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Mercenaries 2: World in Flames delayed (again)
Shacknews reports that Pandemic Studios' action-packed Venezuela-wrecking shooter, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, has been struck with another delay, this one sending it careening into publisher EA's 2009 fiscal year. Though the game "is likely to ship this year," the official release period now stretches from April 2008 to March 2009. The news follows several rumors which suggested that EA would show gamers no Mercenaries until August. We'll let you know as soon as official release date debris details come hurtling through our office window.
Rumor: Mercenaries 2 delayed until August
In the gaming world, a good rule of thumb is that when a game is delayed once, chances are it could be delayed again. See as examples recently announced "follow-up" delays for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Haze and Age of Conan, to name but a few. Now, after being delayed once to a Feb. 8 target, it seems EA's Mercenaries 2: World in Flames might be looking at a secondary push back to an August release date.While EA hasn't said anything official yet, the circumstantial evidence is mounting. Exhibit A: A Eurogamer article citing an EA spokesperson as saying we'll see nothing of the game "within the next few months." Exhibit 2: An Aug. 25 release date for the game as listed on Amazon and Gamestop's web sites. Exhibit D: A decided lack of advertising, hype, or review code for a major game that's supposedly roughly two weeks from release.The verdict? It seems pretty damning, but it's all still inconclusive until we hear something official from EA. We're following up with them and will let you know what we hear.
Mercenaries 2 viral videos = Tough guy + The Office
Pandemic put together a small set of viral videos promoting its mercifully delayed Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. The mockumentary is The Office-esque and follows the exploits of Jim Holston, a "real" mercenary who visits the Pandemic studios to "check out the game." There is no Mercenaries 2 gameplay footage or launch announcement in the videos that we can see, the first episode is above with the other three found after the break. If you like cringe-humor created by awkward situations then you may find a few moments of laugh-out-loud humor in the videos. We'll never view motion capture technology the same way again after seeing what Holston does to the Pandemic receptionist.
EA to buy Pandemic Studios and BioWare
Electronic Arts has announced today that it will acquire VG Holding Corp. from Elevation Partners. VG Holding owns both Pandemic Studios and BioWare, which means the deal nabs both developers for EA. Electronic Arts will be paying up to $650 million in cash to the stockholders of VG Holding, with up to $155 million being paid in equity to specific employees. Pandemic is currently hard at work on the excessively violent sandbox title, Mercenaries 2, which is being published by EA. The deal raises questions about BioWare, as the company is currently developing the galaxy hopping RPG Mass Effect for Microsoft Game Studios. As the game is set to be a trilogy, we have to wonder what this deal means for the next two installments.We'd love to make some sort of Madden RPG joke here (Madden Effect, perhaps?), but we just don't have the energy. Hit the "read" link for the full press release.[Via Joystiq]
Mercenaries 2 lets you destroy just about anything
We are a gaming news site, after all. Let's move away from all the juicy new info and give you a preview of a game we're still in the air about. Some may dislike it, but the loyal fanbase of the original Mercenaries title are ready for more and we've got some hands-on impressions from IGN to keep you worked up. Let's make a list. Everything is destructible, so set those trees on fire and watch the blaze spread. The fire is claimed to be the best-looking thing in the early build of the game. So either it looks really good or the game looks kinda bland. Did we mention everything is destructible? Every building, vehicle, other person, whatever -- all can meet their doom thanks to you. There are thirty weapons in Mercs 2 and over 200 vehicles. The fun lies in the vehicles, though. You won't necessarily have to pull a Grand Theft Auto and take a 20 minute jog to get the perfect vehicle, though. As you kick ass, you earn cash. This cash can be traded in for special weapons, attacks (air strikes), or vehicles to be delivered on the spot. Want a Wave Runner on that small lake? You got it! Stealing a tank from an enemy involves a more God of War inspired button-pressing sequence, whereas other vehicles will only require one press of the action button to oust whoever else happened to be driving it. There are a lot more impressions about the actual level played in the hands-on treatment, but we'd like to leave that up to you to read. It's pretty entertaining and we're moderately jealous. The game seems to be shaping up nice, but since we haven't heard how their online service will work, we've got our reservations until we see that in action.
PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 25
PSP Fanboy offers the latest and greatest movie and game trailers, formatted for the PSP in this new weekly feature. Check it out every Saturday. PSP owners can download files wirelessly via m.pspfanboy.com.Instructions: Save all movie and thumbnail files to the VIDEO folder. These high resolution 480x272 videos require firmware 3.30 or above. (Note: OE custom firmware will also play these videos.)New for PSP: Get selected videos delivered automatically to your PSP via our new RSS feed. Folklore [PS3]Download MP4 (24.2MB) | Download JPG The following videos are featured after the break: Call of Duty 4 (PS3, 360), Lair (PS3), Mercenaries 2 (PS3, 360), Motorstorm (PS3), Super Stardust HD (PS3), Transformers: The Game (All)
Video: Mercenaries 2 trailer
The debut trailer for Mercenaries 2: World in Flames has been released and we have it embedded above for your convenience. The action in the game looks pretty hot, and the graphics aren't too shabby either. The lighting and explosions are really impressive, and the destructive enviroments look really ... breakable? Either way it looks really cool, and a blast to play. Jacking helicopters looks completely crazy. Did you ever get your hands on the first Mercenaries, and are you ready for some new gen flavor?[Thanks, Jonah Falcon]
Pandemic talks Mercenaries 2: no vs. multiplayer
Eurogamer recently sat down with Scott Warner, Pandemic's lead designer for Mercenaries 2. We don't get a ton of new info on the game, but it's interesting nonetheless. One nugget that was revealed is that while most areas will respawn after they've been destroyed, there are certain areas that will remain in tatters after you've blown them to smithereens. The game will feature hundreds of new vehicles including boats, a first for the series. There's bad news for multiplayer fans though, as there are no plans for any competitive multiplayer. Mercenaries 2 will, however, feature online co-op. Hit the "read" link for the full interview.There is no mention of Bono in the interview by the way, though we expect he was -- as always -- lurking in the shadows.
Mercenaries 2 thinks: well, screw U2!
Oh, it was an attempted play on the most annoying famous band in the world's name. Political activists have called on various religious leaders to join in creating a petition asking, specifically, Bono (frontman of U2) to prevent the release of Pandemic's upcoming sandbox title that just happens to take place in Venezuela. The petition goes thus:"The organization is seeking to gather the signatures of various religious leaders for a letter (PDF format) intended for the one man they feel can and should stop the game from going to market--U2 frontman Bono. The Irish crooner and part-time activist is one of the board members of Elevation Partners, the venture capital firm that is a majority stakeholder in the partnership between Pandemic and BioWare, which brought the two independent game developers together under the name BioWare/Pandemic Studios."Stupid. Nothing annoys this guy more. Especially if you read the humorous take from Maddox's website on U2 -- not to be taken seriously (and not for the young'uns). We should create a petition for people to petition against stupid petitions. Is anyone seriously offended by this, of all games?[also available in Joystiq coloring]
Venezuela enlists Bono to stop Mercs 2
A group called Venezuelan Solidarity isn't happy about Mercenaries 2 (that sounds awfully familiar). Apparently the group isn't so keen on the game's depiction of Venezuelan locales, not to mention the "extremely realistic" violence Mercenaries 2 encourages in said locales. In an open letter to Bono, Venezuelan Solidarity asks the U2 singer-cum-activist to pull the support of Elevation Partners -- Bono's investment firm -- from Pandemic Studios, developers of Mercenaries 2. The group pulls at Bono's human rights strings, asking that he "reconsider [his] investment in a company that glorifies violence and militarization." Furthermore, Venezuelan Solidarity implores the rock star to prevent the game from being sold "anywhere." That's a mighty tall order, even for Bono.Whether or not Bono will accept this call to arms remains to be seen. We wait with bated breath.[Via Joystiq. Thanks, Stynk Monkey]
U2's Bono called upon to battle Mercenaries
More Venezuela versus Pandemic news now, with the attack on Mercenaries 2: Venezuela World in Flames now bolstered by the attempted enlistment of Bono -- charitable human rights rescuer and lead singer for rock group U2. In a pair of open letters addressed to religious leaders and the bland-o-rama band frontman, Venezuelan Solidarity humbly asks Bono to use his "considerable influence" to halt development on the game and perhaps invest in a company that doesn't detract "from [his] image as a human rights defender." Does Bono know how to dismantle an anti-static BD-ROM? The political group's concerns arise from the fact that the "extremely realistic" game allows players to shoot and otherwise demolish people and constructions within the recognizable borders of Venezuela. Their paranoid plea frantically plucks nebulous studies ("research demonstrates that playing violent video games increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior"), bizarre gamer hostility ("the game inevitably will provoke increased tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela) and unfounded fiction fear ("celebration of violence in much of our media, music and video games is poisoning our children") from the air, shortly before rolling everything into a moist ball and splattering it across Bono's front door. In other news, both Sony's David Jaffe and Cory Barlog have been asked to stop their rampage against Greece's tourism industry. "We're not all half-naked barbarians and bloodthirsty minotaurs, you know!"[Via Gamesindustry.biz]
Mercenaries 2 screenshots go boom!
Today, Pandemic released a few screenshots of their upcoming sequel Mercenaries 2. The graphics look okay, the lighting is fine, and the textures will pass, but there's nothing jaw dropping here. Maybe the in-game explosions will make us wet ourselves, but we don't get the same effect from screenshots. Also, who's enjoying the main character's badass image? Tattoos, stylish hair, tight jeans, and a sleeveless shirt ... he's my idol. Anyone eagerly anticipating Mercenaries 2 and want to share your impressions of the new screenshots?[Thanks, un1qu3 n3wy0rk]
GameTrailer's GDC video wrap-up
Our 2007 Game Developers Conference has come to an end, we've had a fun ride, but there is still more to see. And the nice folks over at GameTrailers have their GDC section quarantined off and ready to showcase some of the best Xbox 360 media. You can sit back and watch a new Portal video, maybe some Mercenaries 2, a Fable 2 dog demo, or The Darkness. It's every video they have to offer from GDC that is Xbox 360 related. And we definitely recommend watching the Fable 2 dog demo, because it just might make you think differently about this new "revolutionary" feature. GDC may be over, but your video watching has just begun.
Mercenaries 2 World in Flames impressions
At an Electronic Arts event in San Francisco last night, Pandemic showed off an early, pre-alpha build of Mercenaries 2. The demo -- which was of Mr. Mohawk running around a jungle environment -- was being presented by a developer using an Xbox 360, which gave us somewhat of a chuckle considering the effort Pandemic went through to keep the Xbox 360 version unofficial. As to why they abstained from announcing the Microsoft iteration for so long, Pandemic CEO Andrew Goldman told us it was "just the way we did it." As for future plans and exclusivity, Goldman said that there is one IP they have right now that may go exclusive and will be announced "pretty soon."%Gallery-1961%
Mercenaries 2: confirmed coming to many, many consoles
This isn't speculation -- this is official. Mercenaries 2 has long been rumored and, in essence, accepted as a 360 title as well as a PlayStation 3 title. Well, it's on 360, we know. But what we were surprised to learn is that the game is also making its way to the PC... and the PlayStation 2. Why the [expletive deleted] would they do that? We don't care if it goes to the 360, PC, Wii, and IMAX or whatever, but the PS2? Come, here is a free ticket for the logic train.Multiplatform titles are all well and good, but we really think enough is enough: no cross-generation games anymore. We're referring to games being released on a "next-gen" console and a "last-gen" console. Sure, you may get more software sales, but you're hindering the adoption rate of next-gen consoles. "Why should I get a PS3 for this game if it's good enough to work on the PS2, also?" This happened with the first wave of XBox 360 titles, so it's not a new trend. Even so, it's aggravating. Keep the "next-gen" games on the next-gen consoles... don't dumb them down for the previous generation of gaming systems. Bah. Rant end... leave your thoughts, though![via Joystiq]
Mercenaries 2 for 360 is official
Looks like we need a new "worst kept secret" in the game industry, as Mercenaries 2 has finally been officially announced for the Xbox 360. Following months of speculation, the news breaks from IGN during an interview with Pandemic. The game is set to feature a large, streaming world. To put it in perspective, the world of Mercenaries 2 is the size of all the maps in Mercenaries 1 put together. The game will also feature oh-so-trendy online co-op (system link is still being considered). The game is set to include plenty of vehicles, including jets and watercraft. Finally, Mercenaries 2 is expected to release this fall. Hit the "read" link for screens and more details on gameplay.[Thanks, Machiavelli 420 # 2]
Electronic Arts' GDC game lineup
Among other things, EA is bringing some pretty big guns to GDC in March. They'll be speaking about Sims on the Wii, seeking new IPs and other stuff. Aside from those, though, the following are listed as confirmed to show up: Crysis Hellgate: London Mercenaries 2: World in Flames The Orange Box (this has Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Portal and Team Fortress 2 in it) Oh, did we mention? These won't be on the show floor. Seems they're only for super-secret, special people. Oh well. We're sure stuff will get leaked about them no matter who is or isn't allowed.
Oops: Game Informer says Mercenaries 2 Xbox 360 exclusive
Just to clear up present and future tips. You know when you hear something long enough, you begin to think it's true? Well, that's what apparently happened to everyone in the chain of command at Game Informer when it came to the ongoing rumors that Mercenaries 2: World in Flames was no longer a PlayStation 3 exclusive. Heck, they believed it so much they just went ahead and made it an Xbox 360 exclusive in their March issue(as seen in the photo above). GI has since corrected themselves and, honestly, the error is totally understandable.The whole Merc. 2 Xbox 360 kerfuffle started last July when a Pandemic representative said, "Right now, we have PS3 development kits and it's on PS3, and there is no announcement, but we're definitely considering Xbox 360." Then came the shots of Merc. 2 developers having and using a considerable amount of Xbox 360 equipment. Finally, there was the "oops" by IGN, when they announced the game for Xbox 360. This is laughably becoming one of the worst kept secrets in the industry.
Mercenaries 2 co-op and grappling hook revealed!
The other week, we wrote up a little ditty on Mercenaries 2: World in Flames and we talked about what you could expect when the game hits shelves later this year. What we couldn't tell you were the online plans for the title and certain gameplay elements that were being kept mum. Well, apparently there's been a leak in the system and we've learned a bit about both.As far as online gaming goes, there will be an online co-op mode similar to Gears of War where one player invites another into an existing game and they tackle campaign missions together. You can still recruit NPC's for extra support, so don't feel like it's a two-man mission... even though that would make it more exciting.A new gameplay element, the grappling hook, has been revealed also. This little puppy has a multitude of uses: flooring enemies, scaling buildings, hijacking cars, commandeer helicopters, shoot it on a speeding boat and go skiing... you name it.That's all else we've learned for now. We'll keep bringing you more information as it surfaces. Oh, wait... there are pirates. They sell you stuff. Pirates are always welcome in any game. Along with ninjas... but never together.
Mercenaries 2: some questions, some answers
So, we're aware that Mercenaries 2 has found a publisher in Electronic Arts, moving away from their original publisher, LucasArts. At least they're staying "Arts"-y. Yeah, that one was bad... apologies. Anyway, a recent Q&A was put into action about the new title. Here's what's worth knowing: A completely new next-gen engine was built for this sequel. Also, as Pandemic Studios President Josh Resnick gracefully put it: "Aside from dealing with the scale and detail of next generation games, the engine has a fundamentally different architecture to deliver a much bigger open-world experience. The sheer number of things that you can grab, shoot, drive, fly and blow-the-crap-out-of is astonishing." The original "deck of 52" device used in the first game has been set aside, opting for a new story and mission progression system. Pandemic Studios is remaining mum on online multiplayer! It hurts! Pandemic plans to have a more challenging title this go around and will keep actual gameplay time up to snuff with competing "open-world" titles. The setting? Venezuela. That's it for now. This seems like it'll be a pretty fun title, so long as it doesn't become a generic Grand Theft Auto meets Burnout meets Crackdown meets that atrocious Domino movie. Absolutely awful.
