Massive Leaks Are Rumors, Says Marketing Company Responsible

Intellisponse, the marketing firm behind the recent weekend's massive Activision and Microsoft leak-fest, is declining to comment on its gatekeeping issues or the impact the leaks might have on its clients.

"It is our policy that we do not comment on rumor or speculation," said spokesperson Elizabeth McCrocklin.

When Kotaku pointed out via email that the fact a leak most certainly occurred, resulting in widespread dissemination of info from the Intellisponse site was, well, a fact, and not a speculation, McCrocklin did not reply.

Intellisponse is a market research firm that partners with companies to help them conduct surveys and glean intelligence for their upcoming products and concepts. It also hosts a survey platform to help its clients conduct market research. It isn't certain just how actual any of the leaked products are - the leaks came from some of these surveys, so it's entirely possible that they're merely theoretical concepts for the purpose of gauging reaction and testing out the market.

For its part, Microsoft also declined to comment with the exact same "rumors and speculation" line, about either the fact of the leak or the concepts that emerged.

No Plans For US PS3 Eternal Sonata Release "At The Moment"

Timed Xbox 360 exclusive Eternal Sonata is getting a PS3 release with extra content in Japan. But what elsewhere? According to a Namco Bandai US spokesperson:

I can’t speak for any other territories, but I believe Eternal Sonata is only announced for the PS3 in Japan right now... We have no plans to release the game on the PS3 in the US at this moment.

So no plans "at this moment." But tomorrow? The day after that? Next month? Who knows?!

Namco Bandai Eternal Sonata PS3 Japan Only [videogaming247 Thanks, nekotails!]

Capcom To Announce "Or Something Like That" Soon?

Bionic Commando Wii? Unannounced. Lost Planet Wii? Ditto. "Or Something Like This?" Will be announced soon. Via a Q&A with Capcom's Christian Svensson. Read on:

Question: Are we going to see Bionic Commando, Lost Planet or something like this on the Wii?

Svensson: Possible... the "or something like this" part we could talk about in a couple weeks perhaps.

We cannot wait to learn about "Or Something Like This." It sounds like a fantastic game.

Capcom To Announce New Wii Game [N-Europe via Infendo]

Good Reviews First Please

Over at MTV Multiplayer, Stephen Totilo is hip-deep in Reviews Week, his week-long look at all things having to do with game reviews, from advertising concerns to stupid PR tricks, such as the following
response former GameSpot reviewer Alex Navarro received when asking a PR rep when the review for a certain Wii game could be posted.

If the review is 9.0 or higher you can post immediately. Lower than 9.0, could you please hold until launch day, November 19th? Thanks.

Based on communications I've had with PR people over the years, yeah...I could definitely see this happening. In this case the GameSpot folks opted to just buy the game at a store and review it, but it makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Video Game Company To Wii Reviewer: Save The Panning For Later, Okay? [MTV Multiplayer]

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Multiplayer Makes LucasArts PR Snappy

There are some touchy questions. Questions that might turn people curt. Questions that need to be asked. Questions like: Is there any specific reason why there is no multiplayer in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for the PS3 and Xbox 360? Adam Kahn, Senior PR Manager at LucasArts, answers.

To be specific, there's no multiplayer in the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 versions, because there is on the Wii, PSP, and DS. As far as specific reasons are concerned, we don't really like to get into the reasons why we don't do things because I don't think there's really a satisfactory answer that people would really be happy with. So, there isn't multiplayer and that's kind of how it is...

Star Wars Feature [TVG via Go Nintendo]

Gaming PR In The Age Of Blogs

Clearly, Sony has been looking to bootstrap the PS3 to Grand Theft Auto IV's launch, even if this is the first time that title hasn't released exclusively on its platform first. A news release sent Thursday by Sony's agency pointed out that GTA IV's launch provided "a vigorous lift in PS3 console sales" (according to an exec with Sony channel partner Gamestop, in the kind of comment that was clearly written and approved by no one actually connected to it).

In the same release, an analyst points out that the three previous titles, launching exclusively on Playstation first, has helped build up an installation base of loyal GTA Playstation gamers. That brings up a nagging question: If Sony and Playstation can claim (and I certainly think they can) such a strong connection to the GTA franchise, how does the inexplicable lock-up problem, which seems to disproportionately affect the PS3, affect consumers considering a purchase of that console?

Is it — I'll go ahead and put it out there — at all equivalent to Xbox's Red Ring of Death PR nightmare?

Not All GTA IV Branding Is Fake

Public Safety Notice: Games PR Are Watching You Post

In the latest salvo in the let's-claim-credit-for-a-commonly-used-term-that-we-didn't-even-create War(TM), Finnish software company Futuremark Games Studio filed papers on February 26, 2008 to protect the trademark "Pwnage" in relation to:

"... computer game software; computer game programs; computer game discs; interactive multimedia computer game program; downloadable ring tones, ... multimedia software recorded on CD-ROM featuring fictional characters and computer games; pre-recorded DVD's, video tapes, laser discs featuring movies about fictional characters, and pre-recorded compact discs featuring music; motion picture films on fictional characters...".

Wow... at least they aren't attempting to apply it to every piece of media published or anything like that.

SCEE Scuttles PlayStation 3 120GB That No One's Announced Yet

With the 80GB model of the PlayStation 3 looking less and less likely to continue, following Best Buy's plans to drop the configuration and a telling "no comment" from Sony Computer Entertainment America, what will fans of large gigabyte counts do? Turn to the rumored 120GB model of the PS3, hinted at by retail employees to us and Ars Technica, we suppose. The new model, says Ars, will come with a DualShock 3 packed in and feature plenty of porn storage.

But who's not getting it, according to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe? The UK! SCEE tells GamesIndustry.biz that it does "not currently have any plans to release a 120GB PlayStation 3 in the UK", which is PR speak for "Please wait for us to finish approving our press release on the matter."

Sony: no plans to release 120GB PlayStation 3 in UK [GamesIndustry.biz]

Sony Passes On OXM Bravia Review

Here's where it gets weird. Murph contacted Sony's PR to request a set for review, and was told...no. It would appear that the console wars extend further than any of us realized, but that's the reason given — we're a Microsoft-focused (but not -owned, I should point out) publication, and they are a PlayStation-creating company (but not the same business division, I should point out), so...just no. "I have to support our friends over at our sister company," said the representative.

Maxconsole pointed out that two UK newspapers ran near identical stories...too identical (hit jump for big pic). Identical like...the sub headline is exactly the same: "A shortage of one of the year's must-have gifts is sure to cause tears and tantrums on Christmas morning." The quotes are the same...the exposition is mostly the same. Look, they're the freaking same story, for all intents and purposes. Maxconsole implied that Nintendo must have fed a press release to the two publications...which, reading between the lines a bit, might imply that Nintendo had not so indirectly written these two news stories. Nintendo has gone on record to state that, despite accusations, their PR did not supply the story to writers.

GolinHarris Looking for PR Rockstars

'Shaping the Community' - Games Need To Be More Like Film?

Not Entirely True

Have Wii Will Travel Insurance

At last, the full potential of the Nintendo Wii has been realized! When the system was first announced the great minds of the world began to fill with interesting, innovative and truly breakthrough uses for the unique gaming console, but this one trumps them all. Now you can use the Wii to buy travel insurance!

I'll just let that sink in a moment. Go ahead, soak in it.

Online travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth has announced that Wii users can now use their console to compare and purchase travel insurance.

"The Wii also contains a downloadable web browser which allows users access to Squaremouth's comparative travel insurance engine. "All of Squaremouth's site functionality works perfectly on the Wii," Harvey explains. "It's quick and easy to compare products then make the purchase without the need to go to a computer."