Insomniac thinks they're the best development studio you could work for

The studio behind the Resistance and Ratchet and Clank series wants you to know that if you're looking for employment, they should be the first studio you give a call. Why? Only because they've been consistently nominated since 2004 among the best places to work. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Listed here are the top 10 reasons why you should consider giving Insomniac a call now to start off you career in the gaming business.

1. The studio has received 11 awards since 2004 naming it among the best places to work.

2. According to Insomniac, their games rock! Which we'll leave you to be the judge of that.

3. Everyone who works for the company has a say, meaning their ideas a useful and sometimes implemented. Which imo is a god thing, sometimes the best ideas comes from those you least expect.

4. They have excellent benefits, among the best in any industry.

5. Their perks are even better....

6. The studio offers long term ongoing training and development.

7. Locations, locations, locations! You'll have to ask them about this one.

8. Insomniac says they "walk the talk on honesty and openness company wide. Which means you won't be left in the dark concerning what's going on with the company.

9. Here's a really good one: seven weeks minimum of annual paid time off, which does not include sick days and conference attendance.

10. Last but not least, they're company that's environmentally friendly, and when all the talk about global warming in the airwaves, you'll at least feel better you work for a company who's concerned about the environment.

The gaming industry is known for taking good care of its own and it's good to see a reputable studio at the forefront, leading the way and setting a clear path for others to follow. Gearbox is another good example of a development studio taking great care of its people. Keep it going guys, let's make the onlookers envy this great industry.

Seven weeks minimum of annual paid time off which do not include sick days and conference attendance sound like a darn great deal to me. Have you made that call yet?

12/09/09 Ernice Gilbert

Insomniac on the future of R&C: "Never say never"

It's deemed as the last game in the Ratchet and Clank franchise, and that rumor has fans of the game perturbed; but according to creative director of the R&C franchise Brian Allgeier, folks should "never say never."

Speaking to the US PS Blog, Brian was asked a question posed to him by one of the blog's readers.

US PS Blog reader: Hey Insomniac, is this the final Ratchet and Clank game, or is it the final Ratchet and Clank game in the future series?

"Yeah we get that question quite a bit and I think a lot of it is because when I talked about A Crack In Time, for the ending of this game we really want to give fans a sense of closure and with the previous two games we've always given people cliffhangers," Brian responded.

"And so some people were a bit frustrated - just want to know what happens next so this time around we've decided to really finish the story-ark that we began with Tools of Destruction."

Here's where the hope comes in for all you R&C fans:

"But you know, again we're big fans of the Ratchet and Clank franchise and we love making these games and like we tell people never say never - but at the same time, A Crack in Time will definitely be that sense of closure that people want."

See the full thing after the jump. The games out today.

10/27/09 Ernice Gilbert

Insomniac says fans believe Resistance 2 was a failure

Insomniac says fans believe Resistance 2 was a failure, and I am one of them. Not to say the game wasn't great, on the contrary, it is one of the best FPS games on any system. But compared to the first, the sequel was underwhelming. It left me feeling like something was missing, like something was not right, maybe it was the removal of the weapon wheel? Oh a lot of things were done right in the game, but I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

In a recent interview with videogamer, Insomniac's community manager James Stevenson relayed what he felt.

"The hardcore fans of Resistance 1 were maybe a little disappointed. Those folks consistently expressed that - especially GAF - it was like your dog turned on you," Stevenson relayed.

"That's the feeling of it. You had this dog that loved you. You loved the dog too, but they expressed all this affection for you. And then suddenly the dog bites your hand and it's that feeling of, ooh, ow, that really hurts."

"The critics loved Resistance 2. Some people didn't like it, but for the most part.... And the metacritic's higher than Resistance 1. So we got better reviews than Resistance 1, but the overall opinion of it is that it was a failure by fans, that Resistance 2 was a failure because maybe the expectations were so high for it."

I know exactly how those fans feel, believe me. Get the full vibe here.

10/24/09 Ernice Gilbert

Naughty Dog, Infinity Ward, Insomiac & Santa Monica Play Ball together

Fan boys may be fighting amongst each other, debating which console is better and who got the best exclusives. Some even insult their fellow gamers just because they have different gaming tastes. It's sad really, and it seems there's no end in sight. But maybe, just maybe, fanboys could learn a thing or two from developers. Yes, the good folks who make the games we play get along pretty well, from Modern Warfare's Infinity Ward to God of War's Santa Monica. In fact, it's so good, they play ball together.

Recently, a question was posed to Three Naughty Dog Devs by eurogamer, and the answers they gave displayed a shared mutual respect.

Eurogamer: Do you still play Dodgeball with Santa Monica?

"Actually they've just started a league this week! What was the name of our team? Naughty balls I think," Naughty Dog dev Justin Richmond said. Agreeing with his answer Naughty Dog's Arne Meyer yelled, "Yeah!"

"It's them and Infinity Ward and Sony Santa Monica and Insomniac and a bunch of other people just from L.A.," Justin added.

Eurogamer: Ah! And you do still have a close relationship with Santa Monica?

"Yeah, I mean, we share tech with all those studios. Guerrilla gave us all this stuff and we gave them some stuff. Media Molecule came over and we did some stuff with them," Justin said. Arne Meyer later pointed out that Insomniac and Santa Monica seem a little closer because, "they're two blocks away. Ha ha."

See what I mean? The Dogs, Infinity, Santa Monica, Insomniac and other devs all get along. Don't you think it's time fanboys lay to rest the fanwars?

10/17/09 Ernice Gilbert

Need a trophy guide for Uncharted 2? Get it here.

Rumor Thirst: Resistance 3 Billboard Spotted

A keen NeoGAF forum user has spotted a billboard ad for Resistance 3. The picture was taken in Shreveport Louisiana which is a location many motion picture studios choose to film their movies. The billboard was made specifically for Battle: Los Angeles, a movie from Sony's Columbia Pictures. The movie won't be released until fall 2011 at the earliest so don't get too excited about seeing it anytime soon.

The game however is another story. If you look at the R3 logo, you will see two features: The Empire State building and a silhouette of the Statue of Liberty. You know what this means? Resistance 3 will land you smack-dab in New York City, which got me thinking whether this was a good idea at all; there's even the pending ESRB stamp, which gives more credence to the billboard not being fake.

Another major title for the PS3 that'll most likely release fall 2010 if we're to go by Insomiac's release cycle. When released, R3 will be the fourth game in the series, with Resistance 1 & 2 available for the PS3 and Resistance: Retribution on the PSP.