January 2009 Archives

AFTER successfully launching the country's first online racing casual game, online game publisher Level Up! is adding a new Filipino-themed map in Crazy Kart. The "'Pinas Map" features famous landmarks spread along the track. It includes digitized 3D images of the Fort Santiago Tunnel, the Rizal Monument and the Manila Cathedral. In one part of the map, a hazy image of an island that looks like the rocky Corregidor Island can be seen. Another part of the track includes a stretch that looks like the road going up Baguio City, which actually leads to the Banawe Rice Terraces. In a humorous twist, Level Up! developers added some potholes reminiscent of the damaged parts of EDSA. They even added look-alikes of steel sidewalk barricades placed by the Metro Manila Development Authority. The company had previously incorporated Filipino vehicles as playable units in the game. Among these are the FX taxi, an owner-type jeep and the ubiquitous jeepney. They later added the CK Drift Kart, which is based on a real-life Nissan Cefiro drift car that the company modified as part of their marketing strategy for Crazy Kart. Another element in the game is the addition of an original Filipino song entitled "Crazy Karter Sweet Lover" performed by Ang Bandang Shirley. Level Up! Crazy Kart Brand Manager Jeff Paulino said the idea behind the Pinas Map is to create more excitement for Filipino players of Crazy Kart and to package the game as the "pambansang [national] casual racing game." He said that since they incorporated "Taglish" as part of the localization of the game, the number of players have increased to over 1 million registered users. In a month, Crazy Kart has more than 700,000 unique users (or more than 100,000 unique users daily) playing the game, Paulino added. "The drawing point of the game is both its incorporation of the Filipino language – a first among our games – and the ease of playing it. We've had players as young as four and parents enjoy watching their kids play as much as they play themselves." Paulino said they are looking to create and release more Filipino-themed maps soon. Watch this video report:

By Agence France-Presse LOS ANGELES--Lara Croft is set to return in a new movie based on the "Tomb Raider" video games but Angelina Jolie is unlikely to reprise her role as the gun-toting archeologist, reports said Wednesday. According to The Hollywood Reporter, studio giant Warner Bros. is in the early stages of developing a third film in the franchise following movies in 2001 and 2003 derived from the 1996 video game. However the report in the entertainment industry journal said Oscar-nominated actress Jolie was unlikely to return for the role. The new project was expected to revamp the character of Croft, the report said, with the film bearing little resemblance to the earlier movies. The first two "Tomb Raider" films grossed roughly 430 million dollars worldwide.

NEWLY established online game publisher iAM Interactive announced its new unified account management system for its existing and upcoming online game titles. The iAM Wallet will serve players of Lineage II and all future free-to-play online games, one of which is the mecha-anime inspired game Exteel. It will become fully operational on February 17. The iAM Wallet will be used in countries that the company is serving, namely the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia. In a statement, iAM Interactive, which is the gaming division of Asian Media Development Group (AMDG), said one feature of the new user account management service is the use of "iCoins" or the currency for game-related transactions. Using iCoins, players can purchase game time, in-game items and use these for value-added services such as server transfer, gender change, name change, among others. AMDG announced the establishment of the new game division in December 2008. iAM Interactive President Fadzly Yusof told hackenslash previously that they will be introducing two other games sometime this year, both of which will be free-to-play.

By Agence France-Presse EMERYVILLE--A "Spore" computer game that lets people play God by designing life forms is evolving to offer versions tailored for children, space hunters, and fans of Nintendo Wii consoles. A brainchild of game legend Will Wright, maker of the world's top-selling computer game "The Sims," "Spore" has attracted legions of players since its release by Electronic Arts-owned Maxis studio in September of last year. "We were overwhelmed by the massive response to the game from the millions of people that created, shared and played in the 'Spore' universe," said Maxis general manager Lucy Bradshaw. "This year we're going to experiment with new experiences that extend the powerful creativity tools of 'Spore' to all-new audiences. With the universe as our backdrop, the only limit in the Spore universe is your own imagination." By mid-year Maxis will release "Spore Galactic Adventures" software that expands an inter-stellar exploration portion of the game, in which players develop microscopic life forms into cosmos-traveling civilizations. The "Spore" expansion pack will let players "beam" down to planets and embark on missions, some of which they think up themselves. A stand-alone "Spore Creature Keeper" computer game aimed at children centers on nurturing, teaching and playing with creatures they create. "Spore" will make videogame device debuts with versions tailored for Wii consoles and Nintendo's DS handheld gaming gizmos. "Spore Hero Arena" for DS will let players create 3D virtual species and "take them into battle with an array of other creatures across the galaxy," according to Electronic Arts. More than 65 million creatures have been created by players since "Spore" was released by Maxis, which is based in Emeryville, California, near San Francisco. Players start as microscopic life forms competing for survival in primordial ooze and work their way onto land, where they evolve into creatures that build civilizations and rocket into space. Creatures can be made to have scales, fins, wings, claws, extra appendages, additional eyes, or body parts in unexpected places. The online game's programming gives characters artificial intelligence and creatures can pass on virtual genes to their progeny and build civilizations with cities, governments and economies. In a computer game first, "Spore" worlds are inhabited by aliens made by players instead of professional video game programmers. Players can add their creations to an online "Sporepedia" to share with others and record videos of their aliens in action and upload them to YouTube.

THE Philippines saw good growth in the overall gaming industry last year. Despite looming economic slowdown in the country, gaming companies are not worried. The online game business in the country is the most successful segment in the gaming business, as it capitalized on Filipino’s community approach. Millions of Filipinos are playing online games published by companies such as Level Up!, IP e-Games and Amped Games. There are several other publishers that have introduced new games in 2008. But the economic slowdown looms. IPVG chief executive officer Enrique Gonzales said the economic slowdown might mean less disposable income for gamers and a slowdown in Internet usage among Filipinos. “Publishers will be more prudent in their aggressiveness in licensing and launching content,” he said. IPVG is the parent company of IP e-Games. Gonzales said the company is looking at a 30-percent growth for their online game business. But he believed that the negative effects of the economic slowdown will be compensated by the perception that online gaming is an affordable entertainment. “So all in all, online gaming is one of the ‘safe havens’ or sectors least affected by an economic downturn,” he said. Jake San Diego, marketing director for game publishing firm Level Up! Philippines, said the free-to-play model would still play a big factor in the survivability of online gaming businesses. San Diego agreed online gaming is an inexpensive and more convenient form of entertainment. The Level Up! Philippines executive said the company is looking at releasing new content that would grow the business in 2009. This means targeting newer markets that have yet to be tapped, he added. Meanwhile, Filipino game development firms are taking a cautious stance in 2009. Industry organization Game Development Association of the Philippines (GDAP) is preparing for 2009, according to Gabby Dizon, GDAP President. Dizon, also president of game development company Flipside Games, said they are monitoring effects of the economic slowdown but believe the industry is more resilient. Local game developers are also hoping to get some windfall from offshore outsourcing projects from bigger development companies. “We’re not seeing a rapid drop off of activity that other sectors may be facing. Cautious optimism is our guidance for 2009,” Dizon said. Niel Dagondon, co-founder Filipino game developer Anino Entertainment, added some offshore projects were postponed or cancelled. This has forced them to fight for fewer projects. “Many game publishers are also having difficulty meeting payment obligations which would mean we have to tighten our belts,” Dagondon said. Dagondon said Anino Entertainment is holding back on hiring new people until they have found new projects. “We have also examined our operations and will be shifting business models, which would result in having leaner operations during the dry season,” he said. Amid the expected economic slowdown this year, executives in the video gaming business remain optimistic. San Diego said Level Up! Philippines is waiting for Rohan Online and Hello Kitty launch in the Philippines. Gonzales, on the other hand, said he is hoping to see the latest Hitman game, Tekken 6 and Grand Theft Auto IV for the PS3 this year. Meanwhile, Dagondon said he is wishing for the games Spore and Fallout 3 to arrive soon. Dizon, for his part, said he is interested in the Apple iPhone as a gaming platform and wishes that some Filipinos would create games for this platform.

By Reuters SAN FRANCISCO -- Microsoft Corp sold 28 million units worldwide of its Xbox 360 video game console through the end of 2008, expanding the Xbox's lead over rival Sony Corp's PlayStation 3 console in worldwide unit sales, the company said on Monday. Xbox 360 product management director Aaron Greenberg said 2008 "was our biggest year ever in Xbox history" despite a sluggish global economy that's battered US retailers this past holiday season. Rising unemployment and tighter credit have dented US consumers' purchasing power and most retailers have posted dismal sales results in recent months. Despite problems by some publishers, the video game industry overall has bucked the trend as market researcher NPD said video games sales rose 10 percent and totaled $2.91 billion in November, proving consumers were still spending on video games at the beginning of the holiday season despite the sour economy. Microsoft said global unit sales of the Xbox 360, which was launched about a year before the PS3, outpaced its rival by over 8 million units at the close of 2008. Online consumer spending on Microsoft's Xbox Live online service increased 84 percent year-over-year and members of the Xbox Live community rose to over 17 million members at the end of 2008, the company said. Consumers have spent over $1 billion on Microsoft's Xbox Live online service since its launch for the 360 in 2005, according the Microsoft. Greenberg noted "the $199 price point (of the Xbox 360) was really critical to our success this holiday." Microsoft cut the US price of its entry-level console in September to $199, or $50 below Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii console.