Massively multiplayer online developer Funcom has announced that it is to offer a free-to-play option for Age of Conan, in parallel to a traditional subscription package.

The new option will be introduced this summer, as the game attempts to take advantage of the forthcoming new Hollywood movie and undergoes a name change to Age of Conan: Unrated.

"The time is right for Age of Conan now as we recognised the opportunity presented by the increased profile of the license, with the new Conan movie coming out this fall," said executive producer Craig Morrison in an interview with sister site Eurogamer.

The "freemium" option will work similarly to most Asian online models, with basic play being free but users having to pay for extra items and expansions.

"This is done by allowing free players [access] to most of the original content, and having the expanded content as premium content," said Morrison. "So free players will have access to all the original levelling quests and outdoor playfields that take them all the way to level 80."

Although the game will introduce content specifically related to the movie there is no expansion directly related to it.

In a separate interview Morrison explained that, "We wanted to do something for the movie. But we also knew that we couldn't do all the improvements that we wanted alongside a fully-fledged expansion pack on the side."

"We'd have to shut down everything else and only focus on that. And we really didn't want to do that," he said. "We wanted to provide content to tie into the movie and be able to do the constant updates and the tweaks and the fixes the players want."

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The Android version of indie hit Minecraft has been confirmed as a timed exclusive for Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play device, as the device prepares for its U.S. launch.

Speaking to website Gamasutra, developer Mojang revealed that the new version of the game will feature customised controls that take advantage of the Xperia Play's DualShock-inspired controls.

Other smartphone versions of the game, including iOS and generic Android SKUs, are also planned - each with variations in content and controls. Regardless of format, the game will continue the PC version's model of "release early and update frequently."

"When playing on smartphones you will have a different screen size compared to PC, different hardware, different attention spans and thus the game needs to be customised to fit the mobile specifications," said the developer.

The length of the exclusivity period has not been announced, nor whether it is valid worldwide. Although released in Europe in April, the Xperia Play launches in the U.S. only this week, where it will be available exclusively on the Verizon Wireless network with six pre-loaded games.

Sony Ericsson is planning a promotional event for Minecraft at E3 next month, where the game is expected to be playable.

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A new PC-based massively multiplayer online (MMO) game named Ghost Recon Online has been announced by publisher Ubisoft, with the game due for release in early 2012.

Like previous titles in the series the game remains a third person, cover-based tactical shooter, developed by the Ubisoft Shanghai studio. However, Ghost Recon Online will be offered free-to-play, with a closed beta program beginning this summer.

Although free-to-play the game will offer premium items for players to purchase, mimicking the business model typical of MMOs in South Korea and China.

A brief trailer of the game at the official website shows visuals and gameplay typical of the franchise, with Ubisoft promising three different classes of characters, customisable weapons and "a rich lobby platform for hosting social and persistent progression features".

The publisher is also planning to "back the game with a full set of services, including regular events and game content updates, customised content based on community feedback, and live support."

"Ghost Recon Online takes the best attributes of the Ghost Recon game franchise and brings them online, making the experience of being a Ghost accessible to millions of new players and fans," said Hugues Ricour, senior producer at Ubisoft. "This game was designed from the start to be a free-to-play experience. Our development teams are dedicated to making Ghost Recon Online a truly unique, top-quality online title." "The online market is an exciting new frontier for video games and for gamers," said Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot.

"With Ghost Recon Online, and other major upcoming projects, Ubisoft is creating online experiences that allow our fans to stay connected to their favourite brands and to continually receive new content and gameplay. This direct link with our fans will allow us to create new and ever better experiences for them."

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Third party iOS developers caught up in a patent infringement case have won the backing of Apple, as the company demands that legal challenges to using in-app upgrades are dropped.

The legal case is being brought by company Lodsys, which has contacted a range of iOS developers with a demand of 0.575 per cent of their U.S. revenues. Lodsys claims that it has patents, filed 19 years ago, which cover in-app upgrades where users pay to access additional content or purchase a full game.

Although the four patents in question are valid, Apple argues that it licensed them from Lodsys and that all developers producing content for iOS are also covered as a result.

As a result Apple has weighed in on the side of the developers and asked Lodsys to withdraw the demands. However, the exact degree to which Apple would be willing to defend developers, if the cases go to court, is unclear.

The letter sent by Apple senior vice president and general counsel Bruce Sewell to Lodsys has been obtained in full by website Macworld, in which he suggests that Lodsys' demands are based on, "a fundamental misapprehension regarding Apple's license and the way Apple's products work".

"I expect that the additional information set out below will be sufficient for you to withdraw your outstanding threats to the App Makers and cease and desist from any further threats to Apple's customers and partners," states Sewell.

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Nintendo and Sony need to "reinvent" the concept of the portable console, according to new comments made by Remedy Entertainment executive vice president Aki "AJ" Järvilehto.

"Many smartphones and tablets offer mind blowing value to gamers. Right now you can buy tons and tons of fun on iOS with the price of a single handheld console game. Heck, you can get tons of fun for free with advertising based concepts," said Järvilehto in an interview with website IndustryGamers.

"So I do think the traditional handheld consoles will need to reinvent themselves if they want to compete." The Alan Wake developer's most recent title is mobile app Death Rally, which has already been received positively. Järvilehto confirms in the interview that the company has been evaluating the 3DS and NGP platforms, but no decision has been made to support them.

"I think the market is changing in a radical fashion," said Järvilehto. "Barriers of entry are literally being blown away. New business models are booming and this is not about devaluation. Facebook is doing tremendous things to gaming and attracting completely new people to enjoy different more casual and social games.

"I can't see how the fact that mainstream consumers are finally embracing our industry could be negative. After all isn't that what we've been hoping for since forever?"

Järvilehto did not confirm that the company was involved in Facebook development, but instead stated, "We absolutely still love the console business model though; that's where the big stuff gets done and shines."

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Sony Corporation has warned that the PlayStation Network breach is to cost the company approximately ¥14 billion ($171.2m / £106.1m) by the end of the 2012 fiscal year.

The company was forced to close down its PSN online service last month after hackers compromised data of over 77 million user accounts. Later, Sony Online Entertainment's website was also hacked, bring the total number of breached gamer accounts to over 100 million.

"Based on information currently available to Sony, our current known costs associated with the unauthorised network access are estimated to be approximately 14 billion yen in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012," the company told investors today.

Furthermore, Sony predicted a net loss for the entire 2011 financial year of ¥260 billion ($3.1 bn / £1.9bn) - compared to expectations in February that the company was on track to record a profit of ¥70 billion, blaming a write-off due to deferred tax assets.

For the full 2011 financial year Sony expects the Japanese earthquake and tsunami to wipe ¥17 billion from operating profits, and a further ¥150 billion from the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012.

Despite that, Sony said it anticipates a return to profitability in the 2012 financial year.

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Rockstar Games' L.A. Noire has become the fastest-selling new intellectual property ever in the UK, as it debuts at number one in the weekly sales chart.

Although as usual no specific sales data has been released, chart creators Chart-Track indicate that L.A. Noire sold on par with Rockstar's previous hit Red Dead Redemption, released at the same time in 2010.

Sales of the game, which started life as a PlayStation 3 exclusive, were fairly evenly split at 58 per cent for the Xbox 360 version and 42 per cent for the PlayStation 3. As a result L.A. Noire becomes the 13th fastest-selling Xbox 360 of all time in the UK and the 11th fastest on the PlayStation 3.

The other major new entry of the week, released on Tuesday rather than the Friday of L.A. Noire and most other new games, is PC exclusive The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. The game debuted at number five in the all format charts and sold three times more than the original game in its launch week.

There was little other movement in the chart, with Lego Pirates of the Caribbean down only 6 per cent at number two, but Brink dropping by 48 per cent to number three.

Retail promotions saw an increase in sales of 71 per cent for Crysis 2 at number six. There was also a 266 per cent increase in sales for Mario Kart Wii thanks to the launch of the new lower priced Wii hardware bundle. The game remained just outside the top 20 though, at number 23.

This Week Last Week Title
1 New Entry L.A. Noire
2 2 Lego Pirates of the Caribbean
3 1 Brink
4 3 Zumba Fitness
5 New Entry The Witcher 2
6 9 Crysis 2
7 4 Portal 2
8 8 FIFA 11
9 6 Mortal Kombat
10 5 Call of Duty: Black Ops
11 11 Just Dance 2
12 7 Lego Star Wars III
13 Re-entry Wii Sports Resort
14 18 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
15 15 Red Dead Redemption
16 12 Operation Flashpoint: Red River
17 10 MX vs. ATV Alive
18 13 Wii Fit Plus
19 Re-entry Homefront
20 16 Pokémon Black

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A new range of HD updates for key PSP titles on the PlayStation 3 has been announced in Japan, although the only game so far confirmed is Capcom's Monster Hunter Freedom 3.

The PSP Remaster series is conceptually similar to the existing HD Classics line on PlayStation 2, with PSP titles being upgraded to high definition and receiving improvements to the complexity of key character models and textures.

Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD Ver. will be launched as a standard retail release in Japan, with Sony implying that it also has plans to release the PSP Remaster line in the West.

Capcom's game will also feature compatibility with PlayStation 3 controllers, include new "add-on content" and support for stereoscopic 3D. Saved data from the original PSP version will also be compatible with the new PlayStation 3 game.

Online play for the game will also be supported via the existing adhoc party for PlayStation Portable software on PlayStation 3. Sony has indicated that not all games in the line will necessary enjoy all these options as standard.

Although Sony has not confirmed any additional titles for the PSP Remaster line, games in the HD Classics range have included first party titles such as God of War and Sly Racoon, as well as third party franchises including Prince of Persia and Tomb Raider.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...r-line-for-ps3 ...

A Sony website in Thailand has been hacked and virtual points stolen in Japan, as the company suffers two new attacks - although the PlayStation Network itself has not been affected.

A link to a fake site purporting to be an Italian credit card company was added to the Sony website, with the hackers attempting to trick customers into revealing card and personal information.

The incident was proceeded by a separate attack on Thursday, with Sony's So-Net Internet service provider revealing that hackers had infiltrated their system and stolen ¥100,000 ($1,225/€875) worth of "virtual points" from account holders.

"What we've done is stopped the So-Net points exchanges and told customers to change their passwords," said So-Net in a statement.

"At this point in our investigations, we have not confirmed any data leakage. We have not found any sign of a possibility that a third party has obtained members' names, address, birth dates and phone numbers," added the company.

The incidents are the most serious since attacks last month that compromised up to 100 million PlayStation Network and Station.com accounts. Although some PlayStation Network services have now been restored the PlayStation Store is still out of service.

"Sony is going through a pretty rigorous process and finding the holes to fill," said Josh Shaul, CTO for computer security firm Application Security in a Reuters interview.

"The hackers are going through the same process and they're putting their fingers in the holes faster than Sony can fill them," he added. "I think it's now 'I'm a hacker and I'm bored, let's go after Sony.'"

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