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Independent Game Rush – Braid, The Maw, DHSG news

indiegames

Lots of sudden indie news out there…

Firstly, Braid is coming to the PC via. Steam, Impulse and (unless I missed the announcement) a further un-named service (probably Greenhouse, see below) for the sum of $14.99/£9.99/€12.99 on March 31st (well, that’s the Steam date anyway).

In addition, Hothouse Games, of Penny-Arcade Adventures fame, are handling the Mac port of the indie hit, which will be delivered exclusively by their Greenhouse digital distribution system.

Hothouse will also be handling development and distribution of cross-platform versions of the XBLA hit The Maw.  Likely platforms include Steam, Impulse & Greenhouse.

Finally, Dangerous High-School Girls in Trouble! is available on Steam with a 10% discount.

Braid on Steam & Hothead Games press releases hiding somewhere below…

Braid Coming to Steam
AIAS Casual Game of the Year Available March 31

February 25, 2009 – Valve today announced an agreement to distribute Braid, the innovative title named AIAS Causal Game of the Year, via Steam, a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC games.

Created by Jonathan Blow, Braid is a multi-award winning title that blends platform and puzzle game play with time manipulation. The game features a rich story and plays out across seven unique worlds, each its own time-based game mechanic. The Steam version of Braid will also leverage Steamworks for integration of Achievements and Steam Community features.

“Braid is arguably the strongest example of what can be accomplished by an independent game designer,” said Jason Holtman, director of business development at Valve. “From GDC to DICE, the title has deservedly collected numerous accolades and, along with World of Goo, Audiosurf and many others, is redefining the way people think about ‘Independent Games.'”

Available for $14.99 (12.99 EUR, 9.99 Pounds Sterling), Braid is due for launch via Steam on March 31, 2009. For more information, please visit www.steamgames.com

HOTHEAD GAMES AND INDIE DEVELOPERS TEAM UP TO BRING GAMES TO NEW PLATFORMS

“Braid” for Mac® and “The Maw” for Windows® Coming Soon

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Feb. 24, 2009 – Hothead Games revealed today its plans for a one-of-a-kind model of collaboration with other top-notch independent developers. This unique collaborative effort marries indie studios’ creative game designs with Hothead Games’ multi-platform development and digital distribution expertise to bring award-winning titles to new gaming platforms.

Among the first to join in this effort is Jonathan Blow, whose 2008 launch of Braid via Xbox LIVE® Arcade amazed gamers with its innovative game play and distinctive art style. Hothead Games is partnering with Blow to bring his ground-breaking game to the Mac® platform and has secured exclusive digital publishing rights to that version.

Further, Hothead Games has forged a new fellowship with The Maw developer Twisted Pixel. Launched last month on Xbox LIVE® Arcade, Hothead will deliver The Maw to the Windows® platform, integrating special features to make the crowd-pleaser compatible with multiple as-of-yet-unannounced digital distribution platforms and services.

“We focus on finding new distribution opportunities so that they can focus on what they do best: developing their next great game,” said Hothead Games COO Joel DeYoung. “These two titles represent only the tip of the iceberg. We’re committed to working with indies and helping them be successful, so look for lots more announcements to come.”

About Hothead Games: Hothead Games is an independent game developer and publisher based in Vancouver, Canada. The company is committed to creating top quality games for the experienced gamer. Hothead is best known for its RPG-adventure game series, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, based on the widely popular Penny Arcade online comic strip. Hothead self-publishes its titles with a focus on offering accessible game play and episodic content through digital distribution. Visit http://www.hotheadgames.com for more information.

About Twisted Pixel Games: Founded in 2006 by industry veterans, Twisted Pixel is an independent game development studio that operates in two capacities: 1) Inventing innovative original IP concepts then developing them into premiere console titles; and 2) Providing top-flight contract games development work to leading publishers on their highly-anticipated titles. The company’s mission is to become a leading developer of digitally distributed console games with ambitious and inspiring games that exceed consumer expectations. Learn more about Twisted Pixel at www.TwistedPixelGames.com.

By Andrew Bryant

The resident PC elitist fanatic enthusiast, Andrew’s grim outlook on the industry provides CNS with a hefty dollop of its news content. Oh, and he has managed to convince Barry to let him review stuff too!

Hilarity ensues!

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