Mass Effect 2 Officially Announced
BioWare and Electronic Arts jointly announced that Mass Effect 2 is heading to the PC and Xbox 360 console in early 2010. To get fans all hot and bothered, the official Mass Effect website now offers a teaser trailer to... well, tease. Both parties also confirm that Mass Effect is in fact a trilogy, and go on to describe this second installment: "Saren’s evil army of Geth soldiers has just been defeated, and humans, who are still struggling to make their mark on the galactic stage, are now faced with an even greater peril…"
Marvel MMO Revived
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Marvel Entertainment has inked a 10-year deal with Gazillion Entertainment to allow the publisher to make MMOGs based on Marvel characters. The first game up to bat will be Super Hero Squad (really??), set for a 2010 launch and geared towards as a casual MMOG for young gamers. Marvel Universe is also back on the table, the MMOG originally in the hands of Cryptic Studios back in 2006. While the game is slated for the PC and game consoles, there is no definite time slot reserved for its launch. Gazillion is also working on another MMOG, LEGO Universe. UPDATE: According to Gazillion, Amazing Society, one of its four studios, is handling the development of Super Hero Squad, and Gargantuan is working on Marvel Universe. Additional, NetDevil has taken on the reigns of the LEGO Universe and Jumpgate Evolution MMOs, and the fourth studio, Slipgate Ironworks, is developing an original MMO property. Gazillion comprises of team members from Apple, Blizzard, Microsoft Game Studios, Pixar and more.
Blacklight Announced
Seattle-based Zombie Studios has suddenly stepped into the spotlight with its upcoming futuristic military shooter that apparently been in development for over a year now. However, the developer has now signed a deal with Fox Atomic, a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, as well as production company Union Entertainment to develop and publish a motion picture, comic book series, and multi-platform video games based on the Blacklight property. According to Zombie, Jason Dean Hall (SPREAD) will write the movie and video game scripts. "From the start, I have envisioned 'Blacklight' as a story that spans all of the forms of media I enjoy most," said Zombie CEO Mark Long. "It's an ambitious project and I've been fortunate to find partners at Fox Atomic and Union who share that same vision. We are cooperating on the comic, game and movie at levels that are unprecedented in the industry." No release dates for any of the properties have yet been announced. The Seattle Times also offers up an article about the project, talking with Mark Long (and provided the screenshot).
Dominions 3: The Awakening Patched
Shrapnel Games has released a patch for its hit fantasy game, Dominions 3: The Awakening, updating the retail version of the game to v3.32. The patch brings a long list of bug smashing, game enhancements, and addresses a few issues regarding MODs. The patch list includes the following: Immortals can no longer die via disease, users can now create a custom skybox for a few situations, improved cheat protection and more.
EverQuest Turns 10, Throws Party
Somehow I missed this PR yesterday: SOE's classic MMORPG finally turns a big 10-years-old. To celebrate the occasion, there will be a weeklong party in both EverQuest and EverQuest II. As of yesterday, subscribers simply need to log in to Legends of Norrath and receive one of two loot cars (one for each MMORPG). SOE said that there will also be five daily events: Forsworn Day (Tuesday), Inquisitor Day (Wednesday), Oathbreaker Day (Thursday), and Ethernauts Day (Friday). Additionally, the SOE Fan Faire will make its return to Las Vegas on June 25-28, with tickets going on sale next month.
Men of War Ships Without DRM
1C Company's World War II RTS for the PC, Men of War, is now shipping via Aspyr Media in North America. According to the company, players will find the "robust and deep RTS a joy to install and play" thanks to the removal of DRM copy protection software. Apparently, this won't be the only DRM-free title published by Aspyr either: Death Track: Resurrection, Cryostasis, Necrovision and 4x4 Hummber will ship DRM- free as well. "Men of War is a stunning mixture of RTS and a third-person action that takes players to the most brutal battlefields of Europe and North Africa during the height of World War II."
Red Faction: Guerrilla Demo Next Month
Blues points the way to GameStop and it's pre-order offer for the upcoming FPS, Red Faction: Guerrilla. The website states that consumers who reserve the game will receive exclusive access to the demo from April 3 to April 23. The Red Faction sequel isn't slated to ship until June 6, so fans wanting an early taste may want to slap down a few bucks upfront.
SAGA Tactics MMORTS Connects iPhone, PC and Mac Gamers
Now here's a nifty idea: a massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game that enables PC, Mac and iPhone gamers to play together. In fact, Siverlode Interactive just launched the SAGA Tactics alpha website this morning, offering early clues and eventually keep track of rankings and user data no matter what platform the gamer decides to use. For now, the game is in closed beta, although interested players need sign up on the Tactics Alpha forums to gain access to the program. According to the company, SAGA Tactics will be free to play, but the iPhone application will cost $1.99 when released. "All items at release will be purchasable for gold; this includes troops, weapons, armor and enchants. Gold will be granted for winning PvP battles against other players. Gold will also be available for purchase in the SAGA store for cash to allow players with less time to build the army they desire quickly."
Orc Choppa and Dwarf Slayer Now Playable
Fans of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning can now play the careers of Orc Choppa and Dwarf Slayer, according to EA. "The ornery and savage Choppa is an offensive juggernaut that embodies the love of a good fight found in every Orc," reads the official PR. "The tattooed Slayer is the manifestation of the Dwarfs' obsession with honor, seeking only a heroic and honorable death in combat. However, dying quietly is simply not in his nature."
Dark Void Website Launched
Today Capcom launched the official website for Dark Void, its upcoming sci-fi action-adventure game combining on-foot and aerial combat. The site doesn't offer much save for a new teaser trailer, however we've uploaded a screenshot gallery to get you better acquainted. Currently the game is slated for the Xbox 360, Games for Windows, and the PlayStation 3 for an undetermined date.
As always, more to come throughout the day!
