there’s about three months left. Prototype 2 has waited just a little longer for their Amazon and Best Buy bonuses. Prototype 2: The Anchor is the comic you can download from Amazon. The comic details story of Alex Mercer’s decline from protagonist in the first game to antagonist in the second. Best Buy will net you a steelbook case and Hardened Steel Vehicle Armor Upgrade. If that upgrade is anything like the worthless armor and guns GameStop gave me for Mass Effect 3 they can keep it; I’d rather have the comic. Of course, all preorders mean you’ll get the RADNEt Edition which includes 55 pieces of extra DLC. The game releases on April 24, 2012.
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is also going the Signature Edition route. The free upgrade with pre-order gets you the MK-14 rifle, AK-47, tiger stripe and winter digital custom weapons skins, custom headgear and additional co-op content, including the Moscow Suburbs map. Pre-orders are available now and the game is set for release on May 22nd.
Coincidentally, that’s also the new release date for Risen 2: Dark Waters. Sorry to disappoint the pirate fans. Deep Silver and Piranha Bytes haven’t given a reason for moving it from April 24th to May 22nd, but go ahead and assume it’s the standard “final polish.”
So how big is DLC in the current gaming market? This is a question Fade LLC tried to answer with their “Download Dominance” presentation at GDC. I’m not privy to all the details of their research, but they certainly brought loads of data. According to Benjamin Schlichter, after tracking data on 350 different pieces of DLC (mainly “macro” content as opposed to alternate outfits or weapons) and 7million users, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Fallout 3, GTA IV, Halo 3, and Red Dead Redemption have done the best in terms of add-on content in this generation. Each of these games averaged $7-11 revenue per copy of the game sold! What does that mean exactly? Fallout 3, for example, had five additional chapters at $10 each, meaning a total of $50 extra income potential. If we assume that anyone who bought one piece must have bought them all (a stupid assumption but I’m simplifying here), then 20% of all copies sold also resulted in DLC sales. That’s actually pretty incredible considering Bethesda shipped (not sold) 4.7million copies in its first week. On average, 12.2% of physical copies sold results in a DLC sale as well. The king of DLC according to their data? Call of Duty: Black Ops, of course, with an estimated $250million in map packs and a 29.7% attach rate. Bulletstorm was one of the worst performers in 2011, averaging only one dollar of DLC revenue per copy sold. Two other interesting facts came out of the presentation. First, not surprisingly, better Metacritic scores means better DLC sales ($9million for scores of 90% or higher versus one million or less for 60-70% ratings). Second, good for developers/publishers but bad for consumers, was Schlichter suggesting DLC costs should be increased. Apparently price and popularity are not connected as content sold equally well regardless of price point. Interesting figures to say the least, I’d like to see more of their research.
As if that bit of information hasn’t convinced you the CoD franchise is making money hand over fist, Sony will be putting a large chunk of the property on sale for its PSN Spring Fever 2012 promotion. CoD 4: Modern Warfare, CoD Classic, Modern Warfare 2, World at War, and Black Ops are all 30% off (50% for PS+) this week. Many of them have additional DLC discounted as well. Games in the Final Fantasy and Tom Clancy franchises will also be getting sale prices in the coming weeks for the promotion. New titles to watch for are thatgamecompany’s Journey (available to PS+ last week, everyone starting today), Rayman 3 HD, and Closure.
Zombietron’s got the full story, but it looks like Blizzard is planning to release part of Diablo III instead of delaying the whole game. In a nuthsell, the single player and co-op are coming soon, but PvP will have to wait for a patch as they aren’t satisfied with it yet. This tactic has been tried before, to mixed results. If anyone can make it work it’s Blizzard, I guess.
Mass Effect 3 has now been dominating all of my free time since it released last week. I still haven’t beat the game but I did manage to get 100% readiness for a day in the Galaxy at War mode. I’ve been primarily using a Turian Sentinel, but that could be changing soon as it appears multiplayer DLC is on the way. The only image I’ve seen so far is a leaked screen shot from a tester, but it clearly shows additional races and classes as a playable option. The unlocks apparently happened by purchasing an “unknown pack” from the in-game store, just as your would a Spectre or Veteran pack. This item unlocked “everything” according to the leak. I’m assuming that means all of the current races, classes, and weapons in addition to the extras from the leaked image. Geth Engineers and Infiltrators, Batarian Soldiers and Sentinels, a Krogan Battlemaster, and an Asari Justicar all look like good bonuses. Now if we can just get official confirmation with a release date and expected price.
If/when these characters come to Mass Effect 3, which race and class are you most excited to play? Comment below.