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Rainbow Six Vegas 2 achievements rescued
The good folks at Xbox360Achievements.org posted the detailed achievement list for the upcoming Ubi Soft first-person tactical shooter, Rainbow Six Vegas 2. Weighing mostly on multiplayer points the list ranges from utterly simple, "Create your own custom camouflage," to ridiculously hard, "Lead your team to Victory 20 times in Team Leader with at least 6 players present.." OK, that isn't hard to do at all actually but it's funny how achievements need to be so detailed rendering achievement boosting impossible. Who would do that anyway? Sorry, gotta go our copy of Avatar: The Last Airbender just showed up and we hear the points are hella easy.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 shoots up MLG inspired map
Today Major League Gaming (MLG), the professional videogame league, announced that it would be collaborating with Ubisoft on the development of the upcoming Rainbow Six Vegas 2. R6V2, which marks the 10th Anniversary of the Rainbow Six franchise, features an "MLG Map" which depicts an MLG event at the Las Vegas Convention Center. MLG and Ubi Soft worked closely on the development of the map which was designed with competitive gaming in mind, wonder why that is.With news of the new map comes word that MLG will include Rainbow Six Vegas 2 in its 2008 Pro Circuit, including a special release event for the game in April. The MLG Pro Circuit 2008 kicks off on April 11 and will be covered by ESPN.com. Hopefully that means we'll be able to catch reruns of the event on ESPN 8: The Ocho.%Gallery-16873%
GDC08: Rainbow Six Vegas 2 weapons trailer
Four card stud up river. Is that a Poker term? Okay, we're not the best poker players in the world but we can turn a mean card in Poker Smash for XBLA. Thankfully, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 doesn't require an in depth knowledge of the sport and works fine as long as you know what weapons to use and with this nifty weapons trailer Ubi Soft has put the knowledge in your hands. Wait, poker's a sport? It was gambling like two weeks ago. Well at least when people ask why we share the same Toyota Corolla to the X3F Towers everyday we can say it's because we're terrible athletes.
GDC08: Far Cry 2 tech demo
Now playing on your local internet browser, this Far Cry 2 tech demo showcases the technology behind Ubi Soft's second entry into the Far Cry universe. Based on the initial videos we've seen the game looks great, and it's good to see Ubi Soft Montreal trumpetting their graphical horn considering Crytek is no longer involved with the franchise. We wondered what took Ubi Soft so long to go back to the Far Cry well again, but then we remembered they must want to release it alongside the upcoming blockbuster film adaptation. [Thanks, Chris]
X3F Hands On: Assassin's Creed
Earlier today we got a chance to sit down with Ubisoft and get shown Assassin's Creed up close and personal, while at the same giving us a chance to actually control Altair ourselves. The demonstration was the of the same mission shown at Microsoft's Press Briefing from Tuesday night. Fortunately, we got to see the objective through to its completion, whereas Jade Raymond's cut off as soon as the slaver was assassinated. After our Ubi rep went through the mission, he handed us the controller and let us have a go at the streets and rooftops of Jerusalem, which is 15 times larger than the previously demoed city at E3 06. Did it play as good as it looked?
Assassin's Creed shows chases, combat, and Matrixish code
Ubisoft shed some more light on Assassin's Creed with a demonstration, where plenty of tidbits could be gleaned. The level demonstrated was Jerusalem, using ancient texts as a source for creating the environment. Speaking of the locale, every building visible in the city can be climbed by you, and all are accessible, which definitely is good news. The combat system is allegedly advanced, where your performance is dependent on well timed button combos, and countering your opponent's attacks, based on their animation. When hunting down a target, you may end up chasing them through the city streets. The "Chase AI" is advanced and will make each chase a different experience, especially since your target's mannerisms are dependent on their personality. Also, through the demonstration, characters and the immediate area around your character would see flickering and feedback, giving it a psuedo "Matrix Code" feel. All in all, Assassin's Creed is looking like a solid winter release, though we'll have to see how it compares to the big guns.
Reminder: R6V Player's Pack Red Edition now Free
Just a reminder to all those Rainbow Six: Vegas fans who may have not gotten the memo, the Player's Pack Red Edition has been available to download for free since Friday, the 6th, like the Black Edition when it returned to Marketplace. The pack, if you didn't already know, includes Assassination and Total Conquest game modes, as well as 5 maps, 2 of which are relit. Roof, Doscala Restaurant, and Marshalling Yard are the new maps with Killhouse and Border Town getting the face lift. As they say, the best things in life are free, so go grab the Red Edition if you haven't yet.
Black Edition DLC flanks from behind cover on XBLM
A new Player's Pack is ready for download for Rainbow Six Vegas that came out of center field. For 800 MS points, the Player's Pack Black Edition brings you get 5 new maps, including classic from the original Rainbow Six 3, Presidio. Other new maps include a remixed Streets, as well newcomers Wartown and Red Lotus. All in all the whole pack comes to 705.5 MB. Did you get the previous Red Edition, which also included new gametypes with its release, and would you pick up the latest, as its only maps this time around?
Surf's Up trailer shreds onto XBLM
There's a short and sweet trailer from Ubisoft for Surf's Up available for download on Xbox Live Marketplace. It shows off the gameplay, which while for kids, has been found to be very entertaining by a couple of adult gamers. Weighing in at a quick 32 MB, it's around 45 seconds long. The music playing is Dan's Home Grown's "Give it up", which we found to be rather catchy. There was a weird audio glitch with our download, though: at the end, when the "Jump In" and spinning Xbox 360 sphere comes around, it cuts to black afterwards and plays a split second of the "shwah" effect of the sphere again. Oops. Does this happen for you too?
Prince of Persia Classic hits XBLA this Wednesday
While Ubisoft may have spilled the beans in regards to Prince of Persia Classic's releasing this Wednesday, Microsoft has caught up and officially confirmed that announcement, as well as price point. The updated title, with its snazzy new mazes, traps and graphical enhancements, is going to run you 800 Microsoft Points. We suppose that could have been expected, but it still may turn a few off from the title. We'll have to wait and see if the demo pulls us in, nostalgic memories notwithstanding. What's your take on the game and price?
Ubisoft president 'still considering' EA acquisition
Ubisoft co-founder and president Yves Guillemot has stated that the publisher is "still considering" its relationship with Electronic Arts, who has since 2004 owned 20% of the company's stock, a move that many felt would lead to a hostile takeover but has never materialized as such.In an interview with Gamasutra, Guillemot commented that "we're still considering" in response to EA still showing interest in buying the publisher. "The first option for us is to manage our own company and grow it. The second option is to work with the movie industry, and the third is to merge," he said. "We think the market is going to grow fast, and we can take a big share of that market, so we don't have to change the way things are done at the moment."EA CCO Bing Gordon, in another Gamasutra interview conducted recently said that "I think everybody is for sale. I think in general, successful intellectual properties in all media are undervalued, especially in our media ... There's been a lot of acquisitions, but the thing about acquisitions is that the only time it works is if you've got an intellectual property that can succeed without the people, or if the people have a ten-year career path that they're interested in at EA." Both Gordon and Guillemot's words indicate that any changes in business may not be in the cards for the near future. EA acquiring Ubisoft is one of the largest rumorangs in recorded history; it takes 42 men just to get it off the ground. (Har, har.) The speculation hasn't been helped by Guillemot, who has previously asserted that he would consider a takeover if the price was right.
Haze coming 2007 for PS3, may only be timed exclusive
In the haze of battle, one soldier has lost his two comrades. Ubisoft's Haze will debut this fall on the PlayStation 3 only but may show up later on Xbox 360 and PC. Speaking to GameSpot, representatives for the publisher said that "Haze is leading on PS3, but no exclusivity for any platform has been officially announced."The sci-fi first-person shooter was initially announced for PS3, Xbox 360 and the PC. According to a Q&A with developer Free Radical's director Steve Ellis, Haze is being made with all platforms in mind, Pro-G reports. "The challenge for us has been in designing a solution that will work well across the platforms," he said.Ubisoft is calling PS3 the "lead platform" for the shooter. All signs point to a timed exclusive; don't be surprised if PC and Xbox 360 owners are "hazing out" in 2008.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Undercover Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway trailer
Ubisoft's goodies from Ubidays continue to roll on out, this time, we've got a trailer for their World War II First Person Shooter, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway. Unfortunately, the audio is from the presentation floor, but it still gives a good look at what to expect. It even shows off a few glimpses of the game's cover system. Xboxyde has a torrent for a high resolution video available for download. For an embedded quick fix, though, check out the video after the break. It's looking ... ahem ... solid.
Assassin's Creed gets LE; Consumer Whores rejoice
Assassin's Creed is getting the special treatment, and will have a Limited Edition packed with goodies to net an extra ten bucks out of you. Althought, it actually will be "Limited" in that the distribution will be less than that of the run-of-the-mill standard edition. Extras include the expected tin packaging, an Altair figurine, a mini strategy guide, AC comics by Penny Arcade, as well as behind the scenes footage with interviews and other unannounced content. So, with that as a start, and the fact it is indeed limited, do you has what it takes to get your assassinatory exploits on this fall?
Rumor: Red Steel sequel to go online
It seems everything we know about Red Steel 2 we know from job postings, including its very existence. The latest rumblings stem from a job opening on Gamasutra from developer Ubisoft seeking an online programmer specifically for Nintendo Wii. The position is for a studio in Paris, "where Red Steel and Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter games have been developed." The listing also notes that "knowledge of Unreal" (presumably the engine) is a plus. Nothing has been confirmed; Ubisoft has committed to making a plethora of Wii games, meaning than any possible unveiling might be a ways off. The first Red Steel, a Wii launch title, received much press in the months before its release but ultimately did not meet the hype, as indicated by tepid reviews. [Via NeoGAF and Wii Fanboy]
Ubisoft says Conviction can't be done on PS3
There's been some more sleuthing (Ha! Legitimately unintentional pun, we swear) on the Finnish magazine that had the Splinter Cell: Conviction screenshot scans from Friday. Apparently the interview has some spiffy details about the enemy AI, Sam Fisher's ability to interact with his environment, and most deliciously, Ubisoft giving the PS3 some flack. First, they say that Conviction being exclusive allows them to accomplish things on the 360 that couldn't be done if the title was multiplatform. They even go so far to say that if the title was a PS3 exclusive, they still would not be able to achieve some of these feats. Ouch ... coming from a well respected developer like Ubisoft, that's gotta hurt.
The Joystiq Weekend: March 17 - 18, 2007
Just another snapshot of pinsomniac's frackin' sweet DIY Rayman Raving Rabbids cake pan. Check out the highlights for this weekend:JoystiqueryJapanese hardware sales, Mar. 5 - Mar. 11: GDC ruined everything editionToday's spoilerest game video: God of War 2 endingNewsSteam injected with Eidos gamesBest Buy done with PS3 20GB modelLowenstein's 'final' interview: Game reviews influence industryConsoul shows more bizarre European PS3 marketingWithin a Deep Forest creator Nifflas interviewedMii channel began as a DS projectLord of the Rings Online team confident entering MMO marketJack Thompson responds biblically to Take-TwoLord of the Rings Online music systemRumors & SpeculationRumorang: NiGHTS returning on the Wii -- Part 2Rumor: Beautiful Katamari to hit Xbox 360, PS3, Wii this yearCulture & CommunityHow much longer can Xbox Live charge consumers?Beware the April Fools in mid-MarchGame name stereotypesHowling Rayman Raving Rabbids cake
New gen Prince of Persia art
Ubisoft released some character art for their new gen Prince of Persia game. Since the Two Thrones wrapped up the previous storyline, this will be an all new start for the Prince. The image itself comes from Xbox World 360 magazine's recent preview, which suggests that the gauntlet that the Prince is donning could come into play in the game. Whether it does or not, it still looks a lot like Hellboy's Right Hand of Doom. But on the left hand, as Prince appears to have a dagger (of time?) in his right. What would you like in a 360 Prince of Persia game?
France vies to give artful tax break for game industry
France's Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres is hoping to classify gaming as art. In doing so, the French gaming industry including Ubisoft, Vivendi and Infogrames would receive a 20 percent tax break. France already considers cinema a form of art.Ignoring the debate on whether or not gaming is an art, the classification has major opposition from the games industry in and around France. The primary concern, as explained by Patrice Chazerand of Interactive Software Federation of Europe, is government interference with the game design process. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot supports the tax break, though its no surprise since Ubisoft could only benefit from savings when their developer studios are too global for French interference.In March, French decreed the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres to game designers Michel Ancel, Frédérick Raynal and Shigeru Miyamoto.
Ubisoft expands to Mexico
Ubisoft is establishing new offices in Mexico City, Mexico, making it the 22nd country with Ubisoft's presence and the first in Latin America. Ubisoft's world presence, which can be observed via their website, is reminiscent of the board game Risk. If Ubisoft's got a hot hand with a pair of dice, they might be able to out roll EA's forces and overtake Brazil. The French-originating company also announced their lineup for the Electronic Games Show in Mexico City. In addition to Open Season (shown on the PS2) and Rainbow Six Vegas (shown on the Xbox 360), Ubisoft will present three Nintendo Wii titles: Red Steel, Rayman Raving Rabbids, and Splinter Cell Double Agent. All the games are billed as holiday 2006 titles, all but ensuring Double Agent as one of the once-eight-now-seven Wii launch titles. [Via GameDaily]
