Monthly Archives: March 2009

Lordy. Capcom’s Christian Svensson’s confirmed that more HD fighter remixes are on the way, news likely to shatter the tiny minds of 2D brawler fans everywhere.

“Are we done doing HD Remixes? No we’re not done,” the exec told Videogamer.

“But the next ones that we do will be even better, based on what we learned.”

When asked if Marvel vs. Capcom 2 could be next up, Svensson said: “I won’t say it doesn’t need it. Marvel would be great to do. There’s obviously a fan base for it. It’s probably our most requested title. Unfortunately, I wish I had news to share on that front but I don’t.”

Double awesome. More through there. Thanks, 1UP.

Codemasters has confirmed an Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising demo for 360, PS3 and PC.

The tester will be released “prior to launch,” but there’s no specific date there.

The game’s down for a “summer” ship.

Thanks, Johnny Cullen.

Namco pulled the Splatterhouse-plug on Bottlerocket due to “performance issues,” the company said today.

Namco Bandai bossman Makoto Iwai told Gamasutra:

“The only reason why publishers pull the project out from the developer is when the developer isn’t really meeting the requirements, ” he said. “So, unfortunately, this was the case.

“I have to be very careful so we don’t make any direct comment on it because whatever we say, people will try to be on the developer side. You know, “The developer is an independent developer trying hard, and evil publishers are trying to get rid of the business by doing whatever they feel like.

“That’s not the case”, he added. “I just want to be 100 percent clear. There was a performance issue.”

Read the rest of the interview here.

Lionsgate executive Curt Marvis has told Variety that Wii as “a huge opportunity for his studio to distribute movies and TV shows,” and he thinks it will happen sometime this year in the US.

“The thing that is clearly a force in digital are the game devices”, he said. “I think when we see the Wii come into the market with the ability to stream movies, which I think is maybe going to happen as soon as this year. I think that’s going to be a big marketplace for digital distribution.”

A limited video service is currently in the works for Wii in Japan, so if all goes well it’s a possibility for other territories.

There are currently 16.2 million Wiis installed in the US, compared to 12.8 million Xbox 360s and 6.3 million PS3s.

Sega’s just press released the upcoming XBLA version of Virtual On, saying it has “an online 1 vs. 1 multiplayer battle mode, as well as fast-paced single player action through 10 Arcade-mode levels and 14 Score attack stages.”

It’s out this “spring”.

Get the full thing through the break.

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The Beatles: Rock Band will feature previously unreleased material.

George Harrison’s son, Dhani Harrison, confirmed the news in an interview with Billboard magazine, saying that some of the game’s music will be “stuff that has never been heard, never released.”

Says he was instrumental in getting the game made, too, and that it’s been in the works for two years now.

“I took the project to Apple and sort of convinced everybody to have a presentation,” he said.

He says that the game is “historically accurate,” and it was “a real headache” to get done but the “most enjoyable work” ever.

It’s slated for a September 9 release.

Hit the link for the rest.

Warner has taken the gaming rights contracted to EA back for the Lord of the Rings franchise according to Variety, and has no plans to renew the contract.

Originally, the license was set to expire at the end of March 2007, but was extended through 2008 so EA could finish up LotR: Conquest. The deal was also signed by Tolkien Enterprises.

It’a been suggested that the reason Conquest was generally panned was due to EA rushing Pandemic to finish before the contract expired. However, now Warner is itself becoming a major player in the game industry, it is safe to assume that any console releases will be handled by them in the future, says that report.

A Warner Bros rep declined to comment to Variety, but it is worth noting that Warner holds the rights to the Harry Potter franchise too — and that EA’s contract for all games muggle- and wizard-related doesn’t expire until 2011.

More through the link.

Lionhead’s just confirmed that more DLC’s on the way for Fable II, although there’s no detail as to what or when.

“The team here in Guildford is working on some new content right now,” said the firm in a blog post.

“More information will be shared in the coming weeks.”

GDC or bust, Peter fans.

Thanks, Joystiq.

Capcom’s confirmed an online Versus mode for Resident Evil 5, to arrive in the form of DLC.

The content “adds a deadly twist to Resident Evil 5’s multiplayer, pitting players against each other in a contest of survival, a marked departure from the central co-operative nature of the game.”

It’s releasing in a “few weeks” and will cost 400 MS Points or $3.99 on PSN.

Press release after the drop.

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Capcom just put out the first direct-feed shots of on-rails Wii shooter, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles.

The game’s now confirmed for western release this winter.

After the break.

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Update – First direct-feed shots here.

Capcom’s just confirmed Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles for US and PAL release this “winter”.

The Wii shooter’s now confirmed to be a sequel to The Umbrella Chronicles. It’s an on rails affair featuring the RE2 characters.

Ton of info after the break. The press release only lists the game for US release, but we just spoke to Capcom UK and there’s two press releases: PAL territories are getting it at the same time.

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EA says that Grand Slam Tennis will include online support for as many as four players, as well as the ability to challenge new opponents online.

That’s according to an interview with Thomas Singleton over on GameSpot.

When asked about Wii MotionPlus, Singleton said it “gives users an even more authentic one-to-one motion that maps to your in-game player.”

“To play Grand Slam Tennis is to truly perform authentic sports motions”, he continued. “The tennis experience also grows with added shot depth and pinpoint ball placement, as the game now recognizes racket roll and end stroke position. Much like myself, one of the first things people do when they pick up a tennis racket is they spin it–that is, after all, what the pros do.

“We’re really just giving birth to pro tennis stars around the globe with this new ability.”

The video posted after the jump shows many of the famous players you can pretend to be.

Game is expected to land June 18.

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A German teenager who killed 16 people in a shooting rampage was a Counter-Strike fan, according to reports.

An acquaintance of Tim Kretschmer has said the two of them would play Counter-Strike together in person and online.

Speaking with the Associated Press, the unidentified teen said that Tim was a quiet, reserved person who “was good” at the game.

Tim was also a very good physical shot, who used to target practice behind the house and shoot plastic balls with an air rifle. Six hunting rifles in his home were under lock and key, but the 9mm Beretta he used on the victims was kept in a bedside drawer.

He was also reportedly depressed, and, according to another acquaintance, had sent a letter to his parents a few weeks prior to the event saying he was “suffering@ and couldn’t “go on”.

German political officials have been discussing violence in games a lot lately, and the Counter-Strike bit will certainly add to it.

Counter-Strike made similar headlines two years ago when press focused on the VA Tech shooter being a fan of the game.

Platinum’s released 12 new screens of witchy, mental hair thing, Bayonetta.

We saw this last year: it’s stupidly cool.

Get the shots below the link.

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An unlockable outfit for Resident Evil 5′s Shiva has been shown off over at Kotaku. It’s a leopard bikini adorned with tribal symbols, a couple feathers and some animal bones. She’s wearing high-heels and body paint, just to round things off.

The normal sort of thing you would see a woman wear to the beach, or when shooting zombies in the face.

Outfits in the game are purchasable after being unlocked, and apparently Chris Redfield’s aren’t worth mentioning.

Game’s out Friday. More skimpy through the link.

Eidos just confirmed that Battlestations: Pacific will release in North America on May 12 and May 15 across Europe and Australia.

The game allows you to take control of either the US or Japanese fleet in WWII, and do some goddamn shooting above and on the water, goddamnit.

There’s no PS3 version, unfortunately. PC and 360 only. Press release after the break.

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Bethesda just put out three new shots of The Pitt, the second piece of Fallout 3′s 360 and PC DLC. Get them after the break.

As you can see, “brown” is a prevalent theme in future-disaster Pittsburgh, as is “steam”.

The content’s been confirmed for a March 24 launch.

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EA’s just officially announced Army of Two: The 40th Day.

The game is exactly as rumoured, taking place in Shanghai and featuring the same characters from the original, Rios and Salem.

From the release:

When a disaster of epic proportions strikes Shanghai, China, Rios and Salem find themselves right in the middle of it all — the wrong place, the wrong time, but the right team. A carefully orchestrated series of mysterious catastrophes is dragging Shanghai to the brink of ruin, and now the Army of Two must fight their way through ravaged city districts as they try to beat the odds and uncover the secret of the 40th Day.

PS3, 360 and PSP this “winter”.

Full thing after the break.

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Speaking at the Wedbush Morgan Securities’ annual conference yesterday, THQ boss Brian Farrell said that sales of the original Dawn of War had now hit 4 million units.

“Warhammer 40k is one brand we should start talking about more,” he said.

“It is a PC-only game — but from the original Dawn of War game that we built at Relic from the original launch, through expansion through gold edition… we’ve done about 4 million units life to date on Dawn of War 1.”

Dawn of War II recently released, and more content is expected for the game this year.

Farrell talked up THQ’s core audience aspirations in his speech.

“I’m not sure [Metacritic] is the only thing to look at,” said Farrell, “but you’ve got to have a game that resonates with the consumers and the press.

“We know how to do this,” he said, noting that Saints Row has done 2.6 million units life to date at full price.

More on Gama.

The second bit of Fallout 3 DLC, the Pitt, is to be shown in video for the first time on GTTV tomorrow morning.

The show will also include a boss reveal from Ghostbusters and a new video of Obsidian RPG, Alpha Protocol.

The episode airs on Spike at 1.00am PST tomorrow, which is 9.00am GMT, so keep your eyes open in the morning.

Watch the promo after the break. Thanks, Blerk.

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