How Warren Spector Ended up with Disney’s Epic Mickey

Warren Spector is one of the most creative game developers in America, but it seems odd that the man who worked on Thief and Deus Ex would be crafting a Mickey Mouse game for Disney. Yet here he is, working on Epic Mickey for Wii. Spector told Develop how his agent, CAA’s Seamus Blackley (who really ought to sign me), set him up with a meeting with Disney. He was reluctant to take it, but it worked out well.

So I’m stood there in a room full of Disney Interactive execs, and midway through my pitch I see they are all looking down at their BlackBerrys checking their email. I thought: ‘I was right! I am going kill Seamus’.

What was actually going on was that they were interested, but they were texting each other, asking ‘Shall we ask him if he’s interested in this Mickey game?’ It gets to the end of my pitch and they ask me how I felt about licensed games I said, ‘Actually, I am really interested in them’.

Epic Mickey

While I would never have predicted a Warren Spector/Mickey Mouse pairing, I have to admit that the possibilities are tremendous. Spector makes fantastic games and I can’t wait to see what he can do with an iconic character like Mickey Mouse. Who would have guessed that “the Deus Ex guy” + Mickey Mouse = the most anticipated Wii game of 2010.

[And Seamus, if your assistant happens to send this your way, you should really round out your stable of world class game developers with some guy writing a game blog. If anyone could get this site funding, it’s you. Ha!]

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Michael Jackson Remembered with a Grotesque Cell Phone

Michael Jackson phone

“The King of Pop” Michael Jackson will be honored in China with one of the most hideous cell phones I’ve ever seen in my life. Packaged with a DVD, this phone looks like a door handle from an ’80s Las Vegas casino. Shanzai noted:

While there is no word on pricing just yet, we can tell you that it comes packaged with a Jackson live performance DVD, supports the finest quality plastic diamonds money can buy and has more Jackson ringtones than any right-minded human should ever need. Oh and the whole package is very exclusive with a limited quantity in existence.

I’ve seen my fair share of ridiculous and ugly mobile phones, but this one takes the cake. Katherine Jackson should put a stop to its production at once.

Source via Engadget Mobile

Ever Wonder What Google Does with All Your Info?

Well wonder no more, because Google Dashboard is here! In an effort to be more transparent, Google has unveiled a new product that gives you a better understanding of what it does with your 411 and convenient control over a breadth of Google products. The official Google Blog stated:

In an effort to provide you with greater transparency and control over their own data, we’ve built the Google Dashboard. Designed to be simple and useful, the Dashboard summarizes data for each product that you use (when signed in to your account) and provides you direct links to control your personal settings. Today, the Dashboard covers more than 20 products and services, including Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Web History, Orkut, YouTube, Picasa, Talk, Reader, Alerts, Latitude and many more.

As a Google disciple, I love having a single destination that gives me an overview of all my Google usage. Check out the video below for more information on Google Dashboard. If you’ve had a chance to play around with it, I’d love to hear what you think.

Today’s Poll: What Dragon Age Race are You Playing As?

Dragon Age Origins chicky

I know a bunch of you are playing Dragon Age: Origins. I wanted to see which race you selected for your first run. If you haven’t picked up the game but are planning to, let everyone know which race you intend to play as the first time through. As for me, I picked a Dalish Elf rogue that will eventually become an assassin or a duelist.

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Violent Games to be Banned in Venezuela

Venezuela Flag

The Venezuelan parliament will be banning the production, import, and sale of “violent” games. According to Ria Novosti:

The Venezuelan parliament has adopted a law outlawing the production, import and sale of toy weapons and violent video games, the Globovision TV station said on Friday.

The law, violation of which is punishable by jail terms of between three and five years, will come into force in three months’ time.

Personally, I think this is crap. Parents should be responsible for the content their kids enjoy. It’s up to them to decide what’s suitable or unsuitable for their children. I find it ridiculous that the Venezuelan government felt the need to intervene. Drafting and passing this law was a waste of time and money. What do they really hope to accomplish here?

I sincerely doubt the new law will change any behavior, but I want to hear your take on the matter. Shout it out!

Source via Game Politics

EA Turns to iPhone During the Economic Downturn

iPhone 3GS

In case you haven’t noticed, the economy is crap, which is hurting several game publishers, including giants like Electronic Arts. While every publisher is looking to get leaner and meaner, one of the platforms that has been successful for EA is Apple’s iPhone/iPod Touch. EA CEO John Riccitiello said:

The traditional packaged goods business has been a little challenged so far this year. The other end of the world, online games that you download, games you get by the way of iPhone for example, that totally digital business is up so strong that it’s off-setting the challenge we see at retail.

I want to point out the number one grossing application on iPhone now is Beatles: Rock Band.

The iPhone/iPod Touch game market, while extremely competitive, is one of the most potentially lucrative segments of the business. Development costs are low, the installed base is tremendous, and the price point is feasible for impulse purchases. It will be interesting to see if more big publishers turn to the iPhone while the economy is still in the toilet.

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Use Twitter to Help Save Honey Bees #HelpHoneyBees

Honey Bee

Sure, bees are pretty much bastards, but honey is pretty awesome. More importantly, it’s sad that honey bees have been disappearing at an alarming rate over the last few years. Bees are extremely important for pollenization; several specials of flora and numerous vital crops depend on bees. You can help save honey bees through a simple Twitter message. TechCrunch has reported:

Running through November 11, Häagen-Dazs will pay $1 for the first 500 people that tweet everyday with the hashtag #HelpHoneyBees. The money will go towards both a UC Davis research project to further look into Colony Collapse Disorder, as well as help fund the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, which aims to teach people about how to create their own honeybee farms.

I encourage everyone with a Twitter account to send a message that includes “#HelpHoneyBees”. The effort is minimal and you’d be helping a great cause.

Lastly, in the immortal words of Eddie Izzard, “I’m covered in bees!!!”

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What Are You Playing This Weekend?

My gaming goals are pretty diverse this weekend. I’m going to give WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 a break for a week or two. One of my closest friends is starting up Borderlands and I want to play some co-op with him. I love playing cooperative games with a good friend; other than family and a couple that has a child together, is there a stronger bond in humanity than between two people that play co-op games?

weeklies

I also picked up Tekken 6. All my industry friends are telling me that the net code is a mess, but I’m actually playing this one for the story and Panda. I’m not sure why, but I’ve always been fascinated by the world of Tekken 6. Some of the plot points are goofy, but I’ve always enjoyed the story. *shrug*

Of course I’m going to be spending the bulk of the weekend playing Dragon Age: Origins. Actually, I’m probably going to ditch my Borderlands friend and Tekken 6 for Dragon Age. My plan is to play all three, but who am I kidding?!? BioWare rules!!!

As always, let me and your fellow RPadholics know what you’re playing this weekend!

Coffee Talk #20: Bluetooth Headsets and Gaming

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, how badly you wish you were at the Canyon of Champions today, Nigel McGuiness’ corny lines on TNA Wrestling, or the sleep vs. Dragon Age: Origins debate Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Up until a few years ago, I felt that Bluetooth headsets were exclusively for wankers. It was just impossible not to look like a complete tool when using one. My stance has softened after the sensible banning of mobile phone use while driving and the PlayStation 3’s inclusion of Bluetooth. One of the things I like about the PS3 is that it allows you to use any Bluetooth headset you want, rather than a proprietary one. I like that consumers can spend as much or as little as they wish for chatting with their fellow PS3 gamers.

jawbone 1

One line of Bluetooth headsets that I’ve had extremely positive results with is Aliph’s Jawbone series. The models are very stylish and also feature effective noise reduction. The “noise killer” feature of the Jawbone is fantastic for those that use their headsets outdoors or in crowded areas. Gamers that play in a living room full of noisy siblings will also appreciate the noise reduction. I’m playing around with Aliph’s latest model, the Jawbone Prime, and will have a review-type article up next week.

For now, I wanted to ask you if you use a Bluetooth headset with your PlayStation 3 or mobile phone. What model do you use? What are your priorities when selecting a Bluetooth headset? Price? Style? Features? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!