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THQ publishing VP makes for the door
After a few choppy months, things seem to have leveled out for THQ, what with all the new game announcements and some solid releases on the horizon. But all that apparently wasn't enough to keep Scott Guthrie, executive VP of publishing for THQ, in his chair. Gutherie, charged with North American sales, distribution and marketing for the company, has left for an undisclosed opportunity.It's maybe not a huge deal, but we like to take a moment to recognize anyone who helped get 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand into our trembling, grateful hands.
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand sales pale to Bulletproof
50 Cent's latest game, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, hasn't been selling well, apparently. Kotaku reports the title has only managed to sell 1/12th as many copies as the rapper's first joint, 50 Cent: Bulletproof, which has sold nearly 1.2 million copies. The sequel has sold only 56,000 copies as of early April. Despite the fact it has received more critical acclaim than Bulletproof, consumers just don't seem to care about the trials and tribulations of a rapper chasing a crystal skull through the desert. Yeah, we don't get it, either. We just hope the sales turn around. We actually want 50 Cent to make his sequel ... as long as there are plenty more points to be had.
50 Cent wants to 'make' Blood on the Sand sequel, original IP
At Joystiq Headquarters, we're all about bumpin' the latest Fiddy track and tossing around the ol' crystal skull (that's a basketball to you). So it should come as no surprise that we're psyched for the news that avid Joystiq reader 50 Cent is hoping for a sequel to his well-reviewed third-person shooter, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. According to an interview with MTV News, our favorite Vitamin Water investor responds rather positively when asked about the possibility of a sequel, saying, "I'm hoping we'll be able to do it ... with the success of this actual project, we'll try to do it again." Furthermore, though he's stated it before, he's more interested in doing future games that don't revolve around his persona, telling the interviewer, "I'd like to be a part of designing and marketing a video game I'm not actually in." And what of that Saint's Row movie you were optioning, Mr. Cent? "I was trying to option the rights, [but] the more we talk about it, the more expensive it will get," he says. Those "bigass chains" can get expensive, can't they? Hit the break for the full, "actual" video (only for those in the US unfortunately, per MTV.com restrictions -- sorry!).
Joystiq Podcast 087 - SaFUNri edition
What's on it? The better question about this week's episode of the Joystiq Podcast? What isn't on it? Do you want a guest appearance by 50 Cent? Done. Want to know our thoughts on his game in even more detail? You got it. Want to test your skills at distinguishing between real and fake awful Wii and DS games? Your wish is our command. Oh, and thanks to Mike Santos for cashing in on that photoshop. Get lulz or die trying! Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast in iTunes (it's back up, people!) [Zune] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace [RSS] Add the Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Hosts: Chris Grant, Ludwig Kietzmann and Justin McElroy Music: "Get Ready for Love" by Nick Cave, "Red Eye" by Ben Kweller For fans: Joystiq Podcast Facebook group See all of this week's links after the jump.
50 Cent and the interview of the Crystal Skull
So you've read about our man Fiddy's new game and how horribly good it is. You've also read about his newfound love for the 'Stiq. Hell, you even already know he's talking to the folks at THQ about making a Saint's Row film. But he has so much more to talk to you about! For starters, did you know that he's got a Nintendo Wii in his office and a racquetball room with a "bigass projector" (24 feet!) just for gaming? How about the fact that he wants to make games that don't star him? We'd love to tell you more, but you'll just have to check out the entire Q&A transcript after the jump.
50 Cent to start reading Joystiq
Among the variety of topics brought up during 50 Cent's conference call earlier this afternoon, we somehow cajoled the perpetually beefing rapper (that's an industry term, obviously) into giving our fledgling little site a shot. After asking Fiddy (we can call him that -- we're boyz) about his responsibility to his fans regarding the amount of vulgar language employed in his latest game, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, the rapper addressed us personally. Speaking directly to me, he said, "You're from Joystiq.com, right?" To which we responded, "Yup, Ben from Joystiq.com." Now pay really close attention to this next part, 'cause this is where it gets good. "Ben, I'm gonna watch what you write and I'm gonna find yo ass!" Oh my! Come for the interview transcription (which is coming up later today) and stay for your game's review!
50 Cent wants to make a Saints Row movie, or die tryin'
Rapper and game character 50 Cent has just revealed an interest in creating a Saint's Row movie, in a conference call about 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. According to our man on the scene, Mr. Cent told the assembled journalists, "My relationship with THQ, you'll see Saint's Row. I'm optioning the rights for that right now."50, we'll save you some time, in case you can't figure out how to make a sandbox game like Saint's Row into a movie -- just make it a musical and hire Panic's Cabel Sasser to write the songs. We're already daydreaming about buying tickets to that.%Gallery-21637%
Joystiq Review: 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
The very best games, the pinnacle of any media, really, are those with an ability to teach us something, however slight, about ourselves. This highest of compliments can be paid to 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. For Fiddy has taught me exactly how much I'm willing to forgive if a game has solid controls, great structure and a few really good ideas. %Gallery-21637%
Oh snap: Maxim scores 50 Cent 2 higher than Killzone 2, SFIV
Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, Maxim has dropped knowledge upon us. Read this, know this, feel it in your bones: 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand has been scored higher than both Killzone 2 and Street Fighter IV. This comes as GameTrailers member G00se has posted scans of the latest issue, in which 50 Cent is given a 4/5, Killzone 2 a 3.5/5 and Street Fighter IV a 3/5. Maxim calls 50 Cent "a wanksta proof gem," noting its new Fiddy songs, co-op play and "a story that is Indiana Jones meets Scarface." Killzone 2 -- which the magazine refers to as Kill Zone 2 -- is labeled "the hottest girl at the ball, if not quite the best dancer." And SFIV? Maxim notes that "it takes the series to 3D" -- even though that actually happened ages ago -- but "loses a fistful of its old-school soul."We can't think of any possible way to expand upon this. No, really, that's all we got.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
50 Cent game better than Killzone 2 & Street Fighter IV, says Maxim
GameTrailers.com member GooseGoose has scanned a new issue of Maxim, the leading authority on video games. In it, the reviews crew reveals that the new 50 Cent game barely outdoes Killzone 2. Sony's upcoming FPS is "the hottest girl at the ball," but that can't compare to "a Wanksta-proof gem." Street Fighter IV also falters, lacking "old-school soul." Discuss. [Thanks, Mads K.!]
No coin-cidence: 50 Cent, 50 Cent game to appear on Spike VGAs
Just dying to see new footage of 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand? (No, really, are you dying? We'll call for help.) Well, you'll get to peep it in the background as the rapper performs – live and in person – at Spike TV's 2008 Video Game Awards on Sunday, December 14. Those are the VGAs to those in the know. Mr. Cent will be joined (not all at once, mind you) by Weezer, All American Rejects and LL Cool J. "Video games and music are an explosive creative combination," according to Spike TV vice president, Casey Patterson. Sony Picture Studios, the event venue, could not be reached to confirm that it holds adequate creative explosion insurance.
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand trailer: A life lesson
If there's one thing we've learned from watching the latest 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand trailer, it's this: Never, ever cross 50 Cent. From what we can gather, the cascade of death and explosions in the trailer is the result of someone stealing a crystal skull from Fiddy. That's it. So yeah, don't cross 50 Cent. Don't accidentally bump into 50 Cent. Don't cut in line in front of 50 Cent. If someone asks you if you'd like to help steal 50 Cent's crystal skull, you say no. Just add those things to your list of life lessons (you do have one of those, don't you?). On a sidenote, Blood on the Sand looks like it might actually be fun. You might add that to the list as well.Find the trailer after the break.
Brace your face: 50 Cent is back with a new trailer
You know what? We don't even need the game this point. Seriously, we've gotten so much entertainment from the trailers of 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand that, come January, Mr. Cent should watch his diamond-encrusted mailbox for a check from us for $60 and a little note that just says, "Thanks." Just in this latest trailer, Fiddy asks where his skull is (spoiler alert, 50: It's in your head), ducks three rockets and forbids someone from calling him by his given name. What's more? He's rapping THE WHOLE TIME. Check it out right after the break.
Codemasters feasts on Swordfish remains
There was apparently enough fat and gristle left on the bones of Swordfish Studios following yesterday's Monumental 50 Cent sale to satisfy Codemasters' appetite. The publisher today announced that it has taken over the developer's Birmingham studio, which will still be managed by Swordfish founder, Trevor Williams.Nothing has been announced detailing what the studio is or will be working on for the Codies. However, a press release announcing the acquisition notes that the developer will focus on "original content" using the EGO Engine popularized by both GRID and DiRT. We hope that our wish for a 50 Cent racing game will finally come true.
Monumental buys 50 Cent team for (presumably) way more than that
Before the ink is even dry on its digital tattoos, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand developer Swordfish has been sold to MMO middleware developer Monumental. Don't expect to see the G-Unit team headed to the UK for a visit anytime soon though: Work on Mr. Cent's new game is apparently done, with its release being solely an issue of timing at this point.Ironically, though Blood On the Sand seemed poised to really get the Swordfish name out there, that name has just been changed. You'll be calling them Monumental Manchester when they start on their next project.
THQ gets 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
We so totally didn't see this coming. THQ has snapped up the publishing rights to 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. You know, the video game adaptation of the hip hop icon's legendary quest to regain stolen treasure in the Middle East alongside the G-Unit. Hey, say what you will – THQ's VP of global brand management, Brad Carraway, calls it, "the ultimate package for gamers and hip hop fans alike," not people who like relevant and/or good plots. Mr. Cent himself seems particularly pleased that his game will finally see release after being dropped by Activision Blizzard. Because now he can fulfill your fantasy ... you know the one. Where you, as The Half-Dollar Man says, "maybe even join me or one of the G-Unit online." Early 2009 can't come soon enough.
BBFC: Seriously, THQ is publishing 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
Last week, Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification breathed new life into a rumor that 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, which many had believed to be a casualty in the Activision-Vivendi merger, had found a new publisher in THQ -- info made public when the OFLC stamped the game with an MA 15+ rating. A few days ago, the rumor seemed to become concrete -- the British Board of Film Classification has assigned Fiddy an "18" rating, also attributing the game to THQ. While it now seems like incontrovertible fact that Blood on the Sand is still quite alive and well, THQ recently told British gaming news site MCV that they could not comment on "the rumour" -- either a testament to THQ's bizarre hype-building practices, or to the unfathomable excellence of the resurrected game.
OFLC: 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand being published by THQ
Australia's high-strung ratings board, the OFLC, notes that 50 Cent: Blood in the Sand will be published by THQ -- at least in that region. The game received an "MA 15+" rating last Friday. Holla atcha boy if you happy it ain't banned. The 50 Cent sequel had previously been dropped by Activision during its merger with Vivendi, which caused rumors to spring up that the game had died. But much lite Fitty getting shot, Developer Swordfish Studios got back up and announced that the game was still in development and trying to make a holiday release. THQ was previously speculated to be a publisher for the game, but the OFLC rating is the first piece of evidence of that claim's validity. Source - THQ picks up 50 Cent game (GI.biz) Source - 50 Cent: Blood in the Sand is Dead, Dead, Dead [update] (Kotaku) %Gallery-21637%
Swordfish Studio 'sources' deny 50 Cent game canceled
Swordfish Studio "sources" tell GI.biz that the rumor of 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand's cancellation is not true. The site reports "sources close" to the studio say the game is currently having its bugs fixed, and that it is still expected to release this holiday. GI.biz goes on to note that the "studio is confident of a secure future in the industry." We'll have to wait and see if that future lies with Activision-Blizzard, though, as the publisher is still reviewing the status of several Sierra/Vivendi properties. Source - 50 Cent Blood on the Sand is Dead, Dead, Dead (Kotaku) Source - 50 Cent not canceled, despite rumors (GI.biz) %Gallery-21637%
Activision Blizzard still 'reviewing' fate of Ghostbusters, 50 Cent
It seems Activision Blizzard is still uncertain as to who it's gonna call -- to publish ectoplasmic epic Ghostbusters. Speaking to MCV, the newly melded megapublisher was still hesitant to divulge the "absolutely not cancelled" game's fate, along with the fate of fellow Vivendi leftovers like 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. In the wake of Vivendi UK's closure, Activision Blizzard's general manager for the region, Andrew Brown, pointed out that while "Crash, Spyro and Prototype will definitely be released this and next year," the company was still in the midst of "reviewing its options regarding titles that it will not be publishing." Sound familiar? If the games are found unsuitable for Activision's immense sequel conveyer belt, it's likely that they'll be shipped off to more eager publishers. Still, aren't you utterly relieved to learn that Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon are just fine? We were worried there for a second.
