ITWire

In the interactive entertainment industry it is quite often the developers of the fun software that get the kudos.  Behind the scenes however are a bunch of hardworking folks that build the hype, organise the information dissemination and generally get your juices running leading up to a games launch.  What is the typical day in video game PR?

RadioactiveIT sat down with Robyn Théberge, Associate Project Manager on the Mass Effect 3 team over at BioWare.  The impending release of the final game in the Mass Effect trilogy has many fans keeping only just keeping their heads above a deepening pool of anticipation saliva.  Here Théberge discusses many aspects of the games story, and whether Commander Shepard lives or dies.

Electronic Arts has let a few nervous hands play through a portion of Mass Effect 3, the culmination of Bioware's unique sci-fi action RPG.  A pair of those sweaty thumbs belonged to this correspondent.   Also on show was Mass Effect 3 Infiltrator, the impressive iPad edition of the parallel storyline developed locally by Iron Monkey.

It was a somewhat unsteady launch event for the PlayStation Vita, the new Sony portable gaming system in Sydney last night, but not for the reasons you might think.  

Despite going through a mixed period of highs and lows on the development front, the Australian video-game industry is doing quite well, in fact so well that both Sony and Microsoft reckon they are on top of the game.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a new IP from 38 Studios boldly entering the market strewn with fantasy based RPG's.  But as Lead Designer Ian Frazier and Producer Sean Bean pointed out to RadioactiveIT, there is plenty to distinguish this game from rest, in particular the rich lore and the Tekken style combat.

There is a significant and dangerous problem with playing the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim .

At a recent Electronic Arts event, iTWire managed to clock up some kilometres with the next Need For Speed title.  Need For Speed: The Run is the Cannonball Run brought to video game life with fast cars, Sports Illustrated girls and a decidedly different driving model.

Keith Guerrette  - Lead Visual Effects Artist at Naughty Dog sat down with us to discuss the upcoming Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception, Guerrette explains a number of challenges the team faced during development, and how Uncharted has helped define a whole new gaming genre  of cinematic adventure.

Lars Gustavsson  is the Creative Director at DICE preparing to unleash Battlefield 3 on the world.  He kindly took time out  to let RadioactiveIT know a little more about one of the biggest game releases of 2011.