jumpgate-evolution posts

UK-based publisher Codemasters has not been immune to the current economic situation and today reports are that the company is close to securing some more money after 2009 left it short of cash, according to a new report at the UK based Time Online web site.

The story claims that in addition to new funds from existing investors Balderton Capital and Goldman Sachs Codemasters will gain money from an unnamed new investor source. However the publisher's current release schedule is lacking in upcoming games. After releasing several titles in 2009, including Damnation, Fuel, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising and Dirt 2 the company currently has just one upcoming game that's officially announced; the long-delayed MMO Jumpgate Evolution.

We at Big Download, and the game industry at large, are always interested in seeing what Wired magazine will put into their annual Vaporware list. However, we have been greatly disappointed with the games and game related products that Wired has picked to be on the list in the past few years.

This year's list included StarCraft II at number one which we certainly agree with. However it also included the third episode of Penny Arcade Adventures which we think is a little unfair since two episodes were released last year. And putting Black Mesa, a Half-Life 2 mod that's been in development for several years, is very unfair since the folks behind it are doing it for fun, not for profit or even a deadline.

The truth is there are a lot of high profile games and game-related hardware projects that certainly fit the term "Vaporware" far better than Wired's article. We've decided to give our own Vaporware awards to put the spotlight on those games that were promised at one point for release in 2009 but have not only missed that deadline but have dropped off the the grid in terms of recent publicity and/or any firm new release dates (in StarCraft II's favor, its developer/publisher Blizzard has shown the game as playable at recent events like BlizzCon). We've picked 11 candidates for the award and also given a special mention to a game that, while it didn't have a 2009 release date, should have been out by now as well.

Click on the image above to continue reading Big Download's 2009 PC Game Vaporware Awards

UK-based Codemasters launched the Western version of the Korean-created MMO Archlord back in 2006. Later the game turned into a free-to-play downloadable title. Today, however, Codemasters announced that it will be losing the rights to host the North American and European servers for the game after October 1. Codemasters states in a message on the game's offical web site that they could not come to a new agreement with the Korean developers of the game.

According to the site, the game will transition over to a new publisher, Webzen. However there's no word on when or even if the US and Euopean servers will come back online after Codemasters shuts down their servers. The publisher previously shut down another Korean-developed MMO, RF Online, in 2008. Codemasters still plans to launch Netdevil's space-based MMO Jumpgate Evolution although a specfic launch date was not announced.

Update: Webzen's web site says they will take over the game for the North American and European territories on October 3.

It's been a while since there's been any concrete news on Jumpgate Evolution, the long awaited revamp of Netdevil's space-based MMO. This week the developer sent out a press release announcing that over 250,000 people had signed on to beta test the game. The announcement states that they hope to get the closed beta test going sometime this year.

Last May, Netdevil announced that it had decided to push back the launch date for Jumpgate Evolution beyond its planned June 2009 release. So far Netdevil has declined to set a new release date for the game which will still be published by Codemasters.

"Jumpgate Evolution is an exhilarating space combat MMO, set in a vast expanding universe, that will allow players to choose from one of three playable Nations and engage in an intense action-packed gaming experience. While embarking on an immersive and accessible space adventure, players can trade valuable commodities, take part in exhilarating intergalactic battles, meet and play with friends and live out the dream of an elite hero. The game features a rich and varied universe to explore and has been designed for experienced and novice MMO players alike."

Download HD Jumpgate Evolution E3 2009 Trailer (93 MB)
Check out all Jumpgate Evolution downloads

One of the biggest MMO launches that we thought might be released in 2009 is Jumpgate Evolution, the revamp of Netdevil's first space-based MMO game with improved graphics, lots of new content and more. For a while Netdevil and publisher Codemasters have been touting a release date for the game for sometime in June.

However, in a new development update on the game, Netdevil co-founder Scott Brown stated that they have discovered some issues after some "Friends and Family" testing of the game. Brown staters, "Based on these results, it is clear that the product needs more time to meet its objectives." A new release date for Jumpgate Evolution was not given but Brown states, " Once we've established our road map for the next few months we'll share with you when the revised release date is."

One of the more interesting reveals in the game business this year was Gazillion Entertainment. The MMO developer had been in existence but in stealth mode, under another name, for a few years before revealing itself publically last March. Now the company has announced that it has hired a former Microsoft Games Studios executive to be its new VP of Studios.

Stuart Moulder worked at Microsoft for eight years and managed a number of their internal studios including the now defunct Ensemble Studios and FASA Interactive. Moulder will handle the game development management of Gazillion's multiple studios. They include Netdevil (working on Jumpgate Evolution), Gargantuan (working on the recently revealed Marvel Universe MMO) and Slipgate Ironworks (working on an MMO led by former id Software designer John Romero).

Netdevil's upcoming space-based MMO Jumpgate Evolution is ramping up for its planned June launch date and today the game's publisher Codemasters released some new screenshots showing off more of the graphical goodness of the title. More importantly, the publisher also revealed the hardware requirements needed to run the game.

Jumpgate Evolution has been designed to run on PCs that are no longer at the top of the performance ladder. The press release also emphasized that the game has support for a wide range of joysticks (as seen above) as well as gamepad controllers in addition to the typical mouse-keyboard support. Check out the minimal and recommended hardware specs for the game after the jump.

The latest trailer for Jumpgate Evolution is very similar to previous trailers in showing off the game's graphics and setting up the background. story. In this space combat MMO, players will need to choose between supporting one of three sides in an ongoing struggle. The game is still taking sign ups for beta testing. Visit the official website to join.

Download HD Jumpgate Evolution 'When Darkness Falls' Trailer (68 MB)
Check out all Jumpgate Evolution downloads

Ah, spring. It's the season for renewal where trees grow back their leaves, grass pops back up out of the ground and there's a general sense of optimism in the air (except for Cubs fans, but that's a completely different story). Oddly enough in past years the PC game industry has used the spring quarter (April-June) to take something of a break. In 2008 only one major PC game, Age of Conan, was released during the spring quarter.

That's not the case for the 2009 spring season, however. There are quite a few major titles coming out for our platform in the next three months. So much so, in fact, that we were actually able to pick 10 games that we are most looking forward to playing. And believe it or not it was a hard list to decide on; we left out quite a few games that also look promising but in our view didn't look quite as good as the 10 games on this list. As always keep in mind that release dates for games can, and ususally do, change so it's very possible that one or more of these titles may not make their spring release dates.

Click on the image above to read more on Big Download's 10 most anticipated spring quarter 2009 games