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Jack Thompson Pays His Bills - Tells Internet
by Kim Fidler | 11/20/08 | 7:26 PM PST

To former disbarred Florida attorney, Jack Thompson, money ain't a thang. Not sure why but he sent a letter to Kotaku earlier today to let the Florida Bar know that he paid the $42,525 he owed for fees and was not going to pay any interest. I'm guessing he sent it to Kotaku for the sole purpose of telling the world that he had $42,525 to throw around like he was 2pac or something.

Dear Chief Justice Quince:
Please advise today what you and the Court have done with my check for $42,525.27 that was sent you on November 6 to be held in trust by the Supreme Court.

I find today, in talking with my bank, that the check has not been negotiated. I'm not paying any interest on this amount. You all had it from me on the date it was due.

Regards, Jack Thompson -- Kotaku

Thanks Jack! Now start living your life like a human being and quit clogging up my Internet tubes with your stupid looking old man face.

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Capcom Asks Which Games They Should Bring Back
by David Oxford | 11/20/08 | 5:07 PM PST

Recently, ScrewAttack.com posted the following Top 10 video on GameTrailers, counting down the games they thought needed to be revisited:



Capcom got word of this, and so this was asked:

After giving Capcom the props for revisiting games like Bionic Commando and of course Street Fighter, he mentions a few things I'd personally like to see (like Starfox!), as well as a bunch of choices from the Capcom stable, including Power Stone, Strider, and... I won't give away their #1 choice.

But really? People want that? We had no idea! Anyway, tell us, what games do YOU think Capcom should revisit? -- Seth Killian, Capcom*Unity

I've got just two words for ya'... or is it three? It's kind of funny like that. Anyway:

MegaMan. Legends.

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Ad Agency and CG Effects Behind Guitar Hero Bike Video
by David Oxford | 11/20/08 | 3:47 PM PST



Yesterday, we had posted the above video of a guy playing Guitar Hero by riding his bike... or something, I have no idea how the hell that would even begin to work.

Anyway, Phil added his thoughts, "Even though the person who uploaded this to YouTube is supposedly just a fan, I have to wonder if Activision wasn't involved in this."

And hey, guess what? They were!

"Madflux," as many of you surmised, does not exist.

According to Creativity Online, it was ad agency Droga5 and a production company named Smuggler who won that internet instead — and on Activision's behalf. A quick check of Droga5's client list confirms that Guitar Hero World Tour is among those brands the firm services, and the video's credits include a CG artist, a CG supervisor, and an Animation supervisor in addition to several visual effect specialists. -- Gamecyte

A little food for thought, after the cut.

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Are the Days of EGM Magazine Numbered?
by David Oxford | 11/20/08 | 3:32 PM PST

The Electronic Gaming Monthly cover to your right boldy proclaims "The Future of Video Games," but according to Ziff Davis Chief Executive Jason Young, it's possible that a print version of EGM may no longer be a part of that future.

The word came during an announcement Wednesday that the publisher would be ending the print run of its 27-year old publication, PC Magazine, where Young stated "the viability for us to continue to publish in print just isn't there anymore."

Mr. Young said the company was considering taking its other print magazine, the video-game publication Electronic Gaming Monthly, into an online-only format, but would not make a decision before the end of the year. -- The New York Times

He also pointed out that online had been [PC Magazine]'s primary focus for some time now -- a situation which is potentially mirrored with EGM. Ziff Davis currently operates games-oriented site 1UP.com, which already functions as EGM online.

The magazine and website share content and writers freely. In fact, they some time ago moved to end the distinction between online and print editors, moving its editorial staff into a more generalized pool that works on both properties. EGM also currently maintains a branded presence on the 1UP website. -- Gamasutra

This news was preceded earlier this year by Ziff Davis closing its last non-EGM gaming magazine, Games for Windows, moving it online as a part of the website.

In the NY Times article, PCMag Digital Network Editor Lance Ulanoff said that "all content goes online first, and print has been cherry-picking for some time what it wants for the print edition." With that in mind, it's of little surprise that people may not want to pay for the same articles they've already read in print.

Assuming it lasts that long, Summer 2009 will mark the magazine's 20th anniversary. While it's not quite what it used to be, I would still hate to see such an institution of this hobby and industry fall.

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Nominate Kombo for a Weblog Award!
by Phillip Levin | 11/20/08 | 1:41 PM PST



If you enjoy reading Kombo, we ask that you please nominate us for a Weblog Award. You have until tomorrow (Friday), and it only takes a minute to do so.

Nominations in the following awards would be appreciated:

Best New Blog
Hidden Gem Blog
Best Up-and-Coming Blog

Just copy and paste the following into their comments to nominate us:

Kombo
http://www.kombo.com/
http://www.kombo.com/rss/xml/kombo_news.xml

Thank you!

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Almost 50% of Consumers Plan to Buy a New Console on Black Friday
by David Oxford | 11/20/08 | 11:55 AM PST



Black Friday is generally about two things: Getting great deals, and beating the hell out of anyone in your way to get them.

This year, however, they seem to be about something else: Buying new video game consoles.

As the above graph from Consumer Reports (via Gizmodo) shows, 46 percent of consumers who will be braving the fury of Black Friday are going to be on the hunt for a brand new video game console, which in spite of the economy, is a 17 percent increase from 2007.

So even though some companies are folding amidst shaky financial reports, it seems that the people still want their games.

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Square Enix US President Declares Time of Platform Exclusives Over
by David Oxford | 11/20/08 | 9:58 AM PST

Following the announcement of the opening of a new studio in LA, Square Enix US President John Yamamoto spoke about console exclusives, and how their time is over.

"I really believe so. Not so long ago the PS2 dominated the market so if we developed an exclusive game for PS2 then we could enjoy a very good profit. But that time is already over. To maximise and spread our games to as many users as possible I think we have to go to multiformat – the Xbox 360, PS3 and also the PC as well.

"The Japanese market is very strong and back when we could concentrate on developing games for just one console, business was very good. But the one-console market is over," said Yamamoto. -- GamesIndustry.biz

As such, he told GamesIndustry.biz that the new branch would be focusing on digital titles:

"All formats – Xbox Live, WiiWare, PlayStation Network – are all viable formats for us," said Yamamoto. "We started the in-house development team a couple of months ago and we're starting with downloadable content because the team is still small.

"Gradually, I want to expand that team, and also evaluate lots of middleware, because western middleware is much more advanced compared to Japanese middleware. So we will study and feed back information to Square Enix in Japan." -- GamesIndustry.biz

Yamamoto adds that some, but not all, Japanese developers tend to focus too greatly on the domestic market, thus missing global opportunities. This is clearly where the new US studio is meant to help Square Enix become a better global competitor.

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Gamer Plays Guitar Hero While Riding Bike
by Phillip Levin | 11/19/08 | 9:23 PM PST

Can you play Guitar Hero while riding a bike? Probably not. But this guy can.



Even though the person who uploaded this to YouTube is supposedly just a fan, I have to wonder if Activision wasn't involved in this.

[Thanks to reader John Moore for the tip!]

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Solid Snake Inspires Prisoner to Escape Using Cardboard Box
by Matt Furtado | 11/19/08 | 5:47 PM PST

Solid Snake is an inspiration to us all. Of course, he inspires some of us in ways we never deemed possible. A Turkish man has taken to heart the teachings of Solid Snake and used his stealth tactics to his own avail.

The man hid in the box at the end of a shift of his prison job of making stationery and was carried out by a courier service along with other boxes. The inmate then cut through a tarp in the truck and jumped out shortly after the vehicle left the prison grounds. The driver eventually noticed the tarp flapping in the wind and reported the cut to the police. -- BBC

Dare I say: Mission Complete.

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Pro Gaming Leagues: Another One Bites the Dust
by David Oxford | 11/19/08 | 4:32 PM PST

Friends, we gather here today to mourn the passing of yet another professional gaming league, the Championship Gaming Series, who now follows the CPL and World Series of Video Games into the great beyond.

According to them, it was not yet their time, but the almighty works in mysterious ways.

Today BSkyB, STAR and DIRECTV ended their Championship Gaming Series® (CGS) business.

While the concept was ahead of its time and we are extremely proud of what we've accomplished, it became increasingly clear as this ambitious project evolved, that profitability was too far in the future for us to sustain operations in the interim.

Our goal was to be ahead of the curve in the e-sports space, and we conceived of CGS as a true sports league. We invested wholeheartedly in the venture and presented viewers with a top-notch production, but the economics just didn't add up for us at this time.

Our only regret is that we will lose a team of creative and talented individuals who invested their hearts and souls into Championship Gaming Series. We recognize their achievements and thank them for their hard work and passion.

BSkyB, STAR and DIRECTV continue to be committed to the video games sector, which is an important part of many of our customers' lives and a great source of entertainment.

Sincerely,

The CGS team

Ok, dropping the charade, I'll admit that I never really watched them that much. And by that, I mean "at all." I just find that competitive gaming doesn't hold the same charm it once did with the Nintendo World Championships and the movie The Wizard (now available on DVD). Even then, watching was kind of "meh." (And as an aside to my Firefox spell checker, "meh" is now officially a word. Look it up.)

CGS showed off competitions in different games, including World of Warcraft, FIFA, Counter-Strike: Source, and Dead or Alive 4, only one of which I have any interest in, so its odds weren't exactly great in getting my attention as it is.

Is there anyone who did watch? Is there anyone who watched and quit? Anything you can think of that might liven such events up?

One thing's for sure: I bet the kid who dropped out of school to play Guitar Hero and eat chicken sandwiches is sweating just a bit right now.

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Study Reveals Which System's Market is the Largest of All-- and It's Not Wii
by David Oxford | 11/19/08 | 3:56 PM PST

Everyone wants to be the top dog in video gaming. Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft... but none of them have the largest chunk of the market. Well, maybe Microsoft, in a roundabout way.

A study, part of which can be found here and the report purchased here (I'll watch how fast you go) claims that the PC market is worth $20 billion, and that number will rise to $34 billion before 2012. And since 2005, there have been more gaming PCs shipped than units of Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 combined.

This is the conclusion of a study from research group JPR. In the group's latest report – called The PC Gaming Market – JPR calculates that there are three classes of PC gaming machines and together, from Q3 2005 until Q3 2008, 196 million of these units were shipped. The study also estimated by comparison that 74.7m PS3s, Wiis and 360s have been shipped worldwide.

The research, however, does not include sales of Nintendo DS units nor PSPs, which together have sold around 125m units worldwide. Nevertheless, due in part to the mushrooming Asian market, the study believes that "the PC gaming market is bigger, worth more money, growing faster, and has better technology than the console market." -- EDGE Online

In a way, it sort of makes all the fanboy bickering seem kind of futile, doesn't it? "None of us is better than the rest of us," or something to that effect.

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Ignition Entertainment to Bring The King of Fighters XII to US & Europe in '09
by David Oxford | 11/19/08 | 9:52 AM PST



Excellent news, as one might gather from the teaser trailer above; Ignition Entertainment is bringing The King of Fighters XII to consoles in the US and Europe in 2009. Sadly, that's really just about all they have to say in their press release, plus the following:

In celebration of its landmark 15th Anniversary, The King of Fighters XII — one of the last great arcade 3-on-3 fighter games — is about to get even greater. For the first time in its history, this ultimate fighting game has undergone a complete graphical overhaul. All sprites used over the past 14 years have been dropped and replaced with new 2D high definition, high resolution sprites, on detailed 2D backgrounds, drawn 100% by hand.

"Dreams never die!" said Ajay Chadha, President of Ignition Entertainment. "I've been a huge The King of Fighters fan since 1994 when the game first debuted and I know original fans will be as excited as I am about this groundbreaking installment of this very popular series. And just as importantly, The King of Fighters XII should be a treat for the new gamers who've just been introduced to the hugely popular franchise." -- Press Release

Hopefully we'll hear more about this-- prices, release dates, platforms (watch Wii get left out)-- sooner, rather than later.

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EA Ends North American Football Monopoly
by Blake Grundman | 11/19/08 | 4:53 AM PST

After three years of football supremacy in North America, EA has decided to punt their Arena Football license. Though EA had the option to extend their contract with the redheaded stepchild equivalent of the NFL, they made the conscious decision not to do so. Adding insult to injury, EA is also pulling all print and television ads.

"EA Sports and the Arena Football League have opted not to extend the exclusivity agreement to develop video games based on the sports license," a rep told GameSpot.

Word of the separation first surfaced in yesterday's edition of The Sports Business Journal, which revealed that EA was negotiating for NFL exclusivity seven months before the agreement was made public in 2004. The respected athletic-industry trade also reports that EA will not exercise an option to invest in the AFL, an option it had under the exclusive game-licensing deal that the two signed in January 2005. -- GameSpot

It is hard to tell if this was a cost cutting measure or a giant, "Screw You" to the Arena Football League. I wouldn't be too worried about it though, because if you played either of the mediocre games that the contract produced, you would agree that it might be best off dead. Who knows, this may be a chance for 2k Sports to get back to making good football games.

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EA Shuts Down Non-Existent Blueprint Division
by Kim Fidler | 11/18/08 | 7:38 PM PST

EA is having such a great time laying people off they're even killing off components of the company that "never existed." Variety has just reported that included in EA's latest round of layoffs was the covert division/entity/ghost known as Blueprint. Blueprint was rumored to be working on 3 unannounced Steven Spielberg games and according to Variety's Ben Fritz, the Blueprint model is currently being utilized in development of Boom Blox 2. Wait... BOOM BLOX 2!? Gimme gimme!

Because it was a start-up unit, Blueprint required lots of investment from EA for the technology it needed to make distributed development work. Apparently it couldn't get alot of those resources, which is one of the reasons it didn't do a lot beyond the Armature deal and "Boom Blox 2" (now part of EA's merged casual/Sims label). After Young left this fall and Louis Castle took over Blueprint, I'm told, more staffers departed and the unit lost further momentum. With the most recent round of layoffs, the last employees working for Blueprint were let go and Castle segued to a new role at EALA. The division was never officially killed. Its games are still ongoing. But with nobody working for Blueprint anymore, it simply doesn't exist. -- Variety

Go check out Fritz's write up on the disassembly of Blueprint to get the whole story. It's actually a pretty interesting read and it almost makes me want to forgive him for taking a royal dump Mirror's Edge. Almost.

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Maxim Counts Down the 7 Greatest Faceless Announcers in Video Games
by David Oxford | 11/18/08 | 12:40 PM PST

Of potential interest to some of you reading this is a new Maxim article which counts down the "7 Greatest Faceless Announcers in Video Games."

With game companies scrambling to secure rights of top flight celebrities (and John Madden) for voiceovers, cameo appearances, and other marginally related uses of their fame, some of the most memorable contributions in gamedom have come from the anonymous dudes with vocal 'tudes. We've sifted through all the mouth pollution and pulled out our favorites. -- Maxim

Some pretty good choices make the list, including some longtime forgotten voices (NBA Jam, anyone? "Boomshakalaka!"). But what disappoints me is that the announcer from Super Smash Bros. didn't make it.

I dispute the Mortal Kombat guy, however; isn't that supposed to be Shao Kahn, thus not really making him "faceless?" Then again, he does wear a mask...

I'd throw in the voice from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade games, but I think that's supposed to be a generic "any" Turtle, so I guess that wouldn't count.

Can you think of any worthwhile faceless announcers who didn't make the list?