And you thought all the crazy shit was happening in LA. The latest issue of Famitsu brings word of a new Dead Rising game. But it's not a spin-off, per se, nor is it the probably-Vegas-bound Dead Rising 2, it's...a Wii version. And a direct (well, as good as they can get it) port of the 360 original to boot. With zombie-wrestling waggle and everything. Before you ask why, ask yourself why not. It worked for Res 4, you can't blame Capcom for trying! Scans are after the jump if you're in a state of disbelief.

[via Wii@Everyday]

You may remember that back in February McWhertor wrote up a rumor that Dead Rising 2 would be developed by a Western developer. Specifically, McWhertor wrote that development duties for the game have been handed over to Vancouver-area third-party Blue Castle Games.

Well, like a zombie, a good rumor is hard to kill. We've just gotten tipped off from yet another source that yes the folks behind The Bigs for 2K Sports are in fact the team working on the Dear Rising sequel. (Is that a copy of Dead Rising on their art director's desk?) Moreover, we're told that this new Dead Rising game will leave the wilds of Colorado (dammit) and venture into Las Vegas.

That's right, what's killed in Vegas doesn't stay dead in Vegas.

In their Games section, Blue Castle Games taunts visitors with redacted details about what they are working on:

We’re continuing to deliver outstanding, action-oriented games with the up coming XXXX, as well as two sports related titles, XXXX XXXX and XXXX.

Our teams are having a blast working on the new games. XXXX in particular is getting a ton of buzz internally. We think it must be the XXXXXXXX aspect of XXXX XXXX that gets everyone so excited. Plus, we can’t wait to see how people react to the XXXX in XXXXX .

Man, I sure hope those last set of Xs spell out Zombie Hookers in Dead Rising 2!

George Romero Clueless About Dead Rising?

Back in late February, we brought word of a Dead Rising lawsuit. Capcom was being sued over the game by the MKR Group, which holds the rights to George Romerso's Dawn of the Dead film. MKR claimed that Dead Rising was essentially an unlicensed adaptation of the Romero film. Over the weekend, George Romero appeared at the Chicago Horror Convention, and Kotaku reader Tyler was on hand to get his copy of Dead Rising autographed by the famed horror director. According to Tyler:

I went to a horror movie convention here in Chicago on Sunday because George Romero was due to show up for autograph signing and I was hoping he would grace my copy of Dead Rising with his signature (not expecting that he would at all). Lo and behold he actually did, and on top of that, he was not even aware of Dead Rising...i had to explain to him what it was and he was happy to sign it. Makes me wonder if he is even aware of the legal battles Capcom has had to endure.

Makes us wonder, too. If you can't read what Romero wrote, it is: "Tyler Stay Scared George Romero."

Capcom Sued Over Dead Rising

Two weeks ago, Capcom tried some pre-emptive measures aimed at heading off an impending lawsuit from The MKR Group, who hold the rights to George Romero's Dawn of the Dead film. Didn't work. MKR have since sued Capcom, claiming that Dead Rising is essentially an unlicensed adaptation of Romero's masterpiece:

Both works are dark comedies. In both, the recreational activities of the zombies and absurdly grotesque 'kill scenes' provide unexpected comedic relief.

Both works provided thoughtful social commentary on the 'mall culture' zeitgeist, in addition to serving up a sizable portion of sensationalistic violence.

Dead Rising 2 Coming From The Bigs Team?

Dead Rising In Trouble Over Dawn Of The Dead Similarities

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Dead Rising 2 Rumored To Be In The Works, But Not At Capcom

The latest issue of EGM should be hitting subscriber mailboxes any day now, but 1UP has an early look at the month's rumor round up from the enigmatic Quarterman. One of the biggest unconfirmed stories is that Capcom is indeed readying a sequel to Xbox 360 zombie fest Dead Rising. A Western developer is rumored to have taken the development reins, one based in the Los Angeles area. Capcom has certainly warmed up to developers outside of Japan, as development on Okami, Bionic Commando and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix has been outsourced westward.

Other enticing rumor tidbits: a forthcoming announcement from Team Ico, plus ports of Everyday Shooter and God of War: Chains of Olympus. I'm going to check the mailbox one more time. Things often get jammed in there. *checks* Damn it!!

Rumors: Dead Rising 2, God of War PS2 [1UP]

Having gone on a bit of Rock Band bender last night, it might be time to give my pipes—which some have referred to as having a "golden ring" and "the tone of pure honey"—some down time. This borrowed copy of Dead Rising may very well fit the bill, but I might take The King of Fighters XI out for a spin this weekend. Other than that, I'm hoping my copy of Cruis'n for the Wii shows up at some point today or tomorrow, adding some giggles to my days off. Anyone else pick up something worth playing from that Amazon sale?

Let us know what will be keeping you indoors, safe from sun, snow and outdoor fun, this weekend in the comments.

Sorry, game enthusiasts seeking the glamorous life of a video games blogger, we're not hiring. But Capcom of Japan is! The company is seeking game engineers who want to work on its "MT Framework", the cross platform engine that powers Devil May Cry 4, Dead Rising and Lost Planet. I suspect that a working knowledge of the Japanese language and solid typing skills are a must, as is a love of making sequels.

Capcom must be doing okay for themselves, as they're running these ads in Tokyo Station in search of new talent. Good luck, future applicants!

Microsoft's Adults Only Game Bundle for Japan

Dead Rising Platinum Available Through Capcom Store

Mega Man's Inafune In NYC Today

This is something we hear a lot from the press — Dead Rising 2, and we're not making it right now, but it is something I would love to make. I would love to be able to take some time off from my business-side responsibilities just to be able to produce it myself — that's how much I love the game and would love to do it. But there are a lot of things that come into play. There's staffing, there's scheduling — who's working on what — then there's budget and money, where's the money coming from? So there are a lot of small things to work out before that would even be possible... If it was announced, I might be the one back in Japan making it. That's the title that they're considering back in Capcom Japan that I would want to produce the most, out of anything they're thinking about. That's how much I really love it. But I'm very busy.

Inafune Explains Why DMC4 Is Multi-Platform

Until now it's been hard for us to develop multi-platform games, but recently we have developed this development engine that allows us to develop a game in the engine and then put it on to PS3 and 360.