Developer Jeremy Pope was a part of Rockstar Games for several years before he left the company and eventually started his own studio. After working on games such as Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and Max Payne, it was time for a change. The reason for him leaving was that the games Rockstar was producing, though of a high quality standard, were simply too violent, and Pope was having a hard time really continuing work on these types of experiences.

“I was still in my early to mid-20s, I had grown up playing all types of games, violent games included, and worked on Max Payne and Grand Theft Auto, etc.,” Pope told GamesIndustry International. “I would always kind of defend the games we were making and I was pretty proud of being involved, but then when I would visit my grandmother in highly religious Alabama and have to explain what I do for a living, I didn’t feel so great about explaining to them that I was a part of ‘that game’ they’ve been hearing about.”

Despite not feeling the desire to work on violent games as part of the Rockstar crew, Pope still has a high level of respect for the company. The dev even pointed out that it’s a total shame that so many individuals in the media have decided to look at Rockstar and its games with such disgust.

“I definitely want to make a point of saying that I actually love Rockstar’s games and I think that it’s unfortunate that their games were specifically called out and targeted by the media, because their games — and we all know this — are really masterworks,” stated Pope. “Grand Theft Auto just pushed the boundaries in almost every possible way … So it’s a shame that those games have become a talking point.”

So what’s Pope doing now? As the head of Rally Games, the industry veteran is now working on mobile titles. The studio’s first project, Top Bot, launched last month on iOS platforms and looks absolutely nothing like Grand Theft Auto. The auto-moving racer is free to play and features multiplayer gameplay, a component Rally is actively pursuing.

“What we’re focused on at Rally is really trying to push things on the social end,” explained Pope. “I think about what it is I enjoy most about games and it’s always interacting with other people, it’s multiplayer.”

Developer High Voltage Software will release an HD version of its Wii first-person shooter The Conduit for Tegra-supported Android devices. The Conduit HD is currently slated for launch in Q1 2013, and it will feature improved graphics and even wireless tablet controller support.

According to the listing on Tegrazone, the first two missions will be free to play. Four additional missions can be purchased for $3.99, as can the final three missions. You can also buy the entire game right out of the gate for $4.99.

When The Conduit launched on the Wii back in 2009, it was met with a mixed reaction. The action was well-received, though the game didn’t provide anything all that remarkable. We’ll have to wait and see how The Conduit HD fares on mobile devices.

Jenova Chen is widely known as the head behind thatgamecompany, the studio that brought us the gripping Journey. Speaking to GamesIndustry International, the creative director shared his thoughts on the gaming market, stating that he would like to make a game that’s a commercial success. While Journey may have won numerous awards and has taken a rightful spot as one of the top downloads on the PlayStation Network, Chen stated that he’d like thatgamecompany to release a game that’s highly profitable.

The dev explained that he’s observing the mobile market carefully, and while it’s certainly exciting, he can’t confirm if he’ll go down that road or even the free-to-play route just yet. “This is definitely where the money is flowing,” said Chen. “I think free-to-play is both exciting and also really dangerous. So we’re still testing out what will go there. How are you going to make people feel emotion when they’re constantly on guard that you’re manipulating them to make money? That’s something I’m excited to look into, but I can’t commit and say it’s definitely going to be free or definitely going to be mobile.”

It’s obvious that Chen wants to continue to make games that are meaningful and resonate with people strongly. Despite his desire to make some decent cash off his work, though, he doesn’t think crowdfunding is the right step for thatgamecompany. According to Chen, Kickstarter is a good idea for developers that have been around for a longer time. “I’m thinking that most of the people who played our games are teenagers and college students,” Chen explained. “How much money are they going to have to donate? So I think it’s not my time yet?”

Prepare for a bunch of brightly-colored, ’80s-infused action, because Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 10th Anniversary Edition has been dated for mobile devices. As announced by Rockstar Games, the iconic open world action-adventure crime game will celebrate its tenth anniversary on December 6.

Vice City will sport improved high resolution visuals, Retina display support, and boosted lighting effects. Additionally, character models will also receive a graphical update. Targeting will be improved, and players will be able to customize the control layout to their heart’s content.

If you’re looking to relive some fond ’80s-flavored carjacking memories with Vice City, watch out for the upcoming mobile edition next month. The game will be available on iOS and Android platforms for $4.99.

If you’ve been feeling left out and uncool at the lack of Jet Set Radio on the Vita, those days are almost over. Sega has confirmed that the skate-and-tag game will be available on Sony’s handheld device via the PlayStation Network starting November 20.

The original launch date for Jet Set Radio on Sony’s portable was pushed back last month when Sega cited “necessary development optimizations” as the reason for the delay. It’s great to see that the game will soon launch for its Vita-owning fans to check out.

Of course, if you’re into the mobile gaming scene, Sega has you covered, too. Jet Set Radio will be landing on iOS and Android platforms just a few days after the Vita release, and you’ll be able to snag the mobile game on November 29.

Goodbye old Xbox Companion. Hello Xbox SmartGlass. If you were waiting for this feature to land on iOS, the day has arrived. You can now head on over to the App Store and download SmartGlass to your mobile Apple device. As long as it’s running iOS 5.0 or higher, that is.

Obviously, the app is still being refined and features are being added, but you can currently browse basic Xbox 360 functions. Additionally, SmartGlass is compatible with Dance Central 3, so you can get jiggy with yourself and pretend you’re a DJ.

The iOS app is free to download, so if you’re curious, check it out. SmartGlass was previously released on Microsoft Surface and Android devices. Good to see it didn’t take long for it to land on iOS platforms.

Square Enix has released Chrono Trigger on Android platforms, increasing its availability and making it accessible to an even larger audience. The game can be downloaded on Google Play for $9.99.

Chrono Trigger first hit the scene on the SNES, where it became a heralded hit instantly. The Android version features the old school look of the game, brand new controls, and the two bonus areas from the DS version.

Currently, you can snag Chrono Trigger on a myriad of platforms including the Wii Virtual Console, PlayStation Network, and iOS. Pretty much the only digital shop it’s missing from is the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City launched on the PlayStation 2 on October 29, 2002. Rockstar Games delivered a riveting follow-up to Grand Theft Auto III that really managed to bring revolutionary gameplay to our beloved medium. It’s been 10 years since the launch of Vice City, and Rockstar intends to celebrate with releases on iOS and Android platforms.

Rockstar is sure to reveal further info — specifically regarding the launch date and price — in the near future. As far as pricing is concerned, though, I think we can expect Vice City to be in line with Grand Theft Auto III, which is available for $4.99.

Rockstar has also announced temporary price cuts for a few existing mobile titles. In commemoration of the 10-year anniversary of Vice City, Grand Theft Auto III is currently on sale for 99 cents on iOS and Android. Additionally, the iOS version of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is also available for 99 cents.

iPhone and iPad owners will have the chance to play Borderlands Legends later this month. The mobile title, which was spotted in the game’s digital guide and shared on the Gearbox forums, will star the four protagonists from the first Borderlands and feature “thousands of weapons.” Sure, that’s not at the same level as bazillions of guns, but I’d say it’s still mighty impressive for a mobile title.

Borderlands Legends will include randomized mission structure, cover system, 36 different abilities, leveling system, and “fight for your life” mode. The game will also include a shop to purchase weapons using in-game cash. Whether this will entail an in-app purchase system using real-world money is unknown at the moment but very likely.

Aside from the info mentioned on the ad, Gearbox hasn’t released anything in the way of specific launch and pricing details for Borderlands Legends. Since the game is due out this month, however, it shouldn’t take long for that information to be released.

Capcom recently announced that Street Fighter X Tekken was headed to iOS platforms. I don’t mean to sound like a jerk, but did anyone even want this? I mean, the console version of Street Fighter X Tekken is really buggy and pretty flawed, and mobile fighting games aren’t exactly known for being any good.

In case you are interested, though, Street Fighter X Tekken for iOS will include new modes and a revamped tag team component. Capcom didn’t release details on these new aspects of the game, so it’s anyone’s guess at this point. Additionally, Ryu, Chun-Li, Kazuya, and Nina are the only confirmed fighters thus far, with the roster expected to expand come launch.

Street Fighter X Tekken will be compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, fourth generation iPod Touch, iPad 2, or iPad (the third one that still isn’t called the iPad 3). The crossover fighter will hit the mobile market this summer. Watch out for it … or, umm, don’t.

* Log into your Steam account online from your computer or mobile device at www.steampowered.com

* Visit your Games list by navigating to the Community and then clicking GAMES in the secondary navigation bar. If you’re logged into the Steam client, the games list will reflect the installation state of your library on that machine.

* Locate your game and tap the install button to initiate your remote download.

To enroll in Steam’s beta program, simply navigate to File -> Settings, select the Account tab and open up Change… under Beta Participation. From there, click the dropdown menu to opt-in. Once again, this goes to show why Steam is several steps ahead of the competition.

“They build a shiny sparkling thing that attracts users and then they control people’s access to those things,” Newell told Seattle Times.

While Newell isn’t particularly fond of Apple’s App Store approach — deeming it “very closed,” he expects the company to make a bid for the living room with a product that “redefines people’s expectations really strongly,” possibly threatening the existence of traditional console platforms.

Further, Newell feels those creating value on the Internet with open services face an uphill battle to success, pointing to “very large structural investments and structural changes” that loom on the horizon — likely alluding to social platforms such as Facebook that have created massive walled-gardens.

After having initially sent out invites to participate in their beta program, resulting in a survey that was shortly taken offline, Bungie has allowed for more signups today. You can take a survey over on Bungie’s website currently. Participation in the survey does not guarantee you a role as a beta tester but you will be placed into a pool from which they will choose.

The survey contains relatively general gaming questions, not revealing anything about their potential next game. Although one curious tidbit of info is that Bungie considers Pokemon a “kids game”… Maybe it’s time I grow up.

No new mobile launches this year.

Citing a “trusted source,” a report surfaced from Engadget last month, pointing to an October debut for a PSPgo-style, Android 3.0 powered phone. Perhaps they’re holding out to launch it alongside the inevitable PSP2? Whatever the case may be, this “dream” gaming phone — real or not — won’t show its prowess this year.

Sega America president Simon Jeffery has packed up and left the company to pursue an opportunity at mobile development house Ngmoco as head of publishing.

Helmed by former Electronic Arts exec Neil Young, Ngmoco is launching a publishing network dubbed Plus+, led by Jeffery. As a prominent iPhone developer, Ngmoco will offer to publish and market iPhone titles under its Plus+ brand in exchange for a revenue split based on varying promotion tiers.

Speaking to Gamasutra, Jeffery noted that his decision to leave Sega was prompted by a desire to move away from dealing with multi-million dollar titles on consoles and focus more on the low-budget, pick up and play type experiences that dominate the iPhone platform.

People have stopped talking about the $25 million games, and we’re talking about the $25,000 games,” he says. “That shift in gaming has happened remarkably quickly, and I really want to be part of that.

Rumor has it that Sony is launching an app store of its own on PSP in an attempt to gain ground in the digital space. Interesting times ahead folks.

Now a collaborative effort between M@x and Sleepper, the PSPKVM project has been merged with pspME and sports the following features:

* MIDP 2.0
* Nokia UI APIs (partial)
* WMA1.1(JSR120) stub
* Networking (By PSP’s WIFI)
* Java AMS with MVM supporting
* Several input methods: QWERTY/Abc/Symbol/…
* Directly browse and run from local jad/jar file, and auto-install without interrupting
* JPEG support
* MIDI & Wave audio playback support
* Device emulation. You can choose device type to emulate for different screen sizes and key codes, either at installation time or from “Select device” menu
* Change default key assignment for specific application.

Download PSPKVM v0.3.0 for PSP Slim / PSPKVM v0.3.0 for PSP Phat

PSPKVM [PSPKVM]

“Capcom has already shown its ability to deliver a title that captures the essence of MotoGP and we look forward to working with them over the next five years,” said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports.

Initially, Capcom plans to publish titles based on the 2008 MotoGP season on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, PC and mobiles.

Previously available only in Japan, the cellphone version of Metal Gear Solid is a full original 3D game, taking place in-between the events of MGS and MGS 2: Sons of Liberty. Players once again assume the role of protagonist Solid Snake and infiltrate an enemy-controlled weapons facility in order to prevent the development of a deadly technology that could claim the lives of millions.

Metal Gear Solid Mobile is available now for Get It Now-capable phones and costs $10.99 for unlimited use, or $4.99 for monthly access.

METAL GEAR SOLID® MOBILE NOW AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY TO VERIZON WIRELESS CUSTOMERS

Popular Video Game Franchise Hits Verizon Wireless Phones With
3D Graphics and Original Game Play

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Verizon Wireless, the leading wireless company with the nation’s most reliable wireless voice and data network, and Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties, today announced Metal Gear Solid® Mobile is available for purchase exclusively through Verizon Wireless.

Metal Gear Solid Mobile is an award-winning game, having recently received the Grand Prix and Operator’s Choice awards at the 2008 International Mobile Gaming Awards. Metal Gear Solid Mobile features never-before-seen dramatic 3D art displays and camera work that greatly surpass the current standard of mobile games and allows players to shift the viewpoint from first to third person and to control a variety of weapons. The game also takes advantage of the camera functionality – for example, Verizon Wireless customers can use their camera phones to capture images and the game will incorporate the image colors into the players’ camouflage system.

Designed by the same team behind the Metal Gear Solid console games, Kojima Productions, and developed in conjunction with Ideaworks3D and utilizing its Airplay™ 3.5 SDK, Metal Gear Solid Mobile is an original game designed specifically for the mobile platform. Players face the same extreme tension of solitary infiltration that fans of the classic tactical espionage action game have come to expect from the Metal Gear Solid series, previously released to the PlayStation® and PlayStation®2.

Verizon Wireless customers can purchase Metal Gear Solid Mobile in the Get Fun & Games shopping aisle in the Get It Now® virtual store. The game is available for $4.99 monthly access or $10.99 for unlimited use purchase. Verizon Wireless customers can get Metal Gear Solid Mobile on more than 20 popular Get It Now-capable phones, including the Voyager™ by LG and the LG VX8700. Download charges for Get It Now applications vary and airtime or megabyte charges may apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications. Customers need a Get It Now-enabled handset and Verizon Wireless digital service to access the Get It Now virtual store.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, customers can visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or visit www.verizonwireless.com. For more information about Metal Gear Solid Mobile, please visit www.konamimobile.com.