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A BottleRocket representative has confirmed an earlier report suggesting that members of the former Splatterhouse developer's team had been brought on by Namco Bandai to help finish the job. "Yes, that is true," commented the rep, who added the while the studio couldn't talk about how many employees had accepted Namco's offer, "It is my understanding that Namco only offered contracts, not full-time employment."

BottleRocket was forcibly removed from developing Splatterhouse by Namco last February over an unspecified "performance issue", with the re-imagining instead rumored to now be in the hands of the team responsible for Afro Samurai.

Namco Bandai has reportedly swiped the hockey mask out from under Splatterhouse developer BottleRocket Entertainment, giving the nearly-finished project to the publisher's internal Afro Samurai team instead. Sources close to the company say that Namco officials reclaimed all dev kits and Splatterhouse assets from BottleRocket last Friday, according to Kotaku, apparently leaving the California dev with nothing else to work on besides cleaning out its desks.

If true, it's unclear why Namco would wait so long to pull the project from BottleRocket, with the gory PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 action title set to go gold sometime in March. We've reached out to both Namco Bandai and BottleRocket for further comment, and will update once we hear more.

Update: We've heard back from both developer BottleRocket and publisher Namco Bandai – read their responses here. If you know anything about the specifics of this most unfortunate situation, be sure to let us know!

1UP has pummeled new details out of Namco Bandai and The Mark of Kri devs at BottleRocket concerning the upcoming Splatterhouse remake, which will bloody up the Xbox 360 and PS3 sometime next year. Among the finer points spilled include a return of many of the series' weapons, including the 2-by-4 and meat cleaver, while Rick's arsenal has been expanded to include multiple weapon classes and "a few surprises."

Speaking of the original, while Namco believes the source material's graphics are "best left to nostalgia," the team notes that they have tried to remain faithful to the series' 80s horror movie vibe. Even so, the devs admit that gore is what the game "is going to be all about," promising that players will have "a very messy good time." It's amazing what you can do with that little 'M' on the box. Still, we wonder if the title will come with a disclaimer warning kids that inevitably get hold of Spatterhouse that lumber is absolutely not to be used in this manner.

Tekken 6, the latest in Namco Bandai's seminal fighting series, will be delivering a body blow to consoles next fall. Oh wait, you say, we already knew that. True, Microsoft confirmed last October that in Fall 2009 Feng Wei, Devil Jin and the rest would strike the Xbox 360 across the face. In addition, CVG reports that the game will get an equal bout on the PlayStation 3 at the same time.

The announcement was made during a recent event put on by Atari, which will publish the title in Europe on both platforms, adding yet another marquee feather in the once-struggling company's hat. Next year is shaping up to be a memorable one for fighting game fans with Street Fighter IV and Tekken 6 going toe-to-toe. So tell us, where do you place your bets?

Taking a break from merely educating the world about bees with tiny radios and environmental dangers, National Geographic has announced that it is getting into the video game biz. The educational institution has formed a new game division shockingly called National Geographic Games, which will be focused on delivering educational titles across all platforms, including PCs, consoles and handhelds.

Some early fruits of this venture have already fallen from the tree, including Herod's Lost Tomb on the iPhone, as well as Namco Bandai's National Geographic: Panda for the DS. The division is also working with Sony on National Geographic: Africa, with future projects including Rain Forests and Greencity also in the works. The division describes each of these efforts as offering "entertainment with substance," though whether or not that will keep players from tuning out after they get bored of ogling topless natives remains to be seen.

Namco's not-quite 3D platforming mascot, Klonoa, will soon waggle his way onto the Wii by way of a remake of his first PlayStation adventure, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. According to 1UP, the Wiimake will boast a "hefty graphical enhancement" over the original, while IGN adds that the title will also be getting difficulty tweaks as well.

Currently no US release has been announced, though our friends in Japan can look forward to controlling the 'Dream Traveler' on December 4 using just the Wii remote and two buttons as he ... wait, what is this game about again? Honestly it's been a decade since we played the thing. You could probably just tell us it's a racing title starring anthropomorphic vegetables and we'd be just as inclined to nod along and smile.

Ready, ok! Hey, you waggle fans! Stand right up and clap your hands! Namco Bandai has sent along, the complete list of We Cheer songs!

There, that can get us motivated to talk about anything. According to Namco, the over-cute cheer squad you see above will jump and shout to the tune of 30 "high-energy master tracks," including artists such as Boys Like Girls and Paramore, as you wave one or both Wii remotes through the air like "virtual pom-poms." Feel free to check out the game's entire 30 song catalog after the break as you wait for We Cheer to energize retail shelves with pep on September 30. And if this set list doesn't work for you, just remember to be aggressive. Be be aggressive.

Namco Bandai's ridiculously cross-branded Soul Calibur IV has cut a deep swath into retail shelves worldwide, shipping not one million units but two since its July 29 debut.

Still, and not to make an example out of you, Namco, but really all of this chest puffery over units shipped is a bit overblown. It's like bragging about how many pencils you threw at the ceiling, rather than what's really important, namely how many stuck. Then again, we imagine it's difficult to look up and count while you're ducking under the desk from falling profits.

Tales fans likely don't need extra incentive to secure a pre-order for Tales of Vesperia; the only question that remains is if they're happy with the regular version or want to pony up the extra gald for something shinier. Besides being wrapped in metal and artwork by series character designer Kosuke Fujishima, the $69.99 Tales of Vesperia special edition will also include a soundtrack CD celebrating a decade of console role-playing.

While specifics haven't been revealed, Namco Bandai notes that of the 25 songs included on the disc, a hefty 14 will be pulled from Vesperia, with the remainder coming from Tales of Symphonia (4), Tales of the Abyss (3), Tales of Phantasia (2) and Tales of Destiny (2). However, as much as we enjoy our ears, this limited offering is a step back from the Big Daddies and cat helmets we're used to, though we doubt that will stop fans from switching their pre-orders over in the run up to the game's August 26 release.

Fighting fans hoping for a pre-launch lightsaber throw down will wait until Soul Calibur IV cuts into retail shelves later this month, as Namco Bandai informs us that a demo for the game won't be available until after the game is released.

According to reps manning the company's E3 room, the devs are currently putting all of their effort towards getting the game ready for its release for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on July 29. As for what and when exactly we can expect from the demo when it's finally released, Namco Bandai wouldn't say, teasing only that it'll be available sometime "down the road."

When Soul Calibur's cadre of fighters cut their way onto the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this July in North America, they will do so in pairs. The latest issue of Famitsu reveals that the game will feature tag team elements in order to "perform combos" based on an on-screen meter that depletes as characters continue to test the bonds of friendship.

However, according to crack CAG translators, it remains unknown to what extent "character swapping" will be featured in Soul Calibur IV. The article interestingly only mentions the mechanic in reference to the game's single player mode, and that "teammates may suddenly join and leave at the end of the battle." We can't imagine that Namco Bandai would be so shortsighted as to leave something like this out of the game's versus mode. Still, we imagine that just the idea of Darth Vader conquering the galaxy shoulder to shoulder with top-heavy Taki (or Ivy, or Cassandra, or...) is enough to get fan fiction writers reaching for the keyboard and a change of pants.

No one likes riding in the middle of a car's backseat area. You're sandwiched in, crushed from one side and into the other regardless of which way the driver has to turn, and worst of all, the position is often associated with a derogatory term for the female dog.

If you're cunning, though, the role of middle-backseat passenger can be used to harness the strengths of both your fellow rear passengers for your own good. Forge a temporary alliance during one turn so that you and one passenger crush the other against his door. Then, on an opposite turn, revoke the ceasefire and cause much harm to your former ally.

Namco Bandai's Smash Court Tennis 3 makes similar use of its middle position against its two primary competitors, SEGA's Virtua Tennis 3 and 2K Sports's Top Spin 3. "You've got Virtua Tennis at the arcade end of the spectrum, and you've got Top Spin at the Simulation end," explained Smash Court Tennis 3 producer David Geudelekian during a recent preview event. "Smash Court Tennis very intelligently tows the middle ground. You can jump right into the game and [within] 30 seconds, you can play an arcade-style match: lots of powerups, sensitive aim. But there's also a really deep experience if you want more of a simulation."

We knew Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed would join the fight in Soul Calibur IV, and here he is in all his Dark Side-ian glory. Unlike the console exclusive Star Wars characters in SC IV -- Darth Vader for PS3 and Yoda on Xbox 360 -- the Secret Apprentice will be a playable on both consoles.

Oh, and if you care, the video also shows a tiny bit more of the actual non tie-in Soul Calibur cast.

Videogaming 247 says it's been told by Namco Bandai US that Eternal Sonata on PS3 won't be leaving Japan. A spokesperson for the publisher tells the site that the game has only been announced for Japan and it has "no plans to release the game on the PS3 in the US at this moment." Of course, in the never-ending battle with PR semantics, "at this moment" could mean the game will eventually be announced for other territories.

Eternal Sonata's official Japan-only PS3 status might explain some of the strange things that happened late last year when the game was announced for the PS3 on the ESRB site (pictured above) and on Namco's own US site, only to be removed sometime later.

If you're like us, the arcade shooter Galaga is probably sitting on your Xbox 360's hard drive gathering virtual dust. Even so, that doesn't mean Namco-Bandai won't jump at the chance to try squeeze a few more Microsoft Points out of the old girl. Now, according to a posting by the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbskontrolle (USK), the German version of the ESRB, it looks like the publisher could be doing just that with a new title called Galaga Legions.

We know next to nothing about the game beyond the fact that it's a shooter, but that hasn't stopped speculation that Namco-Bandai, the publisher behind cherished arcade re-imagining Pac-Man: CE, could be giving the same treatment to another classic quarter muncher. The notion makes us giddy -- our hard drives can always use more quality games. It's the fodder for future delisting that we can do without.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]