Archive for March, 2009

EA Sports Active: Is This, Gasp, EA’s #1 New IP?No Comments

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When big game releases come out I usually get called for interviews by mainstream reporters. That happened last Spring for Wii Fit.  On those calls I told writers it was only a matter of time until we heard about consumers losing hundreds of pounds on the Balance Board.  In retrospect that probably never happened – otherwise Nintendo would be rolling those biggest losers out on the talkshow circuit.  Still, Wii Fit must be doing something right to stay at the top of the NPD sales charts.  Maybe the mere idea of getting fit is intoxicating enough.

Which brings me to EA Sports Active.  Let me tell you about the game “home fitness product.”  Last week in San Francisco EA showed the game “product” to the game press for the first time.  I strapped on the leg strap (which snugly fits the Nunchuck to track lower body movements), picked up the Wiimote, and spent a good 5 minutes going through a high-intensity workout that included boxing and in line skating.  As EA Sports PR rep Jen Riley reported on Twitter, yes, I even broke a sweat.  (She is forgiven for this disclosure since she impressed me by correctly spelling my last name on the Wii menu, unaided).

My early review? It seems like EA Sports Active’s more aggressive approach to fitness is the perfect counter to Wii Fit’s focus on yoga and balance.  The visuals even look quite good for a Wii game. I was impressed with the product, its level of customization and ultimately, its market potential. Maybe there will be a “biggest loser” for EA Sports Active.  (Let’s hope it happens before THQ ships the official “Biggest Loser” game this Fall).

But here’s where it’s about to get really weird.  For all the chatter about Mirror’s Edge and Dead Space being great new intellectual properties for EA, could EA Sports Active actually be the company’s #1 new IP for 2009?  As the Killers intone on their latest CD, yes, “This is the world that we live. I feel myself get tired.”  Now you understand why THQ has that Biggest Loser game coming, and Ubisoft’s quick-to-market Gold’s Gym game was announced the week before it shipped. (To be honest we did not aggressively pursue this world exclusive for GTTV, so maybe it was announced earlier).  But wait…in the midst of all this fitness hysteria you really have to wonder WHERE THE HECK is Richard Simmons? Dude, you need a new agent, stat!

One final thought: I’m not sure I buy the whole idea of a “virtual trainer.”  I think most Americans would rather learn a routine and then work out to music or TV, not canned “Good job!” commentary as you hear in Active.  Which begs the question: Are Steve Schnur and his team at EA Trax going to deliver a custom soundtrack for Active?  Or if you really want to get progressive, imagine being able to import your Rock Band songs and listen to them while you work out.

And now I return you to your regularly scheduled hardcore gaming. At least until EA Sports Cooking arrives.

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Bonus Round at DICE Episode 1 is Live3 Comments

This week The Bonus Round heads to DICE 2009 for a conversation with Mike Snider from USA Today, Alex Evans, co-creator of LittleBigPlanet, and ex-Newsweek journalist N’Gai Croal.  In this first part of our conversation we discuss the state of the console war, get into downloadable content, and even discuss how fans impact game designers via Twitter.  This is a great 4 part discussion with three smart guys in the business. Our discussion about DLC is especially interesting with some real fresh thinking put forward by our panelists.

[Bonus Round at DICE]

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Rockstar: The Kings of SwagNo Comments

GTA: Chinatown Wars ChopsticksAs a game journalist I tend to receive a fair amount of swag. These aren’t trinkets I request, but nevertheless seem to accompany game review copies. Sometimes, though, they come on their own.  Last week, for instance, I received a “Hulkamania” bandanna  with a fact sheet to promote WWE Legends of Wrestling. (The game, I guess, comes later).

About a decade ago the level of swag was ridiculous.  Almost every day I would received 2-3 Hanes XL Beefy-Ts plastered with a game logo in either black or white.  The shirts were invariably too large for me to wear, so I ended up giving them away, packing them up, or, in some cases, using them as cleaning rags. (My apologies if I used your game’s shirt for this purpose).  Lately, perhaps because of the faltering economy, the flow of swag has slowed down. Hanes must be pissed.

In the universe of swag, the smartest game company is Rockstar Games.  Take, for example, my review copy of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars.  It arrived the other day and yes, it arrived with a t-shirt.  The good news: It was a Medium, which I can actually wear.  But I’ve saved the coolest swag for last: GTA Chinatown Wars mini-chopsticks, which double as a stylus for the DS.  For mini-chopsticks they are, if I do say so myself, immacuately constructed. They feature the GTA logo along the side, and even a Rockstar logo on the top.  And they come in an authentic paper chopstick carrying case.  Yes, perhaps I am obsessed with them.  But after a couple decades of bad swag, the good stuff inspires me.

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Watch GTTV on Alpha Protocol, The Pitt1 Comment

We’ve now posted this week’s GameTrailers TV episode.  We filmed down at Obsidian Entertainment in Irvine, CA and focuses on Alpha Protocol, a new action/RPG.  It definitely feels a lot like BioWare’s Mass Effect, but I’m intrigued by the combination of action and storytelling.  The real question is whether Obsidian will be able to deliver the quality of third-person action we expect from a shooter like Gears of War 2.  (Feargus, the head of the studio, says they are using the Unreal Engine to make sure the action feels good).  But the concept is dead-on: A Jason Bourne-style action/adventure with deep dialogue and RPG elements.  The game is expected to come out this Fall and I’ll be watching it closely.

This week you’ll also see the first trailer for The Pitt, the new Fallout 3 DLC coming out on March 27th.  This one is set in Pittsburgh, and, as you’ll see from the trailer, has a very different vibe from Fallout 3 and the recent Alaska-themed expansion.  A lot of companies are experimenting with different DLC models, but so far I am impressed with the frequency and variety of Bethesda’s approach.  The real question is how long fans will stay interested in paying for new Fallout missions.  From talking to Todd Howard at DICE, I get the feeling Bethesda is planning more than just the first batch of 3 DLC packs, assuming of course, the fans keep downloading them.

Stay tuned for news on next week’s episode of GTTV, which we just filmed in Madison, Wisconsin.  We’ll be going behind the scenes of WOLFENSTEIN, a long-awaited game that I first heard about back in 2005.  It’s going to be worth the wait though, and you’ll see a trailer, cutscenes, and a brand new trailer during the show.  Yes, that’s right: an id/Raven game with it’s own cutcenes.  And they look great.  More details soon.

[GameTrailers TV Episode 205]

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Alpha Protocol, Fallout, and Ghostbusters on GTTV2 Comments

This week’s GTTV is all about the new spy-action-RPG Alpha Protocol. The game comes from Obsidian Entertainment, creators of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II and Neverwinter Nights 2. We’ll be world premiering a ton of gameplay footage, an epic new 2 minute trailer, and learning more about the ladies man achievement.

You’ll also see some great world exclusives, including the first-ever look at the trailer for THE PITT, the new Fallout 3 DLC coming out at the end of the Month. And we’ve got the exclusive on a new, never-before-seen boss in Ghostbusters: The Videogame.

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Fallout 3 The Pitt DLC Trailer on GTTV This Friday1 Comment

Fallout 3's The Pitt DLC

We’re excited to announce that this Friday’s GTTV will include the world premiere trailer for The Pitt, the new Fallout 3 DLC for Xbox 360.  The trailer looks great, and once again the team at Bethesda has come up with a DLC pack that feels completely different from the original game and the recent Operation Anchorage.

We will have more details on this week’s GTTV on Wednesday, but get ready for a blowout episode on Alpha Protocol, the new action-RPG from Obisidian Entertainment, creators of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II.

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