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Rumor: Nobody's smiling about more GRIN layoffs
It appears that the rumors of layoffs at Stockholm-based developer GRIN are getting worse, with the company itself allegedly on the brink of collapse. Gamasutra has been informed by reliable sources that the studio has had another round of layoffs and that some employees have been told not to show up for work. Two of the company's studios have already shut down, with the main Stockholm office being the next domino. Despite critical acclaim for Bionic Commando Rearmed, the studio saw sluggish sales and tepid reviews from big-budget titles like Terminator Salvation, Wanted: Weapons of Fate and -- the game that could really have given it a boost -- Bionic Commando. We'll update as we hear more.
Bionic Commando, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite 'underperform' in the west
While Capcom may have reported strong numbers for its first quarter ending June 30, that doesn't mean that everything is rosy. The report mentioned that Bionic Commando and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite failed to perform in the west and, digging a little deeper into Capcom's documents, we've uncovered some more specific details. Bionic Commando, which Capcom released with western audiences in mind, only managed to sell 550,000 copies since its debut in May. Capcom, unsurprisingly, believes the title "underperformed."Meanwhile, PSP title Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, which has been very successful in Japan, has "performed weakly" in western markets, though it sold 600,000 copies worldwide (not bad for a game that released over a year ago in Japan). The documents don't specify how many copies were sold in western markets, though it's clear the company is disappointed. It's also important to note that Freedom Unite's US release was on June 23, only a week prior to the end of Capcom's first quarter.
Bionic Commando grapples Steam, soundtrack released
Get ready for a double bionic news whammy. First up, both Bionic Commando and its retro cousin, Bionic Commando Rearmed, are now available on Steam. Bionic Commando can be grappled for $39.99, while Rearmed will make heads explode for only $9.99. If you want to just go crazy and get 'em both, you can save a whole five bucks by picking up the Bionic Commando Pack for $44.99. In other bionic news, the Bionic Commando soundtrack is now available from Sumthing Digital and iTunes for $9.99. While opinions on Bionic Commando are mixed, the soundtrack is definitely worth checking out (just like its cousin). [Via 1UP]
Bionic Commando Rearmed Trophies are almost here
Hey, remember Bionic Commando Rearmed? Probably not, seeing as it came out almost a year ago. It was a pretty decent remake of the NES classic. Only one problem -- it didn't have Trophies. Still, Capcom promised they'd patch them in. Then they canceled that promise. Then they promised again. Now, finally, we've been told via the company's official Twitter account that the Trophy patch has been approved for the US, with Europe scheduled to be approved in the next few days. The upshot of which is that you "may" be getting your long-awaited Trophies within the next "7 to 10 days." We're pretty sure most of you will have moved on by now, but it's the thought that counts.
Bionic Commando swings to PC July 17 in EU, July 28 in US
If you've been anxiously awaiting Nathan Spencer's latest romp, Bionic Commando, on the PC, then we've got some important days you'll need to mark on your calendar. First up, courtesy of Eurogamer, we know the title will release in Europe on July 17. Capcom has confirmed with us that the game will arrive in North America two weeks later, on July 28.The PC version of Bionic Commando will feature the same gameplay as its console counterparts, but will boast new features in DirectX 9 and 10 support, higher resolutions, customizable controls and online options. Considering the game only managed to move 27,000 copies on consoles in its first month of US release, we wonder how the PC launch will fare.
Bionic Commando, Wheelman, more drop to $20 in GameStop sale
GameStop is having a sale on a number of games; some of them flops that have plummeted from $60 to $20. Highlights include: Guitar Hero: World Tour (Band Kit) - $90 [360/Wii] Bionic Commando - $20 [PS3/360] Wheelman - $20 [PS3/360] Tom Clancy's HAWX - $20 [PS3/360] Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - $20 [PS3/360] Prince of Persia - $20 [PS3/360] Tom Clancy's EndWar - $20 [PS3/360] Cooking Mama: World Kitchen - $20 [Wii] House of the Dead 2 and 3 Returns - $20 [Wii] GameStop's summer sale runs from now until August 2. Check out all the goods here.
Bionic Commando Rearmed update coming to XBLA as well
Worried about news that Capcom's Bionic Commando Rearmed was getting patched with Trophy support as well as new difficulty levels on PlayStation Network, with no mention at all of an Xbox Live Arcade patch? We feared the worst and asked Capcom to set us straight. A spokesperson told us, "Yes yes of course, same new Easier modes on both platforms." There you have it! Eleven days ago Capcom's John Diamonon assured us that the patch (at least on PSN) "should be available real soon"; however, as of today, neither patch has appeared. We'll go ahead and assume the new release date is "really really soon." %Gallery-14181%
Bionic Commando grappled only 27k sales in May
The new Bionic Commando sold a mere 27,000 units during its first month of sale in the US this May, reports Gamasutra. Well, its "first month" might be stretching it (like a grapple arm) a bit. The title went on sale May 19, which means it was at retail for the Xbox 360 and PS3 for a little under two weeks. Although, even with that caveat, those sales figures still aren't good for the modestly reviewed title, which had plenty of promotion.Terminator Salvation, also developed by (the allegedly downsized) Grin and released around the same time as BC, sold 43,000 units with exceptionally poor reviews. To really put things in perspective, Bionic Commando Rearmed -- the high-def remake of the classic game -- sold 130,000 copies during its first week late last year.
Rumor: GRIN lays off more than 100
GRIN sort of exploded onto the scene recently with Wanted, Bionic Commando and Terminator Salvation all releasing within a couple of months of each other. Like a star post-supernova though, it seems that the company might be shrinking in on itself. Kotaku's reporting that various sources have indicated to them that the company has let go of more than 100 staff members.We're working on getting official confirmation from someone at GRIN, we'll let you know what we find out.
Grab Bionic Commando Rearmed on XBLA for $5 this week
Major Nelson received accurate information this week indicating that the Xbox "deal of the week" would be Bionic Commando Rearmed for 400 ($5). A small reminder: to take advantage of the deal, you must have an Xbox Live gold membership, otherwise it'll show as the standard 800 ($10). It's also worth noting that the Metacritic average for BCR is an 85, while the super new and flashy Bionic Commando is 70. Which one is getting five of your dollars?
Bionic Commando leaderboards swing online
Capcom Unity reports that the leaderboards for Bionic Commando are now viewable on the game's website. The boards are fairly basic, displaying each players overall XP as well as their total kills, deaths and wins. Right now, it looks like the leaderboards are only available for the Xbox 360 version of the game, despite its availability on the PS3 and PC. Alas, there doesn't appear to be a search function, so good luck looking up how awesome you are. Conversely, it will be much easier for bad players to hide their shame.
Future Capcom titles hitting Steam day and date with retail; more RE5 DLC considered
Capcom's business and strategy VP Christian Svensson mentioned in a recent interview that the company plans to release future titles on Steam day and date with retail. ButtonBasher, following up on information provided in a recent Rock Paper Shotgun interview, discussed the topic of PC digital distribution and Svensson noted that Dark Void and Bionic Commando will be available on Steam at the same time as retail. The executive also noted that Capcom's western offices take digital distribution "very seriously."Svensson added that the company is "considering" more DLC for Resident Evil 5. He notes that "there's nothing to announce by any stretch," but that a request for DLC suggestions on the company forums created a thread that's "hundreds of posts long." That's not really shocking, considering fans are passionate enough to give their blood for RE swag.[Thanks, Jono]
Metareview - Bionic Commando (Xbox 360/PS3)
Now that we've subjected you to our own review of Bionic Commando, it's high time we check out what others had to say about Nathan Spencer and his latest exploits. In short, it would seem the game is a success with most outlets. So, swing your eyes below and see what the rest of the gaming community thinks of Capcom's franchise reboot. IGN (80/100): "If you can look past the replayability issues that crop up due to the linear play, you'll find an enjoyable adventure that easily re-establishes the franchise for Capcom." Giant Bomb (80/100): "Bionic Commando goes back and forth between moments of great, navigation-based gameplay and a lot of little touches that don't work as well as you'd like. It makes the final product a little frustrating, because you can almost see a better game trying to bust its way out of its constraints." Eurogamer (70/100): "Bionic Commando succeeds in resurrecting a good idea lost to the Capcom archives, and giving it a new lease of life, but it falls foul of a few old standards in the process." Game Informer (63/100): "It's hard to forget the unresponsive controls, ludicrous story, and questionable combat encounters. The game is uneven and inconsistent enough to scare away even eager fans who have patiently waited 20 years for another swing." [June 2009, p.83] Source - Metacritic: Bionic Commando (Xbox 360)Source - Metacritic: Bionic Commando (PS3)%Gallery-24249%
Joystiq Review: Bionic Commando (single-player)
It figures. Right after I reinvent the face of modern games criticism by deciding not to finish a game I hated, a title comes along that really does get better in its second half: Bionic Commando is a pretty good game, but you'd be hard-pressed to tell from the first few hours.Make no mistake, I'm not talking about the level of disdain I had for Velvet Assasin. I never really considered giving up on this rethinking of the 8-bit classic. But in Bionic Commando's opening hours, it was hard to stop wondering where Capcom had gone wrong.%Gallery-24249%
Bionic Commando Rearmed NOT swinging in at $5 this week [update]
Major Nelson notes that this week's Xbox "deal of the week" (which actually lives up to its name, for once) is Bionic Commando Rearmed for 400 ($5). That's less than what you'll spend at the McDonalds drive-thru -- and a whole lot healthier. The only thing diminishing our fanfare of this deal is that the PSN already dropped the BCR price last week. Either way, the price is something worth jumping for joy over. Sorry, Radd. Too soon for jumping jokes? Update: The Major was apparently given misinformation. BCR is still $5 on PS3's PSN.
Play Bionic Commando demo with Capcom (again)
We have to admit, we were really tempted to copy last week's post about this and just paste it in here. Alas, someone was looking, so the plans were scrapped. Suffice it to say that Capcom is once again hosting a little community playdate with the Bionic Commando demo. If you'd like a chance to own some Capcom fools, simply send an Xbox 360 friend request to "Snow Infernus" -- gamertag of Capcom's Shawn Baxter. After that, just sign into Live when the action starts at 3:00pm Pacific (6:00pm Eastern). If you get invited to a private match, then congratulations! You're playing with Capcom. Finally, a story worth telling the grandkids someday. Also, sorry, but there is no word on whether or not Bionic Middle Manager will be taking part in the event.
Video: The big guns and big moves of Bionic Commando
The latest Lab Report video for Bionic Commando has been released, this time showing off some of the game's weaponry and finishing moves. While we enjoy watching Nathan Spencer -- the game's hero -- hurling boulders at giant robots, our favorite piece of kit in the video has to be the Tarantula gun, which fires fires a cluster of missiles at distant targets. Also shown in the video is what appears to be a female sidekick and a sniping villainess.A bionic love triangle, perhaps? Let's hope so.[Via Big Download]
Bionic Commando Rearmed drops to $4.99 on PSN
Capcom Unity has announced on its Twitter account that the excellent Bionic Commando Rearmed has received a price cut on the US Playstation Store. Specifically, the once $10 game is now available for only $4.99. If you haven't taken the plunge on the beautifully revamped remake, there's no time like the present. After all, it's not like you get to explode the head of a resurrected World War 2 dictator every day. And, even if you did, it wouldn't be this cheap.
Capcom inks soundtrack deal over Bionic Commando, more
With a great mechanical appendage, Capcom has reached out and penned a deal with game soundtrack engine Sumthing Else Music Works to bring music from Bionic Commando, as well as other titles, to CDs, Sumthing's own digital distribution channel, Sumthing Digital, and iTunes.In addition to the king of swing, the agreement will find six other titles from Capcom's catalog getting the soundtrack treatment, including recent releases like Street Fighter IV, Resident Evil 5 and Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop, as well as upcoming games such as Dark Void, Spyborgs and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. No release dates for any of the soundtracks have been released. However, given that we're unable to get the catchy tunes heard while swinging through Bionic Commando's recent demo out of our heads, that's one we'll certainly be keeping an ear out for soon.
PSA: Play Bionic Commando with Capcom
Capcom's Shawn Baxter has announced that the company will be hosting a community play session of the Bionic Commando multiplayer demo later today. For your shot at playing with the folks at Capcom, sign on to Xbox Live at 3:00pm Pacific Time (6:00pm Eastern) and send a friend request to "Snow Infernus" (Baxter's gamertag). A few lucky gamers will then be invited to the match.Of course, you could always just play the demo with your friends.
