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Gary Oldman, Ed Harris Headline Black Ops Voice Talent
Activision tends to open its wallet to break out big voice talent in the Call of Duty series, and today the company announced Black Ops will be no exception. Gary Oldman and Ed Harris are on tap to play roles in the new game, and filmmaker David S. Goyer will be lending story consultation and support.
Both of the veteran actors have been in countless movies. Oldman is most known recently from his roles in The Dark Knight and The Book of Eli. In Black Ops, he’ll be reprising his role as Viktor Reznov from World at War. Harris, meanwhile, is recognized for his roles in A History of Violence and Apollo 13. He’ll be playing Jason Hudson, a CIA operative. David S. Goyer has written for both of the recent Batman films, Blade, and the upcoming Superman: Man of Steel.
“Oldman, Harris and Goyer are considered some of the finest talents and they perfectly complement Call of Duty: Black Ops’ ambitious and immersive single-player experience,” said Treyarch head Mark Lamia in the press release. “Their contributions have helped us to push the boundaries of our story telling and character development far beyond anything we have ever attempted before in the franchise.”
New Uncharted 2 DLC in the Works
Still haven’t had enough of Uncharted 2? Good, because it turns out Sony isn’t through with giving you more of it, as there’s new DLC in development and on the way.
The news actually leaked out thanks to voice actress Emily Rose, who plays character Elena Fisher in the game. “Landed in LALA land yesterday and already the schedule is a buzz…. filming my first Night show today 4 #HAVEN then work on #UNCHARTED!” tweeted Rose yesterday.
This tweet created a short-lived buzz that Naughty Dog was already working on Uncharted 3, but a Sony representative quickly squashed the rumor by confirming to Kotaku that this “Uncharted work” was, in fact, for new Uncharted 2 DLC.
2K Games Announces Top Spin 4
Just as the U.S. Open rolls into its second week, 2K Games has announced Top Spin 4, the latest entry in the long-running tennis sim series that started as an exclusive for the original Xbox. But as with Top Spin 3, Top Spin 4 is going multiplatform for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii, this time with 2K Czech (the studio behind Mafia II) handling the project.
The announcement is a little light on specific details, instead offering vague promises of “redesigned controls” and “one of the deepest player rosters to date.” Specific players aren’t mentioned (besides more vague promises of “top athletes and legendary pros”), but one player that is confirmed for the game will only be available as a pre-order bonus. If you reserve Top Spin 4 at GameStop, you’ll get a “vintage” version of tennis legend Andre Agassi. And as you can see in the provided screenshot, “vintage” does indeed mean full-on mullet.
“Top Spin 4 is shaping up to be the most realistic and exhilarating tennis game in the Top Spin franchise,” said 2K Sports president of product development Greg Thomas. “For this iteration, the development team is focused on delivering a bold new take on the sport of tennis by allowing gamers to experience first-hand an uncanny level of realism in the player and stadium models, authentic audio captured directly from real tennis matches, and all-new innovative controls to dominate the competition.”
Report: American Company Purchases Project MyWorld
It looks like administrator Begbies Traynor has found a buyer for Project MyWorld, which formally belonged to the bankrupt studio Realtime Worlds.
Develop reports that the property has been purchased by an anonymous American company, with no word on how the purchase will affect the 23 developers currently working on the game. One of the more optimistic scenarios has the American company temporarily hiring the Dundee-based staff in order to finish the project, but they may also opt to purchase the build and the IP and finish it themselves.
APB remains up for purchase, though interest in the sandbox MMO has reportedly been weaker than it was for Project MyWorld. According to numbers released by Begbies Traynor, appoximately 130,000 registered users play the game an average of four hours per day.
Borderlands Getting Free Level Cap Increase
When details of the latest Borderlands DLC, Claptrap’s New Robot Revolution, were announced, there was no mention of a level cap increase. Fortunately, one is coming — and even better, it will be coming free of charge to all owners of Borderlands on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.
When he wasn’t busy discussing the return of Duke Nukem, Gearbox co-founder and CEO Randy Pitchford spent some time at PAX revealing that, around the release of the Borderlands Game of the Year edition (scheduled for October 12), Gearbox will update the game to increase the level cap by eight, bringing it to 69. They decided on an increase of 8 because they didn’t want it to be too low, or as high as the 11-level increase that the General Knoxx brought.
Joystiq reports that Pitchford explained that Gearbox opted to make the increase a free update instead of including it in the Claptrap DLC because then “you’d have to buy every previous DLC.” Also included in the free update will be a rebalancing of the original game to cater to the new level cap. Given that these are the sort of things you might expect to see in a premium DLC release, it’s nice to see Gearbox instead release them to fans for free.
Gearbox Now Owns Duke Nukem Franchise
Not only has Gearbox Software gained the rights to finish Duke Nukem Forever; the developer has also gained ownership of the franchise name. Gamasutra reports that Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford’s decision to transfer ownership and finish the long-delayed title is partly due to his friendship with those at 3DRealms, like Scott Miller and George Broussard.
Pitchford credits Miller with getting him into the games industry, and he even worked on Duke Nukem Forever in the early days. When 3DR closed and the game seemed dead last May, Pitchford saw Broussard at a weekly poker game. “He told me it was the worst day of his life,” he said. “I was worried about him. He was committed to the thing. He loved it so much he wanted it to be perfect.”
Atlus U.S. President Assures Fans Company Lives On After Merger
Earlier this week, Index Holdings, the parent company of developer Atlus, announced it would dissolve Atlus into itself and no longer keep it as an independent company. This left a lot of concerns open for fans of Atlus’s RPGs, but in a new statement, Atlus U.S.A. president Shinichi Suzuki assures that the company and its games will continue on.
“Recent news out of Japan that Index Holdings, the parent company of Atlus Co., Ltd. (and its wholly-owned private subsidiary Atlus U.S.A, Inc.), would be merging the Atlus brand into itself has created uncertainty as to the future of Atlus and its games,” Suzuki’s statement begins. “We want to assure our fans and affiliates that Atlus remains in operation and will continue, as always, to support our beloved community with the finest quality game experiences possible.”
Suzuki concludes by saying the merger should make Atlus more efficient than if it remained an independent company. “The Atlus-Index merger allows us to achieve greater synergy among the Index group companies and further strengthens the foundation of Atlus, both in Japan and here in the United States,” he said.
Retro City Rampage Aiming for December, May Come to XBLA, PSN
Retro City Rampage, one of the “PAX 10″ indie games afforded free floorspace at PAX Prime this week, now has a more specific window for release. While demonstrating the game at PAX, creator Brian Provinciano told Joystiq they’re aiming for a December WiiWare release.
So far Wii is the only confirmed platform for the game, although Provinciano also said that he’s currently “in talks” with Microsoft about a potential release on Xbox Live Arcade, and that a PlayStation Network release is also a possibility. If you want to play it on the PC, though, no dice at least for a while — Provinciano said a PC version won’t happen for “at least a year.”
For those unfamiliar, Retro City Rampage is billed as “a parody of the open-world action genre,” attempting to create what a modern Grand Theft Auto game would be like if it was made for an 8-bit videogame system. You can check out the reveal trailer below.
Killzone 3 Coming on February 22
Not to be outdone by the phoenix-like return of a long dormant shooter franchise, Sony announced announced the release date of its own first-person powerhouse today. According to a post on the PlayStation.Blog, Killzone 3 will release on February 22, 2011. PAX attendees will also get a chance to try out the multiplayer at Sony’s booth.
This narrows the game’s release down from the earlier vague target of February, and makes a pre-order the perfect Valentine’s gift for that Helghan-hating special someone in your life. Because nothing says “I love you” like brutal future warfare — in three dimensions.
Gearbox Confirmed on Duke Nukem Forever Development
Amid swirling rumors of a PAX reveal, Gearbox has finally confirmed that they’ve taken the reins on Duke Nukem Forever. Gearbox founder Randy Pitchford delivered the news today, just as word hit the Wall Street Journal and eager gamers lined up at PAX to try the game for themselves. A live stream from 2K is still (as of now) showing off footage of the hands-on players.
“The approach and investment and process at 3d Realms didn’t quite make it and it cracked in the end,” said Pitchford in the WSJ interview. “With Gearbox Software we brought all of those pieces together. It’s the game it was meant to be.” The report claims the game is expected to ship in 2010, and Pitchford says it’s in the “polishing” stage. But they’re still working on a launch plan so he’s hesitant to commit to a date.
Flo Rida, Soulja Boy, and Others Record Simlish Songs for The Sims 3
Over three dozen musical artists are re-recording some of their current and upcoming songs for inclusion in The Sims 3 on consoles and the latest Sims 3 PC expansion pack, Late Night. They’re re-recording their songs because they won’t be sung in English, but in the Sims’ language of Simlish.
A press release making the announcement quotes a number of the artists, many of which point out that they had fun but also found it challenging or weird to sing in Simlish. “Singing in Simlish was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it was a blast!” said Travie McCoy. Flo Rida said of his decision to contribute to the game, “I’m always trying to find new ways to reach different audiences with my music and The Sims 3 was a perfect way.”
The console versions of The Sims 3 will be released on October 26, the same day the Late Night expansion will be made available to owners of the PC version of The Sims 3.
Full Power Gig: Rise of the SixString Tracklist Announced
Seven45 Studios put out a full list of playable tracks for Power Gig: Rise of the SixString this morning. The full-band game will feature 70 songs, with exclusives from Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews Band, and Kid Rock.
In addition to a guitar controller that doubles as a fully-functioning guitar, Power Gig also lets you take your pick between vocals and the game’s AirStrike drum controller. It’s expected to launch in October of this year — putting it pretty much head-to-head against Rock Band 3.
Feast your eyes upon the full list of Power Gig tracks below:
Mafia II “Off to a Great Start,” Expected to be Profitable
Following comments made by Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter suggesting that Mafia II was unlikely to be profitable, Take-Two has come out and stated that it not only expects the game to be profitable, but that it’s “off to a great start.”
“Mafia II’s average Metacritic score of 74 is well below expectations, and consumer interest appears to be waning, as the game’s position has dropped in many best-seller lists in its first week,” Pachter recently said (via Gamasutra). “With six years in development, we believe the game is unlikely to achieve profitability.”
Gamasutra reports Take-Two CEO Ben Feder countered such claims during an investors call, saying, “We’re very proud of the game.” He later said, “Based upon the initial launch, we expect this to be another profitable title for Take-Two.” Sales figures have yet to be released, though the release of NPD sales figures for August later this month should give us some indication of how well Mafia II sold. Its release so late in the month (August 24 in North America) could hurt its chances to rank highly, however, especially with Madden topping sales charts, according to EA.
Rumored Dead Space 2 Multiplayer Details Emerge
In space, no one can hear you scream…unless you’re screaming into your voice chat headset, probably. GamerNode reports (via Eurogamer) that at the annual GameStop conference in San Antonio, Electronic Arts evidently revealed a little bit more about Dead Space 2’s previously outed multiplayer mode.
The mode will apparently involve “soldiers” (which we assume means characters that’ll play the same as single-player protagonist Isaac), and the series main enemies, Necromorphs. This would tie in with what EA CEO John Riccitello previously said about Dead Space 2’s multiplayer being “innovative,” in that it sounds like it’ll try and replicate the horror atmosphere of the single-player game, while putting actual human beings in control of the horrors. This won’t be the only multiplayer mode, either, as EA apparently also said there will be more modes to announce later.
GamerNode also says EA detailed some of the pre-order incentives that’ll be offered for Dead Space 2, including an in-game “Rivet Gun” if you pre-order at GameStop, and (even better) the downloadable prequel Dead Space: Ignition for free no matter where you pre-order.
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath Remake Coming to PSN Next April
U.K.-based developer Just Add Water has announced that as their first project in cooperation with Oddworld Inhabitants, they’ll be bringing a hi-def remake of Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath to the PlayStation Network “next Easter.”
Stranger’s Wrath was the last entry in the Oddworld series, and came out on the original Xbox in 2005. It featured a blend of third-person action and first-person shooting, with the stand-out feature being the use of “live ammunition” in the form of literally living critters like skunks and wasps. The remake will add improvements like updated graphics (with modern embellishments like “normal mapping and self-shadowing”), 720p HD support, re-mastered dialogue, and support for the PlayStation Move controller, in addition to other still-unannounced bonus features.
“Since word got out that we’ve been working with Oddworld Inhabitants there have been many rumors circulating about what we’re working on,” said Stewart Gilray, managing director of Just Add Water, in a statement. “Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath is the first project in what we believe will be a long and fruitful relationship. Having the chance to update this great title and release it on PS3 is just a brilliant opportunity, not least for us, but for the fans too.”
Take-Two Confirms Latest L.A. Noire Delay
Despite finally taking the wraps off of L.A. Noire earlier this year, Take-Two has decided to hold back the oft-delayed game once again.
An analyst previously predicted the delay after speaking with retail representatives, so the news comes as a little surprise. L.A Noire was announced way back in 2005, but has had a difficult development, to say the least.
Take-Two confirmed the delay in their latest set of financials, in which they reported net revenue of 354.1 million, a sharp increase from 2009. They attributed their success to the Rockstar-developed Red Dead Redemption, which has sold more than 6.9 million copies worldwide. Rockstar is also set to publish L.A. Noire.
Outland Being Developed by Housemarque, Gameplay Detailed
With just a couple days to go before PAX, Ubisoft has taken the wraps off Outland, which is scheduled to make its debut this weekend (via IGN).
As it turns out, the upcoming game has nothing to do with the sci-fi film of the same name. Instead, it will be a downloadable platformer utilizing a color switching mechanic similar to that which is found in Ikaruga.
As in Treasure’s classic shooter, it will be possible to switch between light and dark forms to avoid enemy attacks. In addition, light forms can only hurt dark foes, and vice versa.
Medal of Honor Banned from Army and Air Force Base Stores
The controversy that has been steadily brewing around the ability to play as the Taliban in Medal of Honor has gotten the upcoming shooter banned from military stores (via Kotaku).
The Army and Air Force Exchange Services confirmed that no store located on an Army or Air Force bases will be able to sell the reboot. That ban includes 49 GameStops located across the continental U.S., and to all military bases worldwide.
In an email sent out to employees, GameStop said they will be pulling all marketing material relating to the game from those stores. Customers wishing to reserve a copy of Medal of Honor will be directed to an off base GameStop location.
Irrational Prototype Ideas Living on in Another 2K Project
Before Irrational Games decided to make BioShock Infinite, it was testing prototype ideas that will show up in a few different 2K games. We chatted with Ken Levine in the latest stop on our Cross Country Game Tour (above), who said that the eventual decision to make BioShock Infinite relied on some of the concepts that had come before.
“We finished BioShock, and we really didn’t know what was going to be next,” he said. “We actually prototyped a bunch of stuff… kinda decided it wasn’t [right], and sat in a room and said, what else is interesting us? The idea of doing another BioShock game came up, but we knew if we were going to do that it wasn’t going to be a game in Rapture.”
