Daily Wrap-Up 4.17.08
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Thursday, April 17, 2008 6:01 PM
Here's what went down today in the world of videogames, popular culture and technology.
- StarGate Worlds, a sci-fi MMO based on the StarGate series, will be published by a brand new company called FireSky.
- If you missed X-Play on Tuesday, you missed Adam Sessler's provocative, informative interview with the authors of Grand Theft Childhood.
- The original SoulCalibur fighting game is coming to Xbox Live Arcade.
- Check out what Namco-Bandai has cooking.
- Microsoft wants you to know that the 360 is selling really well in Europe.
- Grand Theft Auto IV is invading our nation's urban areas with marketing.
- A Panda game is coming out on the DS.
- An investor is suing Take-Two.
- Ricky Gervais, star and producer of the British Office and Executive Producer of the American version has a role in GTA IV.
- Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, the new barbarian-themed MMO from Funcom and Eidos, is set to release in just a few weeks on May 20th.
- Australians hate Bully.
- More Warcraft comics are coming.
- Today's too-awesome rumor:Grand Theft Auto IV's downloadable content for the Xbox 360 will include entire cities.
--Read More--
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TAGS: Daily Wrap-Up, Videos
Sarkathlon 2 Is Live!
Posted by Jonathan Hunt - Thursday, April 17, 2008 5:30 PM
The Sarkathlon is on! Here's Mr. Sark to bring you the instructions on how you can compete for highly coveted set of Recon Armor from Bungie.
For those who prefer text-based instructions, click below the cut.
--Read More--
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TAGS: G4, Halo 3, Videogames
Rockstar Launches 'GTA IV' Social Club
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, April 17, 2008 4:39 PM
 With GTA IV less than two weeks away, Rockstar has launched the Rockstar Social Club, which will have a ton of interactivity with GTA IV.
Check it out and get your account created.
"The Rockstar Games Social Club is now open for pre-registration. This is a members-only destination for leaderboards, statistics, tournaments, ongoing special competitions, virtual events and more for Rockstar titles beginning with the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV on April 29th. Register your membership now to set up your profile and ensure that you will be able to check your stats and participate on day one of game release."
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TAGS: PlayStation 3, Videogames, Xbox 360
Take-Two Discusses EA Offer
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, April 17, 2008 4:19 PM
 Take-Two's management and company leaders are all recommending that their stockholders reject EA's offer for a buyout at $26 shares.
Take-Two still believes that EA's offer is "still at the wrong price and is still at the wrong time." They believe it is timed to take advantage of the Grand Theft Auto IV release and take control of the company before it becomes profitable so they can reap the benefits when it does.
Take-Two believes they are creating stockholder value due to strategies and revitalization plans that have begun to show results.
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TAGS: PlayStation 3, Videogames, Xbox 360
Take-Two Shareholders Conference Call
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, April 17, 2008 4:09 PM
 Take-Two is holding their annual shareholders meeting and we're listening in. The call will outline Take-Two's overall business strategy, product line-up, and EA's buyout offer.
First up, was the Chief Executive Ben Feder to discuss Take-Two's products and future outlook.
- Grand Theft Auto IV is complete and the discs are currently being produced. Trucks will roll out next week.
- The pre-orders for GTA IV are above company expectations and they expect it to be one of the "biggest launches of any entertainment product ever."
- A new Midnight Club game is coming after the last game in the franchise sold over 7 million copies.
- Re-confirmation of a BioShock sequel for 2009, but no mention of details.
- Carnival Games will hit the DS in the summer and get a new Wii spin-off: Carnival Games: Mini Golf.
- Take-Two expects to be profitable as a business in 2008.
Now they are voting on company appointments and boring things. Their discussion of EA's offer is forthcoming.
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TAGS: Grand Theft Auto IV, Nintendo DS, PC Gaming
'Metal Gear Online' Beta Code Problems
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, April 17, 2008 3:22 PM
There have been numerous reports of invalid codes for the Metal Gear Online beta included with the Saga Vol. 2 discs. Your code should be 12 characters.
Some people are getting 9 character codes.
If you are unlucky enough to have a bad code, email mgobetasupport@konami.com and ask for a new key. Hopefully you'll get a speedy response.
Your other option is to rush to Best Buy or another big box retailer that has Saga DVDs available for $5 (counts as a pre-order for MGS4).
Hurry!
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TAGS: PlayStation 3, Videogames
New 'Digimon' Coming to DS
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, April 17, 2008 2:50 PM
Namco Bandai is bringing more Digimon to the Nintendo DS with Digimon World Championship. Are you excited? Digimon is sort of like the generic cereal your mom bought you when you were young to save money. But really, you wanted Pokemon like all your friends.
Nevertheless, the game will feature over 200 Digimon and Wi-Fi multiplayer. It should be released this summer.
Screenshots of these digital monsters can be found here and the press release is hiding under the cut.
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TAGS: Nintendo DS, Videogames
'Afro Samurai' Game Coming to 360/PS3
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, April 17, 2008 2:38 PM
Now, I've never seen this Afro Samurai cartoon, but I'm assuming that it involves snakes and planes based on the fact that Samuel L. Jackson voices the main character.
Here's a summary of the story for those of you like me:
"Follow Afro Samurai as he fights to become the number one warrior, a title currently held by Justice, the man who killed Afro’s father when he was a child. The game follows the plot of the original series with added material and background for fans and new comers alike."
Gritty stuff.
The game does, however, have a pretty sweet art style. Check out the whole screenshot gallery here.
Press release follows.
--Read More--
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TAGS: PlayStation 3, Videogames, Xbox 360
'Naruto: Ultimate Ninja STORM' for PS3
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, April 17, 2008 2:26 PM
We know you kids love that Naruto fellow, but if you really love his antics you'll need to get yourself a PS3. Namco Bandai has just announced Naruto: Ultimate Ninja STORM exclusively for the PS3.
Featuring 25 characters from the anime and a 2 on 2 head to head mode, the game should release this fall. Check the trailer below and the press release after the jump. There's also a screenshot gallery right here.
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TAGS: PlayStation 3, Videogames
'SoulCalibur 4' Trailer
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Thursday, April 17, 2008 2:20 PM
SoulCalibur IV trailer? Don't mind if I do. Check out Yoda and Darth Vader in completely the wrong context!
The game comes out on the PS3 and 360 on July 29th.
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TAGS: PlayStation 3, Videogames, Xbox 360
'Mercenaries 3' On the Way? Wii Version?
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, April 17, 2008 2:03 PM
Mercenaries 2 creative director Cameron Brown, in an interview with Next-Gen.biz, said, "While we don’t want to delay the game, and we certainly don’t want to disappoint anyone--and we’re keen to ship the game and move on to Mercs 3."
Pandemic, now owned by EA, will most likely set to work on another sequel.
What about a Wii version?
--Read More--
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TAGS: PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Videogames
'Iron Man' Demo Tomorrow
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Thursday, April 17, 2008 2:01 PM
Sega announce that the demo for Iron Man will be downloadable on Xbox Live tomorrow and up on the PlayStation Network soon.
And this is my moment of reckoning. I've been excited more excited about Iron Man than any movie tie-in game since the E.T. Game broke my heart in 1978. So tomorrow is the day, readers, when we at least get a taste of whether this game will be awesome or another billion-selling but horrible tie-in.
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TAGS: PlayStation 3, Videogames, Xbox 360
First 15 Minutes: 'Gran Turismo 5 Prologue'
Posted by Brian Leahy - Thursday, April 17, 2008 1:24 PM
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has finally been released giving gamers a taste of what to expect from the full version of GT5 coming in 2009.
Here now is the first 15 minutes of the game including the full intro cinematic. Be sure to check out our interview with Nissan about the 2009 Nissan GT-R and its special navigation system developed in partnership with GT developers, Polyphony Digital.
--Read More--
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TAGS: Cars, G4 Web Exclusive, PlayStation 3
Nugget From The Net
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Thursday, April 17, 2008 12:58 PM
Today's Nugget comes to us from craigslist.com, that eponymous provider of help-wanted ads and hook-up trolling.
Check out the sincerity of a gamer's plea for companionship:
GameStop Girl, I want to kill robotic zombie terrorists with you - m4w
Dearest GameStop Girl,
When I walked into your store that fateful Tuesday, I expected only to find a smattering of half-decent titles tucked back there amongst the used 360 games. Instead I found you, surrounded by a beam of light, halfway between Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty 3. Your gorgeous dark hair was radiant in contrast with the rainbow of colors on the deluxe Bioshock behind you. The Game of the Year held no interest for me when I saw you look up and smile, even though both could hold me in Rapture.
Read the Rest
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TAGS: Nuggets From The Nets
'APB' Launched Planned For 2009
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Thursday, April 17, 2008 12:08 PM
We predict you'll be hearing a lot about Realtime World's APB.
The game takes a decidedly un-World of Warcraft approach to MMOs, by combining the grit and urban appeal of Grand Theft Auto with a massive open world full of other connivers and criminals.
Sound good? Sadly, you'll have to wait until some time in 2009 to trade your level 70 Night Elf for a level one car-thief: According to Realtime Worlds' CEO (and GTA creator) Dave Jones:
"We want to launch APB in 2009, which will be pretty much worldwide - including the Asian markets. This is our first big online game...If we have a big success with APB on the scale of, for example, World of Warcraft, then we could be looking at hundreds of millions of pounds. It just depends what happens after we launched it."
GamesRadar.com: 2009 targeted for Crackdown dev's MMO APB
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TAGS: PC Gaming, Videogames
GI Joe’s Scarlett Pic Revealed
Posted by Frank Meyer - Thursday, April 17, 2008 12:03 PM
 Paramount just released the first photo of Rachel Nichols (Alias, Charlie Wilson’s War) as Scarlett O’Hara from the live-action adaptation of toy/cartoon/comic franchise GI Joe.
Red-headed Scarlett is the first female character in the GI Joe action figure line. Her specialty is counter intelligence, weapon of choice is the crossbow, and rank is Master Sergeant. Sexy, huh?
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TAGS: Comics, Movies
Edward Norton Hates The Hulk?
Posted by Frank Meyer - Thursday, April 17, 2008 11:53 AM
All may not be well in Hulk-land….
Actor Edward Norton, who plays Hulky Bruce Banner in the upcoming film The Incredible Hulk , is refusing to do press and interviews for the film
Generally that means the film sucks and the lead is embarrassed.
Turns out the star of the $150 million adaptation of the Marvel comic-book series (and followup to Ang Lee’s flop) has indeed declined interview requests following a disagreement he had with his producers over the final cut of the flick. According to EW.com, “in recent months, Norton and the film's director, Louis Leterrier (The Transporter), campaigned for a longer, more detailed film. Marvel Studios wanted a faster, leaner one. Marvel won.”
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TAGS: Movies
Digi-Weather: Increasing Torrent Of Torrents
Posted by Frank Meyer - Thursday, April 17, 2008 11:46 AM
Remember hearing about the music and movie industries were scrambling to stop file-sharing and shut down P2P sites? About how the RIAA has targeted individual P2P users with lawsuits while the IFPI, while the MPAA have chosen to go after BitTorrent sites?
Well, it turns out that it all might be big waste of time, because all the publicity these lawsuits gave torrent sites like Sweden’s The Pirate Bay have generated record high traffic for these bootleg portals and have resulted in a increase in BitTorrent sites in general.
The Pirate Bay bragged that after a Danish ISP was forced to block its subscribers from accessing the site, traffic spiked. Even as the MPA, MPAA, IFPI, and other groups have scored legal victories over torrent sites, the average BitTorrent traffic for the two-month period from mid-January to mid-March was up almost 25 percent compared with the month before Christmas, according to online media measurement firm BigChampagne.
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TAGS: Internets Culture, Movies, Music
Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway In August
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Thursday, April 17, 2008 11:42 AM
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is coming out in August, according to Ubisoft. The World War II game will have re-vamped online options when it does come out.
Here's what Eurogamer had to say about the game's online:
"Ubisoft is claiming 'dozens' of players on each side, with the result 'combining all the intensity and accessibility of deathmatch with the squad-based gameplay that helped make Brothers In Arms famous'.
I guess we'll try to have patience until August, then. It's scheduled for a PS3, 360 and PC release.
Eurogamer: BIA: Hell's Highway in August
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TAGS: PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Videogames
Meier At Comic-Con In New York
Posted by Stephen Johnson - Thursday, April 17, 2008 11:32 AM
Hey, East Coasters: Legendary game-maker Sid Meier is attending New York Comic Con '08 this weekend.
He's hyping Civilization Revolution, the latest in the Civilization line of games he invented, so if you can, you'd better check him out, ask him for an autograph and show some respect. He'll be at the 2K Games Booth (#1157) on Saturday, April 19, from 1-3PM. Also fun: A demo of Civilization Revolution you can try out.
Revolution is expected to release on Xbox 360, PS3 and DS (and maybe Wii) on June 3.
Joystiq: Meet Sid Meier at NY Comic Con this Saturday
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TAGS: Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Videogames
Good News for Take-Two
Posted by Ty Colfax - Thursday, April 17, 2008 11:21 AM
 It's just a newsy day for Take-Two who has had their Hot Coffee Shareholder suit tossed out today. If you'll recall, some of the shareholders felt they were misled about the graphic content of the game as the sex scene was unlockable and therefore should have been disclosed. So this is good news for Take-Two putting them at good news/bad news score of 2-1.
On another note: Gaw, shut up, shareholders! All this controversy and publicity only serves the company well with INCOME. Remember that? It's what drives your stock price up by increasing sales. Just hold onto your stocks until the Summer when GTA IV sales will have you sittin' pretty. Then buy the game and chill on a beach for a couple years playing it. Hushuh you face!
arstechnica.com: Hot Coffee now off the table in Take-Two shareholder suit
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TAGS: Other People's Misfortune, Videogames
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