Saturn | Super Street Fighter IV ships 1 million, series ships 29 million

Capcom expects latest PS3, 360 installment in fighting series to go platinum as game launches in EU just days after US launch; franchise hits new console shipment milestone.

Super Street Fighter IV launched in North America on Tuesday, in Japan Wednesday, and the UK and Europe today. And while it's early days yet, Capcom is confident the game's glowing reviews will make it a best seller along the lines of 2009's Street Fighter IV, which shipped over 2 million copies within a week of its launch. That game helped the Japanese publisher hit nearly $1 billion in annual sales during its last fiscal year.

Capcom is adopting an aggressive SSFIV shipment strategy.

In preparation, Capcom today announced it has already shipped 1 million units of Super Street Fighter IV to retailers worldwide. The figure puts lifetime shipment figures for console Street Fighter games at 29 million units internationally, since, as of March 31, the series had already shipped 28 million units, according to Capcom. The series started in 1987 with the arcade original and will continue with the arcade version of Super Street Fighter IV, which was just announced for the Japanese market.

Much like Super Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter IV takes a preexisting game, in this case Street Fighter IV, and remixes it primarily by adding new characters. Super II veterans T. Hawk and Dee Jay make their return to the series and Korean tae kwon do expert Juri appear for the first time. Other familiar faces include Cody, Guy, and Adon from the Street Fighter Alpha series (and Final Fight, in the case of Cody and Guy).

In addition to extra fighters, Capcom's newest double dip will feature new ultracombos for every character, enhanced online play, balancing tweaks, and more. For more on Super Street Fighter IV, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

Super Why! Episode 101- The 3 little pigs part 1

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/saturn/action/streetfighteralpha/news.html?sid=6260810

PC | Bungie deal similar to what West, Zampella wanted - Report

Activision gave Halo makers terms the ex-Infinity Ward heads sought, according to LA Times; four more Modern Warfare 2 devs surface at Respawn.

As the Infinity Ward-Activision saga dragged on this week, an unexpected new player joined the mix in the form of Bungie. The Halo developer isn't directly related to the publisher's suddenly litigious relationship with the creators of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but it became a tangent to the story yesterday when it announced an exclusive 10-year deal with Activision for its next original franchise.

"We want a plane with a full tank of gas idling on the runway, $100 million in unmarked bills, and creative control of our intellectual property."

According to an updated Los Angeles Times report, terms of the Bungie deal are similar to what Infinity Ward co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella had been seeking from Activision before the publisher opted to fire them, triggering a flurry of lawsuits and key Infinity Ward developer departures. According to the publicly revealed parts of the Bungie deal, the developer will retain all creative control over its new intellectual property, while Activision will have the exclusive worldwide publishing and distribution rights to that series for a 10-year window that expires in 2020. The Times cited "people familiar with the situation" for the information.

The paper also gave West and Zampella's attorney Bobby Schwartz a platform to launch a verbal barb at Activision, as the lawyer quipped, "It's astonishing how much money Activision had to pay to cover up its horns and pitchforks with a halo." Financial terms of the Bungie-Activision deal were not publicly disclosed.

The aftermath of the West and Zampella firings continued to take shape today as four more ex-Infinity Ward developers had joined the pair at their new studio, Respawn Entertainment. Designers Preston Glenn, Sean Slayback, Zied Rieke, and Chad Grenier have all updated their LinkedIn profiles to list their current positions at Respawn.

Currently, LinkedIn includes over a dozen developers who list Respawn Entertainment as employer, all of them having previously worked at Infinity Ward. West and Zampella both have profiles on the professional networking site, but neither has updated them yet with mention of Respawn.

Three of the four newly Respawned developers are also among the 38 current and former Infinity Ward developers who filed suit against Activision this week over unpaid Call of Duty bonuses. The fourth, Sean Slayback, may be listed on the suit as John Slayback.

New Beginnings

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/unannouncedbungiegame/news.html?sid=6260861

PlayStation 3 | The Last Word: April 26-30, 2010

GameSpot's weekly wrap-up returns with all the previous five days' news, previews, reviews, videos, trailers, and other highlights.

From 2006-2007, GameSpot ran a weekly wrap-up feature called the Last Word. Though the video portion of that recurring piece has gone to the great archive in the sky, the text section is back with all the site highlights from the week.

Each Friday afternoon, check GameSpot News for a run-down of the all the best features, previews, reviews, video, and news headlines from the preceding five days. If Friday's inconvenient, the feature will remain on the GameSpot newshub for anyone who wants to catch up on the prior week's gaming goodness.

NEW RELEASES
Shippin' Out April 25-May 1: Super Street Fighter IV, 2010 FIFA World Cup

NEWS
Though 2010 isn't even half over, it's hard to imagine another week more jam-packed with news. On Monday, the US Supreme Court agreed to rule on a California law criminalizing the sale of violent games to minors. Less than 24 hours later, 38 current and former Infinity Ward employees sued Activision for $150 million-$625 million over breach of contract and unpaid Modern Warfare 2 royalties. Were that not enough, on Thursday, the game industry was floored by the announcement that Bungie had signed a 10-year deal with Activision to exclusively publish the Halo-maker's next big property. Finally, on Friday, Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops was revealed as a co-op shooter set in Vietnam, Cuba, and the Arctic.

Bungie, Activision lock down 10-year exclusivity
Bungie details, discusses landmark Activision deal
Supreme Court to hear California game law case
Infinity Ward employees sue Activision for $150 million-$625 million
Four more ex-Infinity Warders Respawn as exodus grows to 26
Sims 3 confirmed for PS3, 360, Wii, DS
Infinity Ward to close, expects analyst
Halo beta Reach-es until May 19
Two mystery Tom Clancy titles in development
Call of Duty: Black Ops deploying November 9
Valve opening Mac spigot May 12
Sony sued over PS3 Linux lockout

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PREVIEWS
This was a rare travel-free week for the previews team, but there was hardly a lack of coverage for upcoming games on the site. The week started off big with a video tour of the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta and a first hands-on with Madden NFL 11. Later THQ dropped by the office to reveal the full roster for UFC Undisputed 2010. There were also previews for Rockstar’s open-world western Red Dead Redemption, Ron Gilbert’s ’Monkey Island meets Diablo" hybrid Deathspank, and a first look at Test Drive Unlimited 2. And finally, PC fans will want to check out our new Q&A with the lead designer of Guild Wars 2.

Halo: Reach Beta Video Tour
Madden NFL 11 First Look
UFC Undisputed 2010 Roster Reveal
Red Dead Redemption Hands-On
Deathspank Hands-On
Test Drive Unlimited 2 First Look
Guild Wars 2 Q&A
Spotlight On: Eve Online and Tyrannis

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REVIEWS
The reviews crew has had a fun and productive week in the run up to what's going to be an extremely busy month of May. Work on office favorites like Monster Hunter Tri and Super Street Fighter IV might have threatened to halt production on everything else, except that this week "everything else" included the likes of 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, Dead to Rights: Retribution, and the PC version of Splinter Cell: Conviction.

2010 FIFA World Cup Review
After Burner Climax Review
Dead to Rights: Retribution Review
Monster Hunter Tri Review
Super Street Fighter IV Review
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction Review
3D Dot Game Heroes Review

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VIDEO
GameSpot Live had an awesome start to the week with a visit to Today On the Spot by the UFC Undisputed 2010 team, including special guests Frank Mir and Bruce Buffer. There were new videos for the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta coming out next week, including an interview and comprehensive map walkthrough videos. Finally, check out the trailers for Alan Wake, Dead Space 2, and the Halo live-action short "Birth of a Spartan," as well as video reviews for Dead to Rights: Retribution, 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, and Monster Hunter Tri.

UFC 2010 Undisputed Daily Demo With Bruce Buffer and Frank Mir
Halo: Reach Interview - Multiplayer Beta Details
Halo: Reach Beta Map Walk-Through Part 1: Overlook
Halo: Reach Beta Map Walk-Through Part 2: Sword Base
Halo: Reach Beta Map Walk-Through Part 3: Powerhouse
Halo: Reach Beta Map Walk-Through Part 4: Bone Yard
Alan Wake - Wake Up! Trailer
Dead Space 2 Dementia Trailer
Halo: Reach Birth of a Spartan (Live Action) EXTENDED Trailer
Dead to Rights: Retribution Video Review
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Video Review
Monster Hunter Tri Video Review

Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/unannouncedbungiegame/news.html?sid=6260844

Xbox 360 | Call of Duty: Black Ops deploying November 9

[UPDATE 2] Teaser Web site reveals launch date of Treyarch's next installment in series; co-op mode, Vietnamese, Cuban, and Arctic locales confirmed.

Though it wasn't supposed to be officially revealed until later tonight, the next Call of Duty game has been unmasked early. The official Web site of the game, subtitled Black Ops, went live this morning, revealing its launch date of November 9, 2010. The bare-bones site revealed no other details about the game, which is in development at internal studio Treyarch, developer of the 11-million-unit best-seller Call of Duty: World at War.

Putting the black back in Black Ops.

[UPDATE] Activision has now officially announced Call of Duty: Black Ops, which it says will "take players behind enemy lines in an entirely new chapter" of the first-person shooter series. The publisher confirmed that the game will have a single-player campaign, competitive multiplayer, and a co-op mode. It is unclear if the co-op mode will be for the entire campaign or will have a more limited scope as in Modern Warfare 2's Special Ops mode.

Today's revelation follows rumors that the next Call of Duty game would focus on either the Vietnam War or, as now appears more likely, various regional and guerrilla conflicts that broke out during the Cold War. Silicon Valley blog VentureBeat went so far in an article yesterday as to say that the game would be titled Call of Duty: Vietnam, which is now obviously not the case.

[UPDATE 2] UK retailer GAME has apparently confirmed the multinational Cold War setting in its product description for the game, which reads: "Call of Duty Black Ops is the next installment in the thrilling Call of Duty franchise. Packing an amazing single-player story that will see you fight across the globe in locations such as Cuba, Vietnam and the Arctic." Since Vince Zampella and Jason Ward's lawsuit against Activision said Infinity Ward had control of all Call of Duty games set after the Vietnam War, a Cold War setting is almost assured.

The Black Ops announcement is a positive piece of news for Activision's Call of Duty series, following weeks of negative press surrounding the franchise. Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward has been at the center of Activision's problems, with more than 26 key staff members resigning and many joining the studio's fired cofounders Jason West and Vince Zampella at their new startup, Respawn Entertainment. On Tuesday, 38 former and current Infinity Ward employees sued Activision for $150 million to $625 million, claiming nonpayment of Modern Warfare 2 bonuses and royalties.

For a closer look at Treyarch's last game, Call of Duty: World at War, watch the video review below.

Matt Kennon, "The Call" - OFFICIAL VIDEO

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/callofduty7workingtitle/news.html?sid=6260808

Xbox 360 | Super Street Fighter IV ships 1 million, series ships 29 million

Capcom expects latest PS3, 360 installment in fighting series to go platinum as game launches in EU just days after US launch; franchise hits new console shipment milestone.

Super Street Fighter IV launched in North America on Tuesday, in Japan Wednesday, and the UK and Europe today. And while it's early days yet, Capcom is confident the game's glowing reviews will make it a best seller along the lines of 2009's Street Fighter IV, which shipped over 2 million copies within a week of its launch. That game helped the Japanese publisher hit nearly $1 billion in annual sales during its last fiscal year.

Capcom is adopting an aggressive SSFIV shipment strategy.

In preparation, Capcom today announced it has already shipped 1 million units of Super Street Fighter IV to retailers worldwide. The figure puts lifetime shipment figures for console Street Fighter games at 29 million units internationally, since, as of March 31, the series had already shipped 28 million units, according to Capcom. The series started in 1987 with the arcade original and will continue with the arcade version of Super Street Fighter IV, which was just announced for the Japanese market.

Much like Super Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter IV takes a preexisting game, in this case Street Fighter IV, and remixes it primarily by adding new characters. Super II veterans T. Hawk and Dee Jay make their return to the series and Korean tae kwon do expert Juri appear for the first time. Other familiar faces include Cody, Guy, and Adon from the Street Fighter Alpha series (and Final Fight, in the case of Cody and Guy).

In addition to extra fighters, Capcom's newest double dip will feature new ultracombos for every character, enhanced online play, balancing tweaks, and more. For more on Super Street Fighter IV, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

Super Why! Episode 101- The 3 little pigs part 1

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/supersf4/news.html?sid=6260810

PlayStation 2 | Rock Band drags down Viacom earnings, scores No Doubt album

Media multinational reports worldwide ancillary revenues declined 7 percent due to slowing sales of rhythm game series; Tragic Kingdom to be available next week as DLC.

The past year has shown that rhythm game sales are slowing, and the Rock Band series is no exception. Viacom, the media multinational that owns the music-game series' publisher MTV Games, reported yesterday that worldwide ancillary revenues fell 7 percent "reflecting lower sales of Rock Band music video games."

Rock Band owners can now party like it's 1995.

Viacom did not give exact figures for the Rock Band franchise's decline, but the company has expressed its displeasure in fiduciary form. In February, the company asked the series' developer, Harmonix, to refund a "substantial portion" of $150 million in performance-related payouts given to the Boston-based developer. That month, Viacom blamed declining sales of Rock Band games for a a 6 percent slip in the October-December earnings of its Media Networks division, which includes MTV Games parent MTV Networks.

During the January-March quarter, the Media Networks division saw revenue increase 4 percent to $1.94 billion, thanks to increased ad sales and affiliate fees. Overall for the quarter, Viacom revenues fell 4 percent year-over-year to $2.786 billion, with operating income rising 21 percent to $534 million and net earnings climbing 37 percent to $243 million.

The Rock Band series' current doldrums come just months after The Beatles: Rock Band, boosted Viacom's earnings by selling 1 million units following its September 9, 2009 release. Following last month's launch of the Rock Band Network, the company is hoping to reenergize the series with two offerings this year: Green Day: Rock Band, due out June 8, and Rock Band 3, due out around the holidays. However, it did lay off staff at Harmonix in December to cut costs.

Now, the good news: Next week, No Doubt fans will be able to buy the California ska-pop band's entire 1995 album Tragic Kingdom as a download from the Rock Band Store. All tracks will be original master recordings and will cost $2/160 Microsoft points/200 Wii points per track or $15/MSP1,600/WP1,500 for the entire album. The complete track list is below and will bring the total count of Rock Band tracks available on game discs and on the Rock Band Store to 1,174:

• No Doubt • "Different People"
• No Doubt • "End It on This"
• No Doubt • "Happy Now?"
• No Doubt • "Hey You"
• No Doubt • "Sixteen"
• No Doubt • "The Climb"
• No Doubt • "Tragic Kingdom"
• No Doubt • "World Go •Round"
• No Doubt • "You Can Do It"
• Orianthi • "According to You"
• Picture Me Broken • "Dearest (I•m So Sorry)"

The Rock electrifies Lilian with the People's Strudel

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/puzzle/rockband2/news.html?sid=6260812

PlayStation 3 | Six Days in Fallujah dev pondering more realistic shooters

Atomic Games president says studio has been approached by range of servicemen to lend expertise on new games based on specific battles.

Atomic Games found itself in a quagmire last year over the reaction to its as-yet-unreleased military shooter Six Days in Fallujah. After vociferous outcry from those who believed the game to be exploitive, Konami dropped the title. The move left Six Days in Fallujah without a publisher, and with its release uncertain, Atomic was forced to make cuts to its staff.

Six Days in Fallujah could be followed by Seven Nights in Basra.

Still, the controversy surrounding Six Days in Fallujah has apparently opened doors for Atomic in the future. Speaking to IncGamers, Atomic president Peter Tamte said that his studio has been in touch with a number of military personnel seeking to offer their firsthand accounts of other conflicts across the globe.

"As a result of Six Days in Fallujah, we actually have been contacted by people from across the world and other services, and there are certainly other stories that are begging to be told," Tamte said. The studio head also noted that "there are stories from across the world, and we got involved with Six Days in Fallujah because of our relationship with specific marines who served in that particular engagement."

Six Days in Fallujah has been characterized as a "hyperrealistic" re-creation of the Second Battle of Fallujah, which occurred as part of the Iraq War over the course of several weeks in November and December 2004. A number of veterans who fought in the encounter advised Atomic on the game's direction and provided video clips recounting their tales for use in the game. Following Konami's retreat, Atomic said that it intends to continue developing the game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Following the Six Days in Fallujah fiasco, Atomic announced Breach for consoles and the PC. Though details on that project are slim, the studio did say that Breach will be a multiplayer first-person shooter focusing on CIA Special Activities Division officers.

All That Remains - Six (guitar cover)

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/sixdaysinfallujah/news.html?sid=6260822

Wii | Puzzle Agent cracking open Telltale Pilot Program

Professor Layton-style adventure set to kick off studio's new publishing platform in June for WiiWare, PC, iPhone, iPad.

Get the full article at GameSpot

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"Wii | Puzzle Agent cracking open Telltale Pilot Program" was posted by Tom Magrino on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:29:22 -0700

puzzle

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/wii/puzzle/puzzleagent/news.html?sid=6260838

PlayStation 3 | Big in Japan Apr. 19-25: Nier Replicant

Square Enix's PlayStation 3 action RPG debuts atop the charts as hardware sales continue to slump.

Japanese game sales started this month strong, with tracking firm Media Create reporting nine titles selling more than 30,000 copies for the week ended April 4. Things slowed down after that, with only five titles managing to meet that mark in the following two weeks combined. That malaise continued deep into the month, as Media Create today released its Japanese sales figures for the week of April 19-25, showing that just a single title managed to top 30,000 copies sold.

Nier Replicant sold well for the week. Everything else? Less so.

The good news is that Square Enix's action-role-playing game Nier Replicant cleared that line, selling 60,174 copies for the week. Its sister release, Nier Gestalt for the Xbox 360, finished just outside of the top 10, selling fewer than 12,500 copies. (Versions of Nier Gestalt were released in North America this week for both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. Nier Replicant is not yet confirmed for an international debut.)

Nier Replicant wasn't the only new release in the top 10. Atlus' Tokyo Mono Harashi isn't part of the publisher's Persona series, but the third best-selling game of the week does share both a genre and a scholastic setting with the popular role-playing game franchise. Another PSP RPG, Falcom's Ys: Felghana no Chikai, slipped into the top five, selling a modest 16,167 copies. The final new entry in the top 10 isn't terribly new at all, as the PS3 Game of the Year Edition of Bethesda Softworks' Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion managed to sell 12,479 copies in its first week on shelves.

Continuing the slow sales trend, hardware numbers were also down for the week. The PSP and the PS3 were the only systems to sell more units week-over-week, although they improved their sales figures by only 123 and 39 units, respectively. The pair also finished in first and second place for the week overall, with the PSP hitting 28,758 sold and the PS3 trailing with 25,629.

Overall, the console and handheld pecking order was well preserved for the week. The Wii finished in third place overall, followed by a trifecta of DS systems, the Xbox 360, the PSP Go, and the PS2.

JAPAN GAME SALES WEEK OF APRIL 19-25, 2010
Software:
Rank / Title / Publisher / Platform / Unit sales
1. Nier Replicant / Square Enix / PS3 / 60,174
2. New Super Mario Bros. Wii / Nintendo / Wii / 28,757
3. Tokyo Mono Harashi / Atlus / PSP / 21,953
4. Tomodachi Collection / Nintendo / DS / 19,681
5. Ys: Felghana no Chikai / Falcom / PSP / 16,167
6. Pro Baseball Spirits 2010 / Konami / PSP / 15,607
7. Wii Fit Plus / Nintendo / Wii / 15,217
8. Mario Kart Wii / Nintendo / Wii / 13,671
9. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition / Bethesda / PS3 / 12,479
10. Pokemon Ranger: Hikari no Kiseki / Nintendo / DS / 12,408

Hardware:
PSP - 28,758
PS3 - 25,629
Wii - 23,691
DSi LL - 16,676
DSi - 10,640
DS Lite - 2,789
Xbox 360 - 2,214
PSP Go - 1,544
PS2 - 1,490

Big (1988) Original Theatrical Trailer

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/rpg/nierreplicant/news.html?sid=6260849

PC | InstantAction debuts browser-game embedding platform

Studio teams with Telltale to launch online gaming service that allows sharing of titles between Web sites; Secret of Monkey Island: SE available now.

For the past couple of years, independent game maker InstantAction has pioneered the idea of high-quality gaming delivered directly through a Web browser. Today, the developer announced an extension of that technology, saying that developers can now add an element of portability to their products, thanks to its new online distribution service that allows for embedding games nearly anywhere on the Internet, including blogs and social networking sites.

Embedding The Secret of Monkey Island is as easy as embedding this picture.

According to InstantAction, the technology works in much the same way as embedding a YouTube video, as it incorporates "in-browser, thin-client, and progressive downloading technologies." As with streaming video, users can jump into a game instantly, instead of spending time downloading the software. However, games still must meet case-by-case minimum hardware specifications.

The studio has launched its service with Telltale's The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, which is currently embedded into Facebook. An embed code is associated with the game and is available in three different sizes. Gamers can then transport the title to "most Web sites that allow users to embed objects via iframes," as well as "any webpage that allows HTML editing, and supports Javascript and iframes" (GameSpot, for example).

Currently, the embed functionality is only available to PC users. However, InstantAction plans to launch Mac and mobile support on a title-by-title basis in the future.

InstantAction VideoCast #36

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/thesecretofmonkeyislandspecialedition/news.html?sid=6260850

Xbox 360 | Valve opening Mac spigot May 12

Half-Life developer to support Apple's OS with Steam, back catalog next month.

Valve put its weight behind Apple's OS X last month, announcing that it would begin supporting the Mac operating system with its digital distribution service Steam as well as its own library of games by April. Today, the Bellevue, Washington-based developer revealed a slight delay for Mac integration, saying Mac users will be able to access goods on Steam beginning May 12.

Portal 2 will be Valve's first new game to support Macs.

Once Mac integration goes live, Mac users will gain access to the Valve catalog, which includes the Half-Life and Left 4 Dead series, as well as Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike, and Portal. Valve's first new game to feature Mac support will be Portal 2 when it launches this holiday. The full-length, stand-alone title will include both single- and multiplayer modes in addition to other new features.

Additionally, Valve has added Mac support into its Steamworks development toolkit, which allows titles built using the software to be interchangeable between the PC and Apple's platform. Further, Valve also intends to release game updates for Windows and Mac editions simultaneously. In fact, Mac and Windows users will intermingle in online matches, playing and communicating on the same servers and in the same game lobbies.

Valve Software Ep 1: All Your History S1E12 (Game History - Gabe Newell Interview )

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/halflife2episode2/news.html?sid=6260801

BlackBerry | Call of Duty: Black Ops deploying November 9

[UPDATE 2] Teaser Web site reveals launch date of Treyarch's next installment in series; co-op mode, Vietnamese, Cuban, and Arctic locales confirmed.

Though it wasn't supposed to be officially revealed until later tonight, the next Call of Duty game has been unmasked early. The official Web site of the game, subtitled Black Ops, went live this morning, revealing its launch date of November 9, 2010. The bare-bones site revealed no other details about the game, which is in development at internal studio Treyarch, which developed the 11-million-unit best-seller Call of Duty: World at War.

Putting the black back in Black Ops.

[UPDATE] Activision has now officially announced Call of Duty: Black Ops, which it says will "take players behind enemy lines in an entirely new chapter" of the first-person shooter series. The publisher confirmed the game will have a single-player campaign, competitive multiplayer, and a co-op mode. It is unclear if the co-op mode will be for the entire campaign or of a more limited scope as in Modern Warfare 2's Special Ops mode.

Today's revelation follows rumours that the next Call of Duty game would focus on either the Vietnam War or, as now appears more likely, various regional and guerrilla conflicts that broke out during the Cold War. Silicon Valley blog VentureBeat went so far in an article yesterday that the game would be titled Call of Duty: Vietnam, which is now obviously not the case.

The Black Ops announcement is a positive piece of news for Activision's Call of Duty series, following weeks of negative press surrounding the franchise. Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward has been at the centre of Activision's problems, with over 26 key staff members resigning and many joining the studio's fired co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella at their new start-up, Respawn Entertainment. On Tuesday, 38 former and current Infinity Ward employees sued Activision for $150 million-$625 million claiming non-payment of Modern Warfare 2 bonuses and royalties.

For a closer look at Treyarch's last game, Call of Duty: World at War, watch the video review below.

Matt Kennon, "The Call" - OFFICIAL VIDEO

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/blackberry/action/callofdutyworldatwar/news.html?sid=6260808

PC | APB booked for June 29 in US, July 2 in UK

Realtime Worlds reveals $50/•35/€50 price tag, pay-as-you-go subscription model that requires players to purchase additional playtime in online shooter's action zones; EU launch set for July 2.

Realtime Worlds' upcoming online shooter APB will be released on PC on June 29 in North America, July 1 in Europe, and July 2 in the UK, according to an announcement this morning by publisher Electronic Arts. The announcement followed the posting of a a FAQ on the game's official website which said the game would launch on "June 29th in North America, July 2nd in Europe."

Thanks to the game's customisation system, players can make in-game cash selling creations such as this octopus t-shirt.

According to the FAQ and EA, APB will cost $50 in the US, •35 in the UK, and €50 in the rest of Europe. The developer quotes 50 hours of gameplay out of the box, plus unlimited access to the game's social district and marketplace.

Additional time can be purchased using the virtual currency RTW points, which will be available in-game or from the Realtime Worlds website. The price of points will range from •4 ($5, €4.50) for 200 points to •52 ($65, €58.50) for 2600 points. 20 hours of game time will cost 280 points (•5.59, $7, €6.29).

More frequent players also have the option of purchasing 30-day unlimited packages for 400 RTW points (•8, $10, €9), with further discounts promised for 90 and 180-day purchases. The retail box will also contain a bonus 100 RTW points, which can be converted to in-game cash to purchase objects, customisations, or more game time. Players can also sell their own custom creations to friends, clan-mates, and via the marketplace to earn more RTW points.

As well as being available at retail, players will be able to purchase APB online. Customers can preorder the game from Apb.com and the Eastore.com. Preorder incentives include early access APB VIP game time, exclusive in-game Asylum Upgraded Criminal Car and Enforcer upgraded Patrol Car, and C.S.A Enforcer and Asylum Criminal clothing.

APB is a online open-world action game that has been described as "Grand Theft Auto Online." Players take on the role of a ruthless criminal or dedicated law enforcer in a virtual city populated with up to 99 other players. The game features an asymmetrical matchmaking system, which assigns players to a game based on their skill level without the use of a lobby. Other features include a robust customisation system, Last.fm integration, and the ability to become famous within the game world. (Last.fm is owned by CBS Interactive, GameSpot's parent company.)

For more on APB, check out GameSpot's latest hands-on and interview with Realtime Worlds' Dave Jones.

APB Trailer - E3 2009

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/apb/news.html?sid=6260809

PlayStation 2 | Super Street Fighter IV ships 1 million, series ships 29 million

Capcom expects latest PS3, 360 installment in fighting series to go platinum as game launches in EU just days after US launch; franchise hits new console shipment milestone.

Super Street Fighter IV launched in North America on Tuesday, in Japan Wednesday, and the UK and Europe today. And while it's early days yet, Capcom is confident the game's glowing reviews will make it a best-seller along the lines of 2009's Street Fighter IV, which shipped over 2 million copies within a week of its launch. That game helped the Japanese publisher hit nearly $1 billion in annual sales during its last fiscal year.

Capcom is adopting an aggressive SSFIV shipment strategy.

In preparation, Capcom today announced it has already shipped 1 million units of Super Street Fighter IV to retailers worldwide. The figure puts lifetime shipment figures for console Street Fighter games at 29 million units internationally, since, as of March 31, the series had already shipped 28 million units, according to Capcom. The series started in 1987 with the arcade original, and will continue with the arcade version of Super Street Fighter IV, which was just announced for the Japanese market.

Much like Super Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter IV takes a preexisting game, in this case Super Street Fighter IV, and remixes it primarily by adding new characters. Super II veterans T. Hawk and Dee Jay make their return to the series and Korean tae kwon do expert Juri appear for the first time. Other familiar faces include Cody, Guy, and Adon from the Street Fighter Alpha series (and Final Fight, in the case of Cody and Guy).

In addition to extra fighters, Capcom's newest double-dip will feature new ultra combos for every character, enhanced online play, balancing tweaks, and more. For more on Super Street Fighter IV, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

Super Why! Episode 101- The 3 little pigs part 1

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/streetfighteriiithirdstrike/news.html?sid=6260810

Wii | Rock Band drags down Viacom earnings, scores No Doubt album

Media multinational reports worldwide ancillary revenues declined 7 percent due to slowing sales of rhythm game series; Tragic Kingdom to be available next week as DLC.

The past year has shown that rhythm game sales are slowing, and the Rock Band series is no exception. Viacom, the media multinational that owns the music-game series' publisher MTV Games, reported yesterday that worldwide ancillary revenues fell 7 percent "reflecting lower sales of Rock Band music video games."

Rock Band owners can now party like it's 1995.

Viacom did not give exact figures for the Rock Band franchise's decline, but the company has expressed its displeasure fiduciary form. In February, the company asked the series' developer, Harmonix, to refund a "substantial portion" of $150 million in performance-related payouts given to the Boston-based developer. That month, Viacom blamed declining sales of Rock Band games for a a 6 percent slip in the October-December earnings of its Media Networks division, which includes MTV Games parent MTV Networks.

During the January-March quarter, the Media Networks division saw revenue increase 4 percent to $1.94 billion, thanks to increased ad sales and affiliate fees. Overall for the quarter, Viacom revenues fell 4 percent year over year to $2.786 billion, with operating income rising 21 percent to $534 million and net earnings climbing 37 percent to $243 million.

The Rock Band series' current doldrums just months after The Beatles: Rock Band, boosted Viacom's earnings by selling 1 million units following its September 9, 2009 release. Following last month's launch of the Rock Band Network, the company is hoping to reenergize the series with two offerings this year: Green Day: Rock Band, due out June 8, and Rock Band 3, due out around the holidays. However, it did lay off staff at Harmonix in December to cut costs.

Now, the good news: Next week, No Doubt fans will be able to buy the California ska-pop band's entire 1995 album Tragic Kingdom as a download from the Rock Band Store. All tracks will be original master recordings, and will cost $2/160 Microsoft points/200 Wii points per track or $15/MSP1600/WP1500 for the entire album. The complete track list is below, and will bring the total count of Rock Band tracks available on game discs and on the Rock Band Store to 1,174:

• No Doubt • "Different People"
• No Doubt • "End It on This"
• No Doubt • "Happy Now?"
• No Doubt • "Hey You"
• No Doubt • "Sixteen"
• No Doubt • "The Climb"
• No Doubt • "Tragic Kingdom"
• No Doubt • "World Go •Round"
• No Doubt • "You Can Do It"
• Orianthi • "According to You"
• Picture Me Broken • "Dearest (I•m So Sorry)"

The Rock electrifies Lilian with the People's Strudel

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/wii/puzzle/greendayrockband/news.html?sid=6260812

PlayStation 3 | Bungie, Activision lock down 10-year exclusivity

Suburban Seattle shop will remain independent, develop wholly owned new IP exclusively for Call of Duty publisher through 2020 on "all platforms" Microsoft retains Halo ownership; Sony says PS3 edition will be "Halo on steroids."

With a potentially $625 million lawsuit filed against Activision by Infinity Ward employees this week, it didn't seem possible events surrounding the publisher could get any more dramatic. Then, this morning, Activision announced it had locked down one of gaming's top developers for a decade-long exclusivity deal.

Expect to see the Activision logo next to this through 2020.

Under the terms of the agreement, the studio behind the heralded Halo series has allied with the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 publisher for "an exclusive 10-year partnership to bring Bungie's next big action game universe to market." The deal will give Activision exclusive international publishing rights to all future Bungie games based on an unnamed new property through 2020.

According to Activision COO Thomas Tippl, Bungie's "new intellectual property" will be available on "all platforms"--including the PlayStation 3. Sony Computer Entertainment America corporate communications chief Patrick Seybold backed it up with a Twitter post, saying, "Marrying [Bungie's] creative minds and incredible talent to the power of PS3 will be like giving PS3 fans Halo on steroids."

The multiplatform move marks an end to the suburban Seattle studio's current Xbox 360 exclusivity. Since 2001, Bungie has effectively developed Halo games solely for Xbox platforms, farming out the PC port of Halo: Combat Evolved to Gearbox Software (Borderlands) and Halo 2 for Windows Vista to an internal Microsoft Game Studios team.

Activision Blizzard COO Thomas Tippl and Bungie president Harold Ryan.

Microsoft Game Studios had been Bungie's exclusive publisher, as Microsoft owned the studio until 2007. That year, the shop stunned the industry by breaking away from the Redmond, Washington-based software giant to become an independent shop. Reps for the studio have previously said that it is working on an all-new game and that Halo: Reach will be its last Halo title.

Microsoft continues to own the Halo IP, and recently formed an entire internal division, 343 Industries, to manage and develop it. Following the deal, it gave the following statement after the Activision deal was announced: "Our partnership with Bungie as a first-party developer for Xbox 360 remains unchanged, and right now we're deeply engaged with them on the development of Halo: Reach, which is poised to be the biggest game of 2010."

Today's announcement underlined the fact that Bungie will remain an independent studio and retain ownership and control of its new IP, with Activision providing publishing duties and (presumably) financing. Those terms sound eerily reminiscent of the arrangement struck between Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment, the indie studio recently formed by fired Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella.

To hear Tippl discuss the deal--and literally say "let's kick EA's ass!"--check out the video press below. (Video starts at 1:04.)

[ Watch Video ]

Halo: Reach Carnàge Carnivàle

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/callofdutymodernwarfare2dlcworkingtitle/news.html?sid=6260577

Xbox 360 | Analysts bullish on Activision-Bungie alliance, 10 million sales predicted

[UPDATE] EEDAR's Jesse Divnich calls 10-year deal "a win-win for the entire industry;" Pachter predicts blockbuster sales; Schachter, Hickey, Wilson point to earning potential, Infinity Ward fiasco deflection.

This morning, Activision broke its string of poor publicity with word that it had signed Halo creator Bungie to an exclusive 10-year publishing deal. The partnership gives Activision international publishing rights of a new, unnamed intellectual property created by Bungie through 2020, one that will be available on all relevant platforms.

Bungie fans are starting to get an idea of what's next after Halo: Reach.

So how do analysts view the deal that will see Activision lording over the next big thing from the 25-million-unit-selling studio? Positively, of course. According to Electronic Entertainment Design and Research vice president of analyst services Jesse Divnich, the Activision-Bungie partnership isn't just a positive for the two companies; it's a win for the industry as a whole.

"A Bungie/Activision relationship is a win-win for the entire industry," he said. "Bungie retains property and creative rights, Activision is a top-tier publisher, which gets a Bungie game on retail shelves worldwide, and a huge win for consumers, who will finally get a multi-platform IP from the Bungie team."

"I've seen many comments about Bungie selling their 'soul' on this deal, but that is not the case," he continued. "This agreement with Activision is one of the best things that could happen to Bungie and for the gaming community. It doesn't matter how great an independent developer may be, you still need a publisher. Making an impeccable game is only half the equation, because without a retail infrastructure your game will go nowhere, literally."

Divnich also pointed out how the deal echoes that of the Infinity Ward castaways at Respawn, who signed a publishing deal with EA as an independent studio. He noted that the industry appears to be reversing the consolidation trend it has been on for the past 15 years.

"Since 1995, we have seen enormous consolidation of large independent studios, but what we've been seeing lately is that a lot of the creative minds that helped build these billion dollar properties (Sims, Call of Duty, etc.) simply do not thrive in a corporate environment," he said.

[UPDATE] Though details remain nonexistent on what, exactly, Bungie's next project will entail, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter believes that the studio's name alone will result in unit sales in the 10s of millions.

"My guess is that any future Bungie game will sell at least 10 million units, as they will appear on multiple platforms for the first time," Pachter said. "As a reference, the typical Halo game made by Bungie sold around 10 million units worldwide over its life at an average retail price of around $50, and these appeared only on the Xbox/Xbox 360. If future Bungie games are as popular as Halo, they could sell as many as 15 million units on Xbox 360 and PS3 combined."

Pachter also believes Bungie's first Activision-published game will arrive in 2011, with subsequent installments following every two years.

A variety of other analysts also offered approval of the deal, due to both its ability to generate cash for Activision and its timing to deflect attention from the increasing turmoil at Modern Warfare 2 studio Infinity Ward.

"We think this is a very important win for Activision and liken it to the equivalent of signing a 10-year deal with Stephen Spielberg," commented Broadpoint.AmTech analyst Ben Schachter. "That said, we suspect it was a very expensive deal for Activision to win as well, although the company would not provide specifics on terms of the agreement."

Schachter went on to note that "the announcement should put to rest any concerns about whether the well-publicized issues at Infinity Ward would limit Activision's ability to attract key developers." Janco Partners' Mike Hickey echoed those sentiments, saying, "Clearly, Activision continues to be a solid partner for some of the biggest and brightest developers in the world."

Lazard Capital Markets' Colin Sebastian noted that the deal will go a long way in diversifying Activision's current portfolio, which he believes is heavily reliant on the Call of Duty franchise. "We believe that the new publishing agreement with Bungie provides additional long-term visibility for Activision Publishing, which currently is largely dependent on the Call of Duty franchise for the bulk of its operating profits," he said. "As such, we view the deal positively."

Investors have also taken keenly to Activision's new partner. The publisher's stock was trading up 2.84 percent, or $0.31, at $11.24 as of press time.

A Day in the Life - Computer Systems Analyst

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/halo3untitledodstgame/news.html?sid=6260584

PC | Call of Duty: Vietnam confirmed - Report

Silicon Valley blog VentureBeat claims to have learned title of suspected Treyarch installment in series, long rumored to be set in Southeast Asian conflict.

For over a year, rumors have circulated that Treyarch's installment in the Call of Duty series would be set during the Cold War, or the Vietnam War specifically. Today, Silicon Valley blog VentureBeat claims that the game's title will indeed be Call of Duty: Vietnam when it is revealed on SpikeTV late Friday night/Saturday morning.

35 years after the Vietnam War ended, Treyarch is reportedly taking Call of Duty back to the conflict.

The reported confirmation caps speculation that began in October 2008, when senior producer Noah Heller said the best seller World at War would be the Call of Duty set during World War II. Then, last May, a That Videogame Blog article cited a "reliable" source as saying Activision was looking to license Vietnam War-era tunes, as well as Cuban, African, and Soviet music for "Call of Duty 7." Call of Duty 7 had long been the name for the project used internally at Activision.

Though the article was quickly pulled, rumors have persisted that either Treyarch's first-person shooter or Sledgehammer Games' third-person adventure title would be set during the Vietnam War, which US Armed Forces were involved in from 1961 until 1973. Some noncombat troops remained in the country until it fell to the North Vietnamese in January 1975.

Given the Vietnam War's ignominious ending and lingering trauma from the conflict, previous games that used it as a subject were not Call of Duty-level hits. A wave of Vietnam-set titles was released from 2003 to 2005, including Line of Sight: Vietnam, Vietcong, Conflict: Vietnam, and ShellShock: Nam '67. The best reviewed of these, Electronic Arts' 2004 effort Battlefield Vietnam, sold over 500,000 units on the PC in the US, according to the NPD Group.

Matt Kennon, "The Call" - OFFICIAL VIDEO

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/battlefieldvietnam/news.html?sid=6260595

Xbox 360 | First Alan Wake DLC free with new purchase

Microsoft offering initial add-on to Xbox 360-exclusive psycho thriller at no cost to those who pick up first-run copies of the game.

Get the full article at GameSpot

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"Xbox 360 | First Alan Wake DLC free with new purchase" was posted by Tom Magrino on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:26:39 -0700

Who's on first?

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/alanwake/news.html?sid=6260599

Macintosh | Valve opening Mac spigot May 12

Half-Life developer to support Apple's OS with Steam, back catalog next month.

Valve put its weight behind Apple's OS X last month, announcing that it would begin supporting the Mac operating system with its digital distribution service Steam as well as its own library of games by April. Today, the Bellevue, Washington-based developer revealed a slight delay for Mac integration, saying Mac users will be able to access goods on Steam beginning May 12.

Portal 2 will be Valve's first new game to support Macs.

Once Mac integration goes live, Mac users will gain access to the Valve catalog, which includes the Half-Life and Left 4 Dead series, as well as Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike, and Portal. Valve's first new game to feature Mac support will be Portal 2 when it launches this holiday. The full-length, stand-alone title will include both single- and multiplayer modes in addition to other new features.

Additionally, Valve has added Mac support into its Steamworks development toolkit, which allows titles built using the software to be interchangeable between the PC and Apple's platform. Further, Valve also intends to release game updates for Windows and Mac editions simultaneously. In fact, Mac and Windows users will intermingle in online matches, playing and communicating on the same servers and in the same game lobbies.

Valve Software Ep 1: All Your History S1E12 (Game History - Gabe Newell Interview )

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/mac/action/portal2/news.html?sid=6260801

iPhone/iPod | Bungie, Activision lock down 10-year exclusivity deal

Suburban Seattle shop will remain independent, develop wholly owned new IP exclusively for Call of Duty publisher through 2020 on "all platforms" Microsoft retains Halo ownership; Sony says PS3 edition will be "Halo on steroids."

With a potentially $625 million lawsuit filed against Activision by Infinity Ward employees this week, it didn't seem possible events surrounding the publisher could get any more dramatic. Then, this morning, Activision announced it had locked down one of gaming's top developers for a decade-long exclusivity deal.

Expect to see the Activision logo next to this through 2020.

Under the terms of the agreement, the studio behind the heralded Halo series has partnered with the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 publisher for "an exclusive 10-year partnership to bring Bungie's next big action game universe to market." The deal will give Activision exclusive international rights to all future Bungie games based on an unnamed new property through 2020. It also mentioned older Bungie series such as Marathon and Myth.

According to Activision COO Thomas Tippl, Bungie's "new intellectual property" will be available on "all platforms"--including the PlayStation 3. Sony Computer Entertainment America corporate communications chief Patrick Seybold backed it up with a Twitter post, saying, "Marrying [Bungie's] creative minds and incredible talent to the power of PS3 will be like giving PS3 fans Halo on steroids."

The multiplatform move marks an end to the suburban Seattle studio's current Xbox 360 exclusivity. Since 2001, Bungie has effectively developed Halo games solely for Xbox platforms, farming out the PC port of Halo: Combat Evolved to Gearbox Software (Borderlands) and Halo 2 for Windows Vista to an internal Microsoft Game Studios team.

Activision Blizzard COO Thomas Tippl and Bungie president Harold Ryan.

Microsoft Game Studios had been Bungie's exclusive publisher, as Microsoft owned the studio until 2007. That year, the shop stunned the industry by breaking away from the Redmond, Washington-based software giant to become an independent shop. Reps for the studio have previously said that it is working on an all-new game and that Halo: Reach will be its last Halo title.

Microsoft continues to own the Halo IP, and recently formed an entire internal division, 343 Industries, to manage and develop it. Following the deal, it gave the following statement after the Activision deal was announced: "Our partnership with Bungie as a first-party developer for Xbox 360 remains unchanged, and right now we're deeply engaged with them on the development of Halo: Reach, which is poised to be the biggest game of 2010."

Today's announcement underlined the fact that Bungie will remain an independent studio and retain ownership and control of its new IP, with Activision providing publishing duties and (presumably) financing. Those terms sound eerily reminiscent of the arrangement struck between Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment, the indie studio recently formed by fired Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella.

To hear Tippl discuss the deal--and literally say "let's kick EA's ass!"--check out the video press below. (Video starts at 1:04.)

[ Watch Video ]

Halo Reach Multiplayer Trailer

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/iphone/sports/fingermarathonii/news.html?sid=6260577

DS | Mega Man Zero Collects on June 8

Four GBA installments in Capcom's spin-off platformer heading to DS with new modes for $29.99.

Capcom has been getting a lot of play out of its mighty Blue Bomber franchise over the past year or two, both by rereleasing classic content and recreating new 8-bit experiences. Into that first category, the publisher has said it will drop the Mega Man Zero Collection, which combines the four original Game Boy Advance games onto one DS cartridge. Today, Capcom said that the Mega Man Zero Collection will arrive on June 8 for $29.99.

Zero offers a bit more flash than the Blue Bomber.

Released for the GBA in 2002, the original Mega Man Zero takes place 100 years after the events in the Mega Man X series. The 2D spin-off platformer swaps out the Blue Bomber for new hero Zero, a robot with weapons that include the Z-sabor sword and the Buster Shot hand cannon. The game introduces the diabolic Neo Arcadia government, and Zero embarks on a quest to save robot-kind.

Zero 2 picks up after the events in the first game, with Neo Arcadia continuing to cause strife between humans and robots. By the third installment in the series, the Neo Arcadia regime has been overthrown, but the region faces a new threat due to the machinations of an evil, brainwashing robot. Mega Man Zero 4 concludes the series, as Zero fights to restore balance to Neo Arcadia, again, for the final time.

Beyond simply rehashing the old experience, Capcom notes that each of the games will also benefit from a range of new modes. As one example, the publisher called out the new "easy scenario," which will offer a reduced difficulty setting for the games.

Mega road projects delayed?

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ds/action/megamanzerocollection/news.html?sid=6260582

Xbox 360 | Analysts bullish on Activision-Bungie deal

EEDAR's Jesse Divnich calls 10-year deal "a win-win for the entire industry," while Schachter, Hickey, Wilson point to earning potential, Infinity Ward fiasco deflection.

This morning, Activision broke its string of poor publicity with word that it had signed Halo creator Bungie to an exclusive 10-year publishing deal. The partnership gives Activision international publishing rights of a new, unnamed intellectual property created by Bungie through 2020, one that will be available on all relevant platforms.

Bungie fans are starting to get an idea of what's next after Halo: Reach.

So how do analysts view the deal that will see Activision lording over the next big thing from the 25 million-unit-selling studio? Positively, of course. According to Electronic Entertainment Design and Research vice president of analyst services Jesse Divnich, the Activision-Bungie partnership isn't just a positive for the two companies; it's a win for the industry as a whole.

"A Bungie/Activision relationship is a win-win for the entire industry," he said. "Bungie retains property and creative rights, Activision is a top-tier publisher, which gets a Bungie game on retail shelves worldwide, and a huge win for consumers, who will finally get a multi-platform IP from the Bungie team."

"I've seen many comments about Bungie selling their 'soul' on this deal, but that is not the case," he continued. "This agreement with Activision is one of the best things that could happen to Bungie and for the gaming community. It doesn't matter how great an independent developer may be, you still need a publisher. Making an impeccable game is only half the equation, because without a retail infrastructure your game will go nowhere, literally."

Divnich also pointed out how the deal echoes that of the Infinity Ward castaways at Respawn, who signed a publishing deal with EA as an independent studio. He noted that the industry appears to be reversing the consolidation trend it has been on for the past 15 years.

"Since 1995, we have seen enormous consolidation of large independent studios, but what we've been seeing lately is that a lot of the creative minds that helped build these billion dollar properties (Sims, Call of Duty, etc.) simply do not thrive in a corporate environment," he said.

A variety of other analysts also offered approval of the deal, both due to its ability to generate cash for Activision and its timing to deflect attention from the increasing turmoil at Modern Warfare 2 studio Infinity Ward.

"We think this is a very important win for Activision and liken it to the equivalent of signing a 10-year deal with Stephen Spielberg," commented Broadpoint.AmTech analyst Ben Schachter. "That said, we suspect it was a very expensive deal for Activision to win as well, although the company would not provide specifics on terms of the agreement."

Schachter went on to note that "the announcement should put to rest any concerns about whether the well-publicized issues at Infinity Ward would limit Activision's ability to attract key developers." Janco Partners' Mike Hickey echoed those sentiments, saying, "Clearly, Activision continues to be a solid partner for some of the biggest and brightest developers in the world."

Lazard Capital Markets' Colin Sebastian noted that the deal will go a long way in diversifying Activision's current portfolio, which believes is heavily reliant on the Call of Duty franchise. "We believe that the new publishing agreement with Bungie provides additional long-term visibility for Activision Publishing, which currently is largely dependent on the Call of Duty franchise for the bulk of its operating profits," he said. "As such, we view the deal positively."

Investors have also taken keenly to Activision's new partner. The publisher's stock is currently trading up 2.84 percent, or $0.31, to $11.24.

A Day in the Life - Computer Systems Analyst

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/haloreach/news.html?sid=6260584

DS | Infinity Ward employees sue Activision for $150 million-$625 million

Group of 38 developers allege publisher withheld $75 million-$125 million in royalties, bonuses, and stock options related to Modern Warfare 2 sales and technology during Q1 2010; massive punitive payout also sought; Activision says case "without merit."

Following Activision's dismissal of Infinity Ward founders Jason West and Vince Zampella in March, the two executives responded with a $36 million lawsuit. Weeks later, Activision responded in kind, filing a countersuit accusing the two developers of being "self-serving schemers" trying to set up a new studio with the help of an unnamed Northern California publisher.

This is going to get ugly…

Now, two weeks after West and Zampella announced the formation of independent studio Respawn Entertainment with seed money from Electronic Arts, a third lawsuit has been filed by members of the Infinity Ward rank-and-file. The legal action, which has been obtained by GameSpot, shows 38 members of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 team are now suing Activision, accusing the publisher of "breach of contract," "breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing," "unjust enrichment," and "violation of the California labor code."

Specifically, the 38 current and former Infinity Ward staffers are claiming the publisher only paid out $28 million of a $118 million bonus pool it had accumulated during the fourth quarter of last year. Excluding the share of that pool that was to be paid West and Zampella, the suit says the employees are entitled to at least $82 million. It also claims that Activision has withheld $40 million to $55 million in fourth-quarter Modern Warfare 2 royalties it was due to pay out to ensure delivery of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

As of January 13, Modern Warfare 2 had grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide and is on record as being the biggest entertainment launch in history. The suit contends that Activision made a profit of at least $900 million off the game by the end of last year.

Overall, the group of 38 wants $75 million to $125 million in compensatory damages for unpaid royalties, bonuses, stock options, and technology-related payments it claims Activision withheld. It is also seeking punitive damages of between $75 million and $500 million as a result of Activision's withholding of the bonuses, which the suit says was tantamount to holding "employees hostage so that Activision could reap the benefit of the completion of Modern Warfare 3."

However, the legal filing contends that the publisher violated California state labor law by not paying out bonuses and any other owed monies within 72 hours of the termination of their employment. Since West and Zampella's dismissal, at least 26 Infinity Ward staffers have left the Encino, California-based studio. Among the employees named in the suit who have since jumped ship to Respawn are lead designer Todd Alderman, lead software engineer Francesco Gigliotti, lead environment artist Chris Cherubini, lead animator John Paul Messerly, lead animator Mark Grigsby, senior software engineer Chris Lambert, senior level designer Jason McCord, senior artist Ryan Lastimosa, and game designer Brent McLeod.

Representatives of an external PR company employed by Activision quickly rebutted the allegations in the new lawsuit. "Activision believes the action is without merit," said the rep. "Activision retains the discretion to determine the amount and the schedule of bonus payments for MW2 and has acted consistent with its rights and the law at all times. We look forward to getting judicial confirmation that our position is right."

Guru Josh Project - Infinity

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ds/action/callofdutymodernwarfaremobilised/news.html?sid=6260459