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Star Wars Expanded Universe (including games) no longer canon
Many bothans died to bring us this information: The Star Wars Expanded Universe - or EU for short - is getting cut from Star Wars canon like hands get cut from the Skywalker family. In a news post on the official Star Wars site, Lucasfilm announced that only the six Star Wars films and the Clone Wars television show will be considered canon. In other words, as far as Luke, Leia, Han and the gang are concerned, there were no knights of the Old Republic, nor was the Force ever unleashed. The Star Wars universe was previously structured under a multi-tier hierarchy system, where some events were considered more canon than others. For example, The Clone Wars' explanation for the origins of the Rebel Alliance were more true than The Force Unleashed's. How does that make sense you ask? We dunno. Cosmic bacteria or something, probably. In any case, according to Lucasfilm, "all aspects of Star Wars storytelling moving forward will be connected." So from here on out, what you see is what the Star Wars universe gets. While that might be distressing for fans of things like Knights of the Old Republic or the Jedi Knight games, Lucasfilm is still keeping the EU around - in a sense. Stories from the EU will be printed under the Legends banner, and the teams creating new content are still drawing inspiration from the EU. Elements first created for Star Wars tabletop roleplaying games will be seen in the upcoming Star Wars Rebels TV show, for example. So who knows, maybe Kyle Katarn - a character who made his debut appearance in a Star Wars video game - might still show up, albeit in a way that fits with Lucasfilm's new creative direction. [Image: Disney/Lucasfilm]
Force Unleashed, Top Spin 3 now Games on Demand
Let's face it, most of us will never be a Jedi nor a professional tennis player. However, thanks to Xbox Live Games on Demand, you can now pretend to be either one, since Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Top Spin 3 are both up for grabs this week. We'll let you sort out which one is about Jedi knights. As always, availability and pricing will vary by region. Xbox.com: Add Star Wars: The Force Unleashed to your Xbox 360 download queue ($29.99) Xbox.com: Add Top Spin 3 to your Xbox 360 download queue ($19.99)
Report: Krome Studios lays off 30-50 more staff [update]
Aussie developer Krome Studios (Game Room, Blade Kitten, Star Wars: Republic Heroes) has allegedly just completed another round of layoffs, with the number of employees let go this time ranging from 30 to 50. Develop notes that Krome had somewhere around 400 employees before the first known round of layoffs last year. AusGamers reports a possible financial reason for letting people go: Krome allegedly did not receive the license to develop the The Force Unleashed 2 for Wii "as a result of poor review scores for other Krome titles." IGN adds perspective about the impact of the layoffs, estimating that Krome "accounts for some 25 percent of games development in Australia." Krome CEO Robert Walsh made it very clear last year that developers' budgets "have probably doubled or tripled during the console transition," which likely doesn't make it easy to run a studio -- especially such a large one. We've contacted Krome for comment and will update if we receive a response. Update: Krome has responded to Joystiq saying, "We regret to confirm an unspecified number of positions have been eliminated today at Krome. The industry worldwide is facing new challenges and Krome is not immune to the effects of this. Beyond that, we cannot make a comment." Source -- Rumour: Aussie developer Krome hit with layoffs [IGN] Source -- Krome loses more work and more employees [AusGamers] [Via Develop]
Force Unleashed Avatar gear unleashed on XBLM
Comm scan has detected that new Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Avatar items are now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Yes, even more Star Wars stuff for your digital self. Normally, we would scoff at things like this, but hey ... there's a Stormtrooper outfit. Oh sure, you could get a clone trooper outfit before, but why waste money on that when the obviously superior Stormtrooper armor is available? Check out the full collection of gear, including the Starkiller lightsaber, on Xbox Live Marketplace.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed has sold seven million copies
Well, this is nice to hear. LucasArts' big gamble – moving development of its signature properties back to its internal teams – continues to pay off with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. The latest figure out of the House That Luke Built for what's already been billed as the "fastest-selling Star Wars game ever" is that Force Unleashed has "sold seven million units worldwide" since its September 2008 release. Seven million! While strong sales figures are hardly rare for the Star Wars franchise, good games are. Lucky for all of us, LucasArts is busy continuing its wild experiment with a (get this!) sequel, due for release later this year, as well as "other unannounced products." Perhaps another stab at that next-gen Indiana Jones game?
Star Wars: Force Unleashed Hoth DLC out on PSN, coming to Xbox Feb. 23
Looking to get a little more mileage out of your copy of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed before the sequel arrives? As we knew from yesterday's PSN update, PS3 owners can now download the Hoth mission which came bundled with the "Ultimate Sith Edition" re-release of the game -- however, 360 owners will be able to follow suit on Tuesday, February 23. The DLC is going for $9.99 on the PSN, leading us to assume it'll cost Xbox Live Marketplace browsers a cool 800. The mission on Hoth follows the events of the Tatooine sidequest, and tasks the Secret Apprentice with shutting down the Rebellion and squaring off against Luke Skywalker. Remember, these extra missions are non-canonical -- meaning the fate of the aforementioned frostbitten Force-wielder is up in the air.
Star Wars & Indiana Jones items hit Home
If you click this image, it shall become more embiggened than you could possibly imagine LucasArts has invaded PlayStation Home today with a bunch of new virtual goods and a space to hang out in. Without all of the crime and sudden de-limbing that goes on in the Mos Eisley Cantina, the LucasArts storefront will offer patrons a safe environment to purchase virtual goods -- sorry, no power converters available. Here's the list of goodies: Yoda shirt (for male avatars) Obi-Wan Kenobi shirt (for male and female avatars) Jedi Order shirt (for male and female avatars) Indiana Jones costume – torso, pants, shoes Indiana Jones costume – hat, hair Stormtrooper costume (for male and female avatars) Imperial Officer costume (for male and female avatars) Blue Lightsaber (for male and female avatars) Jedi banner (for avatar personal space) Sith banner (for avatar personal space) Star Wars The Force Unleashed poster (for avatar personal space) LucasArts promises more updates to come. In the meanwhile, feel free to peruse select avatar items in our gallery below, but there may be a slight chance these aren't the images you're looking for. %Gallery-85933%
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Hoth DLC coming to XBLM after all
As luck would have it, that one missing piece of content for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed that was "exclusive" to the "Ultimate Sith Edition" of the game -- the obligatory Hoth level -- seems to be heading to Xbox Live Marketplace. Spotted by Joystiq reader Andy in the "Coming Soon" section of the XBLM (and seen above), the "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Hoth Bonus Level" certainly appears to be heading to, at very least, Xbox 360 users. We've contacted LucasArts to find out how much the content will cost, when we can expect to see it arrive on Xbox Live for download, and if it will be coming to PlayStation 3 and PC users as well. [Thanks Andy!]
LucasArts developing The Force Unleashed 2 internally, hiring for 'other unannounced products'
It didn't take a Jedi Master to conclude that Star Wars: The Force Unleashed would be getting a sequel -- after all, it met with tremendous success, ranking as the fastest-selling Star Wars video game of all time and moving more than six million copies to date. Still, LucasArts laid off a majority of the team that developed it before the game even hit shelves, so many that our source at the time told Joystiq that the remaining group would be insufficient to produce a sequel should one be ordered. So, now that The Force Unleashed 2 is officially happening, we naturally began to wonder: who's making the game? When asked for comment on the topic, LucasArts president Darrell Rodriguez told Joystiq, "Our internal team here in San Francisco will be focused on the game in addition to other development partners. The San Francisco team is made up of TFU veterans who are all bringing their hard earned muscle memory to the development process." Rodriguez didn't elaborate on who these "development partners" are, but it's clear that a core team at the company's Northern California HQ is only part of the development effort. Rodriguez did not remark on whether any new staff is being hired to work on the title internally, but did reveal to us that LucasArts is "also currently hiring for some other unannounced products that we are internally developing as well." We're just going to assume that none of the staff who received pink slips last summer will be sending in resumes.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 revealed, intense [update]
The world's coolest Jedi, Samuel L. Jackson (suck it, Yoda) has just taken the stage at the 2009 Video Game Awards to reveal Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2. In the announcement trailer -- Darth Vader's once apprentice -- codenamed "Starkiller" steps into a dark arena only to be faced with a creature hellbent on his destruction. Thankfully, Starkiller -- armed with two light sabers -- pounces to attack the gargantuan foe. Sadly, it was all CG, but we'll take any new Force Unleashed we can get. Update: Trailer's out! Check past the jump above to see the blue saber-wielding Starkiller's epic strategy for Rancor euthanasia.
Krome Studios lays off 'undisclosed number' of staff
It's always sad when our layoffs tag claims another victim and, today, Australia-based Krome Studios is the latest. The developer responsible for the PS2, PSP, Wii and DS ports of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and who recently wrapped up development on Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Republic Heroes, has been forced to release an "undisclosed number" of its staff, Industry Gamers reports. Krome CEO Robert Walsh attributes the action to declining game sales industry-wide and says the company has "worked really hard to minimize the impact" on its staff. Walsh does give some of these ex-employees hope, stating that he's currently "pursuing several business opportunities which, if secured, will enable Krome to reemploy some of the staff given notice."
The Force Unleashed PC requirements prompt trip to Tosche station
Remember when Star Wars: The Force Unleashed failed to make an appearance on the PC platform last year, and LucasArts claimed it would only be able to run on gaming rigs equipped with futuristic cybertechnology mankind had yet to invent? Somehow, Aspyr Media has found a way to bring the Sith Edition of the game to your personal computer without requiring you to install tachyon holophase relays or warpsteel heat dissipators. However, the game's minimum requirements, which are posted after the jump, do suggest you need something called a "3D Hardware Accelerator Card." Yeah, sure. Let us just hop in our time machine and we'll pick one up at the Future Best Buy.
Left 4 Dead, GTAIV, SFIV join Xbox Platinum Hits
Microsoft has announced that several new titles will soon be joining the ranks of the Xbox 360's budget priced Platinum Hits line. The new additions include some seriously heavy hitters, namely Grand Theft Auto IV, Street Fighter IV, Left 4 Dead, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Saints Row 2. Microsoft's announcement (oh so conveniently) neglected to mention prices for any of the titles, but a quick check around the ol' internet points to a price of $29.99 for most of the new additions (though SFIV curiously seems pegged around $40 for the moment). We should also point out that while these are some legitimately great games, both SFIV and Force Unleashed are receiving upgraded, budget versions in the near future -- Ultimate Sith Edition later this year and Super Street Fighter IV in early 2010. It's also worth noting Left 4 Dead is receiving a full-blown sequel only a month from now. Microsoft has also announced that retailers will be offering a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" promotion for Xbox 360 Platinum Hits through October 31, though the release makes no mention of which retailers are doing so. We've contacted Microsoft for more information on the promotion.
Force Unleashed Tatooine level unleashed on Xbox 360, PS3
The "Tatooine Mission Pack" for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is available starting today for PS3 and Xbox 360. The mission re-imagines the Star Wars canon as if the "Secret Apprentice" had killed Vader and is on the hunt for Obi-Wan Kenobi on the sand planet. Players will also be able to check out Jabba's palace and "encounter" Boba Fett. We have absolutely no idea how long this mission pack is, so feel free to let us know in the comments. The pack is quite expensive at $10 (800). What isn't available as DLC is an additional mission that takes place on Hoth and has the Apprentice seeking young Skywalker. That mission will only be available on the Ultimate Sith Edition of the game, which releases in early November. Instead of spending the cash now, it may be best to wait until the new game (currently listed for $40 on Amazon) comes out -- and get the aforementioned DLC packs and the Jedi Temple Mission Pack all on one disc. %Gallery-68699%
PSA: The Force Unleashed trophies now available
Trophies for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed are now available for gamers looking to increase their online reputation. In case you forgot, the catch for the new awards is that gamers cannot get them retroactively, forcing Jedi (or Sith) masters to replay the 2008 release. For what we can only assume is everybody's reaction to the reminder, check out the video after the break.
Remember The Force Unleashed? It's getting Trophies
Of course Star Wars: The Force Unleashed isn't dead. Who told you that? Not only was a new version announced to be released this fall, but the LucasArts twitter feed has revealed that the original PS3 version will be receiving a Trophy patch around the same time. The only catch: You'll need to start a new game in order to begin earning Trophies; they aren't retroactive with existing saved games.Sure, you'll still need to pony up the cash for the Ultimate Sith Edition if you intend on playing one of the new missions, but if, like us, you still have an unopened copy of the original sitting around from the Great Game Flood of Q4 2008, you'll no doubt welcome the excuse to finally crack it open. Apparently it's pretty good. For a Star Wars game.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed receiving 'Ultimate Sith Edition,' new missions
click to enlarge LucasArts has announced that the "Ultimate Sith Edition" of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will hit this fall on PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Mac, bringing with it two new levels in the Star Wars Infinity canon. One, set on Tatooine, will see Vader's apprentice hunting down and battling Obi-Wan Kenobi, making a stop at Jabba the Hutt's palace along the way. For the other, which takes place on Hoth, the apprentice has become the master, and -- wearing the Vader-esque armor seen above -- scraps with Luke Skywalker himself.The Hoth mission will be exclusive to the Ultimate Sith Edition of the game; the Tatooine mission, however, will be offered as paid DLC on PS3 and 360 for owners of the less-than-ultimate original game. Additionally, the new edition will include all previously released DLC for The Force Unleashed on disc, including the Jedi Temple mission and various player skins.It may seem strange to be launching a second edition of the title (and DLC) nearly a year after it was released, but The Force Unleashed remains the fastest-selling Star Wars game of all time (and has sold move than six million copies to date). Check out the gallery below for more first screens from the Ultimate Sith Edition.%Gallery-68699%
Xbox 'Deal of the Week' is old Force Unleashed mission
After new achievements were discovered for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, it's no surprise that the marketing machine is ramping up again for the game. Major Nelson notes that this week's "deal" on Xbox Live's marketplace is the "Jedi Temple Mission Pack" for 400 ($5). That's half off the normal price and is available only to gold members.The pack, which was originally released last December, follows The Apprentice as he searches through the rubble of the Jedi Temple to learn more about his father. The pack also comes with three new outfits made out of ... well, we never did find out what happened to those Bothans.
New Force Unleashed achievements discovered
We bet you thought you were done with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Well you just hold on a minute buster, it looks like LucasArts still wants to milk a few more Microsoft Points out of you before they've had their fill. We say that because a new batch of achievements have been discovered for the game on Xbox.com (full list at X360A).What's particularly interesting about these achievements is that most of them relate to characters made famous after the events that take place in Force Unleashed. There are achievements for defeating Boba Fett, Jabba's Rancor, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. The interesting part about the third one is that you have to defeat Obi-Wan before and after he dies. From the sound of things, there's some new DLC on the way that takes place during A New Hope. It also seems like it tasks players with taking up the role of Darth Vader, or perhaps it will introduce an alternate history involving his secret apprentice.LucasArts will be at the San Diego Comic-Con next week -- with plenty of announcements to make -- so we probably won't have to keep guessing for long.[Thanks, Brandon!]
The Force Unleashed spread thin sells 5.7m units
The Force Unleashed may have sold 5.7 million units worldwide, but let's take a look at the substance of that figure. Gamasutra notes that the global total is made up of all the various platforms the title was available on. The list includes all major consoles, handhelds, iPod Touch, iPhone, N-Gage (for realz?!) and other mobile devices.Despite the varying quality of Force Unleashed on all platforms, the competent next-gen offerings were a hit right out of the space hanger. Although the gameplay may not have been stellar, the story certainly captured people's attention, as the title went on to recently win a Writers Guild award for game writing.
