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Vivendi: Wrath of the Lich King coming second half of 2008
In a press release announcing Q1 2008 results (PDF File), Blizzard owner Vivendi Universal asserts that the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion Wrath of the Lich King is "anticipated to be released in the second half of 2008." Mark your calendars, as we suspect the Christmas season is going to be a lot less productive. While we always expected release this year, Blizzard, who has yet to make a formal announcement, is notorious for delaying games until they've met some in-house standard of quality. Our attention is now focused intently on Blizzard's WWI event in Paris next month. [Via Big Download] Read (PDF File)
Vivendi earning statement hints WotLK to be released in second half of 2008
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/WoW_Wrath_of_the_Lich_King_to_be_released_2nd_half_of_2008'; Vivendi earning statements announced today hint that Wrath of the Lich King is expected to be released the second half of 2008. This would also fit into dates that we've seen on sites like Amazon and Gamestop. This is also significant in that it's the first time an official confirmation of a release time frame has come out. And being that this is the data sent to Vivendi investors, it comes with a good bit of clout.Additionally, the statement tells us that World of Warcraft now has 10.7 million subscribers, up from 10 million at the end of 2007.The exact paragraph in the statement is after the break. And of course, stay tuned to WoW Insider for all the latest Wrath of the Lich King news.
Vivendi leaks a possible Wrath of the Lich King release date
In a strange case of one hand not knowing what the other is doing, Vivendi Games, in its latest financial press release, has stated that "Blizzard Entertainment's second expansion, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, is scheduled to be released in the second half of 2008." While that's exciting, Blizzard themselves have not made any official announcement about the expansion's release date.Does Vivendi think that no one's reading these things besides their investors and business partners? Can this be true? If not, it's a serious error that shouldn't be on a financial press release. We're waiting for Blizzard's response to see if there's going to be any kind of spin control on this. In the meantime, revel in the impending release![Via BigDownload]
All things Wrath of the Lich King
Over the past week, particularly in the last few days, the crisp Internet air has been abuzz with news from the upcoming expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. Fear you're out of the loop? Here's a quick round-up of all the information being released, along with analysis and opinion. Don't forget to keep checking back, as this page will be updated as information becomes available:Dungeons and raids An analysis on Arthas as a ten-manned event, including its impact on the 25-man raiding structure, as well an exploration of its consistency with the lore. Did you know that all expansion raids will have a 10-man setting, as well as a 25-man? Read through some of our initial impressions on the 10-man raiding set-up. We also wrote up a concise overview of the ins and outs of dungeons post-expansion, including a new token system, similar to [Badge of Justice]. The Nexus has been announced on the official site as one of the new dungeons. The WoW Insider Show discusses 10-manning Arthas. Zones, factions, and relevant lore Alex has written an excellent overview of the Grizzly Hills, a soon-to-be zone for low to mid-seventies. With old factions reappearing, along with other surprises, it's definitely something to look forward to! If news of the Dragonblight has intrigued you, you'll be pleased to know that more information has been made available. While we're brushing up on our lore and learning about new areas and factions, Alex thought it fitting to illuminate the lore behind Azjol-Nerub, as the Nerubians will have their own role in the expansion. Alex asks us about lore figures we'd like to see in the expansion. %Gallery-20386%
Breaking: Activision and Vivendi discontinue ESA membership
Following up on a rumor posted on Kotaku, we've just learned that Activision and Vivendi Games has discontinued its membership with the Entertainment Software Association. This information comes in the wake of yesterday's announcement that Activision and Vivendi would not attend E3 this year. The ESA's Rich Taylor, senior VP of communications and research (full quote after the break) says, "We can confirm that Activision and Vivendi Games opted to discontinue their membership. The ESA remains dedicated to advancing our industry??s objectives such as protecting intellectual property, preserving First Amendment rights, and fostering a beneficial environment for the entire industry."
Vivendi ain't afraid of no promotion
Vivendi has the right idea when it comes to marketing their upcoming Ghostbusters game. What they did was take this Ecto-1 (which, if you haven't guessed, is the Ghostbuster transportation vehicle of choice) and bring it on down to the local Best Buy to start drumming up attention for the upcoming game. Thankfully, website Ghostbuster Fans was on hand to take pictures of the vehicle (like, a lot of pictures), giving us a glimpse at the whole outside and inside of the vehicle.Hit them up here for the delicious eye candy.[Via Boing Boing]
EU gives Activision-Blizzard a big thumbs up
After reviewing Activision-Blizzard's case for a few weeks, the European Commission announced its approval of the huge merger yesterday. The EU had final say approving the merger because Vivendi is a French company. Officials decided the deal wouldn't threaten the fairness of the market.The commission made a statement, saying that Activision Blizzard "would continue to face several strong, effective competitors, such as Electronic Arts, and the game console manufacturers, such as Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft." There were some concerns that the company could have an unfair advantage in licensing music for games because Vivendi owns Universal Music Group, but they were set aside because "competing game publishers would continue to have access to a sufficiently large portfolio of music rights from alternative suppliers."The lesson: Activision Blizzard is officially not a monopoly, thanks to EA. We could go into extreme detail weighing the pluses and negatives of the decision, but we've analyzed this merger plenty enough already. At some point, you just have to decide to sit back and see what happens.
Europe approves of the Activizzard merger
Regardless of whatever you think of the big Activizzard merger and what it might mean for World of Warcraft (I don't believe it'll hurt a thing, but think what you will), it's going to happen. It's literally official now, as European Union officials have finally approved the merger after several weeks of deliberating on the issue.Approval by the European Commission was necessary because Vivendi (the owner of Blizzard and now the buyer of Activision, if you haven't been keeping up with all this) is a French media company, and therefore subject to EU business laws and antitrust concerns. Officials were mulling over the merger because of fears that Vivendi's ownership of Universal Music Group would give Activision Blizzard an unfair advantage in licensing music for games like Guitar Hero.They finally decided that it's not a threat to the health of the market, and approved the merger. So there it is. It's done. The government can't save you now; Activision Blizzard is your new master. I tremble in terror before the fictional (yet somehow inevitable) Bard class and its l33t Guitar Hero skillz!
EU greenlights Activision-Vivendi merger
The European Commission has given permission to the games division of French telecom and media group, Vivendi, to run free into the arms of Activision. This is one of the final loose ends left in the $9.85 billion deal spawning the behemoth known as Activision Blizzard (or by its street name: Actilizzard? Blizzavision?). Vivendi will procure a 52% stake in the EA rival and is expected to have annual revenue of $3.8 billion.The Commission essentially needed to approve that there weren't any antitrust issues in the mega-merger. In its report the group stated that there are several effective competitors in the market, such as EA and the game console manufacturers. Guess it's time to start ordering the office stationary.
Xbox Originals to add Splinter Cell and Metal Arms
Since we know that 94.8% of all Xbox Live users adore Microsoft's Xbox Originals program (it's a scientifically proven fact), we know there's a good chance that you'll be uber excited to hear that two new titles will be added to the catalog next week. On Monday, April 21st, both Ubisoft's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Metal Arms: Glitch In The System will be available for purchase off the XBLM for the standard 1200 Microsoft point price. So ... yup, more Xbox Originals titles next week ... what more achievement complaining can be said?
Bourne Conspiracy demo coming in May
Keep your eyes peeled, because Jason Bourne is coming to an Xbox Live Marketplace near you with confirmation from Vivendi that a Bourne Conspiracy demo is scheduled for release sometime in May. Possibly weeks before its June 3rd release. Though, take note that the demo is only scheduled for release to the U.S. XBLM as official confirmation for it to release to the European XBLM is still pending. Oh well, at least some violence-loving fanboys will be able to enjoy a hefty helping of Bourne next month.
Bourne Conspiracy unravels on June 3
Against our better judgment, we've been getting progressively more excited for the non-Matt Damon, don't-call-it-a-movie-adaptation Bourne Conspiracy. We learned this morning that we'll figure out if we picked a winner or got bourned again when the game drops on June 3.We're happy that we're not going to have to wait to much longer, but it's also nice to see a major release in the heart of the summer. If only more publishers would realize that dropping a fun oasis into the summer desert could translate into a lot of extra attention (and dollars) for them.
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand revealed for PS3, Xbox 360
When we first read the title 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand (the previously untitled sequel), we, like you're surely doing right now, prayed for Fugitive Hunter-esque hi-jinx that would have Fiddy & friends sorting out the U.S.'s problems in Iraq and getting home in time to record a new smash hit with Rhianna ("I'll stop those terrorists ... or die tryin'"). Sadly, MTV has shattered our dreams, reporting that the game "sets 50's character against a cabal of international gangsters on a far-flung, bullet-riddled adventure." Missed opportunity? Table for 1? (There are some screenshots here if you want to get a better feel for the new setting.) On the plus side, the game will have nothing plot-wise to do with the poorly-received 50 Cent: Bulletproof. There's also encouraging word from Vivendi producer Aaron Blean who said, "We've emphasized the gameplay quality [more] than anything this time around." We think we speak for everyone when we say, "Yes. Yes, that's a good choice."
Blizzard loses a round in the fight against botting
In Blizzard's attempts to get rid of gold farmers and hackers, one of their most annoyingly persistent enemies has been the WoWGlider bot, now known as MMOGlider. They've been throwing suits and countersuits at each other for a few years now, but the latest salvo seems to have gone against Blizzard, the Game Activist reports. Blizzard was trying to subpoena Joe Thaler, owner of Lavish Software LLC, maker of programs such as EQPlayNice. While Lavish Software's programs do not appear to be cheat programs on their own, they did make a deal with MDY Industries, maker of MMOGlider, to use the programs within MMOGlider. According the judge's decision, Blizzard was hoping to obtain all documentation related to the deal, all communication between Thaler and Lavish and MDY and its owner, Michael Donnelly. They also wanted a list of all WoW accounts owned by Thaler and Lavish, as well as the contents of the WTF folders of every installation of WOW used by Thaler and Lavish Entertainment. Unfortunately, the Judge ruled that Blizzard was demanding information that could compromise Lavish's trade secrets and client confidentiality, and that the demand for the information within 9 days did not give Thaler and Lavish enough time to respond an gather information. It's worth noting that the judge did specifically say that Blizzard could file another subpoena that would be more narrow in scope and allow more time for Lavish and Mr. Thaler to respond, so this is probably not a fatal blow to Blizzard by any means. I personally hope not. I've never had much patience for bots, or people who feel they have a civil right to cheat at games, so I'm rooting for the big bad corporation on this one. What about you? Thanks for the link, Tyrsenus.
GameQuest Direct offers sales on No More Heroes and Scarface
Those of you who visit this site often probably know that we're big fans of No More Heroes. If you haven't made the plunge to purchase the game yet, though, this might be a good week to do so.From what we've heard, the game is selling pretty well, so it may be a while before it comes down in price. Luckily, GameQuest Direct is selling the title for $8 less than the $50 retail cost, meaning that it will only set you back $41.99. Sweetening the deal is a free shipping promotion through CAG. Once you add the game to your cart, just make sure to type the promotion code CAG1SHIP in the box at the bottom left corner.If you're craving a mature Wii game but No More Heroes is still too expensive for your taste, you can also get Scarface for $24.99. The free shipping promotion applies to this title, too, so make sure to use it if you decide to buy the game.Caveat: These sales end on March 18th, so if you're considering these purchases, make sure not to wait too long.[Via CAG]Read - No More Heroes at GameQuest DirectRead - Scarface at GameQuest Direct
Activision CEO talks about in-game advertising... is WoW next?
When Vivendi acquired Activision -- or was it Activision acquiring Vivendi? these business deals confuse me -- to form what the soon-to-be Activision-Blizzard late last year, many players were concerned about how this would affect our beloved MMO. Blizzard assured its players with an FAQ on the forums about the merger stating, in no uncertain terms, that it would not affect Blizzard's games in any way (except to improve them, presumably). Activision CEO Bobby Kotick recently spoke with Next Generation, however, and talked very much like the businessman, discussing possible revenue models for their stable of games. He mentions how Activision-Blizzard must figure out StarCraft's business model for the future, "with in-game advertising and sponsorship" which he says "presents a tremendous opportunity for the future."He illustrates how StarCraft can actually be "the model for in-game advertising and tournament play", spooking at least one World of Warcraft player, who asks on the forums if WoW could be next. Fortunately, Karune chimes in the same thread assuring StarCraft fans (and by extension, WoW players) that Blizzard has "no plans to have in-game advertising in StarCraft II." He explains that "Bobby (Kotick) was actually referring to Battle.net, which has always included ads." It's very reassuring, but perhaps such speculation would be avoided if Activision-Blizzard's CEO actually words things a little better.
Activison faces lawsuit, says MMO market is "insurmountable"
Two bits of news about soon to-be-Blizzard's-overlords Activision: first, a group of investors are apparently planning to sue Activision about the whole merger thing, apparently saying that Activision didn't do enough to cash in on the deal. They're complaining that in the deal with Vivendi (Blizzard's owners), Activision settled for an "unfavorable minority poisition." The company hasn't responded yet, but if this lawsuit goes forward, we could find out a whole lot more about the exact terms of the deal between the two companies.And for their own part, Activision is thrilled to be in the business of Warcraft: Activision CEO Bobby Kotick sees MMOs as an "insurmountable product category," and says that if they were competing with WoW, they'd have to toss at least half a billion to a billion dollars into the deal, and even then they wouldn't be guaranteed success. Which means that at this time, in this market, Kotick says that companies entering into the MMO market are basically throwing money away.Can't say we're surprised that the CEO of the company that now owns WoW says it's unbeatable, but as you know by now, EA and Funcom (Warhammer Online and Age of Conan's publishers, respectively) surely disagree. We should see who's right by the end of the year.[Via Incgamers]
Activision investor sues over Vivendi merger
Turns out not everybody's happy with the recently-announced formation of super-company Activision Blizzard. One particular investor group is suing Activision, claiming that the merger will leave its shareholders in an "unfavorable minority position."Since Vivendi comes out on top in the merger -- with 52% majority ownership of Activision -- the Wayne County Employees' Retirement System believes Activision didn't think of the stockholders when accepting the deal, which it claims otherwise could have proven more lucrative. No further details of the lawsuit are known at this time. The Activision Blizzard merger is scheduled to occur sometime in the first half of this year.[Via Next-Gen]
GDC08: The 'New York in a room' Prototype party
Desperate for "more" open-world action, the Joystiq crew stopped by Vivendi's Prototype shindig on Thursday evening. To experience the event's "New York crammed into a room" theme for yourself, give the above image a good ol' clicking. Perhaps you'll have better luck than us when it comes to stalking spotting Barry Pepper in the crowd.
WRUP: Chronicling your gameplay edition
This week's new releases cater to three very niche groups of gamers: those that enjoy the movie ti-in, those that enjoy virtual horses and those that enjoy singing. Are any of these games on your radar? Have you picked any of them?As for us, we have a review to get done on The Spiderwick Chronicles. So, we'll be trying to get through that as much as we can. Also, we're still trying to climb those UAA ranks ...What are you playing?%Gallery-15512%
