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Video: the ecology of BioShock
BioShock is, without a doubt, one of the most highly anticipated Xbox 360 games this year. If, by chance, you've been wondering what all the fuss is about, you should probably check out this video. Of course, genuine BioSchock fans will find plenty to love in the video, too. Posted by GameTrailers, the video features the folks at Irrational Games discussing the ecology of Rapture, the underwater world of BioSchock. Put simply, it is this world that makes BioShock so intriguing. The world really is alive. The characters within it will go about their own business whether or not the player decides to interfere (of course, some of the characters' "business" is to attack the player). Honestly, this is the kind of thing we should be seeing in the current generation of gaming: worlds with real, believable characters capable of pulling gamers into another reality. Everything leads us to think that BioShock will do just that. Watch the video after the break (you can also watch it in HD).
Konami and 2K Sports announce MLB Power Pros
Some of us here at Wii Fanboy are fans of America's oldest institution: Baseball. As such, we're incredibly excited that Konami and 2K Games are teaming up to bring the Japanese baseball franchise Power Pro Baseball to the Wii and PS2 here in the states. Dubbed MLB Power Pros for us English-speaking folk, the game sports a very deformed chibi style of presentation, along with a mode that mixes in RPG elements into the equation.Catch a trailer of the game past the post break.
PlayStation 3 responsible for GTA IV delay, surmises Pachter
With Take-Two remaining tight-lipped about what's really behind the Grand Theft Auto IV delay – they're going with the vague "almost strictly technological challenges" defense – it's up to the pundits, analysts, bloggers, and anonymous tipsters to give us the skinny on what's really going down. First up to bat is video game analyst extraordinaire, Michael Pachter who told our pals at GameDaily BIZ, "We think it is likely that the Rockstar team had difficulty in building an exceptionally complicated game for the PS3, and failed to recognize how far away from completion the game truly was until recently." Of course, he means really recently, since Take-Two did just reaffirm their plans to ship the game in October as recently as E3 (yeah, the one last month).We know what you're thinking: Why not release the game for Xbox 360 in ought seven, and ship the PS3 release whenever it's ready (everyone else seems to be taking this course of action)? Pachter further surmises "that Take-Two had a contractual commitment to Sony that it would not favor competitor Microsoft by launching the Xbox 360 version of GTA IV prior to launching the PS3 version," calling it "the only plausible explanation." Guess he doesn't think much of our theory that the targeting was too accurate and intuitive and needed to be retooled.[Update: Newsweek's N'Gai Croal takes a slightly different approach than Mr. Pachter, surmising, "We believe that Rockstar is having difficulty with both versions of the game, not just the PS3." In other words, no deals enforcing a consistent launch date across platforms, just difficulty in getting it ready on either. "It wouldn't surprise us if Rockstar and Take-Two had already all-but-delayed the PS3 version to triage the Xbox 360 version for this holiday, only to have their hands forced when, at yesterday's product review, it became clear to both sides that even the 360 version could not be completed this year to Rockstar's exacting standards."]
Did PS3 dev troubles cause GTA IV delay?
Yesterday's big news was that Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV was pushed back from its October release into sometime next year. But what if we told you the reason for such delay wasn't because of technical issues on the 360, but problems on the PS3 version of the game? Well, that's what analyst Michael Pachter is thinking saying that "the Rockstar team had difficulty in building an exceptionally complicated game for the PS3" and that the "delay of the PS3 version necessitated a delay of the Xbox 360 version" due to contractual obligations with Sony. So, if Mr. Pachter's theory has any weight, Rockstar may have had to delay GTA IV on the 360, because of issues with the PS3 version and them not being able to release the game before the PS3 version got out the door. Very intriguing indeed.
GTA IV's first episode still slated for fiscal '08
Following today's news that Grand Theft Auto IV will be delayed due to "technological challenges" until Feb. and April of next year, we wanted to know what happens to the Xbox exclusive episodes. Considering the money Microsoft put down for that exclusive GTA content, we're sure they'd probably like to know when that'll be available too. A Take Two spokesperson told Joystiq, "While we can't comment on the confidential contractual agreement, we still plan to deliver the first episodic content for Xbox 360 in fiscal 2008."Now, here's where it gets technical. We know that originally the first episode was supposed to come out in March of '08, because the CFO of Take Two said so. The second episode would be released later in fiscal '08. Take Two's fiscal year ends in November, meaning that it looks like we'll get one episode in fiscal '08 and the next one beginning fiscal '09. If the time table stays the same, the first episode will come out five months after the game is released. But they can always wake up the episode when November ends.
Take Two chairman speaks about Manhunt 2 and Wii at E3
Take Two's Strauss Zelnick sat down with Dean Takahashi recently, where his new role as company CEO was discussed. Of course, Dean also finds time to grill him on hot topic Manhunt 2. Then the discussion moves along to companies he admires, as well as the Wii and E3. As far as interviews go, it tackles a lot of ground.Zelnick has some interesting things to say based on the ESRB ratings, though, especially when it comes to the subject of self-censorship. Zelnick thinks that, in regards to the AO rating, "I'm not sure it is good for consumers either. The AO rating was not intended when it was developed to mean a non-rating. That wasn't the point. If you can't market it because you aren't allowed by the licensors or the retailers won't carry it, then the rating doesn't have any meaning." [Via Go Nintendo]
Grand Theft Auto IV delayed from Oct. to fiscal Q2 '08
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/GTA_IV_delayed_until_Q2_08_by_April'; Take Two just announced the highly anticipated (and that's being cautious) Grand Theft Auto IV will be delayed from its originally scheduled October release date until the second fiscal quarter of 2008, or between February and April of '08. Though no direct cause for the delay was cited, Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick said "certain elements of development proved to be more time-intensive than expected."Additionally, due to the outstanding ratings problems (and surprising no one) they've also announced that Manhunt 2 would miss its planned release this fiscal year. As a result of these setbacks, they're expecting revenue of $950 million to $1 billion for the fiscal year ending Oct. 31; in June, they announced expected revenue of $1.2 billion to $1.25 billion for the year.The bad news: There goes Microsoft's holiday hat trick. The good news: More time to play the onslaught of great games this holiday season.
Take-Two ex-CEO sentenced to 5 years (of probation)
Former Take-Two CEO Ryan Brant has avoided a four-year prison bid by "cooperating" with the investigation into the game publisher's backdating scandal. In February, Brant plead guilty to the practice of backdating stock options and has accepted a plea bargain, which guarantees the white-collar crook supervised freedom so long as he pays the remainder of his fines by mid-October. Brant's already handed over $4.7 million. He owes an additional $2.6 million.Under the conditions of the plea bargain, Brant is barred from "control management positions" in public companies. His attorney Lawrence Iason declined to comment on the possibility of Brant aiding in the recent convictions of two fellow ex-Take-Twoers -- you know what happens to dirty, stinkin' rats...
Only GTAIV on 360 is complete experience, says Rockstar
Speaking to Games Radar, Rockstar spokesperson Hosi Simon had some interesting comments regarding the Xbox 360 version of the upcoming Grand Theft Auto IV. When asked about the Xbox 360 exclusive episodes and whether or not the PS3 version would receive any similar perks, Simon replied, "not that I can think of." Simon elaborates that the games are identical, and that Rockstar does its best to make games that can be enjoyed on any console. "We're not like a pawn between these [hardware] companies," said Simon. That said, Simon admitted, "But I guess if you want the complete experience with the episodes, then yeah, you should buy the 360, I suppose."We must mention -- along with Joystiq -- that the term "exclusive" has become more and more loosely defined over the years. We have to wonder if the Playstation 3 will ever pick up the episodes as well. Whether or not this comes to pass, it will be interesting to see if the initial promise of exclusive downloadable content will make GTA fans pick one version over the other.[Via Joystiq]
Ex-Take-Twoers plead guilty
The former chief lawyer and chief accounting officer of Take-Two Interactive pleaded guilty yesterday to falsifying business records in connection with the company's improper backdating of employee stock options. This comes just a few months after the former CEO pleaded guilty for the same crime. The "Oh, I must have hit the wrong button." defense would have never worked, so pleading guilty was the best option.Take-Two has brought in new management and is attempting to recover from five quarters of losses. Better buy GTA 4 twice if we want to see more.
APF 2K8 reel editor now on XBLM, why?
An interesting item has popped up on Xbox Live Marketplace for All Pro Football 2K8. The item is a called the "reel editor." This item, as its name implies, allows players to create and edit replays in order to create personal highlight reels. Sounds pretty cool, right? We actually think it's a great idea. We have one question, though: why is this on Xbox Live Marketplace? Shouldn't this be an included feature in the game? Considering the game has only been out for a few days, we find it hard to believe this reel editor couldn't have made it into the retail disc. What's more, we're expected to pay 400 points for it? Sounds like unnecessary roughness to us.
OJ Simpson + All-Pro Football 2K8 mascot = Drama
This is one of those instances when all the right pieces get put together and make for sensational news. It turns out that in the recently released All-Pro Football 2K8 from 2K Sports, part of publicity magnet Take-Two Interactive, features OJ Simpson. Well, that might be an issue for some people who consider the man a murderer, but it gets better. There's also a team called The Assassins in the game. Now, when you combine those two elements you get the video above: OJ Simpson making a touchdown and the Assassin mascot making a stabbing motion. 2K says it's pure coincidence, but boy is it dramatic enough to get people's panties in a twist.We contacted 2K Sports and they said there were discussions about keeping OJ Simpson out of the game, but it eventually ended up that being a football legend, the man deserved to be in there. As for the whole Assassin thing, they didn't have an NFL license and consequently made up team names, one of them being the Assassins. They say you go through the character selection screen and you can make the team any way you want, it just happened that the two elements put together make for an incredibly awkward moment. Now, here is the key element to all of this: We asked, "Did 2K make the video for GameTrailers, therefore it being possible for [2K] to be implicated as having some hand in creating controversy?"The 2K Sports spokesperson said, "No, to the best of my knowledge, we didn't make that video." A second call from 2K Sports confirms that they did not make the video.So, if the drama does escalate from this point, it'll either be due to 2K having actually made the video, or people riding the wave of outrage over OJ Simpson's appearance in the game.[Via GamePolitics]Update: 2K Sports states clearly they did not make the video.
The Darkness' laggy multiplayer to be patched
We have good news for everyone who already purchased The Darkness (or will be after trying the demo) and have tried to enjoy the game's laggy online multiplayer. Over on The Darkness' official MySpace page, Lord Sonatine has confirmed that they'll be releasing a multiplayer patch sometime in August to fix the lag issues that so many players are experiencing. Lord Sonatine explains that the problem stems from poor host upstream speeds which weren't caught while developing the game due to the studio's uber fast internet hookup. For now, they recommend hosting a match with less players which will help alleviate the bandwidth strain on the host.On behalf of the hundreds of people we've heard complain about laggy The Darkness multiplayer we send a well deserved thank you to Starbreeze Studios for the patch. That is, if the patch will actually fix the lag problem. Stay tuned ...[Via Xbox 360 Rally]
The Darkness demo slithers onto the XBLM (finally)
We were promised it in June, it was then delayed a few times, but it is finally here. Up on the XBLM this morning is a 1.27GB single player The Darkness demo featuring three campaign levels of death, darkness and more death. And if you don't already know, The Darkness has received generally favorable reviews for its campaign although most everyone agrees that its multiplayer is rather lackluster. But the demo is all about the campaign, so if you have yet to get your hands on The Darkness we advise giving the demo a download and experiencing first hand what black eels with teeth protruding from your body actually feels like.
Fallout 3 screens show ludicrous gibs
There's nothing quite like ridiculously over the top violence to take the edge off, is there? It looks like the boys and girls at Bethesda are patently aware of this fact, as the latest batch of Fallout 3 screenshots have a bit of a gruesome flare to them. Of course, it's not all gibs. There are some nice shots of dilapidated structures, a nasty looking super mutant, and even a character or two. Check them out in the gallery below. While you're at it, don't forget to read Joystiq's E3 impressions of the game either.[Via Joystiq]%Gallery-4995%
Rumor: Sony may get extra GTAIV content after all
Coming from a recent interview with Phil Harrison, 1up was curious why Sony was letting exclusive downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV slip through their fingers. It seems that, perhaps, the PS3 will get their own content for the upcoming classic sandbox game. Phil responded thus: " ... we have a great relationship with Rockstar and we're actually working closely with them on a number of initiatives, so I do know some things that are going on, but I'm not able to share those with you now." Insert theories here.If we can think of anything, we'd imagine that Sony is trying to get the content for the 360 version over to the PS3 version either as standard Blu-ray extras on the game disc (so they aren't technically breaking the "exclusive downloadable content" clause or whatever), or that there is some more original material planned for the PS3 version down the road. What are your thoughts?[Thanks, Ciaran!]
Joystiq live at the Take Two E3 07 press conference
8:02AM PDT - Arrived! Doors closed (for an 8am conference). A small crowd is gathering. Stacks of names tags are still piled on the registration table.8:18AM PDT - More late arrivals. "Haven't they heard of LA traffic?" a disgruntled media attendee wonders. 8:19AM PDT - What's a press conference without press? That's what we're wondering. A late-arriving and confused PR woman has tried to let people enter, but is stopped by co-workers. "We can't let any media in?" (She and a few other PR personnel eventually creep in -- but no media.) 8:25AM PDT - "Sorry everyone, the press conference is full." So what did we RSVP for? Apparently not a seat ...8:29AM PDT - Thanks to the valiant and courageous efforts of 2K's Director of Public Relations, Marcelyn Ditter, we managed to quietly slide in (but we felt guilty for abandoning our patiently waiting colleagues). Sure enough, there aren't any seats, so we've grabbed some floor ... and we're off: All-Pro Football was developed to satisfy the demand of fans who thought 2K's football video games were the best games out there.
GTAIV multiplayer details invoke feelings of friendship
We could blab about the single-player mode of Grand Theft Auto IV, but we've been kept in the dark about the multiplayer options for the game and finally found something. We're going to go ahead and detail them below, so enjoy. One multiplayer mode will require you to seek out your opponent and eliminate him. How would you find him in such a big city? He's got to get his crime ranking thing up to seven stars, then he'll pop up on your radar. After that, seek him out and destroy him. Like the Terminator.There are more modes to come, but that's all we were enlightened to for now. As for the single player mode, an in-game internet and cell phone will be integral to the game. Think ... Front Mission 3 with the pseudo-internet. You use the phone to order up more weapons, et cetera, so don't worry about running to a weapon shop while being chased. Call on the run! More details to come, we're sure.
Sid Meier's Civilization never announced for PSP
Contrary to an earlier report, the new Civilization Revolution is not coming out on PSP. The original press release mentioned the game's release on handheld systems -- it appears that 2K Games actually meant handheld system, singular.A recent E3 press release shows the title arriving on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and DS. However, no PSP version was mentioned. When we conatcted a 2K Games representative, they simply said that a PSP version is not announced. Considering how the game's E3 debut will avoid PSP, we believe that the title will never appear on the system. Hopefully, we're wrong.
Fanboys fight for The Darkness winners revealed
We're proud to announce the winners of our Xbox 360/PS3 Fanboy The Darkness giveaway. Although Xbox 360 Fanboy dominated with a mountain of entries, we're still glad that the PS3 community stood by this excellent FPS. Here are the winners for Xbox 360 and PS3:Xbox 360Chris BrownDion HarrisJames ParnhamPS3Mike WhitfieldMatt TrujilloCongratulations to all the winners!
