GameSpot reports that Billionaire investor Carl Icahn has acquired more than 11 percent of the shares of Take-Two Interactive Entertainment, parent of 2K Boston and Rockstar New England, sparking speculation of a shareholder revolt.

(from addair)

The latest trailer for Red Dead Redemption exhibits actual, honest game play. It shared with me, through a comforting narrator, how I might experience the game when it’s released in late April of next year. I like it. I really, really like it.

Before Grand Theft Auto IV launched, after its feature in EGM, I wanted desperately to see how the game would play. I wanted to see how it changed the Grand Theft Auto formula I loved in San Andreas and before. However, Rockstar saw fit to keep players in the dark until release. The anticipation kicked my ass.

The situation with RDR has been one of an opposite nature. I knew through early previews the game is akin to GTA, but I cared little for the title until Rockstar released the first few trailers. After seeing this one, I’m declaring RDR my most anticipated title for the first half of 2010 (no point stretching beyond that until after E3).

The trailer:

I wonder if, considering the losses Take-Two has incurred in 2009 and how disappointing the expansion packs for GTA IV have performed, Take-Two and Rockstar are desperate for RDR to perform unrealistically well. They knew GTA IV was going to sell phenomenally on its name alone, which it did in fact. Red Dead doesn’t have that kind of credibility, but I think after RDR releases that just might change.

~VIDEO GAME NEWS~

Sony Moving Away from Cell-based PS4
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Mass Effect 2 save game import info
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Anouma wants crossbow training sequel
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Game releases hold steady in 2009
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Prinny 2: Dawn of the great Pantsu War announced
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PSN gets first premium avatars
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Disney avatar items for XBL
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Left 4 Dead SDK
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PS3 sales up in JP due to FFXIII
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Star Trek Online “Name that Ship” contest
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Quake live gets Silent Night remake
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Uncharted 2 double cash weekend
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Little Big Planet holiday dlc
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Steam store holiday sale up to 80% off
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Playstation store update
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Tekken movie
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THQ and WWE sign 8 year deal
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Alien vs Predator Hunter Edition
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Dragon Age comic in March
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Call of Duty: World at War map pack bundle
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Modern Warfare 2 xbox 360 patch
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Namco Bandai announces digital distribution plans
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End of Eternity demo
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Epic demos Unreal Engine 3 on iphone
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New Music Store on XBL Marketplace
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Capcom announces special loss and forecast revision
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Team Fortress 2 testing AI
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Assassin’s Creed 2 DLC was part of original game
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How Success killed Duke Nukem
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Sega Mega Sale on PSN
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Dark Void prequel for DSi
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Mass Effect 2 achievements
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Gamestartups up $600mil, down 36%
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Dragon Quest IX broke new shipment records in JP
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Japanese retailers won’t buy back xbox 360
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Christian group calls for Modern Warfare 2 ban
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Electronic Gaming Monthly relaunch
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Mistwalkers to announce new game in spring
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Dead Space 2 2011 release
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Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman 2 is double featured
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Left 4 Dead 2 update
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Mr. Freeze in DC Universe Online
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Take-Two sells Jack of All Games Distribution Business
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NASA prepping MMO, demo early 2010
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MAG gone gold
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Greenberg confirms 360 exclusives line up for Q1
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19 disc Castalevania OST
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EA eyes Atalanta
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Patcher: Music games plummet in 2009
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Modern Warfare 2 top Christmas charts in UK
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Sony trademarks Qriocity for online service
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Nintendo trademarks Wii Relax
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Serious Sam 3 in 2010
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NHL 2K series to be canceled
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Super Street Fighter IV selection screen
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Ubisoft trademarks Ghost Recon Future Soldier
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Blizzard to make console games
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**For past gaming news click on “News” on sidebar

When a group of wild shareholders led by Strauss Zelnick overthrew the Take-Two board of directors and established a new executive team with Zelnick as president in March 2007, the publisher’s stock was trading for more than $21. Yesterday, Take-Two stock closed at $8.25, and some analysts supposed Zelnick might himself be the objective of an investor uprising.

Carl Icahn now controls an 11 percent stake in Take-Two.

Yesterday, billionaire investor Carl Icahn revealed through SEC filings that his companies had got more than 11 percent of Take-Two shares in a series of purchases over the last two weeks. After Take-Two preannounced disappointing fourth quarter results after the close of trading on Thursday, December 3, the publisher’s stock shed more than 30 percent of its value overnight. Starting the following Monday, Icahn and his partners got dozens of stock purchases (including call options) to obtain their current stake in Take-Two.

Some industry watchers have taken this as a sign that Icahn intends to force a sale or management overhaul of the company. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter today released a note to investors saying, “We believe that Mr. Icahn intends to force the company to consider a sale.” That was a sentiment ThinkEquity analyst Atul Bagga echoed to Reuters. However, Pachter mentioned that Zelnick and Icahn have a story that may come into play whatever the scenario.

“When Mr. Icahn became Blockbuster’s biggest shareholder in 2004, he sought three board seats at that company and nominated himself and Mr. Zelnick for two of them,” Pachter said. “Both remain on the Blockbuster board, and we are confident that they know each other well. We think that Mr. Icahn’s significant interest in Take-Two will allow him access to Mr. Zelnick, and we expect to see increased interest in the stock as management responds to Mr. Icahn’s suggestions about how to unlock value.

” Icahn’s SEC filing made no mention of further plans to increase his stake in Take-Two, but it did note he might ” seek to have conversations with” representatives of the company.

The billionaire’s reputation as an proactive shareholder is so strong that his very interest in a stock can boost its value. Icahn first took interest in Take-Two in August of 2006, with the acquisition of just over 1 percent of the company’s stock for about $10.82 per share. After the news got out, Take-Two shares ended the next day’s trading at $11.56.

Icahn’s latest round of Take-Two share purchases looks to be getting a similar effect. As of press time, the game company’s shares are dealing up more than 11 percent to $9.18.

Despite predictions from Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter about how Take-Two had sent Boderlands “out to die”, the publisher couldn’t be more happy with the game. His comments were about how Take-Two where foolish to release anything remotely like a FPS or RPG so close to Modern Warfare 2 and Dragon Age: Origins. However, it seems the reluctance from other publishers to release titles and a great pick-up-and-play mechanic has made Borderlands a big success. Videogamer reports that the game’s sold over two million copies worldwide and is now considered a key franchise for Take-Two. It even led the companies Q4 sales. You know what that means? Borderlands 2 is already in development. I best go finish the first one – and its DLC then. Cool!

I’ve chronicled my love/hate relationship with travel. I pretty much hate everything about it except getting to explore new locations. So, I guess I hate the process of traveling (packing, waiting, ticketing, public transportation, food on the go, etc) but like traveling once I get somewhere. Well, a few months ago I saw a trailer for the movie Transsiberian with Woody Harrelson & Emily Mortimer. I really love movies that are thrillers with complex characters and it’s an added bonus if they happen to look beautiful as well. I was SO excited to see it at some point…  Fast forward a few months to last Sunday. It was gray and I was home alone and I had recorded it and I knew The Mister wouldn’t like it, so I started watching. Until I got about halfway in and had to STOP WATCHING. I freaked and not only stopped it, but deleted it from the DVR. That shit was intense. All of my very worst fears of traveling all condensed into one movie. About an hour later I regretted that I had deleted it because if it was affecting me that much that clearly it was amazing and I had to see what happened at the end. So I spent some time searching the movie channels again and recorded it for a second time.

I’m about to go make myself some lunch, settle in on the couch with a warm blanket and a pillow to cover my face, and I WILL finish this movie.

If I don’t come back, clearly the Russian drug dealers found a way to climb through my TV and execute me because I had accidentally gotten wrapped up in their scheme.

]]> http://e3vl.com/2009/12/13/video-game-news-week-12-13-09/ Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:00:51 +0000 Vincent Lam http://e3vl.com/2009/12/13/video-game-news-week-12-13-09/

~VIDEO GAME NEWS~

Heavy Rain Chronicles Special Edition Box
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Bioware: We haven’t peaked on 360
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Final Fantasy XIII official television set
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Microsoft Patents “Avatar Individualized by Physical Characteristic” system
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Lunar limited edition remake
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New Wii Remote controllers
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Bioware Co-founder: JRPG suffers from lack of evolution
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Criterion talks binned Burnout DLC
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Playstation Store update
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Playstation Home hits 10 million users
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Persona 4 producer: new project 2010
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Aliens vs Predator unbanned in Australia
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Traveler’s Tale: Natal lag issues to hurt game dev
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New Uncharted 2 patch
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Super Street Fighter IV new stages revealed
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God of War III ultimate trilogy edition
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Nielsen: PS3 owners buy most movie based games
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Take-Two financial report Q4
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Hasbro suing Atari over Dungeons & Dragons
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Warhammer Online reenlistment campaign
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Blu-ray Disc Association announces final 3D spec
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Final Fantasy XIII director hints DLC
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Wada: Serious rivalry between FFXIV and WoW
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PS Home gets first microtransaction MMO
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Bonfire studios hires Halo Wars Lead Designer
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Sony talks 2010
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Microsoft: Hardcore games easiest to sell
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Famitsu’s GOTY
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Team Fortress 2 solider update
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Final Fantasy XIII PS3 limited edition
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3D Final Fantasy XIII set for theaters
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Sign up for Final Fantasy XIV Beta
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Sims 3 creation tools
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Yakuza 4 screens
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Halo 3 one of best commercial of the decade
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EA Sports: 7 MMA fighters added to roster
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Assassin’s Creed 2 DLC
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Resident Evil 5 alternative edition episode revealed
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Final Fantasy VIII coming to PSN
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Battlefield Heroes reach 3 million players
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Bioshock 2 achievements
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Final Fantasy XIII Trophy list
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PS Store Digital Comics officially launches
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Game vending machines roll out
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Famitsu: Mega Man 10 coming to PS3, Xbox 360
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Shin Megami Strange Journey announced
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DOA: Paradise announced for PSP
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Crysta, Square Enix Currency
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Square Enix Japan developing new browser games
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Modding Tools for PC Modern Warfare 2
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FEAR 3 Project Hades teased?
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Devil May Cry 4 going digital
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Team Fortress 2 demoman update
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Bayonetta appearing in Playboy
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Nintendo trademarks Zii
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Shadow of the Colossus re-release in February
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Bethesda acquires publishing rights for Rage
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NPD: Top 10 games of the year
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Tony Hawk still optimistic about future board support
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Possible sequel for Dantes Inferno
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Age of Conan unlimited free trail
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Zelda Wii set for e3 demo
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Nintendo downloads this week
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Crafting coming to next Team Fortress 2 update
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Sony mentions PSN monthly fees
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Mac version of Dragon Age next week
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Meta Critic: Best Games 2009
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Australian Government R18+ public consultation
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Bethesda losses Interplay court battle
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Casting director: Battlefront 3 in works
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New pokemon game releasing in March
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Music DLC selling despite genre decline
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***Click ‘News’ or ‘Home’ button in side bar for current news

~VIDEO GAME NEWS~

Spike VGA rundown
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Spike VGA trailers
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Europe getting Dante’s Inferno Death Edition
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BlazBlue coming to DSiWare
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Game retailers confident about 2010
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Final Fantasy XIII OST
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Mega Man 10 release date and new bosses
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God of War 3 is complete
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PS3 design cost nearing break-even
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Gamestop sales up 15%
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OverClocked remix turns 10
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Atari Appoints Jeff Lapin to CEO
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EEDAR: US November sales not healthy start for holidays
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Grand Turismo 5 target release Summer 2010
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Dante’s Inferno to get PS3 exclusive Divine Edition
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Just Cause 2 pre-order bonus
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November NPD
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Dead space 2 multiplayer confirmed
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Tony Hawk: Ride sells 114k
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Team Fortress 2 War teaser
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Borderlands 2nd DLC pack, Med Moxxi’s Unerdome Riot announced
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Microsoft: Halo Reach biggest game of 2010
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Splinter Cell demo confirmed for early January
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Aliens vs Predator dated for Feb 19
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Bioware reveals celebrity cast for Mass Effect 2
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John Riccitiello on Morale at EA
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EA: Wii can inherit PS2 business with price drop
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Playstation 3 motion control named
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TIME: Best Video Games 2009
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Top games played on XBL for November
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Nintendopower announces Mega Man 10 for wiiware
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Nintendo: frustrating GTA: Chinatown Wars sales due to marketing
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New Resident Evil movie delayed till 2011
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Battlefield: Bad Company 2 won’t block party chat
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Microsoft: Twitter, Facebook, Last FM update to have parental control
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Analyst: 3d gaming to reach 40 million by 2014
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Square Enix: Final Fantasy XIII xbox 360 version to have compressed audio, visuals
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Square Enix CEO: Japan needs Modern Warfare 2
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Analyst: Modern Warfare 2 over 22% game sales November
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Yakuza 4 in Japan March 2010
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Assassin’s creed II patch come Friday
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Dragon Age: Origins patch
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American idol Simon Cowell has sights on VG industry
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Famitsu scores Final Fantasy XIII 39/40
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Jun Takeuchi (Lost planet, RE5) interview
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Sony motion control to have secondary control attachment
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Valve teases Team Fortress 2 Friend and Mercenaries update
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Viewtiful Joe makes his return
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Game Informer next cover story: Dead Space 2
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Yakuza 3 being localized
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Playstation 3 software update 3.15
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No Host for Spike TV VGAs
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Take Two not fan of OnLive
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Modern Warfare 2 hack breaks PS3 leaderboards
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Portal team lead joins Dark Void dev
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Tekken 6 OST now on itunes
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Havok unveils independent developer program
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Assassin’s Creed 2 devs on game’s launch
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New Super Mario Bros Wii sells 900k first week in JP
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Modern Warfare 2 hold UK top charts
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Tony Hawk does not agree with critics on Tony Hawk Ride
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Quantum theory no longer ps3 exclusive
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Mass Effect 2 new loading screen transition system
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Conan O’ Brien on Avatar Game
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Crystal Dynamics (Tomb Raider) Hiring
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Child’s Play reaches $1 million in donations
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PSN downloadable game, Record of Agarest War to be 8-10GB
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Brazil Discusses Violent Video Game Ban
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Metal Gear: Peace Walker Screens
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Iwata Asks: Zelda
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Take Two have dashed the hopes of GTA fans with confirmation that the series will be having a rest in 2010. In a recent investor report (via MCVUK) the company state Grand Theft Auto is strong enough as a franchise not to need an annual sequel especially since this year has received two game-extending DLC releases. Considering GTAIV came 4 years after GTA: San Andreas, the news should come as no surprise. Games rarely benefit from a yearly release and when they do get one, it’s even rarer that they come with major changes. There are more than enough open-world adventures to be had in this generation so it’s not like we need another one so soon!

Tras las declaraciones de John Riccitiello esta mañana pronosticando que el próximo año los juegos online superarían a los tradicionales, ahora es Take-Two en palabras de su director ejecutivo, Ben Feder, quien afirma que las redes sociales traerán una audiencia masiva al mundo de los videojuegos.

“Los juegos de las redes sociales son un área que promete atraer auténticas audiencias masivas al mundo del videojuego, y nosotros estamos preparando el lanzamiento de Civilization Network para Facebook el año que viene”, comenta Feder.

Especialmente importante es el mercado asiático para la compañía: “Asia es un área floreciente para nosotros, es un mercado en crecimiento. Los juegos online son especialmente importantes para esta región y también importantes para Take-Two. Estamos especialmente orgullosos de nuestra asociación con Tencent, uno de los mayores operadores de juegos online en China, para llevar nuestra franquicia de la NBA a Asia”, en referencia a la llegada de NBA 2K Online a dicho mercado.

Os últimos meses do ano sempre foram os mais aguardados pela  indústria de jogos eletrônicos, para lançar seus novos títulos. Porém, uma  análise feita pelo site Gamasutra mostra que, em 2009, algumas editoras de games, em função da crise econômica, estão começando a investir em uma nova estratégia de marketing: postergar seus lançamentos para o primeiro trimestre de 2010. Assim, os consumidores adquirem os games não somente pelas férias, mas para jogar ao longo do ano.

De acordo com o site especializado, os editores não confirmam a notícia, mas empresas como a Ubisoft, Blizzard, Take Two e Sega têm planos para adiar seus lançamentos. O presidente da Sega, Mike Hayes, comunicou previamente que o resultado de uma análise de mercado levou a editora a considerar que 2010 será o momento ideal para maximizar o potencial de Bayonetta (Xbox 360/ Playstation 3).

A Take Two Interactive segue a mesma estratégia com Mafia II, lançamento previsto para o primeiro semestre de 2010; enquanto a Activison Blizzard anuncia o título de Singularity para março de 2010; e a Ubisoft confirma Tom Clancy´s Splinter Cell: Conviction para 23 de fevereiro.

Fontes: www.gamasutra.com,
Imagem: www.framebuffer.com.br

by Leigh Alexander – Gamasutra.com

Jerry Bruckheimer wants a film adaptation of 2K Games’ PC relatively low-profile strategy title, which sees the U.S. in the midst of a second civil war.

According to a report in Hollywood trade paper Variety, Babylon 5 creator and Ninja Assassin movie writer J. Michael Straczynski will write the adaptation of the game.

The original title, a turn-based strategy game, was created by Tropico creators PopTop Software and published by Take-Two subsidiary 2K Games in 2005.

In the original video game version of Shattered Union, a terrorist attack on Washington D.C. leaves the nation without decisive leadership, and individual states and territories form their own governments to fight amongst themselves.

This isn’t the only game-related project that Pirates Of The Caribbean producer Bruckheimer currently has in progress. He is also almost completed on a film version of Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which wil debut in May 2010.

As for Take-Two and 2K, the film adaptation of the company’s BioShock is still in the works at Universal, although its original 2010 release date has been put back due to budget concerns.

Amazon Specials!

Changyouand Shanda Games see big opportunity for online games in US Market. Article by Reuters

A new video for Bioshock 2 is out, this one giving us a glimpse at one of the not-so-demanded multiplayer modes called Capture the Sister. It’s a variation on Capture the Flag though it seems you are restricted to only using your plasmids while holding the flag/sister. Oh and you get smacked around by it/her.

Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Gearbox Software
MSRP: $59.99 (XBox, PS3), $49.99 (PC)

PNG Audio Review – Borderlands 

Welcome to our very first audio review.  In this episode we sit down and chat about Gearbox Software’s newest game, Borderlands.  If you can’t listen to the audio file for reasons such as being at work, your parents are in the room, or you’re deaf, we’ve included a sentence or two of our impressions after the break along with our individual grades.  This is also being put up on our podcast feed so feel free to subscribe via the link to your right.  If you just want the file, right-click on the link and then “Save target as”.  Enjoy our mini Bro-down with BRO-derlands. 

Intro is Cage the Elephant – Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked
Outro is No Heaven – Champion

Both tracks are music found in the game.

James
Grade: A

From the moment the intro starts with its dirty slide guitar music (intro to this review) and beautiful cel-shaded graphics, you’ll find yourself hooked.  While I have never done crack before, I can imagine this game being the digital equivalent.  I enjoyed all of the random loot, the frantic multiplayer, and crazy fire fights.  While the customization isn’t incredibly deep, it provides enough variety to keep you playing for hours on end.  The world is fleshed out extremely well along with the characters in the world (especially the little robots called Claptraps).  If you’ll excuse me, I need to light up that Xbox and smoke another rock of Borderlands.

Russ
Grade: B+

This game kept me from playing with myself for 4 days… that’s how good it is.

Dave
Grade: A+

Borderlands has been the single best experience since birth for me.

Bioshock 2 got pushed back into 2010 much to our dismay.  The reason?  It was too crowed this Christmas!  But I’m sure many of you would have made room for the Big Sister and another adventure in Rapture.

The video above confirms that Bioshock 2 is going to KICK ASS!  Props to Joystiq for the video!

]]> http://vlaamsshowbizznieuws.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/interview-take-two-bo-studios/ Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:25:59 +0000 vlaams showbizznieuws http://vlaamsshowbizznieuws.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/interview-take-two-bo-studios/