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Marvel Super Hero Squad: Infinity Gauntlet unavailable on XBLA, PSN
Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet's band of superheroes can no longer assemble on the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network. The game's PSN listing now notes that the game is available in a "disc only" format, while the XBLA listing doesn't offer a price or way to purchase the game. Revealed in 2010 as a sequel to Marvel Super Hero Squad, Infinity Gauntlet's cast brawled their way through hordes of Lethal Legion followers in a plot related to the second season of a Cartoon Network series. Infinity Gauntlet's digital unavailability follows the disappearance of several Marvel-branded games earlier this month, as well as Capcom's pulling of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 in December. It's possible that Disney's acquisition of Marvel in 2009 is resulting in lapsed licensing agreements, but no explanation has been given as to why these games have been removed from console storefronts. In contrast, the more recent LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is still available in both stores. Of course, you can still hunt down retail copies of any Marvel games you were still considering purchasing. Considering warnings for some of these delistings were scattered across social media accounts, retail copies might be the easiest option to keep track of anyway.
Gazillion shutting down Fortune Online, focusing on Marvel properties
Gazillion confirmed to Joystiq this afternoon that the MMO publisher will shut down its Diablo-esque Fortune Online. There's no announced timetable on when the company will shut down the project, nor how many employees will be laid off from the studio in San Mateo, California. Gazillion will try to shift the team to its two Marvel projects.The publisher will continue focusing on its two Marvel-based MMOs, Marvel Super Hero Squad Online and Marvel Heroes (formerly known as Marvel Universe). A company spokesperson told Joystiq, "We will continue delivering and refining content for Super Hero Squad Online, along with building and developing the Marvel Heroes game."After a series of moves that cut weight from the company, we had to ask if it was positioning itself for a Disney acquisition, considering its two remaining announced projects are Marvel (and therefore Disney) properties. The company denied that being the plan.It's worth noting that Gazillion inked the rights to Marvel MMOs for ten years back in 2009, before the comic book company was purchased by Disney. At this point, Disney can either keep letting Gazillion hold the rights to what is surely a lucrative property or make it a Galactus-size buyout offer.Update: A representative for Gazillion tells us, "Fortune Online is shutting down on February 29, however if our records show a player has made a purchase in the game at any point, they will be receiving a full refund to the payment method used."
MMO Family: Heroing-up in Super Hero Squad Online
There's a growing number of great kid-friendly MMOs available, and one that I've been meaning to check out for a while now is Super Hero Squad Online. The game has only been out for eight months, yet in that short time, it's reached over a million registered users and added lots of new content and characters. I've spent some time in the game, along with my two young testers, to find out what the buzz is all about. We formed up a squad and set off to check out missions, the card game, our headquarters, and the opportunities for exploration out in the world, and our first impressions are found below. If you've ever wanted to know what the little super heroes eat or what holiday treats are available at the Parker household, you'll definitely want to read on!
Super Hero Squad Online teasing Villainville
Super Hero Squad Online is sold on the strength of its characters, and up until now, it's been firmly on the heroic side of the equation. But Marvel Comics isn't limited to heroes like Spider-Man, Captain America, and Wolverine -- it's just as defined by villains like the Green Goblin, the Red Skull, and Sabretooth. So while we might not yet have much in the way of information, it's a good thing to see that the game has an incoming addition in the form of Villainville. As of yet, the designers haven't released any information beyond the name of the locale -- whether it will be a new area for heroes to fight against their nemeses or a chance for players to take on the role of said nemeses is yet to be seen. Even so, if you appreciate the game's more kid-friendly approach to the Marvel universe, there's reason to be excited at the prospect of some home ground for the villains as well.
An animated video diary from the team behind Super Hero Squad Online
Animation is responsible for a lot in an MMO. A lot of the visual personality of the game is conveyed through animations, both the mechanically important ones for special abilities and the ubiquitous flavor emotes such as dancing. So Super Hero Squad Online has both an advantage and disadvantage for the development team -- they're working with characters who have a lot of established personality, but that means there's even more emphasis on getting everything just right. A new video development diary from the team shows off the process of bringing a character to life in the game, with Wolverine getting the starring role. The video moves step-by-step from the initial modeling and texturing process through the skeleton modeling and manipulation, while also showing off several of the animations that Wolverine will (presumably) be sporting in the final game. There's a great deal of attention to detail and the fine points of what makes each character tick, so if you're looking forward to Super Hero Squad Online, click on past the break to see how the team is putting a lot of expression into little movements.
Gazillion raises another $60 million
MMO publisher Gazillion Entertainment, which recently launched Lego Universe and c urrently has at least three other MMOs in development, has raised another $60 million in its latest round of funding. Gamasutra reports the funding is intended to assist the company as it enters "a key phase of expansion." Gazillion's next release should be Marvel Super Hero Squad Online sometime in 2011. The company is also working on Marvel Universe and the interminably (not terminally) delayed Jumpgate Evolution.
PAX 2010: It's clobberin' time with SHSO's PvP online card game
Massively has taken a swing at Marvel's Super Hero Squad Online several times in the last few months, now. So, on our trip to PAX, the boy-in-grown-up-shoes, Jay Minn, could not wait to show us the newly announced PvP portion of this dynamic game. Minn, who is the Director of Games for The Amazing Society, turned in to a giddy imp and directed me to a computer station that had a burning Human Torch on the screen, all prepared to fight some bad guys. Even though PvE wasn't what I was there to cover that day, Minn just had to show me anyway. "Click on a bad guy," he told me, "and good things just happen." I obliged; the Torch lit up and chased some bad guys away! At that point, we were told we had to move on to the PvP portion of the demonstration. Marketing people can be such spoil-sports sometimes. The giddy grin returned to Minn's face as he gave me instructions on how to get into the online card game. In the lower right-hand corner simply sat an icon that looked like fanned-out cards. As part of the demo I was able to pick my opponent, and since I just love seeing the Ol' Canucklehead Wolverine get beaten down, I picked him for my enemy. And who is the best Marvel superhero? Spider-Man, of course. I had to choose him as my character. Hero up with me after the break to find out the details of my adventure through this shiny and lively online card game.%Gallery-101337%
Hero up! Hands-on with Marvel Super Hero Squad Online
Back in May, I scored Massively's first real look at Super Hero Squad Online, the Marvel-flavored, kid-friendly MMO from Gazillion Entertainment and The Amazing Society. I was smitten with the game at the time, and so when Gazillion offered me the opportunity to take a peek at the newest build earlier this week, I jumped at the chance. Who can resist some hands-on time with such an adorable toy! (Answer to rhetorical question: no one, which is why you should go sign up for beta right now.) Plus, if I learned anything the last time, it was that I have a duty to relentlessly inquire about Squirrel Girl. Am I right? Gazillion PR Manager Keith Mutzman and The Amazing Society's Director of Games Jay Minn wasted no time bringing me up to speed on the progress of the game as the team heads to PAX this weekend, so I'll pay that forward -- join me after the break and we'll dig in and hero up!
Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet trailer will make Hulk angry
"Every Marvel super hero is unique," according to the narration in this Marvel Super Hero Squad: The infinity Gauntlet trailer. "But not all of them have the same super powers." Isn't that kind of what "unique" means? Join THQ and Marvel in mocking the poor Hulk after the break.
THQ announces Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet
THQ has revealed a sequel to last year's Marvel Super Hero Squad, entitled Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet. The sequel will follow the events of the second season of the Cartoon Network show, as players take on Doctor Doom and his Lethal Legion once again, in an altered version of the storyline used in the Marvel Super Heroes arcade game. Originally, the Infinity Gauntlet storyline involved Thanos killing half the universe, but this time, the bad guys are Doctor Doom and his "Lethal Legion." We gotta know: why the Lethal Legion? How about you rename 'em something a bit more positive, like the Perturbed Posse or Curmudgeon Crew? The sequel will introduce a new puzzle element in which characters will need to use their individual powers to "move or destroy objects, traverse through certain environments, and summon specific strengths to overcome obstacles." Like its predecessor, it offers co-op gameplay and challenges, as well as the requisite roster of Marvel's most famous heroes and villains. Infinity Gauntlet is currently in development for the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DSi and DS systems. No launch window has been announced, but as soon as we hear something through the superhero grapevine, we'll be sure to relay the info. %Gallery-97989%
Marvel Super Hero Squad unveiled; Doctor Doom never looked so adorable
THQ has revealed details of its upcoming kid-friendly game set in the Marvel Universe. Marvel Super Hero Squad will be available this fall on Wii, DS, PS2 and PSP and is the "first game" based on The Super Hero Squad Show, which will debut around the same time on Cartoon Network. It's also completely adorable, as you can tell from the video and gallery below.THQ promises "episodic adventures, multiplayer battle modes and interactive combat arenas," though no more details are revealed. Sure, the game may be targeted towards kids, but there's something about little chibi versions of our favorite Marvel heroes and villains running around that just pulls at our heartstrings. %Gallery-64356%
THQ investor presentation reveals release windows for Super Hero Squad, Master Mind
THQ, despite receiving some bad press regarding their bottom line, still has investors -- as such, they still have presentations explaining to their investors how breathtaking their games are. We usually gloss right over said morsels of self-congratulation, as they rarely contain anything other than boring sales charts and demographic research, but a recent THQ investor informer actually contained some new, worthwhile information concerning the company's plans for next year.Skipping past the slightly humorous claim that Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 is the unattributed "#1 Fighting Game", THQ revealed release windows for three of their "bigger" properties: an entry in their long-held but never used Ultimate Fighting Championship franchise (Spring '09), their youth-oriented crime fighting title Marvel Super Hero Squad (Fall '09), and a Fall 2010 release window for their adaptation of Dreamworks' upcoming film Master Mind, echoing the movie's initial release date. This information was immediately followed by hopeful sales charts to prove that the company will, in fact, still be in operation in 2010.
THQ gets rights to new Marvel brand
We're not sure if you've heard (you're not really the target demographic, after all) but Marvel is creating a new kid-friendly brand called the Marvel Super Hero Squad that will put (adorable) heroes like Iron Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Thor, Fantastic Four and Captain America into "Super Hero City" and pit them against (adorable) villains like Doctor Doom, Loki, etc. Not only will the Squad's media assault be waged in cartoon and action figure form, they'll also be making the trek into video games, an expedition that THQ announced this morning that it would be heading up. We don't know if the characters that other companies (like Sega) have rights to will appear or if their deals are exclusive, but luckily for hero-loving tots everywhere, we know all questions will be answered when the game is released (we're betting on multiple formats) next year.
