Take-Two have announced that Bioshock 2 will be released on November the third for Northern Americans, and on October the thirtieth for Europeans, on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. This of course means that the spoilers will hit the web a good four days before people from the US will be able to play the game. I suggest you stay away from the internet during those four days, especially if you don’t want to know that Atlas is f- actually, you can come to Ripten. We won’t spoil it. We promise.

The former Take-Two executive Gary Dale has been named as CEO of Crackdown developer Realtime Worlds today. “Having worked with Gary earlier in his career at BMG Interactive, I am deeply impressed with his management style and profound understanding of the entertainment business,” said David Jones, co-founder and creative director of Realtime Worlds. “As RTW transitions from being a traditional developer to an online publisher I could not be happier that Gary will lead us through this exciting phase of our growth.”

Dale himself adds that “The Company is on the verge of launching products that will change current conceptions of what MMO games are about.” Realtime Worlds is currently working on All Points Bulletin, an “urban action” style multiplayer online game. See the full press release after the jump, and marvel in its PR-speak glory.

Realtime Worlds Names Leading Video Game Industry
Executive Gary Dale as new CEO

Former Take-Two Exec Assumes Helm of Innovative Interactive Entertainment Company on Verge of First Online Game Launch

            BOULDER, Colo. – April 27, 2009– Realtime Worlds, Inc., a leading independent video game developer and publisher, has chosen respected interactive entertainment executive Gary Dale as its new chief executive officer. A video game business expert with more than 25 years of executive experience, Dale will oversee the day-to-day operations and drive strategic direction of Realtime Worlds and its products, commencing with the highly-anticipated urban-themed online game All Points Bulletin.
“Having worked with Gary earlier in his career at BMG Interactive, I am deeply impressed with his management style and profound understanding of the entertainment business,” said David Jones, co-founder and creative director, Realtime Worlds.  “As RTW transitions from being a traditional developer to an online publisher I could not be happier that Gary will lead us through this exciting phase of our growth. His years of experience at companies such as Capcom and Take-Two will prove invaluable in ensuring we meet our goals of becoming a world leading next-generation online publisher. My focus going forward will be on ensuring we continue to deliver quality innovative experiences as with our debut title, Crackdown.”
“Realtime Worlds is one of the most innovative game companies in the world,” said Gary Dale, CEO, Realtime Worlds, Inc. “The Company is on the verge of launching products that will change current conceptions of what MMO games are about. I can’t imagine a more exciting opportunity than to join this talented and creative team as we prepare to deliver such ground-breaking and high quality online entertainment to gamers around the globe.”
A seasoned professional with considerable publishing, business, marketing and operations experience, Dale most recently served as the chief operating officer and executive vice president of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. In this capacity, he focused on optimizing the sales, marketing and distribution business, coordinated new opportunities in emerging genres and markets and served as the corporate liaison for the publisher’s various labels. Prior to this role at Take-Two, Dale was chief operating officer of the company’s Rockstar Games publishing label.
Previously, Dale served as the European managing director of Capcom Co. Ltd., a Japanese interactive entertainment company. He was also the CEO of Broadband Studios, a subsidiary of Take-Two focused on the creation of broadband interactive entertainment software and technology.
Earlier in his career, Dale held various executive positions at BMG, including senior vice president of International Marketing at BMG Music, and president of BMG’s Interactive Software and Video Division. In addition, he’s held marketing and executive positions at some of the most renowned companies, including Nabisco, Duracell and Walt Disney Company’s Buena Vista Home Entertainment, where he served as vice president of Asia Pacific and vice president sales and marketing for Europe.

About Realtime Worlds
Founded in 2002 by Creative Director David Jones alongside gaming industry veterans Ian Hetherington and Tony Harman, Realtime Worlds is one of the largest and most successful independent game developers in the world. With an exceptionally talented staff of more than 230, the company’s experienced teams have a tremendous history of creating some of the world’s bestselling video games, including the global hit franchises “Lemmings” and “Grand Theft Auto.”
In an exclusive partnership with Microsoft Game Studios, Realtime Worlds launched its first title, Crackdown, on Xbox 360 in early 2007. The debut game broke records for demo downloads, sold approximately 1.5 million copies, and won multiple awards including prestigious BAFTA and Develop Industry Excellence awards.
With offices in Boulder, Colo. and Dundee, Scotland, Realtime Worlds is currently working on All Points Bulletin, a multi-player online game in the urban action genre.
For more information on Realtime Worlds, visit www.realtimeworlds.com.

# # #

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Although we’ve known about the existence of “Big Sisters” in Bioshock 2 for a little less than a week, (thanks to Bioshock 2’s teaser site) seeing the Big Sister now is still a sight to behold, thanks to the April issue of Game Informer. Who says print is dead?

The April issue of GI, while also chock full of Dead Space: Extraction and RE5 details, has a 10-page cover story on Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams details, including new information, new screenshots, and the first glimpse at the game’s Big Sister, who appears to be more slender and more threatening than the Big Daddies. (even with the cute wittle cage for the cute wittle sisters)

You can be sure that we’ll hear more about this game at GDC later this month. Click the image above for the full resolution cover.

Rockstar has announced today that Grand Theft Auto’s DS debut, Chinatown Wars, will be released on March 17 and 20, 2009, in America and Europe respectively. Take-Two had previously hoped that the game would make it out by the end of this year (currently the official website still seems to be holding out for this), but the game has been delayed. The reason? To “provide a better launch and marketing window”, according to the publisher. Anyone looking forward to this? Can’t say I am, but with the prestige the series holds I’m sure fans (and DS gamers who want to kill stuff) won’t be dissapointed.

In a Nevada lawsuit filed last week against publisher Take-Two interactive, former executive Robert Alexander is suing the gaming giant for $50 million.

The lawsuit is the result of what Alexander claims is a breach of an oral contract. Alexander’s time with the company is long-standing, having been with T2 in some shape and form since 2004. After leaving the company, he formed another distributing company which began to partner with T2.

Unfortunately, T2 founder Ryan Brant’s faux pas with the Securities Exchange Commission dealt him a blow that saw him leaving the company, and eventually the next T2 CEO, Paul Eibeler nullified the verbal contract Brant had made with Alexander.

Ergo: he’s fucked.

Alexander claims in his complaint that Brant had promised him a raft of annual raises, T2 shares and stock options, a $240,000 annual salary and a $25,000 per-month expense allowance.

$25,000 a month on martini lunches and playing real-time Mario Kart at Pebble Beach – right. But then again, what reason would he have to lie? He’s only asking for $50 million dollars.

Back in mid August, we reported that Take-Two had opened its boardroom doors to EA with the intent to jointly evaluate “strategic” *cough*buyout*cough* options.

It appears now that those talks have concluded and that the two sides could not see eye to eye — or more importantly, wallet to wallet.

Hit the jump for the full press release and some optimistic “the glass is half full” quotes from Take-Two execs.

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Announces Conclusion of Strategic Review Process

New York, NY – October 2, 2008 – Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) announced today that it has completed its review of strategic alternatives for the Company.

Following detailed discussions with various interested parties over the last five months, Take-Two’s Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of stockholders to conclude its review of strategic alternatives and to continue operating and building Take-Two as an independent company.

“Take-Two’s Board of Directors and management have a clear mandate from stockholders to maximize value,” said Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of the Board of Take-Two. “We are strongly positioned creatively, financially and competitively to benefit from the opportunities we see in the fastest growing segment of the entertainment industry. Our management and outstanding and talented employees have maintained an unwavering focus on our products and our business through this lengthy strategic review process and we are confident in our prospects. We remain focused on maximizing value for stockholders and are executing on our business strategies in a determined manner.”

Ben Feder, Chief Executive Officer of Take-Two added, “Take-Two’s recent performance demonstrates our potential to create value for the long term. We have delivered solid financial results and expanded our portfolio of leading titles, which includes the powerful Grand Theft Auto franchise, as well as 15 other wholly owned brands with sales of more than one million units each. Our strong cash position – with no debt and an undrawn $140 million credit facility – gives us the financial flexibility to continue to do what we do best: innovate and create the great games that our customers have come to expect.”

Spoiler Alert: Your plane crashes.

After only having to wait a year and some change, PlayStation 3 owners will soon be able to experience the Rapture that is BioShock (see what I did there?).  Featuring all-new content and all of the DLC from the Xbox 360 version, BioShock is set to sweep PS3 owners up in its cheery narrative about the joys of life in only a few short weeks.

The game is officially pressed and packaged for an October 17th release worldwide, with the exception being North America who has to wait until the 21st (not enough waiting already, right?).  This Thursday also sees the release of the demo on the PlayStation Network, which hopefully helps tide over anyone with an insatiable need to fuck with genetics and beat people with a wrench.

Been in prison or a coma for the last few years and don’t know what BioShock is? Well, here’s a little PS3 trailer… and the date at the end is a total lie so just pretend you didn’t see it.

The Internet age has lifted humanity up to a fast-paced, easily accessible society. When it comes to console videogames, online gaming has become an essential part of the overall experience.

Ten years ago when a gamer would complete a twelve-hour single player game, the experience was all but over, and the only way to enjoy the game further was to play it all over again, running through the same occurrences with little to no fresh experiences. Flash forward ten years later, and gamers can now rejoice as their short-lived single player experience may now be expanded through the infinite realms of online gaming and downloadable content.

While online play might be something that has been engraved into the videogame industry for over a decade now, downloadable content (DLC) is a newly introduced concept that allows developers to create fresh content such as maps, characters, and items so that a twelve-hour single game experience could be a whole new experience the second or third time through.

Downloadable content is available through the Xbox 360’s Xbox Live and PlayStation 3’s PlayStation Store ranging from prices of $5 to $10, which can be paid with a pre-paid card bought in stores such as Gamestop or with a debit/credit card. Downloadable content varies between games– for example, Rock Band’s DLC is typically a pack of 3 new songs, while Call of Duty 4’s DLC is a bundle of new multiplayer maps which provides the player with a variety of environments.

As a result, those small $5 or $10 investments may add just a few more months of fresh gameplay for that particular title. In 2008 alone, titles such as Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3 were friendly to the DLC community. However, there are two titles that promised to appeal heavily to the DLC community, but as of today, they have failed to pursue that promise.

Grand Theft Auto IV

At the time Grand Theft Auto IV was initially announced at the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), specifically for Xbox 360 owners, the hype machine was in full swing when it was declared that episodic content would be released exclusively for the 360. After a few delays and long periods of anticipation for new information, GTAIV finally released onto the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles in April 2008.

The game was met with critical accolades, boosting revenue higher for Take Two Interactive and ending a long, seven year wait for the new title. Gamers were finally satisfied, but the DLC announcement is something that Rockstar has been tight lipped on all year. By now, the initial buyers of GTAIV have probably completed the game at least one time, and have delved deep into the title’s stellar online realm. While GTA games in the past have withstood their lifespan without DLC and multiplayer, GTAIV is different in that respect. Microsoft in particular used downloadable episodic content in the title’s marketing.

The planned release for the DLC was set for sometime in early Fall. However, it seems that the wait for episodic content will go on into November or December 2008. Now that September is here and no official word on DLC has surfaced, uneasiness is beginning to settle in the minds of many owners.
We still don’t know when DLC for GTAIV will come about, and what it will contain. Could it be a new plot layered over the current story, or could it be a totally new location such as Vice City? The possibilities are endless, and let’s just hope that whatever comes out will truly live up to the high expectations and appease the masses.

Mass Effect

When Bioware, developers of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire, introduced Mass Effect during the 2005 X05 convention, RPG gamers were instantly taken in by what appeared to be the flagship RPG for the Xbox 360. After the game was released in November 2007, it was met with great praise across the board and brought home a large number of awards.

One of the key selling points was that between all three games (Mass Effect is a planned trilogy), DLC would bridge the games together plot-wise. At least, that was the idea, because ten months into the release, Bioware has only released just one DLC mission that does not bridge the story between Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, but rather branches off the main path into something trivial.

Bioware has also been secretive about future DLC, almost to the point where the Bring Down the Sky DLC for Mass Effect will be the first and only downloadable content that gamers see. I was visiting the Mass Effect forums on Bioware’s website and I ran into this statement made by the Community Communications Coordinator, Chris Priestly:

“There may be more DLCs in the future. Currently, we’re keeping our cards close to our chest, so you’ll have to wait and see what we come up with. Stay tuned.”

The choice of words “There may be more DLCs in the future” amuses me. From what we knew, it was a given that there would be multiple DLC packs for Mass Effect, so now it has been downgraded to an uncertain “may be”? Mass Effect is a great game, but it suffers a short playing time as the main storyline can be completed in less than 15 hours, which is short by RPG standards. So while it’s almost a given that DLC is in high demand for Mass Effect, but when will owners ever see more of it?

Each generation of videogames comes with a specific demand from its audience. The 90s was the graphics age and the new millennia brought online multiplayer. Now that online multiplayer has been established, downloadable content will be the next great demand in the next decade. Hopefully developers and publishers will key in on this model and make good use of it. As for Grand Theft Auto IV and Mass Effect, well, we continue to wait.

As reported earlier, Take-Two has allowed EA to join the company for some “alternative strategic planning” sessions. In short, Take-Two believes that EA’s initial offer was not lucrative enough, and has shifted focus in an effort to convince EA that they should sweeten the deal.

Could a SackBoy PowerPoint type presentation change the minds of EA executives? The two emails featured after the jump showcase yesterday’s email from Take-Two to EA, and today’s response from EA to Take-Two.

August 18, 2008

Dear Strauss:

Thank you for taking my call on Friday and for your response letter on August 17, 2008. As discussed on Friday, given the passage of time, we have to validate the assumptions used in the model to support our offer price of $25.74 per share in cash.

In addition, we no longer believe we can integrate Take-Two ahead of the important holiday season. Accordingly, we require due diligence to support a transaction and are therefore letting the tender offer expire tonight.

However, we are pleased to accept your offer to review your management presentation as outlined in your letter. We continue to have great respect for Take-Two’s creative teams and products and are hopeful that we can work together to reach a mutually agreed transaction.

Sincerely, /s/ John Riccitiello John Riccitiello Chief Executive Officer

Below is the text of the letter sent yesterday by Mr. Zelnick to Mr. Riccitiello:

August 17, 2008

Dear John:

Thank you for your recent expression of interest for Electronic Arts Inc. (”EA”) to participate in Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.’s (the “Company”) formal process to evaluate the Company’s strategic alternatives. As you know, we have been willing to have EA participate in this process following the successful launch of GTA IV, and we are happy to include EA now.

As I mentioned when we spoke on Friday, our process begins with an in-depth management presentation. The Company has made significant strides since EA first expressed interest in the Company and this presentation includes material non-public information to which you would not otherwise have access, including information relating to our three year product release schedule and management’s financial projections.

The presentation also includes information about the underlying factors that have driven our strong operational and financial performance. I believe our presentation will enable you to understand better the value of our Company to EA. Prior to the management presentation, we will only require EA to enter into a confidentiality agreement.

The agreement would be limited to provisions required to comply with federal securities laws and to ensure the Company’s ability to protect the confidentiality of the information shared with you. I can assure you that this requirement is the same as or more favorable to EA than that which we have employed with all other participants in the process.

We understand that a number of months have passed since you first expressed interest in the Company and, accordingly, we will act quickly to assist you in moving through our process. Once we execute a confidentiality agreement, we are prepared to schedule the management presentation immediately.

With my best personal regards.

Sincerely, /s/ Strauss Zelnick Strauss Zelnick Executive Chairman of the Board

Source: IGN

On October 30, 2008, the land of the rising sun will be treated to a fictional Bosnian with a blazing gun. In other words, the localized version of Rockstar’s GTA 4 will be released in Japan just before Halloween, or as the Japanese call it, “Bad American Cosplay Day”.

Full press release after the jump.

Rockstar Games Announces Release Date for Japanese Version of Grand Theft Auto IV

New York, NY – August 15, 2008 – Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today an October 30, 2008 release date for the localized Japanese version of Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

Developed by series creator Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto IV was released in North America and Europe on April 29, 2008, selling 3.6 million units on the first day of release, and 6 million units in the first week. Critics from across the globe have showered the game in unanimous praise for its immersive storytelling; culturally eclectic soundtrack; an unparalleled level of detail in Liberty City; and sixteen player multiplayer with more than a dozen online modes for endless replayability.

“The fact that so many middle income homes managed to find the money to buy the game (having already purchased the expensive hardware to drive it) indicates that the middle class is in no imminent danger of disappearance,” Medved wrote. “But the decision by so many consumers of every age and income group to invest countless hours of time in the dark world of Grand Theft Auto IV nonetheless demonstrates a threat to American values.”

Medved continues to relate the game to the decline of western civilization on GTA IV specifically, if not in general.

Townhall.com is the same conservative site that hosted Kevin McCullough’s similarly misinformed and poorly executed opinion on Mass Effect which garnered the attention of FOX News.

Let the rolling of the eyes begin.

Medved comes a tad late to the GTA IV auto de fe as the title has already been lambasted by the usual suspects. However, Medved’s insinuations border on the hallucinatory as he accuses GTA of America’s moral decline. In that vein GTA is also responsible for the African AIDS pandemic, global warming and the shrinking of the polar ice-caps, and political repression in China.

I can’t help but wonder where is vaunted conservatism was when he was staring at my girlfriend’s chest at the Seattle preview of Spider Man in 2002.

Source: Townhall.com

Industry giant and evil overlord Electronic Arts reported this morning that it had finished its wheeling and dealing with the Federal Trade Commission concerning the takeover of Take Two Interactive.

In its regulatory filing, EA said it would not go through with the previously offered $2 billion deal (because Take Two rejected it), and would instead return to the table, presumably with hired goons, no sooner than August 21 of this year.  The news apparently convinced some people that this deal will happen, as stock prices rose for both companies.  We have just experienced the beginning of the end.

The average gamer knows this to be true.  It was a sad day when EA acquired BioWare, and that’s just one developer.  Take Two represents one of the four legs (along with EA, Ubisoft, and ActiBlizzion) that holds up the bed of videogames that we all sleep in.  Combining two of those legs into one will certainly make the bed unstable, and we will most likely not have as much fun in it any more for fear that it will break and splinters will pierce our fun-parts.

The EA Sports games are a perfect example of what a lack of competition does to the quality of their products.  EA just doesn’t give a shit.  They know that if you want NFL-branded football, you will buy their game, so they have no motivation to make it anything other than passable.  If EA acquires Take Two, all sports games will begin to suck harder.

I know the reality of a Take Two buyout is probably not as doom and gloom as I think it is.  I still have faith that BioWare will continue to make great games despite being under the EA banner of douchebaggery. The point I’m trying to make is that competition breeds innovation.  The more competition EA disposes of through either acquisitions or exclusive licensing, the lower their need to focus on quality, and the shittier the average game will end up being.  Just look at the history of AT&T for a perfect example.

Hopefully, if EA continues its trend of gobbling up every other company, it will actually end up like AT&T — broke into a thousand pieces that end up giving us better choices and service.  If not, I’ll just go back to boring things like spending time with my family.

Source: Reuters via Yahoo News

A few days ago, Take-Two announced that the first episode of the Xbox 360 exclusive DLC for GTA 4 was going to be delayed until next year. The following day, a Microsoft spokesman said it was still on track for a Fall 2008 release.

So who is right? Well, oddly enough they are probably both right. When Take-Two announced the delay, they said it was being pushed back into the company’s 2009 fiscal year, which technically starts on November 1st of this year.

Microsoft say that it’s coming out in Fall, which doesn’t finish until December 20th. So there is technically an overlap.

It’s a good job Ripten are here to clear things up. Expect GTA’s first episode to come out around late November.

It is something that should be expected. After [the acquisition of] Pandemic/BioWare, EA has only around $1.7 billion in available cash… The Take-Two deal is around $2.1 billion… so they’re short. They also probably need around $400 million in available cash for working capital needs, so they need to raise around $800 million to complete the deal. The extra $200 million is just a cushion, although I suppose it could be construed as how much higher they’re willing to go [for Take-Two]…

Could this be EA’s final step in quelling Take-Two’s fight for independence? Sadly it seems all but inevitable now, as EA have enough money to force though the deal. Since turning hostile, EA no longer need to consult Take-Two on the offer and are going directly to the shareholders.

Source: Game Daily

Justin Blankenship, a former FTC lawyer, expresses concern regarding the potential EA and Take-Two merger. Specifically, he believes that the merger may violate antitrust laws due to the hold the company would have on the videogame sports sector. Justin states:

I wouldn’t consider this [EA/Take-Two deal] inevitable quite yet,” … “Although you’ve yet to see antitrust law rear its head in a videogame merger, this is the best case I’ve seen where it could happen. Don’t be surprised if this gets more interesting than anyone expects.”

EA already holds several exclusive licenses across the professional and collegiate levels and a merger with Take-Two would mean the end of 2K Sports, the largest competitor for EA when it comes to sports related videogame content. It doesn’t take a degree in rocket science to figure this one out.

The main argument regarding this merger has been one focused on price, however the bigger picture that we believe concerns gamers even more, is choice and quality of product. We would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Take-Two Interactive told stockholders at a recent meeting that the buyout offer from Electronic Arts wasn’t good enough. Not that they’re not for sale, it’s just going to cost a potential buyer a bit more than $2 billion.

The publishers of Grand Theft Auto want to wait until April 29 for the latest iteration of their flagship series to hit shelves before they start seriously considering offers. It sounds like a solid plan from this end, as the game is expected to be a huge seller, but then again I’m not financially invested in the company beyond the $60 I’m going to spend on GTA 4.

Take-Two is open to private preliminary talks before the game releases, which means we likely won’t hear anything from them until either the April 17 shareholders meeting or after the game releases. Unless, of course, EA ups the ante to a more favorable number in the eyes of Take-Two executives and shareholders. But they may have to compete with other potential suitors, as Yahoo Finance quoted Take-Two as having received “indications of interest” from others, but said there haven’t been any “substantive discussions.”

A merger of this caliber would be a huge boost to EA, especially after Vivendi and Acitivision raised the bar a few months back, but it sounds like Take-Two won’t go for cheap. If EA does get their way, they can always just beat Take-Two with a baseball bat to get their money back afterwards.

Source: Yahoo Finance

It has been confirmed today that Take-Two have refused an offer by Electronic Arts to buy the company. The offer came just a few days after the release date for Take-Two’s most anticipated title, GTA IV was announced, prompting Take-Two to refer to the offer as “highly opportunistic”.

In a statement issued by Take-Two Interactive, Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two’s Executive Chairman said that “Electronic Arts’ proposal provides insufficient value to our shareholders and comes at absolutely the wrong time given the crucial initiatives underway at the Company.”

Zelnick goes on to say that EA have not only “undervalued key elements” but also failed to take into account the future growth of the company, stating that “while we have made substantial progress already, the turnaround of our business which we initiated in June is not yet complete, and we believe its benefits have not been recognized”.

Along with the statement, the press release also comes with the letters sent between John S. Riccitiello, EA’s CEO and Zelnick revealing a very private, and almost bitchy world of negotiations. After EA’s initial offer for $25 per share was outright rejected, they raised it to $26 per share but also chose to give a few words regarding Take-Two’s market value, saying that “Take-Two remains dependent on a limited number of titles, and has limited capital resources. In addition, Take-Two faces ongoing financial, legal and operating issues and a very intense competitive environment.”

Read the full statement and letters here

Rockstar’s golden hooker, Grand Theft Auto, was supposed to return last October in the much anticipated fourth installment… wait, sixth installment? Eighth? Okay, let’s just say Grand Theft Auto IV and move on.

October came and went, and obviously the game was not released — if it were, you’d be playing it right now instead of just reading about it. All that’s about to change very soon.

Take Two, publisher of the game, has GTA4 nestled firmly in their second quarter release calendar, which runs from February to April. Rockstar Games Vice President of Product Development, Jeronimo Barrera, confirmed that it’s still on track to meet that goal.

As far as the progress of the game goes, Rockstar seems to have addressed most of the things GTA fans have bitched about, such as having to drive all the way back to the starting point if you fail a mission, just to re-initialize it — now it’s a quick button press. Mission repeats will also have some varied dialog so “players won’t get bored”.

Your wanted level is now only affected if your crimes are actually witnessed by the police. Once the fuzz shows up, the mini-map flashes to indicate your danger zone. While you’re in the zone, the police will continue to give chase, so the goal is to escape and hide. Fighting back or causing any other kind of mayhem while in the zone will increase the radius and just make it that much more difficult to shake them.

Cars now have GPS systems in them to help guide you to your destination. The route will be drawn out on your mini-map, and expensive cars will even have talking GPS systems. Additionally, random events will occur while driving, such as barrels falling off of a truck, bums lying in the road, or other car chases completely unrelated to you or your actions.

Finally, probably the biggest gripe about the GTA series, is the targeting system. This has been completely overhauled and is now quite similar to The Godfather. Pulling the left trigger aims down the sights of your weapon and allows free-aiming. Holding the left trigger while aiming at an enemy locks onto that target. Once locked, you can move the right analog stick up or down to target the head or legs, respectively, and flicking the stick left or right changes targets altogether.

All of this works in tandem with the cover system, which is very much like that in Gears of War. Run into a wall or obstacle, hit the cover button, and you’re stuck to it. You can then peer out and aim with left trigger, or you can blind-fire.

Basically, Rockstar implemented all of the good things about Saints Row, added the targeting of The Godfather, and sprinkled with a pinch of Gears of War. Even if this wasn’t the next Grand Theft Auto game, I’d still say that’s a recipe for a delicious “I-will-buy-this-game” sandwich.

MTV News had a 90-minute exclusive preview of the game and claims it’s looking great. The build was running on an Xbox 360 development kit, and “appears to be shining with polish” — they see no reason why it wouldn’t make the target window of February – April. You can read MTV News’ full impressions here.

Update: Take Two just announced that the official release date for GTA4 is April 29, 2008. Sam Houser, Founder and Executive Producer of Rockstar Games, had this to say:

We’ve pushed ourselves very hard to make something incredible and hope the game sets a new benchmark for interactive entertainment.

I’m sure your game will do just fine, Sam.

The origin of this rumor stems from a post on EvilAvatar.com by Dr. Finger, a prominent member of the community. Dr. Finger claims that he spoke to a “contact” of his at his local Target store. Apparently, an internal memo was released stating that all Target stores are to stop selling Manhunt 2, and that any copies the store has are to be returned to Take 2.

This announcement may have everything to do with the large amount of negative press given to the Rockstar title earlier this week. If the rumor is proven true, the question we all have on our minds is, will other department store chains follow?

With the game receiving mixed reviews, Target may have seen this an opportunity to increase publicity by stirring up the pot. It’s interesting to note that they have never pulled any title from the Grand Theft Auto series, even though publicity was markedly worse.

Below is the post by Dr. Fingers via EvilAvatar.com.

I just spoke to a contact at my local Target store, who informed me of an interesting internal memo. Apparently all Target stores are to stop selling Manhunt 2, going so far as to tell managers to refuse shipments of the title for all systems, with Take 2 agreeing to take back all unopened copies of the game.

Why is this action being taken? The extreme violence in the game is the given reason, but my contact (an employee but not a manager) was told that it was due in greater part to the unfavorable coverage the game got in the national press the last several days. Target stores had been selling the game since it’s launch, but it was only today that they were told to pull the product and refuse further shipments.

The listing for Manhunt 2 on the Target website shows that the item is “not available in stores.”

I’ve spoken to employees of several other large retailers (Best Buy, Gamestop and Circuit City) and none of them are, at this time, taking similar actions.

Source: EvilAvatar.com

The delay of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV video game for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 has fans and fanboys everywhere in an uproar. You can’t browse a video game website without running into something related to the delay. Whether it has to do with rumors of a refund regarding the exclusive downloadable content deal (which cost Microsoft 50 million) or as we are about to discuss, the many finger pointing articles being published across the web.

Some sites are entertaining the notion that the PS3 is the cause for the delay, with individuals such as industry analyst Michael Pachter stating that it is his belief Rockstar is struggling with development on the PS3 console. According to an interview with Gameindustry.biz, Pachter was quoted saying the following:

“We think it is likely that the Rockstar team had difficulty in building an exceptionally complicated game for the PS3, and failed to recognize how far away from completion the game truly was until recently,”

“We think it is also likely that Take-Two had a contractual commitment to Sony that it would not favor competitor Microsoft by launching the Xbox 360 version of GTA IV prior to launching the PS3 version, and believe that any delay of the PS3 version necessitated a delay of the Xbox 360 version,”

Food for thought? Sure, but far from a direct source and certainly unconfirmed. Rockstar has been developing GTA content for Sony since the PS1 so we aren’t buying this excuse. On to the next possibility …

Playstation 3 fanboys are outraged, screaming “it’s Microsoft’s fault” — and maybe it is. In a recent interview with GamePro.com, Microsoft Game Studios Corporate Vice President, Shane Kim was asked about a rumor that Grand Theft Auto IV would not be compatible with the Core system because the game may require a hard drive. Kim responded:

“No, we want to support all of the Xbox 360s, otherwise it becomes very confusing. We really want to avoid that as much as possible.”

GamePro then followed up by asking how the company (Microsoft) would respond if Rockstar demanded the use of hard drive to play the upcoming GTA IV. Kim responded:

“We get to make the call on who gets published on our platform … [inaudible] we’d push back on any publisher saying things like that.”

This was all the PS3 faithful needed to hear. They were now convinced that the finger should in fact be pointed towards Microsoft and not their beloved PlayStation 3. What do we think? Well, we believe that the blame may be Microsoft’s, however not for this reason. Which brings us to our next possibility …

There was a rumor floating around over two months ago that Rockstar may delay the October launch of GTA IV due to an announcement made in May that Microsoft would be releasing Halo 3 at the end of September. In a “note to investors” industry analyst Michael Pachter (now that name looks familiar) was quoted by GameDaily.com saying:

“We believe that it is possible that the company will choose to ‘throw in the towel’ on FY:07 by shifting the release date for Grand Theft Auto IV by a few weeks, increasing the losses incurred this year and improving the company’s prospects for FY:08,”

“We believe that a two-week delay would provide a reasonable gap between the launch of Halo 3 and the launch of GTA IV, and would actually help sales of both games,”

The rumor was denied by Rockstar, stating that the game was still on track for an October release. Fast forward a few months and Halo 3 is still slated for release on September 25th, however fans looking to take control of Niko Bellic on both the 360 and PS3 consoles will be forced to wait until Q2: 2008.

So where do we stand? It is our belief that the delay has nothing to do with a lack of hard drive in the 360 Core System or the supposed development issues on the PS3, instead we believe it has everything to do with the release of Halo 3.

That said, we guess you could say it is Microsoft’s fault indirectly — however, if this is in fact the reason for the delay, angered fans should be pointing their fingers directly at Take Two Interactive.

Fans of Major League Baseball will have yet another change up thrown their way this Fall from 2K Sports.

If The BIGS didn’t offer up enough variety in your Marjor Leauge Baseball craving life, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. and Take-Two announced today a new Major League Baseball title – MLB Power Pros.

The original game “Power Pro” developed by Konami has been the best selling baseball series in Japan for years. MLB Power Pros will be making its way to North America this Fall courtesy of 2K Sports and their exclusive MLB license.

“For years, Konami’s Power Pro Baseball has been Japan’s No. 1 baseball game, in sales and fan ratings,” said Kazumi Kitaue, Chairman and CEO of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “Now, in an excellent partnership with 2K Sports, it is with great pleasure that we bring Power Pro Baseball to the North American market as MLB Power Pros, where this great sport was born.”

2K is definitely making use of their exclusive license. While they may not hit a homerun everytime at bat, they appear prepared to go down swinging. Check out the video as well as the game details via the press release below.

Game Details

MLB Power Pros delivers an original visual style to America’s favorite pastime. Every MLB player will be represented in the “Power Pro” character style – a miniature toy-like figurine model. Gamers will recognize their favorite baseball stars through comic usage of facial expressions, facial hair, and hair styles. Every MLB ballpark has been faithfully replicated with their respective famous landmarks, bringing astounding authenticity to every game. This visual combination is certain to delight baseball fans of all ages.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Solid gameplay features and responsive controls provide an exciting baseball experience in MLB Power Pros. The easy pick-up-and-play mechanics in both pitching and batting allow for instant fun. Amazing animations will be seen in the field with incredible double plays, diving catches, and even home-run-robbing wall catches.

Featuring over a dozen different game modes, MLB Power Pros offers great long-term playability highlighted by the detailed Season Mode and popular Success Mode. With Season Mode, players become an MLB team general manager with the goal of winning the World Series™ by controlling all aspects of the team including training players, purchasing better equipment, making trades, and much more. Success Mode combines traditional role-playing elements with baseball scenarios to create one of the most unique and compelling game modes in any sports title. This story-based mode puts the user in the role of a college baseball player with the goal of becoming a Major League player – gamers will train the player in numerous games while dealing with real-world situations of academics, part-time jobs, and other social situations.

MLB Power Pros will be available on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the Wii home video game system from Nintendo in Fall 2007.

Take Two has announced the release of an expanded version of award-winning role playing game for PC and Xbox 360 available in September. If you are new to the Oblivion series this will offer a good place to start. Experienced gamers however will be able to access new quests via the expansion and downloadable content.

With over 30 hours of new gameplay, Shivering Isles grants gamers the opportunity to explore an entirely new plane of Oblivion. Knights of the Nine features all-new quests, legendary relics, and weapons of the Divine Crusader.

For more information on Oblivion, Shivering Isles, or The Elder Scrolls, visit www.elderscrolls.com.

2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. announced today Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Gold Edition for PC. Containing 2005’s PC Game of the Year Sid Meier’s Civilization IV and its first expansion set, Civilization IV: Warlords plus an impressive list of bonus items.

“Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Gold Edition is a great way to get into the award-winning Civilization IV series,” said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. “Gamers will now have the chance to change the course of world history and relive battles from every era of the past with both Civilization IV games in one box – in stores just in advance of the highly anticipated second Civ IV expansion pack, Beyond the Sword.”

Gold Edition includes these bonus features:

• Exclusive fantasy-style poster from world-famous artist Greg Hildebrandt (illustrator of the original “Star Wars” fantasy-themed “Clash of the Titans” movie poster, “Lord of the Rings” calendars and posters and other seminal artwork)
• Behind-the-scenes DVD with developer interviews, insight into the Civilization IV development process and a short feature on Sid Meier’s video game history
• Tech-tree poster featuring the paths to researching and discovering all of the technologies needed to advance in Civilization IV
• Civilization IV Game Manual

The Gold Edition allows gamers who have not yet experienced the thrill of ruling the world to now own the two most recent games in the world’s greatest strategy franchise for one incredible value. Developed by Firaxis Games, 2K’s world-renowned development studio, Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Gold Edition ships to retailers in North America on July 17, 2007.

For more information, please visit www.civilization.com.

E3, also known as “min-E3″, is being held this year from July 11th to the 13th at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA. Anyone who is familiar with the E3 of old knows that the new “min-E3″ pales in comparison to the event held in years past, that said … it is still better than nothing.

A schedule of events was released by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) for the show on the official E3 website.

Getting the ball rolling this year will be Microsoft with a “pre-E3 conference” at 8:30pm on July 10th. Next up will be Nintendo, offering up a tasty batch wii goodness, with a conference at 9:00 the next morning. Sony will bat clean up with a conference of their own at 11:30am on the 11th.

Time slots have also been granted to third parties such as Konami, Activision, Take Two, EA, Ubisoft, and few others. For your convenience we have posted the full show schedule below:

7/10/07:

• 8:30pm – Microsoft Press Conference

7/11/07:

• 9:00am – Nintendo Press Conference
• 9:00am-5:30pm – Meeting suites open at the Fairmont Hotel
• 11:30am – Sony Press Conference
• 1:00-6:30pm – Barker Hanger open to view games
• 2:00pm – Electronic Arts conference
• 3:15pm – Activision conference
• 4:30pm – Midway conference
• 5:45pm – Konami conference

7/12/07:

• 8:00am – Take-Two conference
• 9:00am-5:30pm – Meeting suites open at the Fairmont Hotel
• 9:15am – THQ conference
• 10:30am – Ubisoft conference
• 1:00-6:30pm – Barker Hanger open to view games
• 1:00pm – Namco Bandai conference
• 3:30pm – Disney Interactive conference

7/13/07:

• 9:00am-3:30pm – Meeting suites open at the Fairmont Hotel
• 11:00am-3:30pm – Barker Hanger open to view games

Booths will be set up for over 30 companies on the floor of the hangar, however we are sad to report that there are some notable names that will not be offering up formal conferences namely; Capcom, SEGA, and Square-Enix.

Digg It