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True Crime in Hong Kong revealed at Spike VGA
The second world premiere of the VGAs was the full version of the teaser we saw a couple weeks ago -- you know, the one we initially presumed was for another installment in the True Crime series? Yeah, well, it was totally for another installment in the True Crime series, which is being developed by ModNation Racers creators United Front. Guess there's no more mystery as to what Activision's upcoming Hong Kong-set action title is, huh? It'll be a little while before we can get the high definition version of the trailer up, but until then, check out a screengrabbed version of the trailer after the jump, and feel confident in the fact that we're very good guessers. Update: We've added a hi-res version of the trailer above.
Halo: Reach gameplay premieres with multiple Spartans (and some ladies!) [update: now with hi-res]
Update: Microsoft sent over a hi-res version of the trailer (seen above) as well as the screenshot in the gallery below. According to the publisher, Halo: Reach will follow the story of "Noble Team in their heroic stand to defend the planet Reach." The company also noted that a "multiplayer beta is coming [in] Spring 2010." Hooray! As promised, Spike's 2009 Video Game Awards delivered the first footage (in-game, 'natch) of Halo: Reach to the masses. More Spartans? Check! Female Spartans? Check check! A skullfaced Spartan? Wait ... what?! Since the show just aired, we've got a low-res version of the trailer for you after the break and will have a prettied up version as soon as it's available. %Gallery-80182%
Liveblogging the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards
Well, we've been watching UFC for the past hour, and we're totally ready to knee the Spike Video Game Awards in the face. By which, of course, we mean "give our expert analysis, keeping you informed on breakout news that comes from the event while occasionally making fun of the oblivious celebrity presenters." Joining me for this event is Benjamin Gilbert and Xav de Matos. I'm not entirely sure they've covered a gaming awards show before, so I wholly expect one of them to be broken by the end of the proceedings. Kevin, our fairly seasoned veteran, is on the show floor, giving us first-hand scoops. Jump past the break to follow our coverage, and make sure to leave a comment with your own clever, possibly even pithy observations. Watch: The 2009 Spike TV Video Game Awards
Tron Evolution premieres at VGAs, coming Holiday 2010 [update]
As promised, the Spike VGAs offered the first look at the new Tron game. Actress Olivia Wilde introduced the teaser trailer for Tron Evolution, featuring what might be real in-game footage of some neon-accented dudes dueling, and a light cycle race. As seen in the movie trailer, the light cycles can curve now, which is blasphemous. See it for yourself after the break, courtesy of YouTube's brysi. According to the trailer, Tron Evolution will be out Holiday 2010. We're guessing it'll coincide closely with the December 17 release date for the Tron Legacy movie. The teaser also suggests it'll be a prequel to the events in Tron Legacy. But probably after the events in Tron. Update: High-quality version now posted after the jump above.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 revealed, intense [update]
The world's coolest Jedi, Samuel L. Jackson (suck it, Yoda) has just taken the stage at the 2009 Video Game Awards to reveal Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2. In the announcement trailer -- Darth Vader's once apprentice -- codenamed "Starkiller" steps into a dark arena only to be faced with a creature hellbent on his destruction. Thankfully, Starkiller -- armed with two light sabers -- pounces to attack the gargantuan foe. Sadly, it was all CG, but we'll take any new Force Unleashed we can get. Update: Trailer's out! Check past the jump above to see the blue saber-wielding Starkiller's epic strategy for Rancor euthanasia.
MTV teases 'Green Day Rock Band' [update 2]
Update 2: Yeah, it's real. Check out this clip from the VGAs to see the eyeliner-wearing band's big announcement. Update: We also spotted some of the trailer during the "Rehearsal Sneak Peek" video over at Spike, which Geoff Keighley followed up with "You gotta tune into the VGAs to see the announcement of the next Rock Band game." Sure sounds like a full Rock Band game to us! While perusing the internet today, we happened upon a particularly interesting video of Green Day performing "American Idiot" on MTV.com -- though rather than the usual real-life version of Green Day, Rock Band avatars of the group took the position, followed closely by the logo you see above. Is it a full standalone Rock Band game with Green Day? Is it a really robust downloadable content pack? We'd bet our bottom dollar that we'll find out in a few hours when the Spike VGAs start. As per usual, we've fired off an email to MTV Games and Harmonix to find out what's up in the meantime. Check out the full video after the break. [Via Jared Rea's Twitter]
GameStop weekly claims UFC Undisputed 2010 'coming May 25'
The Spike VGAs this evening may very well reveal the first gameplay of upcoming MMA-er UFC Undisputed 2010, but the most recent GameStop weekly is dropping release date bombs on us well before tonight's festivities kickoff. According to the ad, the game will be grappling onto store shelves on May 25 and, as you might imagine, you're welcome to "pre-order now!" While we're normally reticent to trust release dates from retailers as absolute truth, the prominence of this information among a weekly advertisement -- and the fact that the game is getting "World Premiere" treatment on tonight's award show -- puts some confidence in our normally skeptical perception of situations like this. Either way, we're likely to confirm this report's veracity when the VGAs roll this evening. [Thanks Erik!]
Reminder: Tune in for Joystiq's VGA liveblog tonight at 8 EST
We've been hurt so many times in the past, but we're holding out hope for this year's Spike Video Game Awards. It sounds like it will be absolutely rife with scoops, including footage from Halo Reach, the reveal of a new Star Wars game and a metric ton of new trailers. As is our custom, we'll put our hearts out on the line in order to liveblog the show for you, dear readers -- an exercise that will likely result in unrelenting anguish after the first ex-Mad TV cast member starts making the obligatory drug-or-fart-related jokes. Join us at 8PM for the festivities. Unfortunately, Justin won't be fulfilling his usual role as MC, but we'll have more than enough Joystiqers on hand to make up for his absent humor. Also, we'll be doing shots anytime someone utters the words "World Exclusive." We expect things to get really weird, really fast.
'Star Wars Legends' resurfaces on OFLC ratings database
Speculation surrounding a new Star Wars game, which is set to be uncloaked at this weekend's Spike Video Game Awards, has now grown to include a database entry from Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification. "Star Wars Legends" seems to have slipped by undetected when it was classified back in June of this year, though it's unclear if the listing was withheld from public view until more recently. According to the online entry, Legends is being produced by LucasArts and published by Activision Blizzard. Star Wars Legends was first spotted in a trademark filing in July 2008, when LucasArts claimed the title for use as "computer game software" and "entertainment service provided online." Also: Many tired Star Wars references died to bring you this information etc. [Via Kotaku.com]
2009 Spike VGAs to go without a host for the first year ever
Forget about your Samuel L. Jacksons and your Jack Blacks -- this year, the Spike Video Game Awards is totally going commando (if you're an awards show, "going commando" means without a host). Our sister site Big Download got worried recently when no host had yet been announced (the whole Joystiq Network was holding out for Shia LeBeouf), and got in contact with Spike TV to find out what was up. "As of right now, we are going without a host, similarly to what we did for this year's Scream Awards," a representative said. A mess of presenters -- from Tony "I promise I won't talk about Ride" Hawk, to Mike "We're terrified and not making any more jokes" Tyson -- have been confirmed for the show, though it seems that none would step up to the host position. You can catch us, like every year, liveblogging the event and cracking jokes from the comfort of our couches. It's almost like you're in our living room with us, except you don't have to wonder where that smell is coming from. Hooray!
Halo: Reach premiere at VGAs will be actual gameplay, says Keighley
To clear up any misconceptions with "the kids on Twitter," Spike Video Game Awards host Geoff Keighley took to Major Nelson's podcast this weekend and explained that the Halo: Reach trailer on next week's show will be "actual gameplay." That's right, folks: none of that live-action or CG mumbo jumbo. "You'll get a first glimpse at the world of Reach," Keighley told the Major during this week's show. "I think it's going to be the biggest game next year by far." When addressing the contents of the trailer -- something Keighley claimed to have not seen just yet -- he noted that he thinks people will be shocked by the direction than Bungie is taking, calling it a "huge leap forward." So, Mr. Keighley, it could be said that the studio is reaching new ground then? ... Hello? Where are you going?!
Spike VGA's second 'mystery' teaser
And there it is, people: The second "mystery" teaser for this year's Spike VGA award show, shown first here on Joystiq. (The first, you'll recall, was 2K Games' franchise reboot of Spec Ops). Since we don't have any insider info on the developer or the publisher behind the game, we'll simply share what we know: This is a new, unannounced game that will be revealed for the first time at the VGAs; the trailer's narration is delivered by a "well-known actor" (Tom Wilkinson?); and the reveal at the VGAs will have actual gameplay. Share your best educated guesses in the comments below and we'll bubble the best to the top. We'll start you out: That's a Hong Kong police badge, so we're saying True Crime 3: Hong Kong. [Update: Internet sleuth superannuation posits that this mystery title is none other than Black Lotus, the as-of-yet-unnamed Activision-published, United Front-developed action title announced earlier this year. Just about the only thing we know about the project on the record is that it's "a new action-based game set in Hong Kong" by the studio working on ModNation Racers. Do we have a winner?]
New Star Wars game debuting during Spike Video Game Awards
Well, crap. Now we have a reason to watch the Spike Video Game Awards. See, while we can live without the WORLD EXCLUSIVE trailers for next year's big releases, we don't think we can skip out on the unveiling of a new Star Wars game in good conscience. According to the latest teaser, viewers of the 2009 Spike VGAs will be able to find out "what's next" for the Star Wars gaming franchise. We've got our fingers triple-crossed for a new Jedi Outcast entry, but have also prepared our hearts for the icy embrace of Super Bombad Racing 2.
Next Tron game teased, debuting at VGAs
[Image Source] Joining games the likes of Halo: Reach and 2K's new Spec Ops debuting at this year's Spike Video Game Awards is a new installment in the Tron franchise. It's not the first time we've heard of the game -- it was rumored to be in development back in January of this year. Still, its existence is confirmed by an all-too-brief teaser at GameTrailers, which promises a proper unveiling at Spike's awards show on Saturday, December 12. Based on the teaser, the game may simply be titled Tron -- although the logo and art style found in the footage are very similar to that of the upcoming movie sequel, Tron: Legacy. We'll find out exactly what to expect on the Game Grid in just a little over two weeks' time. For now, check out the teaser after the break. [Via That Videogame Blog]
Mystery VGA teaser revealed as Spec Ops
It appears as though yesterday's mystery teaser for the upcoming Spike TV Video Game Awards, featuring a CGI scene of a war in Dubai, is actually not the newest teaser in the world. Revealed back in August, the clip is said to be from upcoming 2K Games franchise reboot Spec Ops. Originally, the title was claimed by EGM rumor mill "Quartermann" to be in development in the shuttered magazine's July 2008 issue. 1UP claims the title to be confirmed by the 90-second teaser trailer that we've dropped after the break. We'd suggest checking it out simply for the fact that it contains more footage than the teaser from yesterday, but the fact that Björk is involved makes us all the more inclined to recommend a viewing. For those of you thirsting for more, your next chance to see the game will be at 2009's world exclusive-filled VGAs. We've contacted 2K Games for comment and will update this post if we hear more.
Halo: Reach premiere to pull in VGA audience Dec. 12
Spike TV's Geoff Keighley has tweeted that Halo: Reach will make its video debut at the 2009 Video Game Awards on December 12. It's probably no stretch to think that this WORLD EXCLUSIVE will extend the audience of the awards show, who will thrust their DVRs into action to obtain the trailer. ... or, you know, they can just come around the internet ten minutes later. Whatever, their choice.
Keighley promises even better exclusives at the VGAs
We're not convinced that Spike TV had the most quality people handling their interviews on the red carpet of the Scream 2009 awards. As you can see in this video interview, the ham 'n' egger behind the camera actually asked Geoff Keighley how he gets so many exclusives when everybody knows Geoff Keighley secretes exclusives glandularly. The interviewer does do one thing right though, getting Keighley to promise that he'll have even better exclusives than last year in the 2009 VGA ceremony. He's made similar promises in the past and delivered, most notably during last year's show in which God of War 3 debuted. We just can't imagine how much spicy food he'll have to eat to pull that off. That's right ... Geoff Keighley is basically Turbo Teen. [Via BigDownload]
Dean Geoff Keighley continues tenure at Spike TV
Unwilling to let the Dean of Video Game Journalism (Hon.) flit away to one of the many other cable networks covering games, Spike has locked Geoff Keighley (Jeff K., if you're nasty) into a new multi-year deal. How many years is multi? 2? 37? There's just no way to tell. GK will continue with a full slate of activities, including producing the Video Game Awards and hosting "GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley," for which, considering the title, he seems to be the best candidate.
