comic-con-2012
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Mortal Kombat: Legacy Season 2 announced
Kevin Tancharoen's fatality-focused webseries Mortal Kombat: Legacy will be coming back for a second season, according to the exceptionally hokey announcement video above. Having wrapped up most of the important origin stories in season one, season two will focus on the Mortal Kombat tournament itself.Tancharoen aims to deliver "more fighting, more action" and "more visual effects," things that vocal fans of the first season have apparently been clamoring for. The entire season has been written, although there's no word yet on when the first episode is expected to debut, or whether cast members such as Jeri Ryan will be reprising their roles from the first season.
Deadpool game coming from High Moon Studios
Normally we refrain from running countdown sites, but this one is unusually informative: deadpoolgame.com is counting down to the official unveiling of a Deadpool game, developed by High Moon Studios for Activision. A splatter of street art on the side of an Amazing Spider-Man poster at San Diego Comic-Con teases the game and website, as seen above.The countdown elapses just after today's Marvel Video Games panel at San Diego Comic-Con, so we expect to hear the first details – and plenty of hilarious one-liners from everyone's favorite psychotic superhero assassin guy – there.We're now wondering if High Moon's Hit Monkey game is also happening, or if that was a decoy.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]
Third time's the charm: Live-action Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist series announced
Because it was such a good idea the first couple of times, the powers that be (in this case, Capcom itself) have decided that the world is ready for a third official attempt at a live-action anything set in the Street Fighter universe.Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist is a forthcoming live-action series (presumably web series) from Capcom and Assassin's Fist Limited, a production company composed of the core team responsible for the live-action Street Fighter: Legacy fan film. The show will follow Ken and Ryu's formative years as they study under the tutelage of Gouken, master of a modified version of Ansatsuken martial arts. At some point we expect Akuma to show up and shout "Messatsu!"The script will be penned by Christian Howard (Ken in Street Fighter: Legacy) and director Joey Ansah. Global release is expected sometime in 2013.
Hands-on with the Nintendo 3DS XL
If initial impressions are any indication at all, those who held out for a bigger version of Nintendo's 3DS will find the wait worth it. We just got to play with the Nintendo 3DS XL here at Comic-Con in San Diego, and its big screen really impressed us. The picture is clearer and brighter than the current 3DS (at least in the dark ballroom where we played Super Mario 3D Land), and the 3D is much better. There is still a sweet spot to get your eyes in, but once you're there, the much larger screen makes it easier to focus in, and the 3D just seems more effective as a result.There aren't any significant differences to the rest of the device. The control stick, buttons, and other controls all feel like the 3DS. The larger unit might be a little unwieldy for small hands, but the stick and buttons are close enough to the edges that pushing them around shouldn't be an issue. On the whole, the device is more rounded off than the previous system. From the top, while closed, it looks more like a clamshell than a rectangle.The larger size makes it a very sturdy device indeed. Sitting on the table in front of you, it's almost like a small laptop. The Start, Select, Home, and Power buttons have all lost their white touches, so that top screen just dominates the device. Nintendo's making a serious statement here, and it's that bigger should be better.We're hesitant to get too hyperbolic about the 3DS XL until we're able to really run it through its paces, but yes, on first touch, it's gorgeous. This is not a device designed to fit in your pocket, though it certainly seems like the best way to play Nintendo's growing 3DS library. Below, you can see a gallery of hands-on pictures (including a PSP comparison -- that's the only device we had in the bag at the time).The 3DS XL arrives on August 19, so if you were planning to buy a 3DS you might want to wait until then.%Gallery-160306%
Assassin's Creed 3 multiplayer: Domination and Wolfpack modes
A row of eight monitors, back-to-back in two groups of four, lined a long table at Ubisoft's San Diego Comic-Con showcase, all booted up with the first publicly playable versions of Assassin's Creed 3 multiplayer. We played two new modes, Domination and Wolfpack, though lead game designer for Assassin's Creed 3 multiplayer Tim Browne told us there will be "a lot" of familiar modes in the final game.Domination uses the full eight-player limit on multiplayer, with two teams of four playing to capture three separate zones in a snowy frontier setting. Players attempt to blend in with the roaming NPCs to stand in zones long enough to capture them, and then defend those areas by spotting and stunning or killing enemies as they enter and try to do the same. Domination is a quiet, intense derivative of Manhunt mode, with plenty to dissect on-screen in every move, all while making it appear as if your character isn't thinking at all.Wolfpack offers a more intimate multiplayer experience, with up to four players working together to find and take down enemies in a limited amount of time, with extra time added for special kills and cooperation. In a two-player match, the highest we reached was Sequence 7 out of 25 total consecutive, fluid levels -- and that was without talking much over the mics. Browne recommended players converse throughout the match to perfectly sync their kills, which leads to special cutscenes.
ZombiU footage will terrify U
The latest ZombiU footage is not only incredibly creepy, it also explains why you'll find ammunition and crossbows and stuff out in the streets of England. Being a zombie game, the footage (including a second clip after the break) is also really violent and gory.These clips make it abundantly clear – ZombiU is way better at setting an appropriately creepy atmosphere than you'd expect something called "ZombiU" to be. And a zombie in a big silly hat is still really scary.%Gallery-160357%
How Ellen Page is transported into Beyond: Two Souls
You can get a behind-the-scenes look at the complicated process of turning Ellen Page into virtual Ellen Page for Beyond: Two Souls, in this footage from yesterday's Comic-Con panel. It involves prop suitcases! And prop supine bodies!
PS3 Street Fighter Anniversary Collector's Set throws in even more games
The Street Fighter 25th Anniversary Collector's Set is packed with content, only a little of which is a belt. Today, at Comic-Con, Capcom revealed even more stuff for the PS3 version, and since it's digital it doesn't take any more room in the box.In addition to the games and materials already announced, the PS3 version includes downloads for the PSOne Classics versions of all three Street Fighter Alphas, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max on PSP, the DLC for Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike Online, and 175 PSN avatars. Why not?The collection will be out on September 18 for $150.
Beyond: Two Souls features 160 actors, Ellen Page in a submarine
Watching a video of herself in a full performance-capture suit and reclined in a bucket seat on the set of Beyond: Two Souls, Ellen Page announced to the audience at Quantic Dream's San Diego Comic-Con panel, "And that's the submarine. Oh, shit."Quantic Dream founder David Cage laughed off the flub and Page continued to describe her experience with Beyond as "incredible" and "completely fulfilling.""My brain didn't even know how to process this opportunity," Page said. Once she met Cage at a bar in L.A. to read his script, however, her mind was made up, and filming turned out to be an incredible experience, she said. "It completely exceeded my expectations and was completely fulfilling as an actor."Beyond took 10 months and 160 actors to film, and that's after Cage spent one year writing the script. During that year, he referenced a photograph of Page with a shaved head from Mouth to Mouth, a movie she did when she was 16, for the main character, Jodie Holmes. He ended up using Page in later movies as models for Jodie as she aged through the game. By the time he finished writing he said he couldn't picture another actress in Page's place.Page seemed satisfied with Cage's decision as well: "What David has written is so powerful and so beautiful," she said. Beyond: Two Souls is due out in 2013 for PS3.
Willem Dafoe not starring in Beyond: Two Souls, Kadeem Hardison is
Actor Willem Dafoe is definitely not starring in Beyond: Two Souls, Quantic Dream's David Cage confirmed to Joystiq after a panel at San Diego Comic-Con. "Nice try," Cage said, shaking his head.Dafoe was previously rumored to be co-starring in Beyond alongside Inception's Ellen Page, who made an appearance at the Quantic Dream panel. Kadeem Hardison, best known for playing Dwayne Wayne on A Different World, was also at the panel to reveal his own role: a paranormal investigator who "raises" Jodie Holmes, Page's character.Video at the panel showed off Page with another actor, Eric Winter, both in full performance-capture suits and in a range of scenarios, from conversing around a dinner table to maneuvering in what appeared to be an earthquake. The identity of Winter's character has not been disclosed.
Syfy photo contest to award trip to Defiance premier party
Folks attending Comic-Con 2012 in San Diego or even just generally in the convention area have most likely seen some form of promotion for Syfy and Trion's transmedia project, the upcoming MMO shooter Defiance. If you have, a picture could be worth more than 1,000 words -- it could be worth a trip to the Defiance premier party in April 2013! To enter the contest, fans need to take a picture of any Defiance promotion at Comic-Con and either upload it to the official entry form, email an entry, or tweet a link of the picture to @DefianceWorld #DiscoverDefiance. The contest is open to US residents 18 years and older and will end on July 16th, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. EDT. Full contest rules are available on the official entry form.
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron multiplayer rolls out at San Diego Comic-Con 2012
Activision has a whole mess of stuff planned for this year's San Diego Comic-Con, starting with the first taste of multiplayer in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron.High Moon Studios will announce a new Marvel game (likely Hit Monkey) during a panel on Saturday, and Activision will also show off new footage of both 007 Legends and the recently announced FPS tie-in for The Walking Dead. For Activision's full San Diego Comic-Con 2012 schedule, hit up the source link below.
Nightwing and Cyborg coming to Injustice: Gods Among Us
Comic-Con just opened up its show floor for Preview Night, and in among the booths is a new playable version of Injustice: Gods Among Us, with two new heroes. Nightwing and Cyborg have joined the fight in Netherrealm's gritty fighting game. Nightwing (aka Dick Grayson, the original Robin) is a nimble staff-wielding fighter, and Cyborg is a heavy hitter, with strong close attacks backed up with laser shots and missile strikes.We'll get a chance to play both of these heroes tomorrow on the show floor, and we'll let you know how the game is looking these days. Comic-Con runs through the weekend, so stay tuned for lots more four-color-based news from San Diego.
Spartacus Legends is based on Spartacus show, fighting for consoles in 2013
Ubisoft is developing a fighting game based on the Starz original series, Spartacus. The game is Spartacus Legends, and the show is Spartacus. And the game is Spartacus. And the movie is Spartacus. And we are Spartacus. (It had to be done; quit groaning and move on.)Spartacus Legends is set to launch in early 2013 for "your favorite console," although we assume SNES is out of the question on this one, no matter how "old-school" the series itself is. Spartacus Legends is based on characters from the television series and includes thousands of weapon combinations and a skill system to customize individual characters, including Spartacus and Crixus.Spartacus Legends will feature offline and online multiplayer in brutal arena battles. The game will be playable at the Starz Media booth at San Diego Comic-Con, running Thursday, July 12 to Sunday, July 15.%Gallery-160198%
Blizzard's schedule for Comic-Con 2012
Are you headed to the magic, the wonder, the majesty of Comic-Con 2012? The San Diego Comic-Con has evolved into something far more than just comics -- it's now about all kinds of geek entertainment, including video games. While Blizzard won't have a booth at Comic-Con, they'll still have a presence and even a panel for attendees. If you're lucky enough to be headed to geek mecca this weekend, take some time to check out the following. Blizzard Entertainment product showcase Thursday, July 12 Room 6BCF If you've never been to this panel, it's worth attending. While the panel doesn't discuss game development or release dates, it does talk about the other side of Blizzard's products -- the comics, books, action figures, toys and other material they release in conjunction with their games. There is a Q&A at the end of the panel, which will include Chris Metzen and be moderated by Kat Hunter. Add it to your schedule if you're wondering what's going on in the world of Blizzard merchandise! Blizzard Entertainment autograph signings Insight Editions Booth #1035 Want to get your favorite Blizzard stuff autographed? Here's your chance. Friday morning from 10-11:30 a.m., you'll find Micky Neilson, Flint Dille and Matt Burns happily scrawling their signature for you, and from 4-5 p.m. on Friday, Chris Metzen and Samwise Didier will be signing. The Insight Editions booth will also have a sneak peek at the upcoming The Art of Blizzard book, so stopping by is advised! Christie Golden autograph signings Christie Golden has written a ton for Blizzard, and if you've got one of her books, getting it signed is a great idea. Christie will be at the Cryptozoic Store on Thursday between 7-8 p.m. and at the Mysterious Galaxy booth, #1119, from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday. Please note that the Cryptozoic Store is not at the convention, but it's a just a few blocks away; the address is 411 Market Street, downtown. Having gone to Comic-Con a few years, I can tell you that the best way to make sure you get into a panel or an autograph section is to get there early. I can't stress this enough. If you have something to sign, make sure it's not buried in a backpack -- and it's helpful to put a bookmark in the page you want signed, too, if you're bringing a book! Blizzard also has a host of licensing partners showing off all kinds of products from sculptures to books to the WoW TCG. Check out the full post on the official website for more information.
Raid, Ruin, Sleep, and Dream with Square Enix at Comic-Con
Square Enix is going to be basically everywhere at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, with playable demos in multiple locations, panels, and various other events. The booth (number 3829) will host demos of Hitman Absolution, Kingdom Hearts 3D, Sleeping Dogs, and Tomb Raider.In addition, Kingdom Hearts and Heroes of Ruin will be at the "Nintendo Lounge" at the Marriott Marquis & Marina. Square games will also be on display at the GameSpot Gameroom, Spike booth, and the Xbox Lounge.In addition to all that, Square Enix will sponsor the "Nerd HQ" event and show off its games there, including over 20 playable Tomb Raider demo stations. There will also be a Tomb Raider panel on Saturday, a Hitman "photo sniping contest," a cosplay event, and several other ways to spend your whole Comic-Con only looking at one publisher's video game lineup.
Blizzard panel and Sam Didier at the San Diego Comic-Con 2012
WoW Insider has received a tip that there will be a Blizzard panel at the San Diego Comic-Con! From 2:15 to 3:15 on Thursday, July 12, Chris Metzen (Blizzard Entertainment SVP, story and franchise development) and special guests will be hosting a panel in room 6BCF. The panel is listed as a product showcase for WoW, StarCraft and Diablo, and the blurb says that they will "reveal never-before-seen licensed products and plans for 2012/2013. Talk to the designers, writers and artists themselves as we dig into Mega Bloks, novels, comics, statues and more." This panel will, of course, include a Q&A alongside the reveals mentioned above, so if you're in the San Diego area and already have tickets to Comic-Con, this sounds like a fantastically exciting opportunity to hob-nob with the Blizzard team and quiz them about everything you need to know about their games. But wait, there's more! Sam "Samwise" Didier, the art director at Blizzard Entertainment responsible for creating much of the artwork for the Warcraft, StarCraft, and the Diablo series and the senior art director on StarCraft II, will be in the Artists' Alley at table DD-09. The Artists' Alley gives Comic-Con attendees the chance to meet and greet some of their favorite artists, and you might even be able to buy original art, sketches, and exclusive, limited edition prints and sketchbooks. I would have loved to put in a link to buy Comic-Con tickets, but it seems from the website that it is completely sold out. So close to the time, I'm guessing this isn't a great surprise -- but still, a shame. So if you're lucky enough to have tickets, head on over! [Thanks for the tips, Serrotatauren!]
The Avengers Initiative Second Screen app goes live on iTunes in time for Comic-Con
As promised, Marvel and Disney have delivered The Avengers Initiative: A Marvel Second Screen App for iPhone and iPad ahead of Marvel's The Avengers Blu-ray release September 25th. While much of the content will be released over time between now and then, it already has some character profiles and animated special effects deconstructions for users to paw through, as well as an Item 47 game for Comic-Con attendees. There's a list of features after the break, or you can hit iTunes for the free app right now -- if you prefer a Flash experience for PCs or other devices, it should be available at MarvelSecondScreen.com (currently redirecting to the Marvel site) once it goes live.
Activision and High Moon announcing Marvel project at SDCC
Activision and Transformers: Fall of Cybertron developer High Moon Studios are making an announcement at the "Marvel Video Games" panel during San Diego Comic-Con, the con's schedule builder reveals. It doesn't mention if Activision and High Moon's announcement is a game, DLC or a Broadway show, but it "is sure to be a hit," according to the panel description. We hope that's a hint, and not just something that people think is still all right to say.Gazillion will discuss its Marvel Heroes MMO, and Ubisoft will showcase Avengers: Battle for Earth (not to be confused with the battle for Middle-earth that's also about to break out) at the Marvel Video Games panel.
Game of Thrones MMO announces full name, upcoming trailer
The upcoming MMO by Bigpoint now has a full name: Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms. Producer Max Pfaff is relieved to have this major step out of the way: "Selecting a game's title can be quite an arduous process, especially in the free-to-play space where games must be easily discoverable by players around the world. By selecting Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms, we're confident that we've chosen an identifiable name that will resonate with the global community of diehard Thrones fans." The project, which is being developed with HBO's cooperation, is set to make its grand entrance at this year's Comic-Con. It's there that the studio will show an exclusive game trailer, which promises to show the Seven Kingdoms' visual aesthetic and gameplay. If you haven't already, definitely check out our interview with Bigpoint about Seven Kingdoms from this year's GDC! [Source: Bigpoint press release]
