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Ubisoft gets bigger by picking up Massive Entertainment
Massive Entertainment, developers of World in Conflict and the Ground Control series, have a new home at publisher Ubisoft. The Swedish studio was let go by Activision Blizzard following "The Merger." Clearly, despite Massive's quality work, WiC and the studio's RTS proficiency lacked the "potential to be exploited" by Blizzavision.Neither the teams next project nor the details of the financial transaction were disclosed by the publisher. Last we'd heard, Blizzavision still owned the rights to World in Conflict, but we've contacted Ubi to find out if it took the rights in the transaction. If it didn't, expect a new RTS franchise (unless the studio totally goes in a new direction) the next time Massive announces what game it's working on.Update: Ubi confirmed with us that it did receive the World in Conflict rights in the acquisition.
Massive Entertainment seeks new corporate overlords
Massive Entertainment, makers of competent RTS games like World in Conflict and (personal favorite) the Ground Control series, looks like it's going to land on its feet as Actilizzard cleans house of many Sierra properties. The Swedish developer tells VG247 that it seems to have "plenty of options" and that it's had some good meetings, but it is currently in limbo. The developer is currently working on the Xbox 360 and PS3 version of World in Conflict, called Soviet Assault, but Activision now owns the franchise, so there are some delicate issues that sound like they still need to be worked out. Well, we wish the studio the best, they've brought us many hours of gaming enjoyment.
Activision Blizzard staff layoffs may nix WoW mobile
Previously we reported that a mobile version of WoW was being seriously considered at Blizzard. However, with the finalization of the Activision Blizzard merger, the odds of being able to play WoW on your iPhone just got a lot lower. The newly-merged company is laying off 53 employees in the Issaquah, Washington area by September 27, 2008. Additionally, they are evaluating whether they will keep Vivendi Games Mobile, an arm of the company which develops games for the various mobile markets, like phones. If Activision Blizzard does decide to divest themselves of VGM, you can probalby kiss your hopes for WoW mobile goodbye since the synergy and cost-effectiveness of having the mobile developers under the same roof will disappear. I'm not saying that the WoW developers aren't beyond creating their own mobile infrastructure, or even paying higher prices for it to an external company, but it will be much less likely if they don't have the luxury of teaming with folks who all report up the through same corporate food chain. Among the other companies which Activision Blizzard says are eligible for the chopping block are Sierra Online, Massive Entertainment and Swordfish Studios, with staffing "realignments" likely at Radical Entertainment and High Moon Studios -- the loss of any of which will likely have no effect on WoW development, but may affect other games. Activision has announced that a few highly-anticipated titles are on the bubble, including Ghostusters and Double Fine's Brutal Legend among others. I sure hope they don't mess with Double Fine, since I am a huge Tim Schafer fan, but the upside is that it looks like the new company will have an even stronger focus on keeping their cash cow, WoW, healthy and grazing in the pasture for a long while to come.
Blizzavision keeps Crash, Spyro, Ice Age, Prototype; loses Brutal Legend, Ghostbusters, and more
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Blizzavision_keeps_Crash_Spyro_etc_loses_Brutal_Legend'; One of the major outstanding questions surrounding the Activision Blizzard merger was: "What the hell is going to happen to Vivendi's other video game division, Sierra?" The new super-publisher announced it will be keeping five of Sierra's franchises total: Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age, Spyro, the still-in-development Prototype, and another as-yet-unannounced title. We're currently looking into the fate of Sierra's other publishing arrangements: Tim Schafer's Brütal Legend (oh, Brütal Legend, we're so sorry!), Ghostbusters: The Video Game, WET, and Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. Activision Blizzard is also reviewing Sierra's other properties that they will not be publishing: think Bourne, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, World in Conflict, et al. Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith says, "We are reviewing our options regarding those titles that we will not be publishing." Those games won't be published by Blizzavision because they're not "a strong fit with [Activision Blizzard's] long-term product strategy." No word on the fate of Sierra's classic adventure games like King's Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, etc. As for the status of Sierra's in-house developers, Blizzavision will "realign staffing at Radical Entertainment and High Moon Studios" – the developers of Prototype and The Bourne Conspiracy respectively – while "exploring options regarding Massive Entertainment and Swordfish Studios" – the devs behind World in Conflict and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, respectively. Those "options" include "the possibility of divestiture." Also potentially up for sale: Vivendi Games Mobile and Sierra Online, the latter notably responsible for a large amount of XBLA and PSN games. More on this story as it inevitably unfolds.
World in Conflict console 'reinvention' subtitled Soviet Assault
The delayed (and further delayed) console port of World in Conflict is evidently making headway, ready to trade in its "just a PC-port" reputation for a shiny new subtitle. Allow us to introduce ... World in Conflict: Soviet Assault. But this ain't no simple re-titling. As shown off in the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine (Czech edition ... what, you're not a subscriber?), developer Massive Entertainment has managed to teach WiC: SA some new tricks. Of course, mapping the PC's mouse and keyboard controls to a gamepad is a given (and being handled by porting developer Swordfish Studios), but what about a new campaign (play as the Russians, tovarish), more multiplayer maps, and some shiny new cut-scenes? That's what the bean counters call a "value add." In case you've already invested in that PC version, you can add some value to it with an expansion pack. That pack, as well as the Xbox 360 and PS3 releases, are scheduled to assault the nation's (world's?) retailers this Fall.
World in Conflict console delay extends to Fall '08
Sierra just announced that their already delayed console port of PC real-time strategy slash tactical game World in Conflict would indeed be coming in 2008, as promised, but long after the originally planned November '07 release. The Xbox 360 and PS3 ports will be released this Fall (yup, that's one year later than you expected) with new single- and multiplayer content looking to make up for some of that delay. If it makes you feel any better, Martin Tremblay, president of worldwide studios, Sierra Entertainment, says the "franchise" is being "reinvented" for consoles. We're not really surprised they're planning to make more, but we still love when they call singular releases "franchises."%Gallery-6395%
World in Conflict for Xbox 360 pushed into 2008
Sierra has confirmed that the Xbox 360 port of Cold War era real-time strategy game World in Conflict won't surface until sometime in 2008. The game, which is currently available for the PC, was originally planned for release on the console this November. The jury is wide open to speculation as to the reason for the date change, though Sierra has offered no official reason for the delay. Interestingly, the shift follows last month's PC ship date announcement, which if you'll recall completely ignored the existence of the Xbox 360 alternative, though when pressed Sierra did tell us that the game "is still scheduled for this year," information that we know to be erroneous. Still, the PC version has been garnering impressive reviews so far, so we continue to hold out hope that Sierra's internal studio Swordfish, which is handling the console port, will deliver the goods someday. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
PAX 07: The World in Conflict party
Sure, we had a lot of blogging to catch up on, but we couldn't help but stop by Sierra's splashy Word in Conflict party last night if only to play our favorite game: "How Much Do You Bet This All Cost?" Alongside what appeared to be real military vehicles (they're scary looking in Real Life) and Communist propaganda were the requisite "booth" (party?) babes and overpriced drinks. How overpriced? How does upwards of $7 or $8 sound? It's a good thing anyways, we'd have just drank too much, riflebutted a guard, then drove one of those tank-things out of the building and through downtown Seattle. %Gallery-6395%
World in Conflict declares war on PC Sept. 18
On September 18, Sierra's World in Conflict is ready to go all alternate timeline, and make us experience what could've happened if the Cold War had gone hawt. The game will retail at $49.99 for the normal box and $59.99 for the collector's edition. Our time with the game was so-so, but we definitely enjoy the Magnum P.I. trailer that was put together (which can be found after the break). But what about the Xbox 360 version, you may ask? Being completely ignored on the press release, we called up Sierra and it turns out that the game "is still scheduled for this year." Although you can expect to purchase the Xbox 360 version at the "collector's edition" price of $59.99 -- minus the History Channel DVD and piece of the Berlin Wall. %Gallery-4917%
Joystiq impressions: World in Conflict
Think of a real-time strategy game session as a bell curve. At the lower end is the beginning, when there's a lot of resource-gathering and scouting. In the middle and the higher portion, there's lots of action. As the battle winds down, so does the action. Massive Entertainment's World in Conflict was described to us as a strategy game with the lower ends of the bell curve cut off, and from what we saw at the Sierra suite, it's a pretty accurate description. The story of World in Conflict is based in an alternate future where the Berlin wall didn't fall and the Cold War went hot. At the beginning of the battle, the player is given 6,000 in currency that can be used to purchase and deploy troops. Once a troop is destroyed, its value is returned to the player for purchasing more troops, keeping the intensity up. %Gallery-4917%
World in Conflict Collector's Edition to include piece of Berlin Wall
What is a publisher to do when everyone and their mother is offering up a "collectors edition" of their game? You fill it with history is what. Sierra Entertainment must have been particularly inspired when they decided to include an "authentic piece of the Berlin Wall" with the special edition of their upcoming strategy title, World in Conflict. Though the recently announced 360 version of the title is not mentioned, the PC's collectors edition contains not only a chunk of the Cold War era, but a bonus DVD from the History Channel as well. We're willing to award Sierra with a well deserved golf clap for their ingenuity, but at the same time it does feel odd to commercialize a historic world event with a video game about Russian forces invading US soil, Red Dawn style. For those curious about the game itself, 1UP previewed World in Conflict today in this weeks episode of The 1UP Show. [via Blues News]
World in Conflict not conflicted about 360
Rumored earlier this month, Sierra has confirmed today that the Massive Entertainment RTS, World in Conflict, is heading to the Xbox 360. The PC version is expected in September with the 360 version following sometime after. No date has been given, but an official announcement is expected soon. World In Conflict looks to set itself apart from other RTS games, such as Command & Conquer 3, by doing away with resource management and a fixed camera. 1UP notes that the game also features Tears for Fears (we'll let you guess which song). Check out the official World in Conflict website for plenty of images, videos, and info.
World in Conflict may be headed our way
Rumor on the street is that Massive Entertainment's upcoming RTS World in Conflict may be headed to the Xbox 360 later this year. TVG is reporting that they've seen, heard and know that the 360 version is in development on the console and is sitting at an "advanced stage". TVG also expects an official announcement from Vivendi rather soon.World in Conflict is quite the interactive and pretty war game that any RTS 360 fan would love get their hands on as PC fans have been eagerly awaiting its release. Only time will tell and an official response from the developers will cool down this rumor-wildfire. So RTS fans, would you like yourself a giant helping of some World in Conflict?
World in Conflict suits consoles -- so, can we expect it or not?
Massive Entertainment, a huge RTS developer (I still prefer Westwood ... wherever they went) recently talked about a new action-oriented approach to the genre and how it would feel right at home on a console rather than a PC. Its game World in Conflict fit the bill, they claimed. So long as keyboard and mouse support is ... supported, we're game to listen further.In fact, the one drawback to bringing RTS games to consoles is just that -- the keyboard and mouse. The PS3 fully supports these, developers! I play Phantasy Star Universe with the keyboard on the PS3. Well, I would if I could figure out if its possible. Come on! Regardless of this strange claim to avoid consoles, Massive still thinks World in Conflict would suit consoles because it "is much more visceral and action-oriented than traditional RTS titles, so if there's ever a game that could translate well to the consoles, it would be something like World in Conflict." So will we see an RTS title hit the PS3? Will it support those peripherals we mentioned? Who knows. We'll keep you posted.
