Category Archives: Comic Con 2008

Speaking to GI at Comic Con, LBP associate producer Eric Fong has claimed that Media Molecule’s PS3 blue-sky platformer will drive hardware sales.

“It’s going to be a hardware seller,” he said. “Not only do you have the platforming experience that a lot of other games will have, you have this creativity that really is exclusive to LittleBigPlanet.”

Fong added: “Our target audience is everyone… It’s got enough complexity that people can play it and enjoy it for many hours; at the same time, if you’re just a casual user you can run through and play the game and have fun with it. Everything you see in the developer levels, you can create as the player.”

More through the link.

According to this IGN report, Kevin Feige, production boss at Marvel Studios, gave a pretty clear indication that a new Marvel Vs Capcom fighter’s on the way.

“Yes,” he said, when asked in a Q&A session whether or not fans can expect a new title in the series. “And maybe sooner than you think.”

Best news all week. More through the link.

Speaking to Eurogamer at Comic Con, Microsoft’s Frank O’Connor has said the platform holder has no plans to wring the Halo Universe dry.

“We have a well defined, carefully orchestrated, properly planned universe to explore not exploit,” he said. “And that’s the tricky part: what are the things people want to do? We have to pick things that people want. That’s what you see with the range of McFarlane toys – people want their armour permutation.

“Give them things they really want and make sure they’re high quality is the formula.”

The ex-Bungie staffer added: “The Halo universe is really, really big now. Literally the Halo games have only covered one year; a couple of months within a year in fact.

“We have a really detailed story bible, we do really have it all planned out. There are so many areas of the universe to explore, the real challenge is picking which is the most exciting area for people. Is it UNSC Marines fighting alongside Spartans against the Covenant? Or is it what happens next after Master Chief’s appearance in Halo 3?”

More through the link.

We’re not making it up. THQ just sent word that “adult actress” Tera Patrick will be joining the Saints Row dev team at Volition as a “special producer.”

Patrick’s going to be appearing for the game at Comic Con this weekend, so if you’re in the area go and get her to sign something.

Speaking at Comic Con yesterday, Spider-Man legend Stan Lee opined that writing games is more difficult that scripting films due to branching storylines.

“When you talk about games evolving over the years and becoming more like movies, in many ways, they’ve gone beyond movies,” he said. “To do a movie is difficult, but it’s linear. There’s a beginning, a middle and an end, and that’s it – you write a story.

“In a videogame, you’re writing many stories within the story. It’s a totally different structure and a totally different philosophy of writing and, I think, a much, much more difficult one. I get the feeling more work goes into these videogames than even goes into the movies.”

Thanks, Eurogamer.

If you hadn’t already worked yourself into a nerdy fervor over this week’s San Diego Comic-Con, here’s a nice little incentive. GoNintendo got its Gameboy-stained claws on Capcom’s Comic-Con schedule, and it’s a doozy.

Actually, it’s pretty commonplace, but apparently you’ll be able to “Meet the Bionic Commando & Mega Man!” Cool. Additionally, the Capcom booth will be hosting a Street Fighter IV tournament, as well as celebrity signings with the stars of Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.

However, we can’t help but wonder whether or not Mega Man and the Bionic Commando will be entering the cosplay contest. Isn’t that a tad unfair?

Yeah, anyway. Hit the link for the full schedule.

By Nathan Grayson

We’re not that bothered about missing E3 this year, but we do wish we were going to Comic Con. Capcom’s detailed its showing at the San Diego event, taking place just after E3, and it sounds “fun”. Aside from the enjoyable aspect, the firm’s promising an exclusive Resident Evil 5 trailer, so that’s a good enough reason to not let your guard down after E3.

Here’s what you can expect from Capcom’s Comic Con games-wise:

Bionic Commando
Bionic Commando: Rearmed
Dark Void
MotoGP 08
Mega Man 9
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Neopets Puzzle Adventure
Flock!
Plunder
plus Capcom Mobile games

Exclusive trailers:
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil: Degeneration CG movie
SF IV CG animated mini-movie trailers

- plus, some surprise game demos and trailers!

Vivendi’s making a big showing there as well, we’re told, so if you’re in the area following the LA show it may be worth hiring a car and driving south. We did that once. We were trying to get to Mexico. We’ll tell you about that another time.

Speaking at Comic Con in New York this week, Epic president Mike Capps explained that the chainsaw battles in Gears of War came about not through a lust for blood, but simply because the developers wanted you to actually see the game’s highly-detailed character models. From GameSpy:

It’s interesting the chainsaw ended up being pivotal to the Gears experience, given that Capps intimated that he was initially dismissive of the idea. “The reason [it] exists is because our characters are so bloody expensive to draw,” he said during the panel. What ultimately started off as a way to reconcile the relatively complex character models by forcing players into intimate contact with them (compare a close-up of a Locust grunt to, say, a Covenant Elite from Halo 3) ended up birthing the interactions that would come to define the game’s ferocious brand of combat.

Doesn’t sound as though there was too much more information given, according to that piece. Take a look anyway.

Comic Con’s been and gone now, and threw up what looks to be a roundabout confirmation of a second Darkness game from Top Cow. Not really sure how Starbreeze is involved, but there we are. From TheQuarterBin:

There is a Darkness video game sequel in the works. They made the announcement saying, “We can’t say Darkness and video game sequel in the same sentence. So, Darkness. Wink. Sequel.”

So there you have it. Hopefully this time it’ll be more than walking around really slowly in deserted streets with a snake on your head.

Following a press release saying there would be a games panel at Comic Con in New York later this month, and that Gears of War 2 would be shown at the event, Epic boss Mark Rein has seemingly clarified that the mega-sequel won’t be shown at all.

“I’m not aware that we’re showing anything there,” Rein told videogaming247.

The original release said that “the [event’s] gamer summit will begin with a presentation… discussing the origin of the Gears of War saga, its unprecedented success, and offering a glimpse into this year’s upcoming Gears of War 2.”

Sounds like Mr Comic Con may have his wires crossed, then.