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WarDevil not canceled after all, will now live on as 'Project Kane'
Ignition has decided against canceling WarDevil, a game that has been in development at the publisher's London studio for five years now, despite earlier reports to the contrary. Instead, the game will live on under the title "Project Kane" -- a title to which we've heard references before. WarDevil and Project Kane are now combined into one project at the London studio, with a projected launch date of Q4 2011. The London studio was to be shuttered back in September, but Ignition changed its mind the next month. The studio lives on and will continue developing the game under its new title. Ignition was also forced to shutter its Florida office this month, which was knee-deep in development of a sci-fi FPS called Reich.
Video: Ignition's canceled sci-fi FPS, Reich
It's been a rough quarter for Ignition. Earlier this month, the company was forced to shut down its Flordia branch and had to cancel a game it had in development for five years, WarDevil. Today, that pain is increased five-fold, as some footage of Reich, a first-person shooter in development at the Florida offices and, naturally, a casualty of the recent layoffs, has emerged over at GameVideos. Based on the five different videos we've embedded past the break, we're pretty bummed out. Reich looks like a neat sci-fi shooter with quality physics. What say you all?
Report: Ignition Florida shutting its doors
More trouble for Ignition Entertainment -- after the recent closure of its London studio and the subsequent cancellation of WarDevil, it looks like Reich is headed for the same fate, as the company's Florida studio is now closed, according to a report from Gamasutra. Unconfirmed reports say that all of the studio's 70 employees were let go by the company and escorted off of the premises by executives and police officers. Calls to the studio went unanswered, although a rep from Ignition says that Reich is still being worked on, but that the company is "refocusing it in the right direction." If the rumors are true, that just leaves Ignition offices in Tokyo and Los Angeles, with El Shaddai left standing as the main title in development for the company. Even if Reich is still in development, rumors say it's cost the company as much as $23 million so far. Quite the disaster indeed.
Ignition shutting down London studio, fate of WarDevil under evaluation
Ignition Entertainment is in the process of shutting down its west London development studio, reports GamesIndustry.biz. The closure will result in an unspecified number of layoffs, and stalls the progress of WarDevil and another project, uh, Project Kane. The studio is expected to officially close on October 31. Formerly known as Digi-Guys, the Ignition London studio, located in Ealing, has been toiling over various incarnations of WarDevil for years. A "WarDevil: Unleash the Beast Within" demo was first shown at TGS ... 2005. The last update on the game dates back to roughly a year ago, when Edge magazine toured the studio and saw two tech demos (one on the original Xbox!). According to Ignition group chairman Hassan Sadiq, the mysterious WarDevil and the even more mysterious Project Kane just passed new, six-month proof-of-concept phases, and "the board and studio management are currently evaluating [...] whether the required quality will be achieved by completing internally or with an external partner." Ignitiion, which was acquired by Indian media conglomerate UTV in 2007, will continue to operate its corporate headquarters out of London, with a focus on publishing; though Sadiq assured that projects underway at Ignition's other studios in Austin, Gainesville (Fla.), Beijing and Tokyo (where the intriguing action game El Shaddai is in development) are "ramping up." The company's most recent release was Zombie Studios' Blacklight: Tango Down, a downloadable mutliplayer FPS.
El Shaddai's ascension bumped to Spring 2011
Previously, Ignition Entertainment had tentatively dated its super bizarre action game, El Shaddai, for "2010." Given the impending closure of that release window, the publisher has revised that time frame to "Spring 2011." The new date was revealed in a TGS preview of the game published by Famitsu. Ignition has also released a grip of new images sure to impress those among us with a proclivity for naughty anime -- we especially covet the totally accidental upshirt shots (like this one). Ignition is said to be focusing its Tokyo Game Show efforts on El Shaddai, so expect to see more on the game in the coming days.
Swarm preview: strength in numbers
Hothead revealed Swarm for the first time back at E3. Then, we didn't know much about the game -- it's actually still in pre-Alpha, despite a launch window of "early 2011." We were given a demo of the game at PAX and finally came to understand what we were dealing with. It's hard to see the game and not compare it to Lemmings. Both games have a seemingly dull-witted cast who have found themselves inexplicably stuck in an incredibly dangerous environment. And both have the same means to persevere: teamwork. %Gallery-101328%
Swarm gameplay trailer plays follow the leader
While the first trailer for Hothead's Swarm didn't feature any gameplay, it did show off the many, many ways to kill the game's main characters -- those little blue ... things. We're feeling that Lemmings vibe again in this new PAX trailer, which introduces the first gameplay footage. All those gruesome deaths? Just as comically effective in game. Head past the break to see for yourself.%Gallery-101328%
Blacklight: Tango Down goes up July 7 [update]
If Guybrush's hunt for the Big Whoop leaves you wanting something more visceral, you'll be glad to hear he won't be alone on Wednesday, July 7: The punny pirate will arrive alongside Zombie Studios' Blacklight: Tango Down (1200 MSP / $15) on XBLA, says Microsoft. We wouldn't be surprised to see Zombie's multiplayer shooter on PC and PSN that week, as well. Update: Blacklight has been removed from the press release (see source), and Microsoft's previously published release date for the XBLA title is now in question. A spokesperson for Ignition Entertainment, the game's publisher, told Shacknews that Blacklight has "not received a release date." We've reached out to Ignition and Microsoft for further clarification. Update 2: A representative for Ignition tells us, "There's still no confirmed release date for Blacklight. We saw all the posts saying it's the 7th ... but we really don't know if that will be the date. We should know later this week when the official launch will be. Officially, we are saying 'summer' until further notice." Update 3 [7/6/10]: Ignition has confirmed Blacklight's July 7 release on XBLA. The PSN and PC versions will follow "in the coming weeks." %Gallery-86900%
Ignition reveals Japan's next pseudo-religious action game, El Shaddai
Ignition Entertainment's Japanese branch has posted a teaser site for a new PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. A teaser trailer shows a cel-shaded (ish) character looking out over some white dunes -- and then "E3 2010." In the meantime, we can learn more from a Famitsu article about the title. El Shaddai stars Enoch, a human who works as some kind of secretary in heaven, and is charged with stopping fallen angels from flooding the Earth. He's assisted by a powerful angel named, uh, Lucifer. Sawaki Takeyasu, who did character art for Devil May Cry and recently worked as an artist on Infinite Space, is directing El Shaddai for his new independent studio. The gameplay has been designed to emphasize simple combos for new players. It seems likely that Ignition will clarify the game's "2010" release date at E3.
Ignition licenses CryEngine 3 for new action game
With games like Deadly Premonition, Muramasa and Nostalgia, Ignition has made a cottage industry out of bringing oddball titles to market in Europe and North America. You can imagine our surprise to read that the company has licensed Crytek's CryEngine 3 for the first game from its London studio, "a uniquely crafted combat action-adventure" for 360 and PS3. So, wait a minute, the house that brought us Boing! Docomodake DS is cooking up a CryEngine action game on PS3 and 360? Dare we ask? Could this be ... the remix to Ignition?
Amazon discount sparks chart-topping sales of Deadly Premonition
A combination of word-of-mouth promotion and a one-day discount has propelled Access Games and Ignition Entertainment's Deadly Premonition to the top of Amazon's Xbox 360 sales chart this week, according to Gamasutra. The low-budget survival horror game received an unusual range of reviews -- from a 2/10 from IGN to Destructoid's 10/10, with everything in between. Those that did like the game describe it as a combination of Twin Peaks–like storytelling and awkward writing, which are often the key ingredients for a cult hit. Of course, the main motivator for Deadly Premonition's uptick in sales was Amazon's discount. On Wednesday, it was the retailer's Deal of the Day, with its price knocked down from $19.99 to $14.98. Apparently, a lot of people were waiting until it dropped under $20. Sadly, the game has returned to its exorbitant original price.
Swag Sunday: Oh, Nostalgia (DS) [update]
Update: Comments have been closed and a winner shall be emailed expediently! Check your inboxes, dearest readers. Ahhh, nostalgia. It's quite a thing, isn't it? That old familiar feeling. We were just tots 20 years ago when the first Final Fantasy was mere months from its North American release, a game that went on to influence -- be it directly or incidentally -- many of the RPGs we've played since. Like this week's Swag Sunday, the appropriately titled Nostalgia, for instance (appropriately titled for our theme, that is). Joystiq's own JC Fletcher said in his preview that, "The winsome attitude of Nostalgia makes it a nice counterpoint to the self-importance of, say, Final Fantasy games, and the no-frills combat (and ability to make a temporary save file if you need to quit and aren't near a save point) is perfect for short-session handheld play." You see that? He even names Final Fantasy! How's that for sticking with a theme! Anyway, if you'll be so kind as to leave a comment below in the next 24 hours (once only, please) telling us about a nostalgic moment you've had while gaming, you'll be entered for a chance to win a copy of the game. Get to it! Leave a comment telling us about a nostalgic moment you've had while gaming. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec, mostly because of the lack of sweet Fez footage as of late). Limit 1 entry per person per day This entry period ends at 7:31PM ET on Monday, January 18. At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive one copy of Nostalgia for Nintendo DS ($34.99 ARV). For a list of complete rules, click here %Gallery-75764% What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. For more info on our policy, click here.
Ignition and Marvelous have a Deadly Premonition
Ignition Entertainment, partnering with recent publisher BFF Marvelous Entertainment, has announced a new survival horror game for Xbox 360 called Deadly Premonition. The game is the second original work from Access Games, who created the PS2 stealth game Spy Fiction, and also codeveloped The Sky Crawlers and Ace Combat X. The game stars an FBI agent investigating a murder in Silent Hill a rural town full of unexplained events, mysterious characters, and, apparently, dripping blood. It will feature exploration and driving in addition to fighting creepy Jawas. Ignition predicts an early 2010 release. If this game looks familiar to you, you have a really good memory! It was announced back in 2007 as Rainy Woods, and was a multiplatform release at the time. It's now been renamed and targeted just at the 360. %Gallery-77892%
Ignition: Muramasa sales 'in line with expectations'
Muramasa: The Demon Blade publisher Ignition revealed to Gamer Investments a rough estimate of the NPD sales total for its Wii sidescroller, describing the game's September performance as "in the ball park of 35K," with a margin of "15-20%." It might sound low to us, but marketing director Melody Frieda said that the total was "in line with expectations and we're happy with how it's performing to date." She said that positive reviews should help keep sales up through the holidays. The company sees even better potential for the title in the long term: according to Frieda, Ignition is "quite confident that Muramasa will be a revered cult classic like its sister property Odin Sphere," which went on to be released under the PS2's "Greatest Hits" line.%Gallery-33431%
Ignition now publishing Arc Rise Fantasia
Ignition Entertainment has somehow done it again: snagged a Marvelous game out of XSEED's announced lineup. Arc Rise Fantasia, which XSEED announced plans to localize in late 2008, and which was still in XSEED's slate as of E3, has been picked up by Ignition Entertainment for release in summer 2010. The turn-based RPG is developed by Sands of Destruction's imageepoch. New screens (in our gallery) accompany the announcement.When Ignition picked up another previously-announced XSEED Wii title, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, XSEED told Joystiq that Marvelous was taking proposals from publishers and made the final decision to go with Ignition well after XSEED began promoting the title. At the time, we thought that was an anomaly. %Gallery-76288%
Ignition trademarks 'Dragon's Crown,' 'Figland'
Siliconera has been digging around in trademark fillings again, finding Ignition Entertainment's recent application for the rights to Dragon's Crown. The site also found Figland, which appears to have been filed for last year. The trademarks cover the usual stuff around video games, including possible paper publications.Siliconera notes that Ignition president Ajay Chadha told the site at E3 that the company had several new IPs in development -- apparently, we now know two of their names.
Joyswag: Muramasa prize pack [update]
Update: Contest is closed! Keep an eye on your email to see if you won! Thanks for playing!If you didn't take our word on how awesome this game is, then here's your chance to check it out first-hand. One lucky reader will not only receive a copy of Muramasa: The Demon Blade, but we've also got a small collection of poster art for the game. It's a one-two punch of free gaming goodness. Best of luck! Leave a comment telling us which of the game's main characters you prefer: Kisuke or Momohime You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) Limit 1 entry per person per day This entry period ends at 3:00PM ET on Thursday, October 1 At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive Muramasa: The Demon Blade ($50 ARV) and a collection of art cells ($15 ARV) For a list of complete rules, click here
Toyota develops breathalyzer ignition-interlock, BJ McKay promises to hack it
Shoving breathalyzers into MIDs and PNDs has been all the rage overseas for quite a while, and now it looks like Toyota itself is getting in on the act. The breath-alcohol ignition-interlock system features a handset that detects alcohol on your breath (if any) and snaps your mug with a digital camera. Depending on your level of "fun" (that is, alcohol consumption) the thing can be set to alert you (in case you forgot about those three Iron Citys) or lock the vehicle's ignition altogether. In addition, it can be used to monitor vehicles of commercial fleets and notify the boss if the driver shows up sloshed. Testing of the device commences September 1st, and will go through November 30. Historians agree that had this technology been available thirty years ago, the 1970s CB radio craze could have been avoided altogether. [Via Yahoo!]
Muramasa: The Demon Bosses
Ignition has released two new trailers for the always lovely Muramasa: The Demon Blade. The first features the game's bosses, a collection of mythical monsters who can withstand thousands of rapid-fire slashes from Kisuke and Momohime. We've seen many of them, but we weren't familiar with that giant centipede thing. If you enjoy that particular boss as much as we do, be sure to watch the other trailer after the break, originally posted at UGO. Not only does it feature more of that boss, acting both as opponent and surface, it features a one thousand hit combo on that boss.
New trailer looks at Muramasa's Momohime, release set for Sept. 8
Some new Muramasa: The Demon Blade media has been released. This time around, it focuses on Momohime, one of the game's main characters. She's "a princess possessed by a dark spirit and on a quest to recover the cursed demon swords," and each blade she collects gives her different abilities. But none of that matters, really. What does matter is that she can slice and dice baddies with the best of them and, as we've come to expect from Muramasa, she looks great doing it. Watch the new trailer above and then soak up some new screens and artwork below.One more thing, we can finally pin a date on Muramasa. Expect it to hit North American shelves September 8.%Gallery-70004%
