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Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard infiltrates iOS
An iOS version of Rainbow Six from Gameloft launched on the App store today, the first iOS entry in the series ever: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard. The game is available to download for $6.99 and has a single-player campaign of 11 missions, online co-op support for up to three players, and a ten-player versus mode. As a skilled operative, we'd never expect you to go into this without as much intel as possible. Thus, we've got some screens in the gallery below and a trailer available past the break for you to check out.%Gallery-119235%
Cheap Tom Clancy DLC sneaks onto Xbox Live
It seems Sam Fisher has hacked into Xbox Live, reducing prices on a large selection of Tom Clancy-related DLC for Gold members. What's that? You say Sam Fisher isn't a real person? This is just the Deal of the Week? Well fine, Mr. Smarty Pants. Find the deals after the break.
Tom Clancy's HAWX 2: The 8-bit Game has a missile lock on our heart
It feels so weird to be telling you this, but Ubisoft has made an advergame based on Tom Clancy's HAWX 2 and ... it's kinda good! It's a pretty basic shmup with an 8-bit theme, though it's a bit more forgiving than most traditional games in the genre. (Your plane can actually take more than one hit before going down.) Everything else is pretty much what you'd expect: a rad soundtrack; several weapon types; and an endless supply of enemies to blast into oblivion. Don't believe us? Hit up the link and check it out. [Thanks, Daniel]
ESRB: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Predator headed to PSP
While it pains us to report that our hopes for a Predator-infused Ghost Recon game have gone down the drain, it's not all bad: the ESRB has tossed up a classification for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Predator. It's apparently "an action game/third-person shooter" for the PSP, in which "players engage in combat missions as part of an elite military unit." The listing also mentions a variety of modern weapons and promises "realistic" gunfights. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this story is the disparity between the two listings -- the initial OFLC classification pegged the game for multiple platforms (as is the case with next year's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier), while the ESRB listing places the game solely on PSP. We've contacted Ubisoft for clarification and will be sure to relay whatever we hear back.
HAWX 2 debut trailer masters the art of irresponsible flying
Did your recent, annual Independence Day viewing fill you with a desire to live the life of a Will Smithian combat pilot, soaring through canyons while locked in dogfights with intrepid, equally skilled adversaries? You might be satisfied by turning your eyes upon the debut trailer for HAWX 2.
HAWX 2 features 'all aspects' of air combat, four-player campaign co-op
Ubisoft has revealed new information about Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2, which Joystiq got to see in an early build last week at a pre-E3 event. The sequel to the flight combat simulator is expanding its purview to include "all aspects of aerial combat," including takeoffs and landings, recon missions in UAVs, air-to-air refueling and dogfighting missions, and even laser-guiding bombs down to targets. The game will use satellite imagery to create realistic locations from all over the world, including Moscow, the Arctic Circle and a desert area we got to see in the Persian Gulf. Ubisoft also told Joystiq that the game would offer four-player co-op throughout the whole campaign, as well as "full adversarial multiplayer" with up to eight players involved. It was also hinted that H.A.W.X. 2 will tie in some of Ubisoft's other Tom Clancy properties, though we weren't yet told how. We'll learn more when we get to play the game (which is due out on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PC this fall) in a hands-on at E3. %Gallery-92365%
HAWX 2 taking off this fall
Get ready to play around with boys one more time! Ubisoft just announced HAWX 2, presumably one of the two new Tom Clancy games mentioned by an Ubisoft producer late last month. HAWX 2, in development at Ubisoft Bucharest, gives players the chance to "become elite aerial soldiers in control of the world's most technologically advanced aircraft." This is, oddly enough, the second aerial combat game to be announced today, though the other one is slightly different in tone. It's currently scheduled for a fall release on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and Wii. Ubisoft released one really exciting piece of artwork, which you can examine in more detail in our gallery. %Gallery-92365%
Two more Tom Clancy games in the works at Ubisoft
In a recent interview with Dutch gaming news site Control Online (that is to say, the site itself is Dutch -- it doesn't exclusively cover the booming Dutch video game industry), Ubisoft's Tom Clancy brand manager Michel Verheijdt explained "at this moment I'm working on two Tom Clancy games which have just gone in development." He remained tight lipped about the identities of the two franchises, warning that if he exposes any more info, he'll "have to send Sam Fisher after you." Fortunately, Joystiq was able to get the scoop on these two games, and you'll never believe what they are. For the first time in ... hold on a second. Someone's at the door. Hello? Who are you, and -- hey, why are you grabbing our neck? This doesn't seem very safe, begoggled, gruff-voiced stranger. [Via Eurogamer]
Splinter Cell Activity Book sees Sam through rose-colored goggles
As enlightened parents of the 10s, we make an attempt to expose our many children to violence at every opportunity as part of a revolutionary new parenting style we call "Not Paying Very Close Attention." Not all parents are as liberated as us though, so it's nice to know that their children too can enjoy this week's big release Splinter Cell: Conviction with IGN's Splinter Cell Activity Book. We're sure your mild-mannered children will just adore the "Night Vision Crossword Puzzle" and "SpyLibs" -- just warn them not to get so absorbed in them that they accidentally bump into our kids. It's ... it's hard for us to predict how they'll react.
Impressions: Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
Click to enlarge By now you've likely seen the impressive live-action teaser trailer through which Ubisoft announced its latest Ghost Recon title, Future Soldier. If you haven't, well, have a look before reading any further. It's important since, last week at Ubisoft's offices, I saw the actual game in action -- and just about everything from that trailer is an actual gameplay mechanic. And then some. I got a look at the makings of a future soldier and how their abilities -- gear, weapons and additional battlefield hardware -- will evolve the series, plus how Ubisoft and Red Storm just might have come up with a way for teams to play more like, well, teams in online matches. %Gallery-90264%
Ghost Recon live-action trailer has cloaking devices, explosions
Ubisoft is kind of knocking it out of the park with live-action short films based on its games. First it brought us Assassin's Creed: Lineage, now we have a live-action trailer for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. The trailer, directed by Ben Mor, pretty much has anything you could want. Rather than spoil the action, we'll just give a brief rundown of some of the things included: Minigun-packing robot drones Personal cloaking devices Explosions Shoulder mounted anti-tank missiles Yeah, you should probably watch it right now. And don't forget a full short film is still slated to be released later this year.
Splinter Cell: Conviction only $46.99 at Amazon ... with the right code
Here's a deal that Sam Fisher would come out of hiding for: Amazon is offering pre-orders of Splinter Cell: Conviction for Xbox 360 at the low price of $46.99 for the standard edition. All you need to do in order to get the discount is enter the code SPLINTER at checkout and $5 will be deducted from your total (the retailer is selling the game at an already-discounted $51.99 to begin with). Additionally, the coupon code also works on the PC version, if that's how you like to roll. If you liked the recently-released demo and are looking to get your hands dirty with the full-version, it's the best deal we've seen yet. Yes, it might seem a little too easy, but we have Third Echelon's assurance that this isn't some sort of elaborate trap. (The "security device" enclosed? Totally not a tracking beacon.) [Via Gamerdeals]
Dissecting the Splinter Cell: Conviction demo
Now that the Xbox 360-exclusive demo for Splinter Cell: Conviction is available, we thought it appropriate to walk readers through the experience in a lengthy video packed with essential Sam Fisher intel. If you're wondering how Conviction ties to other games in the series or have an interest in hearing the changes made to portions of the demo from our previous hands-on experiences, this is the video to watch. Also, if you're stuck at work and can't play the demo for yourself, watching this video walkthrough might help fill that void and pass the time until you can go on your own gunslingin' adventures with America's most wanted secret agent. Shortcut: Queue-up the Splinter Cell Conviction Demo (Xbox 360)
Sam's having a terrible day in this new Splinter Cell: Conviction trailer
Sam Fisher's been tossed into some fairly unenviable scenarios in previous games, but if this new trailer is any indication, Splinter Cell: Conviction might just place the former spy into his most precarious mission to date. Between knife fighting dudes in bathrooms, holding off home invaders and generally being rude to receptionists, Fisher's going to great lengths to prove his bad-assitude. (Little does Sam know, he already proved it during the original Splinter Cell's opening credits.) Additionally, the trailer provides a bit more of the backstory leading up to Conviction, as well as some of the events we can anticipate in the game. Apparently, Sam's going to be storming the White House after an EMP blast devastates Washington. We wonder if he'll pass the Modern Warfare 2 guys while he's in there? %Gallery-64705%
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier to be present Holiday 2010
Or, it'll be a Holiday 2010 present, depending on how heavily you drop those hints and how desirable you find Ghost Recon: Future Soldier's "cutting-edge technology, prototype high-tech weaponry, and state-of-the-art single-player and multiplayer modes." Developed by the GRAW veterans at Ubisoft Paris, Future Soldier promises to "go beyond the core Ghost Recon franchise and deliver a fresh gameplay experience, with an unparalleled level of quality that will excite long-time fans and newcomers alike." Yes, this is definitely from a press release. A multiplayer beta is scheduled to start in Summer 2010, with invitations tied to another of Ubisoft's freshened franchises, Splinter Cell: Conviction (which is but a stone's throw away from release). The offer is currently extended only to the Xbox 360 version of Conviction -- and aside from Microsoft's system, no platforms have been explicitly mentioned in Future Soldier's announcement. He's from the future, so Facebook is a likely candidate. Update: According to one of Ubisoft's Twitter accounts, the "same experience, same development team and same release date" will be coming to PlayStation 3. Ubisoft's Kimi Matsuzaki also noted that PC details would come "later."
Ubisoft, Sony, EA and Disney sued over voice recognition patent
CJ Sorg On November 10th, Bareis Technologies, LLC filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft, Sony Computer Entertainment, Electronic Arts and Disney Interactive Studios, claiming that various games, including Tom Clancy, SOCOM and NASCAR titles, infringe upon a patent filed in 1996. "Optical disk having speech recognition templates for information access" describes a process "integrating automatic speech recognition technologies into optical disk players for command and control purposes." As is typical with lawsuits of this nature, the plaintiff is seeking "no less than a reasonable royalty" for the supposed use of this "stolen" technology. Should the case make it to court, the plaintiff will have a few hurdles to overcome. Primarily, lawyers will have to prove how a patent largely targeted towards accessing specific music tracks on audio CDs is applicable to the video games in question. Considering it's been over seven years since the debut of the first SOCOM game, it's surprising that the plaintiff has waited so long to file this suit. Perhaps it's telling that the company going forward with the lawsuit has done so little in the thirteen years since filing the trademark that it has no web presence whatsoever. [Via GamePolitics]
'Smaller team' commanding EndWar sequel
The voice-controlled RTS EndWar didn't garner the most media attention. But, with 1.5 million units sold, it certainly warrants a sequel. Ubisoft Shanghai is creating a follow-up using a "smaller team,"creative director Michael De Plater told VideoGamer.com. With EndWar's successful implementation of voice controls, the development team can focus on one of the most lacking aspects of the original: the presentation of the single-player campaign. "After the first one, now we have a really good understanding of what to do ... Giving more attention to the single-player is straightforward to address and will make the game a lot of fun."While De Plater is quick to highlight faults being addressed for the sequel, he remains proud of his team's accomplishment with the first game. While still under the "Tom Clancy" moniker, he considers EndWar an original IP. Considering the challenges that surround launching a new IP, De Plater is more than happy with sales numbers. "We still sold more than Red Alert 3, sold more than Company of Heroes, sold more than World in Conflict. It's still, along with Halo Wars, the biggest new RTS in the last four or five years. Even with those faults it's still up there."
Just how exclusive is Splinter Cell: Conviction?
If there's one definitive way to push publishers, developers and public relations personnel off balance, it's broaching the subject of console exclusivity. Begin the line of inquiry and you're sure to get darting eyes, an elongated "Wellllll ..." and an answer that crumples in on itself as soon as it's spoken. Perhaps it's appropriate that the topic of Splinter Cell: Conviction's exclusivity is steeped in a cloak-and-dagger mystery.When asked if the ambitious Xbox 360 and PC stealth title was exclusive in the really real sense, producer Alex Parizeau simply stated, "It's exclusive," and admitted that it was a business arrangement with Microsoft. Prodding about timed exclusivity (a la BioShock and Fallout 3 DLC) didn't yield anything less enigmatic, so we turned to lead game designer Steve Masters. "As far as I know," he said, "this is completely exclusive." Aha! Complete exclusive confirmed!"But that may change in the future."Oh. We suspect the game may make its way to PS3 eventually, but for now ... Wellllll ...
Beyond Good & Evil, PoP: Sands of Time added to GOG's lineup
The fine purveyors of DRM-free classics at GoG.com have announced an agreement with Ubisoft, which sees good old(ish) games like Beyond Good & Evil and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time added to the downloadable lineup. Joining action journalist Jade and the time-swindling prince are ... the aeroplanes of IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946! We guess they weren't really going for much of a theme outside of all three costing $9.99 each.Other Ubisoft titles slated to hit the PC service "in the coming weeks" include Heroes of Might and Magic, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six and Not Tom Clancy's Far Cry.
Sony adds 10 titles to PSP Greatest Hits line
Sony is bulking up its Greatest Hits collection for the PSP, dropping the price on 10 select titles starting April 5. Available for the lowered price of $19.99, the majority of the new batch of Greatest Hits games are third party, though there are still some delicious first-party nuggets included, such as Chains of Olympus. Here's your next wave of Greatest Hits: Fight Night Round 3 God of War: Chains of Olympus Medal of Honor Heroes 2 Mortal Kombat: Unchained Patapon SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Tactical Strike Sonic Rivals 2 SpongeBob SquarePants: The Yellow Avenger Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter® 2 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas
