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Blur Release Blurred To 2010
Another game drops from the 2009 holiday season lineup, as Activision pushes the finish line on Bizarre Creations‘ Blur into 2010. It’s all in the name of multiplayer, according to the Activision press release announcing Blur’s move into next year, a move that will give the development team “more time to enhance the game’s innovative…
By Mike Fahey Published September 21, 2009 -
Bakugan: Contender to the Pokemon Throne?
“There it is!” The three words electrifies the crowd. The children swarming in the front yard of the Denver suburban house run to the curb. They crane their necks, point, howl with excitement. The one-ton truck eases its way through the last turn and straightens, a 42-foot trailer in tow. As the truck rolls down…
By Brian Crecente Published September 21, 2009 -
Reviews
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review: It Takes Two, Baby
Marvel’s mightiest heroes converge once again in Activsion’s Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 to face a foe far deadlier than any they’ve encountered thus far: themselves. Okay, so Marvel characters tend to fight each other on a regular basis, generally before teaming-up to take out a mutual enemy, but never quite on the scale of Marvel’s…
By Mike Fahey Published September 17, 2009 -
Kotick’s “Skepticism,” “Fear” And “Pessimism” Make Cameo At Modern Warfare 2 Event
File this in the category of a company able to have some fun at their own expense, even the mighty Activision. A sharp-eyed commenter on NeoGAF noticed an overlap between comments from Activision CEO Bobby Kotick that were widely quoted in the gaming press earlier this week and some custom classes set up by the…
By Stephen Totilo Published September 17, 2009 -
Cut Chemist Is In DJ Hero
Damnit, Activision. I’ve been down on DJ Hero since day 1, not for its premise, but for its roster, the diversity of which seems to be a grand exercise in half-assery. Now that Cut Chemist is joining DJ Shadow, though… Yes, it’s been announced today that Cut Chemist will be appearing in the game. I…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 17, 2009 -
Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Hands-On Impressions: No Buzzkills
Activision gave us our first taste of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer modes tonight at an event in Hollywood, California, featuring a fully playable—but still beta—version of the impending holiday blockbuster. Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward brought with them three maps, five preset classes, and dozens of new improvements that make the…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 16, 2009 -
Modern Warfare 2 Conference: Call Of Liveblog
Infinity Ward and Activision are, as you read this, holding a Modern Warfare 2 press conference. Not a press event, a press conference. Must be some good stuff in store. We’re there, and through the magic of liveblogging, so are you! – Microsoft will be releasing a special MW2 version of the Xbox 360, which…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 15, 2009 -
DJ Hero’s Daft Punk Trailer Robot Rocks You
.html The addition of French electronic duo Daft Punk to FreeStyleGames’ DJ Hero may represent the tipping point of my DJ Hero purchase. Especially considering the group’s extensive contributions to the soundtrack. Having played the game a handful of times, I’ve found some of the selections interesting, but lacking in actual Daft Punk. Eleven Daft…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 15, 2009 -
Bobby Kotick Wanted To Take All The Fun Out Of Making Video Games
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the above headline is taking a liberty or two with a comment from Activision boss Bobby Kotick. Nope. Those words are straight out of the man’s mouth. Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Securities Technology Conference in San Francisco yesterday, Kotick said “The goal that I had in bringing a…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 15, 2009 -
Activision Looking To A Future Where Consoles Aren’t Needed
Activision haven’t exactly had the rosiest of relationships with console manufacturers over the past few months. Which would be a problem for a console games manufacturer, were they not working on games that didn’t even need a console. Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Securities Technology Conference in San Francisco earlier today, Activision boss Bobby Kotick…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 14, 2009 -
Here’s Daft Punk In DJ Hero
Last week’s news that electronic music duo Daft Punk would be contributing heavily to Activision’s DJ Hero is followed by this week’s screenshots of them doing just that. As if the old school hip-hop weren’t enough to lure me into a DJ Hero purchase, Activision had to go and recruit Daft Punk, with 11 exclusive…
By Mike Fahey Published September 14, 2009 -
Looks Like You Won’t Be Getting A Refund On That Copy Of Wolfenstein
Prior to the release of Wolfenstein, Raven Software designer Manveer Heir promised a full refund to anyone who bought the game if it outsold this year’s Madden. It did not. It didn’t come close, actually, according to NPD Group estimates. According to a report from GameSpot, the Activision game sold just 106,000 copies across the…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 11, 2009 -
The Problem With Reality
Video games are meant to be flights of fancy but, as with television, reality has become an increasingly popular concept to tap into. Nowhere is this more evident than in music-themed video games. Titles like Guitar Hero 5, The Beatles: Rock Band and soon-to-be released DJ Hero all use real musicians, living and dead, to…
By Brian Crecente Published September 11, 2009 -
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Launch Trailer Does Damage
Witness the heartbreaking breakup of Iron Man and Captain America in the launch trailer for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, accompanied by Kosheen’s amazingly appropriate “Damage.” Those of you who don’t follow comic books might scoff at the use of the Kosheen tune. How can a dramatic tale of two people dragging out a relationship long…
By Mike Fahey Published September 11, 2009 -
A Look At Daft Punk’s DJ Hero Appearance
DJ Hero won’t just be for hip-hop fans, electronic music, in the form of Daft Punk, will also be playable on the rhythm game, Rolling Stone reports. The game will feature 11 exclusive mixes by Daft Punk as well as in-game avatars and set designs. It will be the first time the duo have participated…
By Brian Crecente Published September 11, 2009 -
Nintendo Won’t Let You Call A Wii “Firearm” A “Gun”
From Hitler moustaches to “sweat” in Mortal Kombat, Nintendo have a long history of over-reacting to violence in video games. So it shouldn’t surprise you that, in 2009, you’re still not allowed to call a Wii peripheral a “gun”. Speaking with Game Informer, Activision’s Jeff Muench has said that when branding and promoting the amazing…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 11, 2009 -
Activision: Courtney Love Signed Cobain Contract for Guitar Hero 5 UPDATE
In the wake of Courtney Love’s bombastic vitriol over the appearance of her late husband in Guitar Hero 5, Activision tells Kotaku that she was the one who signed the agreement for the deal. “Guitar Hero secured the necessary licensing rights from the Cobain estate in a written agreement signed by Courtney Love to use…
By Brian Crecente Published September 10, 2009 -
Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 Range In Pictures
If you thought Mad Catz line of Modern Warfare 2 accessories sounded impressive in print, wait until you see them in pictures. Here we get our first look at the Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 lineup. First announced last month, it consists of custom controllers for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, that lovely Cyborg…
By Mike Fahey Published September 10, 2009 -
Singularity: Let’s Do The Time Wave Again
Nothing exhilarates quite like a refreshing dip in the 1950’s, courtesy of Singularity’s intriguing time wave. While the Time Manipulation Device in Raven Software‘s Singularity allows you to manipulate objects between ages, the time wave manipulates you, forcing you to switch between present-day and the 1950’s, when the titular catastrophe occurred. It’s an interesting mechanic,…
By Mike Fahey Published September 10, 2009 -
Courtney Love Will Have Her Revenge On Activision
Creeped out by Kurt Cobain’s appearance in Guitar Hero 5? Upset, even? You weren’t the only one. Courtney Love, Cobain’s widow, is furious, and is satisfying her fury by threatening Activision with legal action. Posting on her – what else – Twitter account, Love wrote: For the record this Guitar Hero shit is breach of…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 10, 2009