Through the magic of pre-release publicity, Ubisoft can turn your plain old regular Prince Of Persia game into a sparkly new Limited Edition Prince Of Persia pack.

All the usual Limited Edition boxes are ticked - Art Book, Strategy Guide, 'Collectible Packaging' (exactly who these collectors are is never adequately explained — do write in if you know someone who covets this kind of thing) and, of course, a soundtrack CD.

The Limited edition is only available via preorder so, if you were going to buy it anyway, why not snag yourself an Art Book?

Pre Order Prince of Persia, Get Free Upgrade to LE [Team Xbox]

So what did I expect from Half-Blood Prince on the Wii? Certainly not all the fun I had.

The events demoed at EA’s Showcase were Potions class, Quidditch and Dueling. Before we got to try the game ourselves, we got to watch two cute EA kids go at it in Dueling. They shook the Remotes and mashed the A buttons and bobbed and weaved their heads in time with the motions on screen. Harry dodges Malfoy’s Stupify, Malfoy gets off a freezing spell that knocks Harry off his feet. Back and forth went the magic spells until Malfoy ran out of health icons and the Duel ended with Harry winning best two out of three.

I got spanked at it when I tried it myself, but I was pleased that the controls handled pretty well. Dodging was what I did most, mashing A while moving the control stick in the direction I wanted to go. I was really getting killed until Executive Producer Jonathan Bunney finally bailed me out by showing me how to block, which also reflects spells. I redeemed myself in Potions – but that’s easy to do with such simple controls. The cauldron already has a potion in it and your job is to follow the instructions icons that hover to the right of it. Fan the mixture by moving the Wii Remote and Nunchuk up and down until it turns the right color. The control vibrates in your hand when you’ve nailed the right shade. Point at an ingredient and hold A to pick it up and hold it over the cauldron; tilt your wrist to pour it in.

“The controls are very smooth,” said Mr. Bunney. “We don’t want to break anybody’s wrists.”

I completed the potion and got an A ranking, stepping back to let someone else go at it in Quidditch. Playing as Harry means you’ve got to play as the Seeker and find the Snitch – but there was a hint that you could unlock other characters to play (probably just for the Dueling, though). To win at Quidditch, you’ve got to fly after the Snitch, going through star-shaped hoops to gain speed bonuses as you hurtle along. Like the Potion and Dueling controls, Quidditch looked pretty smooth – with no frantic flailing or extreme flicking to get the on-screen action to occur.

While that was going on, Bunney informed me that this Harry Potter game was built around the Wii instead of the PS2 (like the last one). The Wii Remote looks like a wand, so it was a logical choice; and now that they’ve got the technology of the Wii down, things are looking a lot better for the Potter series.

Let’s hope it works out well for the other consoles.

Oh, and thanks to all the tipsters who sent this one in. You guys really have your fingers on the pulse of breaking topless Jake Gyllenhaal news.

Jake Gyllenhaal is the Shirtless Prince of Persia [Just Jared via Latino Review]

The new Prince of Persia game? Seems to be coming along nicely, according to what we weren't allowed to touch at Comic-Con. We did, however, press the Start button on the PlayStation 3 controller before it was snatched out of our hands. That bit worked perfectly.

Prince of Persia Pushed Back a Year [Coming Soon]

The former, Mechner's first commercial game, an early 2D fighter published by Brøderbund and known for its fluid animation, is planned to get an update (of sorts). Details on the Karateka project weren't provided, but Mechner teased the crowd by saying "I can safely say it's not going to be the way that you expect." He did, however, say he would be directly "involved," a claim he didn't make about Ubisoft's recent Prince of Persia releases.

Mechner also let the crowd in on the particulars of a hilarious Easter egg in the original Karateka.

Asked by a fan about two of the game's quirks — that Karateka could be played with the screen flipped upside down if the floppy was inserted the wrong way and if the "volcano" in the background erupted randomly, killing both fighters instantly — Mechner cleared up both. No, the one-in-a-million eruption was just a rumor, he said, but the inverted floppy trick was certainly by design.

One of the Karateka programmers handling copy protection discovered a way to flip the screen with a simple change to the bit table. The was still playable, but "really hard."

"We thought it would be hilarious if we burned the flipped version of the game to the other side of the disk," he recounted, thinking that Brøderbund execs wouldn't go for it "because it would require an assembly line change to actually burn the game onto both sides of the disk, which adds however many cents." In the end, they did go for it.

Mechner said he envisioned that someone would put the disk in upside down, then call tech support and get the explanation "Well, sir, you put the disk in upside-down."

"That person would think, for the rest of their life, that that's how software works."

Mechner said that in writing the script for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, that he essentially had to start from scratch, re-imagining the events of the time-bending video game of the same name. Expect carefully hidden allusions to past games in the series in both the movie and the graphic novel.

When asked about the casting of the film, Mechner told audience members, "I'm delighted with the casting of the movie." Listing off the core actors — Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina — Mechner then went on to express his faith in Newell as the film's director, calling him "an actor's director" and sounding very confident that even bit parts would be cast faithfully.

An audience member asked why the Prince, Dartan, wasn't... you know, Persian.

Mechner responded democratically to questions whether they'd looked at anyone of Persian descent.

"Yeah, they looked at a huge range of actors," he said. "There are hundreds of great actors that could've done the job, but you end up picking one."

He was less glowing about one of the more reviled entries in the series, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, about which he's been quoted in the past as saying "I'm not a fan."

"I don't like to criticize a particular game, basically what I meant to say was that the style wasn't my style. It wasn't what I would've done, but it is what it is," he said, addressing previous statements. "I'd rather focus on the positive and hope that the [new Prince of Persia game] is really awesome."

[via Zapages @ NeoGAF]

I had it demoed for me by executive producer Jonathan Bunney and producer Justin Manning, and it came down to a fight.

Actually, the first part of the demo let me try out the potion-mixing minigame; you've got a bubbling cauldron and a desk full of ingredients like little vials, bottles, leeches and caterpillars, and symbol-based instructions for each step of the potion-making scroll up in a little wheel to the screen's right. A potion-making sim was a first for me, and I exploded the thing a few times, but it was mostly pretty fun, especially when you can tilt the Wii remote to spill a beaker's contents into the cauldron and then make a stirring motion to whirl it up until the color changes. It's all timed and ranks your precision, which was pretty fun.

Then, Bunney and I went at it with a Wii remote wand duel. He was playing Draco Malfoy and I was Harry. We faced off at either end of a long room, and you hold up the Wii remote to charge your wand for a powerful attack (leaving you undefended), or simply shake the remote in your opponent's direction to fire off a series of quick bursts.

You use the Nunchuk to move side to side, and swinging both Wii remote and Nunchuk across your body causes you to produce a deflection shield that can send your opponent's projectiles right back at him. Shaking both produces a special attack that can knock your opponent down or stun him.

I refuse to believe that Mr. Bunney politely allowed me to win, and instead, I'll tell anyone who will listen that I beat the game's EP in a wand duel.

AUSTRALIA – June 27, 2008 – Today Ubisoft announced Prince of Persia: The Fallen King, exclusively for the Nintendo DS™ system. Developed by Ubisoft’s Casablanca studio, Prince of Persia: The Fallen King complements the highly anticipated version of Prince of Persia coming out this holiday on consoles & PC. Expanding the saga with an independent storyline, Prince of Persia: the Fallen King utilises the unique stylus controls of the Nintendo DS™ system to deliver the extraordinary acrobatic and combat action that fans have come to expect from the Prince of Persia franchise. Prince of Persia: The Fallen King will be available at retailers nationwide for the 2008 holiday season.

About Prince of Persia: The Fallen King

Facing imminent danger, the Prince flees to a deserted kingdom that seemingly offers sanctuary. Already touched by the evil Corruption, a dark substance that physically contaminates the land and the skies, the kingdom is filled with adventure, challenge and intrigue. As the Prince seeks a way to fight the spreading Corruption destroying the land, he encounters a partially infected creature that promises salvation. But is the creature truly an ally or merely an enemy in disguise? It seems this perilous alliance may be the only way for the Prince to face the forces of darkness and save the Persian kingdom from the Corruption once and for all.

Game features include:

* The award-winning Prince of Persia franchise, built exclusively for Nintendo DS: Use the DS stylus to master the acrobatics, strategy and fighting tactics of the most agile warrior of all time.
* The epic journey continues in an all-new adventure: Immerse yourself in the captivating Prince of Persia universe with an original and independent story that closely coincides with the action of the console & PC editions of the game.
* Unique visual style: Brand-new art design delivers incredible environments in over 50+ maps. Explore deserted cities, dark labyrinths and forbidding jungles to battle the evil Corruption.
* Play as the all-new character: the Magus: Switch between the Prince and this mysterious new ally to fight, solve puzzles and utilize his magical powers to make your way through the corrupted land.

As the article points out, Ubi's first franchise re-up happened in 2003, followed by two more titles back-to-back. And then three years of radio silence. Why?

The last two titles sold well, but didn't match the sales of the first game. So Ubisoft decided to pull back production and launch its next "Prince of Persia" this winter, in hopes of creating demand for it. "As we get bigger, we can give it more breathing room," Detoc says.

The publisher's doing well enough now financially, the article explains, that it doesn't have to rush out franchise follow-ups and can afford to cool its heels a bit in between to spur demand. Detoc also told Forbes that they can afford to whet your appetite for the next Assassin's Creed by making you wait:

"When we bring it back, there will be more anticipation for it," Detoc says.

Europe's Top Gamer [Forbes]

We want to give you, the fans, the opportunity to make an impact on the next-gen debut of the Prince of Persia series. We've already got a great set of achievements planned for the Xbox 360 version, but we're making room for one more. Vote for your favorite achievement, and we'll add the most popular choice into the game!

Of course this only applies to the Xbox 360 version, but the page does mention something special planned for PS3 fans down the line as well. Xbox 360 fans might be getting a chance to vote, but PS3 fans get a surprise! Face!

Vote for an Achievement [Prince of Persia Official Site]

Molina joins Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley in the Disney production. Mike Newell will be directing the adaptation and Jerry Bruckheimer is producing.

If it weren't for that appearance by Kingsley in that Uwe Boll movie I'd say that the cast is rock solid.

Alfred Molina joins Prince of Persia [Variety]

It doesn't sound like anything is guaranteed at this point on the game that may feature a polygonal Jake Gyllenhaal and a phoned in voice over performance, but if we know Hollywood and games based on movie licenses, regardless of the source material, I think we're in for a fun ride. Not so much a good video game, but a fun ride.

Triple Play of New Prince Entertainment [GameDaily]

Far Cry 2 Brings GTA Sandbox to the Serengeti
Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Announced
Shaun White Delivers Death to Snowboarding with an Assassin's Creed Engine
Ubisoft Brings Easy way To Stop Smoking To DS Months Late
Ubisoft Officially Announces Beyond Good & Evil 2
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Hands-On
Shaun White: Wii Play, Pics and Press Release
Prince of Persia Ditches Roots, Gets a Final Fantasy Make-Over
Far Cry 2: No Girls Allowed
Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway Hands-On
Making Far Cry 2's Africa

Far Cry 2 Dev and Port Teams Range from 175 to Three
The Worst Of Ubidays 08

According to GI.biz, these are the total lifetime numbers sold as of this month:

Rayman: 22 million

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: 20 million

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: 19 million

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: 16 million

Driver: 14 million

Petz: 13 million

Prince of Persia: 11 million

The Settlers: 7 million

Assassin’s Creed: 6 million

Brothers in Arms: 5 million

Imagine: 4 million

Far Cry: 4 million

Red Steel: 1 million

Tom Clancy series tops 55 million units sold [GI.biz]

If you missed any of the Ubi related news and my hands-on impressions with games like Far Cry 2, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway and H.A.W.X. then hit up the jump for a round-up of all of our Ubidays 08 related posts to date.

Far Cry 2 Brings GTA Sandbox to the Serengeti
Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Announced
Shaun White Delivers Death to Snowboarding with an Assassin's Creed Engine
Ubisoft Brings Easy way To Stop Smoking To DS Months Late
Ubisoft Officially Announces Beyond Good & Evil 2
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Hands-On
Shaun White: Wii Play, Pics and Press Release
Prince of Persia Ditches Roots, Gets a Final Fantasy Make-Over
Far Cry 2: No Girls Allowed
Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway Hands-On
Making Far Cry 2's Africa

The new Prince of Persia, we were told at a press event earlier this month, will be totally separate from the Sands of Time trilogy and will feature a prince, not the prince.

"There were hundreds of tails in Arabian Nights and this is just one of them," Ben Mattes, the game's producer said.

Instead the game is set in an "ancient fantasy Persia" and while it will continue to have some of the Prince of Persia's pillars of play like acrobatic combat and movement, it will also lift some of the things that worked best in Assassin's Creed.

"We will be including some things that worked well in Assassin's Creed in there," Mattes said. "But it will still clearly be Prince of Persia."

God of Light, Ormazd versus his brother Ahriman, the God of Darkness,. Our Hero arrives just in time to witness the destruction of the legendary Tree of Life – an act which threatens to plunge the entire world into eternal darkness.

In this new tale, the new prince will find himself in a fantasy world of light and dark, caught up in the battle between the God of Light, Ormazd versus his brother Ahriman, the God of Darkness. After the destruction of the tree of life the prince has to fight to stop the rise of Ahriman, the god of destruction.

Mattes said that the prince will also get a bunch of new moves including the ability to use a gauntlet to slide down walls and cliffs.

The game will feature a new female lead as well, Elika, who will be used to explore the idea of collaborative AI.

Mattes said the game, which will take more than 10 hours and less than 50 to beat, will be playable at E3. He declined to talk about whether there will be multiplayer support in the game.

Hit up the jump for a very chunky prepared Q&A with Matte.

PRINCE OF PERSIA

Answers from Ben Mattes / Producer

Could you introduce yourself and explain your role in the project?
I’m Ben Mattes, producer of the next Prince of Persia title.

On which platforms will this new PoP be available?
Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
We are also developing a completely different game which is specifically designed for the DS.

When will the games be released?
Holidays season 2008.

Who is in charge of the development?
Ubisoft Montreal Studio, who has recently released Assassin’s Creed, is developing the next gen versions. Most of the core creative team has worked on the previous PoP trilogy; they know the franchise by heart.
The DS title is in the hands of the Ubisoft Casablanca studio, which is developing a strong expertise on DS titles.

How is it linked with previous PoP? Is having played to PoP the Two Thrones (or the 3 previous episodes) mandatory to fully understand the storyline?
Beginning with Jordan Mechner’s first PoP game back in 1989 to Ubisoft’s PoP Sands of Time trilogy, the Prince of Persia brand is like a collection of fantastic tales, drawing inspiration from the Arabian Nights stories. Possibilities for enticing storylines and characters are endless with such a rich, colorful, shape shifting and magical universe. So there are as many stories of the Prince as there are many versions of the Prince himself - they all co-exist, they all share prodigious abilities and a liking for dauntless adventures and trouble 

With Ubisoft’s new PoP video game, we are opening a new chapter in the Prince of Persia universe with a new story and a new Prince. Having played the previous episodes isn’t necessary to understand the storyline.

What is the storyline of the game?
Transported to a land of myth and legend, our Hero finds himself caught up in an epic battle between the primal forces of light and darkness: the God of Light, Ormazd versus his brother Ahriman, the God of Darkness,. Our Hero arrives just in time to witness the destruction of the legendary Tree of Life – an act which threatens to plunge the entire world into eternal darkness.

The Prince will have to stop the rise of the ancient destructive God, Ahriman. This new epic storyline is close to Persian Mythology (Zoroastrianism).

Additional information about the back-story of the game:
Driven by envy and hatred, Ahriman spread Darkness in the world, corrupting the hearts of men and unleashing a dark substance which physically contaminates the land and the skies: the Corruption. When Ormazd finally acted to stop his brother, he chose to destroy Ahriman’s servants, the Corrupted, one by one. When at last only a few of Ahriman’s puppets remained, Ormazd captured them and pulled them into the Tree of Life. With the remaining Corrupted sealed inside the tree, Ahriman found himself tethered to the trap unable to break his connection with his dark servants. Concentrating all his power, Ormazd forced what remained of his brother into the Tree, locking Ahriman inside for all eternity. Ormazd gave care of the Tree of Life to his chosen few, the Ahuras. Now, many years after the war, Ahriman is plotting a way to escape…

Storyline has always been an integral part of all PoP games. With the new PoP video game, we not only have an epic storyline, but we are letting the player choose how the story unfolds within the same story frame.

What have been your inspirations to design this new Prince?
We wanted to explore how our hero will eventually become a Prince through an epic journey. At the start of the game, the future Prince will be an adventurer and a drifter wandering from adventure to adventure with no real ties, always living in the present. To him, the past is gone and he carries no burden from it, the future is to come and will take care of itself. All that matters is now - the thrill of the moment, the next heartbeat, the next corner, jump and sensation.

We drew our inspiration from adventurers like Sinbad in the Arabian Nights, Han Solo from Star Wars and Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings.

Like all epic heroes, what The Prince wears says a lot about who he is and what he has been through. We really wanted to communicate visually the dichotomy that is the life of a wandering adventurer. On one hand, he has elements of luxury in his dress – the red and blue cloth that he uses as a turban and scarf that would be available only to those with money. However, he is also perfectly comfortable putting function before form, wearing plain leather leggings to help protect his legs rather then dazzle the eye.

We see that the Prince has a new appearance, but what about new abilities? What new tricks/attributes does the Prince have up his sleeve?
Our Prince has a lot of new abilities in both combat and acrobatics. He is taking the agility of the previous Prince to new heights of deadly acrobatic artistry. His range of acrobatic skills is wider than ever, allowing him to defy the laws of gravity with style and velocity.

In addition to his sword, he is wearing a gauntlet that will be used both in acrobatics and in combat. This bounty from the Prince’s earlier adventures will open new dimensions in his acrobatics and combat style. For instance, by using the gauntlet, you will be able to slide down very high walls and cliffs. So be ready to discover some very impressive new moves in the coming months!

Combat has evolved since the last games as our ambition is to add the reactivity and strategy typically found in fighting games into our new combat system. We have studied numerous fight games and learned what worked/what didn’t work, and implemented the most absorbing moments into our gameplay. We want the dramatic attack sequences of the Prince to be complemented by the use of camera, sound and visual effects to create an overall combat sequence whose intensity rivals the most spectacular choreographed fight scenes in cinema. In addition, the enemies you fight will be more cunning then any ever seen in a PoP game before, strategically using the environment to gain the upper hand, forcing the player to use quick thinking and reflexes to succeed.

We have also changed the role of the female character in a PoP game. No longer a secondary character, but instead a strong supporting character with heavy gameplay implications, the new female lead, Elika, will add value to every layer of the game: exploration, combat, acrobatics, puzzle-solving, storyline and overall immersion. She is a powerful companion of the Prince who accompanies him throughout the game - she adds an element of mystery, deepening the epic storyline. Our goal is to revolutionize the supporting character in an action-adventure game.

How are you going to revolutionize the supporting character in an action-adventure game?
The level of innovation we’re bringing to Elika is similar to the innovation we brought with the Sands of Time system in the previous trilogy.

Elika is always a positive for the player. She interacts with the player in combat, acrobatics and puzzle-solving and always in a positive and helpful way. She enables special moves such as cooperative acrobatics, special combo attacks and navigation. Additionally, all of her magical powers come into play when the player requests them. She can never be killed and will never force her will on the player.

In terms of control, she will be controlled by AI but the player will have a specific “Elika” button to trigger specific coop moves, attacks and magic. Our philosophy is to leave as much control to the player as possible without having her bog down the fast-paced rhythm of the game. This way we add a layer of strategy and make sure the player uses Elika when and how he wants.

Besides the gameplay asset that Elika represents, we want to build a strong bond between her and the Prince. Elika behaves as no other NPC has ever behaved in a video game.

Can you give us more details about Elika’s backstory?
Elika is descended from the Ahuras. She has lived in a land cut off from outside contact.

What have been your inspirations to design Elika?
Elika is a practical and intelligent woman. Independent and strong, she doesn’t need to be protected. We drew inspiration from the Elizabeth Swann character in Pirates of the Caribbean or Padmé Amidala in Star Wars.

She is very light. Her element is the air in opposition with the earth, that of the Prince’s. She embodies the fluidity in their duo.

Even if she has magical powers, at first sight Elika is a human being; we didn’t want to reduce her to her magical abilities. On that specific point, we drew our inspiration from Arwen in Lord of the Rings. Her magic is graceful with arabesques in contrast with the Corruption which takes on tribal forms.

Have you developed a special engine for this version?
We have improved and adapted the engine developed internally for Assassin’s Creed. It is a great tool for our artists and engineers and we want to push it even further.
In that respect, we have added a lot of new systems that will help create the seamless fluidity and the overall look & feel we are looking for.

Animations have always been a key element of the Prince of Persia games; can you describe some of the moves the Prince can perform?
Thanks to this new engine, we are able to improve every move of the Prince; we removed some and added others to increase the feeling of agility. That being said, we re-did all our animations from scratch for this new opus. They all are hand-made key frame animations, a fiddly work for our animation team who craft all these new moves and give them the extra touch of fluidity we could never reach with motion capture.

What are the specific technologies you developed for this episode? Are there any particular achievements you’re proud of? On which basis do you consider that this PoP episode will be truly next-gen?
Since it is the first next gen game in the PoP saga, we have developed a lot of new systems and technologies. We have in a way started from scratch using the Assassin’s Creed engine as a basis for our developments. Here are a few areas where we believe PoP will deliver a true next-gen experience:
- AI: Artificial Intelligence is where we are focusing most of our next gen effort. This choice will pay off in the quality and depth of the relationships you will experience with our NPC, enemies or allies alike.
- Graphics: There is a difference in graphical quality between the previous PoP and the new PoP, obviously due to next-gen technology
o Characters: The new Prince will displays 13 times more polygons than the previous Prince, and even more than Altair in Assassin’s Creed. To give you a reference, there will be more polygons in the next-gen Prince’s hair than in the “old” Prince himself. Every detail of the faces, clothes and accessories of the characters will feel next-gen thanks to hi-res textures, specific lighting systems and shaders. We have developed new systems such as skin morph, wrinkle map, indirect lighting and occlusion to beautify our universe and characters in a way which was not possible on old gen.
o Environments: The richness and the high quality of the Persian environments have always been a key element of PoP games. Thanks to next-gen technology, we are able to create vast outdoors worlds PoP fans have never dreamed of as most of the game takes place outside in a fantastic mythological Persia.. Whereas in previous PoP games, the player was mostly confined inside palaces or cities.
o Each environment will go through different stages - from totally “safe” to almost completely corrupted areas. We have developed an organic corruption which creeps through the world and makes it decay. It is a living substance that will interact with the player and challenge him. It already looks quite impressive so I can promise you this will look amazingly next gen!
- Structure: For the first time ever, the Prince will evolve in a non-linear adventure. The players will choose how they unfold the storyline by choosing their path in this open-ended world. This is technically possible thanks to next-gen memory capacities.

The game has a very different art style than previous PoP. Why did you change the art direction?
The new PoP game features a brand-new art style never before seen that is very graphical and illustrative. We are lucky enough to have one of the most talented team of concept artists in the industry. PoP fans have always been very passionate about their work. So this time, we wanted to remain very close to their 2D concept arts, keeping the essence of their artworks in the 3D world.

Next-gen tools help us create a game which has a unique visual identity without sacrificing art to technology, which is often the case in video games. The Prince of Persia universe is so rich and special that it would be a shame to picture it in a photorealistic way. It calls for fantasy and almost poetry to be true to its Arabian Night origins.

What are your ambitions behind one the biggest franchise in the video-game industry?
We have high ambition for this game. Our goal is to re-establish our position as a leading Action Adventure Video game on next-gen.

We strongly believe that we will rejuvenate the PoP brand with strong innovations and a whole new experience that will not only excite our current fans, but will appeal to new fans. We are all excited about the new Prince of Persia; be prepared to see some amazing images in the coming weeks!

Still, I gotta wonder how they're going to make a movie out of this. As I recall, there wasn't much in the way of a plot to develop: Prince fights off menacing dude with scimitar, Prince leaps from one vertiginous ledge to another, Prince gulps down life-saving potion, Prince fights off two menacing dudes with scimitars at the same time... Apparently the big-screen version is going to introduce a quest for "a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world," which sounds a little more like a compelling narrative.

I want to believe it was written tongue-in-cheek, but then a later post by the author on a viral Indiana Jones Lego video fails to mention what happens when you type "Lego Indiana Jones" into google. I understand that gaming can be a whole other world to the uninitiated, but this is just ridiculous.

Who's looking forward to the 'Prince of Persia' movie? [EW Popwatch Blog - Thanks Mickey!]

Mike Newell is directing the Prince of Persia film based on the 2003 entry, with shooting planned to kick off this Summer. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this story is that I knew how to correctly spell "Gyllenhaal," something I would have preferred to look up rather than dedicate memory to.

Jake Gyllenhaal crowned 'Prince of Persia' [The Hollywood Reporter]

June 2008 Issue Revealed! [Game Informer]

"DGamer was built around the vision to connect Disney video game fans in a secure, fun environment and it is truly the first integrated online community of its kind to do so on multiple platforms," said Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager for Disney Interactive Studios. "We recognize the importance of delivering unique experiences to our consumers and how crucial it is for parents to feel confident that the community is secure for their kids."

Disney Interactive Studios Launches DGamer Community With Disney/Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian on Nintendo DS™ Brand New Online Network Enables Disney Gamers and Narnia Fans to Communicate via Nintendo DS and Online

Prince Caspian Game to Be Available on Multiple Video Game Platforms

BURBANK, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Disney Interactive Studios today announced the availability of DGamer in North America for Nintendo DS™ users in conjunction with the launch of the Nintendo DS version of Disney/Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. DGamer from Disney is the first-of-its-kind online community developed exclusively for Disney video gamers. Players can now use their Nintendo DS handhelds to interact with each other while on the go via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and online through the DGamer Web site (www.DGamer.com). The integrated service is scheduled to be included at no additional cost on subsequent Nintendo DS titles from Disney. DGamer is also scheduled to be available in other international regions by 2009.

"DGamer was built around the vision to connect Disney video game fans in a secure, fun environment and it is truly the first integrated online community of its kind to do so on multiple platforms," said Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager for Disney Interactive Studios. "We recognize the importance of delivering unique experiences to our consumers and how crucial it is for parents to feel confident that the community is secure for their kids."

DGamer, which leverages the community technology of Disney.com, allows players to log into their DS and online accounts to create and customize a unique 3-D avatar and persistent profile. A wide variety of outfits, hats, eyewear and accessories are available to choose from, including special Disney-themed costumes, such as Buzz Lightyear, Tinker Bell and familiar Disney theme park mouse ears. Kids can chat, view user profiles of their DGamer friends, and post high scores to leaderboards. In addition, players earn "honors" which represent what players have been rewarded when completing in-game missions. Honors can also trigger unlockables such as special gear for player's avatars, all of which transfer automatically between the DGamer Web site and the DGamer feature in DS games from Disney when users log in. For example, when playing The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, players can unlock Prince Caspian character costumes that can be worn by their DGamer avatar. Certain "honors" also unlock exclusive content in Nintendo DS games from Disney and within the DGamer channel online.

Parents are also encouraged to play an active role in the DGamer community. By accessing parental controls at www.dgamer.com, they can specify the level of interactivity that kids have online and feel confident that their child's experience is age appropriate. For example, parents can choose between three chat levels for their kids' use by utilizing the familiar security features and infrastructure at Disney.com, which hosts the DGamer site. Kids can either communicate using a predetermined list of words and phrases called "Speed Chat," through modified free-form typing that blocks inappropriate language or suggestive phrases called "Speed Chat Plus," or via "Open Chat" which requires an exchange of a True Friend Code outside of the DGamer system. Disney.com employs several safety features to ensure all chat communication is moderated for safety.

Fall Line Studio, the Nintendo platform-dedicated development studio of Disney Interactive Studios, developed both DGamer and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is an action/role-playing adventure game that takes players through Narnia and beyond the events of the much-anticipated second film, which is set to open in theaters across North America tomorrow.

"The Chronicles of Narnia franchise has such a massive following that it made this the perfect game to launch DGamer on because it keeps fans connected like never before," said Hopper. "Through the DGamer functionality, fans can chat, share honors, and engage in a truly unique and different experience that immerses them in the world of Narnia in only a way that Disney can deliver."

In addition to Nintendo DS, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ home video game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC. The console and Windows-based PC versions of the game were developed by Traveller's Tales and take players on a fast-paced action/adventure that features 20 playable characters and combat, exploration and puzzle solving that extends beyond the film. The console versions also include two live action scenes that were created exclusively for the video game and accompany 16 scenes taken from the film.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS has an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating of E10+ for Everyone 10 years and older and is now available for $29.99. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for consoles and Windows-based PC is rated T for Teen and will be available for Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Wii for $49.99; and the PLAYSTATION 2 system and Windows-based PC for $29.99.

For more information about DGamer, log on to www.dgamer.com. For more information about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game, log on to www.princecaspianthegame.com.

Not sure exactly what that means, but the game's publisher also told Edge, "We are investigating it very seriously. You would never see a port of the game we're making however. That'll never happen."

The unnamed Ubisoft spokesperson acknowledged that Prince of Persia: Two Thrones Rival Swords, last year's port of Rival Swords The Two Thrones, was a little disappointing. "The controls were not fully optimised, did not take full advantage of the Wii, but a lot of people saw the POP universe could certainly have a home on Wii."

Sounds like Ubisoft wants a do-over?

Ubi "Investigating" Bringing Prince of Persia to Wii [Nintendic]

Prince of Persia Official Website [Ubisoft - Thanks ES!]

SAN FRANCISCO -April 28, 2008 - Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announced that a new Prince of Persia is scheduled to release Holiday 2008 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and PC. This new Prince of Persia marks the debut of the critically acclaimed franchise on next-generation consoles. Developed by Ubisoft's award winning Montreal studio that brought you Assassin's Creed(TM) and the same all-star team that created the previously acclaimed Prince of Persia® Sands of Time trilogy, Prince of Persia is opening a new chapter in the Prince of Persia universe, featuring a new breed of gameplay. The game is poised to rejuvenate the action-adventure genre in addition to introducing a brand-new illustrative art style.

Ubisoft will also release a Prince of Persia game specifically designed for the Nintendo DS(TM) system, featuring an entirely new storyline and new characters. More details to be unveiled in the future.

Official Prince of Persia Website [Ubisoft - Thanks ES!]

"The special filmed content that is exclusive to the video game provides insight into Narnia and the events around the 'Prince Caspian' story like nothing else," said Andrew Adamson. "With movie fans' enthusiasm for unique experiences in video games as well, these scenes are ideal to complement the 'Prince Caspian' game's action."

Disney Interactive Studios Introduces Original Scenes Exclusive to Disney/Walden Media's the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Video Game Ben Barnes Reprises Role as Prince Caspian in Two Live Action Filmed Segments

BURBANK, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia will get to experience two unique film scenes only one way - on their home consoles or Windows-based PC. Disney Interactive Studios announced today that two original scenes for Disney/Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game were filmed exclusively for the product and appear separately from the film. The unique scenes link The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Prince Caspian stories with Dr. Cornelius (Vincent Grass) telling Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) the story of how Narnia fell to the Telmarines hundreds of years ago.

The scenes were shot on the film set in Prague, Czech Republic, during principal shooting and feature dialogue revealing plot based on the events of the book, game and film. The creation of the live action content was directed by Andrew Adamson, the film's director. The two original scenes are part of 18 live action moments in the game, which include 16 excerpts from the feature film.

"The special filmed content that is exclusive to the video game provides insight into Narnia and the events around the 'Prince Caspian' story like nothing else," said Andrew Adamson. "With movie fans' enthusiasm for unique experiences in video games as well, these scenes are ideal to complement the 'Prince Caspian' game's action."

The England-based game production and development teams worked in cooperation with the London-based film crew and Andrew Adamson to assure the game's overall accuracy to the film. Capturing two original scenes was only possible through the collaborative partnership between Disney Interactive Studios; and Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media.

"The close partnerships we maintain with our film division and Walden Media allowed us to utilize the cast, crew and set to create two unique scenes exclusively for the video game," said Ed Bainbridge, vice president of European production, Disney Interactive Studios. "These entertaining and memorable scenes enable us to portray a part of the Narnia history that is drawn from the fiction and played out in the game."

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ home video game system, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC. A separate Nintendo DS™ version will also be available.

Developed by Traveller's Tales, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for home consoles and Windows-based PC takes players throughout Narnia and includes a gameplay level, which is unique from both the novel and the film. The level, which is set between the events of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian," takes place at the castle of Cair Paravel and tells the story of how Narnia fell to the Telmarine hordes. In "Prince Caspian," Cair Paravel is seen only as abandoned ruins the Pevensies discover hundreds of years later.

The action/adventure game offers gameplay for one or two players on the same system and drop-in/drop-out features, allowing either player to join the game and leave. With combat, exploration and puzzle solving that extends beyond the film, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is the ideal complement to the movie-going experience. The game features more than 20 playable characters including the ability to play as Prince Caspian. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian console game is the sequel to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe for consoles, which received the prestigious IGN.com Editor's Choice Award.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS, which is an action/role playing game, will include the debut of DGamer, Disney Interactive Studios' innovative new technology that provides a fun, connected game community for Disney video game fans. With DGamer, players earn content, interact and chat with others on Nintendo DS through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or on a computer through the Disney.com website. DGamer will be offered in North America in future Nintendo DS games from Disney Interactive Studios with a future launch scheduled in other global regions. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS and DGamer are being developed by Fall Line Studio, the Nintendo platform-dedicated development studio of Disney Interactive Studios.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for consoles and Windows PC is rated T for Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and will be available for Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Wii for $49.99; and the PLAYSTATION 2 system and Windows-based PC for $29.99. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for the Nintendo DS has an ESRB rating of E10+ for Everyone 10 years and older and will be available for $29.99.

For more information about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game, log on to www.princecaspiangame.com.

In the game, which is aiming for a release to coincide with the movie hitting later this year, Harry returns to Hogwarts for a sixth year. The game will include wizard duels, potion brewing and Quidditch play.

The game hits the DS, Mac, mobile devices, PC, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Playstation Portable, Wii and Xbox 360. What no iPhone? Come on!

EA AND WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE VIDEO GAME
Fans will relive the thrills, action and excitement of the movie this holiday season

Guildford, U.K. – April 22nd, 2008 – EA’s Casual Entertainment Label and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ video game will be released later this year to coincide with the Warner Bros. Pictures film based on J.K. Rowling’s sixth Harry Potter book.

“We believe that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince video game represents a milestone in the movie tie-in genre,” said Harvey Elliott, Head of EA Bright Light studio in the UK where the Harry Potter franchise has its home. “Building on the technological advancements of previous games in the series and with a particular focus on the unique control system of Nintendo’s WiiTM, the team here is working closely with the filmmakers to create an immersive interactive experience that captures the story, the action, the excitement and, above all, the fun of the film. ”

“Working with EA, we look forward to offering fans a compelling Harry Potter video game, one which captures the thrilling storyline and high visual quality of the movie,” said Scott Johnson, Vice President, Business Development for Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The adherence to the rich fiction is a trademark of this franchise and with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince fans will experience the most authentic and enjoyable game in the series to date.”

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort’s defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane’s chocolates! And then there’s Hermione, simmering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

In the game of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, players will return to Hogwarts to help Harry survive a fraught sixth year. They will also have a chance to engage in exciting wizard duels, mix and brew magical ingredients in Potions class and take to the air to lead the Gryffindor Quidditch team to victory. Players may even get sidetracked by Ron’s romantic entanglements as they journey towards a dramatic climax and discover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince.

Under development by EA Bright Light Studio, the team behind the worldwide success of the Harry Potter library of games, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is scheduled for release in time for the movie launch this fall for the Wii, PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360™, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), Nintendo DS, Windows PC, Macintosh and mobile devices.

Hollywood.com writes that Bloom was on the receiving end of some $40 million in the deal for the trilogy of movies, the first of which starts filming in July. The site also says that Bruckheimer, not Mike Newell, will be directing, which seems contrary to what we'd heard previously, but what difference would it really make? Horses will still explode.

Update: As commenter CStevens points out, Disney has denied that Bloom has been signed on to play the Prince. Damn! We thought it was a lock and that he wasn't such a bad choice. The man can grow a convincing goatee!

Orlando Bloom to Be 'Prince' in Multimillion-Dollar Disney Deal [Hollywood]
Orlando Bloom Not the Prince of Persia [ComingSoon]