Kotaku: dark sector

The Simple Booth Companions

Brian Ashcraft — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:00:00 MDT

D3Publisher, the folks behind the delightful Simple Series and the not so delightful Dark Sector, have Tokyo Game Show booth companions. Six of them by our count. That's a very conservative number for a company that releases not so conservative games.

The above woman is holding a back for The Simple Series 10th anniversary. That's nice of her.

Dark Sector Review: A Difficult Journey

Brian Crecente — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:00:00 MDT

Digital Extreme's Dark Sector is meant, it feels, to be the beginning of something, a game that serves as an origin tale and set piece for what could become a franchise. In the game you play as Hayden Tenno, a black-ops agent sent into Eastern Europe to assassinate someone. Things go astray, as these things often do, and Tenno is infected with a virus that gives him evolving and deadly powers; chief among them the ability to boomerang an organic three-bladed knife at people, lopping off appendages.

Digital Extreme probably had a no-brainer hit when the decided to let people lop off body parts with a deadly Frisbee, but in their pursuit for something more they may have missed the mark this time around.

Loved
The Glaive: As if lopping off enemies' legs and arms with a flying three-bladed disc weren't fun enough, Dark Sector lets you slow down time and guide it along it's path with the PS3's tilt controls. (Which works amazingly well) You can also absorb electricity, fire and ice with it, allowing you to do things like freeze over lakes you have to cross or turn waterfalls into bullet-deflecting cover.
Gruesome Finishing Moves: Call me a fan of action violence, but I love being able to weaken a creature or enemy and then walk up and sink my glaive through its arm, or cut out its intestines and lop off their head in one move.
Puzzling Boss Battles: The boss battles, and there are a lot of them, almost all require as much thinking as it does shooting and throwing. The final fight in the game is particularly brutal.
Weapon System: It's not all about the glaive in Dark Sector. You can also upgrade your weapons through a black market, a requirement because the ones you find on the street tend to explode after a few minutes use.

Hated
Delayed Abilities: While it's a rather lengthy game, it takes far too long to give you the abilities that make playing it actually fun. Typically that isn't a problem, but the game has so little else to offer that, sans your evolving powers, Dark Sector feels like a generic, rather bad shooter.
Weak Glaive: Lets face it, none of use are going to buy this game to shoot people. Dark Sector is all about the amputation and designing it so that you can't lop off a limb without several hits is just plain stupid.
Shallow Plot, Bad Dialog: Wow, just wow. The plot is an amalgam of every old sci-fi and military movie. You've got your scorned lover, your grumpy old Russian scientist, your patriot-loving general. Thank god they let you skip each and every cut-scene... immediately.
Trite Character Design: The look of some of the main characters go hand-in-hand with that hackneyed plot, but the one I can't figure is lead Hayden Tenno. Since when do Emo kids go black-ops when they grow up?
Bugs: While the technical glitches aren't as pronounced later in the game, early on they can be quite distracting and it never shakes the occasional chugging.

When I first checked out early code of Dark Sector I hated it. When I started playing it I hated it. In fact, there were times when I was playing through it that I honestly considered just stopping and moving on. But something kept me coming back for more. Most likely the glaive and the impressive ways you can use it to, at times, literally shape a level. Unfortunately, the game doesn't really shake out its kinks until nearly half-way through and the elements of the game that are truly unique and impressive tend to get lost in a glut of generic gunplay.

Next time, more Jackal and Aftertouch and less running and gunning.

Dark Sector was developed by Digital Extremes, published by D3 Publisher of America and released on March 25 on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Retails for $59.99. Campaign played to completion, online modes sampled on PS3.

Dark Sector Launch Trailer

Mike Fahey — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:20:05 MDT

Here's the launch trailer for D3Publisher's Dark Sector, and while the gameplay still strikes me as a bit unexciting, the cutscenes certainly seem to pack a punch. This is one of those releases that is going to have me extremely conflicted. Not so much interested in the single player, but the multiplayer sounds nifty and the storyline and voice acting might be just enough to tip me over to the purchase side of the fence. It's one of those games that will have me at the game store on the 26th, endlessly picking it up, getting halfway to the register and then putting it back down again. The GameStop employees absolutely love me.

Dark Sector's Chromas

Brian Crecente — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:57:14 MDT

I really wasn't that impressed with Dark Sector when I saw it at the Tokyo Game Show last year, but this look at the Chromas sorta makes me think that maybe I was wrong. Of course, I probably wasn't, but there's always a chance.

Dark Sector's PS3 Entitlements?

Brian Crecente — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:00:07 MST

What's this now? The D3 folks just sent us a press release with the full break down of Dark Sector's Xbox 360 achievements and... Playstation 3 entitlements? More and more frequently we're starting to see knock-off achievements rear their addictive heads in Playstation 3 versions of games that show up on both the PS3 and Xbox 360. Maybe they've decided that since they've gone through the trouble of creating a list of "achievements" for the 360 they might as well rename it and use the same list on the PS3.

I've emailed the PR folks to find out how exactly they'll show up in the PS3 version of Dark Sector. If you're interested in the nitty-gritty, hit the jump for the games achievements and entitlements, which are broken down into level completion, combat and multiplayer.

I'll make sure to update when and if we hear back.

ACHIEVEMENTS (X360) / ENTITLEMENTS (PS3)

LEVEL COMPLETION - 300 PTS.

Name: Prologue
Description: Completed Chapter 1
Achievement Parameter: Complete Chapter 1
Score: 10

Name: Exposure
Description: Completed Chapter 2
Achievement Parameter: Complete Chapter 2
Score: 10

Name: Baggage Claim
Description: Completed Chapter 3
Achievement Parameter: Complete Chapter 3
Score: 10

Name: Moths To The Flame
Description: Completed Chapter 4
Achievement Parameter: Complete Chapter 4
Score: 10

Name: The Shipment
Description: Completed Chapter 5
Achievement Parameter: Complete Chapter 5
Score: 10

Name: The Bait
Description: Completed Chapter 6
Achievement Parameter: Complete Chapter 6
Score: 10

Name: Industrial Evolution
Description: Completed Chapter 7
Achievement Parameter: Complete Chapter 7
Score: 10

Name: Unnatural History
Description: Completed Chapter 8
Achievement Parameter: Complete Chapter 8
Score: 10

Name: Threshold Guardian
Description: Completed Chapter 9
Achievement Parameter: Complete Chapter 9
Score: 10

Name: The Dark Sector
Description: Completed the game
Achievement Parameter: Complete the game
Score: 100

Name: Dark Sector - Brutal Difficulty
Description: Completed the Game on Brutal Difficulty
Achievement Parameter: Complete the Game on Brutal Difficulty
Score: 110

COMBAT - 200 PTS

Name: Headhunter
Description: Decapitated 30 enemies
Achievement Parameter: Decapitate 30 enemies
Score: 10

Name: Incinerator
Description: Incinerated 30 enemies
Achievement Parameter: Incinerate 30 enemies
Score: 10

Name: Electrician
Description: Electrocuted 30 enemies
Achievement Parameter: Electrocute 30 enemies
Score: 10

Name: Jack Frost
Description: Killed 30 frozen enemies.
Achievement Parameter: Kill 30 frozen enemies
Score: 10

Name: Finesse
Description: 30 Aftertouch kills
Achievement Parameter: Kill 30 enemies with Aftertouch
Score: 40

Name: Hardball
Description: 30 Power-throw kills
Achievement Parameter: Kill 30 enemies with Power-throw
Score: 35

Name: Sharpshooter
Description: 30 Headshots
Achievement Parameter: Get 30 headshots
Score: 10

Name: Glaive Master
Description: Completed a level by only using the Glaive
Achievement Parameter: Complete a level by only using the Glaive
Score: 10

Name: The Finisher
Description: Performed 30 finishers
Achievement Parameter: Perform 30 finishers
Score: 10

Name: Double Decap Latte
Description: Two decapitations in one shot
Achievement Parameter: Get two decapitations
in one shot
Score: 15

Name: Jack the Jackal
Description: Took the Jackal for a ride
Achievement Parameter: Take the Jackal for a ride
Score: 35

Name: Skeet Shooter
Description: Shot 10 projectiles in mid-flight.
Achievement Parameter: Shoot 10 projectiles in mid-flight
Score: 10

Name: Weaponsmith
Description: Applied 5 upgrades in the market
Achievement Parameter: Apply 5 upgrades in the market
Score: 10

Name: Greed
Description: Collected over 50,000 rubles
Achievement Parameter: Collect over 50,000 rubles
Score: 10

Name: Researcher
Description: Collected 10 weapon upgrades
Achievement Parameter: Collect 10 weapon upgrades
Score: 10

Name: Master Researcher
Description: Collected all the weapon upgrades
Achievement Parameter: Collect all the weapon upgrades
Score: 15

Name: Rebound
Description: Killed an enemy with a reflected projectile
Achievement Parameter: Kill an enemy with a reflected projectile
Score: 15

Name: Ghost
Description: Used cloaking to get a finisher
Achievement Parameter: Use cloaking to get a finisher
Score: 35

MULTIPLAYER - 200 PTS

Name: Glory
Description: Finished best overall in a ranked match (Multiplayer)
Achievement Parameter: Finish best overall in a ranked match (Multiplayer)
Score: 30

Name: Veteran
Description: Scored 500 points (Multiplayer)
Achievement Parameter Score 500 points (Multiplayer)
Score: 30

Name: Hero
Description: Scored 5000 points (Multiplayer)
Achievement Parameter: Score 5000 points (Multiplayer)
Score: 40

Name: Champion
Description: Best overall in a ranked team game (Multiplayer)
Achievement Parameter: Finish best overall in a ranked team game (Multiplayer)
Score: 30

Name: Comrade
Description: Scored 500 points in ranked team games (Multiplayer)
Achievement Parameter: Score 500 points in ranked team games (Multiplayer)
Score: 30

Name: Hero of the people
Description: Scored 5000 points in ranked team games (Multiplayer)
Achievement Parameter: Score 5000 points in ranked team games (Multiplayer)
Score: 40

DARK SECTOR - I played Dark Sector at TGS....

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:50:00 MST

DARK SECTOR - I played Dark Sector at TGS. Thought it sucked. Anyway, word's come through that the game's been refused classification in Australia, mostly because it's a "violent and sometimes gruesome game with a sinister storyline and ominous outcome. The violence and aggression inflicted upon the protagonist is of a high level, naturalistic and not stylised at all". It's expected the game will be edited and resubmmitted for classification at a later date. While the loss of Dark Sector itself isn't going to cause too many sleepless nights, it is troubling that the OFLC have found it unacceptable, since while violent, it wasn't particularly more violent than something like, say, Gears of War.

Lex Luthor Voices Dark Sector

Mike Fahey — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:20:20 MST

The least sinister Lex Luthor of all time (including Gene Hackman) has got himself another video game voice over gig, as actor Michael Rosenbaum is announced as the voice of Hayden Tenno, the cold-blooded protagonist of Digital Extremes Dark Sector. No stranger to VO work, Rosebaum has provided voices for Jackie Chan Adventures, Justice League, Static Shock, and Batman Beyond, as well as video game roles in Gladius and Yakuza.

"We are thrilled to work with Mr. Rosenbaum on Dark Sector," said Suzanne Sutton, PR and Marketing Manager for D3PE. "His experience in portraying tormented characters on-screen translates incredibly well to the tortured character of Hayden Tenno in Dark Sector, a true anti-hero who makes no excuses for his actions."

Sutton of course is referring to Rosenbaum's darkest role, Adina in Sorority Girls. Still can't believe he didn't see Oscar gold that year.

Michael Rosenbaum Lends Voice Talent To D3PE's Highly Anticipated Next-Gen Title Dark Sector
D3Publisher of Europe Ltd. (D3PE), a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, has announced that Michael Rosenbaum, an award-winning Hollywood actor known best to audiences as Lex Luthor on television's "Smallville," will voice the main character in its forthcoming Dark Sector™ title.

An original action-thriller offering heart-pounding action, incredible superpowers and a compelling story for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Rosenbaum will bring to life the character of Hayden Tenno, a cold-blooded, ruthless killer who awakens after an attack with an infection that has granted him inhuman abilities. Through the storyline and Rosenbaum's voice over, players will experience Hayden's transformation into something more than he was, his fight against the powers taking over his body and his evolution as he becomes a hero. Dark Sector is slated for release in April.

Rosenbaum's acting credits span a decade and include his current work on The CW action series "Smallville" as the tormented and dysfunctional Lex Luthor. He is also known for his roles in feature films including Cursed (2005), Bringing Down the House (2003), Poolhall Junkies (2002), Sorority Boys (2002), Sweet November (2001), Urban Legend (1998) and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997) as well as roles in television and theatre.

"We are thrilled to work with Mr. Rosenbaum on Dark Sector," said Suzanne Sutton, PR and Marketing Manager for D3PE. "His experience in portraying tormented characters on-screen translates incredibly well to the tortured character of Hayden Tenno in Dark Sector, a true anti-hero who makes no excuses for his actions. The combination of his voice talent and the compelling storyline of Dark Sector will offer a truly immersive experience for players."

Developed by acclaimed developer Digital Extremes, co-creators behind the award-winning Epic Game's Unreal franchise, Dark Sector thrusts players into the role of Hayden Tenno, an elite black-ops agent sent on a dangerous mission into a decaying Eastern European city that hides a deadly Cold War secret. Attacked by an unknown enemy, he awakens to find part of his body altered by an infection that has granted him inhuman abilities; now he must learn to evolve along with his powers, to survive and to become a hero. A dark, gritty experience packed with fast action, incredible superpowers and an engaging story; Dark Sector represents the next evolution of gaming.

Dark Sector Discovery

Brian Crecente — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:00:42 MST

I was not very impressed with Dark Sector when I briefly checked it out at the Tokyo Game Show earlier this year. This video almost makes me want to give it a second chance... almost.

Dark Sector Impressions

Brian Crecente — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:20:48 MDT

I had about 15 minutes to play around with D3 Publisher's Dark Sector today and while I loved having the ability to arbitrarily and capriciously lop off limbs and heads with a Krull-like throwing blade, the shaky controls and spastic graphics just killed the game for me.

When not in motion, or under any taxing special effects, the graphics aren't really that bad. In fact, I initially kind of liked the look of the game. But once I started taking fire and jumping stuff, things nose-dived. In one scene I dropped down from a ledge, at the request of the game, and the animation showed my character float out off the ledge and then drop straight down, his legs never really bending. When explosions hit near the character the entire screen turns red, I don't mean like a red tint or a blood effect, I mean an ugly red that blanks out the entire screen.

Even if I was willing to put the graphic issues aside, the aiming also left me pretty cold. I actually spent a bulk of my time trying to figure out exactly what I didn't like about the aiming. The problem was that the aiming felt greased, like if you pushed too hard in one direction the reticle would zip past your target. And it wasn't just a sensitivity issue. It just felt off. I found that the best way to play was to move reticle to my target, let go of the thumbstick, and then press fire in bursts. This typically worked, but really sucked for fluid play.

The game's one salvation was that damn cool throwing knife. Not only did it have a much, much larger targeting area, but when you hit someone it slid through the target like a hot knife through butter. Initially the target just sort of slumps, but as their lifeless body hits the ground whatever you popped sort of falls off, like a leg or an arm. The resulting real-world physics and jets of arterial blood almost made up for everything else.. almost.

Unreal Criticisms Totally Out of Context

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 22:00:30 MDT

Hold it right there, buster! Cross platform third-person-shooter Dark Sector developer Digital Extremes is claiming that its criticism of the Unreal Engine 3 was taken way out of context. Word has it that Digital Extremes picked its own custom engine due to alleged problems with Epic's Unreal Engine 3. In an interview with Australian website Gameplayer, Dark Sector director Steve Sinclair said this:

A lot of promises were made about the Unreal 3 Engine, particularly on PS3. But as we see now, the time frames haven't been met and now a lot of games using it are being held up.

To which Digital Extremes were taken out of context within the conversation. How do you take a quote like that out of context? CEO James Schmalz now says:

As long time partners of Epic Games, we have nothing but respect for what they've done with their engine and the huge success of Gears of War. We have many friends at Epic and still have a great relationship with them. The truth of the matter is that Unreal Engine 3 didn't exist when we started developing Dark Sector. We had some great ideas for the next-gen consoles coming out and these ideas quickly turned into a whole development environment that revolves around the Evolution Engine now powering Dark Sector.

Yes, yes. We like the Cliffster's Gears of War, too. I'm still somewhat confused, though. Didn't Digital Extremes decide not to use the Unreal Engine? But it didn't exist? Says Schmalz:

Ultimately, it was the right decision for us to branch out with our own technology but we know that the Unreal Engine is a great engine and expect it will continue to power many great games in the future.

Hooray for extinguishing fires and PR backpedaling!

Unreal Engine Criticism [CVG]

D3 and Tomy's Shhhhedule

Brian Crecente — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:00:42 MDT

D3 and Tomy just sent over their plans for next week's Comic Con. The companies will have a lot to look at including Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire, Naruto: Path of the Ninja and Ed, Edd 'n Eddy.

Other games on site will include Dark Sector, Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution, Ben 10: Protector of Earth and Dead Head Fred. They will also have some artists and writers on hand, though I'm not sure if that's for the Comic Con or just their party.

Coolest part? They're going to be transporting press from the Comic Con to their party via "Naruto pedi-cabs."

D3Publisher Reveals E3 Line Up, Calls It "Solid"

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:20:31 MDT

The product announcements just keep flowing like delicious wine, the kind that calm our shakes, as D3Publisher of America announces its license-rich line up of software on hand at E3 2007. While fare like Naruto and Ben 10, both Cartoon Network properties are sure to sell with ease based on their following, some original efforts like Dark Sector, Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire and Dead Head Fred will also make an appearance. You're right, that is a lot of Ds. If you're so inclined, make your way over to the full release after the jump, to see what D3 calls "solid." I'd say it ranges somewhere between "outta site" and "butter layin' it to the bone, jaggin' me up."

D3PUBLISHER OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES SOLID E3 2007 LINE-UP FEATURING TITLES BASED ON TOP-SELLING ENTERTAINMENT BRANDS AND ORIGINAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES

LOS ANGELES, CA - July 10, 2007 - D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA) will showcase titles for gamers of all ages at this year's E3 Media & Business Summit, taking place in the Barker Hanger, Santa Monica, California from July 11-13, 2007. The company's line-up includes titles based on popular entertainment brands such as VIZ Media's hit anime series SHONEN JUMP™ NARUTO™ and Cartoon Network Enterprises' Ben 10, as well as innovative offerings for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Nintendo DS™ and Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo.

D3Publisher of America's Game Line-Up Includes:

Dark Sector™ - An all-new and original action-thriller designed exclusively for next-generation consoles, Dark Sector thrusts players into the role of Hayden Tenno, an elite black-ops agent sent on a dangerous mission into a decaying Eastern European city that hides a deadly Cold War secret. Attacked by an unknown enemy, he awakens to find part of his body altered by an infection that has granted him inhuman abilities and he must learn to evolve along with his powers, to survive and to become a hero. A dark, gritty experience packed with fast action, incredible superpowers and an engaging story; Dark Sector is anticipated for release in Q1 2008 for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

NARUTO™: Clash of Ninja™ Revolution - Based on the hit series currently airing on Cartoon Network, NARUTO: Clash of Ninja Revolution is an original Wii game exclusive to the North American Market and will include characters that have never been featured in the Clash of Ninja game series. The game will follow the storyline of the television series and will take advantage of the Wii Remote™ in fast-paced ninja action for up to four players in nine different gameplay modes. The next generation in NARUTO games will also include all new character animations, new interactive environments and special mini-games created exclusively for the Wii Remote. Co-published by TOMY Corporation and D3PA, NARUTO: Clash of Ninja Revolution is anticipated for release this fall.

Dead Head Fred™ - Created specifically for the PSP system, Dead Head Fred draws players into an original 1940's inspired alternative universe where players will experience an innovative and refreshing twist on Action gameplay as they collect, upgrade and switch heads on the fly to strategically fight enemies in a story of revenge and redemption. As private detective Fred Neuman, savagely murdered and then resurrected in a bizarre scientific experiment without his memory or his head, players embark on a quest for vengeance as they solve their own murder by using the severed heads of enemies to battle their way through challenging but bizarre environments. Dead Head Fred is anticipated for release on August 28, 2007.

Ben 10™: Protector of Earth - Players will take on the role of Cartoon Network's popular everyday-kid-turned-alien-hero, Ben Tennyson. Using the power of the Omnitrix which has embedded itself on Ben's wrist, players will be able to battle as one of five popular alien heroes from the show. By taking on these amazing powers, players can battle to save the world through the game's diverse challenges, puzzles and skirmishes. Ben 10: Protector of Earth is anticipated for release this fall for the Wii™, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™ portable handheld system and PSP system.

Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire™ - Designed specifically for the Wii system, Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire is a 3rd person action-adventure game where players unleash the magical powers of a fierce dragon, creating a unique and visually stunning weapon through their sword and arms. Players will utilize an intuitively designed, two-handed Wii control scheme and use both arms simultaneously to emulate the dragon's arms, wings, tail, fire and more as they embark on an epic fantasy adventure in more than 20 unique environments in 6 visually stunning worlds. Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire is anticipated for release this fall.

NARUTO™: Path of the Ninja - Following the story line from the Cartoon Network television show, Naruto: Path of the Ninja for Nintendo DS™ will allow players to explore the Village Hidden in the Leaves and the world of Naruto as they roam across forests, fields, rivers and mountains. Along the way players will encounter bosses and enemies that they must use their special techniques to defeat. Each of the 6 playable characters will possess a unique time-based combat system and players will train their Ninja team to learn more than 90 different Jutsu techniques. Co-published by TOMY Corporation and D3PA, NARUTO: Path of the Ninja is anticipated for release this fall.

For product demonstrations of D3PA's E3 2007 game line-up, please visit Booth #425 & 427, Barker Hanger, Santa Monica, California, this July 11-13, or for additional product information and art assets, please visit: http://www.d3press.us/.

About D3Publisher of America, Inc

D3Publisher of America, Inc. is a subsidiary of D3, Inc. with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. D3Publisher of America's strategic focus is on licensed and original titles from leading third-party developers that appeal to mass-market consumers or gaming enthusiasts. Based in Los Angeles, D3Publisher of America distributes and publishes software for personal computers, major console platforms and handheld systems including Wii™, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™ Game Boy® Advance, PlayStation® game console, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. For additional information on D3Publisher of America and its products, visit the website at http://www.d3publisher.us.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan Production Co., Ltd. (ShoPro Japan), VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America and a global licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including, magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, videos, DVDs, audio soundtracks and develops and markets animated entertainment from initial production, television placement and distribution, to merchandise licensing and promotions for audiences and consumers of all ages.

Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and at www.VIZ.com.

About Cartoon Network Enterprises

Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE), the global branding and merchandising arm of Cartoon Network, is charged with building consumer product franchises for Cartoon Network, its brands and characters from the channel's growing library of award-winning original programming. CNE also works to secure and support long-term licensee partnerships across all key merchandising categories. The division currently offers consumer product programs for an array of marquee animation franchises including Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls, Ed, Edd and Eddy, My Gym Partner is a Monkey, Camp Lazlo, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Adult Swim and more.

ESRB Issues Warnings To Industry On Violent Game Trailers

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 18:20:34 MDT

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board today cracked down on a handful of notable violent game trailers, enforcing its advertising policy on trailers produced by video game publishers. In accordance with the ESRB's Principles and Guidelines for Responsible Advertising Practices, notices from 2K Games and D3 Publisher went out to multiple outlets today reflecting the ESRB's enforcement of these guidelines.

We received the following notice from D3 earlier today regarding the recently released advertisements for Dark Sector, a PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360 release.

We recently received a ruling from the ESRB stating that the two officially released Dark Sector gameplay montages have been deemed to contain excessive or offensive content; and to this end are not to be available for download or viewing, regardless of being placed behind an age gate. In order to comply with this ruling, the ESRB has requested that the two Dark Sector gameplay montages be pulled immediately upon receipt of this notice and no longer made available for view by consumers.

2K Games only requested in their media update notification for The Darkness that "2K requests an age gate limiting the access to video footage to ages 17 and up." This is standard practice for all Mature-rated games since 2005.

In a statement, reports GamesIndustry.biz, ESRB president Patricia Vance clarified by board's policy, stating that:

All trailers must still conform to ARC's Principles and Guidelines, which prohibit the display of excessively violent content or any content likely to cause serious offense to the average consumer. The notices issued recently by game publishers to third party websites are simply that - steps in a chain of publisher compliance with ARC guidelines and the ESRB enforcement system that have been occurring since their establishment seven years ago.

Following last week's news that Manhunt 2 was issued an Adults Only rating by the board, one might speculate that the ESRB is making a more publicly visible and concerted effort to ensure that its policies are more strictly enforced, keeping inappropriate content from reaching the wrong audience. Michael McWhertor