Joystiq

Aliens: Colonial Marines delayed to February 2013 on 360/PS3/PC, Wii U date to be revealed later

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:07:00 EST

Aliens: Colonial Marines launches on February 12, 2013, Sega announced this morning. The Gearbox Software-developed game was previously given a "fall 2012" launch window, and was planned as a Wii U hardware launch title (the game is also planned for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC), though no hard date was ever given before. In fact, despite the February 12 date announcement, the game's Wii U version still doesn't have a date. "A release date for the announced Wii U version will be revealed at a later time," the press release reads.

Upset? That's understandable, but Sega's hoping to deflect some of that rage with a new trailer, which we've dropped just above.

Continue reading Aliens: Colonial Marines delayed to February 2013 on 360/PS3/PC, Wii U date to be revealed later

Aliens: Colonial Marines delayed to February 2013 on 360/PS3/PC, Wii U date to be revealed later originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 May 2012 09:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines multiplayer, or 'How Gearbox played as Xenomorphs and dissected its guests'

Britton Peele — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST

At a recent preview event for Aliens: Colonial Marines, developer Gearbox didn't let us play through the single-player portion of its upcoming shooter, but gave us a shot at commanding our own marine in multiplayer. Playing Team Deathmatch, journalists took the reigns as marines, while a group of Gearbox employees faced off against as us the frightening Xenomorphs.

If you're familiar with team deathmatch from other shooters, Aliens: Colonial Marines will do little to surprise you. The multiplayer is asymmetrical, meaning the two sides of the conflict are pretty different in terms of abilities and play styles. While we didn't get to play as the aliens, we did get to watch them be played, which showed us that there is a least a little here that makes this different from your everyday red vs. blue combat situation.

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (4/4/12)

Continue reading Aliens: Colonial Marines multiplayer, or 'How Gearbox played as Xenomorphs and dissected its guests'

Aliens: Colonial Marines multiplayer, or 'How Gearbox played as Xenomorphs and dissected its guests' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The acid-blooded devil is in the details for Aliens: Colonial Marines

Britton Peele — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST

"You can see this pocket on the pants," Brian Burleson, senior producer of Aliens: Colonial Marines says as he points to a promotional image behind him. It shows one of the Colonial Marines standing over a Xenomorph while another alien leaps at him from behind. "When we released this [image], someone said to us, 'No, the pocket is on the front of the cargo pants.' And we were like, 'Seriously?'"

That's where a lot of developers might stop caring. It's a licensed product that serious fans will probably snatch up anyway, right? How important is a pocket on a pair of cargo pants? But Gearbox Software said "We're going back in and fixing that."

The stakes are pretty high with Colonial Marines, and not just because the series has had passionate fans for decades. This isn't an inconsequential "what if" side-story like the Aliens vs Predator games, nor is it a retelling of any of the films in the franchise. It's an entirely new, canonical entry in the Alien mythology - a true, official sequel to Aliens and Alien 3 -- and the developers are taking that opportunity and running with it.

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (4/4/12)

Continue reading The acid-blooded devil is in the details for Aliens: Colonial Marines

The acid-blooded devil is in the details for Aliens: Colonial Marines originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gearbox boss says impressive Wii U 'a really nice bridge' to the next generation

Britton Peele — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST

Nintendo's Wii U demo reel at E3 last year contained a clip of Aliens: Colonial Marines, but we haven't heard much about the version since then. Speaking with Gearbox President Randy Pitchford, we tried to surgically extract a viable specimen of information out of him, but he refrained from getting too specific.

"Nintendo still has a lot to announce with their platform, and it's not up to us to go ahead of them," he told Joystiq. "I think it's a great platform and I'm really excited about it, particularly with this game, there's a lot of exciting opportunities like, 'Wow, my motion tracker is there, and I can move it like this!'" he said as he moved his arms side to side. "There's just so much cool stuff."

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (4/4/12)

Continue reading Gearbox boss says impressive Wii U 'a really nice bridge' to the next generation

Gearbox boss says impressive Wii U 'a really nice bridge' to the next generation originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gearbox: Aliens Colonial Marines was announced before development started

Britton Peele — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST

Despite first being announced by publisher Sega in 2006, development on Aliens: Colonial Marines didn't begin at Gearbox until after the title was revealed to the world.

"Everyone was just so excited that the deal got done," Gearbox President Randy Pitchford told Joystiq at a recent event for the title. "20th Century Fox, Gearbox and Sega all had to agree to do this and commit themselves to it. The fact that that deal even existed -- everyone on the business side was so excited that the deal happened that they just wanted to tell the world. So before we even started on the game they announced the deal."

Because the announcement was made so long ago, many gamers feel the game has been taking an exceptionally long time to come out. "I think there have been a couple of things that have kind of created that feeling. One thing is that it was announced before we were even started. Another thing is that there was an [Alien] RPG game in development by Obsidian which was canceled. And I think when that happened we hadn't even really shown this game or talked about it yet, so that created some confusion of, 'Wait, what was canceled?'"

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (Concept Art)

Continue reading Gearbox: Aliens Colonial Marines was announced before development started

Gearbox: Aliens Colonial Marines was announced before development started originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines shifted to a fall 2012 launch window

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST

Despite those signs from Sega's abdomen and the worried look on its face, it seems like Aliens: Colonial Marines isn't bursting out of development onto retail shelves any time soon. The game will now arrive some time in "fall 2012," according to a statement released by Sega this evening, bumping it a full season away from its originally intended spring 2012 window.

We're also told that a fancy new trailer for the game will be arriving tomorrow, so, uh, hold onto your butts! Oh ... shoot ... wrong franchise. Ummm, get to the choppah? Sorry, we kinda exhausted our Aliens references in the first paragraph.

Aliens: Colonial Marines shifted to a fall 2012 launch window originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines special edition spotted

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST

Gamekyo has discovered an image of what appears to be a collector's edition of Aliens: Colonial Marines. Based on the unconfirmed evidence, the collector's edition will include a nifty display box, several in-game weapons, a new "USMC Academy Firing Range" game mode and the USCM Dossier, which offers "essential briefing notes on the Xenomorph infestation." We're assuming the more salient points will cover acid blood and secret mouths.

What's that? Oh yeah, it also includes a badass power loader statue. Despite all that, Sega tells Joystiq that it is "not commenting on this rumor."

Aliens: Colonial Marines special edition spotted originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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These Aliens: Colonial Marines screenshots will eat your Face(book)

Mike Schramm — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:30:00 EST

Gearbox Software has spawned a few new Aliens: Colonial Marines screenshots on its official Facebook page, featuring plenty of high res slime and grime. Most of them show said aliens fighting said marines, though the shot above looks like it might be the exception. Get a room, you two!

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (11/3/2011)

These Aliens: Colonial Marines screenshots will eat your Face(book) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines has 11 minutes of gameplay to show you

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST

For months, you've relied on our words -- insightful though they may be -- to illustrate the extraterrestrial horror of the E3 Aliens: Colonial Marines demo. Today, you can use actual moving pictures to relive the experience. Just check out the developer walkthrough posted above!

Aliens: Colonial Marines has 11 minutes of gameplay to show you originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines trailer kills a whole lot of humans

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:38:00 EST

If we had a nickel for each of the titular soldiers that gets massacred in this (apparently leaked) trailer for Aliens: Colonial Marines, we'd probably have enough money to afford the therapy we'll need to get over how many titular soldiers we just saw get massacred. Come, join our distress!

Aliens: Colonial Marines trailer kills a whole lot of humans originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines preview: Game not over, man

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST

Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines is trying to deliver the Aliens sequel you always wanted. The team at Gearbox considers Alien³ to be a sequel to the original, leaving the action-heavy Aliens without a proper narrative followup. In Colonial Marines, a group of, well ... colonial marines find themselves back on LV-426, ready to become the latest incubators of the xenomorph race.

The hands-off demo we saw started with our squad back on the planet and in the Hadley's Hope facility. "But wait, wasn't the complex destroyed in a nuclear blast at the end of Aliens?" you ask, quite astutely. Gearbox explained that a ground-based nuclear blast would leave a cone-shaped crater (that's why nuclear bombs are supposed to be detonated in mid-air), so it could have been possible for the sturdy complex and xenomorph hive to survive. Happy? No? Well, that's the premise, so get used to it.

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (E3 2011)

Continue reading Aliens: Colonial Marines preview: Game not over, man

Aliens: Colonial Marines preview: Game not over, man originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines to rip through Xenomorphs in Spring 2012

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:40:00 EST

Other than the message imparted by the terrifying baby head we got in the mail, we haven't heard too much (useful) information about Gearbox Software's Aliens: Colonial Marines lately. It looks like that's about to change, as Gearbox and Sega today revealed plans to blow out the game at E3 next week, and announced a new "Spring 2012" launch window.

If that weren't enough, a bit of the game's scope is explained in the announcement, which depicts a recon mission into the "ostensibly abandoned" U.S.S. Sulaco of Aliens fame. A fancy new teaser has also arrived, which we've dropped just below the break.

Continue reading Aliens: Colonial Marines to rip through Xenomorphs in Spring 2012

Aliens: Colonial Marines to rip through Xenomorphs in Spring 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Severed head in the mail terrifies, teases Aliens: Colonial Marines

Christopher Grant — Thu, 26 May 2011 16:30:00 EST

We get a lot of weird stuff in the mail, it's simply one of the hazards of this profession. Any given day, we have to be prepared to take delivery of a miniature diorama, a personalized strait jacket, a check for $200, or maybe a pile of meat, hair and teeth? Sometimes, it's a dirty doll head.

Wait, what?

Now, getting something like this in the mail might be a frightening experience for the casual games journalist but remember, your pals at Joystiq are pros. And by pros, we mean to say that we asked Twitter what it was. Some of you suggested it might be promoting Gearbox's announced-over-three-years-ago FPS Aliens: Colonial Marines. While that seemed like a crazy assumption, it turns out the name written on the back, Rebecca, is the actual name of that lovable scamp from Aliens, Newt. Furthermore, the return address on the package is from one Ms. Rebecca Jorden, Newt's full name. Here's what Wikia has to say about the doll:

Casey was the favorite doll of Newt's. Casey was reduced to nothing but a head when she was discovered on LV-426. Casey was lost when Newt was abducted in the sub-basement reservoir in the Hadley's Hope settlement.

And if that's not enough proof of an imminent E3 re-reveal, Kotaku says it has an appointment to see the game, so ... case closed, we guess. We're mostly looking forward to seeing why Colonial Marines was put on the backburner for so long ...

... mostly.

Continue reading Severed head in the mail terrifies, teases Aliens: Colonial Marines

Severed head in the mail terrifies, teases Aliens: Colonial Marines originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gearbox discusses Aliens: Colonial Marines, Brothers in Arms, secret Pitchford-directed title, and more

Christopher Grant — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

During today's Gearbox Software panel, the developer took the opportunity to assuage concerns that new franchises like Borderlands and Duke Nukem are siphoning away time from its previous projects, like the Brothers in Arms series or the announced-in-2009-and-still-invisible Aliens: Colonial Marines. Pitchford even commented on one of the studio's three unannounced projects.

"We're not announcing anything today, but we want to tell you guys that we really care about this franchise a lot," Gearbox co-founder Brian Martel said. "It's something we created and it really means a lot to us. It's not just a game about the combat. It's about the soldiers in the war. We'll deal with Baker and his men in future games for sure." So while they're not confirming that a Brothers in Arms game is in development currently, they are confirming that one will be at some point. But Martel did give us an idea of what we might expect from a future BiA offering: "But we also may do some other things that maybe treat the game in some different ways and take some different directions." So, modern warfare then?

Pitchford then jumped in, agreeing. "It was our first original IP. So we'll be taking care of that one." Further confirming that a Brothers in Arms game is possibly in production, Pitchford said, " We've got a lot of action right now, but we're not ready quite yet to bring it out. We want to make sure we know we've got it right before we tell you what we're doing."

Continue reading Gearbox discusses Aliens: Colonial Marines, Brothers in Arms, secret Pitchford-directed title, and more

Gearbox discusses Aliens: Colonial Marines, Brothers in Arms, secret Pitchford-directed title, and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SXSW: Creating 87 bazillion guns for Borderlands

Kevin Kelly — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:00:00 EST

Fact: there are 16,164,886 guns in Borderlands according to Gearbox Software developers Matthew Armstrong and Jimmy Sieben. That's a lot of guns. Remember that scene in The Matrix where Neo says "Guns. Lots and lots of guns."? It's a lot more than that. That's also the number of guns before the DLC, which has inflated it even further. So how do you have someone design each one of those firearms and build out the specs? Even if you only paid 25 cents per gun, that would still chew into your development budget to the tune of over four million dollars. So what do you do, hotshot?

Easy! You make a system that does it all for you. In an SXSW panel, Sieben and Armstrong spoke about the systemic development tool named Gearbuilder that they developed, going into detail about how they created the system to handle the creation of that many customized guns. It generates the guns based on one of 12 different manufacturers, giving each one a different grip, body, cylinder, barrel and accessories. Based on those, that same system determines how much damage the gun will deal. But what's surprising is, as impressive a figure as 16 million is, it's still only one gun. Shoot on through the break for more.

Continue reading SXSW: Creating 87 bazillion guns for Borderlands

SXSW: Creating 87 bazillion guns for Borderlands originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big Download awards 2009's vaporware

Xav de Matos — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:30:00 EST

In response to Wired's own 2009 vaporware awards, our pals at BigDownload have complied their own list of software and hardware that woulda, coulda and shoulda seen the light of day this year. Topping the list is the streaming service OnLive, which was slated to release in "winter 2009," following a healthy dose of beta testing. While reception for the service has been mostly positive, OnLive's claims have yet to be tested on a global stage (during E3 2009, OnLive was previewed for select media via a cable modem connection to the service's California-based headquarters).

Other nods go to Gearbox Software's oft-delayed -- we'll believe it when we see it -- Aliens: Colonial Marines, Obsidian's "oh, by the way, it's not coming out today" Alpha Protocol, and Midway's This Is ~~Canceled~~ Vegas. Sadly, Duke Nukem Forever failed to win an award for what would have been a record twelfth-straight year.

Big Download awards 2009's vaporware originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST

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.

WTF: Fable characters in Sonic Racing and other oddities from alleged Sega leak originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:15:00 EST

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.

Gearbox assures it's hard at work on Aliens: Colonial Marines originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Randy Nelson — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:15:00 EST

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.

Sega: game not over for Aliens: Colonial Marines, Aliens RPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumored video of Aliens: Colonial Marines for DS surfaces

Jem Alexander — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:15:00 EST

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]

Continue reading Rumored video of Aliens: Colonial Marines for DS surfaces

Rumored video of Aliens: Colonial Marines for DS surfaces originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 May 2009 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 03 May 2009 17:30:00 EST

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.

Gearbox Software is hiring, Aliens: Colonial Marines still in development originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 May 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alpha Protocol in October, new trailer right now

Justin McElroy — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST

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.

Alpha Protocol in October, new trailer right now originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST

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.

Rumor: Sega pulls funding on Aliens: Colonial Marines, Aliens RPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Xav de Matos — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: News

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.

It's not game over, man! Aliens: Colonial Marines and Alpha Protocol to see Q1 09 release originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, RPGs

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").

Aliens: Colonial Marines, Alpha Protocol slated for Q1 '09 release originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:50:00 EST

Filed under: Business

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.

Status of 'Aliens: Colonial Marines' muddled in Gearbox layoffs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines glimpsed in Jace Hall Show

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters

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.

Continue reading Aliens: Colonial Marines glimpsed in Jace Hall Show

Aliens: Colonial Marines glimpsed in Jace Hall Show originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines E3 absence explained

Jason Dobson — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

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]

Aliens: Colonial Marines E3 absence explained originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Aliens: Colonial Marines Concept Art

Terrence Stasse — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

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.

New Aliens: Colonial Marines Concept Art originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 May 2008 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gearbox Software defends in-game ad deal

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

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.

Gearbox Software defends in-game ad deal originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines will release in late 08

Jem Alexander — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

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!

Aliens: Colonial Marines will release in late 08 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines in late 2008, 4-player co-op

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360

Sega has bumped up the Aliens: Colonial Marines street date to "late 2008," just a week after Game Informer revealed the game name and cited a vague 2009 release. The publisher also provided details of the title's plot, an original, penned by Bradley Thompson and David Weddle. As part of a United States Colonial Marine squad you and up to three additional friends will face ~~a Nazi~~ an Alien assault (yes, like we said, "original"). In co-op mode, players will have distinct roles to play in the completion of each mission -- we call flamethrower duty! The game also will include additional multiplayer modes not yet announced.

With Gearbox at the helm, expect an authentic recreation of the films' fictional world from pulse rifles to the now abandoned Sulaco spacecraft. Aliens: Colonial Marines is in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

[Via press release]

Aliens: Colonial Marines in late 2008, 4-player co-op originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines, FPS, coming in 2009

Terrence Stasse — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

So it seems that the long-announced, but not-much-discussed Aliens game, brought to us by Gearbox and Sega, has finally been revealed. As strange as it is to see a revival of the Aliens IP, the brand still does command plenty of loyalty and the idea of bringing it to the most played genre around isn't that out there. The game is unveiled in this month's issue of Game Informer and is formally titled Aliens: Colonial Marines. The title is an obscure reference to a scene from the second movie in which Ripley meets United States Colonial Marines. Evidently the colonies will be the focus of the game, as no details have been released regarding the game's story or canonical connection to the films. We do however know that the game will be squad based is due out after the end of the year.

[Via Joystiq]

Aliens: Colonial Marines, FPS, coming in 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Aliens: Colonial Marines' is title of Gearbox, Sega FPS

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:27:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters

Not much more than a name to go with previous confirmation that Brothers in Arms creator Gearbox is developing an Alien FPS for Sega, as Game Informer announces "Aliens: Colonial Marines" as the cover story in it's new issue. The brief teaser copy confirms that the game will be squad-based, ostensibly following some of the development cues from Gearbox's previous projects. The title alludes to the second film, Aliens, and perhaps specifically to the 'United States Colonial Marines' who accompany Ripley when she returns to LV-426. It's unclear what, if any connection the game will have to that film or others within the series.

Sega's Alien license currently covers Colonial Marines and an Obsidian RPG. Aliens: Colonial Marines is slated for a 2009 release on PC and consoles.

'Aliens: Colonial Marines' is title of Gearbox, Sega FPS originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gearbox to develop Sega's Alien FPS

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, First Person Shooters

Sega has revealed that Brothers in Arms creator Gearbox will develop its Alien FPS. The announcement comes padded with a lil' promise, as Sega has declared the shooter "will retain the atmospheric look and feel of the original films" -- we'll interpret this line to be a reference to Alien and Aliens, not the additional sequels (and certainly not AVP).

With the game not scheduled for release until 2009, neither Sega or Gearbox is saying much else. Should we assume, given Gearbox's history, that this Alien FPS will be squad-based, with a touch of strategy?

See also:
Alien games to burst out of Sega's chest
Obsidian to helm Aliens RPG for Sega

Gearbox to develop Sega's Alien FPS originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Dec 2006 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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