Scarygirl for XBL, PSN, PC (www.scarygirlgame.com), Square Enix

….

When something straight-up awesome-looking comes floating across a game PR person’s desk, that’s when our jobs become even more fun than they already are.  And for anyone who has seen even a teensy bit of Nathan Jurevicius’ award-winning graphic novel Scarygirl, they already know that awesome-looking doesn’t begin to describe the eye-patched, tentacled, stitch-mouthed cute girl with a  hook…

So what happens when the good folks at TikGames get their hands on this franchise and turn it into a 3D action-platformer for Xbox Live, Playstation Network and PC?  You get Scarygirl from Square Enix, a stunningly unique looking game with tons of creepy-cuteness, fun co-operative play and a mess of running, jumping, fighting, swinging and more.  See for yourself:

Scarygirl launched last week for XBL and hits today for Playstation Network.  Critics are enjoying their time with the title, with GamerHeadquarters calling it “the best I’ve seen from the Xbox Live arcade so far this year” and IGN adding, “If you like a challenge, love finding collectables, and want a constantly evolving journey through 21 platforming levels, give ScaryGirl a chance.”

Even our in-house MavPR Junior Gaming Expert, Cameron, raves: “I love Scarygirl.  Can we play Scarygirl?  Where’s my light saber?”

If you love side-scrolling platformers, beautiful art and fun gameplay, head over to XBL or PSN right now and grab Scarygirl!

Square Enix and the Final Fantasy XIV team recently pulled back the curtains on some pretty major development plans for the future, including huge changes, updates and upgrades that will take Final Fantasy XIV into the future. If you missed the announcement, you can check it out via the Lodestone at  http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/pl/teaser/

This is an exciting time for the game and its fans, as the Company shows off its commitment to quality and the franchise by sharing the rather impressive roadmap for future improvements and content changes while, at the same time, highlighting all of the hard work and quality upgrades that have gone into the game to date.

Maverick PR is excited to be a part of it, helping tell the game’s story because it’s rare to see not only the commitment to excellence, but also the incredible transparency between development team and fans.  The Final Fantasy XIV team has shared their plans and as always, encouraged fans to assist in the process by providing additional feedback along the way.  That’s something special, for sure.

Some of the top MMO and RPG sites out there had a rare opportunity to jump behind the curtain this week, sitting for one-on-one interviews with Final Fantasy XIV Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida.  The interviews explored what has already been done to improve upon the original release, what is planned for the future, and what fans can expect from Final Fantasy XIV in 2012 and beyond.

Want to know more?  Check out the interviews at the following links:

MMORPG – RPGAMER – MASSIVELY - GAMEGEEX – RPGSITE – CURSE (coming soon)

As MMORPG says, “Naoki Yoshida and his Final Fantasy XIV team have set a new standard for transparency between developers and a game’s community. Not only are fans well informed but they are also well equipped to help the team implement some of the new features.”

Still want to find out more about Final Fantasy XIV?  Hit the Official Site or the Lodestone!

If you’re not familiar with DX:HR — The Missing Link, how about a quick primer?  This is the first downloadable content pack created by Eidos-Montreal for their award-winning hit game, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, a game which successfully continued the awesome legacy of the Deus Ex franchise with amazing review scores and hours of sneaking, punching, shooting, augmented fun.  The DLC fills in a critical missing portion of the main game, allowing fans to explore further into the conspiracy and find out what happened to Adam at his darkest hour.

Enough with the overview, on to some of the initial feedback!

JOYSTIQ says that the DLC feels “substantial and clearly representative of the main game’s strengths” while GAMEBANSHEE explains a bit more, saying that DX:HR — The Missing Link “provides more of the same great gameplay Human Revolution did, and improves on it by offering up some interesting new environments to explore, better-designed levels and gameplay scenarios, and a story which is, frankly, fairly crucial to those who want to better understand the big picture of Deus Ex’s universe.”

More reviews are still coming in and even more will blow out once DX:HR — The Missing Link releases.

So keep an eye out for the release of this awesome add-on to one of 2011′s best games.

Stay tuned via the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DeusEx or via the official site at www.DeusEx.com.

Kim Swift and the Airtight Team Prepare for Their Panel at PAX Prime 2011

SEATTLE — We’re excited to announce, for those who do not already know, that Maverick PR is working on the next great game from designer Kim Swift, co-creator of Portal, entitled Quantum Conundrum.

That’s right!  And honestly, we can’t be any more excited that Square Enix turned to us when they needed a monster PR announcement for this important upcoming downloadable title.

Not only is the game flat-out amazing (DLC is really coming a long, long way), but you see, Kim was also an integral team leader for a pair of our own in-house favorite titles — Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2. Oh the many hours we’ve logged blasting Zombies and yelling at one another for release from a pesky Smoker… but that’s another story all together, people.

The short of it is that working with amazing designers and development teams has always been the thing that we here at MavPR cherish the most.  And we know what we’re talking about. We’ve worked with some amazing folks in our day.  So signing on to work with Kim is a great reward to us.

But enough about us … Quantum Conundrum [http://www.quantumconundrum.com] is a first-person puzzle game that will challenge gamers to think not only with physics, but also in multiple dimensions.  Don’t just run and jump or move and place objects – consider how the world will be affected if it was suddenly all pink and fluffy and everything became light as a feather… the deeper you go, the more mind-bending the puzzles become.

More information on the game has revealed already through some amazing previews — we’ll save ourselves the time here and let you click through to read some of those stories below.

At PAX, Quantum Conundrum was the break-out game.  If you missed the awesome GameSpot exclusive video walkthrough and preview the night before, there was no missing the other previews that hit throughout the show from the private demos and interviews rolling out at a neatby hotel.  And, if the coverage in all the onlines somehow escaped gamers, attendees were treated to an exclusive live demo and Q&A session hosted by Kim and the rest of her team from Airtight Games.

The buzz and info for Quantum Conundrum has only just begun, but it already looks like this is going to be huge hit and awesome game next year.

Read on through the sampling of previews below and, for more deets, and be sure to stay up to date by following the game on Facebook at [http://www.facebook.com/quantumconundrumgame]!

GAME INFORMER — JOYSTIQ – WIRED – 1UP – ARS TECHNICA — DESTRUCTOID – ESCAPIST — IGN – KOTAKU

That’s why we were so excited to get the green light to give something back to the faithful right before launch with the Official North American Community Launch Party.  And where else to hold such an immense and fan-focused event but the mecca for North American gamers, PAX Prime?

Drinks on Adam Jensen @ The Diller Room

To start, PAX Prime is plain-old fun, drenched in enthusiasm and with hot new games everywhere.  Gamers come from around North America to meet up with online friends for a weekend of doing what they love most.  It’s also the only show in the US where developers and publishers can meet their customers face-to-face in an video game orgy of enthusiasm and fandom.

Much more “real” than E3 – that annual gathering of suits and media – PAX provided the perfect platform and the perfect timing to put on a party simply for the sake of celebrating the release of DXHR and rewarding the fans.

And reward we did!  MavPR worked closely with Square Enix and Eidos-Montreal to completely take over The Diller Room in downtown Seattle, only a short walk from the convention.  Custom-themed drinks, an open bar, handmade pizzas and about 350 good friends awaited those who lined up 300-deep about an hour before the doors opened.  PR FOLKS NOTE: The Diller Room is an awesome venue with amazing staff!

Once inside, the party was rocking.  Party partners like AMD, OnLive and Machinima.com provided some amazing free swag, exclusive tee-shirts and other premium giveaways.  AMD graphics cards and OnLive consoles anyone?

The party was exceedingly hot [thanks, unseasonably warm Seattle weather] but was a helluva great time for the fans and for the team.

Can’t wait for the next one.

# # #

Editor’s Note:  If you missed Part 1, our profile of GamerFitNation, head over there now and have a quick read.  Meanwhile, our new feature series continues below with Part 2: The Interview!

As we said yesterday, GamerFitNation is one of our favorite new sites, an outlet that combines our obsessive love of exercise with our obsessive love and work with video games.  But what makes a site like GamerFitNation tick, and what is it like launching a very focused web site like this in an industry looking mostly for bigger numbers and expanded “reach?”

To find out, we went to the source and grilled site founder Antwand Pearman about GFN.

MAVPR:  GFN has a really unique focus – fitness and gaming – what has been the reaction from industry PR and others in the industry to your vision?

GFN: They love us! At first I wasn’t sure how we would appeal to them but now we’ve gained great relationships with people in the industry. I think the best part is when I meet CEO’s, top developers, and PR who want to tell me about their health issues and success stories. It shows me they appreciate our very concept. I thank them all for greeting us so warmly.

MAVPR:  It seems like GFN staff is a tight-knit group of like-minded gamers and fitness-focused folks – how did it all come together?

GFN: Trial and error really… See, I asked my friends to help me get things started. Those who came eventually couldn’t dedicate themselves for a variety of reasons and ultimately left. I begin working by myself, and for a time I didn’t think the site would make it.

One day I met a woman named Brittany who became a fan of the site, and she became the Assistant Editor. She encouraged me to not give up. The extra bonus was that she was a Beach Body coach. From there, we launched a new site and worked hard until my old friend Gregory came back and soon we found a talented writer name Sharon. I decided to keep my group small, and only choose staff I felt would put in the work. Gregory and Brittany are my left and right hand, and Sharon’s my brass knuckles.  We still need more people, but for now I have a perfect team.

MAVPR:  What exercise activities does the staff undertake – I know there’s at least one MMA fighter and P90Xer.

GFN: Brittany, the P90Xer, Gregory is on the poorman’s workout plan (a.k.a home gym), when Sharon’s not in her home gym, or practicing yoga, she is utilizing the outdoors to stay fit, and when I, Antwand, find the time, I do everything: MMA, P90x, etc…

MAVPR: What have you learned working with VG publishers and developers?

GFN: A lot.  They care about their product and all they really want is for you to enjoy their games. These guys put a lot of work into making a good product and sometimes we as gamers give them a hard time. FYI – if a developer pushes a title back it’s for your benefit, so stop getting so upset about it. That’s why we at GamerFitNation.com started something called the GFN Spotlight. We spotlight developers who show compassion for gaming. We recently featured Sega in the GFN Spotlight, they are great people.

MAVPR:  What are you planning on introducing on the site in the near future?

GFN: More video content such as interviews, health and gaming events, you name it!  A mobile app that lets you take GamerFitNation.com everywhere you go is also in the works. A membership program is also on the horizon, but for now it’s under wraps… Ssshh!

MAVPR:  What other site – of any size – do you admire and why?

GFN: I admire SFX-360.com, GamerReaction.com, HiphopGamerShow.com, Mytakeradio.com, and thekoalition.com, because these guys make an effort to help the gaming community.

MAVPR:  Are there ever enough review copies?

GFN: The hard thing about getting review copies for a game is convincing companies that your site is worth the investment. The funny thing is we have more of a hard time getting review copies for games related to our website’s focus. Put it like this: I got Dead Space 2, and I still haven’t received EA Active 2.

Look, I understand that a lot of people make requests for review copies and some might not even complete them, but GFN will. We love video games and we will make sure to produce a review that reflects it’s true quality.

MAVPR:  What trade show is the toughest badge to get?

GFN: Honestly, we don’t really have a hard time getting media badges.  It’s getting to the event that’s the hard thing for us. Our site has been widely accepted but it costs to be the boss. Hopefully one day we will get to the point where, financially, we can travel to every trade show.

MAVPR:  What is the recent game (within last two years) you liked more than all other sites?  What about hated more/less?

GFN: Personally for me UNCHARTED 2! I truly love the game. As a site we all loved Red Dead Redemption.

MAVPR:  What would you tell someone looking to start their own site?

GFN: Go to events! No matter how big or small, let people see you and what you’re about face-to-face. Then when you meet them, be yourself don’t try to be like ‘the other guys’ because a lot of people do that already. Just be who you are and understand and respect the people you work with.

If you’re in this for the perks then this isn’t something you should do.

MAVPR:  The experienced killers at MavPR play L4D2 a lot — What does your site crew play and why?

GFN: Well our crew doesn’t all game on the same consoles. For the self-proclaimed king of Uncharted, Antwand Pearman, and for Gregory Laporte it’s Uncharted 2. For the rest it’s Red Dead Redemption, Blur, Assassin’s Creed, and Marvel vs Capcom 3. Since we all have a Wii, I say New Super Mario Bros.

MAVPR:   How do you feel about the latest Kinect/Wii/Move fitness programs?

GFN: Bout time! I’m sorry but the Wii cornered a market because MSFT and PlayStation neglected it. Now they are playing catch up, but with that said… they are doing a great job.

Let me tell you something about the Kinect and PSMove that people don’t realize; each has its own advantages. I find it better playing a dance game on a Kinect then on PSMove, but I also prefer playing a tennis game on the PSMove over the Kinect any day.  Truth be told I’m glad MSFT is starting to take fitness seriously and push out DLC because we as gamers need to live a healthy life.

MAVPR:  Do you find gamers respond well to your message?  Is it an older gamer who reads GFN or do younger gamers seem to want to stay fit too?

GFN: At first it was hard because, it’s like feeding a kid broccoli, you know it’s good for him and he does too but it’s not something he wants to eat. So what do we do? We find ways to make it taste better.

See we are not the first gaming and health site, believe it or not. We are the #1 gaming and health website. Why? Because instead of trying to force gamers to change their lifestyle to a healthy one all at once, we show them different ways to live their current lifestyle while making small changes that will have a big impact. So basically we put cheese on the broccoli.

MAVPR:  What’s been the toughest part about getting the site off the ground?

GFN: Funding really. Everything comes down to money no matter how you look at it; ads, travel, bills, you name it. What people don’t understand about most gaming sites are that we don’t all get paid for what we do. We work, have families to support, and try to maintain bills like you. Some people run their websites using their paycheck to fund it.  So to everyone out there who wants to make the next big website you all need to know one thing, it’s not free.

For most companies it’s all about numbers, numbers being the amount of viewers that visit your website. If you don’t have a certain amounts of views you’ll never get the top advertisers to advertise on your site, making your road to income a long and hard one. My thing is that I’m not waiting to be the next IGN to make my ends meet. To me if you want to be successful you’ll have to create your own way to it.

MAVPR:  Your “True Gamer of the Week” Feature Series has been interesting to follow; can you give us hints us to who is upcoming?  What would be your top 5-dream list of industry people to participate?

GFN: Here’s the thing about True Gamer I feel people sometimes don’t understand. It’s a place where people who have done something to make the gaming world better come to be honored. There are some people who aren’t aware of the true faces that make up the gaming world. Ask someone who doesn’t know about gaming “What is a Gamer?” and 9 times out of 10 they’re going to say something very stereotypical. We want to show non-gamers the true faces of gaming and what they can become in gaming.

A lot of people give their all to put a spotlight on the gaming world; some in big ways and some small. It’s not about being fit but more or less to show gamers that we all think about our health. It’s a place where both David and Goliath can be honored as equals.

Top Five I would like to see honored as True Gamer? I would like to get Jordan Verner ,the blind gamer who beat Zelda (and the guys who helped him), LBP Planet podcast crew, and the head developer of Crisis 2, Nathan Camarillo.

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Thanks to everyone for reading and thanks to GFN for participating!  Share this story if you like it.

Keep an eye out for more editions of The Other Sites coming up, and if you’d like your site to be featured, let us know by emailing us at maverick (at) mavpr.com!

EdNote:  This is the first in a series of profiles that will explore the depth and variety of the video game-focused media. We hope to shine a light on some of the smaller sites who don’t pull numbers like GameSpot but bring the passion, knowledge and fan fervor of the biggest sites in the world.  So read on and stay tuned for future profiles… maybe you’ll find a new outlet to visit and they’ll gain you as a fan!

Maverick PR loves GamerFitNation, and not just because they took the time to profile one of the greatest video game PR people of all time… cough-cough… but because they are a site with a positive, focused message and purpose beyond just satisfying the instant news and screenshot demands of fanboys and girls across the world.

To sum it up: GamerFitNation is the Men’s Health Magazine of the gaming press, a place where gaming and fitness come together and encourage those who love playing video games to find a more healthy balance — mentally and physically –  within their lives.

Founded in 2010 by Antwand “BlackBible” Pearman, GamerFitNation was originally intended to be a community site where like-minded gamers could join together to blog and chat about gaming and health.

“The site was conceptualized when I began noticing a trend of gamers at the gym,” Pearman said. “GamerFitNation became a reality when, after watching a disturbing story on CNN about video game addiction, I decided to act.”

That drive to make a difference and bring a positive message has produced a unique online destination staffed by a full team of writers who cover industry news, write previews and reviews, attend and cover events and develop feature stories, all while integrating mental and physical fitness.  The team also chats with the community and even creates a comic strip.  Helping the team along their way to healthy advice is a collection of expert contributors who provide fitness-focused stories for the readers.

One of GFN’s video interviews…

“We have Doctors, Dietitians, Nutritionists, and Fitness Experts who contribute to the site as well,”  Pearman added.  “What makes our site different is that we put gamers’ health in the forefront. Many websites touch on gamers’ health once in a blue moon, but we specialize in it.  We bring a balance to gaming and health like no other website does and we make healthy living fun for all.”

And to that end, the site hosts a variety of stories that go far beyond video game previews and reviews.  GamerFitNation routinely updates the site with things like new healthy recipe ideas, suggested workouts from professional trainers, the latest research, and other tips.  In addition, Pearman has just added a new section called “GamerFitNation JR,” dedicated to tackling topics such as childhood obesity and parent/child bonding through video games.

The site’s current feature series — the “True Gamer” profiles — shines a weekly spotlight on gamers who, in their own way, change the stereotype of what it means to be a gamer.  So far, the feature series has profiled people who have started websites, foundations, and podcasts as well as game developers [and brilliant PR people!].

“We feel gamers need to see the good in a gaming lifestyle. We also want people who don’t game to see us in a more respectable light,” Pearman said.  “We want to show non-gamers the true faces of gaming and what they can become in gaming. A lot of people give their all to put a spotlight on the gaming world; some in big ways and some small. It’s not about being fit, but more or less to show gamers that we all think about our health.”

Thanks to the team over at GamerFitNation for participating in our very first “The Other Guys” profile.  Head over to the Nation right now to see what you can learn about staying healthy while you still enjoy fragging your friends online.

And be sure to come back tomorrow for Part 2: The Interview with GamerFitNation founder, Antwand Pearman!

What’s old is new again, and in so many ways!  We’re really excited to announce that we are partnering up once again with our friends from Atari, Inc. – this time to work on the upcoming release of Warlords on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. 

So, what’s old and what’s new?  Well, not only did Brandon and Matt meet while working AT Atari waaaaay back in the day, but we’ve worked as MavPR with Atari before, on games like The Undergarden, Neverwinter Nights 2, and more!

And most obviously, Warlords is a remake of a classic Atari 2600 game.  And yes, we were alive so long ago when the first version was the bleeding edge of gaming.  Scary.

Have a look at the game’s screenshots below and be sure to check out the trailer embedded as well!  Much more on this exciting title soon!

Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection is Now Available for Sony’s PSP… Go Find It!

We’ve had the distinct pleasure of working with Square Enix on TWO amazing titles for PSP this year, Tactics Ogre which shipped earlier this Spring, and now Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection which is now available and is being received by top gaming media with great review scores! 

The game includes a re-relase of Final Fantasy IV along with Wii-centric episodic releases of Final Fantasy IV: The After Years.  If that wasn’t enough, Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection includes a new game – Final Fantasy IV: Interlude – that ties the events of Final Fantasy IV and The After Years together.

It’s an amazing package of some of the best Final Fantasy games ever released.  We’re biased, so don’t take our word for it… let’s go to the Reviews!

IGN:

9.0/10 and Editor’s Choice!  Read it HERE or WATCH it below!

GAMETRAILERS:

Watch their video review in which they give FFIV:TCC 8.5/10.

GAME INFORMER: 

The guys from Minneapolis agree, it’s an 8.5/10 and a Silver Award game.

Keep an eye out for more reviews, and in the meantime, you can keep up to date on the official Facebook page at http://www.Facebook.com/FF4Complete

Matt mugs his best “STANDARD INTERNET DORK POSE” A Camera Angle Which Other MavPR Partners Find Decidedly LESS Funny Than Matt Does. Shame, Really. :-p

 

“I don’t mind dying, but I’ll be damned if I die early and miss out on time with my son simply because I couldn’t stop eating crappy food or because I was too lazy to get my ass off the couch.”
- MavPR Partner Matt Frary in GamerFitNation’s True Gamer of the Week Profile

One of your favorite young video game sites, GamerFitNation, has selected Maverick PR Partner Matt Frary as their “True Gamer of the Week” this week. This is a totally fitting title and the perfect site to profile Matt, because his nearly obsessive man-love of P90X has kept him neatly trim for more than 7 months now.  We’d post a picture of his rock-hard abs here, but it would be far too overpowering for teh Internets to handle.

We SWEAR Matt's head isn't as wide as this image portrays... it's stretched wrong, WE SWEAR!

We’ll be talking a bit more about GamerFitNation soon during one of MavPR’s top-secret special projects that will be unveiled shortly, but the short of it is that the GamerFitNation aims to help others learn new ways to game in a healthy way and keep their mental health in check.  Really, it’s a big void that the site aims to fill — someone out there has to be talking about staying healthy while enjoying our favorite hobby.

We encourage you to head over there on a regular basis, not only to read about how fascinating and muscle-ridden MavPR employees are, but also because the site offers — in addition to game coverage — great healthy recipes, work out advice and routines, comics and other great features and articles.

In the meantime, you can satisfy your curiosity and read up all about what Matt thinks about gaming and fitness, his own routines and diets, and his worldly advice for even the most lazy, the most unwilling, the most pathetic game-addicted weight loss candidates out there.