News
1 CommentEpic Mickey 2: The Power of Two makes the jump to PS Vita June 18
By Dave Tach on May 23, 2013 05.23.13
Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, the co-op platformer from Blitz Games Studios starring a cast of Disney characters, is headed to PlayStation Vita June 18 with enhancements designed for Sony's handheld, according to a post on the PlayStation Blog. PS Vita players will be able to control the paint thinner and electric beam weapons by using the device's touchscreen as well as adjust the camera and control vehicles using the Vita's "orientation-based controls." Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two on PS Vita will also allow players to direct AI, select, drag and drop sketches, pop bubbles and navigate menus with the touchscreen. In March, a tweet from Disney U.K. revealed that the platformer was headed to PS Vita in Europe. For more on the game, be sure to read Polygon's Epic Mickey 2: The...
Deals
6 CommentsTarget Wii U sale discounts console, cuts prices for Assassin's Creed, Madden, FIFA and more
By Dave Tach on May 20, 2013 05.20.13
Target is offering discounts on Wii U hardware and software in its online store, according to listings on the company's website. The Wii U Basic console, which includes 8 GB of internal storage, is on sale for $239.99, a discount off 20 percent of its regular price of $299.99 and a savings of $60. A bundle that includes the Wii U Deluxe console, which includes 32 GB of storage, Nintendo Land and New Super Mario Bros. U is on sale for $390, a savings of $19.99 off the combined $409.99 retail price. The retailer has also discounted several Wii U games, including: Assassin's Creed 3 for $29.99 (regularly $49.99) Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two for $29.99 (regularly $59.99) FIFA Soccer 13 for $29.99 (regularly $53.99) Madden NFL 13 for $29.99 (regularly $39.99) Nintendo Land...
News
3 CommentsEpic Mickey 2: The Power of Two coming to PS Vita in the UK
By Griffin McElroy on Mar 18, 2013 03.18.13
Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, Junction Point's co-op platformer which was the last title the studio developed, is coming to the PS Vita in the U.K., according to a recent tweet from Disney's U.K. chapter. No details about the port were revealed, though the tweet mentioned it would launch "later this year" and was accompanied by the PS Vita version's official box art, posted below. Disney U.K.'s Twitter feed does not mention whether the game will also be ported to Sony's handheld worldwide, or who will even be developing the game — Blitz Games was the outfit responsible for the game's Xbox 360, PS3 and PC ports, so it might be in charge of this version, as well. We've reached out to Disney to find out its plans for bringing the game stateside, assuming it has any.
Deals
14 CommentsBest Buy Presidents Day sale discounts 3DS hits, Darksiders 2 and more
By Griffin McElroy on Feb 15, 2013 02.15.13
Popular 3DS titles like Kid Icarus: Uprising and Paper Mario: Sticker Star, as well as a few EA Sports titles and other recent releases, will be discounted this weekend as part of Best Buy's Presidents Day promotion. Through Monday, Feb. 18, over 20 titles will have their prices marked down by fairly large percentages. Here's a few worth taking a look at: FIFA Soccer 13 (Xbox 360 and PS3) — $39.99, down from $59.99 Pokemon Black and White 2 — $14.99, down from $34.99 Paper Mario: Sticker Star — $19.99, down from $39.99 Need for Speed: Most Wanted (Xbox 360 and PS3) — $39.99, down from $59.99 Borderlands 2 (Xbox 360 and PS3) — $29.99, down from $59.99 Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Wii) — $11.99, down from $39.99 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword...
News
2 CommentsDisney Interactive posts $9 million in profit for first quarter
By Michael McWhertor on Feb 05, 2013 02.05.13
Disney's video game division posted revenues of $291 million during the most recent quarter ending Dec. 31, 2012, a four percent increase over the year prior. According to an earnings release from the company, Disney Interactive posted $9 million in net income for the holiday quarter, compared to a loss of $28 million from the same period the previous year. During the quarter, Disney released a handful of games, including Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion, Wreck-it Ralph for iOS and Toy Story Mania for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The company did not provide detail on the performance of its console and mobile games in an earnings release. Disney attributed the higher operating results to lower acquisition accounting impacts at the interactive division's...
News
2 CommentsWarren Spector says goodbye to Junction Point in public letter
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Jan 29, 2013 01.29.13
Game designer Warren Spector bid farewell to his days at Junction Point following the company's closure with a letter posted to his Facebook page. "Yes, it's true," Spector wrote. "The Junction Point journey is over. To all those who've asked, or want to ask, I'm sad but excited for the future. "[Junction Point Studios] had a good eight year run. I got to work with some amazing people on some amazing projects. I've had some of the most magical times of my life, fulfilling several life-long dreams. I've gotten to know Disney fans and Disney cast members, gotten hands on with Disney's history, walked where Walt walked... 'Magical' really is the only word. Anyway, whatever you think of me, or Junction Point, or Disney or the Disney Epic Mickey games — yes, I know we polarized people!...
News
11 CommentsWarren Spector no longer with Disney after Junction Point closure
By Michael McWhertor on Jan 29, 2013 01.29.13
Game designer Warren Spector won't be staying with Disney following the closure of Junction Point Studio, a Disney representative confirmed to Polygon. Spector was formerly president of Junction Point and VP at Disney Interactive, according to his LinkedIn profile, which now lists him as an unemployed job seeker. "Wondering what comes next?... Want to talk?" Spector wrote on his LinkedIn profile. In an interview with Polygon last year, Spector expressed interest in exploring "the connection between the little supercomputer we all have in our pockets and [consoles]." Prior to Junction Point, Spector served as studio director at Ion Storm, where he worked on the Thief and Deus Ex franchises. Spector co-founded Junction Point with Art Min in 2004. The studio went on to develop two...
News
27 CommentsEpic Mickey developer Junction Point closes (update)
By Michael McWhertor on Jan 29, 2013 01.29.13
Epic Mickey developer Junction Point Studio closed its doors, a Disney representative confirmed to Polygon today. The Disney-owned Austin, Tex.-based studio employed about 160 people in early 2012. "It was with much sadness that we informed our teams today of changes to our Games organization, which include the closure of Junction Point Studios," a representative for the company told Polygon. "These changes are part of our ongoing effort to address the fast-evolving gaming platforms and marketplace and to align resources against our key priorities. We're extremely grateful to Warren Spector and the Junction Point team for their creative contributions to Disney with Disney Epic Mickey and Disney Epic Mickey 2." A Disney representative also confirmed that Spector has left Disney...
Feature
41 CommentsFinding Oswald's Voice
By Russ Pitts on Jan 17, 2013 01.17.13
Adding to the stress is the presence of Renee Johnson. Johnson works for Disney Character Voice, the mysterious and omnipotent caretakers of every character in the Disney repertoire. On occasions like this one, DCV will send someone like Johnson to stand in the room to make sure that Goofy sounds like Goofy or that Mickey doesn't say anything that Mickey wouldn't say. If DCV doesn't like it, it doesn't make the game. They have total authority. They can literally stop the show. But this is virgin territory — for DCV, for Junction Point … for everyone. Oswald has never spoken. Ever. What would he say? What would he sound like? What wouldn't he sound like? DCV doesn't know. Disney doesn't know. The only people in the world who have any idea are sitting in a conference room in...
News
11 CommentsAssassin's Creed 3, 007 Legends among games nominated for 2013 Writers Guild Awards
By Samit Sarkar on Jan 16, 2013 01.16.13
Assassin's Creed 3 and 007 Legends are among the candidates for the 2013 Videogame Writing Award from the Writers Guild of America, the nominees for which were announced today. Both Assassin's Creed 3 and its PlayStation Vita spin-off, Liberation, were honored with nods from the WGA. Liberation wasn't the only Vita game nominated for the award — Uncharted: Golden Abyss was also selected. Rounding out the list of six are Halo 4 and Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two. Here's the full list of games, along with their publishers and credited writers: 007 Legends, Written By Bruce Feirstein; Activision Assassin's Creed 3, Story By Alex Hutchinson, Corey May, Matt Turner; Multiplayer Story By Richard Farrese, Jeffrey Yohalem; Lead Scriptwriter Corey May; Scriptwriter Nicholas Grimwood,...
