Joystiq

Syndicate reboot 'didn't pay off' for EA; SSX reboot 'very successful'

David Hinkle — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:45:00 EST

Clearly a positive review on Joystiq isn't the sales driver we thought it was. Despite having a good time with it ourselves, it would seem EA's Syndicate reboot was not the commercial success the company had hoped for. So says EA Labels president Frank Gibeau.

"Syndicate was something that we took a risk on. It didn't pay off - it didn't work," Gibeau told CVG. "But in general it doesn't change my appetite for wanting to go look in the library and see what we have and maybe bring back some IPs for the next-generation. That's the nature of the business; some stuff works, some stuff doesn't."

EA's other big reboot this year, SSX, apparently fared a bit better. Gibeau called this year's revival "a very successful launch for us," and lauded the game's "online innovation" as a catalyst for bringing the series back. "It's done well and you'll probably see more in the future," Gibeau concluded.

Syndicate reboot 'didn't pay off' for EA; SSX reboot 'very successful' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbreeze CEO doesn't think Syndicate 'could've ever lived up to some people's expectations'

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST

CEO and President of Starbreeze Studios Mikael Nermark appears to have mixed feelings about Syndicate, the FPS reboot his team launched earlier this year. Syndicate snagged the No. 2 spot during its launch week with sales of 34,000, just 2,000 shy of Asura's Wrath. Even after such a squeeze, Nermark tells Joystiq he isn't disappointed in Syndicate, numerically or otherwise:

"Sales? What can I say?" Nermark says, inadvertently answering his own rhetorical question. "So many things depend on whether sales are good or not good. And it can always be better, right? You always want it to be better."

Being "not disappointed" isn't the same as being overwhelmingly, truly happy with a title, nor is it the same as being devastated - it seems Nermark is still working out how exactly he feels about Syndicate, but he's made up his mind about Starbreeze itself.

"Personally, I've never been satisfied with any games I've worked on. I never play my own games," Nermark says. "I was brought into Starbreeze two and a half years ago, and the first year I worked on other things than on production. But what I saw coming out of this long production time, I'm proud of what we did at Starbreeze."

Continue reading Starbreeze CEO doesn't think Syndicate 'could've ever lived up to some people's expectations'

Starbreeze CEO doesn't think Syndicate 'could've ever lived up to some people's expectations' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate review: The business of aggressive expansion

Xav de Matos — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST

Fans were perturbed when they learned the classic Bullfrog-developed strategy series, Syndicate, would be rebooted in first-person form. The original was a beautiful and brutal affair, set in a cyberpunk world filled with corporate conspiracy. In its reboot, developer Starbreeze manages to hold onto some of those elements that made the original such an intriguing beast. Syndicate showcases its own beautiful brutality, shaking off the label of "just another shooter."

It's 2069. Corporations have ascended beyond the reach of simple governments and battle one another for technological advancement. Civilians are inconsequential, seen merely as pawns in the midst of each company's boardroom brawl, and are often gunned down by characters throughout the campaign simply for "getting in the way." You take the role of the mostly faceless Miles Kilo, an agent at the industry giant EuroCorp, where you have been outfitted with a prototype version of a chip that gives you control over connected devices around you, as well as a number of other abilities. Like other agents, you must work to keep your corporation at peak profitability.

Gallery: Syndicate (Co-op)

Continue reading Syndicate review: The business of aggressive expansion

Syndicate review: The business of aggressive expansion originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbreeze lets 25 go after finishing Syndicate

David Hinkle — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST

Having completed Syndicate before EA ships it next week, Swedish developer Starbreeze has let several employees go. The company employed 93 individuals while working on the FPS reboot, 25 of which have been dismissed, according to GamesIndustry.biz (registration required). Starbreeze chairman Peter Tornquist has also reportedly resigned.

"It is sad that we are forced to make staff cutbacks affecting employees. But we have to reduce staff after the final delivery of the Syndicate," CEO Mikael Nermark told GI.biz. Layoffs at development studios on the cusp of shipping a title has quickly become the norm for the industry. We don't like to see anyone lose their job and hope the individuals in Sweden affected by our least favorite tag find new work as soon as possible.

Starbreeze lets 25 go after finishing Syndicate originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate's launch trailer reminds us how messed up the violence is

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST

You remember that first time you saw the Syndicate dude make a security guard dude shoot himself in the head? Surprise, surprise, it doesn't get any less messed up when you see it performed in subsequent trailers, as evidenced above.

Syndicate's launch trailer reminds us how messed up the violence is originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate employs Brian Cox, Rosario Dawson and Michael Wincott

David Hinkle — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:45:00 EST

In the future, your brain will be infused with special technology to unlock the massive potential within you. Also, the company you work for will be headed by a surly Scot and a beautiful wherever Rosario Dawson is from.

EA's announced both Brian Cox and Rosario Dawson will lend their voices to Syndicate, the Starbreeze reboot of the classic strategy game from the '90s. Joining them is Michael Wincott, who you may remember as the bad guy from The Crow. Gamers may better recognize his pipes as The Prophet of Truth in Halo 2, and as Death in the upcoming Darksiders 2. Dawson will play Lily Drawl, a "rising star" at EuroCorp; Cox plays Eurocorp board member Jack Denham and Wincott plays veteran agent Jules Merit.

Syndicate employs Brian Cox, Rosario Dawson and Michael Wincott originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate will not have an online pass, EA confirms

David Hinkle — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:00:00 EST

EA will break with tradition when Syndicate launches later this month. EA Partners executive producer Jeff Gamon told Eurogamer that Starbreeze's reboot would ship without an online pass, in the hopes of lowering the barrier of entry for the game's multiplayer side.

"We want as little resistance or barriers to entry as possible," Gamon said. "The co-op is equal billing in this. We wanted everyone who owns a copy of the game to have access to the entire product." It's policy for EA to include an online pass in all of its games. Curiously, this policy does not always extend to EA Partners games like Crysis 2 and Portal 2, both of which shipped without online passes. Meanwhile, Bulletstorm required a pass for its online co-op mode.

"Under normal circumstances it would have had an online pass, but because it didn't have competitive multiplayer and because we wanted as many people as possible to be playing co-op, we got away with it," Gamon added. "Maybe another reason for not having the Online Pass is we were confident in the scope of the online game." Throughout the nine multiplayer maps, he says players can expect "a good six, seven hours" on a single playthrough. "That and the single-player campaign means hopefully we won't see much in the way of early second hand sales and rentals," Gamon concluded before absconding with Princess Zelda.

Gallery: Syndicate (Dart-6 Chip)

Syndicate will not have an online pass, EA confirms originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate co-op demo, term life insurance available now

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:10:00 EST

The co-op demo for Syndicate is ready to infiltrate Xbox 360s in North America and Europe right now. The PlayStation Network will likely gain access today at the close of business on the East Coast, which is when the PSN usually updates in North America. The PSN version for Europe will have open enrollment tomorrow.

The demo covers the "Western Europe" co-op mission, as your team steals blueprints for Cayman Global (the TCBY of the future) and assassinates what may or may not be a bad guy. Hey, it's business, there's very little room for ethics.

XBLM Syndicate Co-op Demo

Syndicate co-op demo, term life insurance available now originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbreeze self-funding original IP

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST

Starbreeze, the developer behind The Darkness, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and the upcoming series reboot Syndicate, is looking to expand its developmental output beyond the intellectual properties of other creative minds.

"We want to make our own IP; no doubt," Starbreeze CEO Mikael Nermark told Gamasutra. "We're actually self-funding one original IP right now. If we're going to take it to market ourself -- I haven't decided yet. It's always about how you maximize what you can do." Nermark's current strategy is to continue working on high-profile titles like Syndicate while simultaneously looking for opportunities to launch the developer's own original IP. As the old saying goes, "You can only milk another man's cow for so long." Or something.

Starbreeze self-funding original IP originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate co-op demo lands Jan. 31, Feb. 1 on XBL and PSN

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:00:00 EST

The co-op demo for Syndicate launches on Xbox Live in North America and Europe on January 31, while the PlayStation Network version drops the same day in North America, and on February 1 for Europe. The demo covers the "Western Europe" co-op mission, in which you steal blueprints from Cayman Global and assassinate Colonel Enrico Gabron, one of nine co-op challenges in the full game.

Liking the Syndicate page on Facebook begets access to remixed tracks of the original Syndicate soundtrack by Digitalism, Flux Pavillion and Skrillex, which is newsworthy because until just now we thought Skrillex was the singer in some trendy rap-metal band. And possibly a girl. Huh.

Continue reading Syndicate co-op demo lands Jan. 31, Feb. 1 on XBL and PSN

Syndicate co-op demo lands Jan. 31, Feb. 1 on XBL and PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Classic Syndicate infiltrates GOG on Jan. 19, asks how to conquer world first

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EST

Syndicate, the original title of twisted corporate greed and cyberpunk inhumanity, is hitting GOG on Thursday, Jan. 19 for $5.99. GOG's Syndicate will come with the game manual, artwork and avatars, but until it's officially released GOG is having a little dystopian fun.

Ten players can win a copy of Syndicate by forming the best team of four people -- yourself and three others, real or imaginary, dead, alive or not born yet -- to lead the DRM-free revolution as the world's largest Syndicate. Just drop a description of your team in the GOG comments before 7 a.m. EST on Jan. 19 for a chance to prove yourself in the corrupt corporate world.

Classic Syndicate infiltrates GOG on Jan. 19, asks how to conquer world first originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gather your cabal for Syndicate's co-op demo, coming this month

JC Fletcher — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST

You and three of your friends can try out the new Syndicate game this month, unless you're in Australia. EA announced plans to release a four-player co-op demo on PSN and XBLA, available "the end of January" and lasting "a limited time." The full game arrives February 21 in North America and February 24 in Europe.

The demo comprises one of Syndicate's nine co-op missions, called "Western Europe." Players work to assassinate Cayman Global's "Colonel Enrico Gabron" and steal his blueprints, after making their way into Cayman Global.

Gallery: Syndicate (Co-op Demo)

Continue reading Gather your cabal for Syndicate's co-op demo, coming this month

Gather your cabal for Syndicate's co-op demo, coming this month originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicates get by with a little help from their friends

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:40:00 EST

When a solo trip over to the neighboring corporation's top secret vault is too big a job for one person, Syndicate offers four-player co-op to help. Securing that Big Mac secret sauce recipe should be a cinch.

Gallery: Syndicate (Concept Art)

Syndicates get by with a little help from their friends originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA not releasing Syndicate in Australia, notes 'arcane censorship'

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:13:00 EST

Syndicate will not launch in Australia next year and EA will not alter the original game or seek an appeal. The publisher informed Joystiq this afternoon that it finds the Australian government's policy to deny adults the right to play Syndicate "regrettable."

"The game will not be available in Australia despite its enthusiastic response from fans. We were encouraged by the government's recent agreement to adopt an 18+ age rating for games. However, delays continue to force an arcane censorship on games - cuts that would never be imposed on books or movies," EA Corporate Communications' Tiffany Steckler wrote Joystiq in a statement. "We urge policy makers to take swift action to implement an updated policy that reflects today's market and gives its millions of adult consumers the right to make their own content choices."

Syndicate was recently refused classification in Australia, due to it being "unsuitable for a minor to see or play." Australian classification standards reject classification for video games only deemed suitable for citizens over the age of 15.

EA not releasing Syndicate in Australia, notes 'arcane censorship' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate refused classification in Australia, called 'unsuitable for a minor' [update]

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:05:00 EST

Syndicate has been refused classification in Australia, due to being "unsuitable for a minor to see or play." The current Australian classification standards still reject classification (i.e. ban) for any game that is only suitable for citizens over the age of 15.

"Combatants take locational damage and can be explicitly dismembered, decapitated or bisected by the force of the gunfire. The depictions are accompanied by copious bloodspray and injuries are shown realistically and with detail," reads the Classification report obtained by VG24/7. "Flesh and bone are often exposed while arterial sprays of blood continue to spurt from wounds at regular intervals," the report states, discussing an example mission."

The most high-profile Aussie rejection in 2011 was Mortal Kombat, which tried to appeal the decision and lost. The Witcher 2 avoided the issue with a small edit to pass the board. We've contacted EA to find out if the publisher will appeal or resubmit the title with alterations.

Update: EA not releasing Syndicate in Australia, notes "arcane censorship."

Syndicate refused classification in Australia, called 'unsuitable for a minor' [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate displays agent tech, extracts more through stabbed eye socket

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:30:00 EST

The future of business in Syndicate is violent. Everyone comes to work dressed up in armor, keeping arsenals under their desk like ladies in cubicles keep sneakers under theirs. A workman's comp case must be resolved in the classic and genteel style of dueling pistols.

Continue reading Syndicate displays agent tech, extracts more through stabbed eye socket

Syndicate displays agent tech, extracts more through stabbed eye socket originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate trailer goes to the gun show, plays with ballistic toys

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:10:00 EST

Good day, agent. The latest trailer for corporate infiltration simulator Syndicate gives a taste of the available arsenal. It's the best that money can buy to obtain the recipe for Coke Classic.

Continue reading Syndicate trailer goes to the gun show, plays with ballistic toys

Syndicate trailer goes to the gun show, plays with ballistic toys originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbreeze has a PSN title in the works as well

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST

If you thought Starbreeze was running out of fingers or pies in which to stick them, think again; in a recent CVG interview, studio head Mikael Nermark revealed that the company was also working on a smaller-scale PSN title. Nermark said the "self-financed" project is currently running with a much smaller dev team than that of its Syndicate crew, but didn't expound on what the game would actually, you know, be.

We've contacted Starbreeze to try and find some elucidation on the subject, though we wager it has something to do with the new IP it's developing with film director Josef Fares. Still, we've petitioned any and all powers that be that the response to our email will be "Oh, we're making a new Chronicles of Riddick, and it's going to be super good this time, and hey, you know what, here it is. You go ahead and just have it right now."

Starbreeze has a PSN title in the works as well originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The art of the breach in Syndicate's four-player co-op mode

David Hinkle — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST

In the future, machines will be the least of our worries -- it's the humans with advanced machines in their bodies we'll have to watch out for. Advanced chips, to be exact, will unlock seemingly limitless potential in human beings. This is the world of Syndicate.

Governments of tomorrow will play second fiddle to massive corporations, and the game's four-player co-op mode focuses on exactly that. It's sort of a quasi-espionage affair: your team is sent in to various locales in order to steal advanced technology. It's just, uh, not very sneaky.

Gallery: Syndicate (Co-op)

Continue reading The art of the breach in Syndicate's four-player co-op mode

The art of the breach in Syndicate's four-player co-op mode originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate's protagonist isn't a good guy

David Hinkle — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:00:00 EST

Syndicate's protagonist won't be helping Granny cross the street or rescuing any kittens stuck in trees -- well, okay, maybe there's some kind of holo-tree mission, we don't know. The point is that you won't be playing the classic hero in EA's reboot. He's a bad dude there to do bad things.

"You're certainly not playing a good guy," producer Ben O'Donnell told Videogamer. "You follow him in the narrative, and that narrative will obviously unfold in different ways. When you first start you're playing as this agent working for EuroCorp, and you do their wet work for them. You have this really high-end chip in your head, and you can do things to people that they really wouldn't want to do -- like commit suicide or change allegiance. You're by no means a good guy, you're there to do the dirty work."

However, if you're expecting the main character to have some great moral epiphany or change of heart, don't. This isn't a game about "good and evil," O'Donnell promises. Sounds fine to us, especially since we just got one of those.

Syndicate's protagonist isn't a good guy originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate assembles four-player co-op trailer

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST

The latest Syndicate trailer suggests your team will sport enough extraneous buckles on their clothes for a fluid Final Fantasy crossover.

Gallery: Syndicate (Co-op)

Syndicate assembles four-player co-op trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate broadcasts 10 minutes of gameplay

Alexander Sliwinski — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:34:00 EST

Syndicate is looking pretty hot so far, but you don't need to take our word for it. Here's 10 minutes of gameplay featuring corporate espionage. Actually, is it still "espionage" when one kills everyone in sight?

Continue reading Syndicate broadcasts 10 minutes of gameplay

Syndicate broadcasts 10 minutes of gameplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate trailer recalls the past

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:55:00 EST

Syndicate's latest trailer does a little peep show of the past, which may be painful for some with fond memories of the original. But, with how the new game is shaping up, we look toward the future.

Continue reading Syndicate trailer recalls the past

Syndicate trailer recalls the past originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate trailer shows off Starbreeze's vision

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:12:00 EST

Starbreeze's slick, deadly and dour vision of the future is compiled with panache in this first trailer for Syndicate, the FPS reboot of Bullfrog's classic tactical game of the same name. Backed by a Syndicate remix from electro house producer Skrillex (download it here), the visuals cut between flashy combat, aerial takedowns and remote brain-hacking.

The trailer concludes with a tease for "The Executive Package" pre-order bonus, likely another one of EA's "limited edition" bundles tied to first-run copies of the game. It's out on February 21, 2012 (or: 0221 2012).

Gallery: Syndicate (9/29/11)

Syndicate trailer shows off Starbreeze's vision originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA indicates Syndicate's release date: Feb. 21, 2012

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:10:00 EST

EA has announced an early 2012 release date for Syndicate, an action-oriented reboot of Bullfrog's sci-fi classic. It's set to arrive on February 21 in North America, and February 24 in Europe. Barring any delays, that makes for two Q1 shooters that have divorced themselves from tactical, isometric origins.

Developed by Chronicles of Riddick studio Starbreeze, the new Syndicate thrusts you into the year 2069 as a "prototype agent" for Eurocom, a large corporation with a nice armory. Starbreeze also says it will include a separate, four-player co-op mode. Can four organized individuals be classified as a syndicate?

Gallery: Syndicate (PC/360/PS3)

EA indicates Syndicate's release date: Feb. 21, 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syndicate reboot (finally) confirmed by EA and Starbreeze, coming 'early 2012' to 360, PS3, and PC [Update: New images!]

Christopher Grant — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:45:00 EST

EA and Starbreeze Studios' remake of PC gaming classic Syndicate has been one of the industry's worst-kept secrets. First unveiled as "Project Redlime," copyright filings fingered the actual product over a year ago. And this morning, after leaking details of the game on its own Origin service over the weekend, EA and Starbreeze are finally ready to "reveal" Syndicate to the world.

"We are excited to finally reveal what we've been working on the past couple years," Starbreeze CEO Mikael Nermark told a press release. "It's been a great experience working with EA, and an amazing opportunity for us to use our expertise in the first person shooter and action genres to bring back, and reignite, the signature action/espionage gameplay of Syndicate."

In Syndicate, you play "Miles Kilo, Eurocorp's latest prototype agent," tasked with navigating a "Machiavellian world run without government oversight with many syndicates vying for total dominance of their local market place," set in the year 2069. Helping you navigate that complex web of intrigue: GUNS!

"Our goal with Syndicate is to provide a challenging action shooter for today's gamers as well as fans of the original," says EA Partners' Jeff Gamon. But if you're worried you won't have enough guns, Syndicate offers "a separate and deep 4-player co-op mode featuring missions from the original cult classic." And while it may have taken EA and Starbreeze some time to officially announce the project, it isn't wasting time in getting it into our hands; Syndicate is expected to be released in "early 2012" for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Gallery: Syndicate (PC/360/PS3)

Syndicate reboot (finally) confirmed by EA and Starbreeze, coming 'early 2012' to 360, PS3, and PC [Update: New images!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Syndicate script slips out

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 26 May 2011 11:30:00 EST

Siliconera has published alleged "chunks" of a script for Starbreeze's long-rumored Syndicate game. If authentic, the excerpts would join some trademarks in a modest pile of evidence pointing to a reboot of EA's dormant cyberpunk series, created by the now defunct Bullfrog Productions in the early 90s.

The narrative and dialog excerpts share some commonalities with the old Syndicate games' bleak, corporate cyborg-regulated world -- namely, the suggestion of brain-implanted "chips" -- but don't otherwise let on to any gameplay elements.

In June 2009, Sean Cooper, who designed the original, isometric tactical shooter, commented on EA's failed attempts to revive the franchise. "Every time I've seen a prototype of a new Syndicate it's just been misguided," he told IncGamers. Cooper did not appear to have any knowledge of Starbreeze's possible recreation, which is rumored to have been in development since August 2007.

"The essence of the game was killing people -- and that was it," Cooper said of Bullfrog's 1993 classic. "Big guns, strong dudes; Terminators essentially. If I have to kill everyone, I will. That to me was the essence of the gameplay."

[Screenshot source: MobyGames (with script overlay)]

Rumor: Syndicate script slips out originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 May 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbreeze says EA's 'Project RedLime' is 'biggest project' it's ever worked on

Christopher Grant — Mon, 09 May 2011 11:30:00 EST

Though we don't know exactly what "Project RedLime" is (signs point to a long-rumored Syndicate remake) we do know that it's "the biggest project the studio has ever worked on." Of course, that studio is Sweden's Starbreeze and that quote is from its new CEO, Mikael Nermark. In order to get a sense of how large that scale is, you'd need to compare it to the studio's other games, including the surprisingly good movie tie-in Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, its remake Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, and the now-being-sequeled comic book adaptation The Darkness. Not included in this list: The studio's other EA project, a canceled Jason Bourne game.

You may have spotted a trend in Starbreeze's curriculum vitae: an abundance of licensed games. No bother, says Nermark. "Whatever the project is, if it's an original IP or license, the most important thing is that you believe in the game and have fun developing it," he told CVG. In related news, Starbreeze believes in Project RedLime and is having fun developing it.

Starbreeze says EA's 'Project RedLime' is 'biggest project' it's ever worked on originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 May 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Bourne Ascendancy' was canceled Starbreeze game, corroborates ex-dev

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST

According to one-time Starbreeze Studios game director Mikael Lindgren, a Jason Bourne game was indeed the studio's reported cancellation a year ago. Posting on his freelance game designer company site, Zoetropa, Lindgren lists "The Bourne Ascendancy (Cancelled)" on his resume, referring to himself as Starbreeze game director for the apparent EA-published project. (On his LinkedIn page, Lindgren dates his most recent stint at Starbreeze from August 2009 through April 2010 -- right about when Starbreeze confirmed the unnamed game cancellation.)

Lindgren's claim of The Bourne Ascendancy cancellation is further evidence that Starbreeze's surviving EA collaboration -- codenamed "Project RedLime" -- is the rumored Syndicate reboot. A series of trademarks and a US Copyright Office document previously linked the two companies to a possible Syndicate game. Last month, Starbreeze licensed Unreal Engine 3 for long-term use, presumably replacing its heralded proprietary game engine -- which powered its Chronicles of Riddick series and The Darkness -- for current and future projects.

Lindgren's resume also reveals a canned Avalanche Studios' game under the working title "Arcadia" that was to be published by THQ. He credits himself as a senior designer for the game and notes his Avalanche tenure as November 2007 - March 2008 on LinkedIn. It's likely that Arcadia was one of two reported publishing contracts lost by Avalanche that led to the studio's significant downsizing in late 2008.

[Pictured: Partial screencap of Mikael Lindgren's "Resume" page on Zoetropa.com]

'Bourne Ascendancy' was canceled Starbreeze game, corroborates ex-dev originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbreeze licenses Unreal Engine 3 for future projects

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST

Starbreeze, developer of The Darkness and Chronicles of Riddick, has announced a "multi-year, studio-wide license agreement" to develop projects using Unreal Engine 3. CEO Johan Kristiansson has stated that the engine is "the solution that best fits [Starbreeze's] needs." Presumably, UE3 will be the engine behind Project RedLime, Starbreeze's rumored Syndicate revival for EA.

The news should come as something of a surprise to industry watchers, as the company previously made a name for itself using its own proprietary Starbreeze engine. The engine was used to power both The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and The Darkness. Riddick in particular is generally regarded as one of the most graphically impressive titles on the original Xbox.

Continue reading Starbreeze licenses Unreal Engine 3 for future projects

Starbreeze licenses Unreal Engine 3 for future projects originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OFLC rates 'Project Red' for EA [update]

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 03 May 2010 09:09:00 EST

Australia's OFLC has rated "Project Red" for EA, classifying it with an MA 15+ label. If the classification is related to "Project RedLime," it would likely be the rating for the alleged Syndicate game in production by Starbreeze Studios and EA. Of course, without the direct RedLime connection, this could be a rating for ... well, anything.

Also, if you find it strange (like we do) that the OFLC is rating games by using code names, this is just the most recent example. Last year, The Beatles: Rock Band was titled Rock Band Project 9. EA has apparently figured out how to get its paperwork into the OFLC without accidentally revealing a forthcoming game announcement.

Update: AustralianGamer got hold of the documents. It's Bulletstorm.

Gallery: Bulletstorm (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

OFLC rates 'Project Red' for EA [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 May 2010 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbreeze and EA partnership revealed by Syndicate copyright docs

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 09:42:00 EST

Given the years of back and forth we've seen over the possibility of an updated Syndicate for current-gen consoles, we're looking at the handful of recently discovered copyright documents -- that seemingly reveal a collaboration between Starbreeze Studios and EA -- with a fair amount of skepticism. Internet supersleuth Supererogatory spotted the three filings on the US Copyright Office website (confirmed by Joystiq this morning, though not linkable), each for the title "Syndicate" and one of which is co-filed by EA and Starbreeze.

Back in 2008, the two companies officially announced that they were working together on revisiting one of EA's "most acclaimed classic franchises," dubbing the collaboration "Project RedLime" (and leaving us to speculate on what that classic franchise might be). We've reached out to both EA and Starbreeze for comment on the filings and will let you know if we hear anything back.

(What next, an XCom revival? Oh.)

Starbreeze and EA partnership revealed by Syndicate copyright docs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 09:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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