If you're conflicted over whether to enjoy the Bulletstorm or Crysis 2 demo first, check out today's Video Blips for footage from both games. (Hint: The latter is filled to the brim with easy cannon fodder.)
News Blips:
Maximum headshots: EA drops Crysis 2's multiplayer demo exclusively on the Xbox 360 today. Two teams of six players can shoot, sneak, and power slide in the "Skyline" map, which is perched precariously atop a teetering skyscraper a post-alien invasion New York City. Rack up the kills to spruce up your Nanosuit with upgrades that cover everything but an iPod adapter. The demo is available until February 4, with the full game launching March 22 on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms. Be sure to make liberal use of that cool invisibility cloak. Happy fragging!
Investors are cautious of sinking money into Star Wars: The Old Republic. Two possible reasons lurk behind this development: (1) Repeating "It's World of Warcraft…with lightsabers!" isn't the best way to pitch your game to investors, or (2) massively multiplayer games just have a tendency to fizzle away after a short period of time. (I'm leaning towards that one.) "We believe many investors are betting against SWTOR achieving market success, provided the company's, and industry's track record at releasing successful new MMOs," said Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey to Gamasutra. Hickey went on to underscore the severity of SWTOR publisher Electronic Arts' attachment to the genre's traditional monthly subscription model instead of adopting the popular free-to-play alternative. If the films taught us anything, it's that only the Sith deal in absolutes…but I'm sure penny-wise investors are right up there.
Russia Today runs a report linking the Domodedovo Airport suicide bombing with the infamous "No Russian" level in Modern Warfare 2. Edge says the television channel brought on terrorism analyst Walid Phares to highlight the similarities between yesterday's attack — which left 35 people dead and wounded over 180 — and the game's most notorious moment, in which the player guns down civilians in a fictional Russian airport. "Indeed it is a trouble to look at the game and reality. The issue is we need to know if terrorists or extremists are using these videos or DVDs or games to basically apply the model," Phares said. He added: "I think those who have been radicalized already — that is supposed in this case jihadists, Al-Qaeda, or other kind — they look at the games and say these games will serve them to train."
Apple announces that total App Store downloads exceed 10 billion. Around 7 billion downloads occurred last year, with the 10 billionth app (Paper Glider) being downloaded last Saturday by Gail Davis of Kent, England. Davis was awarded a $10,000 iTunes gift card and a fresh pair of underpants after her iPhone ceased its cacophonous fanfare. (Guess which one is true.) "With more than 10 billion apps downloaded in just two and a half years — a staggering 7 billion apps in the last year alone — the App Store has surpassed our wildest dreams," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "The App Store has revolutionized how software is created, distributed, discovered and sold. While others try to copy the App Store, it continues to offer developers and customers the most innovative experience on the planet." [GamesIndustry.biz]
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