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Activision's plan to annualize the Bond franchise -- regardless of the status of a movie to tie into -- has already come unraveled, with the decision to pull Mr. Bond out of Modern Warfare 2's line of sight this holiday. So, Bizarre Creations' "racing and driving focused" crack at Bond is now due in 2010, unattached to the Daniel Craig-powered, as-yet-untitled 2011 Bond movie. This poses an obvious question: With no theatrical attachment, will confessed gamer Daniel Craig reprise the interactive Bond role or will Bizarre's seemingly unique take on the license also have a unique actor in the role of 007?

According to Adam Croasdell, the EastEnders star (it's a long-running BBC soap opera, for the non-British amongst us) has wrapped up voice work on the game. "Oddly enough I have just played James Bond in the new James Bond video game -- how weird is that?" Croasdell told BBC Asian Network, as reported by the Press Association. "I think video games and the making of that type of technology, being in a funny one-piece suit and being shot with 60 cameras, I think that's sort of the future."

We're right there with you, Croasdell! Oh, and you better get used to that one-piece suit ... Activision has plans to milk that Bond license before it expires in 2014.

[Via Digital Spy]

Activision, as the bastion of original IP development, announced a number of megaton titles in development for 2010. Names dropped at its investor's call include new additions to its venerable lineup of franchises: 007, Tony Hawk, Spider-man, Transformers and Shrek.

Those hungry for innovation will be able to look forward to a new original action IP from the company. In addition, Activision plans on expanding the Call of Duty franchise to new genres. Call of Duty Kart? Call of Duty Party? Call of Duty Hero: Metallica? We're psyched.

Sony Pictures Television just announced a bunch of upcoming mobile games for iPhone/iPod Touch and other mobile platforms, including Q*Bert, Angels & Demons, and Voltron. But the most notable release, if only because it makes the joke in our headline work, is an iPhone/Touch Ghostbusters game to be released in June.

According to the press release, the game allows players to "catch ghosts and save citizens from being slimed as you make your way through the big city." The June release date, which coincides with the console Ghostbusters games, suggests that it will be similar in design to one of them -- probably either the DS or Wii game.

Also potentially cool: Top Agent, a multiplayer James Bond game for iPhone to be released in August.

[Via Electricpig]

As part of Activision's Massive upfront (the same one that announced Modern Warfare 2), we learn that Bizarre is hard at word on an original James Bond game as well as an original racer IP that's being described as a "Mario Kart meets Forza." As is the norm, release details and game specifics were not given.

All said, we're glad to see Bizarre hard at work on new projects, but would like to see some fresh Geometry in 2009. We're proud Geometry addicts.

At a summit held by Massive for in-game advertising, Activision confirmed that Bizarre Creations is working on a new third-person Bond title for release in 2009. According to the Twitter feed of Newsweek's N'Gai Croal (trust us, he's legit), the game is being touted as "racing and driving focused." The executive also mentioned Bizarre's new racing IP, describing it as "Mario Kart meets Forza." It's not much (in fact, it's somewhat paradoxical), but it does hint at a departure from Project Gotham Racing's realism -- relative to Mario Kart!

The executive also reportedly said the next Call of Duty Modern Warfare is due out Fall 2009. We're uncertain if that's confirmation of the next COD's setting or just a glib way of saying "Infinity Ward's COD series." We're reaching out to Activision for clarification on all these statements.

Are people getting less excited about midnight launches? Or does it just depend on the game, or even the event itself? We'll have a chance to test that theory this week with what looks to be yin and yang launches. Last night we went to the midnight launch of Activision's James Bond game Quantum of Solace, and at the other end you've got Gears of War 2 launching on Friday. We'll have to see how they compare, because last night's Quantum of Solace launch was a big Dr. No.

Suave super spy James Bond will live and let buy on November 4th, with the release of his Q-riously named movie tie-in, Quantum of Solace. Coming from Treyarch -- with love -- to every platform ever, the 007 shooter puts you in the potentially exploding shoes of the new(ish) franchise frontman, Daniel Craig, and tasks you with saving the world, swirling martinis and bedding duplicitous dames. Indeed, with the game featuring several flashbacks to Casino Royale, it seems someone definitely understood that our demands are for Eva.

Activision has also announced that those who pre-order the game from GameStop will receive a download token, redeemable for a forthcoming multiplayer map pack. In addition to "a variety of classic modes," Quantum of Solace will grant you a view to a team kill in several modes, including "Bond Versus," "Bond Evasion," and "Golden Gun." Note that this bonus applies to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions -- this isn't the spy who loved Wii.

Alright, no more idiotic puns and references. We've got to save some for next year, you know.

Activision has announced that James Bond: Quantum of Solace will be hitting North American shelves on November 4th. Those who pre-order James Bond: Quantum of Solace will recieve a token to download a multiplayer map pack that will be available "post-launch." The offer is only available to those who pre-order at GameStop. It looks like Activision will be offering a $70 collector's edition of Quantum of Solace as well, though there are no details as to what it contains above and beyond the $60 standard edition.

For those who scoff at a free map pack, Best Buy is offering $10 off any James Bond DVD to those who pre-order Quantum of Solace.

We're happy to report that when James Bond returns to video games this fall with Quantum of Solace he'll be voiced by our new favorite 007, Daniel Craig. But we're a little worried about how we're going to focus on the game when our undies continue to spontaneously drop to the ground, coaxed off by Bond's baritone brogue! The game will also feature Judi Dench as M and new additions Mathieu Amalric and Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko.

... Listen, did we type that part about our undies dropping out loud? No? OK, thank goodness.

Poor James Bond. The guy's been passed around so many times by so many companies that no one seems to know what to do with him any more. Activision was so open to ideas that they actually surveyed fans on what perspective they'd like to see in the next double-o adventure.

According to MTV, the community was divided, with 60 percent wanting a first-person view and 40 voting third-person. We know how Activision responded (including both perspectives in Quantum of Solace), but we're curious how you will: Is your perfect Bond game through the agent's eyes ... or the back of his head?

Yep, pretty much. Bond games have never lived up to the astronomical heights of GoldenEye 007, and we weren't really expecting a DS game to pull through and take the crown. Action games in general aren't the best for the touchscreen -- but we want to be proven wrong. Will Daniel Craig's portable outing be an exception to the laws of crappiness? Unnnnnlikely.

Using your keen spy senses, examine the gallery and predict the fate of Quantum of Solace. The movie will be undoubtedly cool, but that might be all we can hope for.


[Via press release]

James Bond returns to movie theaters this fall in Quantum of Solace, and this time he'll be back in video game format as well. Treyarch has been developing a Quantum of Solace game in conjunction with the new flick, enjoying carte blanche from the producers to photograph and use everything from the movie in the game, including blonde Bond Daniel Craig. You can count on his stoic visage making an appearance, not to mention his recognizable voice. Find out what we learned from this first peek at the game, freshly declassified.

Interested to see what Treyarch is doing with the 007 license? GamesRadar has obtained the first image of Quantum of Solace, built on the Call of Duty 4 engine and due out this fall alongside the film. What can we glean from this screenshot? Well, there's Daniel Craig, and he will probably use a pistol while standing by an indoor body of water at some point. We eagerly await the next screenshot to find out what, exactly, Daniel Craig would shoot at.