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2K announces Carnival Games for DS
This announcement will no doubt be huge awesome news for a bunch of people, while simultaneously eliciting dramatic eye-rolls from others: the Carnival Games franchise is coming to the DS! The DS version of Carnival Games will be released this summer with an assortment of games new and old. According to the press release, "Favorites such as Alley Ball, Frog Leap and Dunk Tank are complemented with fresh games including RC Raceway and Clown Hammer. "It's no surprise that Carnival Games would branch out -- in the same announcement, 2K revealed that they had shipped a million copies of the Wii game. That's a ton for any system, and a massive hit for a system like the Wii on which third parties have difficulties.
BioShock 2 due in fiscal Q4 2009 from 2K Marin
After sales of brainy first-person shooter BioShock were so strong, a sequel seemed like all but a foregone conclusion. 2K Games put any remaining doubt to bed today, revealing that BioShock 2 is due to hit shelves in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2009, which would put it between August and October of 2009. The game is being developed not by Ken Levine's 2K Boston, but rather 2K Marin, which reportedly has some BioShock staffers on board. At this point, we don't know what (if any) involvement Levine will have, nor do we know what systems it will be on.The info came in an investor relations report released by the company today. Even though we figured the game was in the works, we have to admit we're a little surprised by the window, just two years after its predecessor. But you're not going to hear us complaining. If it means more Big Daddies and Little Sisters, we don't really care where we get it.
Electrosonic showcases MS9600 2K Digital Cinema Player
If you've been wishing that those double digit theater prices would actually net your local hot spot an upgrade, here's an idea you can certainly nudge their way. Showing off at ShoWest 2008 in Las Vegas, the Electrosonic MS9600 is hailed as a "high-performance JPEG2000 appliance," which plays back unencrypted JPEG2000 content at 2K, 1080p and 720p resolutions. Designed specifically for digital cinema, post production and show control applications, this unit also touts dual HD-SDI / dual DVI-I video outputs and 16-channels of broadcast quality digital audio. Furthermore, it even supports 48fps 3D playback, but unfortunately, we've no idea how soon it's destined to hit cinemas of any kind.
Free MLB 2K8 downloads are a home run
Major League Baseball 2K8 has been on retail shelves for all of a few days and already 2K Sports has released downloadable content to the XBLM. Usually we'd be angry when a developer releases new DLC the same week the game comes out, because A) it should have been included on the disc and B) we know they simply want to make a few bucks off the held back content. But, in this case, it's actually a good thing because the MLB 2K8 content is free. W00t, w00t! So, if you picked up you copy of MLB 2K8 this week and live in the U.S. or Canada, head to the XBLM and get your three free MLB 2K8 DLC downloads including the 2K8 Minor League Stadium Pack, Majestic Cool Base Uniforms and the Card Series 2 roster update. Free downloads FTW!
Look! The Darkness gets free multiplayer DLC
After hopping onto the XBLM this morning, we were surprised to come across new downloadable content for none other than The Darkness. Odd, no? The new DLC can be found under the "New Releases" section of the Marketplace under the not so convenient title "Darkness MP Map: DM_Haunt" (uhh, wha?). The content features the multiplayer map DM_Haunt which is set in the streets of New York City, a new death match and team death match game mode as well as the ability to customize your shapeshifter, darkling or human character. The best part about the DLC is the fact that it is 100% free. Worst part about the DLC is that it's for The Darkness' multiplayer of which we don't know of anyone who has played it in the last three months. Oh well, free content is free content.
MLB 2K8 demo now up on XBLM
Having just seen release earlier in the week, it seems Microsoft is only just now getting around to making sure the demo is online. Major Nelson posted early this morning that the demo was up and that that it clocked in at almost a gig of memory (965.95 megs). Whether or not the demo's appearance and size will end up making any difference in game sales is doubtful, as the game is yearly and has it's followers. Though some of those followers (like a commenter on Major Nelson's page) aren't altogether happy with the latest iteration. So, if you were on the fence before this, now you've got a chance to give the thing a spin for yourself before laying down that sixty dollars. Queue up that download!
MLB 2K gets a somewhat indie soundtrack
In a slightly surprising move (wait ... baseball games have music?), 2K partnered with Pitchfork Media to make the soundtrack for Major League Baseball 2K8 (which comes to NA this week). By "make," of course, we mean "pick a bunch of different pre-existing songs," but that's neither here nor there. If you ask us, the soundtrack for the game is looking pretty damn sweet. Then again, this blogger has a musical taste that is often disliked by the norm, so many of you may hate the track list. But, don't worry too much: supposing bands like LCD Soundsystem and Dinosaur Jr. don't do it for you, there's also a lot of good bands on the soundtrack that are more well-known, such as The Cure, The Cars, and Modest Mouse.To feast your eyes on the full track list, make sure to check past the break.
Some more baseball for the Wii with MLB 2K8
MLB Power Pros might have been too cute for a tough guy (or girl) like you, or maybe you've simply been waiting for a more realistic baseball experience. If so, you'll have the chance pick up 2K's Major League Baseball 2K8 next week on March 4th.The press release for the game reveals tons of waggle, which (as we've seen in Wii Sports Baseball) can be a lot of fun, if pulled off correctly. Aside from pitching and hitting, though, the game will also let you field with motion controls. You control the player's destination with the Nunchuck, but then use the Wiimote to throw the ball to the designated fielder.The only think we're a bit skeptical about is the motion-controlled baserunning. To increase your speed, you shake the Wiimote and Nunchuck simultaneously, which might get annoying over time. Still, we suppose this is probably the most immersive baseball video game to date.Alas, waggle comes at a price. The game doesn't support online play, and lacks the minor league and trading card features found in the other console versions.[Via press release]
MLB 2K8 is going, going, going, gone gold!
Taking over the sports news duties away from Xav for the day, we thought we'd mention that 2K Sports' Major League Baseball 2K8 has officially gone gold and is being pressed to disc at this very moment. That means that your MLB gaming fun is but only a few days away, so be sure to head to your local drug store and stock up on "supplements" before the season begins. Big and strong kids, you have to be big and strong to play this game.[Via Game Stooge]
Levine: Wii Bowling is the 'ultimate gateway drug'
Ken Levine, that dude who made that Bioshock game all of the kiddies went crazy over last year, recently spoke with GamesIndustry.biz about his stature in the industry now that he's made what most consider to be one of the greatest games of this console generation. But, Levine did take some time to touch on what he thinks about the casual market and how Nintendo is introducing new gamers into the fold.You see, Levine is embracing the changes that Nintendo and their Wii console are looking to bring to the industry. "Wii Bowling is like the ultimate gateway drug and God bless them for figuring that out because there is no barrier of entry," he explains. "Hey, can you go like that?" [swings arm] That's what you do in bowling, that's what you do in Wii Sports." Levine sees those that would otherwise ignore gaming as getting into it, commenting "I think there's a much better chance of people who wouldn't normally be interested in games going in and thinking "I'm interested in the history of Rome. I'll buy that strategy game," whereas before they would have been overwhelmed by the very concept of it." And, Levine, you're not the only one. We're excited about the future of gaming and how the Wii will help shape it, too![Via Go Nintendo]
MLB 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars: What?
Yesterday when we reported on the announcement of MLB 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars, we made a minor typo. In that original post, we said that we were adopting a "wait and see" tactic regarding the game. What we meant to say was a "wait, and then just forget about the game forever, and definitely don't look for screenshots" approach.By looking at these bizarre screens of Deep Fried Entertainment's new baseball game, we have deduced what the MLB organization's fantasy is: players who lack any kind of tissue into which steroids can be injected. Also, cows.We're torn. Even as we make fun of the noodly look of the game, we feel a certain measure of admiration for the designers for even daring to attempt a change of pace in something as staid as a licensed sports game. But man, the noodliness.
2K announces Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars
Despite the game's unnecessarily long title, you might be happy to know that 2K is releasing Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars this April for the DS.We're not big experts when it comes to portable baseball games, but it's common knowledge around these parts that MLB 2K7 was pretty abysmal. Will this iteration be any better? Well, it probably can't get any worse.Fantasy All-Stars will take advantage of the DS's stylus controls, utilizing the touchscreen for hitting, pitching, fielding, and running. You'll also be able to use "special power ups" (we hope that's not code for steroids) to help improve the players' performances. Other features will include themed stadiums, and -- wait for it -- Wi-Fi multiplayer.We'll put this one in the "wait and see" category, because it sounds like 2K is really trying to improve this series. Hopefully Deep Fried Entertainment can do a better job with MLB 2K on the DS than Skyworks Technologies.[Via press release]
2K announces Top Spin 3 for Wii
Most of us who own Wiis also own Wii Sports by default. The game full of glorified demos turned out to be a gem, and even if everything had been nixed except for Wii Tennis, this blogger would have been happy with it.That's why we're excited about Top Spin 3 for Wii. Although 2K didn't make note of motion controls for the Wii version in the press release, we'll assume the game will have them (2K would be daft not to take advantage of the Wiimote). After how fun Wii Tennis was, we could only imagine that a game completely devoted to tennis would be even better.That's not to say that Top Spin won't face fierce competition (namely with Sega Superstars Tennis.) We think there's a market for both games, though. Some people will want to play with beloved Sega characters, while others might want to play with actual tennis stars. And, some folks might prefer a light-hearted title involving minigames, while others might want a true-blue tennis title. If Top Spin offers online play, that in itself might also be a draw for 2K's tennis over Sega's game, which lacks that vital feature.Yet, we have to say that the list of playable pros is a little flat (where's recent Aussie Open champion, Novak Djokovic? And why is Rafael Nadal only playable in the PS3 version?). Of course, that's just us nitpicking, since we happen to be big tennis nerds.
2K announces Top Spin 3 for DS
For all of you looking for fast and furious Tennis action without the resulting elbow pain, look no further. 2K has announced that Top Spin 3, the latest iteration in their, you guess it, tennis franchise, will be gracing Nintendo systems. Development duties will be handled by PAM development, a 2K studio, and release is currently planned for spring 2008.Head past the break for the full press release.
2K jumps on Unreal Engine 3 train for unnamed titles
Today Epic announced that Take Two Interactive's publishing label 2K Games will be using Unreal Engine 3 to power upcoming and unannounced titles currently in development. Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games, told Gamesindustry.biz, "We are excited about continuing our relationship with 2K based on our past success with the company." Rein, who was referring to the success of the Unreal powered BioShock, wasn't the only happy camper in this tale of adoption. "2K had a very positive experience working with Epic's Unreal Engine 3 since it enables games to perform exceptionally well on both console and the PC," said 2K president Christoph Hartmann. Look at that, Unreal adopted by another company. Love the engine, but at this rate General Electric is going to buy a license to start making home appliances. Unreal is taking over the world and when used properly the results are outstanding.
Civilization Revolution grinds to a halt on Wii
At first, it was coming, and then it wasn't, and then it was ... and now, once again, Civilization Revolution is a no-go for Wii owners. An unnamed spokesperson for 2K Games confirmed to IGN that the Wii version has been put on hold indefinitely, and a poster by the name of Jason2K at the 2K forums reports that it's a simple matter of manpower. According to said poster, Firaxis didn't have the resources to work on four different versions of the game at once, and it looks like the Wii title, already set to release several months after the others, drew the short straw.We can only hope to see Firaxis revisit the project in the future, as the Wii (and DS) are spectacular choices for the long-running franchise, considering that their control schemes can closely mimic that of the mouse. The title was set to feature online multiplayer and several features that are being implemented for the new console versions.[Thanks, mian!]
Civilization Revolution has no alibi (it's ugly)
While DS development for Civilization Revolution continues (and progress on the Wii version, uh, un-continues), we can't say it's looking too great based on the initial batch of released screenshots. Check out this janky image on the right; it's almost as if someone tried to mash together Fire Emblem with Age of Empires: Age of Kings, but somehow messed it up.Of course, no one plays Civ for its graphics, and, according to a recent interview with IGN, Firaxis made sure to leave in the strategy title's core mechanics. The DS release will, for the most part, have the same mechanics as the 360 and PS3 versions, except with a mostly 2D presentation. You'll still have 16 civilizations to choose from and a robust online multiplayer experience with two-player head-to-head, four-player free-for-all, and team battle modes. End your turn and head past the break for a couple more screenshots.
New Big Daddy figures are finally being received
We just received proof that 2K has kicked their shipping into high gear (it took them long enough) when it comes to getting the replacement BioShock Big Daddy figures to customers. X3F reader thw sent us the pic above saying that late yesterday he received his replacement Big Daddy figure. You'll also notice that 2K has made good on their promise to include a hardcover softcover copy of the "Breaking the Mold" artbook as well. Keep those eyes fixed on the mailbox today, tomorrow and all of next week, because we have a feeling a flood of Big Daddy figures will be making their way to BioShock owners soon. Oh, and if by chance your replacement Big Daddy arrives at your doorstep with a broken drill bit you MUST inform us. The irony of it all would be too much to pass up.[Thanks, thw]
2K Sports gives up on College Hoops series
In a surprising turn of events, 2K Sports has confirmed that they've stopped development on College Hoops 2K9, which was originally scheduled for a November release. Why the sudden cancellation? According to 2K, they couldn't negotiate a fitting deal with the Collegiate Licensing Company (licensee of over 200 college trademarks) and say that they would have loved to create College Hoops, "but given our disciplined approach to the business, we do not believe the current discussions would result in an acceptable outcome". The rabbit hole gets deeper as rumors are swirling that the CLC's relationship with EA (and their NCAA March Madness franchise) has caused them to act unfairly in negotiations with 2K. In other words, the CLC could be cheating on 2K! Gasp! Whatever the reason, we know that there will be no College Hoops 2K9, so everyone will have to settle for March Madness. So much drama ...[Via Game Stooge]
BioShock movie rumblings bubble to surface
According to an inside source speaking to Joystiq, it looks like BioShock is being added to the ever growing list of games being adapted into films. The film is being considered by a major Hollywood studio and it is believed that said studio will utilize green screen techniques similar to those found in 300. In other words, expect a lot of computer generated underwater dystopia. Honestly, the story is fitting enough for a film adaptation, though we imagine a title change and a bit of fleshing out is in order. The environment though, is something that should not be touched. If there's one thing that should not be molested during BioShock's supposed transition to the big screen, it's the dilapidated yet beautiful world of Rapture.%Gallery-3532%%Gallery-3501%
