The Vita Lounge Interviews DrinkBox Studios About Severed

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Our friends over at The Vita Lounge interviewed Chris McQuinn from DrinkBox Studios about their upcoming touch based dungeon crawler, Severed.

"As we noted earlier, we loved Guacamelee! Can we expect a sequel at some point? If so do you already have some ideas of where this could go?

At the moment the studio needs a Guacamelee! break. If (when?) we do return to that world it should only be under the pretext that the entire team is enthusiastic about doing so. From a creativity standpoint sometimes you just need to walk away for a little while and let new ideas subconsciously seed themselves in your brain somewhere. The last thing we want to do is force a sequel. Forced sequels can be a real let down to fans.

Mutant Blobs is another of your noted series, do you have any plans to revisit this in the future?

Well, this is much more divisive in the office. There are two camps in the studio, one who want to do a new Mutant Blobs game, and the other camp (we call them the no fun camp). Who knows what the future holds, but rest assured there are people here always pushing for it (this includes me)."

You can check out the rest of the interview here, and make sure to follow the studio on Twitter. Personally I'm very excited for Severed, and can't wait to play the game when it comes out this Summer. 

1000 Twitter Followers!

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Quick post here, but @TorontoGameDevs has reached 1000 followers on Twitter!

Just like the tweet says, I'll be giving away codes for games from Lummox Labs, Nexus Game Studio, Vertex Pop, and Alientrap.  Just tweet at me, or comment on this post to get something, and thanks again! Make sure to also check out our Patreon, and stay tuned to TorontoGameDevs.com.

Ubisoft Toronto Working On A New IP

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IGN recently wrote that based on some job postings, it looks like Ubisoft Toronto is working on a new IP.  The studio was lead developer on Splinter Cell: Blacklist and helped with Far Cry 4, and Assassins Creed: Unity.

You can check out the full job posting here, and article from IGN.  Make sure to follow Ubisoft Toronto on Twitter, and stay tuned to TorontoGameDevs.com for the latest on all the game developed in Toronto.

N++ Release Date Announced

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Developer Metanet Software announced today an official release date for their upcoming ninja platformer, N++.  The developer also released a fun trailer showing how many pieces of gold are in the game, and how much coffee they drank.

It's finally time to reveal when you can get your hands on N++ for PS4! Check out all the stats on N++ in this awesome trailer featuring Richard E. Flanagan's slick mograph, and get excited. http://www.nplusplus.org © Metanet Software Inc.

"We are so excited N++ is finally ready for release and we can’t wait for you all to finally get your hands on it — it is challenging, satisfying, and bursting with surprises. I can tell you with complete and enthusiastic confidence, N++ is the masterpiece we set out to make. It has turned out even better than we expected it to, and partly because of the N++ Beta we ran over the past few weeks."

A possible Vita release was teased if the PS4 version sells well, as well as a update that will double the size of the game.  You can check out the full PlayStation blog post here.  

N++ is scheduled for release on July 28th for PS4. PlayStation Plus members get a 20% discount at launch.  Stay tuned to TorontoGameDevs.com for the latest on the game.

Gastrobots From XMG Studios Releases Next Month

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Developer XMG Studios have announced that their upcoming game GastroBots will release August 20th on iPhone.

Description from the official site:

"Gastrobots is a cute lil' arcade puzzle game where you, an adorable space-robo-cowboy, save the Food Galaxy from being eaten by greedy space-robo-critters the only way you know how... Wranglin'!"

Make sure to follow XMG Studios on Twitter for the latest info, and stay tuned to TorontoGameDevs.com for all the latest on game developed in Toronto.

PlayStation Underground - Super Time Force Ultra

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Ryan Clements from the PlayStation blog had Kenneth Yeung from Capy Games on their show PlayStation Underground where they played and discussed the upcoming 2D shooter: Super Time Force Ultra.  Lots of great footage, including gameplay of PlayStation centric characters including Shuhei Yoshida, and the hooded traveller from Journey, and Sir Galahad from The Order: 1886.

"On today’s episode, Ken showcases the crazy action, robots, dinosaurs, and — of course — time travel that make up the pixelated backbone of Super Time Force Ultra on PS4. As an added bonus, Ken breaks down each of the PlayStation-exclusive characters, including our friend and President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida. Yes, Shu is a character. Rejoice!"

Today we host the time-traveling designer Kenneth Yeung from Capy Games. And in the spirit of time travel, we're sharing this Super Time Force Ultra episode that we recorded AGES ago. Thematic consistency! On today's episode, Ken showcases the crazy action, robots, dinosaurs, and -- of course -- time travel that make up the pixelated backbone of Super Time Force Ultra on PS4.

There is no release date yet for Super Time Force Ultra, but the game will be coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita "soon".  Make sure to follow the developers on Twitter and stay tuned to TorontoGameDevs.com for the latest on all games developed in Toronto.

Sunday July 12th: Toronto Game Developer Job Postings

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We took a week off since there weren't any more new job postings, so the last time we posted was on June 28th.  We're back now since there are some new positions, check them out below and keep an eye on the Studios page for a good source of active developers.  As always, the studio name and job position are links to their sites.

DrinkBox Studios - 2D Animator

"The applicant will work in Toon Boom and Flash to help rig characters and create animations for future DrinkBox Studios projects. Required animations may include enemies, bosses, player character(s), animated background elements, and animated cutscenes / animatics."

Ubisoft Toronto - Level Designers, Animators, Programmers, and more.

Ubisoft is the biggest studio in Toronto, so they are always kind of hiring. There are a lot of different positions, and it's worth always checking their site every now and then.

Digital Extremes - Testers, Artists, Programmers, and more.

"Why choose Digital Extremes? Ingenuity, diligence, highly skilled, specifically trained. With stealth precision, this team of ninjas have infiltrated the F2P market. Can we control the natural elements, shape shift or walk on water? Hell no. But we can develop kick-ass videogames. We are masters of our own weaponry. What is your superhuman skill? Do you have what it takes to join this elite team? Bring it. Recruiting now."

Big Blue Bubble Inc - Director of Marketing, Level Designer, Sound Designer, and more.

"We are the largest and most successful independent mobile games company in the nation, we rank among the fastest 50 growing technology companies, and we have more accolades than wall space to display them. Big Blue Bubble delivers sheer mobile entertainment immersion through engaging, social, free to play games. We bring the most talented, creative, and zany people together with a singular vision of creating the best player experience possible."

MK-Ultra Games Announces Knight & Damsel On Steam Alongside Ouya

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Toronto developer MK-ULTRA Games announced yesterday that their upcoming "uncooperative" multiplayer game Knights & Damsel will be coming to Steam and Humble Store alongside the Ouya release.

"Knight and Damsel is a two-player competitive puzzle platformer with a neat little twist: The Damsel isn’t just waiting to get rescued by the Knight, she can handle herself! It’s all about getting to decide who gets to rescue the Damsel: the Knight, or the Damsel herself? (Or will she rescue the Knight?)"

Knight & Damsel is a two-player "uncooperative" couch multiplayer game coming for OUYA and PC on Steam and Humble Store in 2015. Steam link: http://store.steampowered.com/app/361680 http://www.knightanddamsel.com http://mkultragames.com http://playouya.com

Make sure to check out all the details of the game on the developers website, and follow them on Twitter.  Make sure to stay tuned to TorontoGameDevs.com for the latest.

Toronto App Strategy Workshop Features Local Developers

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We've already posted about the upcoming App Strategy Workshop, but wanted to dedicate a post to it.  The upcoming event will go over creating mobile apps and will be really useful for any students or people interested in making apps:

"Building a great app is difficult, but turning it into a profitable business can be even more of a challenge. Join industry experts, innovative startups, publishers, and developers to explore strategies to turn your app into a profitable business. Audience members will have the opportunity to tweet photos, questions, and feedback throughout the event. One participant's tweet will be randomly selected and the lucky attendee will win a Nexus 9 tablet!"

The event will feature some local Toronto developers including Andy Smith from XMG Studios, Ken Seto from Massive Damage Inc, Al Zebian from Play Puddle, Rob Segal from Get Set Games, and more.

The event is on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 from 5:30pm to 9pm at One Eleven.  You can check out all the details, and register for the event here.  Make sure to follow the organization on Twitter here, and stay tuned to TorontoGameDevs.com for the latest.

Deals: Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition Part Of Epic Indie Sale

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Nintendo is having an Epic Indie Sale for Wii U, where if you buy one game, you get the others on sale for 60%.  Normally Guacamelee is $14.99, but with this sale it is $5.99.

The Epic Indie Sale will run from July 9th up to July 23rd, 2015. 14 Wii U™ titles presented by 7 studios from 6 countries are on sale on Nintendo's eShop.

You can check out full details of the sale here. Make sure to follow the developer on Twitter, and stay tuned to TorontoGameDevs.com.

Shwip Xbox One Announcement Trailer

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I spoke about Shwip, and Jamhammer Games late last month, and the developer let me know on Twitter that an Announcement Trailer for Xbox One was released as well! You can check out the full trailer below:

Shwip is straight up twin-stick action, with a whip. Get that daily fix of pixel induced-destruction with devastating weapons & abilities the military would be jealous of. Evade, outlast, and play with style in three invigorating game modes. Unlock achievements, compete against friends in local-multiplayer, and show the world who's number one on Shwip's online leader-boards.

Shwip is the first twin stick shooter where you have a whip, and is scheduled for release this fall.

Researching Squids For Severed

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I'll take any and all opportunities to talk about DrinkBox Studios.  Case in point, this funny little post that goes over a developers mission to understand squids for Severed:

"In the end, I noticed these creatures had a push and glide mechanism, so decided to go with a logic that used a sine wave function as it’s velocity. This seemed to be a nice replication of the jellyfish movement that can be seen in-game below:"

You can check out the full post here, and follow DrinkBox Studios on Twitter here. Make sure to keep an eye on TorontoGameDevs.com for the latest on the Toronto game developer scene.

5 Days of Quench Updates

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With Bit Bazaar later this week, developer Axon Interactive has started showing off more details for their upcoming puzzle game Quench.  

Day one focused on Shaman who is a "young elephant who has the power to commune with the natural world," and Smokebeasts:

"Quench begins with Shaman’s first pilgrimage, during which she must prove that she can lead her Tribe and the other animals with Shepherd’s help.....Smokebeasts take the form of ancient and somewhat monstrous animals shrouded in black smoke and seem to be found most often near caves and holes in the earth. The smoke that covers these creatures is noxious, and normal animals begin choking and coughing if they come too close. In certain circumstances, the smokebeasts emit a black sludge that coats the ground and prevents any life from growing there."

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Day two focused on characters Headlong, Scout, and Springbok.  You can check out all the details and more on their tumblr page.  Make sure to check them out at Bit Bazaar this weekend, and be sure to keep it to TorontoGameDevs.com for all the latest.

Bit Bazaar Summer 2015 Lineup Announced

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Bit Bazaar #5 was only a couple of months ago, and it was a great way to see some of the awesome game developers in Toronto.  I also came home with a lot of swag.  Bento Miso has announced the summer line up of the event, which this time will be hosted at Ontario's Celebration Zone at Harbourfront Centre.  The line up is a little bit of the same as last time, but some new ones like Quench, and Runbow.

LOVERS IN A DANGEROUS SPACETIME Asteroid Base

FATE TECTONICS Golden Gear Games

SEVERED DrinkBox Studios

PLANET OF THE EYES Cococucumber

CRYPTARK Alientrap

ARCADE SKIDADDLE Numizmatic

QUENCH Axon Interactive

SHUTSHIMI: SERIOUSLY SWOLE Neon Deity Games

OUTER EARTH Mailbox Games

RUNBOW 13AM Games

JOB LOZENGE From Smiling

ZA VAS (TO YOU) F'n Overachievers

PITFALL PLANET Bonfire Games

CHESH Damian Sommer

FEMMEPOCALYPSE altopunk

I'll be there! Be sure to say hi. Who is going? Make sure to stay tuned to www.torontogamedevs.com for the latest on all these games and more.

Deals: Bloxiq On Sale For Android And iOS

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Blot Interactive's unique puzzler Bloxiq is currently on sale on Android and iOS devices for only 99 cents.

You can download the game on iOS right here. I tried to find the game on the Google Play store, but can't, but I did download it on my phone a few hours ago.  The game is also available on PlayStation Vita if that is more your style.

Keep your eye on TorontoGameDevs.com for the latest deals on Toronto developed video games.