FADE (Forecasting & Analyzing Digital Entertainment) is reporting their estimates on Steam sales during the first quarter of 2011, and is stating that Steam made just under $200M USD in revenue, and Total War: Shogun 2 was the best-selling Steam game during that period.
Total War nuts Creatively Assembly have been given the keys to the Aliens license by SEGA, and it's looking like a "blockbuster" project says Conservative MP Ed Vaizey. The UK politician went on to describe the visuals as "out of this world", with the concept "amazing". The new 10k square foot floor is mainly for their console team.
The full financial year for SEGA Sammy has yielded profits of $515.5m, which is a jump of 105% from the previous period. Sales crept up just 3.4% to $4.9bn. Sales in games and toys fell 26.5% with operating profit at $24.4m, down 69%. The amusement centres did very well. US and EU console sales weak.
Total War's Creatively Assembly and Football Manager's Sports Interactive are the tops for SEGA, says Europe boss Gary Dunn. Both "outperforming" their plans. The studios are "on top of the game," and are "very integral" to SEGA profitability. CA seen as "jewel in the crown" of SEGA - has "consistent highest quality".
We've brought you an interview extravoganza with Creative Assembly and SEGA...
Studio Director Tim Heaton has said that Creative Assembly - famous for its Total War PC strategy series, doesn't need to be defined by the franchise. "There are two very separate personalities within the studio," he said in an interview, when asked whether or not their new Alien-based game would be a strategy title or not.
SEGA Vice-President of Production Gary Dunn has assured that there are now "new standards" in place at the developer who made strategy-console game Stormrise. "Suffice to say since Stormrise's completion, the studio down under has been heavily invested in, entirely new leadership team from the likes of EA, Ubisoft..."
Creatively Assembly have shipped Total War: Shogun 2 and now have the Aliens IP to work on, but that doesn't mean history gets a break from the UK studio. Already they're digging into their next Total War chapter, which they were working on "whilst we were finishing Shogun 2", said studio director Tim Heaton.
Creative Assembly and SEGA have released the Ikko Ikki Clan Pack DLC for Total War: Shogun 2 which adds a whole new clan for single and multiplayer. Eight unique unit variants comprise their ranks. Warrior nuns are included too which are usable by all except the Ikko Ikki, plus there's a new historical battle.
Sony Online Entertainment have addressed an online petition to save Star Wars Galaxies, reiterating it was "mutually agreed upon" by SOE and LucasArts. The decision to close the MMO was not "approached lightly or without very serious thought", and a possible free-to-play model was "part of our research".
Analyst firm Forecasting & Analyzing Digital Entertainment (FADE), has reported their prediction for Valve's Steam platform and say they reached $468m by June. That's revenue for the first half of 2011. FADE believe Portal 2 led strong growth clearing $56.4m through 1.1m units. Magicka hit 789k units worth $6.2m.
Creative Assembly has announced that Total War: Shogun 2 will be getting a brand-new downloadable campaign called Rise of the Samurai , which will be available in September. The DLC takes place 400 years before the main Shogun 2 campaign, and follows the Gempei War and the emergence of the samurai as a ruling class in Japan. No price has been set yet.
Sega has announced a new expansion for Total War: Shogun 2 titled "Rise of the Samurai", which will take players through a new independent campaign set 400 years earlier in the 12th century, during a conflict between six clans in the Taira, Minamoto and Fujiwara families.
Sega has announced the second expansion to Total War: Shogun 2 called "Fall of the Samurai", which takes the game to the last Shogunate in 19th century Japan. As the country is introduced to modern weaponry and the Samurai begin to decline, Western powers begin to encroach on Japan and a civil war breaks out.
Sega has announced that two new downloadable content packs are now available for Total War: Shogun 2. The downloadable content includes the Hattori DLC and the Blood Pack DLC; the former pack was included with the Limited Edition of the game.
Sony Online Entertainment and LucasArts' Star Wars Galaxies MMO has now officially switched off its servers, bringing an end to the long running saga which jumped to lightspeed in 2003. In 2005 it was overhauled after developers acknowledged many faults with its design. Now the fanfare is over as Galaxies went out with a bang as Rebels and Imperials squared off.
We take a look back at 2011's highlights...
Sega has announced that the latest expansion for Total War: Shogun 2 will be arriving on the 23rd March. Fall of the Samurai documents the last stand of the Samurai class, as Western powers encroach on Japan during the Tokugawa era in the mid-19th century.
Gamers who don't own the upcoming Fall of the Samurai expansion for Total War: Shogun 2 can still enjoy Fall of the Samurai multiplayer, provided they're playing someone who owns the expansion. A few other games share this mechanic, such as Magicka.
As the team at SEGA Studios Australia begins the transition from London 2012 to their next project, about 37 developers have been made redundant. The studio isn't closing down however. SSA has inked a "multi-product deal" for games to be released digitally. They have already "commenced development" on these new titles with announcements "in the near future."