Sony is determined to distinguish the games available through its PlayStation Mobile platform from the somewhat variable quality often found on mobile app stores – and now it’s outlined just how it plans to do that.

The Google Play store might have a huge amount of games on it nowadays, but even the most ardent Android fan would have to admit that the quality isn’t always that great. One you set aside the top-notch titles like GTA 3 and Angry Birds, it isn’t long before you run into derivative clones and crapware. Sony is determined that the same won’t be true when its PlayStation Mobile suite finally hits Android and the PlayStation Vita and has decided to do something about it.

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Sony’s Jim Ryan said that the company is taking steps to ensure that, “anything that is offered on this platform is of proper PlayStation quality and that people feel comfortable and safe that they are not going to inadvertently stumble upon any of the junk that exists in that wider marketplace.” This sounds like a tall order, but Sony is able to restrict the developers who are allowed on the PlayStation Mobile store, which is currently in an open beta for developers to try out.

Rather than get heavy right away though, Sony is hoping a more softly softly approach will work. “The dev kit is available to anyone who is interested in looking at it but we are actively evangelising in all sorts of ways to get the sort of content we want there for the launch,” said Ryan.

It seems like a good idea, but we do hope that Sony’s desire to ensure quality doesn’t lead it into accidentally squashing innovation. Some of the best ideas might seem a little out there at first glance and take time to bed in.

[Source: gi.biz]

“Over the next couple of years somebody’s going to build a game that reaches a billion people,” Bart Decrem, publisher of hit iPhone game Tap Tap Revenge, told a gathering of journalists and toy makers at a briefing in London this week.

That’s a sixth of the world’s population, but as daunting as that is, it’s a feat that’s beginning to look feasible. Angry Birds isn’t far off: Rovio has clocked more than 500 million downloads of its spectacular gaming success.

But Decrem doesn’t work for Rovio. Decrem is Disney’s new head of mobile, and he wants to get there first. But using Disney’s instantly recognisable characters to do so? Too easy.

Disney – no stranger to technology – has a whole array of characters it could launch on to the iPhone App Store. And while it does dabble in this (AppMATes, an iPad app that interacts with toys from the movie Cars 2, was released last year), Decrem doesn’t seem remotely interested in pursuing this.

“For existing IPs [intellectual properties] we still do some of this,” he explains. “They do well but they disappear…the other thing we’re trying to do is build new Disney characters.”

And these new characters have to capture our imaginations like never before. “Smartphones, people love them. They’re fun and beautiful and perfect, and apps that stand out are fun and beautiful and perfect. But how do you stand out on the app store when there are 500,000 apps?”

Decrem’s answer is Where’s My Water? It’s a charming, physics based gamed in the same vein as Cut The Rope. You’ve got to guide the water through a level to reach Swampy, a rather nervous alligator. (You can download it on iPhone and Android).

It’s the big-eyed, bashful star, Decrem says, that has led to Where’s My Water’s success. He won’t talk download numbers, but it’s been the number one paid on the iPhone App Store in 79 countries, and sat at the top in the US for 45 days. To that end, Decrem’s team worked with Disney’s animators to come up with these adorable characters and setting. “The challenge for us is to create new characters, and on new devices.”

Exclusive: How Cut The Rope survived the cutting room floor

Decrem is animated when he speaks – pun very much intended. He’s as far removed from the stuffy, suit wearing Disney middle manager you might expect as possible. Belgian born, he’s already a Silicon Valley legend. He worked on the original Firefox browser, and has sold several companies already: Tapulous to Disney in 2010, and social web browser Flock to Zynga last year.

It’s this background that has helped Decrem give the megacorp’s new division an injection of pragmatism in a famously inflexible Disney (we’ll release our films on DVD when we feel like it, and you’ll like it).

For one, his attitude towards freemium business models is, shall we say, expedient. Where’s My Water still generates most of its revenue from paid-up front versions of the game, but Disney now offers free to play versions on both iOS and Android too. Decrem would rather get maximum eye balls on the game, rather than maximum dollar dollar bill.

“You have to build freemium models, but the great thing is they can reach a lot of players. You can reach a billion people at low cost.”

• Best Android apps of all time: Top 100
• Best Windows Phone apps of all time: Top 100 

The end game? “Underneath it all we’re building a network layer,” he says. That network will provide a large, pre-prepared audience for Disney’s next new game – Decrem says new franchises are a priority – giving them a head start on getting to that ten digit audience.

And, Decrem says, they’re already well on the way. “After Angry Birds there’s nothing ahead of us on the app store in terms of cultural phenomenon.” Quite the boast. Alongside a promised high-res Retina Display update for the game on iPad, Disney has commissioned a series of YouTube videos starring Swampy and Bowser-ish antagonist Cranky in the hopes cashing in on this – you can expect other merchandise to follow.

Of course, we reckon Nom would have something to say about Decrem’s claim. But if the candy munching blob is the start of 21st century gaming, he’s got some stiff competition from the biggest media company of last century to contend with.

At a time when yearly sequels seem to be becoming the norm, a four-year wait for a new Soul Calibur is likely to have stretched the patience of fans to the limit. Yet after just one session with Namco Bandai’s Soul Calibur 5, you can’t help but feel as if the series has never been away. Everything just clicks into place.

In essence, not a lot has changed. The gameplay remains true to its signature free-flowing style, the kind that allows for fast-paced button-bashing-friendly combat, yet still capable of catering to the die-hard fight stick crowd keen to hone their technique, learn each basic move, guard and signature speciality.

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Soul Calibur 5 maintains the balance between approachable controls and combat that remains easy to pick up and play, yet difficult to master to its fullest. Fully traversable 3D arenas lets players sidestep their way past attacks, and even walk around their opponent full circle – adding further attack and evasive opportunities for players in a way only Soul Calibur and fellow Namco Bandai alternative Tekken allow.

From our two-hour session, we can already see that such tactics will be required, what with the powerful new Critical Edge attacks, capable of inflicting up to two thirds of damage to opponents. To activate these, a Critical Edge bar needs filling up, and is done so in incremental stages. The more it is filled, the stronger the Critical Edge attack. At full whack, it is both monstrously powerful and unblockable. Sidestepping just before the strike hits is the only way to dodge them. With just half a second’s notice, evading it requires ninja-like reflexes. These attacks are a handy leveler for when squaring up to more skilled foes.

Character-wise, old favourites Maxi, Mitsurugi, Siegfried, Cervantes, Ivy and more are still there – yes, even creepy bondage fan Voldo. A minor clear-out has seen some old cast members out, and new cast members entering the battle. Kilik has been replaced by Xiba – another staff-wielder who plays in a similar way, using many of the same moves.

And then there’s the special guest character – Ezio Autidore from Assassin’s Creed – a major coup, and much more relevant than former cameo fighters Darth Vader (PS3-exclusive) and Yoda (Xbox 360-exclusive). Soul Calibur 5 has its share of short and long-range focussed characters. Ezio is the former, but once close enough to an opponent, Ezio can be devastating. Unlike Vader and Yoda, Ezio looks a perfect fit for Soul Calibur 5.

Lastly, the story mode. We were only privy to one chapter in which Patroklos, son of Soul Calibur’s Sophitia, goes about a town ridding it of evil, battering enemy knights in pursuit of the powerful ‘Soul Edge’ sword. The story is told through cinematic, cutscenes, hand-drawn interludes and voiceover narration to fuel the storyline.

Previous Soul Calibur games let players collect and equip new weapons and take part in challenges. Little about these aspects was revealed to us, so we can only hope that come release there will be more to the story mode. A character customisation mode lets you either tweak an existing character, or create your own from scratch.

The customisation options here are impressive enough to make your own Frankenfighter look and sound almost any way you like. We gave ours a purple afro. We’re creative like that.

As we’ve seen with the Marvel vs Capcom and Street Fighter games, the best fighting games manage to evolve without tweaking too much. Right now, that’s how we’re feeling with Soul Calibur 5. The basic gameplay treads familiar ground, but it’s the little changes, new move mechanics, an overhauled story mode and its much-improved fighting arenas that should see Soul Calibur 5 end up a worthy refresh of the series, and one we very much look forward to playing more of.

Out February 3rd 2012 | £TBC | Soul Calibur 5

Rock’em sock ‘em Hugh Jackman vehicle Real Steel is out tomorrow, and keen eyed viewers have spotted something just as interesting as the centre stage action in the background. Jump to 0:40 in the trailer below and you can distantly see “Xbox 720″ is one of the banner ads in the futuristic stadium.

It’s unlikely this was done without Microsoft’s approval: Bing also features as a rolling ad, and other brand names such as Coca-Cola and Cadillac are present too.

Both Microsoft and rival Sony have been hesitant to announce new home consoles, instead banking on extending the life of their current models, the Xbox 360 and PS3, launched in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

Earlier this year, Kotaku reported that both companies were eyeing 2014 as the timeframe for launch. In June, Nintendo announced the Nintendo Wii U, a follow up to the successful Nintendo Wii home console launched in late 2006.

It doesn’t mean anything concrete of course, but it’s interesting that Microsoft chose to use 720 rather than just an Xbox logo – do you think it confirms that’ll be the name of the new console? Shout up with your view in the comments.

Amid the hustle and bustle of Gamescom, Nintendo has quietly a new Nintendo Wii. The redesigned model is a slimmed down take on the current design which sits horizontally. The sad news for fans of retro-gaming is that this version of the Wii will arrive without support for GameCube games and accessories.

Nintendo says it will be releasing a number of new bundles to push the redesigned Wii this Christmas. The first to be announced is the Family Edition which includes the Wii, Wii Sports, Wii Party and, curiously, only one Wii Remote Plus controller and nunchuk. That’s a very small family. Nintendo hasn’t announced pricing or availability for the new Wii yet but did throw Wii fans a tasty tidbit with the news that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will arrive on November 18.

With its successor, the Wii U, due to launch next year, Nintendo is clearly trying to squeeze a little bit more life out of the Wii. Do you think there are many people left to rush out and grab the redesigned console? Hit the headline and jump into the comments to tell us what you think of it. For the rest of today’s gaming news, check out of Gamescom roundup.

Out TBC | £TBC | Nintendo

They’re not on sale until September, but publisher Chillingo has released these pictures of the adorable plushies going through various stages of candy-related elation and disappointment. This is to tie in with a new update to the iPhone version coming soon, adding 25 new Toy Box levels to the physics puzzler’s cute gameplay.

What’s not shown however is the other Cut The Rope mercy we know is coming from, a board game to clothing. Stay tuned, and enjoy the pics.

Read:

• Exclusive: How Cut The Rope almost got left on the cutting room floor
• Play Angry Birds for real!
  

(Via Kotaku)

New consoles, the most impressive catalogue of games in recent memory, the year motion controls come into their own, and plenty of drama – these are just some of the reasons to stay locked to the events of E3 2011.

New consoles

E3 has always been an exciting extravaganza of big game announcements, but it’s only when a new console is launched, that the whole world really sits up and takes notice. In already signaling its intentions to reveal its new console (codenamed Project Café) at E3 2011, Nintendo has already stolen the show. Expect to hear lots more about the Sony NGP, which is now reported to be named PS Vita. Could a final release date and price be on the cards too? We hope so.

The best games line-up ever?

E3 has always been a hotbed of game announcements. E3 2011 is full of them. Reported titles to be the subject of various keynotes include a first-ever look at the new Tomb Raider and Max Payne 3. We can also expect to see new Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception gameplay. More? How about Soul Calibur 5, Street Fighter X Tekken, Gears of War 3, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Twisted Metal, Paper Mario 3DS and of course, a world first look at what Nintendo has in store for Project Café.

We get to see the next big thing in gaming

When Nintendo released its motion-controller-equipped Wii console in 2006 it ushered a brave new world for gaming. Motion-sensor-based gameplay continues to have its naysayers but in (some would say stubbornly) adopting this approach to gameplay, Nintendo successfully managed to make gaming more approachable to the masses – those that wouldn’t have dreamt of picking up a controller. No matter what anyone says, that in itself is a good thing.

Proof that Nintendo kick-started the next big thing in gaming became apparent when Sony announced its own counter to the Wii Remote in the form of the PlayStation Move. Microsoft also got in on the game, with its body motion-detecting Kinect camera. According to reports, Project Café will feature a touchscreen controller to bring tablet style controls to console gaming. Whether this turns out to be true will remain a source of rumour and speculation up until its E3 unveiling, but whatever Nintendo does, everyone will be paying attention. You should too – we could be about to witness the next big gaming innovation.

Super sequels

Want more of the games you love? E3 2011 will see plenty of super sequels announced and shown off. Among them: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Gears of War 3, Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, Soul Calibur 5, Max Payne 3, Mass Effect 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, to name but a handful.

Motion control gets good

Two years on from unveiling PlayStation Move and Microsoft Kinect at E3 2009,  both Sony and Microsoft will be looking to prove that they take motion control seriously by announcing more Move and Kinect – compatible games. The big stuff we feel will come from Microsoft, who are set to announce plenty of games at both the “casual” and “hardcore” ends of the spectrum.

Dance Central 2 is suggested to be just one of the games set to be announced, along with the inevitable Kinect Sports 2, offering a more refined experience and a new title by the name of Kinect Fun Lab. Microsoft will look to show the world that it can do hardcore too, with an expected Kinect-powered demonstration of Forza Motorsport 4 and a new Star Wars Kinect game all but confirmed in media invites to Microsoft’s E3 2011 keynote.

The return of familiar favourites

E3 2011 will see plenty of familiar gaming mascots take over the show floor. It’s almost like the E3 of old, ensuring that those long-term gamers who have grown up through the generations of home consoles and remained loyal to their favourite franchises will have something to get excited about.

The impending release of Duke Nukem Forever means we will see Duke make a welcome reappearance. A new Tomb Raider adventure means we’ll see Lara Croft. Mario? Mario Kart 3DS and Paper Mario 3DS. Link? We’ll see him in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Sonic The Hedgehog? Sonic Generations.

Battlefield 3 versus Modern Warfare 3

Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3? In the same room? This could get messy. EA’s Battlefield 3 has already impressed this year, so rivals Activision will have to do something special at E3, as both publishers seek to outdo each other. Gameplay demos of both (a strong possibility) would be one of the highlights and one of the shows most heated talking points. Fanboys, assemble.

Surprise announcements

On top of all the goodness that we already know about, there are bound to be a few surprise announcements. Previous years saw Metal Gear Solid: Rising announced for Xbox 360, and Portal 2 appearing on PS3. This year? The nature of surprise announcements means we don’t yet know what they are, but how about a Project Café release window? Or a major PS3 or Xbox 360 franchise heading to Nintendo’s new console? It could happen.

The Kevin Butler sideshow

When the occasion calls for it, Sony rolls out its fictional boss of gaming, Kevin Butler. Last year’s appearance saw the make-believe Sony exec deliver an entertaining, yet stirring pro-PlayStation Move speech about how casual gamers are real gamers too. After a difficult past month for Sony, what better way to get onside with critics and the watching world than to wheel him out once more? It won’t fix the fallout from Sony’s PlayStation Network woes, but at least it will entertain us. To save you searching YouTube, we’ve embedded the E3 2010 speech below.

Battle of the exclusives

When it comes to “who won E3?” the proof is in the exclusives. In the PS3 corner we have Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Twisted Metal and Resistance 3.

In the Xbox 360 corner we have Gears of War 3, Forza Motorsport 4 and Kinect Star Wars. Nintendo not only has the small matter of launching a new console to take care of, but a whole bunch of 3DS-exclusives including Lylat Wars 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Mario Kart 3DS and more. Expect more surprise announcements. Let battle commence.

What are you most looking forward to seeing from E3 2011? Let us know in the comments section below.

With games expo E3 just days away, Activision has granted the world a first look at Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 in the trailer above. The action takes place across the world, with scenes set in New York, Berlin, London and Paris, and looks to be as high octane as you’d expect.

There’s no official confirmation of platforms (Will it come to the Wii, we wonder) for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 yet, but the game is scheduled for an 8 November release, likely on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. We expect mroe details at E3 in Los Angeles next month.

Last year, Modern Warfare developer Infinity Ward’s founders left to set up a new studio, and are still embroiled in a legal battle with publisher Activision.

What do you think of the trailer for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3? Are you excited to see it come to Blighty? Shout up with your thoughts in the comments.