UTV-Ignition
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Swarm converging on March launch
Last time we heard about Swarm, the game was given an "early 2011" release window on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. Today, we have news from developer Hothead Games that the blue crowd control-'em-up will hit digital marketplaces sometime in the month of March. Rounding out the release news is a new "Ask Dr. Mike" trailer and several colorful new screens of the adorable little blue hoard in action. If you're looking for a leg up in the game before it arrives later this year, Dr. Mike has a smattering of helpful hints waiting just after the break.%Gallery-115648%
UTV Ignition consolidates in Austin, Reich FPS 'remains' in development
UTV Ignition confirmed today the closure of its East and West Coast US operations, with all future development and publishing to be handled from its UTV True Games studio out of its offices in Austin, Texas. The company also revealed that its (once considered canceled) sci-fi FPS, Reich, "remains in development" in Austin, where "key personnel along with additional new hires will create a new internal development team." Additionally, UTV's Tokyo-developed title, El Shaddai, will be released in Japan on April 28, with a European and North American release announcement coming "shortly."
More Reich footage surfaces, from TGS '09
We've seen footage of Ignition's canceled FPS Reich before -- remember those videos from back in November? -- but what about the 2009 demo reel, set to erratic German metal, shown at Tokyo Game Show? Thanks to YouTube user "JanusTheChosen" (a reference to the game) the lengthy clip is now available for the world to see, showcasing the canned title's destructible environments and Psi-Ops-style telekinesis gameplay. Additionally, Reich's apparent subtitle, "Downfall," is revealed, positioning the game one step closer to an internet meme. Head past the break to get a look at this most "up-to-date" footage.
Ignition L.A. studio moving to Austin
Ignition Entertainment's Los Angeles branch is moving to Austin, Texas, reports IGN. "All business will be continuing as usual," a company representative told the site -- which, for Ignition, means typically unusual business. While no official reason was given for the closure of the Glendale, Calif. publishing offices, a fresh start in Austin is an unsurprising choice given the city's rich history of game development and the state's business incentives. Maybe the move is simply a matter of consolidating Ignition's two U.S. studios, L.A. and Gainesville (Fla.), and having them meet halfway. The move from L.A. is said to have no effect on the company's current staff or projects, according to IGN, while Ignition still won't confirm exactly what is going on in Florida. A month ago, the Florida branch was reported to be closed and staff rumored to be forced out to Texas (or to find a new job). The studio's sci-fi FPS Reich was assumed to have suffered the same uncertain fate as Ignition's WarDevil game, which was left in limbo following the closure of the Ignition's London-area development studio in late September. Of course, WarDevil has since been resurrected as "Project Kane" and is supposedly in the hands of a "core team" and on track for a Q4 2011 release. See? We told you: unusual business. [Image sources: UTV Ignition; 25or6to4 (Wikipedia)]
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.
Blacklight: Tango Down advances to PSN on Oct. 26
Blacklight: Tango Down 2 may already be in production and on schedule for next summer, but Zombie Studios isn't letting go of its promise to bring Blacklight: Tango Down to PlayStation 3 owners across the globe. Publisher UTV Ignition has announced an October 26 release date for the download-only FPS in North America, followed by a November 3 release on the European PSN. In the announcement, UTV says the game will come with "PSN-exclusive content," including a "join-in-progress" option for multiplayer -- the publisher teases more info on the exclusive content will be revealed "shortly." Like it's Xbox 360 and PC counterparts, the PS3 version of Blacklight will be priced at $15 (£10/€13) when it arrives on PSN.
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.
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%
Ignition Entertainment rebrands, focusing on digital content
Deadly Premonition and El Shaddai publisher Ignition Entertainment recently underwent a bit of restructuring, leading it to adopt part of the moniker of its parent company, UTV Group. The publisher, henceforth named UTV Ignition Entertainment, will now focus on delivering downloadable titles on digital platforms including PSN, XBLA, Steam, Facebook, Google Games and the App Store. The change was made to satisfy "a demand to market and publish games at more inclusive price points that maintain the same level of quality as their boxed counterparts," UTV Ignition chairman Hassan Sadiq explained in a recent statement. We suppose that's an admirable goal, though we'll never forgive them for missing the perfect opportunity to name their business "Remix to Ignition." For shame, you guys. For shame.
Hothead Games unleashes Swarm in 2011
With Hothead Games having ceased work on Penny Arcade Adventures Episode 3 (and finishing up DeathSpank), it's ready to pursue a brand new project: Swarm, a game which stars some seemingly dull-witted blue things. The introductory trailer (which you can find beyond the break) gives us a Lemmings vibe, with just a touch of sadism. Players must take control of 50 Swarmites, navigating them through "gauntlets of death and destruction," all in the search of precious DNA. You'll also need to ensure that at least one Swarmite survives in order to make use of that collected life goo. Look for Swarm in 2011, when it'll be available "across multiple platforms."
