Monthly Archives: November 2009

The Gaming Liberty appears to have scooped first mention of Bully 2 in an interview with Bully soundtrack chap, Shawn Lee.

“Yes. It looks like I will be doing the soundtrack for Bully 2 in the not so distant future,” he said.

Hot intimidation banana. Fuck all else known. Thanks, Kotaku.

Now Modern Warfare 2′s out of the way, we’re back to the real deal: some hotel in Scotland’s decided games aren’t conducive to promoting “traditional family values” and has banned them over the Christmas period.

Managing director Stephen Leckie, said children should not be “glued” to game consoles during the holiday,

“As a father-of-four, I’m well aware of the role that computer games play in youngsters’ lives and they undoubtedly have a place,” he said.

“However with Christmas holidays being the ideal opportunity to spend quality time with our families, we’re asking our younger guests to set their consoles and games aside for just a few days of the year and, instead, sample some new activities which they may never have tried before.”

Sounds positively sinister. More on the BBC, should you be bored enough.

ESA founder Douglas Lowenstein has been named as the third recipient of the The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences’ (AIAS) Lifetime Achievement Award.

ESA was formed in 1994.

“It was under Doug’s leadership that the industry fought off dangerous efforts to impose restrictions on video game content, in the process establishing unequivocally that video games are entitled to the same First Amendment rights as any other entertainment content,” said Jay Cohen, AIAS Board chair and Jerry Bruckheimer Games boss.

“For those of us in the AIAS, it is no exaggeration to say that the artistic freedom we now enjoy stems directly from Doug’s efforts.”

Press release here.

Netflix’s Steve Swasey has told G4 that PS3 owners looking to use the firm’s movie service on their console will need to use their streaming discs until late 2010.

“Late next year we expect to have an embedded solution available for PS3s via a system software update slated for release through the PlayStation Network,” he said.

Thanks, Kotaku.

The results of the latest TIGA survey are in, and it appears that the majority of UK game developers have this whole piracy thing under control.

While 90 percent think piracy is an “increasing problem,” 60 percent see unlawful plundering and pilfering as only a “low threat” to the viability of their companies. A mere 10 percent, meanwhile, think piracy is public enemy number one, assigning it a “significant threat” rating. Overall, though, it looks like developers aren’t abandoning ship just yet.

“The results of the TIGA piracy survey clearly demonstrate that UK developers are taking the initiative when dealing with the issue of piracy and looking for new ways of delivering content and communicating directly with their consumers,” said Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA.

Thanks, GI.biz.

ActiBlizz CEO Bobby Kotick appeared on FOX Business this past Friday, to discuss how unemployment numbers will present a challenge to the gaming industry.

While the job market makes him a bit nervous, he still feels that gaming presents a high value and bang for your buck during tough economic times.

Here is snippet transcribed by Kotaku:

Kotick: [Most] of our market is in their 20s or 30s.

Fox News host Charles Payne: That is a pretty hard hit spot right now. This is one of these unusual times when a lot of men, particularly men in that range have lost their jobs. Any chance that might impact your business?

Kotick: Well, look, I think that it’s one of the profound challenges we face in our economy today and our country today. I think it is likely to affect every business. One of the nice things about video games is that it does give you the opportunity to escape from some of the difficulties in the day-to-day — in your day-to-day lives as you start to think about those challenges.

Whether it’s “DJ Hero” or “Guitar Hero” or “Band Hero” or “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,” these are all products that give you hundreds and hundreds of hours of entertainment for good value.

The full video is posted below, and through here.

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Square Enix president Yoichi Wada has told GI.biz that preparations for the Final Fantasy XIII launch were “going very steadily” and the US and European versions are in the final stages of development.

“We’ve completed the master of the Japanese version, and for the US and European versions we’re just adding the final touches,” he said. “The last stage of development has gone very smoothly this time.

“It took us a tremendous amount of time to develop the software for this generation, so that’s a lesson for the creators.”

Start panting now, folks.

More through the link.

EEDAR’s Jesse Divnich has predicted that New Super Mario Bros. Wii from Nintendo will be sitting pretty at Christmas, as one of the top selling titles for the holidays.

“EEDAR feels comfortable to make the prediction that the New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Wii will be one of the top titles this holiday season,” said Divnich. “While in the short-term the Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 may surpass New Super Mario Bros, in the long-term New Super Mario Bros will easily become the best selling title released in 2009 with expected lifetime sales exceeding 15 million units worldwide.”

Guess Reggie wasn’t just blowing steam after all, there.

GameStop agrees that strong sales are in the title’s future, as well.

“We have high expectations for that title, we think it’s going to be a strong seller for the holiday,” said the retailer’s VP of merchandise and marketing, Tony Bartel. “It reminds you of those endearing Nintendo titles of old, and anyone who’s played those and really enjoyed them will be flocking to this game. I think we’ll have very strong sales on that title and our reservations do support that.”

Via GameDaily.

Naughty Dog’s polling folks on what they’d like to see in the next bit of multiplayer for Uncharted 2.

Here’s what you have to choose from:

• Plunder Only
• Crushing: All Competitive Modes
• Crushing: Deathmatch Only
• Skilled Objectives
• Deathmatch Variants Only

Head on over to the official site now and let your voice be heard.

BioWare, LucasArts and Dark Horse Comics plan to release 27 of the online issues of the Star War: The Old Republic series into a 96 page softcover collection.

Written by Rob Chestney and drawn by Alex Sanchez, the comic serves as a prequel to the MMO.

It’s to be released on April 28, per BigDownload.

Rumor has it that the 1500 jobs and the dozen or so in-development games that were cut at EA affected studios Pandemic, Maxis and almost the entire Command & Conquer team.

According to a source close to Kotaku, the team working on Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight was notified today that once the game ships some time in 2010, almost the entire team is to hit the road.

While this is not a surprising move by the studio, as loads like it have a tendency to do that once a game ships, the cutbacks also landed blows to EA Maxis, Rupture Studios and Pandemic with remaining workers being relocated to EA Los Angeles and Redwood.

Rumors also state that EA has laid-off staff at Black Box, Mythic Entertainment and Tiburon.

We’ll sent out a mail and see if anyone gets back with us.

Some new screens for Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks showing off Link playing his Spirit Pipes popped up on CVG today.

To play the new instrument, you have to blow into the DS microphone while moving the stylus left to right, to work the pipes.

Speaking of blowing into things, you also have to use your hot air with Link’s new whirlwind weapon. It creates a mini typhoon and blows enemies away.

You can also use a whip to beat your enemies into submission or reach new areas – kind of like the grappling hook from previous games.

Head on over through the link for the shots and a video.

It’s out in the UK December 11.

Zipper Interactive’s community manager, Jeremy Dunham, has announced over on the US PS Blog that MAG has entered its fourth Beta phase.

He also announced that over 6000 changes have been made since the previous Beta.

One change involves Shadow War Bonuses, which according to Dunham: “Depending on which Private Military Contractors (PMC’s) are leading in the number of contracts owned, the entire PMC team will earn different bonuses based on gametype. Leading in Sabotage adds experience points, leading in Acquisition increases leadership aura distance, and leading in Domination decreases tactical strike cooldown time.”

The devs also improved the ranking system, character hit detection, leadership abilities, and experience points.

Loads more about this can be read through the link, there.

Game’s out January 26.

Holy media overload Batman! Gamespot has released seven gameplay videos for Modern Warfare 2.

We’re sure there’s more you can watch over there, but we’re too overwhelmed with these at the moment.

Here’s the list:

• Entrenched Rooftop: American forces hold a rooftop with a mobile turret
• Tarmac Shootout: Terrorists battle with elite anti-terror forces on the tarmac of an airport
• Favelas Gameplay: The team chases an arms dealer through violent slums
• UAV Strikes:Outgunned soldiers call in missile strikes from an orbiting UAV
• Chaos in the Streets: An American convoy is ambushed and makes a desperate escape
• Dual-Wielding Shotguns: A player uses a couple of shotguns to flank the enemy
• Missile Goes Awry: A team of soldiers trapped on a roof calls in missile strikes

Enjoy.

CVG has learned that IO Interactive’s currently at work on a multiplatform game that’s “unlike anything else”.

The unnamed title is in addition to Kane & Lynch 2 and Hitman 5, and has been in development for three years.

“Imagine all the violence of Hitman and Kayne & Lynch but not scripted,” said a source close to the site.

One could only imagine what it may be.

More through the link, there.

EEDAR has predicted, ahead of Thursday’s NPD results, that Uncharted 2 moved 600,000 units during October in the US.

It was also estimated that Borderlands moved 300,000 and Brutal Legends 200,000.

Not bad numbers for any of those titles, but if anyone expects Uncharted 2 not to be number one, they must be wearing blinkers.

Well, there’s always a chance it could beWiiFit Plus, we suppose, but in America that is not very likely.

Via Examiner.

NCsoft CEO Jaeho Lee hinted during the company’s recent financial call to investors that Guild Wars 2 will not be released until 2011.

However, closed Beta testing could start sometime during 2010, with no major game launches for the company what-so-ever next year.

“I believe there will be certain public events in the year 2010, at least a closed Beta test for those titles,” Lee told investors. “Commercialization will be expected, at this point, probably some time in the year 2011.”

The other title he was referring to was Blade & Soul, currently in development from the team that brought you Lineage 2.

More through Eurogamer.

Looks like most retailers expect Modern Warfare 2 to break records, becoming the “biggest selling video game in history”.

As if there was any doubt, really.

Amazon has reported that preorders for the game were 50 percent higher than for GTA IV, and Play revealed that running up to launch, 150 preorders were taken every hour.

HMV has predicted that the game will account for one million UK sales during week one, which is 20 percent more than GTA IV which currently holds the record.

It was reported earlier today that 3 million units were shipped to UK, so there’s no need to stampede or anything.

More over on BBC News.

Ignition and Marvelous Entertainment announced today a new survival-horror game for Xbox 360 titled Deadly Premonition.

The game puts players in the role of FBI Agent Francis York Morgan, who’s trying to solve mysteries while investigating a series of murders in a rural and spooky town called Greenvale.

It’s slated for a spring 2010 release, and you can view the teaser trailer on the official website.

Full PR below the break.

More »

Sony’s offering participants in its Modern Warfare 2 launch day event an opportunity to win free prizes for playing online.

One of these is the Veteran ARTFX, which is a 1/6-scale (12” tall) statue depicting Cpt. “Soap” MacTavish of Task Force 141, decked out in snow camouflage and weaponry.

Ten prizes will be handed out at random to those playing the “Featured Game” event tonight, from 9pm-1am EST.

More info’s listed over on the US PS Blog.