Joystiq

New Spy Hunter trailer is loaded with action

Mike Suszek — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 22:30:00 EST

The latest Spy Hunter trailer from Warner Bros. shows a familiar red transforming car speeding over water, blasting enemies with missiles, and generally causing a ruckus. Spy Hunter is coming to 3DS and PlayStation Vita in October 2012.

New Spy Hunter trailer is loaded with action originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Injustice: Gods Among Us may ditch clash system

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 06:00:00 EST

NetherRealm announced a wager system in its DC Universe fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, at E3 this year. Dubbed the clash system, this special function combines individualized cutscene cinematics with a process of betting your character's super meter, with the fighter betting the most winning the wager and getting the special move. It sounded confusing at E3, and it still is now at Gamescom, which is why NetherRealm is considering removing it from Injustice entirely.

"I can see the cinematic moves staying and the wager system going," NetherRealm's Adam Urbano tells Joystiq at Gamescom. NetherRealm is tweaking the clash system and may end up disposing of it entirely, while keeping the character-specific attacks and cinematics, Urbano says.

Injustice: Gods Among Us may ditch clash system originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paul Dini explains absence from next Batman game

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:45:00 EST

Batman: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City writer Paul Dini isn't working on the next Batman game from Rocksteady, but we already knew that much. However, other than some vague tweets, we didn't know why that was the case. The reason turns out to be much less thrilling than any of his Batman scripts:

"The last talk I had with Warner Interactive about future games was while I was doing promotion for Arkham City last September. Naturally as there was such a rush of interest about Arkham City, everyone was asking me about a third game, and frankly, I had been wondering about that myself. When I asked about the possibility of working on a third game I was told that as Rocksteady had just finished wrapping the second one, it would be a while before everyone was ready to sit down and discuss future plans. That said, it was intimated that for future games, Warner and Rocksteady might not be looking as much to freelance writers, the message being, that if I had something else interesting coming my way, I might want to take it."

Dini says he wasn't included in Arkham City's DLC projects, and he hasn't been tapped for work on the rumored Silver Age-themed Batman game, said to be Rocksteady's next project. He's since taken on other work that makes him "unavailable to take on anything new until 2013." He's not bitter, though, even noting that "If we wind up working together again at some point, that would be cool, too."

Paul Dini explains absence from next Batman game originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Layoffs hit Warner Bros. Seattle studios [update: WB confirms]

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:13:00 EST

An unknown number of layoffs are affecting WB Games Seattle staff - the umbrella name "WB Games Seattle" comprises Monolith Productions, Snowblind Studios, and Surreal Software. A source close to the studio confirmed reports to us this afternoon, following statements from 3D Realms founder George Broussard on Twitter, stating, "Another Warner Brothers layoff going on as we speak. In progress now. Shame. Hope people land safely."

WB Games Seattle is currently working on Lord of the Rings: Guardians of Middle-earth, and it's unclear if any other projects are currently in production. Layoffs hit the studio last November, and were said to have affected "60ish" people. Warner Bros. didn't respond to request for comment as of publishing.

Update: WB issued the following statement, confirming the layoffs: "Due to shifting business imperatives, WB Games Seattle has made staff reductions. The group will continue to remain an integral part of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment."

Layoffs hit Warner Bros. Seattle studios [update: WB confirms] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Holy Xbox! LEGO Batman 2 demo now available on Live

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:15:00 EST

A demo for LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, is now available on Xbox Live. LEGO Bats' latest adventure brings together numerous DC Comics super heroes and super villains, including the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, Joker and Lex Luthor. Oh, and Robin, we guess.

Holy Xbox! LEGO Batman 2 demo now available on Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: The Hobbit movie tie-in games coming from Monolith

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST

This rumor fulfills too many literary and ironic fantasies for us to completely ignore it, but for now it is very much and definitely a rumor: Monolith Productions, under WB Games Seattle, is working on The Hobbit: Part One, the video game tie-in for Peter Jackson's film The Hobbit, rumor hunter Superannuation reports. WB was previously slated to handle the tie-in title with an expected launch this year, making this leap, well, hobbit-sized. We have reached out to WB for comment.

Superannuation pegs WB Seattle as handling the second Hobbit game as well, noting that WB Games Seattle consists of Monolith Productions almost entirely, after WB fired 60 employees from Snowblind Studios, Surreal Software and Monolith itself in November.

We're just in love with the idea of a studio called "Monolith" -- defined as a large thing -- working on The Hobbit.

Rumor: The Hobbit movie tie-in games coming from Monolith originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mortal Kombat goes portable on Vita in 'spring 2012'

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST

The folks at Mortal Kombat dev studio Netherrealm have had their hands on a PlayStation Vita dev unit in some form since way back in September 2010, so it stands to reason that the upcoming port of last year's Mortal Kombat to Vita will be packed with bells and whistles. Said port will arrive sometime after the Vita's North American launch this February, with publisher Warner Bros. Interactive pinning a "spring 2012" launch window to the portable fighter.

Studio head Ed Boon promises both "original game content" and "new features" will arrive in MK's Vita iteration, though the announcement PR only teases the inclusion of "several" additions to be "revealed in the coming months." But if Netherrealm follows its usual marketing plan, all of those details will be leaked much, much sooner.

The Vita iteration also include the PS3's exclusive character (God of War's main angry dude, Kratos) as well as all four DLC characters (one Mr. Freddy Krueger, Kenshi, Rain, Skarlet are all pictured on the box above). So it's kinda like that "Komplete Edition," just shrunken down.

Mortal Kombat goes portable on Vita in 'spring 2012' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Batman: Arkham City ships 4.6M in first week, 2M sold

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:15:00 EST

Batman is kind of a big deal, with his latest starring role catapulting Batman: Arkham City to astronomical shipping numbers: an approximate 4.6 million in the first week. LA Times reports that among those shipments, Bats has already slipped into 2 million homes.

By most accounts, Batman: Arkham City is earning those numbers, with reviewers (including our own) praising the sequel's densely packed open world and attention to detail, among other things. And if the rest of those shipped copies eventually end up in consumer's homes as well, the game will have already surpassed sales numbers of its predecessor (4.3 million). Not too shabby for a development studio whose only non-Batman game is about being a random police dude!

Batman: Arkham City ships 4.6M in first week, 2M sold originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Batman: Arkham City swoops to PC on November 18

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST

Warner Bros. has deemed today the day to reveal Batman: Arkham City's delayed PC launch date as November 18, one month to the day after its arrival on consoles.

The Games for Windows version was delayed last month via a terse WB announcement, which didn't provide an explanation at the time. We can exclusively reveal why today: Bruce Wayne is exhausted, y'all. He's got a lot going on, between film and TV and video games, and he just needed a few weeks to chill. Okay, that and PC version bug fixes.

Continue reading Batman: Arkham City swoops to PC on November 18

Batman: Arkham City swoops to PC on November 18 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster preview: A children's game for adults

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:30:00 EST

I'll let you in on a little secret about me and Double Fine's next game, Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster -- I played it back at E3, but unfortunately let my preview writeup fall to the wayside as the days after the big show continued. What's more shameful is that it was essentially the best game I played at E3, so I was more than happy to check out a new area at Gamescom and get a second opportunity to speak about it. A chance for redemption, if you will.

Luckily, nothing has changed, and Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster remains a magical experience two months later.

Gallery: Sesame Street: Once upon a Monster (Gamescom 2011)

Continue reading Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster preview: A children's game for adults

Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster preview: A children's game for adults originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arkham City's Batman is a fashionista, rocking six suits in his wardrobe

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:05:00 EST

Batman's a busy guy, sure, but when he's out prowling the streets of Arkham City looking for thugs, he wants to feel pretty just like anyone else. Developer Rocksteady Studios has clearly taken that into consideration, as the caped crusader has a sextet of costumes to don in his upcoming game, Batman: Arkham City -- should you procure all available pre-order and exclusivity offers surrounding the game, that is. As seen above, everything from classic 1970s Batman to Batman Beyond's version of the Bats' suit has made the cut thus far.

Fan site ArkhamCity.co.uk rounded up the various bat suits offered in a variety of different means and provided details on how to grab each for yourself. Unfortunately, it's possible you'll have to spend many hundreds of dollars and possibly import versions from other countries. But hey, that's fashion!

Update: To be extra clear, the image above is a fan-made amalgam of existing pre-order images and (possibly) non-official game art. We anxiously await an official image from Rocksteady/Warner Bros.

[Image credit: Fan-made; Thanks, Regis.]

Arkham City's Batman is a fashionista, rocking six suits in his wardrobe originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 cuts Kinect, launches on July 12

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST

When The Boy Who Lived makes his big return to Hogwarts for the finale of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, he'll be doing it without the aid of motion peripherals on the Xbox 360. EA producer Gary Napper confirmed to Joystiq that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 won't have any Kinect functionality (unlike its predecessor), as the development team at EA Bright Light made a decision "early on to focus on the core of the experience, get as close to the atmosphere of the movie and make the flow of the combat feel right."

The first Deathly Hallows game arrived last November to negative reviews. The sequel will touch down on July 12, just three days before the final movie launches in US theaters. Unfortunately, its short development time -- it's been approximately eight months since the first game launched -- raises questions about how much the sequel can really improve beyond Potter's previous outing.

According to Napper, "We didn't want to dilute any of our efforts on other things that would require a lot of the team's time to perfect." We were told that EA Bright Light currently has two unannounced projects in development.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 cuts Kinect, launches on July 12 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jax returns to Mortal Kombat

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:50:00 EST

Mortal Kombat creative lead Ed Boon took to GameTrailers TV last night in order to reveal the latest character for the forthcoming series reboot: Jax. For the handful of you who've never made the acquaintance of the metal-armed gentleman, his Christian name is Jackson Briggs and he was first introduced in Mortal Kombat 2. Though he didn't end up with metal arms until Mortal Kombat 3, he'll be appearing in next year's MK fully kitted out.

As for more characters in the series being revealed, Boon teases the final roster, saying, "It's gonna be somewhere in the 20s, but we don't have a final number." He also points out that DLC will bring more characters to the game's lineup, so you hardcore Noob Saibot fans can relax.

Jax returns to Mortal Kombat originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mortal Kombat: HD Arcade Kollection listed by GameStop

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EST

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

For the second time in as many months, an online retail site has listed an HD Mortal Kombat collection, further fueling rumors of an HD remake of the first three MK games for PlayStation 3. TRMK spotted a listing for the appropriately titled "Mortal Kombat: HD Arcade Kollection" on GameStop.com. Though the page has since been taken down, a quick Googling of the URL reveals it was a GameStop page for the unannounced title.

Unlike the listing from UK retailer ShopTo, the GameStop one has no description of what might actually be contained in the repackaged "Kollection." Oh, and it also changes the name from the UK listing's "collection" to the more thematically accurate "kollection." WB reps wouldn't offer comment though, if the November 16 release date is correct, we'll be hearing more about the game in an official manner very soon.

[Image credit: ExtraGuy]

Mortal Kombat: HD Arcade Kollection listed by GameStop originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Batman: The Brave and the Bold review: the lighter side of the Dark Knight

Andrew Hayward — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST

From the moment the campaign kicks off, it's patently obvious that Batman: The Brave and the Bold: The Videogame hails from an entirely different lineage than Arkham Asylum. That's not a knock on the game, nor even a reference to the cartoon-stylized visuals; rather, the game's tone is much sillier than the dark and serious approach of last year's smash. By the end of the first chapter, both Batman and Robin have been transformed into housecats, and before the game concludes, Batman's floating in space, blasting a giant starfish with an endless supply of batarangs in a simple shoot-em-up ('rang-em-up?) sequence.

It's weird, no doubt, and though The Brave and the Bold suffers due to kid-friendly gameplay mechanics and a total lack of challenge, it maintains a slight winning edge with its total adherence to this playful demeanor.

Gallery: Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Wii)

Continue reading Batman: The Brave and the Bold review: the lighter side of the Dark Knight

Batman: The Brave and the Bold review: the lighter side of the Dark Knight originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Hunter movie getting a second chance from WB

JC Fletcher — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:45:00 EST

Striking while the iron is ... absolutely frozen, Warner Bros. may be looking to restart the Spy Hunter movie project, following its acquisition of the IP from Midway. According to Variety, WB has hired screenwriter Chad St. John, who is also writing an adaptation of DC Comics' Sgt. Rock, to write the script.

The last Spy Hunter movie, intended to star The Rock, fizzled out when director Paul W.S. Anderson removed himself from the project after discovering that the script -- adapted from a game about a car that shoots at other cars -- was of poor quality. Had it actually been made, it would have been an appropriate tie-in with the 2006 game Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run, also starring The Rock. No stars have been named for this version of the movie yet.

[Via MTV Multiplayer]

Spy Hunter movie getting a second chance from WB originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Lego Harry Potter trailer has us rowling with laughter

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST

TT Games has been at it for some time now with its Lego-themed games, taking on everything from Star Wars to Rock Band, each entry coupling the same goofy, self-referential comedy with a family friendly low barrier to entry.

The new trailer for Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 takes these recurring tropes and adds them to the world of Hogwarts, Muggles, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, sprinkling in iconic moments from the first four blockbuster books throughout. Without a release date for the game - and with the first half of the final Harry Potter film not hitting theaters until next November - we worry it might be awhile before we get our hands on this block-breaking version of Harry.

New Lego Harry Potter trailer has us rowling with laughter originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Batman: Arkham Asylum dev diary has English sensibilities

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST

Has your recent playthrough of the Batman: Arkham Asylum demo left you wondering exactly how the sausage got made? Lucky you -- Warner Bros. and Rocksteady recently released a behind-the-scenes look at the stealth-action superhero sim, which keen-eyed readers have probably already noticed is posted above.

The game's creators do a great job of explaining what makes the game so successful -- elements such as the intensive mocap work done to bring the animations to life, story contributions from DC's Paul Dini, and of course, Rocksteady's own "English sensibilities." We're pretty fond of our American sensibilities thankyouverymuch -- but if that's the secret ingredient that makes Arkham Asylum so rad, we guess we can't complain.

Batman: Arkham Asylum dev diary has English sensibilities originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comic-Con 2009: Scribblenauts towers over everything

Kevin Kelly — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:30:00 EST

Just back in June at E3, we barely noticed Scribblenauts, tucked away in the far reaches of WB's space, tucked behind potted plants and up against the back walls of the convention center. Thankfully we did notice it -- everyone at Joystiq now has an extreme case of Scribblenauts fever.

It seems like WB got the hint as well. In the middle of the main Comic-Con floor hall, WB has a towering booth touting every film, tv, and video game it has coming out. Of course, prominently featured is Batman: Arkham Asylum, with trailers playing on a ginormous WB water tower surrounded by video screens. However, also showing on that same screen is a Scribblenauts teaser urging players to "Write anything. Solve everything."

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Comic-Con 2009: Scribblenauts towers over everything originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Precious Lord of the Rings license goes from EA to WB

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:43:00 EST

The Lord of the Rings license has journeyed to EA and back again to Warner Bros. The Cut Scene reports that the licensing deal for EA to create titles based on the Lord of the Rings films quietly expired at the end of last year. At that time, the rights reverted back to New Line, which is part of Warner Bros. When EA received the Ring license back in 2001, Warner wasn't fully committed to the game business ... that's certainly changed this decade. Warner has also heavily invested in Turbine, developer of Lord of the Rings Online. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment apparently declined to comment on the story.

The movie industry is certainly attempting with increasing regularity to enter the game space, hiring executives that may get the job done. Paramount is ready to publish (the rumored) Star Trek DAC in a couple months, while Disney has become far less reliant on licensing its properties to THQ over the years. In time, it appears we'll see more in-house development of games that we currently see "licensed" out, which will hopefully mean better products.

Precious Lord of the Rings license goes from EA to WB originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joker brings the funnies in latest Arkham Asylum trailer

Dustin Burg — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST

It's time for another trip into the out-of-kilter crazy house that is Batman: Arkham Asylum. Though the first teaser and most recent screenshots highlighted the game's moody lighting and dour atmosphere, the latest Breakout Trailer (embedded after the fold) finally gives us a glimpse at the gameplay. Sailing through the air, sneaking through enemy territory and punching goons in the stomach -- yup, that sounds like the Batman we know.

Download Batman: Arkham Asylum Trailer #3 HD (24 MB)

Gallery: Batman: Arkham Asylum (12/22/08)

[Thanks, Carl V.]

Joker brings the funnies in latest Arkham Asylum trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Devs talk Battlestations Pacific specifics

Dustin Burg — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

To get you really thinking about and understanding what Battlestations Pacific has to offer, Eidos just released the first of what we expect to be many video developer diaries that touches on the game's features and the thought process behind the game. This first diary touches on the two distinct campaigns offered, how strategy works into the gameplay and the general engine upgrades gamers will experience. Our only question, when did secondary mission objectives equate to an acceptable form of replayability?

Video: Devs talk Battlestations Pacific specifics originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Meet the crazies of Batman: Arkham Asylum

Dustin Burg — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

Embedded above is a newly released trailer for Batman: Arkham Asylum and, just as one could expect from the game's title, there are quite a few crazies running amok. The Joker seems as deranged as ever, Batman looks to be stressed, there's an overly large (possibly steroid fueled), chain wielding baddie on the loose and well, everything is rather gloomy. Actually, the game doesn't look too bad.

Non-video game related pro-tip: Go buy The Dark Knight.

Video: Meet the crazies of Batman: Arkham Asylum originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Fanboy Review: Guinness World Records

David Hinkle — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:46:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews

Back when I got my hands on Guinness World Records at E3, I was surprised at how engaging and fun the title was. Whether that was due to sheer exhaustion or the game actually being that good is anybody's guess. Luckily, the fine folks behind the game sent us a copy to review so we could decide, once and for all, if I was just crazy or if the game really was that good.

Which is it? Read on and find out!

Continue reading Wii Fanboy Review: Guinness World Records

Wii Fanboy Review: Guinness World Records originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe gameplay trailer is toasty

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360

The weekend before E3 is a magical time for video game trailer connoisseurs -- many game developers, in an attempt to get a head start on the hype frenzy, will release new media for their blockbuster titles in order to pique the interest of E3 attendees. Not exactly the wisest move, as most of these West Coast-bound bloggers will be spending most of their weekend deciding if it would be a fashion faux pas to bring a fanny pack to the convention, in order to house their digital cameras, iPhones, audio recorders, handheld gaming devices, and their precious energy drinks.

With our staunch anti-fanny pack mentality already set in stone, we're able to skip said deliberation and show you these trailers -- the first of which being the gameplay debut for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. While our mind still boggles at the logistics of how Superman can even feel our measly human punches, the game looks gorgeous, and the mid-air combat between arena tiers looks badass. Hopefully, Midway's E3 booth will give us a chance to get our hands on MK vs. DC, and, as a result, murder some of our favorite childhood heroes.

First Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe gameplay trailer is toasty originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the debut trailer

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Mac, PC, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Adventure

We would love to get excited for the upcoming video game adaptation of the sixth installment in J.K. Rowling's wildly successful series of books -- unfortunately, our ambitions of striding through Hogwarts' hallowed halls have been sullied by previous lackluster Harry Potter titles from Electronic Arts. To make sure Half Blood Prince is as faithful and entertaining as it can possibly be, we've written up a quick cheat sheet for the game's developers to inform them which elements from the source material should be included when the game hits store shelves in November.

Epic wizard duels -- Awesome.
Magical puzzles -- Entertaining.
Exciting quidditch matches -- Compelling, if handled properly.
Collecting "Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans", "Chocolate Frogs", "Fizzing Whizbees", or any other form of magical confection -- About as enjoyable as catching a faceful of Avada Kedavra.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the debut trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Eidos lays off marketing, PR, and sales departments following Warner Bros. investment

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business

Our hearts were warmed to hear of SCi's seeming salvation as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment acquired 171 million shares in the floundering company (for nearly £60 million) -- an investment that would "benefit of all [their] major franchises" and put the once-great publisher Eidos back on the map. However, according to 1UP, a number of insiders have reported that this act of gaming industry cartography could have some far less publicized consequences.

Much like the pushy girlfriend who doesn't allow you to bring your autographed Erasure poster into your new apartment, Eidos may have recently kicked their entire marketing, public relations, and sales departments to the curb following their Warner Bros. bailout, according to the 1UP tipsters. Whether this was a stipulation of the WB deal, or a continuation of SCi's systematic operating cost reduction (or if the information is even legit), we're not sure. We just hope they don't fire the one guy who wants to make a Mister Mosquito sequel.

Rumor: Eidos lays off marketing, PR, and sales departments following Warner Bros. investment originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HD DVD group cancels pre-CES press conference

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, CES

In the wake of the recent announcement of Warner Bros' new allegiance to the Blu-ray format (and, as result, sister company New Line Cinema's similarly adopted format loyalty), the HD DVD group has canceled their pre-Consumer Electronics Show press conference. We're not sure if the announcement will impact the HD DVD Promotion Group's booth at the show, though we imagine it will create an atmosphere for their visitors with a level of awkwardness similar to that of a nursing home.

In a mass email to CES attendees, a representative for the group said they are "currently discussing the potential impact of this announcement with the other HD DVD partner companies and evaluating next steps." If these "next steps" don't include lining the pockets of every remaining film publisher on the market to convince them your format's still viable, HD DVD could go the way of the Betamax with a quickness.

(Via PS3F)

HD DVD group cancels pre-CES press conference originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WB comes to PSP

Steven Bailey — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

SCi and Eidos are about to have their release schedule look like a day at Six Flags since they acquired the rights to 11 Warner Bros franchises. If you like toons than you may be happy to know they have access to Looney Tunes and Hanna Barbera proprieties as well as Batman. Those into teen soap operas may want to stop cutting themselves and perk up at the inclusion of The OC license. The rights to all these franchises didn't come cheap though as it's reported to cost upwards of $80 million. It looks like Lara Croft will have to hold off on that boob job she was planning until Eidos recoups some earnings from this deal.

The best news though is that all games are scheduled for PSP. So soon you may be throwing a batarang with Batman, racing the road runner, working for Spacely or cheating on whoever that guy is on The OC. Let's just hope that unlike most licensed games, Eidos isn't relying on the license selling the games and will back them up with quality gameplay.

[Via Games Radar]

WB comes to PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 20 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheaper UMDs skyrocket sales 1000%

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, UMD Movies

In America, poor sales of UMDs have led to retailers simply getting rid of the format altogether, or putting them in bargain bins, never to give them another look ever again. In Japan, however, Warner Bros. is trying a new strategy of trying to sell more UMDs. For the past few months, Warner Bros. has released movies at an official price of 980 yen (about $9 US). Surprise! For some reason, UMDs sold a lot better at that price. In fact, according to Gpara.com, it sold 10 times as more than normally.

Haven't we been telling companies for the longest time that if you want us to care about the format, it has to be dirt cheap? Looks like WB finally understood that. But can we hope that the rest of the market stops beating themselves with stupid sticks?

[Via PSP-Vault]

Cheaper UMDs skyrocket sales 1000% originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Sep 2006 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthworm Jim swirms back to the PSP

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Earthworm Jim

My my, it's been a long long time since we last saw Earthworm Jim. I was still a kid when the Earthworm Jim craze had reached its peak: some excellent games on the Genesis/SNES, a freaky cartoon on the WB, and some pretty weird action figures. The series' unique gross-out humor seems poised for a big comeback, as the PSP is getting an impressively beautiful continuation. IGN grabbed some screens from a recent Atari event and had some pretty positive impressions:

The spacesuit-wearing worm has indeed return. More importantly, he's returned in proper form. The game plays very much like its 2D predecessors... What makes it special, though, lies strictly with how developer Shiny Entertainment mixes those elements to form something altogether groovy and unique.

You'll be sure to see more of this game on the Fanboy, as it still has a long time left in development.

Earthworm Jim swirms back to the PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Aug 2006 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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