The Rundown: Jan. 16, 2009
Today on The Rundown: GTA rumors make the rounds, the second largest electronics retailer goes belly up, Steve Miller invades Rock Band, Simon Whitcombe joins CBS and Burnout Paradise gets a new box.
Circuit City Goes Bankrupt
The country’s second-biggest consumer electronics retailer announced today that it has failed to find a buyer and will liquidate its 567 U.S. stores. The closures will probably add an additional 30,000 people into the unemployment ranks. Circuit City had hoped to find a buyer but the current financial climate coupled with a shrinking credit market made such a buypout extremly difficult to pull off. Circuit City has appointed Great American Group, Hudson Capital Partners, SB Capital Group and Tiger Capital Group as its liquidators.
Next GTA This Year, Says GI
A rumor not worth of a full story about a new Grand Theft Auto game ready for deployment at the end of this year is making the rounds this morning. Based on comments in the latest issue of Game Informer, word is that Rockstar North is already working on the next GTA title, which will apparently be set in a fictional Japanese city. GI pontificates that this is not merely downloadable content, but a “full retail product.”
Burnout Paradise The Ultimate Box Details
EA today announced that Burnout Paradise The Ultimate Box will be available in stores on February 5th in North America exclusively for the PC. For PS3 and Xbox 360 owners of Burnout Paradise in North America, the Party pack will be sold separately as a premium download February 5th on the PLAYSTATION Network and Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Burnout Paradise The Ultimate Box will be available in stores on February 6th in Europe for the PS3, Xbox 360 and the PC. The Party pack will also be sold separately in Europe February 5th on the PLAYSTATION Network and Xbox LIVE Marketplace. This special edition release includes the game, the previously-released Cagney and Bikes downloadable content updates, plus the brand new Burnout Paradise Party pack. The Party pack brings the social fun of Burnout Paradise into an offline multiplayer mode where players compete in different stunt, speed and skill events. The mode is designed to allow up to eight friends to “pass-the-pad” in dozens of quick-fire, turn-based challenges.
Future US Exec Joins CBS Interactive
Simon Whitcombe id now the former senior vice president and publishing director of Future Plus Groups. Whitcombe has joined CBS Interactive. Whitcombe is a seasoned veteran who has worked at such publications as Amiga Format, Edge, Total Nintendo, Zero Magazine, and IGN.com, his new role will be VP of games in CBS’s sports, games and music division - he will also oversee the content on GameSpot.
Here Comes SlotZ Racer
Freeverse has released SlotZ Racer for the iPhone and iPod touch. Developed by Strange Flavour, SlotZ Racer puts you in control of 3D slot cars in multiplayer and single player competing for laps or against the clock in Time Trials. SlotZ Racer is available for iPhone and iPod Touch from Apple’s App Store at an introductory price of just $0.99. This special pricing will only last for three days, after which the game will be priced at $2.99. Find out more at itunes.apple.com.
New Star Soccer 4 Gets Localized
New Star Games’ New Star Soccer 4 has been updated to include 4 new languages. It is now playable in English, Italian, Polish, Dutch and Bulgarian. The company says that this update is just the start of an ongoing project to localize the game in as many languages as possible. All of the translation work is being handled by dedicated gamers within the New Star Soccer community. Find out more at www.newstargames.com.
Sega Joins Gamers Gate
GamersGate has signed a distribution agreement SEGA to publish select PC games on its digital distribution network. The first titles to be released are Football Manager 2009 and Universe at War. SEGA will also be including catalog titles such as Condemned: Criminal Origins, Rome: Total War Series, and Outrun 2006: Coast to Coast.
Atlus Scores Steal Princess
Atlus U.S.A. has secured the North American publishing rights for Steal Princess for Nintendo DS. The game is a 3D puzzle platformer using a simple play field featuring complex challenges and clever puzzles that the player must solve by jumping, swinging, climbing, and attacking. After players complete the 150 levels (which can be replayed) they can get to work on creating their own clever levels to share with friends and strangers alike. more details can be found at http://www.atlus.com.
EA Results Feb. 3
Electronic Arts will release its results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2009 after the close of market on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009. As usual the company will host a conference call to review its results for the third fiscal quarter, discuss its outlook for the future, and may disclose other material developments affecting its business and/or financial performance.
More Rock Band Tracks on the Way
Eight new tracks will soon be available on the Rock Band Music Store including music from the Steve Miller Band, Godsmack, Belly, Ghost Hounds, Mute Math and Rob Zombie. Tracks include Steve Miller Band’s Space Cowboy, Take The Money and Run, and The Joker; Godsmack’s I Stand Alone; Belly’s Feed The Tree, Ghost Hounds’ Wind Me Up; Mute Math’s Typical; and Rob Zombie’s War Zone. These track will hit Xbox Live Marketplace on Jan. 20 and Jan. 23 on PSN.
Hudson Launches Pop ‘Em Drop ‘Em Samegame
Hudson Entertainment announced the launch of Pop ‘Em Drop ‘Em Samegame, a new puzzle game available for WiiWare. Designed for casual players, Pop ‘Em Drop ‘Em Samegame features puzzle gameplay in which players match two or more colored blocks to clear them. As blocks are cleared, the remaining blocks will shift and bonus points are awarded when all blocks are cleared. The game allows for play with up to four friends at home in three fast-paced multiplayer modes: Fame Game, Shame Game and Blame Game. Players can also customize the game by changing the block design and backgrounds.
