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Take-Two reports slight bump in revenue for Q2
Take-Two reported $126.3 million in revenue for the second quarter (ending September 30), a slight increase compared to the $125.4 million in revenue the publisher reported last quarter. It also represents a 15.1 percent decline compared to the same quarter last year, a period that itself didn't benefit from the launch of GTA 5, but rather The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and Borderlands 2 GOTY. By comparison, Take-Two didn't have many releases in the past quarter, save for three mobile games: Civilization Revolution 2, BioShock and WWE SuperCard. The company also reported a net loss of $41.4 million for the quarter, representing a 66.7 percent improvement year-over-year, yet a 16.9 percent decline from its net losses for the last quarter ($35.4 million). With games like NBA 2K15, WWE 2K15, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and Civilization: Beyond Earth arriving during the following quarter, Take-Two increased its non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) net revenue projections from $745 million to $760 million for Q3 2015. [Image: Take-Two]
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel review: You don't know Jack
Xbox 360, PS3, PC Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is all about loot, murder, humor, loot, swarms of enemies and loot. It looks like a comic book, plays like a shooter, and feels like that one hilarious idea you and your buddies had at two in the morning after a night of riding around town and chugging energy drinks. Also, loot. In other words, it's more Borderlands. The Pre-Sequel introduces a few new ideas into the franchise – including near-zero gravity, oxygen management and shiny character classes based on NPCs from the previous games. Players participate in the story of Handsome Jack, before he became the villain in Borderlands 2, back when he was just a funny dude with wild ideas about being a hero. Still, while The Pre-Sequel boasts the loot of a full Borderlands game, it's missing a touch of depth and a dash of polish.
GTA 5 adding first-person vehicle view on PC, next-gen
A since-pulled support article on Rockstar's website points to some new features for Grand Theft Auto 5 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. According to the article, seen above, the revised versions of GTA 5 will feature a first-person mode for vehicles "that shows the interior of the vehicle, including working speedometers, tachometers, dash lights, and more." The game will also include a first-person mode "while on foot." Rockstar plans to offer an "overhauled character selection screen" as well as new Easter eggs and random events for the game's story mode. The developer noted that new animals will appear in the city of Los Santos, and appears to be determining whether animals will also appear in the game's online modes. Lastly, it added that players transferring characters from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game will receive "new weapons and a free garage in GTA Online." GTA 5 will reach PS4 and Xbox One on November 18 and launch on PC in 2015. [Image: Rockstar Games]
Grand Theft Auto 5 hits PS4, Xbox One Nov. 18; PC in 2015
Rockstar Games announced this morning that the next-gen console versions of Grand Theft Auto 5 will arrive in two months, with the PC version driving in early next year. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions will arrive on November 18, while the PC edition follows on January 27, 2015. Developer Rockstar highlights improvements to the versions of the sinful sandbox available on Xbox 360 and PS3 include new weapons, vehicles and activities, more wildlife, denser traffic (sitting in that is always fun!), new foliage system (wow, so lush, very green) and enhanced damage and weather effects.
Rockstar: Lohan's GTA 5 lawsuit just Jonas-ing for publicity
Lindsay Lohan's Grand Theft Auto 5 lawsuit was "filed for publicity purposes" according to creator Rockstar and parent company Take-Two Interactive. Lohan sued Rockstar and Take-Two for damages back in July over the in-game character of Lacey Jonas, a troubled young actress who struggles with an eating disorder and dealing with the paparazzi. The case claimed Lohan's image, voice and styles from her clothing label were all used to depict Jonas, forming an "unequivocal" reference to the Mean Girls star. As the Associated Press reports, Rockstar is having none of it. Manhattan court papers made public this week show Take-Two and its subsidiary not only want the suit dismissed, but the company wants Lohan to pay its legal fees. As far as Take-Two is concerned, Jonas only resembles Lohan in being a young, blonde woman.
WWE SuperCard superkicks 1.5 million downloads
2K's free mobile trading card game WWE SuperCard has been downloaded over 1.5 million times, the publisher revealed today. In the game, players put together a deck of cards composed of WWE superstars, then pit their stable against other players in both exhibition matches and King of the Ring-themed tournaments. WWE SuperCard launched roughly a week and a half ago for iOS and Android. The publisher noted that over 82 million victories were recorded in exhibition mode, and that over 575,000 King of the Ring tournaments were kicked off since the game launched. Players logged in to the game for over 18 million unique play sessions, which averaged about 14 minutes each time. The free-to-play game allows players to purchase in-game currency that unlocks card packs, which range in price from $1.99 to $25, to acquire the game's 400-plus unique cards. 2K said it intends to update the game's roster and introduce new cards in the future. [Image: 2K]
2K launches WWE card game for iOS, Android
2K unveiled a new game today that puts pro wrestling and trading cards in the same ring, WWE SuperCard. The game is available now on iOS and Android via Google Play for free, and has players building teams of WWE superstars to compete against other players' decks in exhibition and King of the Ring matches. The card battler features somewhat humorous animations in which two trading cards twirl and body slam one another after a simple comparison of their power, charisma and other skills. Developed by Cat Daddy Games, WWE SuperCard also features the combining and training of cards in order to build players' stables of wrestlers, in addition to paid card packs. By purchasing in-game credits at a minimum rate of 200 for $1.99, players can pick up Superstar Packs that offer one random card of "common" or "epic" rarity for roughly one dollar. The most expensive bundles are Epic Packs, which cost 2,500 credits ($25) and dish out one random superstar card of "epic" or "legendary" rarity. [Image: 2K]
WWE 2K15's historical rivalry mode stars CM Punk, Shawn Michaels
WWE 2K15 will feature a 2K Showcase career mode that spotlights two wrestling rivalries in WWE's history, 2K Sports announced. The mode will focus on the feud between Triple H and Shawn Michaels from 2002 to 2004 as well as the more recent rivalry between CM Punk and cover star John Cena from 2011 to 2013. CM Punk's contract with WWE recently ended, so the Chicago-born wrestler's inclusion in the upcoming game was previously in question. The 2K Showcase mode will span 33 matches across the two rivalries in a mini-documentary style similar to WWE 13's Attitude Era mode and 30 Years of WrestleMania in WWE 2K14, complete with video packages and scripted commentary as well as historically-accurate characters and events. By playing through the rivalry mode, players will unlock wrestlers, alternate attire and championship titles that can be accessed throughout the rest of the game. Additionally, 2K Sports will build on the 2K Showcase mode after the game's launch by introducing more rivalries as DLC packs, though it did not say what feuds will be included (fingers crossed for Heath Slater's series of losses in 2012 to various WWE legends). WWE 2K15 will launch October 28 for PS4, Xbox One, PS3 and Xbox 360. [Image: 2K Sports]
Take-Two revenue drops 12% in Q1 2015
Take-Two reported $125.4 million in net revenue for the fiscal first quarter of 2015, a three-month period of time that ended on June 30. That represents a 12 percent decline compared to the same quarter last year ($142.7 million), and a 35.8 percent drop from the previous quarter. The publisher also reported a net loss of $35.4 million, a 14.9 percent jump from its $30.8 million losses reported last quarter. That also compares favorably to the same quarter one year ago, as Take-Two's reported losses are a 42.8 percent decrease from the $61.9 million losses for fiscal Q1 2014. The publisher also announced a delay for one of its major upcoming releases, Turtle Rock Studios' Evolve, which will now launch on February 10, 2015. [Image: Take-Two Interactive]
Borderlands 2 shoots through 10 million copies shipped
Publisher 2K has shipped more than 10 million copies of Borderlands 2, maintaining its spot as the highest-selling game in the company's history, a spokesperson tells Joystiq. Overall, 2K has shipped more than 18 million copies within the Borderlands franchise. During today's Take-Two financial call, President Karl Slatoff addressed the viability of series developer Gearbox's next installment, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, when it's launching exclusively on current-gen consoles and PC: "Our view is that if you give consumers what they want, they come out for it. Our catalog sales have done very well – as we announced in this quarter, it's one of the key reasons we were able to beat in the quarter. We have a lot of faith in the Borderlands franchise. There's still a huge install base of consumers; Borderlands is beloved .... We have very high hopes for The Pre-Sequel for current-gen platforms and PC, indeed. But it will be reliant on quality, and we expect to deliver a really high-quality game." Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel launches on October 14 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC – we'll see how many more copies 2K's tower of 18 million can handle. [Image: 2K Games]
Evolve pushed back to February [Update]
The launch of Evolve has been delayed to 2015, Take-Two indicated in the company's fiscal first quarter 2015 financial report. The game will now launch globally on February 10, 2015. Evolve was previously expected to arrive on October 21. Evolve is Turtle Rock Studios' four-versus-one monster-hunting game for PS4, Xbox One and PC. In it, players team up with three friends to take down a large beast or can opt to take on the hunting party as the single monster. Our video preview of Evolve discusses the shooter's four character classes as well as its jetpacks and other tools that make the game's combat interesting. Update: Take-Two President Karl Slatoff said during the publisher's financial call that it "primarily decided the title deserves and should have more time to be polished so it can reach its absolute optimal state before we release it," and that "historically, we've benefited from giving the creative teams more time to polish the titles, we've never regretted it." Slatoff also stressed that he views the delay as not being a "meaningful amount of time," given that Evolve will still launch during Take-Two's fiscal year, and that February is a "pretty terrific" release window. "It's not at all crowded, and we will benefit from the fact that there are a lot of holiday sales of consoles. The install base will be bigger," Slatoff said. [Image: Take-Two]
WWE 2K15 collector's edition has 24-inch pythons, brother
The special collector's edition of WWE 2K15 costs $100 and is exclusive to the game's PS4 and Xbox One versions, 2K Sports announced today. In addition to a copy of the latest wrestling game from Yuke's and Visual Concepts, the Hulkamania Edition features pre-order-exclusive Hulk Hogan and Hollywood Hulk Hogan playable characters for the game plus the two bonus versions of WCW star Sting, another pre-order extra for WWE 2K15. WWE 2K15's Hulkamania Edition also features tangible goodies only found in the collector's box (and on eBay shortly after launch for what will surely be ludicrous prices). Hulkamaniacs will receive a collectible art card personally signed by the Hulkster himself as well as a piece of the ring canvas Hogan strutted on in his Monday Night Raw appearance on March 10, 2014 in Memphis, Tennessee. Lastly, the special edition will include a vinyl figure of Hogan's "Hollywood" gimmick made by Funko.
In a parallel universe, BioShock Vita is a tactics game that's real
Ken Levine stoked laments for what could have been when he took to Twitter last night to discuss the now-fabled BioShock Vita game. When asked what he had in mind for his pet project that never got off the ground, the Irrational Games president said, "I was thinking a Final Fantasy Tactics-style thing set in a pre-fall Rapture." Well, damn.
Civilization: Beyond Earth enters orbit on October 24
Civilization: Beyond Earth will launch October 24, Firaxis Games announced today. Those that preorder the PC game will receive the Exoplanets Map Pack at launch, which features six maps that were inspired by real exoplanets, such as the Earth-like, forest-filled Kepler 186f, the arid Rigil Khantoris B and Tau Ceti d, a "planet of seas and archipelagos" that has a "wealth of resources." Beyond Earth was first announced at PAX East in April, and breaks free from history by having its roots in space exploration. The game is deemed a spiritual successor to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, as Firaxis Games discussed with Joystiq at E3 last month. It's also inspired by sci-fi authors such as Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. [Image: 2K Games]
John Cena sucks up the spotlight on WWE 2K15's cover
2K Sports revealed the cover art for WWE 2K15 this week, the second game in the series from the publisher. The cover art features the face of the WWE and current champion John Cena, posing in a way that indicates he's contemplating his unwavering commitment to his unchanging "never give up" persona. Fans will have the chance to make Cena give up via submission when WWE 2K15 launches on October 28 in North America and October 31 internationally. The game is in development by Yukes and Visual Concepts for PS4, Xbox One, PS3 and Xbox 360, and will be the first WWE game to step into the next generation's squared circle. [Image: 2K Sports]
Video compares Grand Theft Auto 5's PS3 and PS4 trailers
Sony introduced Grand Theft Auto 5 for PS4 with a brief trailer during its E3 2014 press conference last week, and now Digital Foundry created a video to compare it with similar footage from the game's PS3 version. Some of the side-by-side trailer's more stark contrasts include crashing waves, more animals moseying about and some instances of enhanced lighting and details on items like factories and vehicles in the PS4 version. GTA 5 may have been part of Sony's press event, but it will also launch on Xbox One and PC this fall after first arriving on PS3 and Xbox 360 in September 2013. Take-Two shipped 33 million copies of the game on the previous-generation systems as of mid-May. Aside from updated visuals, it will receive a video editing feature designed for "advanced movie-making" on PC. [Image: Rockstar Games]
Take-Two: Red Dead is 'permanent,' BioShock stays with 2K Marin
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick noted Red Dead among the company's "permanent franchises" at the Cowen and Company's Technology, Media and Telecom Conference this week. "It's obvious that GTA is a permanent franchise as long as we keep delivering this incredible quality; it seems quite obvious that Red Dead is a permanent franchise, again with the same caveat," he said. The Rockstar Games-developed series has two entries: 2004's Red Dead Revolver and 2010's Red Dead Redemption, and the CEO's phrasing strongly indicates that another Red Dead game is on the way. "But not everything is going to be a permanent franchise," Zelnick added. "We can do very well even if it's not. I would like to see us grow with a couple more great franchises in the next couple years and we're launching Evolve, we have very high hopes for that." Zelnick also commented on the BioShock series, saying the publisher thinks it is "beloved, we think it's important [and] certainly something that we're focused on, something 2K Marin will be responsible for shepherding going forward." 2K Marin suffered layoffs in October following the launch of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, prior to reports that the studio was on the verge of shuttering entirely. The developer launched BioShock 2 in 2010 between the two entries created by the Ken Levine-led studio Irrational Games. Irrational downsized to a small team of 15 in February, at which point Levine said the developer was "handing the reins of our creation, the BioShock universe, to 2K so our new venture can focus entirely on replayable narrative." [Image: Take-Two]
Evolve's hunters tracked down in gameplay video
This trailer for Evolve introduces each of the game's four hunters in video form, showing their unique abilities in action as they team up to take beasts down. Turtle Rock Studios' four-versus-one shooter will launch October 21 for PC, Xbox One and PS4.
Joystiq Weekly: Xbox One's Kinect, Mario Kart 8 review, Godzilla's past and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. If machinery works the way The Brave Little Toaster suggests, you gotta feel for the Kinect - the solid experiences it supplements are often drowned in complaints about its underwhelming games, as well as its general inaccuracies as a listening, motion-tracking controller. We imagine Microsoft reassured the device about its playground reputation by including it with every Xbox One out there, but then ... well, this week happened. Kinect might be destined to just stay at home now, waiting for a band of appliance-shaped adventures to accept his flaws so it can tag along with for their straight-to-Blu Ray sequel. Hey, on the upside, at least that terrifying air conditioner died off before Kinect was ever able to meet him. Can you imagine being left alone in a house with that thing as a kid? Talk about new legitimate fears. Anyway, now that we're done painting a bleak picture of Kinect's secret social life, there's a lot more to this week than technological popularity contests. It's financial season, with Ubisoft, Take-Two and the NPD Group throwing numbers everywhere, we've got reviews for Mario Kart 8 and Super Time Force, and there's also a dip into Godzilla's past of ruining virtual metropolises. It's all stacked neat and orderly for you after the break!
NBA 2K15 expands Euroleague lineup with 11 more teams
NBA 2K15 will feature a total of 25 Euroleague teams thanks to the addition of 11 more this year, 2K Sports announced today. The highest level of professional basketball in Europe will be better represented in the basketball sim thanks to the inclusion of teams like Germany's FC Bayern Munich, France's JSF Nanterre and Serbia's Partizan NIS Belgrade. The full list of Euroleague teams in the game can be found after the break. NBA 2K15 will be the first simultaneous release in the series for current and next-gen systems, as it is due out October 7 in North America (October 10 internationally) for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3. Xbox 360 and PC. 2K Sports' last entry was also the first on PS4 and Xbox One, and it coped with significant online server issues that locked players out of game content. Oklahoma City Thunder small forward and the NBA's Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant will be featured as NBA 2K15's cover athlete.
