Fans of the Hitman series can take a deep breath and rejoice because Square Enix and IO Interactive have just revealed the existence of Hitman: Absolution via a teaser trailer you can see below. In the trailer there isn’t much actually shown besides a barcode with 110706 highlighted. This coupled with the fact that Square Enix also said that more information will be given out on June 7th at E3 makes those numbers match perfectly.
Tore Blystad from IO Interactive says that “For the first time we are taking Agent 47 on a personal journey which allows us to explore other parts of the Hitman fantasy” and that it will be “both a familiar and yet significantly different experience from other Hitman games; something our silent assassins will relish, as will all those new to the Hitman world.”
Agent 47’s been betrayed by those he once trusted and now with the police hunting him down he must find himself in a personal journey in the dark world that he involved himself with. Hitman: Absolution will use IO Interactive’s Glacier 2 technology and will be built from the ground up for a game unlike any other Hitman before it.
Let it be said that Microsoft is a company with very deep pockets and when it wants something, it will usually end up getting it. Microsoft has announced that they have entered an agreement to purchase Skype for $8.5 billion which is a very high price tag for a service that provides nearly all of its services at no charge to its users.
Skype has had various companies looking into buying it over the past few weeks but with Microsoft’s expensive purchase they will now be able to use it in all of their devices. This means that Skype “will support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of Windows devices.” It also means that Microsoft will now be able to use Skype to connect with people using “Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities.”
There has yet to be a timeline of when Skype will be integrated into Microsoft’s products but they have assured Skype users that they will maintain the standard clients used today by PC users and others. With E3 just under a month away this will most likely be one of the things showcased during the event.
After a good month since we seen a title released on the Nintendo 3DS, Dream Trigger 3D is now available and looking to bring the arcade shooter genre into the 3DS’ steadily growing library. In Dream Trigger 3D, the player must explore the very visual world with their eyes and sonar, taking down enemies that explode in a multicolored 3D pattern to create an in-depth experience.
With the release also comes a statement from D3 Publisher to give a tad more insight into the game:
“Dream Trigger 3D will test players’ arcade shooting skills and have them at the edge of their seats as they navigate through dozens of nightmare-induced stages in 3D,” said Peter Andrew, vice president of product development, D3P. “Dream Trigger 3D is the perfect visual showcase for the 3D graphical abilities of the Nintendo 3DS system and provides an experience never before seen on a handheld system.”
I have been watching Dream Trigger 3D very closely as it looks to be not only perfect for the system but it also reeks of just about everything a fan of classic arcade shooters would want. Check back soon as our very own review for the title should be coming up and we can finally see just what this title has to offer.
Last year, Zumba Fitness was released to mindblowing sales and to this day is still dominating the Nintendo Wii’s software sales charts. Of course the smart thing to do is release a sequel, and that is exactly what Majesco are planning to do. Today the publisher announced that Zumba Fitness 2 will launch on the Nintendo Wii this holiday season and “another-to-be announced platform” in early 2012.
“We’ve seen an overwhelming demand for the next iteration of the franchise and I can promise you that Zumba Fitness 2’s new and improved features will challenge Zumba enthusiasts and entice new followers to join the party,” said Jesse Sutton, Chief Executive Officer, Majesco. “The Zumba Fitness franchise of video games connects the exhilarating Zumba dance workouts loved by millions with uniquely interactive console platforms that are accessible and fun for consumers of all ages.”
Along with the release, a nice list of features was given of just what this new version will include:
Shake it in Style – From fan favorites like Salsa and Reggaeton to all new styles like Bellydance, Axe, Latin Pop and Pasodoble, players can choose from more than 20 dance styles.
Customize Your Experience – Select from more than 30 tracks in Single Song mode, take a class designed by Beto, Gina Grant or Tanya Beardsley, or craft your own playlist in Zumba Class mode. Invite your friends to join the fun in Zumba Party mode that supports up to 4 players. You can even take it slow in Learn the Steps tutorial mode before you dive into the choreography.
Location, Location, Location – Dance it up in five new, dynamic environments from a Miami Yacht to a Los Angeles nightclub.
Superstar Instructors – Dance and interact with top Zumba instructors Beto, Tanya Beardsley and Gina Grant. You can even customize each instructor’s outfit with the hottest Zumbawear™ styles.
Zumba Fitness certainly earned itself a sequel and I am sure with all the new tracks and modes, Zumba Fitness 2 will be just as successful. I am now a bit curious due to the “other platform” that this will be released on. If Zumba Fitness 2 is in fact coming to the Wii’s Successor, that would confirm motion control for the console, but then again this could be a completely different console that might not have even been hinted at yet. Surely more will be answered at E3, but for now Zumba fans can literally bellydance in joy as a sequel is now on the way.
In an interesting move, Marvelous Entertainment who is the developer of the personally beloved Harvest Moon series and the Japanese publisher of titles such as No More Heroes, Deadly Premonition and Muramasa has entered a merger with AQ Interactive according to Andriasang. AQ Interactive is the publisher of games such as Bullet Witch, Blue Dragon Plus and a 3DS title known as Cubic Ninja.
Also merging with the two companies is Liveware which was originally a part of Marvelous Entertainment. If the merger is successful it will be finalized on October 1st and be named Marvelous AQL. Last year AQ Interactive absorbed its subsidiary Cavia which worked on the Drakengard and Nier titles so it will be interesting to see what this merger will mean for both companies and their respective games.v
Feel like your modern street racing game has gotten a bit to bland for your tastes? How about some mud and dirt to go along with that nice dirt bike you have there? If that sounds like something you’d be interested in then you’ve probably already picked up MX vs. ATV Alive considering that it has been released in stores today.
THQ released a launch trailer showing off both the MX and ATV side of the racing you can perform in the title as well as all of the ramps and tight turns that will send you flying and crashing into other racers. Catch the trailer below and MX vs. ATV Alive itself in stores today for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for the lower than standard price of $39.99.
After yesterday’s rumors springing from an artist’s resume Alan Wake 2 was all but confirmed in the eyes of the internet. Not so says Remedy however. Barely a day after the rumors started to spread Remedy has stepped in to put these rumors to rest. The developer contacted Joystiq and have confirmed with them that they are indeed working on the next Alan Wake game but it is not going to be Alan Wake 2.
Oskari Häkkinen, head of franchise development for the Finnish developer, said that the team is working on the “next Wake installment” to the series but it won’t be any simple DLC add on. He chose not to go into further detail about the title but did state that they are a tad disheartened that the news about their work leaked out before the planned announcement. Oskari did state however that there is going to be an official announcement soon and that “Fall 2011 is probably a good guess” as to when we should expect this next Alan Wake game to be in stores.
Sure you may see this and pass it off as just another Lego game but in that case you would be wrong. Sure you would be right that it is a game with Lego based characters and environments but you’d be passing up the rest of the game simply on that fact. Beyond the Legos is a world full of pirates and mythical creatures ready to send you to Davy Jones’ locker.
Disney released a launch trailer today to go alongside the game’s official retail launch in stores in the U.S. The trailer itself is actually just a commercial for the title but still provides a good look into what fans of the series will be experiencing. Also it helps that regardless of what console you own, you will be able to play Lego: Pirates of the Caribbean because it was released for the 3DS, PSP, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360.
Atari has just released two trailers, ‘Environments’ and ‘Living Worlds’, for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. The game will be released worldwide on the 17th of May, exclusively for the PC.
About The Witcher 2:
The Witcher 2 continues on from where The Witcher left off. In this medieval-fantasy game, you play Geralt of Rivia, a witcher, a traveling monster hunter with unnatural powers such as inhuman reflexes, dexterity and night vision. Videos of the combat overview can be viewed below. For those of you who have played the prequel, Zoltan, Triss, Dandelion will be back in The Witcher 2. The mystery surrounding the witcher-like assassin will finally be revealed on the 17th of May.
Nintendo has had a stranglehold on the portable games market since, well forever. Unlike the home console space where no company has held onto the #1 position for more than two generations in a row, Nintendo has never been dethroned as the king of all things on the go. With the launch of the 3DS, things for the big N seem to be going just as planned, but is everything really all rainbows and gumdrops in Nintendoland? After a very strong launch weekend, President and Chief Operating Officer of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Amie told USA Today, “3DS was never meant to sell out” when the 3DS didn’t sell through it’s initial shipment. In addition, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata told investors that the 3DS has performed below expectations. Can Nintendo be losing some of its luster? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no.
If you’re worried about Nintendo’s financial stability you should stop right there. As a rule, Nintendo always operates at a profit. That’s just how they roll. Unlike Microsoft or Sony, who will sell their consoles initially at a loss to create larger market share, Nintendo will always be in the black for every unit sold out of the gate. When you look at the numbers, Nintendo isn’t moving units as quickly as the DS just yet but they’re actually generation more revenue. The original DS launched in the US and Europe for $/€149.99 and in Australia for $199.99 compared to the hefty price tag of $/€249.99 in US and Europe and an obscene $348.00 in Australia.
Personally, I want a 3DS. Of course I want a 3DS, I’m a hardcore gamer who writes for a video game website. However, I’m not willing to shell out that kind of money for something without a killer app. As much as I love Street Fighter, it’s just not enough. If Nintendo fails to pull in someone like me, what does that say for all the Soccer Mom’s out there that Nintendo relies on to hit that mainstream number? In a world where the average consumer is walking around with their iPhone, which is perfectly suited for that 5 minutes of fun, are they really going to buy another device to accomplish the same thing? Maybe. One of Nintendo’s big hurdles is getting past the current perceived value of games. Am I really going to pay full retail boxed price for Bust-A-Move (USD $29.99 – AUD$68.99) when I can pay $4.99 on the iOS App store for basically the same game? Don’t be silly, of course not. Nintendo is certainly on the right by track focusing more on digital downloads to curb this but there certainly is a perception amongst developers that a full boxed copy is the main ticket event and digital is somehow less than. But Money talks so the tides may be changing.
One thing is for sure, the casual market is ginormous and to lose that is almost like loosing everything. Sure the big N has it’s loyalists who are perfectly happy buying the Nintendo stable of titles again, but without the numbers there isn’t much to compel developers to take risks and create all those unique titles that made the DS such a special device. Especially when everyone and their monkey already has an iPhone. The 3DS is a cool handheld, and I’m sure it’ll do well. But does Nintendo have another monster in their hand or is it’s bark worse than it’s bite?
