The Project Natal. The Revolution has Come!

Posts Tagged ‘epic’

With Shadow Complex setting very specific week-one sales records on XBLA, Epic and Chair would be kind of nuts to not consider a sequel. One job listing out of a recent crop on Microsoft’s employment boards seems to out that likely scenario, implying that Shadow Complex is a bona fide franchise for Microsoft Game Studios and Epic. Said listing specifically calls for a Lead Producer to “lead the publishing side of games made by Epic: Gears of War and Shadow Complex.”

Additionally, Microsoft appears to be looking for more able bodies to join its growing pool of Project Natal and 343 Industries employees. Existing job listings call for everything from designers to engineers to even a few artists. Sadly, the company isn’t looking for MJOLNIR armor models yet, but just in case, Microsoft, you know how to reach us.

[Via Develop]

Microsoft lists more jobs for Project Natal, 343 Industries; hiring Shadow Complex, Gears of War franchises lead originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Epic and Microsoft have long been cozy bedfellows, comfortably sharing the covers with each other for years. Now that partnership has extended to Microsoft’s proposed game changer, Project Natal. Speaking to Epic’s marketing maestro, Mark Rein, OXM asked what Natal’s use of the Unreal engine implied for the futures of both companies.

“I think any future Xbox games we make will have some Natal support,” Rein commented. “We always want to have something that exploits the unique capabilities of a platform.” While Rein had no idea what type of game Epic would make with Natal, he did have some ideas on how Natal could improve the hardcore experience — namely, simplifying the controls.

An example he used was taking one’s hand off the controller to mimic throwing a grenade, or using a hand gesture to signal your squad move to a certain location. On paper it sounds great, but we have to question how much such controls could improve on what is arguably one of the easiest things one could ever do: pushing a button.

Mark Rein: future Epic games will have ’some’ Natal support originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

As the Vice President of Epic Games — purveyor of cutting-edge graphics technology and self-anointed “conglomerate of badassery” — Mark Rein must have a fairly good grasp of where the future of gaming is headed. How long until games are beamed directly into our eyes? It’s a question posed in a hilarious and cheeky Eurogamer interview, to which Rein responded: “Over half the users who played Gears of War 2 so far do not have HDTVs.”

Well, that’s a bit of a bummer. “My point is, of the systems that are out there now, the majority of them aren’t plugged into HDTVs. So there’s no way we’re ready for the PlayStation 4 or the Xbox Whatever,” Rein said. The PlayStation 3 still combats the issue of cost, he added, with Sony likely looking to amortize launch and development across that often touted ten-year lifespan.

There are benefits to be reaped with developers growing more comfortable and experienced with the hardware, but for now, we’re not ready for another PlayStation. And a next Xbox? “Yeah, it’s called Natal,” says Rein. “That is the next Xbox.” Though new consoles like the Xbox Whatever may arrive later than expected, we’re confident Epic will be right on time in delivering Things of War.

Epic’s Mark Rein: We’re not ready for PlayStation 4 or Xbox Whatever originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments