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Bully giving atomic wedgies on Wii and Xbox 360 the first week of March
The rumors of Bully's Wii and Xbox 360 semester starting in March were pretty much on the money, with Rockstar confirming North America starts class on March 4 and the UK getting a delayed opening 'til March 7. As is evidenced by the Xbox 360 screenshot above, Rockstar isn't making the awkward teenagers of Bullworth Academy any prettier for their now-gen premiere. The game is pretty much a port of the PS2 version with some improvements -- hopefully the loading times will be one of them.Bully: Scholarship Edition features eight new missions, four new classes and some other minor upgrades like achievements for the Xbox 360 and waggle-added gameplay for Wii. The tuition for this trip to Bullworth will be $50 on both systems. We'd say just pick Bully on the cheap for your PS2, but achievements or waggle will probably make another spin with Jimmy Hopkins on a new system worth it.
Get in here and check out these Bully screens
What can we say? We like you too much to force you to check out these Wii-specific images from the upcoming Bully: Scholarship Edition, but we thought you might just enjoy them. If we had cookies, we'd give you one, but you'll just have to settle for the screenshots. Port or not, it's still somewhat exciting to see Rockstar taking a continued interest in the Wii. We can't wait to see what they do next. %Gallery-14099%
Prepare to be Bully'ied this March
Flying low enough to escape our radar, Rockstar recently revealed that the once scheduled for release last Winter Bully: Scholarship Edition will now be hitting retail shelves on March 4th (March 7th for the UK) and will come packed with new content not seen in the original PS2 version. New content like eight new missions, four new classes (biology, music, math and geography), two offline multiplayer mini-games, additional unlockable items and awards. So, if you've had PS2 Bully envy for a while now, then it's looking like your wait was well worth it as the 360 version will be far superior. And the game's $49 retail price tag shouldn't hurt either.
Rumor: Bully's semester on Wii and Xbox 360 begins March 3
Jimmy Hopkins is supposedly ready to kiss the girls (and boys) at Bullworth Academy on Wii and Xbox 360 starting March 3. Bully: Scholarship Edition will feature "new content" and that's still all about we know at this point. Perhaps we'll get a little hands-on time with it at GDC, but we don't even really know if the Wii version will have waggle or if the Xbox 360 version will sport better textures.Although there's still no official confirmation on Bully's release date, several retailers are listing March 3; we're following up with Rockstar and Take-Two for a polite confirmation -- otherwise we're resorting to swirlies.[Via Wii Fanboy]
Rumor: Bully giving out swirlies from March 3rd
Over the years, the games industry has developed the irritating habit of cramming all of its best software into the last three months of the calendar year. The inevitable result of this is the dreaded post-Christmas lull, whereby the first quarter of the following year is severely lacking in noteworthy titles.Despite this trend, Q1 2008 content on the Wii looks good. Like, really good. And as if No More Heroes, SEGA Superstar Tennis, The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return, Harvest Moon Heroes, SEGA Bass Fishing, and some Nintendo fighting game you may have heard something about weren't enough to placate the Wiimote-wielding masses, now GameStop has Rockstar's Bully: Scholarship Edition listed for a U.S. release on March 3rd.Which is awesome news, if it turns out to be true. Now all we need to do is convince Take-Two that the Wii is worthy of receiving some GTA lovin'.[Via Go Nintendo]
Anniversary aftermath: Next year's awesome games that you forgot about
We spent yesterday going through the big releases that've been announced for next year so far -- Smash Bros. Brawl and/or Wii Fit likely topping your personal "must get" list -- but what about the second-tier games that don't usually receive much press or attention? Though we haven't forgotten about the low-key releases, we've collected a selection of games and media to ensure that these titles stay on your mind too! Read on for our top ten list of awesome 2008 games that you totally forgot about!
Bully wins best script award
You may already know that Rockstar's Bully is going to be ported to the Wii (and Xbox 360), but aside from it being a "port-plus," the game is now also boasting an award winning script. It seems that Bully (the original, that is) managed to win the "Best Videogame Script" title at the Writer's Guild of Great Britain Awards 2007.We're not going to argue over the prestige of such an award, but keep in mind that since it's for the Writer's Guild of Great Britain, only writers from the UK can be nominated. Bully faced off against another Rockstar game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, as well as Charles Cecil's Broken Sword: Angel of Death.For those of you who have already played Bully, you probably know whether or not you're interested in this Wii port. Yet, for those of you who haven't, this may (or may not) be a reason to put Bully: Scholarship Edition on your radar.[Via GoNintendo]
GamesRadar imagines the future of Bully Wii controls
What's more fun than playing Wii games? Speculating about how to play future Wii games, of course. Bully is an excellent candidate for such pie-in-the-sky dreaming, because, as a sandbox game, it is crammed full of varied tasks, many of which are just crying out for motion controls. GamesRadar has come up with a list of five possibilities for Bullying gestures, with accompanying pictures. Some, like holding the Wiimote sideways to simulate driving a go-kart, don't seem terribly imaginative, but this article marks the first time we've been asked to think about the potential for virtual swirlies.
Rockstar's Bully arriving on the 360 this Winter
Yesterday, Rockstar announced that its semi-controversial classroom game Bully will be headed to the Xbox 360 this Winter. Bully: Scholarship Edition will expand upon last October's PS2 release by including enhanced visuals and adding additional content, although Rockstar has yet to talk about any specifics.We're pretty sure 360 owners will embrace what Bully has to offer, seeing that it received rather favorable praise last year and with the promise of additional content we can't help be somewhat Bully'ish. Get it? Bully'ish ... bull, bully ... yeah.[Thanks, homer34]
Rockstar hearts Wii: Special edition Bully headed our way
This is one PS2 port we can't get too upset about -- and not only because it's a port-plus. Rockstar's controversial game Bully is coming to Wii consoles everywhere in a special "Scholarship Edition" that promises all-new content for Wii and 360 owners. There's no firm release date as yet, nor any hint of just what this purported additional content could be, but coupled with the recent announcement of Table Tennis for the Wii, we can only conclude that Rockstar and Take-Two are digging the Wii. Also, they probably like money, and we hear Nintendo systems tend to print that. [Via Joystiq]
Bully: Scholarship Edition coming to Xbox 360 and Wii
Just in case Rockstar's very well received – and predictably controversial – Bully didn't make it onto your game shelf when it was released last October, Rockstar is rereleasing the title for the new-gen Xbox 360 and Wii platforms as a new "Scholarship Edition" featuring "new content." Short of that announcement, and a "Winter" release, they aren't revealing much about these ports. Coupled with Table Tennis as an Xbox 360 and now Wii title, and Manhunt 2 as a PS2, PSP, and Wii title, it looks like Nintendo's little white box has a special place in Rockstar's heart.
Jack Thompson's further Florida Bar issues
The day of reckoning for Jack Thompson approaches ever so slowly -- looks like somebody needs a luck dragon. Separately from another disciplinary hearing brought by the Florida Bar based on issues of misconduct, Thompson could be in trouble with the Florida Bar again over complaints filed by the judge from last year's Bully suit. The Florida Supreme Court has assigned a Miami judge for trial and if the complaints by the judge are upheld Thompson would face professional sanctions.The complaints brought by Judge Ronald Friedman were based on Thompson's conduct during the Bully trial. The Bar believes Thompson lashed out against Friedman during the trial making statements with "a reckless disregard as to [their] truth." The Bar points to statements made in the 15-page complaint which include gems from Thompson like, "Here's a tip, Judge, I don't practice law. I save lives from reckless jurists like you." And about the game Bully, Thompson says to Friedman, "You missed the gay sex ... I'm sure the voters are going to love that. Go ahead, Judge. File your bar complaint. Make my day."It's no secret at this point the Thompson's grip on reality is slipping. It seems the Florida Bar is looking to shut him down before he embarrasses the profession further. There is no word yet how this will affect Thompson's lawsuit to stop Manhunt 2 and Grand Theft Auto IV from hitting store shelves.
Are gay characters becoming a 'non-troversy'?
For the second year GLBT members of the gaming industry had roundtable discussions to explore their place in the business. Issues like an International Game Developers Association special interest group were discussed, along with establishing Human Rights Campaign corporate equality index numbers for all game companies. The developers who didn't have domestic partner benefits at their companies believed that it was a simple oversight, not a decision point, by their employer. One of the stand-out moments was the discussion over the 'non-troversy' of gay game characters.Designer Jeb Havens who led the roundtable sessions coined the "non-troversy" phrase to explain the Bully boy-on-boy kiss. An incident that many believed would blow up, but ended up being a bullet point. The non-troversy continued last week with Peter Molyneux's announcement that gay relationships would be allowed in Fable 2, even though it was an "accident" in the original Fable. As the roster of gay characters increases, which according to a recent study are wanted much more in RPGs, could gay characters become non-troversies in games like a Gears of War sequel? The film V for Vendetta was used as a prime example of how the gaming industry could incorporate gay issues that don't distract from the game's story, but actually help propel the plot.
Analyst apologizes to Take-Two, wants Bully sequel
While Bully was a slight departure from the established GTA franchise that Take Two Interactive are known for, it was received very well. By critics, by consumers, even by analyst Michael Pachter. He will be the topic for this post. See, initially, he was quoted as saying that sales of Bully won't merit a sequel. How would you like those words cooked, Pachter, before we force them back into your mouth? Nah, we won't do that, because you apologized like a human being."Please make sure you print my apology to Take Two - I have been consistently wrong about this title. I thought it would be stupid, and it was fun; I thought it would get poor reviews, and it got solid 90s; and I thought it would bomb, while it now appears to be a million unit seller. As a result, I did not expect a sequel, while now I have to acknowledge that a sequel is a possibility."Pachter makes mention of the GTA4 engine as a base for Bully 2 (should there be one), so we have to wonder if that would be a good engine to use for a more, er, localized non-linear game (a school as opposed to a city). What do you guys think? Sequel or no? Would you like to see more Bully action on the PS3?
Analyst apologizes for Bully sequel statement
Wedbush-Morgan analyst Michael Pachter decided to kiss and make up with Take-Two interactive about previous statements that there would be no Bully sequel. Seriously, props to Pachter for eating crow and admitting his crystal ball was on the fritz."I have been consistently wrong about this title," said Pachter. He admits to being wrong about all his negative predictions about the game relating to fun factor, reviews and sales. Bully received solid reviews and rallied in the fourth quarter selling over a million copies. But, because he is an analyst, Pachter gazed back into the crystal ball and said, "It's premature to guess how much a sequel [to Bully] would cost, but if the compnay thinks it can sell two million units of Bully 2, it will probably produce a sequel." Oh Pachter, you had us at I'm sorry, don't ruin the moment.
No Bully sequel, judging by the numbers
Despite a strong first month in sales (estimated at 250,000 units worldwide) that was backed by critical acclaim, Bully's popularity at retail has quickly dwindled. Wedbush Morgan Securities Managing Director of Research Michael Pachter projects Bully will peak around 800,000 units sold; generating roughly $24 million in revenue. While that might sound rich, Pachter calls it a wash for Take-Two. "I would NOT expect a sequel," Pachter emphasized to GamePolitics.If Jimmy Hopkins' video game career is indeed one and done then it would go against Rockstar's standard practice (presumably encouraged by Take-Two). The developer has always molded its titles into series; The Warriors being the only Rockstar game that has yet to be revisited* (sequels to Manhunt & Red Dead Revolver are in the works). At the very least, we would expect Bully to be ported to PSP.*A PSP port of The Warriors is in the works.
Gamasutra gets into "boy on boy action"
Gamasutra published a round-up of the Bully situation and even goes on to ask in the headline, "Is gay content on the rise?" The article serves as a primer on instances of gay content appearing in video games, but never gets close to answering the "Is gay content on the rise?" question. It may have been a nice topic to explore, but what we actually end up getting from the piece are two interesting sections with Peter Molyneux and infamous SimCopter programmer Jacques Servin. Sex in Video Games author Brenda Brathwaite also makes an appearance as the voice of sexual reason and context.Molyneux explains that the gay content in Fable wasn't about social consciousness or trying to be fair, but pretty much was born out of laziness, he says, "Our villagers each had a simple concept of 'attraction to the hero.' We'd have had to write extra code to remove that in the case of same-sex interactions. This seemed like a ridiculous waste of time."Servin is remembered as the man who made male-on-male kissing sprites occur in SimCopter during the mid-'90s -- he was immediately fired when this was exposed. Servin says, "Will [Wright] is great, brilliant, fun to work with ... there was no homophobia, nor was there any problem with gay content." Of course, Will Wright would go on to create The Sims, a very gay-friendly game. Although it isn't mentioned in the Gamasutra piece, Servin in a previous interview stated he added the content to get back at his manager for being overworked.Molyneux closes the piece saying that Fable 2 will allow players to mold their characters sexuality and even allow them to choose their gender this time around, "This isn't a moral stance ... We create games for everyone, and attempt to be as inclusive as possible." Translation: Whatever gets the widest amount of people to purchase the game works for him. Money talks ...See also: Warm Tea: The Bully boy-on-boy kiss goes mainstream
GTA:VCS debuts at 6th in UK game charts
Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games, needed some financial help. They looked to the PSP as a source for the big bucks, and it looks like they're making a healthy return. Within one week of sales, the PSP-exclusive Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories debuted at number 6 in the UK game charts, making it the top-selling handheld game for the week. With Bully also ranking high, and nary a DS game in sight, it appears that both Take-Two and PSP can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy their success.[Via Gamespot]
Playing Dirty: That's so gay
Every other week, Bonnie Ruberg contributes Playing Dirty, a column on sex and gender in video games:Puppies are gay. Dancing is for homos. Even Link is a little queer. "Gay" has become a strange, strange word. From happy to homosexual to stupid, it can mean many different things. But there's no ambiguity in an insult like "That's so gay" – the favorite homophobic tag line of defenders of the heterosexual norm. It's like a built-in security system: whatever doesn't fit in gets "outed." Of course, there's no group that fits the heterosexual norm – young, male, straight – better than gamers. At least, that's how we're perceived, and often how we act: as a boys' club. We like big guns, fast cars, hot women. Maybe that's why we're so quick to attack games that lack traditional testosterone. Between forums, blogs, and general grumblings, gamers have declared everything from Nintendogs to Dance Dance Revolution to The Wind Waker (Bright colors? Queer!) "gay." Rockstar's Bully, however, doesn't fit that list. It's not pretty, or cute. If you don't watch out, it might even beat you up for your lunch money. Like the Grand Theft Auto series before it -- and especially the oh-so-controversial, hidden hetero action in San Andreas -- it's a man's game. Which, perhaps, is why we're so surprised to learn that Bully, too, is "gay."
Warm Tea: The Bully boy-on-boy kiss goes mainstream
Reuters reported on Bully's boy-on-boy kissing, brilliantly dubbed "Warm Tea," by Sex in Video Games author Brenda Brathwaite. It's only a matter of time now before the Associated Press picks up the story and news outlets across the country jump into the fray. Depending on where you live on the planet Earth, you're sure to get various versions of spin on the story. So, it's a good time to go over some developments, and clear up some issues, since our initial piece: Joystiq has been in contact with Eliot Mizrachi, spokesperson for the ESRB, and he reaffirms that they were aware of the kissing when they gave a "T" (Teen) rating to Bully. The rating description clearly states "sexual themes" on the box. Bully is not the first title to have playable same-sex interaction. The Sims, which also has a "T" rating stating "sexual themes" on the box, allows for a lot more than just kissing. There is even same-sex adoption. Brathwaite said to Reuters, "It's symbolic that the diversity that's appearing in broader media is making its way to games in a way that's not insulting or necessarily sensationalistic." Everyone's favorite anti-games lawyer Jack Thompson, sent a letter to ESRB President, Patricia Vance, "We just found gay sexual content in Bully, as Jimmy Hopkins makes out with another male student. Good luck with your 'Teen' rating now, Patty." Let's get something straight right off the bat -- Thompson found nothing. His letter wasn't sent until after Joystiq wrote about GayGamer's video, and we know Thompson reads this site. Thompson was already in possession of Bully, which he requested as part of his political Miami lawsuit to block Bully. Thompson had his chance to make the kissing part of his lawsuit. The blond student consistently showed is not the only boy Jimmy Hopkins can kiss. Apparently one boy from each clique is kissable. There is an African-American geek who can be kissed. So, not only is there gay kissing, but interracial gay kissing as well. (Please sense the sarcasm in that bullet point) Rockstar still hasn't made a public statement. Why should they? This is a win/win situation for them. They've done nothing wrong and the ESRB stated that they were aware of the content when rating the game. The controversy has done nothing but fuel sales. Bully was the third top-selling game in the U.S. last week according to UBS. The ESRB would be insane if they were bullied into giving an "M" (Mature 17+) rating to Bully, as this story continues to gain traction in the mainstream press. Not only is it politically damaging, they'd be instantly contacted by gay rights advocacy groups, propelling this controversy into a civil-rights issue asking, "Why is kissing a boy different than kissing a girl?" It would also force the ginormous Electronic Arts into the mix to defend the "T " rated Sims. We're willing to wager that Electronic Arts, which has a Human Rights Campaign corporate equality index score of 88 and had transsexual game designer Danielle Bunten Berry on staff, will put up a good fight if challenged. Rockstar played this brilliantly, they slid in a topic that is controversial, but perfectly defensible, and those that would attack "Warm Tea," won't have an easy time of it compared to "Hot Coffee."
