Announced Finnish Games Coming Up

Now that the year has gotten to a good start, it’s finally time to turn our eyes to the future and check out what we have in store for the near future. Without further ado, I present a compiled list of commercial PC and console games being currently developed by Finnish companies across the country. ALAN WAKE Developer: Remedy Entertainment Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios Platforms: Xbox 360, PC Release date: "When it's done" About the game: Alan Wake is a third-person action-adventure game where you step into the uncomfortable shoes of Mr. Wake, a successful horror writer with a serious case of the writer's block. To recuperate from this crippling predicament - and from his newly blossomed insomnia - he packs his bags and heads to the peace and quiet of a little town called Bright Falls. But after the mysterious disappearance of his wife, Alice, our heroic novelist plunges head first into a world of darkness and despair. In this nightside dominion he comes face to face with the horrors of his very own imagination, as his latest piece of literary work starts to come true.

TRINE Developer: Frozenbyte Publisher: Nobilis Platforms: Playstation Network, PC Release date: Q2 2009 About the game: According to the developer "Trine is a fantasy action game where the player can create and use physics-based objects to beat hazardous puzzles and threatening enemies. Set in a world of great castles and strange machinery, three heroes are bound to a mysterious device called the Trine in a quest to save the kingdom from evil… The gameplay is based on fully interactive physics. The player can at any time freely choose whoever is best suited for the upcoming challenge or puzzle: The Wizard is able to summon objects to help solve puzzles and create new ways to overcome obstacles, the Thief uses her agility and dead-on accuracy to swiftly surprise the monsters, and the Warrior unleashes mayhem and physical destruction wherever he goes."

SHATTERED HORIZON Developer: Futuremark Games Studios Publisher: To be announced Platforms: PC Release date: To be announced About the game: Shattered Horizon is a multiplayer first-person shooter where players fight in zero gravity surrounded by the broken remains of orbital infrastructure and billions of tons of rocky debris thrown into orbit by a huge explosion on the Moon. With simple and intuitive controls players have complete freedom of movement, making full use of the distinctive environment to control the battle. Shattered Horizon rewards players with gameplay and tactics impossible in games constrained by gravity.

EARTH NO MORE Developer: Recoil Games Publisher: To be announced Platforms: PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 Release date: ~2009 About the game: Earth No More is an ensemble cast based First-Person Action-Adventure game of sudden Environmental Apocalypse. You are Will Foster, a federal agent tapped to respond to what appears to be a biological terrorist attack on Washington D.C. However, you soon discover that the attack isn't the work of human hands, but in fact is a new and destructive organism from deep within the Earth's crust, brought to the surface by mankind's relentless destruction of the environment. You and a band of survivors must work together, not just to survive in the changed world, but to defeat a far-reaching government conspiracy and save all of mankind from this cataclysmic disaster

EAST INDIA COMPANY Developer: Nitro Games Publisher: Lighthouse Interactive Platforms: PC Release date: Q1 2009 About the game: In East India Company, players will enjoy building the World's most powerful trading empire and engaging in fierce battles in both single player and multiplayer modes, all within a breathtaking cinematic environment. Players will fight, manage and rule their trading empires from Europe to the Far East with eight nationalities to choose from. Starting modestly, you will build your fleet, establish connections to far away countries, and keep rival nations at bay. Create diverse fleets and assign each of them specific trading routes. Control and upgrade well situated ports as you form your strategy for domination.

FINNWARS 2 Developer: Iceflake Studios Publisher: To be announced Platforms: PC Release date: To be announced About the game: FinnWars 2 is a standalone commercial sequel to one of the largest Battlefield modifications, being developed for PC and is powered by Iceflake's own next generation Mammoth game engine. The game is an action packed multiplayer experience, that concentrates to the legendary battles between Finland and Soviet Union in Eastern Front during World War 2. Also a great effort is put to games authenticity, and there's also a vast history section within the game.

CRAZY CIRCUS Developer: Farmind Publisher: dtp entertainment Platforms: Nintendo DS Release date: Q2 2009 About the game: The player inherits the family’s once famous circus because his father is sick and no longer able to run the business. Now it is up to the young director to lead the troupe and restore the circus to its former glory. He keeps improving the show and quickly, the circus regains its excellent reputation. New performers push into the ring, the public clapping frantically to every new sensations. The stunning performances attract the crowds in a way that finally, the circus arrives in the world’s most glamorous cities. Crazy Circus targets the whole family and all those longing for quick and fun gameplay.

That's it, folks. In case you spot an error in the article or if you think I've missed a game that belongs here with the rest, feel free to email me and I'll fix it right in. Please note that I haven't included any mobile titles or smaller independent games on this article, just because there'd be way too many to list. Besides, nobody would ever manage to finish reading it anyway.

Cheers, Samuli

Best New Nordic Talent Award still open!

Best New Nordic Talent Award celebrates the promising innovation and creativity of the Nordic development community. The award goes to a Nordic game project that has fulfilled the following criteria:

  • The project is created by a team where at least 80% are Nordic
  • The project is the first game created by the team
  • The project is near-release or have been released within the past 12 months (from March 2008 and onwards).


To be considered for short-listing, the project must be sent in seven (7) copies on DVD, with a written design manual, a short motivation describing the team, plus contact information attached.

To be short-listed for this award you have to send your game project to the Nordic Game Program (address below) before 10 March 2009.

The projects for the short-list will be decided by Nordic Game Program. The listed games will be evaluated by the Nordic Game Award jury.

The winners will receive the award during the Nordic Game Awards 2009, to be held on 19 May during the Nordic Game 2009 conference.

Projects for consideration should be sent to:

Nordic Game Program
Minc, Anckargripsgatan 3
SE - 211 19 Malmö, Sweden
Att: NGA Talent Award

Deadline is 10 March!

About Nordic Game Awards:
The Nordic Game Awards 2009 is organised by Nordic Game Program in cooperation with the following game producers’ associations in the region: Danish Producers' Association, Finnish Neogames, Norwegian Producers' Association and Spelplan-Association of Swedish Game Developers.

The award show will take place during the Nordic Game 2009 conference, 19-20 May in Malmö, Sweden. More info about NGA 09 and the conference will be available soon at www.nordicgame.com.

Mobile Dev Camp

Mobile Dev Camp Sat 21.02.2009, 10:00-18:00 at Vanha Ylioppilastalo

Mobile Dev Camp is an event for people interested in mobile design and development. There will be talks and activities centered around Android, iPhone and Symbian. And it's all free.

Mobile Dev Camp isn't going to be your regular pay-1000-euros-and-sit-quietly-event but rather a more free form gathering of like-minded people. We will have some great presentations from people like Teemu Kurppa (Jaiku -> Google -> Huikea.com) but if listening to talks isn't your thing we will also have a BarCamp and a hackathon. You can discuss mobile interaction design, show off your latest stuff, take part of workshops or just sit down with your friends and code something great. It's up to you. We just try to provide a great space and atmosphere for you to learn and share.

So, check out our site at mobiledevcamp.fi and please sign up for the facebook "Mobile Dev Camp" event so we get an idea of just how many of you are going to show up. Hope to see you at Vanha. Bring your laptop.

Weekly IGDA Finland Floorball

Hello, dear IGDA Finland members and visitors!

This week we have something really special in store for you in the form of "Weekly IGDA Finland Floorball" or "IGDA sähly"! Mr. Goodliving has been kind enough to sponsor this weekly dose of action for any IGDA Finland visitors to join. Here's how:

Pick up your playing gear (inc. your own stick and shoes that won't leave marks on the floor) and head down to Kellosaarenkatu 3, Ruoholahti every Thursday, where the action will be on from 08:00 to 09:00. Google Maps knows this place very well. Just ask for IGDA in the info and they will point you to the right direction. (note: no IGDA membership card required)

So re-schedule your crunching and join the fun with fellow developers!

********************************** Kellosaarenkatu 3 Ruoholahti -- Every thu from 8:00 to 9:00 am **********************************

Global Game Developers Jammed for 48 hours

Nearly 160 game developers jammed 48 hours during the last weekend in Copenhagen at the Nordic Game Jam. The first Game Jam was arranged at IT University in Copenhagen in 2006. This year IGDAs Education Special Interest Group got inspired by the event and machinated Global Game Jam network. Over 50 locations accepted the challenge. This year’s theme was “As Long as we have each other we never run out of problems”. Additionally each location had additional constraints. The constraint for Nordic Game Jam was that the games should be language independent. Copenhagen had the biggest Game Jam with nearly 160 participants. People competed in two categories: Bring from Home and Global Game Jam. At the Bring from Home it was ok to bring a game that was 99% finished as long as they work develop, improve or polish the game during the weekend. The theme for the Bring from Home track was humor. Participants of the Global Game Jam track could just show up with or without a team. The event would start with a brainstorm and group creation session.

The biggest winner of Nordic Game Jam was Make my Head Grow (Denmark). It won best audio, best visuals, innovative controls, audience award at the jury’s award. At the Global Game Jam track In One Piece puzzle game won the audience award and Sheeped Away got the jury’s award. Petri Purho (Kloonigames) won the most innovative game title with his 4min33sec which was a tribute to John Cage’s avant garde piece 4´33” from the 1950s. 0 - - 0 had the best audio at the Global Game Jam track and Chopper + tank = bees won for the best visuals.

Make My Head Grow