Release Date Announced for Guacamelee! 2 on Xbox One
/DrinkBox Studios have announced when XBox One gamers will get to enjoy the latest in Juan Aguacate’s adventures. Guacamelee! 2 will release on Xbox and Windows 10 on January 18th, and is currently enjoying a 20% pre-order discount.
Brawling has never been more beautiful! The long-awaited sequel to the smash hit action-platformer is here: Guacamelee! 2 brings luchador Juan Aguacate out of retirement for a stunning new Metroidvania-style adventure, where he must face his greatest challenge yet - one that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of the Mexiverse! Explore a huge, hand-crafted world inspired by Mexican culture and folklore, filled with sassy new villains and weirdos (and a few old friends!). Learn a deep repertoire of bone-crunching wrestling moves to fend off the skeletal hordes and overcome skillful platforming challenges... and who said anything about a Chicken Illuminati? Certainly not us!
Drinkbox Studios In The News
Battle Princess Madelyn Out Now On PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch
/Casual Bit Games over in Nova Scotia released their latest game Battle Princess Madelyn just before the new year (in NA), with it coming to European regions on January 7th. The game combines elements from Ghouls N' Ghosts and Wonder Boy 3: The Dragon's Trap, as you follow the journey of a young knight Madelyn, and her ghostly pet dog Fritzy.
Join Madelyn as she battles through graveyards, swamps, castles, the countryside and more! Polished gameplay, breath taking visuals, jaw-dropping dual soundtracks and epic adventures await!
Head over to Switch, Steam, or PlayStation 4 to pick up the game. You can check out some screenshots, and trailer below.
Kickstarter Plug: MATH-Commander - VR/AR
/MATH-Commander is an arcade game combining both Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and everyone’s favourite: Mathematics. Out from Wulum Ltd in Calgary, you play as the Math-Commander in a twist on the typical shoot-em up, detailed on the Kickstarter:
“If you are playing from VR you will see the playing action in front of you. An Iron Man–style virtual console display will inform you how many targets you must destroy, how much time you have, and what your next target is.”
And for those who want to play on Augmented Reality:
For those playing the AR version, the scenario will display over a real surface previously identified by your mobile's camera. You will see your base cannon and enemies through your mobile device and choose your targets by tapping.
You can check out some of the videos below to get another idea.
You can check out the Kickstarter right now, which at the time sits at around 13% of their goal with 11 days left, however they have a modest goal of $9500 - so check them out! And in the meantime, follow them on Twitter.
Past Kickstarter Games
Lots of Canadian Game Developer Jobs Available Now (Includes Programmer/Developers, C++, 2D and 3D Artists)
/In case you haven’t checked it out yet, there are A BUNCH of jobs being posted on the site right now. Specifically the postings are from the National Film Board of Canada’s Ontario Studio. The below jobs link to their full posting.
National Film Board of Canada’s Ontario Studio
Featured
Doug Flutie Joins Maximum Football Starting in 2019
/We missed this one from last year, but Peterborough-based developer Canuck Play have teamed up with former CFL/NFL Quarterback Doug Flutie to be a spokesperson for their Maximum Football franchise, which starting this year will now be “Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football”.
"We’re extremely excited to have Doug on board,” said David Winter, President of Canuck Play. “His accomplishments at all levels and styles of football are well known, and he is the obvious natural fit for our title.”
You can check out the press release below, we’ll have to wait until Fall of this year for the next version of Maximum Football, but 2018’s edition is out now on Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Oh also, Hail Flutie.
Upcoming Games
Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football set for release in Fall 2019
Canuck Play & Spear Interactive welcomes Hall of Fame Quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie as partner and brand ambassador to the Maximum Football video game franchise.
Flutie has agreed to a multi-year relationship with Maximum Football and will lend his name and likeness to the franchise beginning in Fall 2019 with the anticipated release of Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We’re extremely excited to have Doug on board,” said David Winter, President of Canuck Play. “His accomplishments at all levels and styles of football are well known, and he is the obvious natural fit for our title.”
Doug Flutie is an American football quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy in 1984 as the best player in college football and who had a 21-year professional football career in the United States and Canada. Maximum Football is the only video game on the market that allows gamers to play with U.S. College, Canadian, and U.S. professional styles of play.
“I’m basically a kid at heart, who lives for playing sports in person or on the screen. This partnership gives me the chance to join the video game space and I’m looking forward to helping grow the Maximum Football brand,” said Flutie. “What drew me to Maximum Football was the innovative concept of including three different styles of football in the game.”
Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football will feature Doug as a playable character and include multiple new gameplay features.
The Maximum Football franchise was re-launched in 2017 by Canuck Play. Canuck Play was founded by David Winter, a 20-year veteran in the video game industry who boasts production and design credits include such titles as EA’s Madden, NHL, and FIFA series, as well as Batman, Harry Potter, and The Sims. Maximum Football 2018 is available now for digital download on the Playstation 4 and Xbox One.
About Doug Flutie:
The college football Heisman Trophy winner for 1984, Doug is a six-time Most Outstanding Player and three-time Canadian Football Champion, winning titles in 1992, 1996, and 1997. He also played ten seasons in the NFL. Currently, Doug serves as a lead analyst for NBC Sports Group’s coverage of Notre Dame Football. Doug and his wife Laurie established the “Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism in 1998, in the name of their son, Dougie Jr. For more information visit www.flutiefoundation.org.
About Maximum Football:
Maximum Football is available now for digital download on the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. For additional information on Maximum Football, visit www.maxfootballgame.com or follow @MaxFootballGarme and @CancukGS on Twitter.
A Christmas Peril Releases On Steam and Itch.io With 100% Of Sales Going To A Toronto Charity
/If you’re still in the holiday spirit then you should check out A Christmas Peril (itch.io here, or Steam here) which is a simple-to-pick-up snowball fighting multiplayer game with 100% of proceeds being donated to local Toronto charity LOFT Community Services. The game features four holiday level, easy controls, and customizable settings for each fight.
You can check out the trailer and screenshots below - but make sure to check out Steam or itch.io page. For a few bucks you can get a fun winter-themed multiplayer game, and donate to a good cause.
Featured
Game Developer Job in Montreal - AI Programmer
/NewFound Recruiting is working with top gaming studios in Downtown Montreal for some exciting permanent programmer opportunities! These client are offering excellent compensation packages with bonuses, incentives, benefits, vacation, great work culture with social events, relocation assistance and more! If interested, you can email your resume to Amanda Messina (amanda@newfoundrecruiting.com), and make sure to check out their website.
This is a chance to work directly on the design and have a say on compelling, cross-platform content that is authentic, rebellious and revolutionary! A company owned by true visionaries and leaders in the gaming industry!
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Analyze and understand the objectives of the project in terms of artificial intelligence to assess their technical feasibility; define and implement the required functionalities
Make suggestions to improve to the existing pipeline
Work with designers and facilitators regarding technical constraints and propose solutions;
Develop the necessary tools for an efficient development of the functionalities during the production
Support AI functionalities and system designs for production;
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer engineering, or equivalent training and working experience;
4 + years of working experience in gaming industry
Strong experience in C/C++ programming skills
Strong experience in Modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies
Must have worked on AAA console games
Ability to define data-driven models;
Knowledge of modern console development and Unreal Engine experience is a nice to have
Must have a passion for playing and making games
Good interpersonal and communication skills
Featured
Starlink: Battle for Atlas Gets Free Content Update
/Ubisoft has given Starlink owners an early Christmas gift - in the form of a free update for their space RPG Starlink: Battle for Atlas. The update is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch versions of the game and comes with new enemy units, new activities, and a photo mode. Full press release below.
Ubisoft News
STARLINK: BATTLE FOR ATLAS™ TAKES OFF WITH NEW FREE CONTENT FOR THE HOLIDAYS
MONTREAL – December 20, 2018 – Today, Ubisoft announced that Starlink: Battle for Atlas™, the all-new action-adventure game from Ubisoft Toronto released on October 16, 2018, will receive a large content update before the holidays. Introducing several fan-requested features, the update will be available free to all players on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One on December 21, 2018.
New contents include:
NEW ENEMY UNITS – All planets of the Atlas star system will receive brand new enemy types, introducing unique gameplay mechanics and encouraging players to adopt new strategies.
NEW ACTIVITY – Outlaw fortifications will appear all over Atlas for players to take down. This new activity will provide loot and experience upon completion.
PHOTO MODE – Players will be able to capture the favorite moments of their journey throughout Atlas and express their creativity with several tools to personalize their shots.
For more information about Starlink: Battle for Atlas, please visit: www.starlinkgame.com
For the latest on all of Ubisoft’s games, please visit www.ubinews.com
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2017–18 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,732 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoft.com.
© 2018 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. The Starlink: Battle for Atlas logo, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo.
For Honor Gets A Special Assassin's Creed Event
/Starting today, Ubisoft will be running an Assassin’s Creed event for three weeks in For Honor. The event will run from December 20th to January 10th .
“Abstergo has created a new gaming experience, called For The Creed, that utilizes the Animus to transport players to an age where the Knights, Vikings, Samurai and Wu Lin wage war on each other. For the duration of the event, players can enter a special variation of the 4v4 Dominion mode – Assassini e Templari, in which they must capture zones in order to lure commanders Ezio Auditore da Firenze and Cesare Borgia out to battle.”
There are also Assassin Creed items for customization. You can check out trailers, gameplay, and the press release below.
For Honor News
ENTER THE ANIMUS IN FOR HONOR® FOR THE CREED EVENT
Three Week Assassin’s Creed Themed Event Brings New Customization Items and Limited-Tire Game Mode
MONTREAL — December 20, 2018 — Today, Ubisoft announced that For Honor® players will enter the world of Assassin’s Creed with their first-ever cross over event – For The Creed, running from today, December 20 to January 10 on all platforms. This three-week in-game event will fully transform the For Honor experience using the power of the Animus as players relive the lives of fearsome Knight, Viking, Samurai or Wu Lin Heroes.
Abstergo has created a new gaming experience, called For The Creed, that utilizes the Animus to transport players to an age where the Knights, Vikings, Samurai and Wu Lin wage war on each other. For the duration of the event, players can enter a special variation of the 4v4 Dominion mode – Assassini e Templari, in which they must capture zones in order to lure commanders Ezio Auditore da Firenze and Cesare Borgia out to battle. Defeating commanders will give a team 300 points. The first team that reaches 1000 points and defeats the opposing team during the breaking period wins. Select game modes will be narrated by Warren Vidic, the director of the Animus Project at Abstergo Industries.
In addition to the special mode, the For Honor world will receive a slew of Assassin’s Creed themed changes. Maps featured in the Assassini e Templari mode will include iconography and Animus glitches around the map while the soldiers will be themed around unique factions tied to Assassin’s Creed games. In-game features will also receive updates as all drop attacks will include a Leap of Faith and air assassination animation. The game menus will be displayed through the Animus.
Additionally, For The Creed brings a variety of Assassin’s Creed themed customization items. Players can customize each of their heroes with the Odyssey of the Misthios Mask Outfits based on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, new Haystack Emote, Hidden Blade Execution, Animus Effects, Animus Battle Outfits, Assassin- and Templar-themed Elite Outfits and weapons from the Assassin’s Creed franchise Each Assassin’s Creed game logo will also be lootable by playing during the event. From December 20th until January 14th, players can pick up the For The Creed bundles at 35,000 Steel per Hero. This price may differ based on what players have already unlocked from the bundle.
For The Creed joins the recently released Marching Fire expansion, which added a new faction of Heroes, 4v4 Breach Mode and unlimited PvE Arcade Mode to nearly two years of continuous post-launch support and improvements since February 2017. For Honor will continue to receive new content and in-game events in 2019 with Year of the Harbinger. The Year 3 Pass is now available for pre-order for those looking to receive seven days of exclusive access to new Year 3 Heroes at the time of their launch.
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal in collaboration with other Ubisoft studios,* For Honor offers an engaging campaign and thrilling multiplayer modes. Players embody warriors of the three great factions – the bold Knights, the brutal Vikings, the deadly Samurai and the fearsome Wu Lin – fighting to the death on intense and believable melee battlefields. The Art of Battle, the game’s innovative combat system that puts players in total control of their warriors, allows them to utilize the unique skills and combat style of each Hero to vanquish all enemies who stand in their way.
For more information about For Honor, please visit forhonorgame.com and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/forhonorgame and on Twitter at twitter.com/forhonorgame.
For the latest about For Honor and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.
*Associate Ubisoft studios include Quebec, Toronto and Blue Byte. Additional development from Studio Gobo.
ABOUT UBISOFT
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2017–18 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,732 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoft.com.
© 2017–2018 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. The For Honor logo, Marching Fire, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries.
Game Developer Job In Montreal - Gameplay Programmer
/NewFound Recruiting is working with top gaming studios in Downtown Montreal for some exciting permanent programmer opportunities! These client are offering excellent compensation packages with bonuses, incentives, benefits, vacation, great work culture with social events, relocation assistance and more! If interested, you can email your resume to Amanda Messina (amanda@newfoundrecruiting.com), and make sure to check out their website.
This is a chance to work directly on the design and have a say on compelling, cross-platform content that is authentic, rebellious and revolutionary! A company owned by true visionaries and leaders in the gaming industry!
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Analyze, define and implement the required gameplay features;
Collaborate with game designers to refine gameplay features;
Work with game designers/level designers/animators to define the technical feasibility for each gameplay feature;
Help with improvements in designing and implementing new systems, or modifying existing systems;
Develop tools to provide efficient feature development during the production;
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer engineering, or equivalent training and working experience;
3+ years of work experience in the gaming industry;
Must have delivered at least 1 game as a gameplay programmer on a ‘AAA’ console title;
Strong programming skills in C/C++ and/or C#;
Experience developing tools, Engine development, or API architecture
Strong understanding of gameplay technologies,
Good knowledge of mathematics, physics, animation, artificial intelligence to implement gameplay features;
Experience in console development and Unity experience is a plus;
Must have a passion for playing and making games
Excellent communication skills
Game Developer Job In Montreal - Generalist Gaming Programmer
/NewFound Recruiting is working with top gaming studios in Downtown Montreal for some exciting permanent programmer opportunities! These client are offering excellent compensation packages with bonuses, incentives, benefits, vacation, great work culture with social events, relocation assistance and more! If interested, you can email your resume to Amanda Messina (amanda@newfoundrecruiting.com), and make sure to check out their website.
This is a chance to work directly on the design and have a say on compelling, cross-platform content that is authentic, rebellious and revolutionary! A company owned by true visionaries and leaders in the gaming industry!
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Work directly with and under the supervision of the technical director
Work on multiple platforms to support specialist programmers and artists
Make suggestions to improve to the existing pipeline that match the project’s needs
Responsible for analyzing code performance and optimize whenever needed
Help develop tools to provide feature development
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer engineering, or equivalent training and working experience;
4 + years of working experience in gaming industry
Strong experience in C/C++ and/or C# programming skills
Must have worked on 1 or more AAA console titles
Strong experience in multiple programming fields (3D, engine, audio, etc…)
Strong knowledge of AI Systems
Knowledge of modern console development and Unity experience is a nice to have
Passionate about playing and making games.
Good interpersonal and communication skills
Omensight: Definitive Edition Out Now On Switch
/Spearhead Games over in Montreal have released Omensight: Definitive Edition on Switch. Omensight was released for PlayStation 4 and PC earlier this year, and now makes its way to Nintendo’s hybrid console.
“You are the Harbinger, a powerful mystical warrior. You have witnessed the destruction of the world. In order to prevent annihilation you are destined to repeat that fateful day and solve the murder of the Godless-Priestess, whose death precipitated the apocalypse.”
You can check out the trailer, some screenshots, and press release below. Make sure to check out the game on Switch.
Game Developer Jobs
Montreal, Quebec - December 13, 2018 - Independent game studio Spearhead Games is happy to announce the launch of Omensight: Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch™ today. The Definitive Edition includes all the content and polish added to the original game since its original launch in May on PC and Playstation 4. To celebrate this momentous occasion, you can check out the new trailer for this 3D action murder mystery game.
“I’ve been a Nintendo fan all my life and their games have inspired so much of my game designs, so releasing Omensight on the Nintendo Switch™ is like a dream come true,” said Malik Boukhira, co-founder of Spearhead Games. “Omensight: Definitive Edition was a 2 year-long journey with a crew of 15 amazing and driven people. We’ve been listening to and working on all the feedback from our community since the game’s first release and we’re now happy to bring the ultimate version of Omensight to Nintendo Switch™ owners.”
Omensight: Definitive Edition is available digitally right now on the Nintendo eShop for $19.99/16,79€.
About Omensight
When the world of Urralia nears its end, that’s when your work as The Harbinger begins. You take on the impartial, and crucial, role of both warrior and judge to rewrite the destruction of your war-sieged world by identifying characters that may have played a part in the apocalypse. By understanding the events that pushed Urralia to its tragic end, you can manipulate time and circumstance to prevent the catastrophe.
Use the power of Omensight to weave a new narrative, pave the way to a brighter future, and give the world of Urralia a second chance.
Upgrade The Harbinger’s “warp flow combat” and time-slowing spells, then unleash them against enemies to devastating effect.
Recruit a colorful cast of characters in your mission to unravel the events that brought about Urralia’s end - Ally with a song-slinging bard, martial-expert army captain, or a beer-swilling bear, all with varying accounts of how the world met its demise.
Assets are available to download here.
For review inquiries or codes or more information, please contact
Philip Tam - Community Manager & Game Designer - Spearhead Games
About Spearhead Games
Spearhead Games is a Montreal-based independent developer. The studio’s first title, cooperative action puzzler Tiny Brains, followed the antics of four super-powered lab animals in their quest to escape a mad scientist’s nefarious tests. In 2016, Spearhead released Stories: The Path of Destinies, which saw ex-pirate fox Reynardo come up with last-minute schemes to stop an emperor gone mad.
For more information, please visit: http://www.spearheadgames.ca
15th Annual Global Competition - International Mobile Gaming Awards
/The International Mobile Gaming Awards will be having their 15th Annual Global Competition, and they are looking for entries. The awards will be given in San Francisco during GDC. If you are working on an unreleased mobile games with a playable demo, VR or AR, or games published after Jan. 1st 2018 then you should consider applying!
“The IMGA is now the mobile entertainment industry's leading showcase for groundbreaking
innovations, displaying exceptional quality and new trends in mobile entertainment, whether
the games are made for the iPhone, for Android Phones or other platforms.”
Graceful Explosion Machine Demo Out Now On Switch
/Still on the fence about Vertex Pop’s shoot em up? Well now there is a demo available on Switch you can try out. The game is also on sale for 30% making the decision even easier if you should pick it up (you should). You can head to the e-shop right now to download the demo and pick up the game.
And as a friendly reminder, Vertex Pop is still working away at Super Crush KO, which we should see on Switch and PC next year.
Nintendo Switch Games
The new studio founded by ex-BioWare devs Humanoid Origin is looking to fill multiple roles.