What we heard: Ever since it was first announced, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames has been the subject of many gamers' interest. The attention increased after Electronic Arts agreed to publish the title, which sees a trio of guns-for-hire renting themselves out during a Venezuelan civil war. Anticipation for the game skyrocketed in May, when developers showed off what looked like a near-final build of the game.
Today, though, comes word that Mercenaries 2 might be missing its previously announced holiday 2007 release date. Citing unnamed sources, C&VG is claiming that the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC shooter has been pushed back to 2008. While the move pushes the Pandemic title's free-roaming, over-the-top destruction further down the space-time continuum, it will free up funds for cash-strapped gamers to buy other titles. It also isn't unprecedented, since other AAA titles such as Splinter Cell: Conviction and the big kahuna itself, Grand Theft Au... More »
Monolith Productions is a developer in a prime position to shed some light on the situation, having achieved critical and retail success with their launch title Condemned: Criminal Origins, and working on their follow-up with the upcoming sequel, Condemned 2: Bloodshot. "There is a certain satisfaction in taking on major challenges and overcoming them -- and this was definitely a major challenge. Sega also wanted us to hit the launch date... [and] gave us great testing and localization support to help make sure that we did hit our dates," says producer David Hasle, who later adds, "We knew that being present at launch would provide us more time to get more game titles developed internally at Monolith Productions for the 360 over the course of the lifespan of the 360 so this was seen as a good business decision. Plus being one of six or seven games is better than being one of 50 or 60 games on the shelf at your local game store."
The making of Condemned 2 is not just about ... More »
When MTV bought Harmonix for $175 million last year, it was clear it would heavily promote the studio's first project with every arm of its media empire. When that project turned out to be Rock Band, a multi-instrument, karaoke-enhanced rhythm game, that became even more obvious. Then, when Viacom announced it planned to invest a half-billion dollars in its MTV Games unit, it appeared no expense would be spared on fine-tuning Rock Band's hype machine.
This week, in conjunction with the Summer Showcase of Rock Band's distributor, Electronic Arts, MTV Games announced the latest promotional offensive for the title. Like many actual rock bands before it, the game will embark on a cross-country bus tour. The orgy of synergy will begin at the MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas September 9, when several buses equipped with Rock Band demo stations will fan out across the country. Stops will include several college campuses.
MTV will also use the Rock Band bus tour ... More »
SCEE today clarified some near final release dates for games across the entire PlayStation family, including providing a tentative release date for its online social software Home.
PLAYSTATION 3
October 17 - Folklore
October 19 - Lair
October 24 - Eye of Judgment
November 7 - Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction
November 28 - Time Crisis 4
December 5 - Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
December 2007 - Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
PlayStation 2
October 19 - Buzz! Hollywood Quiz
November 2 - Syphon Filter : Dark Mirror
November 7 - EyeToy Play : Astro Zoo
December TBA - ATV Off Road Fury 4
February 2008 - Pursuit Force : Extreme Justice
PSP
October 17 - Pursuit Force : Extreme Justice
November 2 - Syphon Filter : Logan's Shadow
November 2007 - ATV Off Road : Fury Pro
Earlier this week, Rage Against the Machine fretter and renegade of funk Tom Morello told Rolling Stone that he would be joining Guns N' Roses' Slash and Poison's Bret Michaels as a boss in Activision and RedOctane's Guitar Hero III. All well and good, but Morello's inclusion presented the obvious query of which Rage song would get worked into the Neversoft-developed rhythm game.
Today, Activision officially announced Morello's inclusion in GHIII, and also revealed that gamers can expect to engage Morello in rhythmic fisticuffs to the tune of "Bulls on Parade." Ranked as the 15th greatest metal song of all time by VH1, "Bulls on Parade" features Morello's signature synthetic guitar sounds. Adding a wrinkle to the gameplay, Activision notes that players will be required to "emulate some of Morello's extremely innovative guitar-playing antics." Guitar Hero III is rated T for Teen and will be available for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and Wii on October 28.
Take-Two Interactive's financial fortunes have run hot and cold since the announcement of a delay for Grand Theft Auto IV. Disappointment at the publisher's biggest game being pushed back into next year was offset partially by news that Rockstar Games' Manhunt 2 had been cleared for a North American release next month and an avalanche of glowing reviews for 2K Boston's BioShock.
Today the publisher announced its financial results for its fiscal third quarter, which ended just days before the GTAIV delay started the stock's roller coaster ride. For the three months ended July 31, Take-Two posted revenues of $206 million, down from $241 million from the same period of 2006. However, the company's losses narrowed nearly as much, with Take-Two losing nearly $59 million for the quarter, a significantly better showing than the $91 million it lost in last year's third quarter.
As for why sales were down, Take-Two blamed it on tough comparisons against the previous ... More »
It's been nearly three and a half years since the Ninja Gaiden series made its triumphant return. Since then, the critically lauded Xbox remake was rereleased in 2005 with new content as Ninja Gaiden Black, and then graphically upgraded and further expanded for this year's PlayStation 3 port, Ninja Gaiden Sigma.
But while the resurgent adventures of shadow warrior Ryu Hayabusa have spawned an all-new DS game, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, many have been wondering when a true Ninja Gaiden sequel would arrive. Though he would not confirm a sequel outright, Team Ninja head Tomonobu Itagaki has declined to deny assertions in the gaming press that his shop is working on Ninja Gaiden 2.
Today, though the proof was in the pudding--blood pudding, to be more precise. An eagle-eyed poster on gaming-news bazaar/loosely controlled riot NeoGAF posted a series of screenshots he or she claimed to have taken from an official product page on the Japanese version of Xbox.com. T... More »
Possibility 1: Simple human error.
Possibility 2: A sneak preview of what's coming up at next week's Tokyo Game Show.
Possibility 3: Some combination of the two.
Either way, Namco Bandai's website was suddenly and mysteriously full of surprises (the listings have since changed, as we doubt this announcement was meant for today), as a pair of previously Xbox 360-exclusive titles appears to have up and gone multiplatform.
First up, it's wacky fever-dream RPG Eternal Sonata which will now apparently be recreating the life and death (mostly death) of classical music composer Frederic Chopin on both the PS3 and the Xbox 360. That's gotta be good news for all those Sony old guardsmen who have been staunchly holding out for some JRPG action on their next-gen black boxes.
Next is Beautiful Katamari which is now currently being listed as both a PS3, Xbox 360 and a Wii title (of all things!). Waggle-based rolling would certainly be an interest... More »
Official confirmation from Nintendo that the Wii Zapper interface will indeed come with Link's Crossbow Training packed in and that the remote-housing Wii Zapper will sell for $20 starting Nov. 19.
Link's Crossbow Training drops players into a world in the style of The Legend of Zelda®: Twilight Princess. Players assume the identity of hero Link, who progresses through a series of tests to perfect his crossbow marksmanship. Start with stationary bull's-eyes and graduate to moving targets before defending Link against all kinds of enemies.
Nintendo also confirms a pretty interesting line-up of third-party Wii Zapper support including Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, Ghost Squad and Medal of Honor Heroes 2 which will include single player, arcade mode and support for up to 32 players in multiplayer.
NINTENDO'S NEW Wii ZAPPER TARGETS FUN
First Wii Game-Play Accessory Comes Packaged with Zelda Software
Never ones to circumvent a controversy, Take-Two ruffled more than a few feathers with the inclusion of exceptionally talented football star and questionably acquitted murder suspect OJ Simpson in All-Pro Football 2K8. The move was made all the more controversial, considering Simpson could be assigned to the fictional Assassins team, knife-wielding mascot and all.
In August, Reuters reported that Simpson was to fork over royalties paid to him for his appearance in the game to the family of Ron Goldman as part of the still-outstanding $33.5 million civil suit judgment against the Juice. However, at the time, it was not revealed, exactly, how much Simpson received, though he was also ordered to turn over any legal documentation associated with the deal.
Sleuthing through the contract between Take-Two and Simpson, TheStreet has discovered that OJ received $50,000 for lending his likeness to the football sim. Simpson was paid in two installments, with $25,000 ex... More »
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