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Warner Bros. lays off staff from Monolith, Snowblind, Surreal

by Justin McElroy { Jan 12th 2010 at 2:05PM }

Apparently, Warner Bros. didn't get the memo that layoffs are so 2009. The publisher has released an unspecified number of staffers from Seattle developers Monolith Productions, Snowblind Studios and Surreal Software, perhaps best known for the FEAR series, Death Tank and The Suffering, respectively.

The publisher told Gamasutra, "we had a few too many resources in certain functions and some positions were eliminated in this process." Seems logical enough, but that doesn't make it any less of a bitter pill for those affected. Here's hoping everyone lands on their feet.

Joyswag: Win Death Tank XBLA codes on our Twitter feed [update]

by Justin McElroy { Feb 23rd 2009 at 4:45PM }

[Update: Alright gang, it looks like they've all been redeemed. Thanks so much for playing, and remember to subscribe to our Twitter feed so you never miss out on a giveaway!]

Hey, want to win a shiny new copy of an XBLA game and get some much needed exposure to social media? Then you should really be following our Twitter account where we're going to be giving away four copies of the awesomely named Death Tank.

If you wanna win, all you have to is create an account and then follow our Twitter feed and (in a system we totally stole from Major Nelson) guess the last character in each of the codes we send out. To give you an example of what we mean, we put the very first code right after the break!

And you should definitely follow the feed, because you never know when we'll do another giveaway just like this. We'll be starting in just a few minutes, so go sign up!

(P.S. Do us a favor and comment here when you claim a code so we know when to call off the hunt.)

Gallery: Death Tank (XBLA)

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X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Death Tank

by Richard Mitchell { Feb 18th 2009 at 2:45PM }

Apart from the fact that it's missing the original theme song -- which was the best ever, FYI -- the XBLA version of Death Tank is the same Death Tank we know and love. Of course, not everyone is familiar with the original Saturn game (which could only be unlocked as a mini-game in Powerslave or Duke Nukem 3D). For fans and newcomers alike, we present the latest XBLA in Brief.

Download the trial version of Death Tank

[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.
[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).
[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[M4V] Download the M4V directly.

This Wednesday: Death Tank rolls onto XBLA

by Dustin Burg { Feb 16th 2009 at 2:10PM }

Prep some ammunition and stock up on military-grade fuel, because Microsoft just announced that Death Tank will launch an attack on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday, February 18th, at a cost of 1200

($15).

Snowblind Studios' Death Tank is a remake of the Sega Saturn classic hit and features gameplay similar to Worms, but, uh, real-time and way more explosive, as is evident in the video above. With Xbox Live support for up to eight players, eight destructible environments and prettified HD visuals, Death Tank might actually be worth the price of admission. That is, if this week's release of The Lost & Damned doesn't empty our MS point stash.

Gallery: Death Tank (XBLA)

Warner appoints former MGS exec to oversee Seattle studios

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Feb 13th 2009 at 2:59PM }

"Utilising her expertise to direct our Seattle studios in several key areas, we are looking forward to developing quality games under her leadership in the most efficient ways." That's what Samantha Ryan, Warner Interactive's senior vice president, has to say about the company's latest appointment. Former Microsoft Games Studios executive producer, Laura Fryer, will now oversee Warner Interactive's Seattle studios, which include Snowblind Studios and the FEAR-ful folks at Monolith Productions.

There's no word yet on which quality games are due to be developed under Fryer's leadership in the most efficient ways, but here's one that can't be made efficiently enough: No One Lives Forever 3. We all look like we need a monkey.

Warner Bros Interactive acquires Snowblind Studios

by Randy Nelson { Feb 4th 2009 at 9:25PM }

Capping off a day that saw Crytek officially sealing the deal with Free Radical, Warner Bros Interactive has announced its purchase of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and Justice League Heroes dev Snowblind Studios. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition serves to strengthen the publisher's internal development effort.

Martin Tremblay, president of WBIE, said of the purchase, "The acquisition of Snowblind is an important milestone for our games business, allowing us to expand our development capabilities even further." Snowblind's latest title, the XBLA-bound Death Tank, remains on track for release, albeit without an official date.

WBIE's upcoming marquee titles F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin and Wanted: Weapons of Fate are being developed externally at Monolith and GRIN, respectively. The company has been long-rumored as a possible suitor for an ailing Eidos Interactive.

Snowblind bringing Death Tank to XBLA

by Justin McElroy { Sep 16th 2008 at 9:30AM }

We told you that the awesomely monikered Death Tank had been rated for XBLA, but we've now picked up a few more details about the game. For one, it's being crafted by Snowblind Studios, the company that brought you Justice League Heroes. For another, the graphical style has been updated considerably, as you can see in a trailer after the break.

So why is Uncle Joystiq bringing you two-week old news about an XBLA game that doesn't even have a release window? Well, dear reader, it's called Death Tank. If we aren't bringing you all the available information on a game called "Death Tank," we just really don't see how we can claim to be doing our jobs.

[Thanks, HydroSpeedJesus]

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Death Tank rolling to XBLA for real, first video

by Richard Mitchell { Sep 5th 2008 at 12:30PM }

Okay, we're just going to let out a heartfelt woohoo here, because Snowblind Studios has confirmed that they are indeed bringing Death Tank to Xbox Live Arcade. We imagine anyone that has played the Sega Saturn classic will share our enthusiasm. Played like a real time version of Scorched Earth or Worms, Death Tank is a fast-paced game of strategy and quick thinking. Tiny, but powerful tanks attempt to destroy each other -- on a fully destructible landscape -- using a variety of weapons and abilities. Oh, and it's awesome too.

The Xbox Live Arcade version features updated graphics and support for up to 8 players on Xbox Live or 4 players locally. Check out the first trailer of the game in action above and a the first screens in the gallery below.

Our only concern thus far: where is the awesome theme music?