Warner Bros. picks up Lollipop Chainsaw for Western release
Grasshopper Manufacture's cheerleader-versus-zombie action game, Lollipop Chainsaw, will be released outside of Japan in 2012, thanks to Warner Bros. Interactive. The publisher announced a new partnership with Lollipop's Japanese publisher, Kadokawa Games. That seems like a good match -- both companies are media conglomerates who have only recently expanded into games.
Warner is using those media connections to bring in some Hollywood talent: writer/director James Gunn (Slither, Dawn of the Dead) will "bring his cult humor and edgy storytelling to Lollipop Chainsaw." Considering that the Suda 51 game already appears to be 100% cult humor ... that's a lot of cult humor.
If WB is putting this much effort and cash into the writing, it seems possible that the company could go so far as to market the game, something that didn't fully happen with Grasshopper's last game.
[Image: Famitsu]
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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and KADOKAWA GAMES Bring Together the Sweet and the "Un-Dead" in Lollipop Chainsaw
Killer Heroine with a Chainsaw Fights to Stop Zombie Take Over in Suda51's Latest Masterpiece for PS3 and Xbox 360
London - August 1, 2011 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and KADOKAWA GAMES today announced a new partnership to bring Lollipop Chainsaw to gamers around the world in 2012 on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will be publishing the game outside of all Asian territories
Lollipop Chainsaw is an all-new third person action game being developed by GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE, led by celebrated gamemaker Goichi Suda (aka Suda51) and featuring the musical compositions of the renowned Akira Yamoaka. In addition to these two talented individuals, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has tapped Hollywood director/writer, James Gunn (Super, Slither, Dawn of the Dead, Tromeo and Juliet) to bring his cult humour and edgy storytelling to Lollipop Chainsaw.
"Our exciting partnership with KADOKAWA GAMES allows us to try something new by bringing a very unique game like Lollipop Chainsaw to Western markets," said Martin Tremblay, President of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE's games have shown tremendous success with gamers around the globe and we are delighted to expand our portfolio of Japanese-developed games."
"We are looking forward to partnering with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on our first entry into the HD console market," said Yoshimi Yasuda, President of KADOWAKA GAMES. "We are also thrilled to have a team like GRASSHOPPER and talent like Suda51 creating such an interesting and distinct game for us to work with and bring to the fans."
Lollipop Chainsaw is the 'un-deadly' story of sweet and killer zombie hunter Juliet Starling and her quest to uncover the root of a colossal zombie outbreak. With her wickedly awesome chainsaw in hand, Juliet slices, dices and splits her way through hordes of the undead, but soon realizes the horde is only the opening act to a festival of zombie rock lords determined to kill the chainsaw wielding cheerleader.
For the latest information on the game, visit www.lollipopchainsaw.com or follow the team on twitter @lollichainsaw or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lollipopchainsaw.
