Thursday shorts, part 2: Jaffe and console design, more GDC panel bits, THQ gets into bother over Homefront balloons

By Johnny Cullen

Ready for some more short goodness? Om nom nom away after the break.

• David Jaffe’s said at GDC that consoles are alienating users away due to design choices “that push our customers away.” More on GI.
• THQ’s caused a stir with San Francisco authorities after its fake North Korean march on Homefront saw branded balloons end up in San Francisco Bay. Oops. Full story on Gamepron.
• Blizzard’s Tom Chilton explained at GDC how it had to maintain a delicate act of keeping in what was good and adding new features into World of Warcraft with Cataclysm. Gama has your lot.
• Visceral art director Ian Milham explained yesterday how it wanted to keep Dead Space 2 memorable as well as feature variety and character. Again, go to Gama for more.
• GI reports of worrying limited stock for the German launch of 3DS.
• Sega’s confirmed the first five titles it’s bringing to the Virtual Console on 3DS, all Game Gear titles: Sonic & Tales 2, Sonic Drift 2, The GG Shinobi, Columns and Dragon Crystal Shirani’s Maze. Thanks, GSW.
• Joystiq has details of a panel at GDC on the success and failings of the Indie Fund.
• Stardock’s Brad Wardell has confirmed the sequel to Elemental, Fallen Enchantress, will be given away to those who bought the first game before October 31, 2010. PC Gamer has the lot.
• There’s a mini XBLA sale going on right now. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Toy Soldiers and Prince of Persia are all in there, to name a few. Via XBLAFans.
• If you can read Japanese, Famitsu’s dropped a fair bit of info on Dark Souls.
• Duke Nukem Forever’s going to be uncut when it releases in Germany. Awesome. Blue has the news.
• Bohemia has confirmed that ARMA 2 expansion, Reinforcements, will release on April 1.