Activision

ESA Welcomes Trion and XSEED

Just when you thought everyone was jumping ship, the Entertainment Software Association welcomes two new companies to its ranks. Trion World Network, Inc. isn’t familiar to most gamers – because they haven’t actually put out any games yet. The company is working on “server-based games and original entertainment” and made a couple of headlines last…

L.A. Court Finds In Favor Of Scratch DJ

A California judge has ruled in favor of Scratch DJ Game LLC, granting a temporary restraining order against Activision Publishing, ordering all Scratch intellectual property returned immediately. Despite assurances on Thursday by Activision that the L.A. Superior Court saw no evidence of wrongdoing on their part, a judge today granted Genius Products and Numark Industries…

Guitar Hero: Van Halen Confirmed By Ratings Board?

While Activision’s plans for a Guitar Hero game highlighting the music and career of Van Halen is a poorly kept secret, the publisher hasn’t yet officially announced it. But the German game ratings board has. The Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) has rated Guitar Hero headlining Van Halen for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, a fairly…

Activision Denies Wrongdoing In Scratch Suit, Backed By LA Court

Publisher Activision has responded to allegations that it conspired to delay rival DJ game Scratch: The Ultimate DJ by buying its competitor’s developer, 7 Studios, calling those claims disingenuous and lacking in merit. Yesterday, Genius Products and Numark Industries announced they had filed suit against Activision and Scratch developers 7 Studios for “intentional interference with…

Bane Goes Wild In Arkham Asylum

Once again one of Batman’s most intelligent villains is reduced to a ravening juggernaut of destruction, as Bane makes a smashing appearance in Batman: Arkham Asylum. He looks good and all, but I’m a bit tired of video game developers and Joel Schumacher using Bane as a mindless powerhouse enemy. He is a powerful guy,…

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Double Feature

Activision’s double preview feature of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen showcased two approaches to movie-game making that we ought to see more of. The first, used for Wolverine, is the “if you can’t beat ‘em, rip ‘em off” method of movie-game making. The second, seen in Transformers, is “if you need…

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Site Is Shia Free

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen isn’t due in theaters for another two months or so, but Activision endeavors to tide you over with this movie-game website. Revenge of the Fallen will be on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS and PSP in various gameplay formats. I’m sure they would have put…

Activision Accused of Stealing From DJ Hero Rival

The publisher and peripheral maker of upcoming DJ game Scratch: The Ultimate DJ have filed suit against developer 7 Studios and Activision for “intentional interference with contract, breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets.” Yes, the publisher is suing its own developer, claiming that the two parties have interfered with efforts to complete the…

Activision Leaves PC Gaming Alliance

Despite being one of the founding members of the industry awareness board, it’s been revealed that Activision have now left the PC Gaming Alliance. Over the weekend, a couple of readers noticed that the company’s logo no longer appeared on the PCGA’s website. Contacted for comment, the PCGA confirmed that “a few members have decided…

Activision Ready To Exploit The DSi

The DSi should do good business! And where there’s good business, there’s Activision, ready to exploit that business, in this case with a downloadable DSi title. That title is Mixed Messages, developed by port & handheld specialists Vicarious Visions. It’s a party game for 2 to 21 players, and works a little bit like Pictionary,…

Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Trailer Dates Game For June 16

Activision’s new Guitar Hero: Smash Hits trailer features very little in the way of "new." It’s loaded with old tunes, even if the trailer argues they’re "the most fun Guitar Hero songs." But at least the thing gives us a firm release date, letting us know we can expect the game formerly known as Guitar…

Raven Software Gushes Over Wolverine

While the second behind-the-scenes clips for X-Men Origins: Wolverine does include some nifty bits about sound design and camera work, for the most part it’s just the team at Raven using complimentary adjectives. According to Raven, Wolverine will be fast, furious, unleashed, and the game that everyone is pining for. It’s like no Wolverine game…

These Songs Will Be On Guitar Hero: Smash Hits

None of the songs on Guitar Hero: Smash Hits will be a surprise, since they’re all songs that appeared on previous, guitar-only titles in the series. But still. You need to know what they are. Activision have today released a partial tracklist, showcasing 12 of the songs that will feature in the game. Since none…

Prototype Preview: My Type of Game

The last thing Prototype is trying to be is a modern day version of Assassin’s Creed set in Liberty City, so stop making those comparisons right now. Oh fine, there’s parkour and it’s set in New York City. But the game has more in common with its cousin The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction than it…

Prototype Ships on June 9

Prototype, Activision’s open-world action game, will ship on June 5 in Europe and June 9 in North America, the publisher confirmed this morning. Activision also says that they’ve updated the game’s official website to include the first half of Prototype’s intro cinematic, though as of this morning I couldn’t seem to find it there. In…

Is this the Last “Old Time Rock & Roll” Ad?

A bunch of readers saw this last night during Saturday Night Live, the sequel or – one hopes – the conclusion to the Guitar Hero "Risky Business" series of ads. I run hot and cold on Bob Seger. “Old Time Rock ‘n Roll,” thanks to just about every wedding DJ I’ve ever heard, is presently…

Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits Is Now Guitar Hero: Smash Hits

When Activision ships its “best of” Guitar Hero compilation this summer, it will be called Guitar Hero: Smash Hits, not Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits, as previously announced. Why? You got me. Perhaps Activision is saving Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits for yet another installment, as it’s due to run out of Guitar Hero sequel and spin-off…

Eating The Story Of Prototype

Poor Alex Mercer. The Prototype antagonist wakes up in a morgue and has to eat people to regain his memories. Yum. There’s a bit more to it than that, but the idea of consuming other people as a storytelling technique is certainly a novel way of putting a fresh spin on the overly-used amnesia mechanic.…

Iron Fist Joins Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Cast

Iconic 70s superhero Iron Fist will be among the two dozen playable characters featured in upcoming action title Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. The characters included in the game were selected because they are returning favorites from the first title, they are core to the Civil War story line or just because the developers wanted to…

Wolverine Behind-The-Scenes Is Best There is At What It Does

Activision unleashes the first behind-the-scenes video for X-Men Origins: Wolverine is definitely the best at what it does: proving that the developers at Raven are a bunch of drooling Wolverine fanboys. Activision seems to have a knack for passing their Marvel properties on to developers in love with the characters, though as was the case…