Mr Houser co-founded the studio behind GTA and Red Dead in 1998 with his brother and a couple of other games developers.
And now, Dan will be officially parting ways from the company at the beginning of March.
Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said it was “extremely grateful for his contributions” but stressed in a statement that his brother Sam continues to work for the business.
The reason for Dan’s resignation has not been confirmed but reportedly, he has been taking an extended break since the beginning of Spring 2019.
What this means for the companies future, and games like GTA 6 remains to be seen.
Atari® 2600/7800: a visual compendium aims to showcase the very best pixel art, cover art and product design on each system.
Spread over 528 pages, it features over 200 classic games, with articles on the leading third-party developers, interviews with key figures in the industry and features on subjects, such as cover art, prototypes and homebrew releases.
This book aims to cover the highs and lows of what was a truly tumultuous period in video game history; an era which laid down the foundations for what has today become one of the world’s most popular forms of entertainment.
Each version of the book comes with a free PDF.
There will be:
Hardback @ £29.99
Softcover @ £24.99
Collector’s Edition @ £49.99 which comes with a set of 5 postcards, bookmark and a pair of A2 blueprint posters (limited to 1,000 units)
Atari’s early tenure as the video game industry’s leading light oversaw seismic change in what was still a very young and evolving sector.
Not only was Atari’s Video Computer System/2600 system the first piece of gaming equipment to truly dominate the living room, it also played host to some of the most iconic titles of all time, including Asteroids®, Combat®, Air-Sea Battle, Yars’ Revenge®, Adventure, Missile Command® and many, many more.
At its height, Atari’s name became synonymous with video gaming in the same way that Nintendo’s would a few years later, but the company – and the industry – fell just as swiftly thanks to the infamous North American video game crash of 1983.
Even when faced with this catastrophic event, Atari soldiered on and, the following year, produced the powerful 7800 console – a machine that could easily have returned the firm to its former glory, had its launch in 1984 gone to plan.
The book (all editions) is available to pre-order now here and all editions will ship in April 2020.
SQUARE ENIX® today introduced the spectacular music for FINAL FANTASY® VII REMAKE, unveiling the theme song for the highly anticipated game with a brand new trailer, alongside behind-the-scenes interviews with the track’s creators.
The theme song, titled “Hollow”, is written by revered FINAL FANTASY series composer Nobuo Uematsu and features vocals from Singer-Songwriter, Yosh – from Japanese Rock band, Survive Said The Prophet.
Alongside the theme song, the brand-new trailer gives a further glimpse at FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE’s epic boss battles and characters, taking viewers even deeper into the eclectic city of Midgar. For returning fans, the trailer also showcases some memorable moments reminiscent of the original game reimagined for the Remake.
To view the behind-the-scenes video featuring interviews with Yosh and Nobuo Uematsu, visit: https://youtu.be/2ZKR9slSECg.
Additionally, fans will get to experience the breath-taking music from FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE live, including the game’s theme song, during the Orchestra World Tour in over 10 cities, in cooperation with AWR Music Productions. Starting in Los Angeles this June, the concerts will feature music from the game’s soundtrack performed by a majestic orchestra and full chorus, all conducted by GRAMMY®-Award winner Arnie Roth known for his work on Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY. For more concert and ticketing information, visit: http://ffvii-remakeconcerts.com/.
For those unable to attend, the full FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Original Soundtrack will also be available from early Summer 2020.
Finally, those who pre-order any version of FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE from the SQUARE ENIX Store will receive an exclusive FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE lanyard and automatically be entered for a chance to win a stunning limited-edition Sephiroth or Cloud Strife Chronograph watch. More information on how to win these remarkable time pieces is available at: https://sqex.link/n2o.
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE is a reimagining of the iconic original game that re-defined the RPG genre, diving deeper into the world and its characters than ever before. The first game in the project will be set in the eclectic city of Midgar and presents a fully standalone gaming experience that provides a great starting point to the series. Along with unforgettable characters and a powerful story, FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE features a hybrid battle system that merges real-time action with strategic, command-based combat.
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE will be available for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system on April 10, 2020. For more information, visit: www.ffvii-remake.com
Today, Netmarble Corp. is officially summoning Magic: ManaStrike worldwide, its first-ever game for the Wizards of the Coast franchise Magic: The Gathering.
Players can now bring Magic to life by downloading the game on the App Store and Google Play.
Magic: ManaStrike is an all-new game that takes the excitement of Magic: The Gathering’s vast lore in a whole new direction with a fast-paced PVP strategy game.
After losing a war with the Planeswalkers, Magic: The Gathering’s most powerful villain Nicol Bolas creates a parallel universe to find the Planeswalkers’ weaknesses. Players enter a contract with Nicol Bolas to provide combat data by controlling Planeswalkers and units in his universe.
“Netmarble and Wizards of the Coast worked closely for a long time to ensure Magic: ManaStrike is a new gameplay style that will be enjoyable for all players, but stays true to Magic: The Gathering’s roots and is authentic and enjoyable to fans,” said Joe Lee, Executive Producer at Netmarble. “Thanks to our partnership, we are excited to deliver a Magic: The Gathering experience that introduces real-time battles for mobile players, yet maintains core features from the original IP for fans.”
Fast-paced and easy to learn, fans can experience dynamic real-time battles with anyone from around the world in three-minute matches. During battle, players will be able to summon units, cast spells, and command powerful Planeswalkers with simple tap and drag gameplay and iconic Magic: The Gathering cards re-envisioned through high-quality 3D. By collecting new cards from Magic’s five unique Mana colors – White, Blue, Black, Red and Green, players will learn to understand each color’s traits, and create unique strategies that lead the way to victory.
“With Magic: ManaStrike, we were impressed with Netmarble’s ability to encapsulate Magic: The Gathering’s 25-year history into a mobile game that stays true to what Magic fans want in other mediums,” said Eugene Evans, VP of Business Development and Strategy at Wizards of the Coast. “Seeing our cards and Planeswalkers stepping into the 3D battlefield, along with our card effects translated from strategic turn-based gameplay into real-time combat, is a delight to see and we can’t wait to see how Magic: ManaStrike develops over time.”
At launch, players that pre-registered to download Magic: ManaStrike can look forward to receiving rewards like Gold (in-game currency), Gems (premium currency), one Player Icon, and ten emoji themed after Magic: The Gathering’s Planeswalkers. Other events and rewards awaiting players include:
– Seven Days Check-In Event: Gold, Gems, and Card Packs will be given to players for seven days
– New Planeswalkers
Ob Nixilis: Players can achieve this Planeswalker through Magic Pass upgrade
Calix: Available for purchase regardless of Magic Pass An all-new Gideon skin
– Theros-Themed Map: In celebration of Magic: The Gathering’s new Theros Beyond Death expansion, an all-new Theros-themed map is available for players over Rank 5 to experience.
Magic: ManaStrike is available to download on the App Store and Google Play and is globally launched, and supports 13 languages including English, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, Russian and Portuguese.
For more information, please visit Magic: ManaStrike’s official website and forum.
N3TWORK, a premier games, media, and technology company, and The Tetris Company, Inc., today announced that Tetris® is now available to download for FREE globally, outside of China and New Zealand, on mobile and tablet devices via the App Store and Google Play.
Tetris launches with the traditional gameplay experience beloved by fans around the world, and will be updated with new gameplay modes in the future.
“Tetris is one of the most recognizable games in the world and we’re delighted today to make that experience available for free to millions of people worldwide,” said Neil Young, founder and CEO of N3TWORK. “We’re launching Tetris with a traditional solo gameplay mode, but we want fans to know that we’ve got so much more in store for them, and this is just the foundation of an incredible Tetris app experience we’re building at N3TWORK.”
The new Tetris app features intuitive swipe controls with haptic feedback built specifically for mobile devices and includes both online and offline play, with local high score tables available now, and an online high score table coming soon. Players can personalize their experience with five different themes and 50 different avatars.
Developed by N3TWORK as part of its multi-year agreement with The Tetris Company, Inc., Tetris is available today for FREE on the App Store and on Google Play.
GAME, the leading high street video game retailer today announced that it will be re-homing unwanted Christmas socks in exchange for in-store credit, with its first ever New Year Sock Swap!
Following the Christmas period, unwanted socks get thrown to the back of the drawer and forgotten, or worse still – they go straight in the bin. Over 25% of Brits class socks as their least-desired Christmas present, with a combined £5B a year wasted on unwanted presents, whilst the number one requested item for the UK’s homeless shelter is….. socks!
To ensure the dreaded Christmas sock reaches people who actually want them and to kickstart 2020 positively, GAME will be offering customers extra credit for their trade-ins when they bring in their unwanted (new & unworn!) pairs.
An extra £2 will be given for games and an extra £15 when customers trade in tablets, phones or consoles. Every pair of socks collected will then be donated to various homeless charities to help communities up and down the country.
For more information please visit http://www.game.co.uk or hashtag #GAMESOCKS on twitter for pictures and news.
IKIN, the leading provider of visual technology solutions for businesses, announced it is creating an SDK for iOS holographic rendering, with professional services support from Unity Technologies.
The SDK will facilitate the deployment of multi-dimensional, volumetric rendering for iOS devices.
These capabilities, when utilized with IKIN’s upcoming RYZ mobile device accessory, will allow every developer and user to experience interactive 3-D, holographic images projected in open space, with user capabilities including interactive motion between holographic and standard environments, while conducting gameplay in new ways.
In addition, the drag-and-drop simplicity of the SDK enables quick and easy implementation of these advanced services in new and existing games.
“IKIN has reimagined how people can enjoy mobile experiences through new user visual technologies, including volumetric and holographic media design and gameplay,” said Taylor Scott, founder and chief technology officer at IKIN.
“With the help of Unity’s professional services, our SDK empowers creators, developers, and designers to stretch the limits of visual technology by bringing to market new experiences never before thought possible. Everyone wants Princess Leia floating over their phone. We want to replace Leia with you, your family, your experiences, and everything else you can imagine.”
IKIN delivers state-of-the-art holographic technology for business and consumer use.
Its patented RYZ software and mobile accessories enable full solid-state optical 3-D holographic imagery in ambient light over a smartphone, enabling holographic content to be enjoyed in virtually any physical environment.
According to Scott, IKIN’s holographic rendering and display capabilities are optimized for use in 5G networks by leveraging discreet Artificial Intelligence layers to improve real-time data transmission capacities for volumetric holographic projections that enhance communication and interaction.
“Behind the scenes, IKIN’s technology manages bandwidth consumption to make things work smoothly across today’s 4G networks, but also the 5G infrastructure. As 5G networks come online, we anticipate that our technology will become a cornerstone of next generation gaming applications that will flourish in 5G environments,” Scott continued.
Niantic and The Pokémon Company announced that the Buddy Adventure feature will soon arrive in Pokémon GO, adding all-new ways for Trainers to interact with their Pokémon.
Buddy Adventure leverages the cutting-edge augmented-reality technology of the Niantic Real World Platform to understand the world around Trainers and further blend the real and digital worlds together.
Buddy Adventure will give Trainers the ability to interact with their Buddy Pokémon like never before.
When AR+ mode is enabled, a Buddy Pokémon will react to its Trainer, who can directly play with and feed their buddy to earn new Perks.
Trainers can also look forward to a new shared AR mode which will launch for Pokémon GO after the initial launch of Buddy Adventure. Shared AR mode will allow up to three Trainers using AR+ to take a group photo of their buddies together—perfect for creating epic Pokémon moments and capturing new memories with friends.
For developer insights, check out the blog post here.
A brand-new trailer celebrating the upcoming launch of Buddy Adventure in Pokémon GO can be found below…
The video highlights the new ways players can interact with their Buddy Pokémon and features an acoustic version of Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend,” performed by Paul Canning, capturing the love and friendship people can experience with their buddies.
SpecialEffect’s annual GameBlast fundraising spectacular is back over the weekend of 21-23 February 2020, and the charity are inviting gamers to hit £1M raised over the event’s seven-year history.
GameBlast is the UK’s largest charity gaming weekend and has raised nearly £800,000 so far to support disabled gamers.
It’s a festival of sponsored gaming marathons, streams and events taking place in a multitude of bedrooms, lounges, village halls, colleges and studios, all with the aim of helping the charity transform the lives of more gamers like Joe.
Joe has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and although he can’t use a standard games controller or keyboard because of his very limited abilities, he can still enjoy the excitement and inclusion of video games because of a customised controller setup put together by the charity.
He’ll be one of the gamers taking part in GameBlast20.
“I’m playing because I know what a big difference SpecialEffect make to young disabled people’s lives,” he said this year. “I was finding it very difficult to use my computer because of my disability so they came to assess what specialised equipment I needed. They managed to get me playing games again.”
SpecialEffect’s Tom Donegan said, “GameBlast is such an important event for us, not only because of the donations it generates but also the way in which it connects our work to the gaming community at large. People are so inventive with the challenges they set themselves, and the range of activities is always such a joy to see! It’s always a fantastic feel-good weekend, with gamers coming together to help their fellow gamers. It’s the best excuse to game ever.”
Gamer Network are delighted to announce that EGX Rezzed will return to London’s Tobacco Dock, on the 26 – 28 March 2020!
Tickets are now available for gamers to gain the opportunity to play the very best pre-release games and hundreds of other breakthrough indie titles, all being showcased alongside many iconic game developers, each sharing their unique insight into the gaming industry.
EGX Rezzed is where indie games shine – an essential event for both creators and players.
Much loved gaming personalities from the likes of Outside Xbox and Dicebreaker are already confirmed for the 2020 show, with Outside Xbox bringing their ever-popular Oxventure Dungeons & Dragons show on both Friday 27th and Saturday 28th.
Tickets are available now from the official EGX Rezzed website priced from £20.
The Train2Game Blog 