GameSpasm

You might be thinking that some countries use commas instead of decimal points, but the headline above does indeed say one hundred and twenty-five thousand British Pounds ($188,700). You might also think that's awfully expensive for the special edition of a racing game (any game, really), but allow us to put things in perspective. The GRID 2 BAC Mono Edition isn't so much a special edition of a game as it is a luxury sports car that happens to come with a game.

Specifically, the BAC Mono Edition comes with the Mono, essentially a street legal formula racing car. Also included is a racing suit and helmet, a copy of GRID 2 and a PlayStation 3 on which to play it. According to BAC's website, a Mono with no frills has a base price of £96,495 ($145,919), and that's before throwing in VAT. Only one copy of the BAC Mono Edition is being manufactured, making it something a collector's item. You can place your pre-order exclusively with GAME. Oh, and shipping is free.

Not to be left out, Best Buy is hosting a special edition of GRID 2 in North America. It includes the IndyCar DLC pack and retails for $59.99.

GRID 2 comes out next week.

Continue reading GRID 2 BAC Mono Edition is £125,000

GRID 2 BAC Mono Edition is £125,000 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: BAC, bac-mono, codemasters, grid-2, microsoft, mono, Playstation, PS3, Uk, Xbox

Your patience has paid off. Today, Capcom has issued the full Capcom Arcade Cabinet collection - a cheaper bundle of all 17 games previously issued in piecemeal packs and as individual downloads. The all-in-one pack is available starting today for 2,000 MS Points ($30), a saving of $15 over purchasing all five game packs.

Capcom Arcade Cabinet highlights games from the publisher's catalog spanning the years between 1984 and 1988. The full list of 17 games within the Capcom Arcade Cabinet are Black Tiger, Avengers, 1943, The Battle of Midway, Ghosts n Goblins, Gun Smoke, Section Z, Side Arms, Legendary Wings, Trojan, Commando, The Speed Rumbler, Exed Exes (Savage Bees), 1942, SonSon and Pirate Ship Higemaru. There are also two secret games: 1943 Kai and Vulgus.

PSA: Capcom Arcade Cabinet all-in-one available now originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: Capcom, Capcom Arcade Cabinet, microsoft, Playstation, playstation network, PS3, psn, Xbla, Xbox, Xbox Live Arcade

A new PS4 ad in Europe provides further indication the continent can expect the console to arrive there this year. While Sony announced the PS4 was due "Holiday 2013" back at February's reveal event, the company declined to commit to which regions that window applied to. However, a new PS4 ad, first spotted in today's Metro newspaper in the UK, then later tweeted by PlayStation Europe, says the PS4 is "Coming 2013."

Europeans have good reason to be cautious about a tentative window. The PS3 reached the continent in March 2007, having arrived in North America and Japan some four months prior - and that was via a last-minute delay, too.

When asked if this confirmed the PS4 is coming to Europe this year, a Sony Computer Entertainment Europe representative told us, "We announced at the PlayStation Meeting event on February 20 that [the] PS4 would be coming in 2013... the adverts are simply re-stating that message."

"More information about [the] PS4 and all PlayStation platforms will be announced at E3," he added.

PlayStation Europe PS4 ad says 'Coming 2013' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: Europe, Playstation, PS3, ps4, sony-computer-entertainment-europe

The biggest eyebrow-raiser with last week's Gran Turismo 6 reveal was that it's launching on the PS3, and not the PS4. Doesn't Sony want to drive PS4 launch sales with one of its biggest franchises?

In an interview on the PlayStation Blog, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe CEO Jim Ryan explained why the latest Gran Turismo isn't debuting on the soon-to-be latest PlayStation, arguing that GT6 can still deliver a significant difference from GT5, despite being on the same platform.

"You had GT1 and GT2 on PS one," Ryan said, "GT3 and GT4 on PS2, then there's GT5 on PS3 and a space next to it. The difference between Gran Turismo and GT2 is unbelievable, but they're both on the same platform. The difference between GT3 and GT4 is huge. We're absolutely confident when GT6 comes, you'll see a big step change up from GT5 too. There's still a lot of potential on PS3 that a developer like Polyphony can really exploit."

The other, obvious factor is the install base. Gran Turismo has traditionally been a big seller, with three entries shifting over 10 million units. To do that, Ryan indicates, you need to have the install base.

"And the other factor is that on PS3 we have an install base of 70 million units," Ryan added. "On PS4 on launch day we'll have an install base of zero units. There'll be plenty of games to help drive PS4 - not least Driveclub in the racing genre from Evolution Studios, a studio with a fantastic pedigree."

A PS4 version of GT6 looks more than likely at some point down the line, and it's something that hasn't been shied away from. Speaking to IGN, series creator Kazunori Yamauchi said, "We actually do have a PlayStation 4 version in mind, but for this holiday season, we thought it would be best for users to release on PS3 for now."

Sony explains why Gran Turismo 6 is launching on PS3, not PS4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: gran-turismo-6, Playstation, polyphony digital, PS3, ps4, sony computer entertainment

The biggest eyebrow-raiser with last week's Gran Turismo 6 reveal was that it's launching on the PS3, and not the PS4. Doesn't Sony want to drive PS4 launch sales with one of its biggest franchises?

In an interview on the PlayStation Blog, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe CEO Jim Ryan explained why the latest Gran Turismo isn't debuting on the soon-to-be latest PlayStation, arguing that GT6 can still deliver a significant difference from GT5, despite being on the same platform.

"You had GT1 and GT2 on PS one," Ryan said, "GT3 and GT4 on PS2, then there's GT5 on PS3 and a space next to it. The difference between Gran Turismo and GT2 is unbelievable, but they're both on the same platform. The difference between GT3 and GT4 is huge. We're absolutely confident when GT6 comes, you'll see a big step change up from GT5 too. There's still a lot of potential on PS3 that a developer like Polyphony can really exploit."

The other, obvious factor is the install base. Gran Turismo has traditionally been a big seller, with three entries shifting over 10 million units. To do that, Ryan indicates, you need to have the install base.

"And the other factor is that on PS3 we have an install base of 70 million units," Ryan added. "On PS4 on launch day we'll have an install base of zero units. There'll be plenty of games to help drive PS4 - not least Driveclub in the racing genre from Evolution Studios, a studio with a fantastic pedigree."

A PS4 version of GT6 looks more than likely at some point down the line, and it's something that hasn't been shied away from. Speaking to IGN, series creator Kazunori Yamauchi said, "We actually do have a PlayStation 4 version in mind, but for this holiday season, we thought it would be best for users to release on PS3 for now."

Sony explains why Gran Turismo 6 is launching on PS3, not PS4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: gran-turismo-6, Playstation, polyphony digital, PS3, ps4, sony computer entertainment

Class of Heroes 2, MonkeyPaw's PSP game from 2009, is finally coming to North America on June 4. PSN users can snag the fully localized JRPG dungeon crawler - which is playable on both PSP and PS Vita - for $25 from the PSN store.

The effort to localize Class of Heroes 2 began in 2012 with a Kickstarter campaign seeking $500,000 in funding. Ultimately, only $96,951 was raised, though MonkeyPaw CEO John Greiner wasn't too down in a follow-up interview with Joystiq.

Greiner said that even though the Kickstarter campaign failed, "we were able to educate people about the game and its features. That will help immensely when we release the digital version."

Continue reading Class of Heroes 2 available on PSN June 4

Class of Heroes 2 available on PSN June 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: class-of-heroes-2, Gaijinworks, jrpg, MonkeyPaw-Games, Playstation, playstation-vita, psn, PSP, release-date, Sony, vita

Speaking at the Stifel 2013 Technology Conference in New York this week, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said that EA plans to publish games on the current generation of consoles through 2017 at least.

According to Gamespot's report, Jorgenson also discussed EA's exclusive Star Wars deal and specifically referenced fan favorite Star Wars: Battlefront. "The opportunity to do a new Battlefront, for example," Jorgensen said, "is very exciting." He added that none of EA's planned Star Wars games are film adaptations "per se," though their releases may coincide with upcoming movies.

EA expects to publish for current systems through 2017 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: Ea, Electronic Arts, microsoft, NBA LIVE 13, nba-live-14, Playstation, Playstation 3, playstation-4, PS3, releases, Star Wars, Xbox, Xbox 360, xbox-one

Since announcing The Witness is on its way to Sony's PS4, Jonathan Blow and his development team have remained mostly mum about development. The game is still coming along, with Blow refining all of the details before the game launches, he explains on the PlayStation Blog in a video and a written post.

Video-Blow says The Witness is a true, financially independent game: His studio has the freedom to not make a profit, since it's not beholden to a publisher and doesn't "need" to. This shifts his team's goals from money to quality, he says.

"I would definitely like to make our money back on this game and I would like to make a profit on it, but it's not actually the No. 1 priority," Blow says. "The No. 1 priority is to make the best possible game that we can make, that brings the most beneficial experience to the players."

The Witness is an open-world, non-linear puzzle game that is as deep as the player wants it to be, as Blow describes it. It has no release date yet, but it's in development for PC and PS4, with the latter as a timed console exclusive.

The Witness shares some gameplay secrets in developer video, post originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: jonathan-blow, PC, Playstation, ps4, Sony, the-witness

Since announcing The Witness is on its way to Sony's PS4, Jonathan Blow and his development team have remained mostly mum about development. The game is still coming along, with Blow refining all of the details before the game launches, he explains on the PlayStation Blog in a video and a written post.

Video-Blow says The Witness is a true, financially independent game: His studio has the freedom to not make a profit, since it's not beholden to a publisher and doesn't "need" to. This shifts his team's goals from money to quality, he says.

"I would definitely like to make our money back on this game and I would like to make a profit on it, but it's not actually the No. 1 priority," Blow says. "The No. 1 priority is to make the best possible game that we can make, that brings the most beneficial experience to the players."

The Witness is an open-world, non-linear puzzle game that is as deep as the player wants it to be, as Blow describes it. It has no release date yet, but it's in development for PC and PS4, with the latter as a timed console exclusive.

The Witness shares some gameplay secrets in developer video, post originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: jonathan-blow, PC, Playstation, ps4, Sony, the-witness

Gamestop's financial data for the first quarter of its fiscal 2013 have arrived like a pizza with nearly 25 percent fewer toppings than the pizza you ordered during the same 13-week period last year. Also, cheesy bread sales are way up? This may not be the strongest analogy.

In non-allegorical terms, gross revenue (overall sales) and net income (post-tax profit) were both down year-over-year, at $1.865 billion and $54.6 million, respectively. As far as net income, that's a 24.69 percent decrease from the $72.5 million Gamestop reported at the end of Q1 2012.

Meanwhile, mobile device sales were up 290 percent, though this massive increase was largely due to the fact that Gamestop's mobile trade-in/sales program was just getting started during Q1 of 2012. Digital sales also increased, to the tune of 47.3 percent year-over-year, while new software sales, both physical and digital, fell 3.8 percent.

As was the case during Q1 2012, used hardware and software sales accounted for the majority of Gamestop's pre-tax profit, with new hardware and software sales making up just 29.5 percent of the quarter's overall gross.

Gamestop Q1 sales and profits down, mobile/digital sales up originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: 2013, 3ds, android, Ds, Financials, fiscal-2013, gamestop, microsoft, Mobile, Nintendo, PC, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, PSP, q1, Sony, vita, Wii, wii-u, Xbox