wipeout-pulse posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Report: Half of Studio Liverpool staff laid off

According to a report from Develop citing inside sources, Sony has terminated half of all employees at Studio Liverpool -- the team behind the WipEout franchise. In January 2009, Sony merged Studio Liverpool (formerly Psygnosis) with Evolution Studios and last week announced plans to restructure the new team. In its report of the restructuring, GamesIndustry.biz noted redundancies "may be necessary;" however, Sony has yet to confirm how many positions were affected by the decision.

Within the comments of GI's original article, a user registered as SCEE programmer Paul Ripley wrote "I would estimate about at least 50% of Studio Liverpool has [just] been culled (myself included). Hard to work out exact numbers at the moment." Develop's inside source relayed similar information, noting Sony's layoff plans for the studio were "looking heavy."

Joystiq has reached out to Sony for comment, but has yet to hear back as of this publishing. If you work/worked for Studio Liverpool and would like to speak to us on or off the record, we're all ears.

WipEout Pulse PS2 port revealed by German ratings board


Not too long ago, we reported that a WipEout Pulse port was rumored to hit the PS2. Back then it was still intangible gossip; however now, there is substantial evidence that such a title is indeed in the works. German ratings board USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle) has this PS2 port listed down in its database -- the record of which can be seen embedded in the image above.

Without any reciprocal rating on North America's ESRB, the PS2 WipEout title may never leave Europe -- that is, if it gets off the ground in the first place.

Rumorang: WipEout Pulse for PS2 still in development


Eurogamer claims to have knowledge of a PS2 version of WipEout Pulse in development, but an official Sony statement on the as-yet unannounced title muddles the actual status of the futuristic racer.

In the official statement, Sony reminded Eurogamer that "over 9.5m PS2s" exist in the UK and that the publisher is still supporting the platform with titles such as SingStar and Buzz!. While Sony has never mentioned WipEout Pulse plans in the past -- other than to deny the original listing of the rumored game -- the manufacturer explained it would decide future PS2 releases on an "individual basis and make decisions accordingly," based on consumer demand. Perhaps it'll gauge consumer demand through an online petition. Those work, you know.

Rumor: Wipeout Pulse headed to PS2, Fat Princess due in March


According to an alleged Q1 release schedule issued by Sony Computer Entertainment Benelux, the PlayStation Network can--

Yes, that's right. Sony Computer Entertainment Benelux, which handles the European economic union comprising Belgium, Netherland and Luxembourg.

Anyway, VideoGamesBlogger claims to have received this schedule, which includes a PlayStation 2 version of PSP racer Wipeout Pulse -- due in February -- and a March PSN release for obese royalty roll-a-thon, Fat Princess. In addition, the--

What? Yes, of course we asked Sony for comment. The company indicated awareness of an "out of date" release schedule being mistakenly circulated to the media and could not confirm any of the games nor release dates. Even though Flower's already been confirmed for February 12th. The other ...

No, we're not being hasty. We're just trying to convey some information here. It would be truly helpful if you could just stop interrupting us. We're trying to write a post here. In the nice, padded room.

Rumor: Daxter and Wipeout Pulse porting to PS2


French site Jeuxvideo.fr states that PSP games Daxter and Wipeout Pulse are being ported to the PS2. The story seems probable considering how many PSP to PS2 ports there have been, but at this time it's an unconfirmed rumor.

Given the history of high-profile PSP games like R&C: Size Matters and the GTAs being ported to the the PS2, we have to wonder if GoW: Chains of Olympus and Secret Agent Clank will make the leap at some point; the Chains of Olympus port rumor is already old news.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

Rumor: Wipeout Pulse and Daxter moving to PS2

It shouldn't be too surprising to see Wipeout Pulse and Daxter move to PS2. Sony has made it something of a tradition to move its big PSP exclusives back onto Sony's aging home console. While this potential move may anger some, it's important to note that these ports usually come out over a year since the original release -- long past a game's relevance at the store shelves.

These ports are not confirmed (the only source we see is French site Jeuxvideo.fr). But with Wipeout HD coming out on PS3 and Secret Agent Clank coming out on PSP, there's very little reason for fans to get up-in-arms about these potential projects.

[Thanks, Joe!]

Win a copy of Wipeout Pulse!


Wipeout Pulse is now available in stores! Read our review to find out more about the game.

A lot of high quality PSP titles were released in the past few weeks. Perhaps you missed this one. Get a copy of Wipeout Pulse for PSP by simply leaving a comment. Just tell us you want the game. Really, just leave a comment. It's as simple as that.. The comment must be left before Friday, March 7th, 5PM EST. Owo winner will be selected in a random drawing. Grand Prize Winner will a copy of Wipeout Pulse (ARV: $30). Click here for complete Official Rules. Eligibility is restricted to the legal residents of the 50 United States (including DC). You must be 18 years or older to enter.

European PC Store updates for February 21st

Small update today, but not necessarily a bad one if you're a fan of WipEout Pulse. The third add-on pack for the game is now available. When will these packs stop coming? Good question. Next week is the final update. Here's the full release list:
This week's add-on pack adds another ship to your repertoire as well as two new tracks. Not bad for three quid. We're sad to see that there are no PS1 games or demos this week. Maybe something interesting will hit the American store later today. We'll keep you informed.

PSP Fanboy review: Wipeout Pulse


Wipeout Pure remains, to this day, one of the top rated PSP games of all time. And for good reason, too. When it debuted with the PSP launch, it delivered unparalleled graphics, tons of content, and a huge assortment of downloadable content that made Pure a great value for any racing fan.

Nearly three years later, Studio Liverpool finally returns to PSP with the next installment of the Wipeout franchise. Wipeout Pulse attempts to do the impossible: improve upon the formula they created with Pure. Undeniably, they have succeeded.

Gallery: Wipeout Pulse

Continued →

First DLC appears for Wipeout Pulse [Update]


Fans who enjoyed Wipeout Pure's free DLC are going to be very disappointed by this new. The first DLC for Wipeout Pulse has appeared on the UK PLAYSTATION Store ... at a cost of £3.49. The "Mirage Pack" includes a brand new team, and two new tracks (and their Zone variations). Update: Future packs have been unearthed on the official Wipeout website. They each include two tracks and one new team.

Pulse is a fantastic game, and we don't mind having to pay for more of it. However, is £3.49 a bit too much for you? How much will DLC cost when the game launches in America in a week?

Also available on the UK Store: Fade to Black (PS1), Theme Hospital (PS1), Motorhead (PS1)

[Thanks, Forgot69!]

PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 46




CES 2008 interview with John Koller (28.6MB)

Also featured: Wipeout Pulse, SoulCalibur IV, LittleBigPlanet and Downstream Panic!

Continued →

First-person Wipeout will make you lose your lunch

Be warned, Wipeout Pulse can, and will, get dangerously fast. The speeds of Phantom and Zone are mind-shattering (could this iteration outdo every previous game in the series?). However, to really understand how exhilaratingly fast the game moves, one has to play in first person. Only then, will you really feel like you'll lose your lunch. Catch more videos, after the cut.

Continued →

Feel the Pulse, the WipEout Pulse

If you read our hands-on impressions, you'd know that we're in love with WipEout Pulse. Looks like IGN is quite enamored too -- and they have videos to show you. Unfortunately, these videos don't quite capture how intense the game really feels when it's in your hands. The silky smooth framerate adds a lot to the experience. New modes, like Elimination (our favorite), are a welcome addition to the franchise. And, the experience "loyalty" points you get after each race has us trying to grind for more unlockables. It's just a better game than Pure, and that's saying a lot.

Check out all of IGN's videos here.

PSP Fanboy hands-on: Wipeout Pulse


What could possibly be better than Wipeout Pure? Simple: a sequel. It may be hard to tell from the videos, but Pulse is a vastly improved sequel in almost every way possible. Visually, the graphics have come quite a long way. With the full 333MHz of PSP's power unlocked, it appears Studio Liverpool has doubled the framerate. Yes, Pulse appears to run at a silky smooth 60fps. This is almost unprecedented in a handheld game, especially one that looks as good as this.

The new HUD and announcer is intense, adding a lot of tension to the already-exhilarating gameplay. Weapons are much more important in this iteration of the franchise, as it appears that ships are far less durable than before. Just after a few nicks on the wall, you'll see significant damage accumulate on your shields. Thankfully, you can absorb items by pressing O. We expect the increased power of the weapons to cause far more ships to explode during a race -- and that's just cool.

Another significant change is the way ships control. Even though we're familiar with the teams from Pulse, we were surprised to see how differently they control in this sequel. The ships are much more responsive, and the over-compensation we typically used in the previous game actually had us crashing into walls more often. Obviously, the easier controls will be better for those that found Pure a bit too difficult.

With better graphics, better presentation, better controls, a brand new screenshot mode that lets you capture images in-game all add up to an experience that betters its predecessors in every possible way. We're insanely jealous of our European friends that can play the game now. For the rest of us, we'll have to wait until next year.

Gallery: Wipeout Pulse

Wipeout Pulse demo to hit PC Store today


It's Thursday. You know what that means. The PC PLAYSTATION Store will be updated later today, and it looks to carry a nice treat. A downloadable demo of Wipeout Pulse will be available on the Store -- at least in Europe. According to Eurogamer, players can expect one track and one team from the FX400 League, playable in either Single Race or Time Trial modes.

Stay tuned for today's PSN updates to see if this exciting demo makes it way to our neck of the woods.

Gallery: Wipeout Pulse

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