As you're no doubt aware, you'll be playing as the very first Big Daddy in 2K Marin's upcoming BioShock 2. If you're craving a bit more insight into just how said Big Daddy came to be, 2K's just dropped some concept art showing the development of the hulking bruiser.

The final product looks cool, but are we the only ones that would have totally dug this armored Terminator Big Daddy? Just us? Fair enough.

[Via GameSetWatch]

GamePro is promising that its upcoming July issue will blow the doors off of the sequel to 2K's undersea shooter, BioShock. Of course, by the time it hits newsstands, you'll probably be full to the gills with all the the BioShock 2 details you can handle -- we're sure to hear a ton about the game during E3.

Fortunately, GamePro recently offered a delicious morsel to its potential readers, uploading the Big Daddy-infused cover of the upcoming issue to the mag's online edition. You can check out the full cover -- and the design for BioShock 2's diving suit-wearing protagonist -- after the break. As a point of reference, here's the original Big Daddy. And here's a poster for the hilarious, heartfelt Adam Sandler comedy Big Daddy. And here's professional wrestler Big Daddy V! Wait, we forgot what we were doing ...

[Thanks, Storm Eagle!]

The bad economy just won't stop showing up in our news posts these days. First we get predictions of months of down sales, and now we get news that the Gore Verbinski directed BioShock film adaptation is stuck "in a holding pattern." Variety is reporting that Verbinski and production company Universal are looking at possibly moving the currently in pre-production film to outside the US to "take advantage of a tax credit," allegedly looking at moving production to London from its current Los Angeles locale.

Additionally, according to Variety's sources, some of the pre-production staff has been let go while the budget restructuring takes place. The studio (and Verbinski himself) have vowed to not allow the BioShock movie to succumb to the same fate as the perpetually on-again, off-again Halo film. As BioShock is one of the few games we could actually see making a really interesting film, we're hoping they're not just pulling our chain.

[Thanks, Aaron!]

"You don't play just any Big Daddy in BioShock 2. You play the first ever."

Game Informer's BioShock 2 cover story is slowly making their way to subscribers, and the real details are far more exciting than the fantasy. Players take control of the very first Big Daddy, and will be able to use plasmids while still donning its iconic drill. Your quest will have you confronting other Big Daddies and a familiar moral dilemma: do you harvest the Little Sisters or do you adopt them?

[Thanks to Philip B. for the info! We'll be updating this post as new info comes in -- and we always welcome a tip.]

A freshly-inked arm feature BioShock's Big Daddy and Little Sister, made Wednesday and sent in by Joystiq reader Nate G. He offered to send us pics after it heals, but we think the tinge of blood and pain is appropriate given the tattoo's subject matter. Check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
DS Fanboy Lite: June 21 - June 27
Joystiq hands-on: EA Sports All-Play
Joystiq Podcast 055 - Public access edition
This Week in Review is Left 4 Dead ... again
WRUP: Bonus! Includes Lights Out game cart edition
X3F Week in Review: June 20. 2008 - July 26, 2008

News
Super Street Fighter II HD beta: borked, but fun
Blizzard Splash Screen Update for June 27
Microsoft: Byron regulations may make games more expensive in UK
McFarlane Toys casting Guitar Hero in plastic
White Knight Story to be told in Sony's fiscal 2008
Will Wright talks Spore and defensive cows
Full-page Kmart ad showing $299 Xbox 360
Official PS3 Bluetooth headset revealed, bundled with SOCOM
Hudson crafting a new Adventure Island
Soul Calibur IV getting tag teams of some kind
38 Studios bags former THQ, EA art guy
Röck Band Weekly: Accrüe the awesöme Crüefest DLC
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 getting free multiplayer maps in July

Rumors & Speculation
Rumor: UGO-owned E3.net lists Kid Icarus, Alan Wake, HL2: Episode 3

Culture & Community
One of the easiest Wii homebrew guides you'll find
Amazon's gold box deal: Smash Bros Brawl for $26
Blizzard offers live streams of Worldwide Invitational
PAX 2008 exhibitor list is quite large

Big Daddy is now free to roam on as many PCs as possible. According to 2K Community Manager Elizabeth (via 2K Forums), BioShock for PC can now be installed on as many computers as you want. The SecuROM protection still remains, however, and you still need to both activate the game upon installation and keep the disc in the tray.

Elizabeth does provide some assurance to those who worry about the DRM. "I believe, as you seem to, that BioShock will be the kind of game we will want to revisit 5, 10, 15 or more years from now. I want my copy to be playable, just as you do, and so does 2K," she said. We know Mr. Bubbles would be happy, and we'd hate to see him feeling otherwise.

As PC gamers patiently wait to play Will Wright's latest creation, Spore, they've recently had a chance to tinker with the Spore Creature Creator to test the customization options of the game. As expected the first monsters created were intentionally NSFW but some gamers took the opportunity to get creative. Using the PC tool gamers have recreated the Big Daddy from 2007's critically and commercially acclaimed BioShock. Other game character homages made with the tool include Mass Effect and a very bubbly Master Chief.

Download the Spore Creature Creator from Big Download today!

"Wake up, Samus!"

"What is it, Weekly Webcomic Wrapup?"

"I just had the craziest dream. I was in the movie theater with my mom and grandmother and we were trying to decide what to buy tickets for. There were two movies: A Flicker, and one called Ludwig Kietzmann."

"Isn't that your editor?"

"Yeah, but there's nothing weird about dreaming about your superior's name, is there? ... Anyway, so we buy tickets to Flicker, and we walk into the theater -- no bigger than my college dorm room, mind you -- and the screen starts showing BioShock footage. It was an origins of BioShock movie, except instead of splicers the people turned into demons. And the Big Daddy, he was skipping and dancing around like from a 1950s musical!"

"Skipping? Webby, I think you need to stick to your namesake."

• A Preview (Penny Arcade)
• Wheel of Fate (2P Start)
• Nested Ironies (Penny Arcade)
• Theory of Evolution (2P Start)
• Make it Double (VG Cats)
• If buying a car was like Bad Company (Extra Life)
• Zero Punctuation, Multiple Puncture Wounds (Dueling Analogs)
• Some Restrictions Apply (Digital Unrest)

(Voting after the break.)

Watching us from afar in San Francisco's Grand Café (the one where, legend has it, Justin ate six PlayStation 3s and drank a PSP shake) was the ghost of a one-time splicer from BioShock (here's visual reference). Even weirder still, our waiter was a Big Daddy -- don't ask with what (or rather, on whom) he wrote our orders.

Who even thought that there were rights for Bioshock on mobile phones, let alone rights worth purchasing? The rights for a story-driven, atmosphere-heavy, first-person-shooter on a screen smaller than your palm don't really seem worth it. Yet the company IG Fun will be bringing Bioshock to mobile phones, having just purchased the global rights from 2K. Nothing else about the game itself was announced, but the IG Fun CEO, Sean Malatesta, did say that "We're trying to do great things and BioShock on mobile promises to offer a whole new gaming experience and unmatched excitement amongst mobile gamers the world over." Whether or not that marketing-speak will end up coming true remains to be seen, but we'd better not see this IP run into the ground.

If you've got a Big Daddy figure who's been suffering from Drill Dysfunction, you'll be happy to hear that we've heard from several tipsters that replacements for the figurines are being sent out, just four short months after the game was initially released. Not that you've forgotten, but you'll also be treated to the BioShock-themed art book "Breaking the Mold."

Sadly, you'll no longer be required to send in your old Big Daddy as verification that he was, indeed, a DD suffer. We say sadly because we can't shake the image of a broken-drilled Little Daddy staring out the window while your new one flies around the room with cries of "To infinity and beyond!" Let's try to remember who was in your hearts first and make him feel included, OK?

We just received proof that 2K has kicked their shipping into high gear (it took them long enough) when it comes to getting the replacement BioShock Big Daddy figures to customers. X3F reader thw sent us the pic above saying that late yesterday he received his replacement Big Daddy figure. You'll also notice that 2K has made good on their promise to include a hardcover softcover copy of the "Breaking the Mold" artbook as well. Keep those eyes fixed on the mailbox today, tomorrow and all of next week, because we have a feeling a flood of Big Daddy figures will be making their way to BioShock owners soon. Oh, and if by chance your replacement Big Daddy arrives at your doorstep with a broken drill bit you MUST inform us. The irony of it all would be too much to pass up.

[Thanks, thw]

Elizabeth from 2K Boston popped in the 2K forums to update everyone on the Big Daddy replacement saga which sadly continues into 2008. Elizabeth mentions that the replacement Big Daddy figures have started shipping (that's good, seeing that they should have back in November) but not everyone's has been sent off yet. They're still carefully packing each Big Daddy figure, affixing address labels and having Mr. UPS man come pick them up. So, if you haven't received your replacement Big Daddy figurine yet, we'd expect it to arrive within' a week or so (like we haven't heard that before). And be warned 2K. With these shipment delays coupled with an overall feeling of being dragged along, we better not receive a replacement that has its drill tip broken. If so, there will be hell to pay. End angry rant.

[Thanks, HaVoC]

If you signed up for 2K Games' Big Daddy figurine replacement program, then listen up, because (unlike our mini-update) we have super concrete details straight from 2K regarding your replacement figure.

In an email sent out to those who registered to get their broken Big Daddy fixed, 2K says that production of the figures took longer than expected and was the cause of the months and months of delays in the replacement program. But, good news is that "in order to speed things up, 2K Games is eliminating the step in which you are required to return the broken figurine". You read correctly, you'll be able to keep your already broken figurine AND get another not-so-broken one shipped to you. Nice move 2K, nice move. The email also confirms that, in the next two weeks, they'll be shipping out the replacement figurines and promised art book to those who signed up for the program before November 12th. 2K's update email can be read in its entirety after the break.

[Thanks, dubbalubagis]

Way back in August, 2K Games announced a Big Daddy figurine replacement program for those who purchased the collector's edition of BioShock and received a broken figurine. Days, weeks and even months have passed and we still haven't heard about any replacment figures or pre-paid return boxes being shipped or arriving at gamers' doorsteps. So, being all reportor-like, we shot out an email and received a mini-update on the status of the replacement program.

According to a 2K Games rep, the replacement program is still "go" and those who received a broken figurine will get a replacement soon enough. The hold up is due to the production of new, replacement figures as 2K wants to make sure they have the figures on hand before they move ahead with any other steps. We were told to keep an eye on The Cult of Rapture website in the months ahead for more updates and to learn when the return boxes get shipped.

In recap, the replacement Big Daddys are on their way, they're (still) being manufactured, 2K Games will update the community when boxes are being shipped and we all must be super patient. Though, being patient is hard when every day you see your Bubbles suffering with a broken drill bit.