Hacking the PSP Blog

Imagine shifts focus to web

Imagine Publishing has announced plans to develop its web strategy this year with the launch of a new online shop, magazines and PS3 site.

imagineshop.co.uk will offer visitors the chance to buy back issues of the publisher's magazines, sign up for subscriptions, purchase books and order products such as PhotoShop Creative eMag - an interactive DVD containing 12 issues of the print publication.

Imagine is also launching next3.co.uk, a website designed to offer additional content to readers of the publisher's PlayStation 3 magazine.

"This is just the start of our online drive in 2007 and we will be pushing our online strategy with full force this year," said MD Damian Butt.

He confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that Imagine will continue to produce print publications such as Play, which Butt describes as the company's "flagship title".

However, PSP mag Go Play will now be published exclusively on the web. According to Butt, the decision to move the title online was taken "to make it easier for readers to access content on their PSPs".

Ellie Gibson
January 9, 2006

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

Kuju confirms split from LucasArts

Kuju has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that it has severed its publishing deal with LucasArts for upcoming PSP title Traxion.

The title was revealed at E3 last year, and won praise from the consumer press for its ability to incorporate MP3's stored on the PSP memory stick into gameplay.

"Kuju can confirm that we have agreed to sever the development relationship with LucasArts in respect of the Traxion game shown at E3 last year," said Ed Daly, studio head of Kuju Brighton.

Despite the two companies ending their business relationship, Kuju Brighton is confident that the technology behind Traxion will be put to use on future releases.

"For reasons of confidentiality we can make no specific comment about the termination of the relationship. However we can say that Kuju Brighton is committed to continue developing innovative lifestyle and music-based games, and we hope to be able to make a more specific announcement about the future of games based on our award-winning music analysis technology in the near future," he added.

Last June Kuju took on new staff in preparation of the full-scale production of Traxion, as well as the development of two new titles in the developer's portfolio.

Matt Martin
January 8, 2007

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

Burnout Dominator Interview

From IGN:

It should hopefully be no secret that we at IGN have been fans of the Burnout series for quite some time now. The franchise started out strong and really hit its stride with the release of Burnout 3: Takedown and its lighting-quick controlled chaos. The most recent console release, Burnout Revenge, took the formula even further with the ability to check traffic and more.

Though Criterion is hard at work on Burnout 5 for next-gen systems, PlayStation 2 and PSP gamers won't be left in the dust. Burnout Dominator is coming to the aforementioned systems this March, and to find out what it's all about we fired off a handful of questions to the game's senior producer, Nick Channon.

Read the full interview here...

Chris Roper
January 8, 2007

Source: IGN