Sources tell us that Vancouver based Propaganda Games is in the process of laying off approximately 70 employees. That reduction in workforce is likely closely tied to the cancellation of Turok 2, a title never officially announced by Disney, but one of two projects that Propaganda was working on, we're told.

Propaganda's second project, which sources opted not to define, is still actively in development.

According to one employee at a DIS subsidiary, the parent company is also planning to consolidate a handful of its studios, including Avalanche Software and the Fall Line studio. Both development houses are responsible for creating games based on Disney properties such as Chicken Little, Hannah Montana and The Chronicles of Narnia.

Both studios are located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Disney is planning to eliminate jobs outside of its video games business as well, with Reuters reporting that job cuts will hit television networks ABC and ESPN.

Representatives from Disney Interactive Studios did not immediately return phone calls requesting comment or confirmation. [Disney reps have since confirmed and clarified this report.]

Update: We received internal communication forwarded to remaining employees from Steve Wadsworth, President of the Walt Disney Internet Group. Wadsworth writes: "As you can imagine, given economic conditions, every industry has been impacted on a global scale. In response to this challenging business environment, we have examined ways in which we might be able to work more efficiently. We have taken measures to control costs by freezing most open positions, deferring some capital projects, reducing support from third parties, taking significant reductions in travel and entertainment expenses and eliminating other activities. The elimination of existing positions that we communicated today was a necessary step that we had hoped to avoid. In addition to all of these changes, we have also determined that Directors and above will not be receiving merit increases this year. All of these actions are part of a focused effort to ensure we are closely managing the organization through the current economic climate, balancing our need to respond to the current environment with our goal of driving significant long-term growth."

Disney not making Turok movie [Variety]

Outside of glancing at Turok comics on the racks, I've only dabbled with a handful of the video games from the Nintendo 64 era and the most recent Xbox 360/PS3 re-imagining. No word yet if the Hollywood adaptation will borrow more from the video games or the comic books in their many incarnations, but I'm sure that folks will be looking forward to T-rexs bleeding to death on screen with burning anticipation.

EXCLUSIVE: Adam Beach To Star In Live Action Turok Movie [MTV Movies]

"Turok has captured the imagination of video game players throughout the world," said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Touchstone. "We're now able to expand the multiplayer experience with the release of new maps. These five new maps are sure to satisfy Turok players who are hungry for more multiplayer challenges."

TUROK'S DINOSAURS RUN RAMPANT WITH MORE THAN 1 MILLION UNITS SHIPPED WORLDWIDE

Touchstone Also Announces Velociraptor Pack — Five New Multiplayer Downloadable Maps to be Available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PLAYSTATION Network Tomorrow

Release Date of Windows-Based PC Version Revealed

BURBANK, Calif. - (March 26, 2008) - The ravenous dinosaurs of Turok have made their mark all over the globe as Touchstone announced today the intense first person shooter has shipped more than 1 million units worldwide. The company also announced that the dinosaur-infested multiplayer mode of Turok will soon expand with the release of the Velociraptor Pack, five new downloadable maps. The new Turok downloadable maps will be available on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 400 Microsoft Points and on PLAYSTATION®Network for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system for $4.99 starting on Thursday, March 27, 2008.

"Turok has captured the imagination of video game players throughout the world," said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Touchstone. "We're now able to expand the multiplayer experience with the release of new maps. These five new maps are sure to satisfy Turok players who are hungry for more multiplayer challenges."

Turok players of all skill levels can play the existing 10 maps with the development team from Propaganda Games. A Turok "Game With Dev" is scheduled for today Wednesday, March 26 from 3-6 p.m. PST on Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network.

Touchstone also announced an April 22, 2008 release date for the Windows-based PC version of Turok, the sci-fi first person shooter. Developed by Propaganda Games, the Windows-based PC version has been optimized for PC by Aspyr Studios. The game will give PC fans the opportunity to experience the engaging, story-driven single player experience and multiplayer modes for up to 16 players. The PC version, which will enable both the mouse and keyboard or a game controller, will be available for $49.99. The new downloadable content for the console versions will be available for Windows-based PC soon after that version's release.

Of the five new Turok downloadable maps for consoles, two are completely new multiplayer maps, one is a new co-op map and two are relit versions of popular multiplayer maps available with the game. Below is a brief description of the five new maps:

* Co-Op - A brand new Turok co-op map for 2-4 players. In this co-op map your Whiskey Company squad has been captured and is being held in a Mendel-Gruman facility designed for holding dinosaurs. You and your team have to break out and make it to the rescue chopper before the Wolf Pack troops decide to feed you to the captured raptors.

* Desolation - A brand new swamp-based map where simple structures are set up alongside a rock cliff to allow helicopters and transports into the area to bring in supplies. There are many hiding spots on this multi-level map which enables numerous quiet kill opportunities.

* Sentinel - Another new multiplayer map and one of the largest Turok maps to date. The setting takes place at the top of a mountain around one of Kane's orbital defense arrays - the very base that shot down the Whiskey Company ship from orbit in the single-player campaign. Also, the presence of a few large dinosaurs on the map can make things very interesting during multiplayer combat.

* Inconclusive Tests - This time the Testing Grounds map takes place at night and offers a different view of the world that now contains more dark hiding spots. A word of caution — watch out for the raptors.

* A Rivalry Continues - As the name suggests, the struggle for the compound from A Heated Rivalry is not over and has extended into the eerie darkness of the night.

Turok, the epic, sci-fi first person shooter, provides an opportunity to interact with dinosaurs like never before. Published by Touchstone and developed by Propaganda Games, Turok is a unique and gritty first person shooter that immerses players into a world of dinosaurs. Turok has a robust online multiplayer feature with a variety of modes and maps for up to 16 players. Competitive multiplayer modes include Capture the Flag, Assault-style Capture the Flag, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and War Games, a special objective-based game mode. Turok's co-op feature allows up to four players to team up online in maps inspired by the single-player story but designed specifically for the co-op mode. Unique to Turok, and like the game's single-player campaign, the multiplayer modes include dinosaurs and large insects, which may attack any player and can be lured to attack opponents.

Developed by Propaganda Games, Touchstone's development studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, Turok is rated M for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). The console version is available in stores now for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system for $59.99.

A separate Turok mobile game developed by Living Mobile Studios is now available across carrier or by texting the word TUROK to the number 55655 to download directly to a mobile phone. As Turok, the player must use a mixture of cunning stealth and brutal force to defeat enemies and hordes of fierce dinosaurs in a classic side-scrolling action game. The game includes the ability to hide in the shadows to sneak up on enemies for Quiet Kills or to blast away with a full arsenal, including a bow and knife.

For more information about Turok, log on to www.turok.com.

Spoiler alert! Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw doesn't like Turok. But instead of editorially ripping that game a new one, this episode of Zero Punctuation simply uses it as an example of everything that's wrong with console first person shooters. Not the least of which are Aliens-esque character rehashes, the "grizzled, sassy multi-ethnic military types often wearing—or at least located somewhere inside—suits of powered armor" otherwise known as Space Marines. It's a doozy, mostly because of Yahtzee waxing nostalgic about the "backwoods pig rapists" of Redneck Rampage. Give it a play.

Zero Punctuation: Turok [The Escapist]

UPDATE: It would appear that there was no control for the 7.5 IRE black level difference between US and Japanese NTSC standards.

A lot of folks got uptight about it when the Achievement list was leaked. They were yelling on the forums about how we're awarding anti-social behavior. Won't somebody think of the children and all that nonsense so, you know, to our credit we listened to the fan-base, and we patched the Achievement to remove that team-killing portion, so everything's well in the universe once again. Never let it be said that we won't listen to the fan-base and if there's something that they feel really strongly enough about, we're always willing to go back and take a second look.

I both love and hate Turok at times, but mostly I've found it to be a pretty enjoyable game.

The single player is the part that most drags. While the gameplay can be fun, it's the constant and increasingly difficult suspension of belief that gets in the way of my truly enjoying the story. Why, for instance, are there dinosaurs on this planet? Why did I awake from suspended animation in a space ship wearing ammo belts and heavy gear, but no weapon. It's these little things that sort of drive me nuts. But then I shiv someone and I forget, for a bit, that the enemy artificial intelligence is so very dim-witted.

The game's maps are some of the most enjoyable maps that I've seen since Call of Duty 4, but in a very different way. Things are very green and volcanic. The dinosaurs, those reason-defying dinosaurs, are all over the place. And they all act very differently. Some you can kind of skirt carefully and not worry about, others you can grab by their scrawny necks and gut like a chicken, still others stalk you like reptilian panthers. What's really weird is that they seem to be smarter than the humans you take on in the game.

I managed to make my way through more than half of the single-player campaign before deciding that I'd really rather just play the online matches. Its online, in amazingly diverse maps, where this game will thrive, I think.

First there's the fact that you can still use that deadly knife to dispatch your opponents. As you creep up on somehow your hand with the knife in it raises and when you get close enough a right-trigger symbol flashes on the screen. If you time it right you're paid off with an instant kill depicted in a short, gruesome animation. It's wonderful, thrilling. But also it's the main reason I get shot down so many times in matches. I love the knife kill so much I tend to use it in really idiotic situations, like when facing an opponent who sees me and is armed with a chain gun. But that's more my fault than the game's.

The game has other weapons, but really the only one that lives up to the knife is a compound bow, which requires some real skill to kill with and comes with a meager supply of explosive-tipped arrows.

A really neat thing about the multiplayer maps is that many of them are populated with the creatures from the single player game, something that tends to freak you out the first time you experience it. There's nothing like stalking a foe with a knife only to be knocked down by a horse-sized dinosaur... and then promptly torn to shreds. Better still, it's fun to watch a dinosaur taking down an enemy and then swooping in at the last minute to finish the job... with your knife.

Some of the maps also include some moving terrain, like the one on the active volcano that spews out bits of damaging lava at times.

Turok's single player missions might be a bit on the weak side, perhaps lacking the cohesion necessary to make it as riveting as it should be, but if you're getting a little sick of the Halo-brand of online sci-fi shoot-em ups, Turok provides at least a brief change in tone and style.

Devil May Cry 4 (PS3, X360)
The stylish fighting styles are back with a whole new hero.

Turok (X360, PS3, PC)
It's a dinosaur massacre!

Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles (DS)
The fate of Altair rests in the palm of your hand.

Sins of a Solar Empire (PC)
Space strategy!

Culdcept SAGA (X360)
Think Monopoly meets Magic the Gathering.

Twisted Metal: Head On: Extra Twisted Edition (PS2)
Get out of that ice cream truck for the very first time.

Spaceforce: Captains (PC)
Create your own space station and control the galaxy.

Downstream Panic! (PSP)
Lead your school of fish to freedom

Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore (X360, WII, PS2)
Let a virtual Simon tell you how bad your virtual voice is, virtually!

Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power (PS2)
Experience Feudal Japan like you may have never experienced it before but probably have.

The Spiderwick Chronicles (X360, PS2, PC, DS)
The creepy kid's novels spawn a game.

Zoo Tycoon 2 DS (DS)
Own your own miniature zoo.

My Horse and Me (WII, DS)
It's my horse and me, er well ...your horse and you.

Medieval II Total War: Gold Pack (PC)
Medieval II: Total War and its expansion Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms in one box.

All done, thanks for watching.

Demo: Turok (North America) [MajorNelson]

Circuit City's weekly ad offers a $10 gift card with a pre-order of Devil May Cry 4 for either the Xbox 360 version or the PS3 version. A $10 gift card is also available for pre-orders of the 360 and PS3 versions of Turok. For a full rundown of all the weekly ad deals, check out CheapAssGamer.com.

Many were understandably upset by the thought of having to kill a team member and while originally Propaganda expected to deploy the patch if it became an issue they seem to have had a change of heart and the fix will be available for download on the same day the game is released (Feb. 5). Although the PS3 version doesn't have "achievements" as such, it does have a similar rewards system that will be fixed by the patch as well as adding support for rumble.

As far as I know, this is the first time an achievement has been changed due to public outcry. I think it shows an incredible progression in the maturity level of gamers as a whole that people would stand together against this kind of issue. It's situations like this that will hopefully change the negative perception that the much of the general populace has about gamers. A little self-policing goes a long way.

Turok Patch Removes Controversial Team-Kill Feature [Wired]

If I hadn't just played through Call of Duty 4 on the Xbox 360 last night in one sitting, I'd probably be more impressed with this video. Sure it's got dinosaurs and heaps of neat weapons, but where's the story, the personality... the, dare I say it, tear-jerker ending. I've got to go, I can't talk about this anymore.

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http://majornelson.com/archive/2008/01/15/demo-turok.aspx