The Rundown: Jan. 13, 2009

The Boss goes on a World Tour, Ubisoft hears the call of the Wild West again, a new FIFA champ is crowned, ninjas set their sites on Facebook and Global Agenda sets the agenda for a closed beta.
This and so much more awaits you in today’s Rundown. Won’t you partake of this bountiful harvest with me, please?

Have Gun, Will Travel
It’s the call of a man, after all. Today Ubisoft announced that it will publish Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC in 2009. Ubisoft is teaming with Techland to develop Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, a prequel to the action shooter Call of Juarez. Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood promises to transport players from a ravaged Civil War-era Georgia to the Aztec ruins of Mexico. In the wildest West ever depicted, players can control both McCall brothers in a Wild West themed storyline full of greed, lust and lawlessness. Sounds tantalizing.

Guitar Hero: World Tour Gets Boss Tracks
Fresh of his Golden Globe win for The Wrestler title track, Bruce Springsteen will soon make his video game debut with several new tracks for Guitar Hero World Tour. Coinciding with the release of his new album, Working on a Dream (Columbia Records), the two-song Track Pack will be available for download simultaneously with the album’s release on Jan. 27. The Track Pack, features “Born to Run” and “My Lucky Day,” a brand-new track off his new album, Working on a Dream, will be free to download during the first week of the album’s release.

Ninja’s Target Facebookers
NinjaTrick, a free-to-play, browser based action game for Facebook Platform will launch in February, says CyberAgent America. NinjaTrick lets players select various kinds of Ninjutsu (special techniques and accessories) and challenge each other, controlling their own “Ninja” character with a mouse. The biggest attraction of this game, according to its developers, is that players can create their own Ninja.

FIFA World Cup Champ Crowned
FIFA, Electronic Arts and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe announced that Alfonso Ramos, the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2008 Champion, has received his official winner’s trophy at the FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich. Ramos was joined by the world’s greatest footballers, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres. The event also saw Cristiano Ronaldo crowned the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year. The events were played on FIFA 09 for PS3, hence Sony’s involvement.

Game::Business::Law Summit Speakers
The first day of the Game::Business::Law summit will be held at Southern Methodist University in Dallas on January 14 and promises to “directly address the impact of the past year’s economic meltdown on the game industry,” according to its organizers. Speakers include Chris Baker, senior editor, Wired Magazine; Zach Bishop, associate, Hunton & Williams; Edward Cavazos, principal, Fish & Richardson P.C.; John Crittenden, partner, Cooley Godward Kronish LLP; Dan Ferguson, founder and director of game development, Blockdot, Inc; Christian Genetski, partner, Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal LLP; Dan Hewitt, senior director of communications, Entertainment Software Association; Mike Hogan, chief marketing officer, GameStop Corporation; Jason Holtman, director of business development/legal affairs, Valve; Michael Klotz, games business senior manager, NPD Group; Mitch Lasky, general partner, Benchmark Capital; David McCombs, partner, Haynes & Boone, LLP; Mark Methenitis, attorney, The Vernon Law Group; Steve Nix, director of business development, id Software; Joseph Olin, president, The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences; JJ Richards, general manager, platform services, Microsoft advertising, Microsoft Corporation; Barry Seaton, partner, Barry C. Seaton, P.C. and Greg Short, executive chairman, Electronic Entertainment Design and Research.

Metal Gear Online Enticements
Fans who register for the Metal Gear Online game product between Dec. 24, 2008 and Feb. 16, 2009 will be delighted to know that Konami will give them 5,000 Reward Points and the MGO Codec Pack. Fans who have never played Metal Gear Online have the opportunity to download a free version now thru January 29th. The free demo, along with a free Metal Gear Solid 4 demo, are available on the PlayStation Network.

Global Agenda Closed Beta Sign-ups
Hi-Rez Studios announced today that the community can now apply to participate in the closed beta for Global Agenda, an action-themed massively multiplayer online game scheduled for release in late 2009. The closed beta is anticipated to begin in the second quarter of ’09 and players can apply by visiting www.globalagendagame.com. Global Agenda is being developed using Unreal Engine 3 if that is important to you.

Pure Pinball 2.0 on GOG.COM
Good Old Games passed along word that Pure Pinball 2.0 , originally released under Iridon Interactive, has been added to the site at the low price of $5.99. If you like pinball and have never played this game, now is probably the best time to check it out. In addition to being DRM-free, the game offers various themed tables, compatibility with newer operating systems and cool and old fashioned pinball action.

The Other Side of Eating Out
Paradox Interactive has finalized a publishing agreement with Enlight Software to release Restaurant Empire 2 in North America. Restaurant Empire 2 builds on the Restaurant Empire franchise, a title that has already sold a respectable 300,000 units in the United States alone. Like the first game you build a restaurant, deal with the menu, create recipes and manage a sometimes unruly customer base to keep them happy and turn a profit. Release date to be announced.

Flyff Free Missions
Players of the free-to-play MMORPG Flyff (Flyff for Fun) have a treat in store for them this month: a brand new mission between the January 13th - 19th gives players a series of quests to save Winter from a terrible threat. Plenty of in-game rewards are up for grabs including items which will allow you to temporarily increase combat abilities and defensive skills. For those players who find comnpletre all the quests, a special reward can be found in the skies of Flarine. If you’re into free games and special events, check out flyff.gpotato.eu.

Archibald’s iPod Adventures
Indie developer Rake In Grass has released Archibald’s Adventures for iPhone and iPod Touch this week. Archibald‘s Adventures is a blend of action and puzzling with various levels of complexity. The player starts as a boy on skateboard, but soon will roll in a robotic vehicle capable of riding on walls and ceilings, flying on jet-powered device or remotely controling a mysterious floating bubble. The game is also availble for iPhone, Pocket PC, Windows Mobile, Windows PC and Mac OS X if you aren’t a fan of the iPod Touch.

Astro Cash
Game equipment company ASTRO Gaming recently closed $3.5 million in Series B venture funding. That cool cash injection was Lead by Triangle Peak Partners, LP and other investors like Fayez Sarofim & Co., Nixon Watches co-founder Chad DiNenna, three-time NBA All Star and video game enthusiast Gilbert Arenas, as well as parent company ASTRO Studios. ASTRO Gaming expects to complete the round with an additional $1.5 million within the next 90 days. The Series B round will be used to support current product rollouts, additional product development and the introduction of the ASTRO Gaming brand to Europe and Asia.