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WTF: Fable characters in Sonic Racing and other oddities from alleged Sega leak

by Ben Gilbert { Sep 22nd 2009 at 1:28PM }

Among the truckloads of possibly legit megatons included in the alleged leaked minutes from a meeting between Sega of America and Sony Computer Entertainment America, a number of notable gaffes and oddities can be found. Besides wondering if "characters from [the] Rare or Fable universes" should be included in Sonic Racing, it appears that Sega may be interested in assigning all of its properties a PlayStation Home-room. Oh, and a product evaluator thought Alpha Protocol felt "barely RPG" -- final analysis: make it even more Mass Effect-y.

Additionally, the mention of PS2 games as downloadable content on PSN makes us reminisce all the way back to mid-2006 when the idea first popped up on our radar --- surely, this isn't why Sony removed built-in backwards compatibility? And either the person taking minutes was daydreaming or knows something we don't, as reference is made to "Eidos' Batman" featuring "PS3/PSP interoperability" support -- a Batman or related DC Comics PSP game then? Juicer still, that little mention comes right after talk of a project named "Vanquish" and a possible PSP iteration of the currently shelved Aliens: Colonial Marines that Gearbox Software is working on. Also, Sony is eager to check out that hopefully not-so-crappy Thor game soon (suggestion: make it less Iron Man 2-y).

The cherry on top comes in the form of what we've been calling around the Joystiq water cooler: "Sonic and the Inverted Castle." Found under the "Sonic Anniversary" subhead, the note taker jots down, "SCEA would love PSN exclusive power ups/different game modes (like Castlevania's flip it over/backwards)." Actually, we believe that's Missy Elliott who puts the thing down, flips it and reverses it, thank you very much.

Gearbox assures it's hard at work on Aliens: Colonial Marines

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 22nd 2009 at 10:15AM }

Gearbox Software is apparently still working on Aliens: Colonial Marines. This update seems necessary to convey after Sega did its best Sigourney Weaver impression and told Obsidian to "get away from the Alien RPG, you [censored]." Gearbox head Randy Pitchford tells CVG that the company is definitely working on the first-person title and, when the time is right for publisher Sega, it will share more details.

We're not expecting to hear too much more about Aliens: Colonial Marines until Sega gets Aliens vs. Predator out the door -- which we appreciate, because there's no telling how many times we'll mix the two up in the meantime.

Sega: game not over for Aliens: Colonial Marines, Aliens RPG

by Randy Nelson { Jun 15th 2009 at 3:15PM }

The big, green gooey eggs containing Sega's long in development Aliens: Colonial Marines and Aliens RPG are going to hatch -- just not soon. When we asked why the games were absent from this year's E3, Sega replied, "Aliens vs. Predator will be the first to ship out of our triplet of Aliens titles; hence it was shown at this year's E3. We'll have more news to share about the other two games in the near future so stay tuned." Rumors of both titles being jettisoned out an airlock have been swirling since earlier this year.

In addition, Gearbox Software prez Randy Pitchford has confirmed to Kotaku that Colonial Marines lives on in now-gen console and handheld form on DS. Pitchford told the site that Gearbox is not developing the portable title, lending more credence to purported footage of a WayForward-developed Colonial Marines that leapt out of the darkness last month. We've put word into Obsidian, developers of Aliens RPG, for confirmation of that title's status.

Rumored video of Aliens: Colonial Marines for DS surfaces

by Jem Alexander { May 26th 2009 at 11:15PM }

What's the real deal with the Aliens franchise, recently? Ask Sega -- except don't, because you're pretty unlikely to get a straight answer from the company regarding the whereabouts of Aliens: Colonial Marines or the Obsidian-developed Aliens RPG. This new video, which can be seen after the break, is even more mysterious. It appears to be a 2D side-scrolling Aliens game developed by WayForward -- the people making A Boy and His Blob -- and Gearbox, developer of the console and PC version of Colonial Marines (if it still exists, that is).

Could this be a DS version of that same title, or is this something completely separate? Is it in development, or scrapped? The video description says it's a canceled project that was completed and shelved due to financial trouble at Sega. We've reached out to Sega for comment, but we're not counting on finding out much.

[Via Destructoid]

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Gearbox Software is hiring, Aliens: Colonial Marines still in development

by Ben Gilbert { May 3rd 2009 at 5:30PM }

Aliens: Colonial Marines, one of the three Alien titles allegedly in production, has had a lot of ups and downs over the past six months. First we were unclear whether layoffs at developer Gearbox Software would affect the title, then we were assured it was to be released in Q1 2009, then we were tipped it was supposedly canceled -- so what's actually going on with the game? Well, we're still not really sure.

Shacknews noticed that over on Gearbox's website, the company is recruiting for "all projects," and furthermore, the Alien project was listed at time of press as "in-development" (currently it lists development as "TBA," having updated that specific page on the website as of today). We contacted Steve Gibson, marketing director for Gearbox, to ask about the recent news and if Aliens: Colonial Marines is still being developed by the studio. "Neither Sega nor Gearbox have ever announced any status changes. We're not making any announcements at this time beyond that we are recruiting for all projects," he told us this morning.

While not directly confirming the continued development of the game, Mr. Gibson's answer leads us to believe that, as the game has never been officially canceled, the studio is still working on it. As you're likely used to hearing around this time of year, we're just going to have to wait 'til E3 to find out for sure what's going on.

Alpha Protocol in October, new trailer right now

by Justin McElroy { Mar 17th 2009 at 9:00AM }

With Sam Fisher still MIA, we've turned to other sources to get our spy fix, even getting a little dirty pleasure from Quantum of Solace (or, as we just decided to start calling it, Call of Suit-y). We were hoping to get a little bump from Alpha Protocol, as Sega had announced it was coming between April and June of this year. Of course, it also announced Aliens: Colonial Marines for that same window, and we all saw how that turned out. You guessed it: Alpha Protocol has been delayed to October.

On the plus side, we've got a new trailer above, and it's definitely giving us a Splinter Cell vibe. Seriously, watch the clip, it's like casual Friday at Third Echelon.

Rumor: Sega pulls funding on Aliens: Colonial Marines, Aliens RPG

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 12th 2009 at 4:00PM }

Sega has allegedly pulled funding from both Obsidian's Aliens RPG and Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines, sources have revealed to Joystiq. Supposedly, 20 people were laid off from Obsidian yesterday and more could soon lose their jobs. The layoffs also affected the team working on Alpha Protocol, another Obsidian-developed, Sega-published title. Without the Aliens RPG, Obsidian is apparently on the ropes, our sources say.

As for Gearbox, Sega allegedly stopped paying the developer for its work on Colonial Marines for "a while" -- production has since ceased. At this point, it's unclear whether Colonial Marines has been "halted" or "canceled," which Gearbox president Randy Pitchford – in response to a previous rumor – called an "inaccurate characterization."

This rumor comes less than 24 hours after Sega announced Aliens vs. Predator and refused to answer questions about the previously announced Aliens titles. Sega turning off the money tap wouldn't exactly be shocking, given the company plans to lay off 560 people and already lost $119 million in the first three quarters of its fiscal year. Requests for clarification from Sega and Gearbox on the status of the titles have not yet been returned as of press time. An Obsidian representative responded with "no comment" to our inquiry. If you're one of those let go, or have any further information, please feel free to contact us.

It's not game over, man! Aliens: Colonial Marines and Alpha Protocol to see Q1 09 release

by Xav de Matos { Jan 7th 2009 at 5:45PM }

Aliens: Colonial Marines will see life on the current crop of HD-consoles and PCs within the first quarter of 2009, SEGA confirmed today. Late last year rumblings were the upcoming shooter's future was in jeopardy when rumors surfaced that SEGA had cut funding on the project after Gearbox Software's Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway saw lower than expected sales results, which prompted Gearbox President Randy Pitchford to release a statement denying the game had been canned.

In a comment to Videogamer, SEGA confirmed the game based on the popular film franchise will release sometime between April and June; the first three months of the Japanese company's fiscal year. SEGA also confirmed the upcoming Obsidian Entertainment developed action-RPG Alpha Protocol will release within the same quarter.

Aliens: Colonial Marines, Alpha Protocol slated for Q1 '09 release

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jan 7th 2009 at 12:57PM }

No, we don't believe it either, but at least Sega has confirmed that the nebulous development of Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines is still ongoing. According to a release list issued to UK site VideoGamer.com, Sega currently has the xenophobic first-person shooter pinned to the first quarter of its 2009 release calendar -- though the article questions whether said calendar is Gregorian or fiscal.

Joining Colonial Marines in the Q1 '09 release window is Obsidian's Bauer-esque spy RPG, Alpha Protocol. We've contacted Sega of America to clarify these dates and confirm the other titles on the list, including House of the Dead: Overkill (February), Sonic and the Black Knight (March) and Bayonetta (a vague "2009").

Status of 'Aliens: Colonial Marines' muddled in Gearbox layoffs

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 24th 2008 at 7:50PM }

The development status of Aliens: Colonial Marines is currently about as convoluted as Weyland-Yutani's interest in the xenomorph. Following reports that the title had been canceled, developer Gearbox's president, Randy Pitchford, has stated the game has not been "canned."

Originally, Shacknews reported that Gearbox let go of about 15-25 employees, with the site's sources claiming Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway's poor retail performance and the "stoppage of work" on Aliens were the reason for the layoffs. Pitchford reiterated to the site that it was an "inaccurate characterization" that production on the game had been "halted." Questions about Aliens: Colonial Marines' quality and condition have hung over the title since E3.

Aliens: Colonial Marines glimpsed in Jace Hall Show

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Sep 1st 2008 at 2:30PM }

Those of you who took the E3 absence of Aliens: Colonial Marines to mean that Gearbox had naught to show for its FPS efforts have been proven utterly wrong. As indistinctly evidenced by some new (and brief) off-screen footage, the so-not-coming-out-in-2008 shocker is shaping up to be everything you could have hoped for:

It is a game.
It is presented in the first-person perspective.
You are equipped with a device that rapidly transports projectiles into snarling faces, often attached to slimy extraterrestrials.

The footage was captured by the folks behind The Jace Hall Show, who came over, man, came over to have a look at the game in the final moments of their season finale. You can view the episode after the break or, alternatively, see the edited clip at Shacknews.

Continued →

Aliens: Colonial Marines E3 absence explained

by Jason Dobson { Jul 20th 2008 at 12:30PM }

Sega's E3 presence was among the weakest at last week's event, trumped only by the pitiful showing at Camp Belmont, a notion not helped by the absence of Gearbox-developed Aliens: Colonial Marines from either the show floor or Sega's own booth. Videogamer.com cornered Gearbox president Randy Pitchford about the missing shooter, a no-show he blamed squarely on Sega's marketing strategy, adding that "the game is in great shape. People are going to freak out when they see it."

By people, he obviously didn't mean Sega's own marketing VP Sean Ratcliffe, who told us that while the publisher was considering showing the game at E3, Sega didn't feel that it was quite ready for prime time. "I think it needs a little more time before we want to put it in front of the press," the exec told us. He added that more news regarding the status of Aliens: Colonial Marines will be announced sometime after E3, though we continue to hope that Sega will release game as planned in late 2008 and not nuke the site from orbit.

[Thanks Cellien]

New Aliens: Colonial Marines Concept Art

by Terrence Stasse { May 5th 2008 at 3:00AM }

Not a whole hell of a lot is known about the tactical squad based shooter, being brought to us courtesy of Gearbox and Sega. The licensed FPS, Aliens: Colonial Marines, was revealed in older issue of Game Informer, and then rather dropped off the radar until reappearing in UK's OXM. Colonial Marines is scheduled to hit this fall and sport four-player drop-in-drop-out online coop, and the new two pieces of concept art depict the heads of one of the aliens and one of the marines. They'll probably be used as some sort of promotional material for the game, so we're likely to see these images again.

Gallery: Aliens:CM Concept Art

Gearbox Software defends in-game ad deal

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Mar 31st 2008 at 7:00PM }

Gearbox Software founder, Randy Pitchford, has commented on the developer's blog regarding its recent in-game advertisement agreement with Double Fusion, quelling concerns that Brothers in Arms would become Brothers in Ads. "We respect any contempt for exploitive advertising that negatively effects the integrity or the quality of the game because we, as hardcore gamers, share that same contempt," writes Pitchford. He further emphasizes, "We hate exploitive advertising that doesn't offer value to the gamer."

In the category of advertising Gearbox doesn't hate, lies the kind that improves authenticity. Gearbox provides the example of a Philips factory in Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, a historical site which would detract from authenticity sans the appropriate (and accurate to 1944) branding. Pitchford also lists increased budgets and out-of-game promotion as potential benefits that "we hope come from Double Fusion helping to connect Gearbox with advertisers."

"If you see in-game ads for some stupid product that has nothing to do with the context in which it occurs and actually detracts from the experience, then you can feel justified in bashing the developer, publisher, or advertiser that made that decision," concludes Pitchford. Fair enough -- but we'd better not be stopping at a Burger King in our trek across Borderlands, mister.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will release in late 08

by Jem Alexander { Feb 22nd 2008 at 2:30PM }

Wow, how did this one slip us by? Gearbox are currently developing Aliens: Colonial Marines, a squad-based first-person shooter set in the Alien universe. With a story penned by sci-fi writers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle (Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), four-player co-op play and nary a mention of the word "Predator", this game is heading straight for our "To Watch" list.

The press release states that the game will take "retain the atmospheric look and feel of the original films while leveraging next-generation technology to create an entirely new interactive Aliens experience" and will be out at the end of this year. Between now and then further multiplayer modes for the game will be announced. We predict some sort of Humans vs Aliens deathmatch in cramped, claustrophobic space ships - and, if not, why not!