And that's just the start. Eventually - tech and public interest allowing - the Endwar "universe" would act as the overarching Clancy universe, within which the storylines of each new Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell and HAWX missions would be played out, ultimately leading to the direct linking of each game's campaigns.

Like I said, it's pie-in-the-sky stuff. Details are thin. But hey, even if you can't stand the thought of a Clancy-branded Katamari sweeping the globe rolling up piles of cash money, you have to admit, it's a pretty neat idea.

Ubisoft to merge Tom Clancy range into Super Game [Gameplayer]

Tom Clancy will appear [on the Wii] at one point. We need to make sure they [look good]. We have engines that were created for the next-generation consoles. We had to re-engineer a certain number of engines to be sure we could use the quality of the machine. Even without the [high-end] graphics, the experience can still be very interesting. ... To make sure we can create good enough products [on Wii] or products better than Nintendo's takes time. That's why you don't see many products, but you will see more and more in the future.

Yves, screw the new games, just re-release the GameCube version of Chaos Theory (with MP intact), we'll forgive the wait.

Interview: Ubisoft CEO on Games and Hollywood, Tom Clancy, Casual Growth and More [GameDaily]

This time, it's Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X, according to CVG, which sails right past Fall 2008 to land anywhere between January and March of next year. Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway has been bumped forward a bit to September as well, presumably to fill in the gap.

Why does this happen? Sometimes, it has less to do with the pace of development on a title as it has to do with financials, financials, financials. The strategy of slating more titles for the year than the publisher expects it will actually launch is a common one; companies decide on product lineups, and then move titles to the most opportune launch dates to keep its balance books looking good.

While many publishers do follow this methodology, you might have noticed by now that Ubisoft is particularly aggressive about keeping its schedule flexible. Just recently, it moved Splinter Cell: Conviction back as well, ostensibly to put more work into it and position it as a key title.

It's possible we'll continue to see more titles slated for the nebulous "Fall 2008" period getting the bump into next year as publishers re-evaluate their plans.

Tom Clancy's HAWX slips into 2009 [CVG]

"Demonstrator Andrei Costin spilled the beans at the recent UbiDays event in Paris, but avoided elaborating on exactly how it will all work; we expect it will be a blend of EndWar and Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter," writes Eurogamer.

Well alright, we got a hands-on at Ubidays. but apparently didn't liquor up/coerce/beat our demonstrator into divulging that kind of tidbit. Hrm. H.A.W.X. is due for a "holiday 2008" release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, giving everyone six months to figure it all out.

"Costin pitched the game as its own blend of arcade and simulation," Eurogamer added, "and told us that he hopes he can capture the camaraderie and exhilaration exhibited in renowned Hollywood tale, Top Gun."

Two words: "Jester's dead!!" Wonder if your wingmen will respond to mid-air bravado, too.

H.A.W.X. Squads to be Voice Controllable [Eurogamer]

Details are pretty hazy, but it would appear that Ubisoft is planning on adding something to the Ghost Recon series. Where that will be Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 3 or something else, we don't yet know.

It may be related to the Tom Clancy "air combat" brand that Ubisoft announced last September. Ubisoft has recently trademarked a series of titles, including Strike Hawk, H.A.W.X. and R.U.S.E., but no word yet if any of these are related.

We'll continue to look around and see what we can learn. We'd hope you do the same and direct your internet sleuth findings to our tips line. Thanks for the heads up, Max!

MACSAT7 Recovery Forum and Official Ghost Recon Site [Ubisoft]

Ubisoft Locks Up All Tom Clancy Rights, Plans for MMO [Game Daily]

Sounds like someone is ready to slap the good ole' Tom Clancy name on everything in sight. I wonder where we will see it end up? Tom Clancy's Assassin's Creed 2, Tom Clancy's Kane and Lynch 2, Tom Clancy's Enchanted Arms 2 all sound like fine titles to me plus think of all the extra money that name alone will rake in!

You can check out the full press release after the jump

SAN FRANCISCO - March 20, 2008 - Today, Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announces that it has concluded an agreement with Mr. Tom Clancy to acquire all intellectual property rights to the Tom Clancy name, on a perpetual basis and free of all related future royalty payments, for use in video games and ancillary products including related books, movies and merchandising products.

The price of this all cash acquisition is not currently disclosed. Post acquisition, Ubisoft expects to have a net cash position of around 130 million Euros by the end of fiscal 2007-08, compared to a previous expectation of approximately 150 million Euros. Additional payments will be made as well in fiscal 2008-09 and fiscal 2009-10.

On the basis of past performance of Tom Clancy branded video games, and excluding any potential contribution coming from sales of ancillary products, the royalty savings generated by this acquisition are estimated to have an average positive impact on Ubisoft's operating income of a minimum of 5 million Euros per year.

"After ten years of a highly successful collaboration which has seen the creation of blockbusters that set standards in the videogame industry, such as Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, today, acquiring the perpetual property rights of the Tom Clancy name for video games and related projects is a major event," stated Yves Guillemot, Chief Executive Officer at Ubisoft. "The future of our industry lies in our capacity to create and develop brands that captivate consumers and that present a myriad of opportunities for the full spectrum of entertainment, be it video games, books, movies or other media. The Tom Clancy brand is recognized around the world for offering exciting video games, films and books. The most recent example of such value creation through brand management is the EndWar book, based on the video game story, which has been in the NY Times top 10 Paperback Mass Market Fiction bestseller list for the last four weeks. Capitalizing on the strong franchises that we've built over the past 10 years, we will take the Tom Clancy game brand to the next level of the global entertainment industry."

Red Storm's Richard Danksy is the Tom Clancy game guy. Since joining the Ubisoft-owned developer, he's been the company's Clancy "writing resource" and has the official office title of Central Clancy Writer, and Manager of Design for Red Storm Entertainment. He's written a ton of games. No, he's written a ton of really good games. So, how does he describe gaming writing?

That being said, for a lot of games, narrative works like an umpire in baseball — if you notice it, it's doing something wrong. In a lot of games, all the story needs to do is to ease you into the fantasy and provide immersion in the scenario. At that point, the fact that the action takes over is a good thing, story-wise — it means the player isn't sitting there thinking "Wait a minute, that character's motivation is totally unrealistic" or "Wouldn't international banking laws have rendered that mission objective impossible?" or, well, you get the idea.

If the narrative — as manifested in the dialogue and the objectives — does nothing except help keep the player in the game and moving forward of their own volition, to create their own experiences, it's doing exactly what it needs to.

Tom Clancy Writer [Gamasutra]

Tom Clancy's EndWar will be playable using voice commands, Ubisoft unveiled at Ubiday earlier this month. The game will also have a controller option, but what's the fun in that?

The game will be developed by a new team made up of members drawn from a number of Ubi teams including ones that worked on Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell.

Set in a world populated by many of Tom Clancy's other franchises, EndWar will feature a battle view that can zoom in to a Gears of War like, over-the shoulder view and battles that can be fought both online and off.

Check back tomorrow morning for new screens and impressions based on my short interview with the development team. Brian Crecente

Looks like Ubisoft is going back to the Tom Clancy trough. Not that I'm complaining, so far I've loved all of the games based on Clancy's books.

EndWar, hitting "next-gen consoles" in the 07/08 fiscal year, will be set on the battlefields of World War III, though it doesn't sound like there's any book tied to this particular title.

The developers will be lead by Michael de Plater at Ubi's Shanghai studio, whose members also worked on Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell games.

"Our development teams are invigorated to be creating the first 100 percent next-generation Tom Clancy brand," said Serge Hasco t, chief creative officer at Ubisoft. "Our success with Tom Clancy franchises is unparalleled in the next-generation and Tom Clancy's EndWar will be a marvelous addition to the already critically acclaimed library of games. A strategy game like no other, EndWar will allow gamers to lead their own armies against hundreds of others online in real global locations on the massive battlefields of World War III."

The game will be shown off in the June issue of EGM, set to hit stands in early May. No word if this is connected to Ubi's JSF site, though I suspect it might. Brian Crecente

New Ubi Site Launches [Kotaku]

The title still appears to be on schedule for an early March release for the Xbox 360 and PC, with a PSP version hitting a couple weeks later. Michael McWhertor

Ubisoft Delays GRAW 2 on PS3 [1UP]

Larry "Call Me Major Nelson Because No One Can Pronounce" Hryb posted the news at his Xboxy blog early this morning. Xbox Livers looking to snap some necks stealth-style should get downloadin' as the demo weighs in at a respectable 702 MB. Have fun kids! Michael McWhertor

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent

Kotakuite Michael C. forwarded us this message from the Rainbow Six Vegas viral game, Save Vegas.

I never follow these virals. It always takes place on a website designed in the same style as various Geocities My Little Pony pages in the mid-90's. The one of the writing is always pretty close to a tone of complete hysteria, reading something like what a sugar-junkie might write while having a corkscrew inserted up his urethra.

According to the website, "The purpose of this site is to alert elements of United States counter-terror forces, specifically the elite team that may be known as "Rainbow Six", to unusual events that I am monitoring in the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is my belief that their help will be needed in the coming days." At least this one's pretty transparent about its connection, as opposed to another stupid I Love Bees mind fuck. Florian Eckhardt

PS: Anyone who unbuckled for the promised "graphic and shocking images" might as well pull their pants back up above their knees. The most shocking one I saw involved a booyeahing jock drinking a Rolling Rock nursed in an inflatable sheep's anus.