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Red Mile sinking: Sin City, Heroes Over Europe release in question

by Jason Dobson { Feb 17th 2009 at 8:55AM }

With cash short and options shorter, publisher Red Mile is in danger of going out of business, leaving both the video game adaptation of Sin City and Heroes of Europe to tread water. Red Mile inked a co-publishing deal with Atari in mid-2008 for Heroes Over Europe, something it expected to net the struggling company "minimum guaranteed payments" and back-end royalties to help keep it afloat. However, the checks stopped arriving on February 11 as Atari pulled its hand out of Red Mile's wallet, ending its publishing agreement for reasons unknown.

Without any income, and means to pay Heroes Over Europe developer Transmission Games, it's not surprising that the devs walked away as well when Red Mile failed to pay the studio some $281,000.

Red Mile is currently considering going after Atari for "compensatory damages," but time is running short and it's likely the company could simply run out of cash before any settlement is reached. The publisher has around $341,000 left in its coffers, which it estimates will run dry at the end of March. The company predicts that it needs an additional $10,000,000 to keep its doors open another 2-3 years, leaving the eventual release of Heroes Over Europe and Sin City in question. However, given that Red Mile has continually posted losses totaling more than $35 million since it was formed in 2004, we doubt many banks will be opening up their vaults for the company any time soon.

Sin City game changes devs, still coming

by Randy Nelson { Aug 26th 2008 at 6:30PM }

Red Mile's interactive adaptation of Frank Miller's landmark, hard boiled graphic novel(s), Sin City, has a new-ish developer. The title was originally being handled – presumably with those special gloves used for working with razor wire – by Transmission Games, the same outfit producing Heroes Over Europe for Red Mile. Both games have 2009 release dates.

The publisher, who is working with Atari to get its games onto shelves, tells GameSpot that work on Sin City: The Game was handed to another developer "quite some time ago." Said developer's identity is unknown, but we do know that Frank Miller practically hand-picked his old pal (and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay writer) Flint Dille to "spearhead the design, scriptwriting, story generation, and overall production" of the game, which will – unsurprisingly – utilize Unreal Engine 3. Also, the color red. Lots of it.

(And no, the new developer isn't Platinum Games, despite MadWorld's more-than-vague resemblance to Sin City.)

You like Sin City's visual effects? So did Ubisoft

by Terrence Stasse { Jul 8th 2008 at 7:30PM }

Owned. Literally. The stylized look of the Sin City movie was (and still is) quite iconic. With the second movie yet to be made, Frank Miller tied up shooting The Spirit, and now the purchasing of the studio that does the effects, just how much influence does that style hold for the future?

After its acquisition by Ubisoft, Hybride Technologies will supposedly continue to work with its movie partners, but will also work on bringing some of Ubisoft's IP's to the big screen. While this does seem quite out of character for a video game publisher, and it seems even weirder considering how Tom Clancy happy Ubisoft is, but it does open some interesting doors for that Prince of Persia movie.

Ubisoft buys 300, Sin City effects studio

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 8th 2008 at 4:30PM }

Ubisoft has purchased Hybride Technologies, the Montreal-based visual effects studio behind several commercial, television and film projects; the studio is best known for its work on the films Spy Kids, 300 and Sin City. Ubi CEO Yves Guillemot says the acquisition is part of the company's plans to extend its brands to other forms of entertainment.

Hybride and Ubisoft will move forward by sharing technology and developing tools for video games and visual effects. The acquisition is initially expected to generate sales of 6 -7 million Euros. We're certainly curious to hear what the first game will be that uses Hybride's artists post-purchase in its production.

Sin City game every other year starting 2009

by Terrence Stasse { Mar 8th 2008 at 9:00AM }

From the people who brought us such hits as Jackass: The Game now are bringing another piece of pop culture to the realm of video games. Currently in development at Transmission Games is a game based on the Sin City graphic novels, (not the movie) that is currently due for release at the tail end of next year. Licensing the comics instead of the movie is both a wise and foolish move for the company, as the comics have much more story and depth, however they lack the actors or recognition that could make the game a big hit; so all in all it's a bit of a gamble. The IP has a lot of potential, but all that could mean is a more spectacular failure if the game isn't of the utmost quality. And with only six months of development behind it, it's impossible to tell if the devs will make good on that potential. The most interesting bit of news from the announcement is that the publisher foresees a continuing bi-yearly series out of the property, despite not even being out of pre-production for the first game. You can be sure we'll keep an eye on this one as it goes forward.

Red Mile restructuring continues, appoints new president

by Jason Dobson { Mar 5th 2008 at 2:10PM }

Just weeks after bringing on Maxis vet Jeff Braun, developer Red Mile has announced the appointment of a new company president, elevating industry consultant Simon Price to the company's throne. According to Red Mile, the move is part of a larger restructuring effort to "streamline costs" and "increase focus," corporate jargon that usually means some employees will be given their walking papers. Company CFO Ben Zadik already resigned as part of the effort on March 1, but plans to help in a consulting role for the next couple of months.

Price, who has worked as a consultant for the company since it was founded in 2004, replaces former EA Canada president Glenn Wong, who stepped down at the end of February. According to Red Mile, Price has helped the company "in its efforts to identify and secure rights to key franchise titles," which given the company's recently released (and abysmal) Jackass and the upcoming (and hopefully good) Sin City, we figure the new exec is batting about .500.

Maxis founder joins Red Mile, goes from SimCity to Sin City

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 13th 2008 at 5:30PM }

Jeff Braun, who started Maxis in 1987 with Will Wright and co-created SimCity, is now a "strategic adviser" for Sin City developer Red Mile. Braun will work with Red Mile president Glenn Wong to make the best use of the Sin City license and turn the company best known for GripShift and, oy vey, Jackass: The Game into something better.

Braun believes the big challenge for Red Mile is to run with Sin City and make it a triple-A title so that the company can become a top-tier publisher. Wonder if that means we should still expect an early '09 release? Working with Glenn Wong, who was a former president at EA Canada, Braun believes the company can achieve its goals. Hopefully this means Red Mile is going to put some serious work into Sin City and it'll be a licensed game we can eagerly anticipate.

Sin City gets sinfully noir in 2009

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jan 14th 2008 at 4:30PM }

It isn't much, but developer Red Mile did tell MCV that its game adaptation of Frank Miller's Sin City is expected in early 2009. Beyond that the only other thing we know about the game is that it runs on the Unreal Engine 3, which we know is absolutely thrilling to be aware of. With an early '09 release attached to it now, hopefully we'll start getting some information soon -- a couple screenshots would be nice.

Red Mile licenses Unreal Engine for Sin City

by Dustin Burg { Dec 21st 2007 at 4:15PM }

Today, Red Mile Entertainment announced that for its Sin City video game adaptation they've licensed the graphical powerhouse Unreal Engine 3 from Epic Games. Red Mile's choice of an engine is solid and we don't think anyone is willing to debate the use of the Unreal Engine 3 with Sin City. Hell, it even sounds good. Hopefully Red Mile's rather slim game development pedigree (Jackass: The Game, Heroes of the Pacific and GripShift) doesn't instantly force this "movie game" into the clearance bin, because we think Sin City lends itself to the gaming realm rather well. Here's to you Red Mile, do Sin City good, do the Unreal Engine good and don't screw this up.

[Thanks, DjDATZ]

Red Mile licenses Unreal Engine 3 for Sin City game

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Dec 20th 2007 at 8:30PM }

Red Mile Entertainment's game to kill for, Sin City, is set to be powered by the increasingly pervasive Unreal Engine 3. The developer announced today that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Gears of War monger Epic Games, with president and COO Glenn Wong describing the technology as a "perfect fit for our Sin City video games." Said games are to be based upon Frank Miller's popular series of Sin City graphic novels, which recently served as basis for a successful 2005 film (confusingly titled "Sin City").

Not much is known about the initial game at this stage, save for the fact that it'll be overseen by Escape from Butcher Bay writer, Flint Dille. Oh, and that it'll be powered by Unreal Engine 3. We should probably write a news post about that.