Today's wrap-up includes news on a brand-new U.S. publisher bringing some prominent import RPGs to the States, a mobile deal for casual gaming firm PlayFirst, and another issue for the UK game show market, as well as the latest product news and today's Gamasutra job postings.
- XSeed Games, the company formed by a group of managers and employees formerly of Square Enix USA, has announced its first two U.S. titles. The company will release the new entries in two established franchises,
Wild Arms 4 and
Shadow Hearts 3: From the New World, for the PlayStation 2 early next year. "We are extremely excited to launch XSeed Games with these two quality role-playing games," said XSeed president Jun Iwasaki, former Square Enix USA president and CEO. "Our extensive past experience working with some of the highest quality titles in the industry has really honed our ability to spot the best in interactive entertainment."
- Glu Mobile, the mobile phone games company formed by the merger of Sorrent and Macrospace, has announced that it will work with PlayFirst to publish that company's PC games for mobile phones. The first title to come out of the agreement will be
Diner Dash, a downloadable game for PC and Mac, that has been the #1 download at games portals such as Yahoo!, MSN, and Shockwave.com. "
Diner Dash combines a simple game mechanic with a gaming experience that includes character development and a fun storyline and is an example of a game with broad consumer appeal that is perfectly suited for the mobile platform," said Glu Mobile Senior VP of Production Robert Nashak. The mobile version of
Diner Dash will be available in the first half of 2006.
- The UK State of Play consumer game show, which was due to happen at the Birmingham NEC from October 14th to 16th (and is not to be confused with the upcoming New York-based
State of Play academic conference) has been canceled due to a lack of industry support, according to reports citing its organizers. Co-ordinator Mark Adams recently commented on the event's problems in a widely-circulated industry email, suggesting: "Software publishers have all voiced the opinion that the industry really needs a quarter 4 consumer show [in the UK], but save for EA, no one has actually signed on the dotted line." Electronic Arts has not yet rescheduled its planned demonstrations for the State of Play event, including the
FIFA Interactive World Cup Event.
- Also updated today: product news, including
the latest version of 3D engine PowerRender, as well as the
latest Gamasutra job postings, including positions from Activision/Luxoflux, Blue Fang Games, Factor 5, High Impact Games, Kush Games/2K Sports, Midway Games, NCsoft, PopCap Games, and Stormfront Studios.
