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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:41 AM by johnporcaro

GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

We just published two press releases that provide some detail on the announcements we just made on stage at GDC.  If you missed the keynote, Joystiq, Kotaku, Destructoid, and others live-blogged the whole thing. 

schappert_on_stage.jpg
(photo from Kotaku)

Watch Inside Xbox for updates from GDC, including video highlights from the keynote, coming later today.

Some highlights from the keynote:

  • Gears of War 2!!  Coming this November.
  • Fable 2: Dynamic co-op play, and earn in-game money on "Pub Games" on XBLA before the game ships
  • Ninja Gaiden II: Coming early June, with Ninja Cinema on Xbox LIVE
  • Xbox LIVE: 1 billion achievements earned!
  • Xbox LIVE Arcade: New games coming include Braid, Castle Crashers, Defense Grid: The Awakening, Go! Go! Break Steady, and Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness.
  • XNA Community-developed games: By the end of 2008, Xbox 360 owners will have access to more than 1,000 community-created games.  The first seven are available to download beginning today from Xbox LIVE Marketplace: JellyCar, Little Gamers, Dishwasher, TriLinea, RocketBall, ProximityHD, and Culture.

Detail on all these in the games press release and the XNA Community Games press release.

“Gears of War 2” (Epic Games). “Gears of War 2” is the sequel to the 4.5 million-selling blockbuster that redefined the third-person tactical action game genre. “Gears of War 2” continues the story of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad in an epic saga of survival, loss and retribution. Developed by Epic Games exclusively for Xbox 360, “Gears of War 2” launches this November.

“Fable 2” (Lionhead Studios). In addition to the dynamic co-op mode unveiled onstage, Peter Molyneux also announced that Carbonated Games is bringing the “Fable 2” experience to Xbox LIVE Arcade. Before the game’s launch, gamers will be able to get an early taste of the “Fable 2” experience and gain a head start on earning currency for use in “Fable 2” by playing “Fable 2”-themed pub games that will be downloadable via Xbox LIVE Arcade. The currency earned in these Xbox LIVE Arcade titles will enable players to purchase items in “Fable 2” when the game launches later this year.

“Ninja Gaiden II” (TECMO/Team NINJA). Tomonobu Itagaki debuted several tantalizing new Xbox LIVE features of “Ninja Gaiden II,” including the ability to capture and share videos of a player’s glorious battles via the Ninja Cinema feature and upload them to Xbox LIVE. “Ninja Gaiden II” launches worldwide this June.

“Too Human” (Silicon Knights). Microsoft also showcased the epic action game from renowned Canadian developer Silicon Knights, “Too Human,” at a media event before today’s keynote address. In “Too Human,” players are treated to a nonstop barrage of action powered by the seamless integration of melee and firearms combat, plus deep role-playing elements fueled by breathtaking visuals enabled by the power of Xbox 360.

Xbox LIVE: Since the service launched, Microsoft has seen more than $250 million in digital revenue from Xbox LIVE Marketplace through the purchase of more than 20 billion Microsoft Points. 116 games to choose from on Xbox LIVE Arcade, and more coming:

“Braid” (Number None Inc.). Developed by Independent Games Festival Winner and experimental game designer Jonathan Blow, “Braid” is a platform experience that bends all the rules with the manipulation of time. “Braid” will launch this spring.

“Castle Crashers” (The Behemoth). “Castle Crashers” is the second title currently in development by award-winning independent developer The Behemoth, creator of “Alien Hominid HD.” The role-playing game (RPG) adventure will let up to four players hack, slash and smash their way together through a visually stunning hand-drawn landscape. “Castle Crashes” launches this summer.

“Defense Grid: The Awakening” (Hidden Path Entertainment LLC). “Defense Grid: The Awakening” is the definitive tower defense game experience designed specifically for Xbox LIVE Arcade and launches this summer.

“Go! Go! Break Steady” (Little Boy Games). An Xbox LIVE Arcade exclusive, “Go! Go! Break Steady” is the debut title from independent developer Little Boy Games. The combination music and puzzle game combines break dancing with novel gameplay and launches this summer.

“Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness” (Hothead Games). The first video game collaboration between Penny Arcade creators Mike “Gabe” Krahulik and Jerry “Tycho” Holkins and legendary game designer Ron Gilbert, “Penny Arcade Adventures” is an RPG-adventure game set in a highly stylized 1920s universe filled with bizarre characters, outrageous combat and adult humor. The first episode of the game launches this summer.


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Comments

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 2:52 PM by Atomicow
PS3 may have won Bluray - but we still get all the games! XNA games is really cool - especially considering that they are giving away XNA to students for free! Hopefully we will see some really interesting stuff in the future.

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 4:26 PM by Shamrock
Some good info here.  Although I thought that we would be getting some demo's.  

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 4:39 PM by Free XBOX 360 Elite
If Ninja Gaiden II comes out in late June I know what I'll be playing all summer!

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 4:44 PM by Shamrock
Important!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I think there is a  mistake with the XNA in dashboard ad.   When you click the link it has you download the wrong version of XNA (the one you need a subscription for).  

When trying to launch the XNA game launcher it says (you have no subscription associated with this account and logs you off).


I had to manually go into the MP (all games) find XNA and download the right version.   Thought you guys might want to know this so someone can fix the AD.

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 5:03 PM by John Porcaro
Thanks, Shamrock.  Looking into it...

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 5:35 PM by Shamrock
Yep, definitely think that their is a problem with the AD.  More people running into the same problem I had and posting about it on IGN.

I think the ad is linking to the XNA launcher and not the XNA community launcher.  I think that version is for the people trying to make games.  It's like 99 bucks for a year or something.

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 6:40 PM by Shamrock
After further review the problem may just be that people are trying to open XNA after downloading it, instead of downloading the games and launching them from the XNA game blade in "My Games.


Thats actually what I did at first to.  I downloaded XNA launcher and then tried to open it right away.   So basically anyone who tries to open XNA without a subscription would get that error message right?   You have to download and launch the games from the dash?

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 6:59 PM by John Porcaro
I just posted something that might be causing the problem (hearing it from other sources too, and I did the same thing myself--silly me, not following instructions...).

Thanks for the note, you were the first to flag it...   :)

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 9:17 PM by Goon360
Pretty much everything on that list I am anticipating. Gonna be another great year for 360!

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:02 PM by phylum sinter
XNA is enough to get me to renew my gold membership~!

I'm really glad to see MS support smaller developers like this... but what i'm wondering now is how does a game graduate from being an XNA game to an XBLA game?

Everything announced piqued my interest, but Too Human, GoW 2, and Castle Crashers have probably hit me the most.  Fable 2 will be wonderful i'm sure, but for some reason it isn't quite there yet.

# re: GOW2, Fable 2, NG2, and Community Games in GDC Keynote

Thursday, February 21, 2008 12:22 AM by Ben (Australia)
"Xbox 360 Becomes First Video Game Console Ever to ***Invite the World*** to Create Original Games and Share Online With Millions"

World?  As in everywhere except Australia, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan?

Gotcha.  Nice work, arseholes.
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About John Porcaro

John is Director of Customer and Community Relationship Management, Microsoft's IEB Global Marketing Team. His team is responsible for Online Community for Xbox and Games for Windows, and CRM/customer communications. He's been at Microsoft since 1990, where he's been a Product Manager, Channel Marketing Manager, Communications Manager, and Events Manager, mostly working in our Consumer Division (currently called Entertainment & Devices Division).