via Eurogamer


Jeff Minter has said he is currently working on redesigning PC scrolling-shooter Gridrunner++ for Live Arcade.

It will be a "much more involved game" than the previous version, according to his blog, and feature sparkly new graphics and new three dimensional shapes.

Gridrunner++ is a, yes, psychedelic shooter where you control a little spaceship with your mouse. It continually fires vertically as you scroll through different levels, where you have to blow up nasties using various collected power-ups.

Minter already has it working on the 360 pad, and is currently ironing out gameplay details before he works on the pretty side of things.

Until then, you can head over to his Llamasoft site to download the demo of Gridrunner++ for a taste of what to expect. Or you can pop over to his Stinkygoat livejournal to keep up to date with how the animals on his farm are doing or how fancy his new iPod Touch is.

Jeff Minter and Llamasoft recently released Space Giraffe on Live Arcade, which received a mixed bag of reviews for its often over-crowded scenery - causing simple people like me to wonder what on Earth had just killed me. ...

via Games Industry


The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, in association with PC World, is inviting the UK public to vote for their favourite games.

The inaugural PC World Gamers' Award, to be presented at BAFTA's 2007 Video Games Awards, is the only game to be voted for by the public at this year's ceremony taking place on Tuesday 23 October at Battersea Evolution in Battersea Park, London.

The list of finalists is as follows:

• Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (DS) (Nintendo/Nintendo)
• FIFA 07 (PS2) (EA Canada/Electronic Arts)
• Football Manager 2007 (PC) (Sports Interactive/SEGA)
• Gears of War (Xbox 360) (Epic Games/Microsoft)
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (PSP) (Rockstar Leeds/Take Two)
• Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3) (Insomniac/Sony Computer Entertainment Europe)
• Wii Play (Wii) (Nintendo/Nintendo)

The public can vote for the award here. Each eligible voter will be entered into a drawing to win prizes including four pairs of tickets to the Awards show, a day at EA's development studios, a PS3, an Xbox 360, a DS lite, the top 10 chart games, and 3 Pyramat wireless gaming chairs.

"The great thing about the PC World Gamers' Award shortlist is that it reflects the real diversity of games being played by the public," said Hilary Bevan Jones, chairman of the Academy, "and I am sure everyone will look forward to tuning in to watch the ceremony on November 4 at 11pm on E4 to see which one is victorious."

The Academy will recognise excellence in Artistic Achievement, Technical Achievement, Gameplay, Innovation, Original Score, Use of Audio, and Story and Character as well as achievements in the genres of Action and Adventure, Casual, Multiplayer, Sports, Strategy and Simulation in addition to Best Game.

"We are extremely proud to be once again associated with these great awards, and this year as headline sponsor," said Chris McShane, head of trading for PC World.

"Working within the gaming industry is extremely exciting and this year's awards will show the best of the industry’s talent – may the best games win!" ...

via Eurogamer


Microsoft and BioWare have opened up the Mass Effect Limited Collector's Edition box to show us all what's inside.

First out is an essential guide to the universe known as a Galactic Codex. In here you will find all sorts of details about aliens and places you should visit as you save humanity. You can get a taste of what to expect on the Galactic Codex part of the official site.

Next to be wrestled from the box of memorabilia is an art book made up of concept sketches of the future, which have helped BioWare piece together a convincing sci-fi world. Some will be good, others may have been drawn by me.

And last but not least is obligatory DVD featuring videos focusing on storytelling, art, and general behind the scenes bits and pieces.

It's enough to make you want to wipe out all organic life in the galaxy every 50,000 years, which, coincidentally, is exactly what you're trying to prevent in the game.

You can find out much more about this hotly awaited role-playing game in our Mass Effect gamepage - like an interview with BioWare boss Greg Zeschuck, or over on the official website.

Failing that, you can always phone me up and ask.

Mass Effect will be released exclusively for Xbox 360 on 23rd November. ...

via Eurogamer


This week Sony has added a quartet of demos to the European PlayStation Store, as well as a pair wallpapers and a batch of trailers.

Jericho leads the playable foursome, followed by Stuntman: Ignition, Bladestorm and Skate tasters, while trailers look like numerous GRAW 2 bits and bobs and a look at shooter Haze in action. Elsewhere you can expect to pretty things up with new Blast Factor and flOw wallpapers.

Cast a quick glance across the pond to the US and you will see they were treated to Go! Sports Ski for USD 2.99, as well as demos for The Simpsons and Bladestorm.

They also got tutorial videos for NBA 08 and Eye of Judgement, interview footage with Haze developer Free Radical, behind the scenes footage for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, and Tekkonkinkreet and Surf's Up trailers.

Eurogamer TV has plenty more than that, pop pickers. ...

via Games Industry


Codemasters has signed with Templar Publishing to produce games based on its best-selling Ology books.

The UK publisher will create titles based on the 14 million-selling series, with Dragonology, Wizardology and Pirateology the first three titles confirmed for the Nintendo Wii and DS.

"Extending Codemasters' reach in the family entertainment category, this alliance with Templar further demonstrates the continued growth and diversification of our portfolio," said Barry Jafrato, senior vice president of brand at Codemasters.

The Wii titles will be focused on action gaming, while the DS counterparts are to include more exploration gameplay. Dragonology will be the first title released, due in the second half of 2008.

...

via Games Industry


Microsoft has revealed that global sales of Halo 3 have reached over USD 300 million [£147m] in its first week of release.

And the company claims that according to retail sources, sales of Xbox 360 hardware have more than doubled compared with the weekly average.


Microsoft stats reveal that more than 2.7 million people have played Halo 3 over Xbox Live in the past week, with the first day of release seeing a total of 3.6 million hours of online play, increasing to 40 million hours by the end of the first week. ...

via Games Industry


Nintendo US has announced a plan to give away 500 tree seedlings to buyers in the US of its DS title Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol.

The game, according to George Harrison, outgoing US senior VP of marketing and corporate communications, "represents one of the first environmentally themed videogame adventures."

In order to be in with a chance of winning a free tree, owners of the game must register at a special web site before November 9.

Winners will be selected at random on November 15, which is America Recycles Day, and those 500 will receive the seedling to plant "in their community." ...

via Games Industry


According to a trade media outlet in Italy, several retailers in the territory have confirmed details of the rumoured new PlayStation 3 SKU.

The new product will allegedly be released on October 10 in Italy, with a retail price of EUR 399 (GBP 276, USD 563).

The unit will feature a 40GB hard drive, two USB slots, but have no provision for PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility.

While the industry anticipates an announcement from the Corporation soon regarding the PlayStation 3 in Europe, no details have yet been confirmed, and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe won't be commenting until any announcement is made. ...

via Games Industry


Capcom has said that its focus on software development for Sony products will now shift to titles for the PlayStation 3.

Previously, Capcom has dedicated the majority of its efforts on PlayStation 2 games. But according to a report by Jiji Press, the publisher now intends to develop more PlayStation 3 titles from next year.

Company president Haruhiro Tsujimoto has also said that the publisher will continue to develop multiplatform titles in order to maximise profits.

Capcom has already brought a number of successful new IPs to market via the Xbox 360, with both Lost Planet: Extreme Condition and Dead Rising becoming big sellers in Japan, the US and Europe. ...