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First (and only) look at Irrational's canceled zombie game 'Division 9'
It was rough yesterday when we heard that Irrational Games had a really incredible sounding zombie game called "Division 9" buried under its floorboards, never to be released. Ask our loved ones, we cried, moped, cried some more, and then consumed tubs of Chubby Hubby. We lost count -- it was that bad. And now that we've seen screens and video of the project, via Game Informer; now that we know the game has a dark, desperate, realistic feel that's even better than we imagined? Well, it's frankly more than we can bear. If you need us, we'll be in the frozen desserts aisle ... or maybe the whiskey aisle. Jury's still out.
Vodafone reportedly ditching the HD2 as iPhone launch looms (update: nope!)
Here's an interesting one. Vodafone, which is one of the few carriers in the world right now with access to HTC's HD2, is reportedly not going to stock the handset any longer once its current supply evaporates. The reason? Why, that's a fantastic question! According to a company spokesperson, there has been a "massive amount of interest" in the big-screen mobile, with initial stock "selling out quickly and subsequent deliveries used to fulfill backorders." Call us crazy, but it seems a wee bit foolish to can a product that's selling well -- unless, of course, Voda has a certain amount of iPhones that it'll be required to sell just a few months from now (or else buy 'em itself). Whatever the case, we're told that the operator "will not [be] re-stocking the HTC HD2 for general consumer sales once current stock runs out," so if you're jonesing for one, ten minutes ago would've been a great time to buy. Update: Here's the latest from Vodafone: "We haven't recalled or stopped selling it, at the moment we have simply ran out of stock. When our next batch of stock arrives, this will be used to fulfill our outstanding back orders but we won't be taking any additional orders via Telesales." Update 2: HTC pinged us directly and apologized for being unclear. Here's the bottom line: "[The] HD2 will continue to be available on Vodafone, even after the iPhone launches." Update 3: Wow, this is a train wreck. Now we're hearing that it'll only be available for "business users," making both Vodafone and HTC correct thanks to tricky wording. Sheesh.
Jagex cancels MechScape at significant cost, restarts anew
Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard has indeed confirmed the cancellation of MechScape, although you wouldn't quite know it from his comments, which seem excited to be working on a different title with a new direction. This isn't the first time an in-development MMO has been rebooted in favor of a completely new direction, although Tabula Rasa at least kept its original name. Why the sudden decision? According to Gerhard, MechScape wasn't able to avoid the same pitfalls of RuneScape. Of course, making such a move is going to cost Jagex millions, but their current financial success will be shouldering the weight. The new game -- known as Stellar Dawn -- should be coming in 2010 and will be based on the MechScape graphics engine. The big changes planned for Stellar Dawn are content and combat focused, although no specifics were given by Gerhard. It's a bold move, no doubt, and sometimes this industry favors such decisions -- other times it punishes them significantly. Whether you look at this as stalled (Tabula Rasa) or prolonged (everything Blizzard) development, you have to admit it creates a notable amount of interest in Jagex's 2010 game.
Beastly HDX 18 no longer available from HP, dv8 to blame?
We fully understand that the market for 18.4-inch gaming laptops is a niche one, so we suppose this all makes sense from a business perspective, but still -- we can't help but shed a tear. HP's beastly, benchmark-smashing HDX 18 (and HDX 18t) has been forcibly removed from the outfit's website, with even cached links leading to a customization page turning up "Sorry!" portals. The marginally smaller HDX 16 remains alive and well, but it seems as if the 18-inch dv8 is your only option now when selecting a larger-than-life lappie from the folks at HP. Gotta keep keepin' on, we guess. [Thanks, pyro92005]
SimCastle and SimMars scrapped in favor of The Sims
After breaking our hearts by showing us the Road Rash remake which never will be, the gaming industry's Encyclopedia Brown, supererogatory, dug up another pair of intriguing titles which sadly never saw the light of day. The personal blog of game designer Ward Moore mentions two Sim games which were ultimately canceled in order to focus on the blockbuster The Sims franchise: SimCastle, a game based on the SimTown engine set in medieval times, and SimMars, which ... simulated life on Mars, we guess? Moore's blog included a look at the called-off Martian endeavor, seen above. The blog of illustrator Corey Keller includes a few conceptual designs from SimCastle, one of which can be seen after the jump. SimAnt, which perplexingly somehow got made while these two promising titles didn't, can be seen here. Life can be awfully unfair at times.
Did Dell quietly kill the XPS 730 gaming rig?
We're not claiming that the suits in Round Rock really have a 187 on their hands just yet, but the evidence is mounting. For quite some time, Dell's XPS 730 gaming PC was the outfit's flagship unit, throwing down insane benchmarks and garnering boatloads of cash from those willing to pay the premium for cutting-edge hardware. Now, however, it seems that the lesser XPS 720 is the only classmate remaining, with all links to the 730 leading to soul-crushing "We're Sorry..." pages. To make matters worse, Dell CSRs have apparently been telling inquisitive consumers that they have phased out the 730 and are pushing folks to select an Alienware machine instead. So, do any of you folks know of some backdoor way to keep ordering this here beast, or should we really break out the new Brand New CD and paint our eyelids black in memoriam?[Thanks, Garry]Update: Seems it's still around in some corners of the globe (we're lookin' at you, Canada), so maybe it's just the whiny Americans getting the shaft. Typical.
Darkmoon Faire France cancelled
Upper Deck has posted on their site that they have canceled the upcoming Darkmoon Faire event in France for the TCG. They've been having events all over the world of this kind, featuring tournaments, exhibitions, and interaction with the game's officials and designers (I checked out one such event when it was in Chicago last year). And while they had planned to hold a Faire in Paris in 2009, apparently it's not going to happen -- they say there was "complications" with the "venue," and the event has been shut down. They are still trying to come to France, however: they're hoping to hold an event called the Tournois du Voile d'Hiver ("Tournament of Winter's Veil" in English) in Toulouse in November.And this really does just look like a schedule conflict, as they are still holding events in Amsterdam, Austin, and Vegas later on in 2009, and from what we've seen at various conventions this year, Upper Deck's WoW-related TCG and minis games are bigger than ever (in fact, given what I saw at Gen Con and have heard from various UD employees, it's possible that the WoW games are the company's biggest-selling non-sports product). They're planning to bring the Darkmoon Faire back to Paris next year, and that's probably exactly what they'll do.
Gamersyde told Beyond Good and Evil 2 is 'on hold' - Ubisoft won't comment
Bad news for you Jade and Uncle Pey'J fans out there: Gamersyde was apparently told last week at GamesCom that Beyond Good and Evil 2 is currently in the freezer with no thaw date. Staff writer Colin Solal Cardo tweeted that he received "confirmation" from Ubisoft that the title was "on hold for now." Joystiq's attempts to receive comment from Ubisoft have been met by either silence or a statement that the company will not comment on "rumors and speculation." Well, if no one at Ubisoft told Mr. Cardo that the game was "on hold for now" then why not say as much? Ubisoft's noncommittal aloofness doesn't end there: a couple months ago the company's North American president didn't seem to recognize a sequel was in production; Ubisoft has yet to simply confirm active production of the game it chose to close out its Ubidays 2008 event with. So, Ubisoft gets fans riled up and now won't even offer a simple update on the status of the game's development. Classy!
Internet archaeologists discover artifacts of cancelled PS3/360 Indiana Jones game
Originally, LucasArts' Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings was planned to be released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 as well. After a couple of years of troubled development, the next-gen version was shelved, and a few months later the game arrived on Wii, DS, PSP, and PS2.Unseen64, following a car chase, a fistfight with Nazis, and a trip through a booby-trapped cave, unearthed early footage and screens of the next-gen game. We've got one rough gameplay clip after the break; check the site for more early gameplay and test animations, and decide for yourself if LucasArts chose wisely or poorly.[Thanks, Werner C!]
ASUS kills USB 3.0-laden P6X58 motherboard for reasons unknown
Such a shame, no? As has become all too common in the uncertain world known as ASUS' R&D lab, it looks as if yet another promising product has been canned before it ever had a chance to truly live. After the aforementioned company's P6X58 Premium motherboard set the world ablaze just over a week ago, primarily due to the USB 3.0 sockets shown there on the left, the mainboard has reportedly been canceled for reasons unknown. According to a report over at The Inquirer, an ASUS spokesperson claimed that the mobo had been shelved "not for any particularly interesting reasons," leaving us to wonder when we'll ever see a motherboard equipped with that so-called SuperSpeed magic. Our true emotions are captured nicely in the video just past the break.[Via HotHardware]
Belkin kills the FlyWire -- does wireless HD / HDMI even have a chance?
We sort of saw the writing on the wall, but now Belkin has went and made it official: the FlyWire is dead. Originally showcased at CES 2008 and at practically every AV-related trade show since, the wireless HD-enabling FlyWire was seen as the poster child for wireless HD / HDMI by many, and the death of this product certainly doesn't bode well for the technology as a whole. It's true that AMIMON -- the wireless startup responsible for the WHDI technology within the FlyWire and a few other devices -- just landed an extra $10 million in VC funding, but still, we've literally been waiting years for this so-called "promising technology" to get a foothold in the market. Or even make a wave, really.As has become customary these days, Belkin is also pinning the cancellation of the FlyWire on the economy, with a spokesperson telling us that the "retail price of $1,499 would be out of line given the current state of the economy." She continued by stating that the company has "opted to halt production of FlyWire" and "will no longer be introducing [it] to the market." Granted, the company does seem somewhat apologetic, concluding that "there will be some disappointed folks out there, but [Belkin's] end goal is to introduce products that are accessible and that make sense in the current environment." Frankly, we're not buying it. In April, Belkin affirmed to us that while AMIMON's WDHI technology was "solid," it was taking its sweet time in order to "pay very close attention to the user experience, such as the packaging, setup, and the quick install guide." We could be way off base here, but we'd say the economy was sucking quite a bit harder in April than it is today. And honestly, that's beside the point. A $1,500 device that enabled a Blu-ray player to communicate wirelessly with an HDTV is obviously a luxury item, and regardless of unemployment numbers, Belkin had to know that the FlyWire would only appeal to upscale consumers. You know, the same folks who also put in an order for a Ferrari California in 1H 2009 while their hedge fund dived. To us, the sudden death of the FlyWire is more of an industry signal than anything. For quite some while, we've been wondering when the industry at large would embrace wireless HD and HDMI technology, and now we're beginning to think that said embrace will never happen in any significant capacity. Even Wireless USB couldn't cut it, and we're guessing there are an awful lot more USB users out there than HDMI. If the price dropped dramatically and the sector consolidated a bit in order to agree on a single standard, we'd say wireless HD / HDMI has a fighting chance. 'Til that happens, you can pretty much bank on the FlyWire fiasco becoming a model for the rest. Belkin's statement in full is past the break.
Rumor: Factor 5 was working on a sci-fi PS3 exclusive
After Lair tanked, things haven't been going all too well for Factor 5. In fact, things got so bad that the company's North American arm was severed not too long ago. Along with the loss of that studio came the loss of the games it was working on -- specifically the one pictured above.The image comes courtesy of Unseen64, which got a hold of a whole set of concept art from Factor 5's canceled and untitled PS3 exclusive. Looking closely at the artwork, it's obvious Factor 5 was working on some sort of space-age odyssey, which appears to most resemble a shooter, or even possibly an RPG. Maybe both ... like a Mass Effect equivalent for PS3, perhaps.
Rumor: Peep the Warhawk game that might have been
Resumé watchers Superannuation, spotted an interesting mention on concept artist John Duggan's profile: Concept art for a PlayStation Warhawk sequel. In his three-year stint (1996-1999) at Sony's (now-defunct) 989 Studios, Duggan worked on a number of unreleased projects, one of which was Warhawk 2. Concept art listed on his profile (pictured above) paint a very different picture for the planned sequel's visual style in comparison to what eventually became Incognito's Warhawk on the PlayStation 3. Sure, Warhawk is a lot of fun now... but imagine if you could pimp into battle with a flying version of The Homer or Spider-style hawk that would make Jon Peters proud. Someone start a DLC petition, stat!
Accessory to murder: Sony Ericsson cans the AB900 and MBS-900?
If you'd been saving the quid for an AB900 or MBS-900, well... we don't really know how to put this, but it looks like you're going to need to find some other way to spend the cash. SEMC Blog astutely notes that the pair of Bluetooth accessories have been unceremoniously scrubbed from Sony Ericsson's official site, an ominous sign that they may have been canceled. Clearly, they're not the only in-car handsfrees or stereo speakers on the market, but they were cool -- and we'd be lying if we said the thought of their cancellations didn't make us inexplicably want them just a bit more.
See screens, video from canceled 3D Space Quest *platformer*
He's defeated Sariens, foiled Sludge Vohaul and even uncovered a sinister plot by ScumSoft. Still, after all of that, little has been heard from mop-wielding hero Roger Wilco, star of Sierra's venerable Space Quest series, in well over a decade. And judging by images and a video posted by game designer Brett Johnson of a canceled seventh game in the franchise, it's a good thing.The long-rumored sequel looked to sweep its PC roots under the rug, trading pointing and clicking for running and jumping as a 3D platformer for the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox. In fact, the game, which was being helmed by developer Escape Factory, bore little resemblance at all to the Space Quest that series fans had grown to love. Still, it's somewhat interesting to look at the Space Quest game that might have been, but like the Labion Terror Beast, it's best appreciated from a distance.[Via superannuation]
Tevri of Shandris royally screws us
Well, say goodbye to patch 3.1, guys. Tevri of Shandris has made sure that the developers will never release it. All those who say Blizzard never listens to its customers, well, here's your proof you're wrong. 3.1 is cancelled. Forever. In a thread innocently asking when 3.1 would be coming out, Blizzard CM Crygil remarked that it would be out soon. Tevri, in his infinite wisdom, decided that this was, in fact, too soon, and told Crygil as much. Crygil immediately responded that he would inform the devs to cancel 3.1 development. So, great job, Tevri! Way to royally screw us! My dream of not being able to cast Slow Fall on NPCs has completely disappeared, and it's all your fault.Tomorrow's Breakfast Topic: How are we going to gank Tevri?
ASUS' P565 superphone canned due to Garmin partnership?
Sad business if true, but the UnwiredView is reporting that ASUS' P565 Windows Mobile 6.1-toting, VGA, HSDPA, Blazing 800MHz (Marvell PXA930) monster has been quietly dumped. The reason? Nobody's talking and we've not heard reports from either Garmin or ASUS to verify it either way -- it has apparently launched in Germany and Poland, at least -- but according to GPSAndCo, its debut in France isn't happening and they point to the new partnership as the reason. In the end, it does seem as if the Garmin / ASUS team is going to deliver some pretty serious goods, so we'll not shed a tear unless something happens to them, too. Of course, this could all be fluff, so do tell us if you catch sight of one of these at your local shop.[Via UnwiredView]
Apple's Insomnia Film Festival cancelled
Excited for Apple's Insomnia Film Festival? Don't hold your breath -- Apple has contacted participants via email to say that the event has been canceled. The "festival" was supposed to be Apple giving participants a list of elements and 24 hours to make a three-minute film about them, but after some unexpected server problems, the festival was postponed until after the holidays last year. The website is gone, and they are now saying that they are "unable to reschedule the festival as hoped," which means it's off indefinitely. The email also says that Apple teams "constantly seek new and better ways to showcase your artistic expression," and that there will be other "opportunities to participate in Apple creative festivals." Unfortunately, they're no more specific than that -- it's unknown whether the problems last year are still going on, or if Apple has something else going down that can't conflict with Insomnia. It's too bad -- it would have been great to see what kinds of films came out of the competition. But of course given what's going on with the economy and what's happening at AAPL, this was probably just the first corner cut.
First, and last, look at Red Faction: B.E.A.S.T.
Looking for another new "core" third-person shooter for the Wii? We suggest you look in an alternate universe where Locomotive Games was not shut down. The developer was working on a new entry in THQ's Red Faction series, called Red Faction: B.E.A.S.T., for the Wii. Their last project prior to this was the Wii version of Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed.It seems that after the cancellation and the studio closure, somebody released a bunch of character renders and video footage of the unannounced game and sent it to Unseen64. The video is a bit, uh, YouTube-quality, but it clearly shows some pretty nice lighting effects as well as the destructible environments that are Red Faction's trademark.%Gallery-42384%
Neil Young's Archives Blu-ray collection likely axed, will be DVD only
We're pretty sure we speak for music / Blu-ray fans everywhere when we say: "What?" At the JavaOne Conference in San Francisco earlier this year, one of the main news bits to emerge from the show was that Neil Young's entire music archive was going to be released in Blu-ray form. In fact, it was even stressed that BD interactivity would give purchasers the ability to download more songs, photos and tour information via their internet-connected decks. Now, we're hearing that the Archives Volume 1 (1963 - 1972) is being relegated to DVD only, and even the DVD collection is being delayed from November 3rd to "sometime in 2009." Of course, there's still time for Reprise to change its mind and appease all the Blu-ray lovers out in the crowd, but we aren't feeling too optimistic about the possible change of heart.[Image courtesy of Mashable]
