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Don't trip dawg, Saints Row 2 be comin' 2 PC
THQ has confirmed to Big Download that ghetto fabulous Saints Row 2 will be poppin' caps on PC. Originally announced for Xbox 360 and PS3, the game doesn't have an official release date yet for com-pu-ters, but Gamestop lists it with the same launch date as the console version. Saints Row 2 probably plays a significant role in THQ's financial stability, so it's not surprising to hear that the title will try to pick up cheddar from whatever platform it can find it on. THQ recently fired 200 employees and reported a $35 million loss in its last fiscal year. We'll holla back with an update if the publisher gives a release date soon. %Gallery-19838%
No Saints Row 2 for you until October 14th
We have sad, sad news for all fanboys who are lil' gang members in training. THQ just announced that Saints Row 2, which was originally set for release on August 26th, has been delayed until October. October 14th to be exact. THQ cited "marketing issues" and overall "product quality" as reasons for the delay, saying that Saints Row 2 "is done" and that now "it's about polish." Humph ...Polish is always good and we'd rather take a two month delay then see a Saints Row sequel that plays like utter crud. But saying that that doesn't mean we have to be cheery about it. So, our official stance on the delay is anti-cheery acceptance.[Via Joystiq]
THQ delays Saints Row 2 until October 14
THQ has broken our gold-plated hearts (and teeth) by announcing that it will delay the launch of Saints Row 2 until the company's third quarter, from the August 26 release date announced just last month until October 14. According to Reuters, THQ cited marketing issues and product quality as the reasons for the delay, making us hope that the nearly two extra months of development will give Volition enough time to stamp out those remaining bugs. Additionally, while THQ believes that the delay will not have a negative impact on the company's fiscal 2009 performance, given the publisher's recent pink slip party and $35.3 million loss in fiscal 2008, there's really nowhere else to go but up. [Thanks Bo]
The tools of Saints Row 2 destruction
Thanks to Uncle Gary, we already have had a chance to preview some of Saints Row 2's arsenal of weapons, but nothing too in depth. Now, thanks to IGN, we have been graced with a rather extensive list of Saints Row 2 weaponry brought to you by helpful folks at ULTOR. You have your standard Annihilator rocket launcher, AS14 Hammer machine gun and stun gun, but also included in the mix are more interesting tools of destruction like a chainsaw and a (very hot) flamethrower. Make the jump to get all the deets and view a preview of the weapons and vehicles you'll encounter in the vid embedded after the break. Dual wielding shock paddles FTW!
Video: Uncle Gary teaches Saints Row 2 lessons
After hearing about Saints Row 2 getting an August release and at the same time only receiving a not teaserific teaser trailer, we went searching for some actual Saints Row 2 gameplay videos. You know, to see how things are progressing over at THQ. And after our lil' search concluded, we came across three Saints Row 2 video gems. Videos that give us a glimpse at the game's gameplay and showcase some of the game's features all through street lessons taught by that "interesting" dude Gary Busey. No joke, it's the one and only Gary Busey. We'll let the videos speak for themselves (one embedded above, two after the break), but be prepared. The Saints Row 2 gameplay is promising, but Uncle Gary is (how do we put this nicely) ... moderately crazy?
Joystiq impressions: Saints Row 2 (360/PS3)
Never before has a videogame so accurately allowed characters to pantomime taking a dump on a slain enemy. Years from now, when every game has a dozen user-selectable taunts built into it, we'll all look back on August 26's Saints Row 2 as the game that started the virtual dumping trend. And as this article was posted, in the comparison between Saints Row 2 and GTA IV, only the former could claim the virtual, pantomimed dump. Your move, GTA IV. There's more to Saints Row 2, and the rest of it also caters to adolescent boys (or the adolescent boy in us all). You can play co-op with a friend online and just fly helicopters, drive boats, race cars and motorcycles, and otherwise play in the updated Stillwater setting. If you want to follow the story missions--purported to be "darker" than the original by developers--you can both drop in and out of a single-player game in a way that keeps track of each players progress, so you don't miss any content. But, who are we kidding? THQ had fans of Saints Row at "pantomimed dump." %Gallery-19838%
Saints Row 2 settles on August release
Purple color lovers and gangster wannabes, it's time to get ready. Because Saints Row 2 is headed your way this Summer with THQ's announcement that the sequel will hit retailers this August 26th. And as much as we want to say we're excited and are eagerly anticipating its release, we always come back to the fact that Grand Theft Auto IV releases this month. Maybe we're wrong to think that, maybe not and maybe it's just the harsh reality of things. We'll give it time though, play GTAIV through August and see if our Saints Row 2 itch needs to be scratched then.
Saints Row 2 pimp slaps consoles Aug. 26
The pimps, hoes and other assorted citizens of Saints Row are ready to return August 26 on Xbox 360 and PS3. IGN reports the release date was announced at THQ's Gamers' Day event held in San Francisco. The official Saints Row 2 website is now up and blinged to the nines with ghetto fabulousness. Late August seems like enough breathing room between SR2 and GTA IV to give the game a chance. Then again, depending on how over-the-top Saints Row 2 ends up being, it could carve out its own niche. We're just looking forward to some co-op play, because you gotta have friends to survive in the ghetto ... and a pimp hat, yeah, we're gonna need big pimp hats.
Developer admits Saints Row 2 will have 'bugs'
Developer Volition admits that Saints Row 2 "won't be bug free" when it releases. Speaking at the game's unveiling in London, a Volition producer says no title ships bug free, but that the studio is going to do its best to polish the game before it releases this year. He even says the company has "a full QA team" on the project, which given the issues with the first title causes us to imagine it only had a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig named Mortimer testing it. Admitting off the bat there will be bugs is refreshing honesty from a developer, but it's more like preemptive damage control spurred by the fact that Saints Row was known for its comedic code issues. In fact, the bugs were so ridiculous in the game that there was a musical made about them (which can also be found after the break for those afraid of links).
First look at THQ's thuggish Saints Row 2
IGN has the first look scoop on THQ and Volition's gangster sequel Saints Row 2 and all things said, we think the game has some healthy potential.It's obvious that developer Volition took the criticisms of Saints Row and were determined to fix everything possible. For the sequel, they've revamped the game's look, bumped up the amount of dialog, added all kinds of new rides and added the ability to fully "trick out" your character with customization options. You'll not only be able to change your thug's appearance, but you'll even get to change the way he walks and celebrates. Also, your "crib" can be customized to your liking as well. Saints Row 2 sounds to be carrying its own attitude (car bombs FTW!) and its own brand of sandbox style fun, but we cannot help but fear that GTAIV's massive wake will all but drown out any anticipation for Volition's baby. But THQ is confident that it can hold its own, so we'll just have to wait and see if it's a fresh enough experience to pull us away from Liberty City and into Stillwater.
TheStreet.com rattles off the big games of '08
Though we're still shaking off the gaming haze of 2007, aught-eight is under way and waiting for no man. Just when it seems like nothing could top last year's surfeit of incredible games, along comes a feature by TheStreet.com, covering 2008's biggest known releases and reminding us that we're not out of the water yet. Considering their Wall Street pedigree, it shouldn't be surprising that they concentrate mostly on the major public companies and their biggest '08 releases. First up is Take-Two and Grand Theft Auto IV, the obvious frontrunner in terms of sales for '08. Next is EA's Spore, which presents a slightly more muddled outlooks; without a franchise name to build off of, and a nebulous release date, analysts aren't sure where to put it. THQ's been hurting a bit lately, so analysts are hopeful that Saint's Row 2 (expected in '08) along with licensed games (y'know, for kids) will help pull them out of their funk. Oh, and there's some Wii Fit thing which is supposed to make "Nintendo" a bunch of cash. Or something. The last two titles on their list are PS3 exclusives: Metal Gear Solid 4 they say "will be a bigger deal for Sony than for Konami" while LittleBigPlanet could "revive Sony's fortunes in the video games industry." What other big titles should we be looking out for in '08? [Via GamePolitics]
Destroy All Humans, Saint's Row sequels not coming this year
A brief note in publisher THQ's fiscal report (PDF file) indicates that a previously announced sequel to Saint's Row will not be marching until fiscal year 2009. In calendar terms, that means excess excess pimp-slapping won't be coming until at least April 1, 2008. Conspicuously absent from the entire report was a mention of a Destroy All Humans sequel. Though DAH3 was reportedly announced in a German magazine as coming out this calendar year to consoles, no mentions were made of the franchise for either FY 2008 or 2009. It is still listed as one of its key IPs, however. There's always a chance, however slim, that THQ could pull a surprise announcement at next week's Min-E3. Expected this fiscal year from THQ are Stuntman: Ignition, Frontlines: Fuel of War, Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights and MX vs. ATV. Oh, and licensed titles, too.
X3F Achievements 101: Bots, Bosses and Babalities
X3F Achievements 101 is back, and on its regularly scheduled time slot of Sundays. Initial response to our first edition was rather positive, so we're glad you like the concept and hope you enjoy reading, and even participating in the column. Emails with Achievement tips also came in at a good pace, and I look forward to playing and trading with you. One particular email stood out, which came from Casey over at brains-N-brawn.com, and the steps he took to get Achievements in one of the most time consuming Arcade games, Bejeweled 2.
Saints Row 2 will be alive in 2008
During THQ's earnings report, the big whigs on hand announced that they'll be releasing a Saints Row sequel sometime next year. They went on to say that they've canceled plans for porting the original Saints Row to the PS3 and will be using all that team's resources for Saints Row 2. So, Saints Row will remain an Xbox 360 exclusive for the foreseeable future, if not forever.We also can't help but draw a connection between the cancellation of the PS3 port and the release of Grand Theft Auto IV later this year. The competition would not be good for a ported PS3 version of Saints Row, so they probably figured why waste the cash. Speaking of GTA IV, is anyone interested enough in the Saints Row franchise to buy it on top of GTA IV (or ignore a GTA purchase all together) or were all those Saints Row sales filling a GTA void at the time?[Thanks, xBlaCkPlaGuEx]
Saint's Row has been cancelled - also, Saint's Row 2 announced!
The PlayStation 3 port of Saint's Row has been officially cancelled after disappearing from the radar some time ago. THQ announced that all the resources dedicated to the port have been moved to Saint's Row 2, which will come out on the PlayStation 3 as well as the Xbox 360 in 2008. The original Saint's Row came out in 2006 on the Xbox 360 to positive reviews and has gone onto sell an impressive 1.4 million copies.The cancellation will surely upset some people, but I'd rather have a fully developed and polished sequel than a port of a 9 month old game myself. It will give THQ more time to familiarize themselves with the complex architecture of the PS3 and tweak the gameplay of the series. The game was pretty good, but had some technical and gameplay issues (jaw-droppingly dumb storyline aside) that I hope they fix in the sequel.
PS3 Saints Row pimp-slapped and capped, sequel in works
Life ain't easy in the ghetto. THQ announced today that they are canceling the PS3 version of Saints Row and diverting those funds into a sequel for Xbox 360 and PS3. The sequel is scheduled for a 2008 release. THQ CEO Brian Farrell told NextGen, "We've done great things for our brands by putting them in the right time frame ... The most important thing for the Saints Row franchise is to have a simultaneous shipment into a larger installed base next year. That's what we're looking for with Saints Row 2." Saints Row ended up becoming a sleeper hit with 1.4 million units shipped for Xbox 360. The game recently became a platinum hit for the console and costs $29.99. Saints Row surprisingly elevated the GTA-style sandbox game. In the wake of GTA IV's release later this year it'll be interesting to see if Saints Row II can top it in 2008. See also: Saints Row the musical
Saints Row and Lego Star Wars II are platinum
Both Saints Row and Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy are officially turning into Xbox 360 Platinum Hits. As part of Xbox.com's May newsletter, Microsoft announced both titles were going to be retailing for the standard $29.99 Platinum Hits price. We know Saints Row will appeal to some gangster fans, but we can nearly guarantee that most fanboys will find Lego Star Wars II worth the $30 price tag. Congratulations Saints Row and Lego Star Wars II, you're part of the somewhat special Platinum Hits club and now it's time to cash out on that retirement fund.
Live top ten: Agency Ascension
Last week, we had 4 demos on the Xbox Live Activity top ten. This week, we only have one on the list. Gears of War and Rainbow Six: Vegas continue to hold their respective top two spots. Crackdown comes in strong taking third place, pushing Call of Duty 3 down a notch. The Crackdown demo holds its middle of the pack position, even after its retail counterpart has been released. Madden and Lost Planet continue to follow behind, while Oblivion moves up a spot. Pro Evolution Soccer 6 comes in ninth and Saints Row makes a return to the list at tenth. We've got a list ready for you after the break with the title's standings last week in brackets for those statistic hungry types.
THQ cooking up sequels
THQ CFO Ed Zinser talked about the future of their intellectual properties and announced sequels for new gen consoles. Saints Row, Destroy All Humans!, Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights, Stuntman and MX all saw enough success to warrant continuing their respective series. Ed also informed us that they would be released on an every-other-year type schedule. On top of all the aforementioned franchises, Zinser also stated that THQ has fresh intellectual properties that they plan on introducing this generation. Are you looking forward to seeing any of these sequels come to your 360?[Via QJ.net]
THQ announces six franchises to be worked on
THQ CEO Brian Farrell had a conference call recently and thanks to PS3Fanboy tapping all major developer's phone lines (not really... but that would yield some priceless news!), we've learned of six franchises THQ wishes to bring back for some previously unannounced sequels.Farrell belted the titles he wanted to bring back almost as if he had them written down on a napkin: "Saints Row, Stuntman, which will be released this year, Juiced, which is a sequel to the product we launched a couple years ago, Destroy All Humans, MX, and my favorite, Red Faction." This is awesome! With Saints Row on it's way to the PS3, we might see a sequel fairly close to our completion of the first, unless he was referring to the PS3 version of the original. And Red Faction? Heck yes. The first one was a lot of fun. Never played the second. This is good news from THQ! Which game are you guys looking forward to seeing again from this list?
