He made the comment in a conference call earlier today, which was held to provide a "please explain" for the company's decision to axe a whopping 1500 employees.

Next year, eh? Not bad for a game we've literally heard or seen nothing about.

Alex Ward, head of Burnout developers Criterion, has said "Suda-51 came here for the day a few weeks ago. He's a hardcore Burnout fan. I checked the servers - over 700hrs play."

700 hours? Hey, Suda: get back to work!

[CrashAlex @ Twitter, via VG247]

Such a claim is "proof that you're not the best," Richard Parr said to Eurogamer. "It means you're out of ideas."

The line of reasoning - those who are truly pushing the boundaries of game development are discovering more and different things to do, not finding their options limited and shrinking. I agree. The capabilities of a console can be measured objectively in, say, polygons, framerate, etc. But the totality of a game experience? How do you honestly get to a point where you say "Well, that game is right at the limit"?

Criterion senior engineer Alex Fry chimed in: "You always find new ways to do things, the constraints lift. Not just with a new console generation but with every game you do. ... The constraints go away because you learn. While it's nice to say you've maxed something out, there's not really any point."

Criterion: Nobody's Maxed Out a PS3/360 [Eurogamer]

During my interview with EA CEO John Riccitiello last week at E3, I asked if EA's two big racing brands, Need for Speed and Burnout, would be merging into one.

No, Riccitiello said, but the Burnout team at EA's Criterion Games, led by Alex Ward, are making the next Need for Speed. "Alex is one of the people in the industry I would analogize to the great filmmakers, etc.," Riccitiello said. "He is a true creative visionary. We had a great fight about what the next Need For Speed would be like. Of course, he gets to win because it's his call. It's not that I'm without an opinion on it."

That still sounded like a possible Burnout-NFS merger to me, so I pressed Riccitiello on whether Burnout would be folded into Need for Speed.

"I don't think you can fold Burnout into Need for Speed, because a lot of people like Burnout," he said. "We don't have a plan right now for a separate major launch on Burnout, because the team doing it is working on a revolutionary take on Need for Speed. I don't know, if Paramount, in addition to owning Star Trek owned Star Wars, which isn't the way it is, I don't think you'd merge them."

I pointed out that Star Trek Wars could be an interesting movie, one I'd watch. "Captain Kirk meets R2D2," laughed Riccitiello. "It'd have to be in a Spaceballs kind of way."

Riccitiello did not say when Criterion's Need for Speed would be released. Need for Speed Shift and Need for Speed Nitro, which, collectively, will be released for all major platforms this year, are up next.

Then don't get a box. Get an intangible collection of files instead! Because Criterion announced on Friday that The Ultimate Box will be available soon on Valve's Steam service. Course, it's already available on that other major PC downloadable service, Direct2Drive, but since so many of you use/prefer Steam you'll probably be more interested in that.

The game - as Codemasters has been telling us for a while now - has a open play area equivalent to 5,000 square miles. It's not a great comparison - even by Brickley's calculations (he used Powerpoint, bless) Paradise City would need to be a postage stamp about 2.5 miles across - but I think we get his point.

So flippin' huge is the game that if made using 'traditional methods' (we think he is referring to data compression rather than hand tools and leather aprons) the game would fill a whopping 4 Blu-ray discs as opposed to the still fairly ginormous 1 Blu-ray disc it actually takes up.

Fuel's open world would fill '4 Blu-rays' [Videogamer]

"Cagney," already applied to the PS3 version, was originally slated for release on July 10. The update is free and is far more than a patch or a fix. Three new online game modes, two additional cars, and 70 new timed multipart challenges come with the new version, as well as "a complete overhaul of our Online Racing System and a stack of other major improvement," says Criterion. A full listing of features is in this announcement.

Cagney Pack Dated [Criterion]

Totilo got a hands-on with the expansion pack, due out in the next couple of months. The rundown: Your rider can be of either gender; weather effects and a day/night cycle are due in the final version; and while it's due for both consoles, the PS3 will get it first, as Electronic Arts wants to get a previous expansion already out on PS3 to the 360, and then bikes. There's more at the link.

More Wheelies, Less Crashing — How Motorcycles Work In ‘Burnout Paradise’ [MTV Multiplayer]

Straight from Criterion, here's the stuff that's on offer:

The Top 10 problems reported by you have been fixed, these are:

* PS3 game can crash when a player is taken down and the player that has performed the Takedown leaves the game.
* The game indefinitely displays "Connecting to Paradise City Servers" if it's having problems communicating with the rebroadcast server.
* Disconnecting the controller before a race begins can mean that race timings can be manipulated with players who didn't cross the line first being awarded the win.
* Repeatedly joining and leaving a game with 8 players can cause the game to hang.
* Hammering the A (360) or X (PS3) after unlocking a car can cause the game to hang.
* East Crawford and Watt St achievements cannot be achieved if the player goes online and sets road rules before attempting them.
* Audio distortion when using 5.1 / DTS and looking back at the car.
* Enhanced 360 streaming performance stops instances where the game seems to pause for a second or so.
* Total time driven in player stats would stick at 145 hours.
* VoIP connection problems with 8 player games. This is now live on the Paradise City servers.

The update also adds the following game experience enhancements:

* We fixed Head-on Takedowns as these seemed generally unfair and unrealistic. Unfair low speed Takedowns have now been eradicated.
* Increase online race timer timeout so players have a greater chance of finishing the race.
* Fix drifting bug when drifting and boosting. There wasn't any real control on the brake so players would grind around the walls of the corners. Giving you all better control of the car.
* Stabbing the boost has too much of a jerky behaviour in the car handling, when in Stunt Run.
* Surround sound fix - Centre speaker was 4dB louder, ruining the mix. The speech has now been positioned correctly.
* Increase the # of search results returned for online games.
* Increase Picture Paradise timer so it doesn't kick in so quickly.
* Post event ticker commentary is not now displayed for disconnected players.
* Show player the number of Complete Challenges easily by listing X/50 in the Challenges menu.

Other high priority issues that have been fixed:

* Instances where Barrel rolls were not registering correctly in Stunt Run.
* Takedowns online were not counting towards the Total Takedowns.
* Some instances where Revenge Rivalries desync & don't get fixed until players are updated online.
* Some instance where the Host couldn't change the game access if the game was created through an invite.
* Online challenge issues where the challenge couldn't be completed if it was started at the exact time that a player left the game.
* Incorrect rivalry updates when European players played against English or Japanese players. Online connection issues.
* Rich presence on 360 didn't change correctly when there is a change in the game parameters.
* Instances where Friends were not being displayed on the mini map.
* Some online race start points face the players in the wrong direction.

Another Burnout wouldn't come as a shock to just about anyone, but it would appear that EA is not going to give up trying to unseat the current Madden of skateboarding, Tony Hawk. He told investors "these are the fights that EA knows how to win," which I'm sure has Activision execs losing control of their bowels in fear. You're welcome for the imagery.

New Burnout, Skate on the way [GameSpot]

It's our intention to extend the life of Burnout with additional DLC in the near future. As mentioned, we don't want to split the online community between those that have content and those that don't. Our intention is to offer both free and paid for DLC in a way that enables everyone to 'see' the content, even if they have not paid for it.

We opened a dialogue with Microsoft to attempt to discover a possible solution and all possible technical options were investigated to retain the seamless freedom of Burnout without requiring the HDD. Unfortunately a solution was not available and we decided together that it would be in the best interests of the Burnout community if we require the HDD for full online play.

XBOX 360 HDD/ONLINE STATEMENT [Criterion via N4G]

Burnout Paradise Crashes and Burns January 22 [shacknews]

"With Burnout in your pocket, you can tap into the adrenaline fuelled excitement of fast and reckless driving at the push of a button no matter where you are," said Javier Ferreira, VP European Publishing, EA Mobile™. "The game is incredibly easy to get into and enjoy, whether you're a racer at heart or prefer to stick to the Highway Code."

Now that he mentions it, Burnout: The Highway Code would make an awesome game for a mobile device. Try to stick to the rules of the road as prescribed by the Offical Road Safety Manual for the United Kingdom while racers on the much more capable platforms try to ruin your Sunday afternoon drive by acting like hooligans of the worst stripe. A game for anyone who has every spent hours playing GTA while obeying the speed limited and traffic signals. A game for me.

BURNOUT THE AWARD WINNING SERIES FAMED FOR HIGH-SPEED DESTRUCTION AND CHAOS IS COMING TO YOUR MOBILE

Chertsey, UK - 23 July, 2007 - The king of speed and destruction is back but this time it's a first for mobile! Electronic Arts (NASAQ: ERTS) today announced that a new Burnout™ game is currently in development for the mobile platform. Fans of the award winning racing game series are going to be able to take their dangerous driving experience wherever and whenever they are on the move when the game becomes available from all major operators this August.

Burnout has been tailor made for the mobile platform delivering speed, destruction and chaos never seen before on mobile. Fans of the franchise will be pleased to see features they enjoy from the console version of the game included but will also be delighted with new game modes exclusive to the mobile platform. Expect to see takedowns, supercharged boosts and much more, all taking place at break neck speed on your mobile phone.

"With Burnout in your pocket, you can tap into the adrenaline fuelled excitement of fast and reckless driving at the push of a button no matter where you are," said Javier Ferreira, VP European Publishing, EA Mobile™. "The game is incredibly easy to get into and enjoy, whether you're a racer at heart or prefer to stick to the Highway Code."

Current and new fans to the franchise are going to be surprised with features that have been implemented for the platform, ranging from high speed takedowns, multiple game modes, unlockable cars and regions but also at the sheer speed it's being delivered at, this is pure Burnout on your mobile.

A advertising poster for Electronic Arts PS2/PSP title Burnout Dominator has been labeled "irresponsible" by the UK's Advertising Standards Authority. Thirty-seven complaints were filed regarding the ad, which featured a wrecked car surrounded by broken glass with the slogan "Inner peace through outer violence." According to an ASA spokesperon;

The complainants described the advert as offensive as it condoned and was likely to encourage violence, dangerous driving and anti-social behaviour such as vandalism... The Advertising Standards Authority determined that the implication of the advertisment was likely to cause serious or widespread offence.

Stupid question. Brian Ashcraft

Eds Note: Multiplayer editor Ludovica was kind enough to send along the ad image. Many thanks!

Irresponsible Ad [Games Industry]

Hit the jump for the full press release. Michael Fahey

BANDS BATTLE IT OUT IN EA'S BURNOUT BANDSLAM!

EA, MySpace, Virgin Records and Epiphone support emerging music talent in international search for a future star; one U.S. and one European winner get a demo recording contract and track featured on future BurnoutTM videogame

edwood City, Calif. - February 13, 2007 - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) and MySpace, the world's leading lifestyle portal, have today announced an international search for the hottest new bands in the United States and Europe, in collaboration with Virgin Records and Epiphone. EA's Burnout Bandslam started accepting entries on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/burnoutbandslam) from early February 2007*.
Burnout Bandslam offers unsigned bands from across the United States and Europe the chance to showcase their best track in front of a potential global audience of over 80 million MySpace users, all of whom will be able to vote for their favorite track online.
The winning bands - one each from the United States and Europe - will each receive a Virgin Records demo recording contract and a chance to have their song included in a future Burnout videogame. One runner-up band from each country will become the proud owners of one top-of-the-range Epiphone Les Paul Custom Guitar**.
"Many of the biggest bands around the world have been first discovered through EA videogames, and now we are expanding the opportunity to unsigned bands through this year's Burnout Bandslam," says Steve Schnur, worldwide executive of music and marketing for EA. "The Burnout videogame series is all about attitude and rebellion. So I look forward to discovering a band or two which fits that definition."
"MySpace is dedicated to providing musicians around the globe the ability to share their music and connect with fans online," said Shawn Gold, SVP of Marketing, MySpace. "This partnership is part of our ongoing efforts to provide creative and passionate artists with a platform to be seen, heard, and connect online in order to get to the next level."

"EA has consistently broadened the lanes where music and interactive gaming intersect, and has proven that video games are a rich platform for the discovery and enjoyment of new and established artists, so a collaboration between Virgin and EA has great logic," noted Jeff Kempler, COO, Capitol Music Group. "Partnering with EA in this exciting artist discovery and development contest is a perfect fit for Virgin's dedication to innovative and expansive interaction with creative talent and music fans wherever they may be."

"Epiphone is proud to be involved and associated with this year's Burnout Bandslam and the game Burnout Dominator. Music, talent and excitement are all part of the Epiphone tradition and makes our partnership the perfect fit," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO Gibson Guitar, Epiphone's parent company.

The Burnout videogame series is developed by EA's Criterion Games studio and is one of the most acclaimed racing videogame franchises of all time. Burnout Dominator is currently in development for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and PSP (PlayStation Portable) system and due for release in March 2007.
For more information about the Burnout videogame series, please visit the EA press web site at http://info.ea.com, the official Burnout videogame homepage at http://burnout.ea.com or Criterion Games at www.criteriongames.com
For more information about the Burnout Bandslam Contest see additional information below and check out http://www.myspace.com/burnoutbandslam beginning early February 2007 to view complete Contest Official Rules. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Eligibility restrictions apply.

* Precise Contest start dates/times may vary by territory. Please consult the website (http://www.myspace.com/burnoutbandslam) and specific country page for details."

**Guitars to be awarded as part of any prize(s)/package are limited to the quantities quoted. In the event that any winning Band is comprised of multiple Band members, prize(s) will be delivered to the winning Band and division of the prizes is solely the winners' responsibility.

###

Finally Some Burnout 5 Media! [Operation Burnout]

You may have heard the rumors going around about the Nyko Intercooler. What was meant to help your Xbox 360 from overheating is actually causing it's own kind of burnout. Reader Ben M. sends in these pictures of the Intercooler he bought for his system along with the horror story of what happened when he put it in use.

As you can see, this product, although a great idea and it actually works, can be a serious fire hazard. Just check out what it did. Not to mention it melted one of my Xbox360 power connector covers which is still inside the Intercooler. Burnt, may I add.

From what I can gather, this has been happening to a lot of people and I certainly hope that NYKO will do a recall of these defective apparatus. If not, I hope they are ready to pay for repairs on all those burnt out 360's. Flynn De Marco

College Hoops 2K6 (Xbox 360)
The 360 port of last years college basketball hit. Double the price, double the depth of field blur, double the FUN!

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (Xbox, Xbox 360)
The gorgeous tactical shooter from the house that Tom Clancy built will have Xbox Live gamers headshotting eachother into oblivion this Wednesday.

Burnout Revenge (Xbox 360)
The 360 port of last years college basketball hit. I mean driving game! More sparks, more damage, more everything! It was smart to wait.

Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (PS2)
The fourth proper Onimusha game moves the series in a new direction. Early reviews? Promising!

Shadow Hearts: From The New World (PS2)
Midway passed on the third Shadow Hearts RPG, but Xseed took From The New World under its publishing wing. Will the west finally buy this game?

Pursuit Force (PSP)
The car-jumpin', car-shootin', super cop action title from SCEA was a hit at E3. Will the final product live up to the initial hype?

Tales of Phantasia (GBA)
The classic RPG that spawned a thousand Tales games gets remade for the GBA crowd.

Pokemon Trozei (DS)
Oops! Broke the bad anime license rule! The sliding puzzle title fills the Pokemon rut for now.

Since it's not a complete list of this week's tasty gaming morsels, let us know what else you're getting in the comments. Happy gaming!