The San Francisco Chronicle reports that EA CEO John Riccitiello said "I hate E3 like this," hinting that a return to spectacle or the complete abandonment of the show were two viable options.

Laurent Detoc, president of Ubisoft North America is quoted as likening the event to a "pipe-fitters show in the basement." He may have just been referring to the Imagine, Petz and Ener-G portions of his own company's press conference, though.

Event may try to recapture luster [SF Gate]

It's one milestone in the communication of your products throughout the year, and it's important because it's the ramp-up for Christmas...[But] E3 here, mid-July, in the Convention Center in downtown LA - it's not appropriate I would say.

Reason being that it's too late in the year for many/any new products to be announced, meaning most games on show have already been announced, meaning there's a lot less interest in the event, from retailers to the public to journalists.

Ubisoft: E3 is "not appropriate" at the current date, location [GI.biz]

Ubisoft announced at its press conference earlier today — via the trailer above — that I Am Alive, a title that looks to be a third person survival horror title that looks heavy on survival and light on horror. Well, light on zombies or demons from a netherworld, but horrific nonetheless. It's the title that Assassin's Creed producer Jade Raymond is rumored to be attached to, if that happens to do something for you.

"One reason is, even if we were to give out what you played today - even if we put invisible walls around it and said, here's the demo, you can go anywhere you like inside these walls and play it how you want - that's potentially right there eight-to-ten hours of gameplay. I don't know too many people who are willing to give away a 12-hour game for free."

How about really tiny invisible walls? Maybe with a time limit? No? As gamers get more and more used to having demos available before games are released, the sandbox game devs are going to have to adjust. Perhaps just give gamers a square of land, a selection of weapons, and a target range? We can work this out folks!

No Far Cry 2 demo planned [Eurogamer]

It's not quite official confirmation, but Gamekyo has the trademark document for the game over at their site, so there's a pretty good chance this is a solid rumor. Still, even a solid rumor is still a rumor. The only thing that really strikes me as odd about the whole thing is I known people from Chicago, and no piddling city-destroying earthquake could take them down.

Jade Raymond working on I Am Alive [Gamekyo]

“I had a great time doing the voice for my own animation,” said Gordon Ramsay. “Being in a video game is a new experience for me and I’m very pleased with the results.”

And if he wasn't pleased, no doubt Ubisoft would know it. The game features a Career mode in which players earn stars and unlock authentic Ramsay recipes, some of which are exclusive to the game, along with an arcade mode with an ever-increasing difficulty level.

I must have this game. I have to admit I have become addicted to the show, and the prospect of having Chef Gordon tell me to fuck off and leave the kitchen is much more exciting that it should be. It's RAW!

Ubisoft Serves Up Hell’s Kitchen™: The Video Game
Video Game Based on FOX’s Hit TV Show Features Virtual Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay

SAN FRANCISCO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Today Ubisoft announced that it will publish Hell’s Kitchen™: The Video Game, for Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PC and Mac®. Developed by Ludia, Hell’s Kitchen: The Video Game is based on the U.S. hit FOX television program from Granada America featuring world-renowned Chef Gordon Ramsay. The game will allow players to experience the show’s high-pressure kitchen and dining room challenges as a faithfully rendered 3D Chef Ramsay watches their every move.

“I had a great time doing the voice for my own animation,” said Gordon Ramsay. “Being in a video game is a new experience for me and I’m very pleased with the results.”

After executing the three phases of an order – preparation, cooking and service – Chef Gordon Ramsay will score each meal. As they progress through the game, players will be rewarded with access to recipes from Chef Ramsay’s own repertoire.

“Hell’s Kitchen has everything a great video game needs: pressure, excitement and intense competition,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft North America. “We are very excited to be bringing the intensity of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and the Hell’s Kitchen experience to the virtual world this fall.”

Hell’s Kitchen: The Video Game will be released worldwide September 2008.

Key Features:

Chef Ramsay watches players’ every move and judges them as they progress by yelling at them, praising them or shutting down the kitchen if their skills don’t meet his expectations.

As players progress, they’ll gain access to authentic Gordon Ramsay recipes, including many that are offered exclusively to game owners.

In Career Mode, players can earn stars to build their way up from a Single-Star restaurant to a prestigious Five-Star establishment. As the player advances through the ranks, their star rating advances and the recipes become more varied and intricate.

In Arcade Mode, the pressure builds as customers become increasingly demanding. Players will be challenged to keep up with the pressure before time is up, or Chef Ramsay loses patience and closes the kitchen.

“It is the quality and innovation of our artists that made Hybride into one of the most successful studios in cinema and the most important visual effects producer on the North American East Coast,” stated Pierre Raymond, founder and chief executive officer at Hybride Technologies. “The sharing of technological and creative expertise between Ubisoft and Hybride will position the two companies at the head of the pack in an entertainment industry in rapid evolution.”

A game company owning their own movie effects company will also do wonders for getting Ubisoft properties made into motion pictures, don't you think? Don't worry about the effects budget, we've got that covered. Hit the jump for the full release regarding this groundbreaking convergence of video games and cinema.

MEDIA CONVERGENCE: UBISOFT® ACQUIRES HYBRIDE TECHNOLOGIES, CREATOR OF VISUAL EFFECTS FOR THE FILMS 300 AND SIN CITY

Fusion between creator of best-selling video game brands and renowned special effects studio a groundbreaking event for digital entertainment

London, UK - July 8, 2008 – Today Ubisoft announced the acquisition of Hybride Technologies, a Montreal-based studio renowned for its expertise in the creation of visual effects for cinema, television and advertising.

Created over 15 years ago, Hybride employs 80 team members. The studio’s many projects include such innovative films as 300, Frank Miller’s Sin City and the Spy Kids series.

Ubisoft will work closely with Hybride to share technology and to develop tools in order to optimize the creation of both video games and visual effects and to offer gamers visual experiences that rival those of the cinema. At the same time, Hybride will continue to work with its film partners while also bringing its expertise to leverage Ubisoft’s intellectual properties for the movie industry.

"The future of our industry depends on our ability to create brands that captivate audiences and to extend those brands to other forms of entertainment," said Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft. “The acquisition of Hybride falls directly into the strategy that has already led us to open a digital creation studio in Montreal and to acquire the Tom Clancy brand for video games and ancillary products. The exceptional quality of the team at Hybride and the expertise of our Ubisoft teams will allow us to create one of the best 3D animation studios in the entertainment industry.”

"This alliance is a true first for the industry,” continued Yannis Mallat, chief executive officer of Ubisoft Montreal. “Ubisoft and Hybride share the same vision of entertainment convergence and a common passion for innovation and creativity.”

“It is the quality and innovation of our artists that made Hybride into one of the most successful studios in cinema and the most important visual effects producer on the North American East Coast,” stated Pierre Raymond, founder and chief executive officer at Hybride Technologies. “The sharing of technological and creative expertise between Ubisoft and Hybride will position the two companies at the head of the pack in an entertainment industry in rapid evolution.”

In addition to bringing its technological knowledge and its collaboration to Ubisoft’s brands, Hybride will continue to work with its external partners. The forecast for this visual effects creation activity for cinema, television and advertising will initially generate sales of approximately 6 to 7 M€ and a current operating income of about 10 % of sales.

A video montage of both Hybride and Ubisoft projects can be seen at http://uplay.us.ubi.com/

“Ubisoft develops some of the most engaging, popular video game franchises and we look forward to enhancing the Petz gaming experience by producing accessories that capture the personality and excitement of these titles,” said Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz.

No word on what sorts of accessoriez we can expect, but I'm thinking carrying cases for the DS, maybe a custom stylus or two. May the union of the misspelled animals be a fruitful one.

Mad Catz Secures License Agreement to Produce Ubisoft’s Petz® Branded Accessories
SAN DIEGO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSX: MCZ), a leading third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, announced today that it has secured a license from Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, to produce branded accessories for the Petz® series of video games on Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ video game system platforms. The multi-year agreement allows Mad Catz to distribute products licensed under the agreement throughout the United States and Canada.

Petz is a series of games in which players adopt, raise and care for cute, furry pets chosen from many different breeds of dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, dolphins, tigers and bunnies. The series currently includes Petz Dogz®, Petz Catz®, Petz Horsez®, Petz Hamsterz Life™, Petz Bunnyz™, Petz Wild Animals: Tigerz and Petz Wild Animals: Dolphinz.

“Ubisoft develops some of the most engaging, popular video game franchises and we look forward to enhancing the Petz gaming experience by producing accessories that capture the personality and excitement of these titles,” said Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz. “The addition of the Petz franchise license further strengthens and diversifies what we believe to be the video game accessory industry’s most extensive portfolio of brand licenses that already includes all of the major North American professional sports leagues and many of the most popular recent and upcoming software titles.”

Also making a rated appearance at ESRB.org is Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, the PlayStation 3 game that can't seem to keep its existence a secret. Surely, the title must be announced at E3 next week.

Finally, in other exciting news, Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium has been rated for a Wii release, meaning its Virtual Console appearance could be just months to a year away.

[via Zapages @ NeoGAF]

"Ubisoft is extremely excited about the partnership with TransGaming to bring our titles to the Mac," said Jay Cohen, senior vice president of publishing at Ubisoft. "This is the perfect opportunity to reach the growing Mac community so they can enjoy games such as CSI: Hard Evidence and our Petz franchise with Catz and Dogz."

Oh. That's...nice? Finally Mac gamers will be able to experience the titles PC gamers have been raving about for ages! I assume we'll see something a bit more meaty (yes, I know Petz have meat) as the partnership continues.

TransGaming to Bring Ubisoft Titles to Mac

Ubisoft® Games for Mac Now Available for Purchase and Download at GameTreeOnline.com

Toronto, Canada – July 2, 2008 – TransGaming Inc. (TSX-V: TNG), has announced that video game publisher, Ubisoft (PARIS:UBI.PA), is collaborating with TransGaming to distribute video games on Mac via TransGaming's CiderTM Portability Engine. TransGaming, a leading developer of portability technologies for the electronic entertainment industry, has signed a multi-title agreement with Ubisoft that will bring titles immediately to the Mac community via gametreeonline.com, TransGaming's digital distribution portal. The partnership extends TransGaming's publisher network and offers both parties a revenue-sharing model in addition to TransGaming's Cider licensing fee.

"Ubisoft is extremely excited about the partnership with TransGaming to bring our titles to the Mac," said Jay Cohen, senior vice president of publishing at Ubisoft. "This is the perfect opportunity to reach the growing Mac community so they can enjoy games such as CSI: Hard Evidence and our Petz franchise with Catz and Dogz. To expand our business position and serve the growing Mac gaming community, additional key titles will follow later this year, including several day-and-date releases this Fall.

Ubisoft ranks among the top three independent publishers of video games in the world and has chosen to leverage TransGaming's technology to deliver multiple Mac titles each year. All titles for Mac are being made possible using TransGaming's Cider Portability Engine, that acts as a "wrapper" around the game software, enabling it to run seamlessly on Intel-based Macs. This collaboration by two industry leaders will serve to provide the Mac gaming community with a significant increase in the availability of video games, while simultaneously improving the timeliness of Mac games on sale to the consumer market, a dual benefit rarely possible prior to TransGaming's Cider Portability Engine.

"We are delighted to offer consumers Ubisoft's titles through our digital distribution portal, GameTree Online, and at traditional Mac retail locations over the next few years. Ubisoft has been creating award winning games for Windows-PC and I have no doubt that Mac consumers everywhere will be thrilled to have access to this great content," commented Vikas Gupta, CEO & President of TransGaming Technologies. "Leading publishers continue to recognize the value of TransGaming's Cider Engine to bring their high quality content quickly and efficiently to the growing Mac community. The addition of Ubisoft titles further broadens the Mac games market and provides further evidence that TransGaming is the partner of choice for Mac enablement."

Ubisoft's Petz® series will be available immediately for consumers to purchase and download at www.gametreeonline.com. Other Ubisoft titles that have never been available on Mac before will be deployed throughout the Summer, and simultaneously in the Fall with the Windows-PC platform releases.

Serving the gaming industry for many years, TransGaming is a technology leader signing Ubisoft, another top-tier publisher, will ensure all Mac consumers have the game-title availability they demand. TransGaming is 'Broadening the Playing Field' as more and more consumers choose Mac as their personal entertainment solution.

We will be meeting weekly, on Monday's at 9:30 p.m. Eastern, though this month with the holiday and E3, is going to have an odd schedule. I'm pretty sure it will be easy to get through the game in four meetings. So let's plan on our first meeting to start on July 7 at 9:30 p.m. Eastern. Just come to the site and look for the Game Club Beyond Good & Evil Discussion post.

In this first assignment for Beyond Good & Evil you'll need to complete the the Black Isle Mines section of the game. Make sure you don't play past that point because I'd like us all to be on the same page, so to speak. After playing through the chunk, try to think up some interesting questions and discussion topics. I will have a list of my own, but I'm hoping we can all ask each other interesting things to discuss.

The game is available for the Xbox (not backwards compatible) PS2, Gamecube and the PC via Steam and Gametap.

Hit the jump for the Game Club rules.

The Game Club is going to be conducted via the Internets, meaning, sadly, we won't all be meeting in Fahey's living room over coffee and crumpets to discuss the latest Game Club game. Instead, we will be meeting both on Kotaku and in a giant chat room.

I hope to dump the on-going discussion the group of people is having into the Kotaku post so those who couldn't make it in or who arrive late can still participate with one another.

Once in the room, I'll moderate the chat. The idea here is that we don't want a few dozen people all trying to talk about the game at the same time. So, I hope we can get someone to ask an intelligent question and then take turns discussing it. Remember this is a work in progress so we'll make tweaks to the mechanics of how this works as we proceed.

A cardinal rule will be that there will be no off-topic talking, no trolling, no flame wars, no fan-boyism in the chat or the person will be kicked out. We're all intelligent people, I don't see why we can't act like we are when gathered together online.

In general the idea is for people to discuss the current video game in a thoughtful and meaningful way. Why we won't totally disallow discussion of things like graphics and play mechanics, those particular topics should really be brought up in a way that addresses the deeper meaning and ideas presented in the game.

Each week I'll do a post outlining the Game Club's assignment. Please, no playing ahead. This could taint your views of what's currently going on in the section we hope to discuss.

Hopefully, this mostly makes sense. Ask your questions here about how this will work and I'll try to answer them.

OK, so, Ubisoft about a couple days back sent out word on its forums about the DLC coming in the "early July" (not more specific, sorry) release of Rainbow Six Vegas 2's Fan Pack. There will be several new gameplay details and three maps. It's all free, and will all be available via Ubi's site, Xbox Live Marketplace, or Playstation Network depending on your flavor of platform.

Re: the maps (from Ubi's post).

There are three maps included in the free DLC: Murdertown – Dark, CQB Training – Dark and best of all the much-requested fan favourite Calypso Casino! The three map layouts have not been changed. The re-lit “Dark maps” have a very eerie atmosphere, and may require players to use night vision to spot enemies. Calypso Casino returns with updated lighting and textures. The three maps are playable in all Versus modes and Terrorist Hunt.

As for gameplay, there are new ranks, new A.C.E.S., some rebalancing of weapon characteristics, multiplayer tweaks, and a handy-dandy frag indicator to help you not get your ass blown off. The entire announcement is quoted after the jump, plus the video (hosted at Gametrailers) referenced in the announcement.

Hi everyone,

I am very pleased to announce that Ubisoft will be releasing a Fan Pack to all Rainbow Six fans. I am also here to give you better insight and clarification on what the Fan Pack contains:

The Fan Pack includes an Update for the game and DLC (downloadable content). The first thing that may come to mind is: “Is this free?” Yes it is, including the DLC. This pack will be available via Xbox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Network and ubi.com in July 2008. You can find out more about the Fan Pack in this video.

*** Update Features ***

New Ranks
An additional 99 Elite Ranks have been added for bragging rights. For those of you who are already Elite, you may have noticed that your XP continued to accumulate while playing. Once you have the update, your XP will automatically be applied towards the new Elite ranks, so it is possible that you have already ranked up multiple times past Elite.

New A.C.E.S.
A total of 100 A.C.E.S. are available for each category: Marksman, CQB and Assault. Each A.C.E.S. level past 20 will reward you with 5000 XP that applies to your rank. For players who have already reached A.C.E.S. 20 and continued to collect A.C.E.S. points, you will be happy to know that the update will automatically advance you to the level you have earned. For example, if you have enough A.C.E.S. points to reach Marksman 25, you will automatically be at Marksman 25 and earn 25000 (5000 x 5) towards your next Rank.

Grenade Indicator
When you are within the damage radius of a Frag or Incendiary grenade, an indicator will appear on-screen telling you which direction it is. The indicator can show multiple grenades at once.

Weapons & Gadgets Balancing
Here are a couple of notes about Weapons and Gadgets:
• Explosion delay of the incendiary grenade has been increased
• Detonation speed of the C4 has been slightly increased
• Increased the damage of Sniper Rifles at long range
• Increased the base accuracy of the Light Machine Guns
• Adjusted the rate of fire for some of the Assault Rifles, Shotguns and an SMG
• Sped up the time it takes to zoom in & out with weapons, making it more responsive

To better clarify: the zoom for all firearms have been significantly sped-up and you can now fire DURING the zoom transition.

Respawns in Team Deathmatch – Host Option
An added host option has been added for Random Respawns. Random Respawns OFF will play like the classic Versus style where each team spawns in their designated Alpha or Bravo base. Random Respawns ON will have your players spawn randomly throughout the map after they die the first time.

Voice Chat – Host Option
Added as a host option for Player Match & System Link, players now have the option to talk to their team mates while dead.

Score in Deathmatch
Displayed on the bottom left of the HUD in Deathmatch, players can now see their score along with the top opponent’s score.

Team Leader - Spawn Change
Players now respawn next to the leader by default, unless players specifically choose to spawn back at the base.

Show Dead Players in Lobby
Players who no longer have lives remaining will now have a skull icon displayed next to their name in the pause menu.

Terrorist Hunt Spawning
Terrorists will no longer spawn right in front of you or behind you, or in a room you just cleared.

* * * * *

High Stakes Setting
High Stakes is a host option for every Versus mode that really pushes tactical gameplay to the next level. Here’s a detailed description of High Stakes:

Limited HUD (High Stakes)
The Radar is disabled. Enemies will not be visible on the Tactical Map (back button on 360/select button on PS3). Grenade indicator is disabled.

Health System (High Stakes)
Health regen is disabled. If you are shot and close to death, you’ll enter a visual state of critical health (screen turns monochromatic).

Cover System (High Stakes)
The cover system as been changed in High-Stakes mode to encourage players to peek instead of pop-n-shoot. The camera has been moved so your character cannot look past their cover unless they expose themselves around a corner.

Weapons & Gadgets (High Stakes)
Aim Assistance has been completely disabled. Bullet spread has also been increased when not zoomed-in (you will notice your crosshair indicators are much wider when not in zoom). Realistically, a person holding a gun would have better aim when zoomed-in than when he’s walking around. This encourages players to really take aim instead of run-n-gun. Also remember that the zoom time has been sped-up and you can now fire WHILE you zoom in and out. Players now have less ammunition (1 for each gadget you choose and less clips for your guns) so you really need to play conservatively and rely on precision use of ammo.

Kill Camera & Friendly Fire (High Stakes)
Kill Camera is always disabled and Friendly fire is always enabled.

*** DLC ***

THREE FREE MAPS
There are three maps included in the free DLC: Murdertown – Dark, CQB Training – Dark and best of all the much-requested fan favourite Calypso Casino! The three map layouts have not been changed. The re-lit “Dark maps” have a very eerie atmosphere, and may require players to use night vision to spot enemies. Calypso Casino returns with updated lighting and textures. The three maps are playable in all Versus modes and Terrorist Hunt.

This Fan Pack is dedicated to all of you in the Rainbow Six community. Everything in this update and DLC comes directly from you on the forums, private messages to us and even matches the team has played with you all online. We’d like to sincerely thank you for your continued support and feedback. See you online!

Update by Ubi.Vigil:

We're sure some of you are wondering when it will be available on platforms other than UK PS3s. This early release was a result of a miscommunication with Sony, we apologise for any confusion or frustration this sudden release caused. Until the release of the update in other PS3 territories, UK PS3 players will only be able to play with other UK players.

The full Fan pack, including all maps, fixes and changes, will be available on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 in early July.

Best Regards,
Ubi.LevelUp - Community Developer
Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Fan Pack Details [Ubisoft Forums via Blue's News]

Ubisoft's Galarneau On The Rise Of The Petz [Gamasutra]

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.

We just did Assassin's and are sitting on top of the world, but we have to come back to reality very quickly because you're only as good as your last product... Don't drink the Kool-Aid too much; we're going have to defend our position... When we bring it [Assassin's Creed] back, there will be more anticipation for it.

Not only hype, but also look forward to Ubisoft explain how the game play is no longer repetitive and dull. We eagerly anticipate that.

Europe's Top Gamer [Forbes via Eurogamer] [Pic]

[via Big Download]

What he saw:

• "Late alpha test phase of the game it was [an executable file] running on a devkit at the show, so it was obviously very early test phase. The game was riddled with bugs as of now because the 360 was crashing quite a few times."

• "I'm unsure about the company [providing the maps], but they used satellite mapping of the areas and reconstructed them into the game. The mountains look epic with all the texturing and bushes."

• "Distance third person viewing when dog fighting or getting chased by missiles."

What he was told (by an Ubisoft rep):

• "The spokesperson for Ubisoft said that this game was gonna be a gamble like Assassin's Creed was because of the huge amount of money invested into the game only to find out if its gonna be awesome or a mediocre game. From what it seems that the rep was saying HAWX is going to cost a lot to make."

• "At least 50 planes will be available in game"

• "For promotion [materials] they are looking for any air force pilots to get a picture in with the HAWX patch and will get put up on their site."

Now for the pics:

Of course, thanks to reader Anonymous (no, he did not play the game wearing a V for Vendetta mask) for keeping his eyes peeled on coming back with some good info.

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]

The first game to appear under the Play Zone label is Sports Party, which features nine different mini-games with varying difficulty levels. Included are three variations on basketball, croquet, lawn darts, badminton, volley-ball, horse shoes, and mini-golf. Sounds perfect for parents who've grown jaded over this whole fresh-air and sunshine nonsense.

UBISOFT LAUNCHES NEW PLAY ZONE LABEL
Sports Party, first PLAY ZONE game for friends and family to enjoy exclusively on WiiTM

London, UK– June 19th, 2008– Today Ubisoft announced that it will launch a new Wii exclusive party-games range under the label PLAY ZONE. The PLAY ZONE titles will provide immediate entertainment&recreation thanks to original and numerous mini-games to be shared by all family members and friends.

“With our new PLAY ZONE party titles, the Wii gamers who like to spend time with friends and family will have fun with the Wii through innovative and involving mini-games. The PLAY ZONE label will provide them with the best games to mingle and compete together in a fun and friendly atmosphere” said John Parkes, Ubisoft’s EMEA Marketing Director.

Sports Party: become the summer sports champion!

Sports Party will be the first game to be released within the PLAY ZONE label. Located in a tropical paradise Island, Sports Party proposes 9 sports mini-games that can be played head-to-head or cooperatively. With 3 different difficulty levels and using intuitive gestures with the Wii Remote the games can be enjoyed again and again.

Key features:

• 9 different disciplines: Challenge family and friends to basketball (3 different mini-games), croquet, lawn darts, badminton, volley-ball, horse shoes and mini-golf.

• Short gaming sessions: Have a break and change sport as often as desired. Practice a few minutes and challenge whoever is around!

• For the whole family: 3 different difficulty levels that fit with the skills of all family members and friends.

• Wii Remote based gameplay: Thanks to intuitive motions, instantaneously enjoy any sport!

Sports Party will be available on July 11th 2008.

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]

How a computer game is made [BBC, via VG247]

He was getting to way too egotistical about the project and extremely difficult to work with...He was also asking for a shit load of money... He pretty much tied his own noose.

Granted, this is still unconfirmed and Ubisoft apparently hasn't offered an official comment on this rumor. US? We're on the fence: Ironside is the voice of one of Ubisoft's biggest franchises, which is why it's hard to believe they'd let him get away. (That would be a total buzz kill for Conviction!) Then again, because he is so important, maybe he's become "difficult." Watch out, though, Ubisoft. Piss off Ironside and he'll totally scan you. KA-BOOM!

Ironside's Ego Demands [Sarcastic Gamer Thanks, Drew!]

The amBX gaming peripheral includes RGB LED lights that can create 16 million colors, variable speed desktop fans capable of up to 5,000 RPM and a wrist rumble strip. Philips says that the device will be used to create "all kinds of spectacular air combat lighting, air movement and rumble effects."

The HAWX support announcement also notes that the peripheral is getting a price drop with the starter kit now selling for about $150, the extension kit selling for $80, the premium kit for $280 and the pro kit for $230. All of them sound too pricey for something that's going to throw rainbows up on my ceiling and blow wind in my face, but each to his or her own.

The debate comes after Dentist Gaye Herford spent a year trying to bring the plight of her son to the attention of Parliament after he suffered a seizure while playing Rayman: Raving Rabbids on this DS.

The paper reports that Ubisoft has already agreed to voluntarily test its games through a screening process.

Herford discovered her 10-year-old son with his eyes glazed over and twitching uncontrollably in an epileptic fit in May 2007.

If the campaign leads to new legislation, the UK will be the first country in the world to set such high safety standards for video games, the paper reports. Television and film programs are already tested.

MUM'S NINTENDO EPILEPSY BATTLE [The Evening Post]

"We support the PSP with innovative game experiences and plan to publish around 12 PSP games this fiscal year, including titles for some of our top-selling brands," damage controlled a spokesperson. Glad we've got that settled so Ken Kutaragi's "people" can stop with the harassing phone calls and that Yves Guillemot can turn his ignition key without fear of his Beemer exploding.

Ubisoft: We still support the PSP [GI.biz]

Hello, NDA Ignoring Bastard

We're pleased to inform you that you have been selected to participate in the Tom Clancy's EndWar Private Beta.
You now have access to the full EndWar Beta website at www.endwarbeta.com and can begin posting on the forums.

Your username is: NDABREAKER2008

Don't forget to check out the "how to play" section for helpful information on getting started. The EndWar Beta will be ready for you soon and once it's available for download we'll be sure to let you know.

I am going to start using NDABreaker2008 as my handle every time I sign up for a beta test, just to see if anyone ever lets me in. Congrats to those who got in! We promise not to say anything to Ubisoft unless they offer us candy. Hit the jump for exciting screens from the beta instructions!

Forbes magazine thinks it knows who the other contender could be - Ubisoft, after ruling out Activision, who's already rather busy with a very big impending merger with Vivendi.

There are a few reasons why Ubi might be a good bet:

Well, for one thing, Ubisoft's profits are on the rise, reaching a "record high" for fiscal 2008. In March, the publisher reported a doubling of its income to $172.45 million, along with $1.5 billion in sales. Despite its past troubles, Take-Two is pretty top-tier, and very few of its fellow publishers could reasonably afford it - but Ubi's new numbers make it look more feasible for them.

Forbes adds:

In recent interviews with Forbes.com, Ubisoft North America's president, Laurent Detoc, has indicated the company is moving away from a pure games-based business in favor of what it hopes will be long-lived brands, extended across all forms of media. For instance, Ubisoft is developing a TV series and building a computer-generated imagery studio. A Prince of Persia movie, based on the game franchise, is also in the works.

There's a lot at Take-Two that could dovetail with Ubisoft's interests.

And Ubisoft has been diversifying, expanding into several genres - but as Forbes points out, their sports presence is pretty weak, with only Shaun White Snowboarding in the pipeline. They could really use Take-Two, then.

Forbes also asked an analyst:

"Ubisoft has shown they do a good job of managing original intellectual property. Culturally, Take-Two developers would not have a problem at Ubisoft because they allow a decent degree of creative freedom," says Doug Creutz, analyst at San Francisco firm Cowen and Co.

Michael Pachter also told Forbes he thought Ubisoft and Take-Two might be a good match. But I've discussed the same matter with Pachter and other analysts myself, and it's likely that once EA gets FTC clearance for the merger, they'll be forced to raise their bid into the $30 per share range, territory that Ubi might be very hard-pressed to top.

Still, on that results call, Zelnick was careful to clarify that while Take-Two may be in other merger discussions, nothing has progressed to the negotiation phase.

Take-Two's EA Alternative [Forbes.com]

Weekly Ad [GameStop]

I think that Sony is disappointed with sales and it's unsure as to which way to take it.

Sony needs to show us a bit more about what its plans are to convince the publisher to invest lots more money into it. Especially when you've got the DS selling at such a tremendous pace.

I suppose it's almost too technical for the casual person, those that are buying the DS at the moment, who want a few buttons and not a lot more. It's so simple what [Nintendo] has done. That's where I think Sony has gone a little bit too complicated, they've over-specced it, the price is too high and they need to go back to the drawing board and start again.

Uh, whuh? Rob, meet Japan. Japan, Rob. Don't think you've met. Japan, what he means is, making real games is hard, so why isn't the PSP more like the DS, where they can just dump any old shit on it and make some money?

Ubisoft urges Sony to act on 'directionless' PSP [GI.biz]

When you’re reaching out to somebody who plays one or two games a year, it’s very easy. You don’t need to follow the rules of previous markets. But as they play more and competitors emerge, you have to rethink the way you do the games. The casual audience is becoming more demanding, for sure, and we need to make sure we’re proving more than what they’re anticipating... Young girls, for instance, are now used to games that are made just for them – and have started thinking they want something better.

Imagine Babies, anyone? Anyone?

Casuals Demanding More [CasualGaming]

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]

There are lots of rumours flying around right now about Conviction's development status and we can tell you that the gameplay has evolved, similar to what happens in every game's development process, and you won't be disappointed.

Critics should note they mention the evolution of Sam Fisher's gameplay, not his hairstyle.

A letter from the devteam [Splinter Cell Conviction, via CVG]

Our goal is to create a studio that will be very high quality, our goal is to try to get to the level of quality of Peter Jackson's Weta studio. We have been working to train people, to recruit highly talented people and we are in test mode at the moment. We are going to make sure that we get to the level of Weta. We have a long way to go but in getting to that level will help us to actually be one of the studios where everybody has to go.

We don't need to be always making the movie but what we have to do is make sure that what's necessary for our games is done close to us so we can reuse assets. Or we can have a specific relationship with a director who is going to do 3D imaging in such a way that we can also use them in our games. That is how we will improve the quality of our games, by giving our consumers a lot more than what we can give them today.

And hey, as movies use more and more CG and the level of game CG improves, stuff like this really makes sense.

Guillemot To Transform Ubisoft [Games Industry]

"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]

On Ubi's forums, a commenter complains, "we get no new Core-titles and when we get some like Shaun White Snowboarding it looks worse than SSX on the Cube. Doesnt really look like Ubisoft is trying to put some effort in it."

The moderator comes back with a well-what-do-you-expect argument, without saying exactly that. The Wii's a console parents buy for kids, he says. "Parents who are buying a console for their children do not really care about Prince of Persia, Rainbow Six or Far Cry on the box, they want games that are going to be good for their children and not get them in the local newspaper."

Then, quoting a bunch of sales figures, says Ubi's mindful of the Wii's growth market, which is casual gaming, not Assassin's Creed. "If you look at the most successful Wii games, they are not amazing new AAA games, they are predominantly family orientated [THIS IS NOT A WORD] games/alternative games."

I made a D in college logic, so I am amenable to corrections. But if I have it right, this is what the guy himself is saying

• Games that sell well on Wii are crappy (at least by "normal gamer" standards, as the questioner describes himself).
• Ubisoft makes games intending for them to sell well.
• Ubisoft makes games for the Wii.
• ... (profit!?)

Also, if you're a Wii gamer and think I'm pouring on the hate, your own people are sending around and signing a petition to demand Ubi make better games on the Wii. Sign it if you want, but I doubt it'll budge Ubi's Nintendo strategy. (Next up: Gerbilz!)

Finally, I like this plea:

"As for Shaun Whites on the Wii, can you at least wait to get some more information and gameplay on it before binning it? Most people have seen a few screenshots and they already hate it because it does not look as good as the 360 etc but to damn a game just because of looks, and without actually playing it is just silly."

No, actually, that's the status quo.

Do You Have Anything at All for Normal Wii-Gamers? [Ubisoft Forums, thanks mickifree93]

Very early on we knew that we wanted to go a completely different direction. Instead of going for the tropical island and trying to go for hyper realism, we changed the setting. First of all we wanted to have a really, really credible environment, but we didn't want to replicate anybody's vacation photos.

Probably smart. Who wants to play somebody's vacation photos anyway?

Far Cry 2 Different [Ubisoft] [Pic]