bioshock 2
Latest
Here's your first look at BioShock 2 gameplay footage
OK, first, go below the break and watch the first footage of BioShock 2 in action from GameTrailers. But come right back so we can chat about it.... So what do you think? We really don't want to impose our opinions on you here, we want your input. Our gut reaction is that it bears perhaps too much of a resemblance to its predecessor, but we're not sure what else we were expecting. And that Little Sister cue at the end was trying a bit hard, right? The drill looks cool though.
Bioshock 2 to be sans subtitle, 'Sea of Dreams' was title of trailer
A brief recap of the comedy of errors surrounding the suspected subtitle for Bioshock 2 -- developer 2K Marin revealed the Sea of Dreams moniker in the sequel's debut trailer, then confirmed that it had dropped the subtitle last month, then de-confirmed that confirmation a week later, then suggested it doesn't know what its own game is called during GDC. However, 2K's Charlie Sinhaseni might have just told IGN the (hopefully) final word on the matter -- according to him, the game will simply be called Bioshock 2: Electric Boogaloo. No, wait -- just Bioshock 2.Sinhaseni explained the confusion -- 2K apparently gives titles to all its trailers, and the teaser for the sequel (which appeared in the PS3 version of Bioshock the First) was titled (you guessed it) Sea of Dreams. The developers considered making it an official subtitle to the game, but have ultimately decided to follow the "title + number" format that's worked so well for Madden throughout the years. We hope this is the last chapter in this confusing saga, though it doesn't really matter. An aquatic, morally ambiguous FPS/RPG by any other name would smell just as sweet.
GDC09: 2K as confused about 'Sea of Dreams' as we are
This is getting ridiculous. After confirming that the Sea of Dreams subtitle had been dropped from BioShock 2 and then confirming that it hadn't been dropped, it seems like 2K is taking too many of its own plasmids. Following a serious back and forth regarding the game's name at GDC, 2K eventually settled on "no comment." The company says that there should be an official answer by the end of the week.Kind-hearted folk that we are, we've decided to help out 2K marketing by putting the question to a key demographic: Joystiq readers!%Poll-28455%
BioShock 2 not waiving Sea of Dreams subtitle
It looks like someone at 2K missed the memo. After confirming last week to Joystiq that BioShock 2 had dropped its Sea of Dreams subtitle, 2K has now unconfirmed the news to Eurogamer. So, to reiterate, the full title is, in fact, BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams. It's a shame because we were really hoping to pitch a new subtitle. Alas, it looks like BioShock 2: Big Daddy Day Care just wasn't meant to be.Joystiq will be spending some quality time with the game in the very near future. Stay tuned.
2K to release BioShock 2 simultaneously on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC
2K Games has told CVG that the company is "aiming for simultaneous release" of BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The company didn't specify a time for this simultaneous release, but GameStop gives us a potential guess, at least for North America: October 5. Since CVG is a British site, we've asked 2K to clarify the region to which the article refers.2K also told CVG that it would release concrete details about BioShock 2's multiplayer "soon enough," which is clearly not true, because we don't have said details right now. Or ... now.
2K dashes BioShock 2's subtitle 'Dreams'
While fueling our nightmares with images of the Big Sister and her giant needle, 2K Games has done away with a Sea of Dreams -- a.k.a. the original subtitle for BioShock 2. Games blog Primotech noticed the omission whilst browsing Game Informer's cover story on the game and received confirmation of the change by way of a 2K community rep.We contacted 2K Marin, where we'd recently sat one room away from where the hotly anticipated sequel is being developed, and were told the same by the game's publicist. (Who has no doubt played it -- but we're not jealous, no way. After all, we'll be hopping in a Bathysphere and returning to Rapture ourselves early next month.)
Rumor: BioShock 2 to feature multiplayer
If you ever thought to yourself, "Yeah, BioShock is great, but I really wish it had a CTF mode," then this is the post for you! The Game Informer issue with all of the details on BioShock 2 is finally starting to get into people's hands, and one tidbit indicates that the 2K Marin-developed sequel will indeed feature multiplayer, though the extent of that mode is uncertain at this time. We're not privy as to exactly what multiplayer modes will be available, but we've got a few choice ideas of our own. Big Daddy: This one is a given, with one player taking on the role of Big Daddy, scoring points with each kill. The remaining players must work together (and against each other) to take him down, with the player that dealt the killing blow taking over the role of Big Daddy in the next round. Splice and Dice: This mode is team-based, and features one side of melee weapon-wielding Splicers who are allowed one Plasmid power. The opposing side is composed of plain old humans. With guns. Team Slayer: It's UNSC Spartans vs. the Covenant aliens in this fight to the death. Players fight until one side reaches 50 points. Little Sister Convoy: One team is tasked with escorting a Little Sister from Point A to Point B. While transporting her, the opposing team must take down the convoy and nab the Little Sister for themselves. Care to come up with a few of your own?
Play the first-ever Big Daddy in BioShock 2
"You don't play just any Big Daddy in BioShock 2. You play the first ever."Game Informer's BioShock 2 cover story is slowly making their way to subscribers, and the real details are far more exciting than the fantasy. Players take control of the very first Big Daddy, and will be able to use plasmids while still donning its iconic drill. Your quest will have you confronting other Big Daddies and a familiar moral dilemma: do you harvest the Little Sisters or do you adopt them?[Thanks to Philip B. for the info! We'll be updating this post as new info comes in -- and we always welcome a tip.]
Bioshock 2: Rapture sure has changed [update]
Update: A 2K employee was kind enough to hop on the forums and clarify this for us, stating the "rumor circulating is not true." Well then, that's that. For the real details, you'll want to check this post out.Have you cats heard of this Bioshock 2 game? Well, apparently it's a big deal. It's on the cover of the latest Game Informer and everything. Some folks that subscribed to that magazine have received the latest issue and headed right for the 2K forums, taking care to drop all of the deets about the sequel.According to posts over there, the game takes place 7 years after the original and stars Jake Abbot, a private investigator sent to Rapture to find a girl abducted by the Big Sister. Oh, and there's supposedly only 1 Big Sister, and no Big Daddies. It's stated the game will feature 2-player co-op and new enemies, including Soviet soldiers, spliced dogs (what the funk?), and bi-pedal robots (you can hack them). New Plasmids are also mentioned, such as one that grants you the ability to slow down time and another that allows you to hear the thoughts of your enemies, revealing keypad codes and enemy weaknesses. There is said to also be underwater exploration segments, where the player will have to don a scuba suit to access some of the flooded areas of Rapture.And that's about it. Sound legit? If you happen to have received your issue of Game Informer, send us a picture verifying this. We'll be your BFF.[Via Shacknews]
Game Informer cover confirms Big Sisters, return to Rapture for BioShock 2
As confirmed by Take-Two during today's investors call, the April issue of Game Informer features a cover story on BioShock 2. The mag's site has now posted said cover image, providing a first look at the new "Big Sister" character teased by the game's official site, along with confirmation that players will be returning to the first BioShock's setting: the underwater city of Rapture.The Big Sister looks to be as iconic as her predecessor, the Big Daddy, sporting interesting details including bows tied to her Little Sister "carrying cage" and what appears to be either an arm-mounted rifle or potentially -- not to mention more fittingly -- a large ADAM syringe. Click on the source link for a Big Daddy Sister-sized version of the cover.
There's Something in the Sea and it's BioShock 2 info
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/There_s_Something_in_the_Sea_and_it_s_BioShock_2_info'; Details are (probably intentionally) slim on this mysterious site, www.somethinginthesea.com, discovered by a Joystiq tipster. At the moment, it's nothing but a picture of a map, with a marking labeled 2/20/67, and a few weathered documents in front of it. But it's totally marketing for BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams.One of the papers is the image seen above, which is a drawing of the same Big Daddy doll seen in the BioShock 2 trailer. One of the letters describes the doll a bit: "The head resembles a helmet, the feet could be heavy boots." The letter speculates that the doll "resembles particulars" of an "attacker" that carried out a recent kidnapping.We're presenting the trailer again after the break, in the hope that one of you BioShockologists will see some new connections between the material on the site and the trailer. Let us know in the comments![Thanks, Dominique!]
Rumorong: BioShock 2 'New Daddy' screen is concept art from original game
While we've got our fingers crossed for some new assets in BioShock 2 (would you really visit the same Rapture twice?), the "New Daddy" pictured above will not be one of them. This image popped op on the Bioshock 2 Forums today initially claiming to be a new "experimental" suit for the sequel's Big Daddies. As it turns out, this is just a really old suit dug up from an E3 2006 press kit for the original game. "The guy that wrote [the Bioshock 2 Forums post] either didn't know or did it on purpose," a 2K representative told videogaming247. Clearly, he didn't know: "When I saw this picture I jumped on the chance to get something fresh, unfortunately, it was something that had already been released in 2006," reads an update on the post.Still, as the poster argues, the ancient design is likely fair game for BioShock 2. After all, if Sea of Dreams is a prequel, why not make use of some pre-release assets from the first game? (Can you tell we're drowning in skepticism?)
BioShock franchise has 'potential' for five sequels
Talking with MCV, 2K Games global prez Christoph Hartmann admits that the BioShock franchise could churn out five total sequels in its life, but promises that 2K won't just "cash in" on the title. Talking about the potential for future sequels, Hartmann says that "if we spin it the right way and get the right twist of innovation, we can make six parts of it, as Star Wars did." Something that Star Wars did do, but video games are a bit different and as much as Hartmann wants to compare BioShock to Star Wars, it's clear to us that BioShock is its own beast. Just be careful 2K. Just be careful.[Via Joystiq]
Coming 2017: Bioshock 6?
Cristoph Hartmann, President of 2K Games, has said in an interview with MCV that Bioshock could potentially be spun into a six-game series. Hartmann promises that they won't "cash in" on the game, but that the title's story and universe has potential to be expanded on almost indefinitely. "For Bioshock, because it's so story driven, the question obviously arises: how long can you do it without turning into The Matrix?" Hartmann goes on to say that "if we spin it the right way and get the right twist of innovation, we can make six parts of it, as Star Wars did. It's a fight between good and evil, just like Bioshock." So who knows, maybe Bioshock will continue to evolve and become a long running video game series. It's a strong brand with an excellent story and premise, but we're holding out to see how Bioshock 2 goes later this year before asking for four more.
BioShock has 'potential' for numerous sequels, suggests 2K boss
2K Global President Christoph Hartmann says BioShock could have plenty of sequels, but he promises the company won't "cash in" on the franchise. Speaking with MCV, Hartmann states that with the "right twist of innovation," the series has the potential to span, oh, six parts ... "as Star Wars did." (BioShock 6: Revenge of the Lil' Sithsters, anyone?)Although Ken Levine might be giggling all the way to the bank with sequel royalties, we'd like to see how BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams turns out before we get excited about a six-part aquatic epic. Also, wasn't Star Wars just a trilogy? Please, join us in our denial.
Take-Two revenue up $556M in '08, talks '09 plans
Despite what he calls "clearly uncertain and challenging times," Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick said during an investor teleconference today that fiscal year 2008 saw the "strongest earnings in our company's history." Specifically, the publisher's revenue for FY08 was $1.5 billion, up from $981.8 million in FY07. Quarterly revenue for Q408 was $323.4M versus $292.6M for Q407.Zelnick admitted that the company is "experiencing lower than expected holiday sales," adding that it predicts, "significantly reduced sales expectations for the next four months." CEO Ben Feder pointed out that while it is selling well now, Midnight Club: Los Angeles got off to a "slower than expected start."Feder pointed out that the publisher's Metacritic average across all its titles in FY08 was 80%, saying it was "higher than any other publisher." Looking ahead, he confirmed that "Rockstar has one triple-A title in development which will release in calendar year 2009," but reacted to a question about a possible new GTA in 2010 by saying, "it's way to early to talk about."
BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams trailer in HD, 'destined' for 360, PS3, PC
After forcing us to settle for some blurrycam footage of the BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams teaser stuffed into the PS3 release of BioShock's capacious BD-ROM, 2K Games has finally wised up and released a direct-feed trailer (which we've wrangled into a Flash-prison for you above). If you'd rather check it out on your Plasmatron holovision, you can take a look at the Xbox Live Marketplace and/or the PlayStation Network ... really, we won't mind.Now, as to whether or not the sequel will see a simultaneous release on both consoles (not to mention PC), or be a timed exclusive, a 2K rep told GameSpot that, "BioShock 2 is destined for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC platforms." We'll translate for you, just in case your PR-speak is rusty: "We're waiting for someone to park an eighteen-wheeler full of cash in front of our offices." Download in HD (20MB) [Via X3F]
Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams teaser confirmed
Remember that rumored teaser trailer for BioShock 2 that was reportedly found within the depths of the PlayStation 3 version of BioShock? After a week of speculation, 2K Games has confirmed the trailer is legitimate. Gamers can download the trailer on the official BioShock website and on the Xbox Live Marketplace, now. Considering the trailer can be accessed on the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 it appears that the title will find its way to all platforms but 2K rep Charlie Sinhaseni was a bit cagey on the details in a response to GameSpot, saying only "BioShock 2 is destined for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC platforms." No announcement has been made regarding any kind of release schedule, timed exclusivity or exclusive downloadable content for BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams, which is being developed by 2K Marin and not 2K Boston -- developers of the award-winning original. Time to open that wallet Microsoft! Download in HD (20MB)
Bioshock 2 officially on PS3, goes multiplatform
By now, you must have seen the footage of that BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams teaser trailer. The trailer, which supposedly gets unlocked after beating the newly released PS3 title, led people to believe that the aquatic adventure's second voyage would also make a PS3-bound journey. Dispelling rumors, 2K Games confirmed to Gamespot that Sea of Dreams will be a multiplatform release "destined for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC platforms." 2K did not specify whether this multiplatform announcement meant a simultaneous release across all platforms. The PS3 version of the first BioShock launched exactly one year after its 360 counterpart. It wouldn't be surprising to see a similar case of timed-exclusivity happen again.[Update: high quality teaser trailer after the break.]
Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams teased within the depths of the PS3 original
According to internet chatter, a teaser trailer for 2K Marin's sequel to the critically acclaimed shooter has been discovered. CVG is reporting that a teaser for the upcoming sequel unlocks within the menus of the PlayStation 3 version when the game is completed. The trailer opens with a title card that reads "Atlantic Ocean" and pans away from a Big Daddy stuffed animal being held by, what looks like, a grown up Little Sister as she looks off into the water. Pillars then begin to form around her and the title screen reveals the name "Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams." Joystiq has contacted 2K Games for confirmation on the game and trailer.[Thanks, webster1990]
