News

Max Payne star re-collaborating with Fighter director on big-screen version of Uncharted; Pesci, De Niro being courted.

Two years ago, Mark Wahlberg got the chance to play hard-boiled game antihero Max Payne in the movie of the same name (pictured). Given the film’s poor reviews, that honor turned out to be more dubious than not. Now, though, it appears that the Oscar-nominated actor will be getting another chance to portray an iconic game character–Nathan Drake, hero of the Uncharted series.

Mark Wahlberg is going from Max Payne to Nathan Drake.

Speaking with MTV, Wahlberg said he was hoping to film the big-screen adaptation of Naughty Dog’s game this coming summer. The project is being written and directed by David O. Russell, a frequent collaborator of Wahlberg’s. The pair has worked together on such films as the Gulf War action-dramedy Three Kings, the existential comedy I Heart Huckabees, and the upcoming boxing drama The Fighter.

“David is writing [the script] now, and David is one of the best writer-directors I’ve ever worked with,” Wahlberg said. “And the idea that he has is just insane. ’ It’s not going to be the watered-down version; that’s for sure.”

Wahlberg also revealed some potential casting for the Uncharted film, which points to a loose adaptation of the game. Russell is apparently writing two roles–that of Drake’s father and uncle–with two specific actors in mind. The former part is apparently being offered to Robert de Niro, with the latter being tailor made for Joe Pesci. Neither character appears in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune or its sequel, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

For more on Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, read GameSpot’s full review.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

Max Payne star re-collaborating with Fighter director on big-screen version of Uncharted; Pesci, De Niro being courted.

Two years ago, Mark Wahlberg got the chance to play hard-boiled game antihero Max Payne in the movie of the same name (pictured). Given the film’s poor reviews, that honor turned out to be more dubious than not. Now, though, it appears that the Oscar-nominated actor will be getting another chance to portray an iconic game character–Nathan Drake, hero of the Uncharted series.

Mark Wahlberg is going from Max Payne to Nathan Drake.

Speaking with MTV, Wahlberg said he was hoping to film the big-screen adaptation of Naughty Dog’s game this coming summer. The project is being written and directed by David O. Russell, a frequent collaborator of Wahlberg’s. The pair has worked together on such films as the Gulf War action-dramedy Three Kings, the existential comedy I Heart Huckabees, and the upcoming boxing drama The Fighter.

“David is writing [the script] now, and David is one of the best writer-directors I’ve ever worked with,” Wahlberg said. “And the idea that he has is just insane. ’ It’s not going to be the watered-down version; that’s for sure.”

Wahlberg also revealed some potential casting for the Uncharted film, which points to a loose adaptation of the game. Russell is apparently writing two roles–that of Drake’s father and uncle–with two specific actors in mind. The former part is apparently being offered to Robert de Niro, with the latter being tailor made for Joe Pesci. Neither character appears in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune or its sequel, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

For more on Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, read GameSpot’s full review.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

New tracks are heading to Wii shape-thrower Just Dance 2, publisher Ubisoft has confirmed.

V V Brown’s Crying Blood, The Reverend Horatio Duncan & Amos Sweets’ Down By The Riverside and Futebol Crazy by The World Cup Girls are all available now for 300 Points a pop.

These join previous DLC tracks Aqua’s Barbie Girl, Firework by Katy Perry, Pon De Replay by Rihanna, M. A. R. R. S’s 80s hit Pump Up The Volume, Maniac by Micheal Sembello, Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf and Professor Pumplestickle by Nick Phoenix & Thomas Bergersen.

Read more…

Guns N’ Roses frontman taking publisher to court over virtual Slash, Velvet Revolver songs included in the game.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock set a record in 2009, when it became the first multiplatform console title to generate more than $1 billion in revenue. However, it appears as if $20 million of that nine-figure sum may be diverted out of Activision’s coffers, as the game is now the target of a high-profile lawsuit.

Rose has pegged his damages at $20 million.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose has sued Activision for its use of the virtual likeness of Saul Hudson (better known as the top-hat donning axe legend Slash) in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

In the court documents (available online from Radar Online), Rose alleges that Activision convinced him to lend “Welcome to the Jungle” to Guitar Hero III on the grounds that the game would not feature Slash’s likeness or the guitarist’s follow-up group, Velvet Revolver.

Slash was featured heavily in Guitar Hero III. He graced the game’s cover and was a playable character in the game. Further, songs from Velvet Revolver (“She Builds Quick Machines,” “Slither,” and “Messages”) were made available to gamers as downloadable content following the game’s release.

“[Activision] began spinning a web of lies and deception to conceal its true intentions to not only feature Slash and [Velvet Revolver] prominently in GH III but also promote the game by emphasizing and reinforcing an association between Slash and Guns N’ Roses and the band’s song ‘Welcome to the Jungle,'” the statement reads.

In addition, Rose claims that “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” which was used to market Guitar Hero III, was only authorized for the title’s predecessor, Guitar Hero II, and he is seeking reparations for that alleged transgression.

Rose isn’t the first noted musician to sue Activision for rights violations in the Guitar Hero series. Last year, Kurt Cobain’s bereaved wife Courtney Love sued the publisher over the Nirvana singer’s virtual likeness in Band Hero.

For more on the title, check out GameSpot’s review of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

Guns N’ Roses frontman taking publisher to court over virtual Slash, Velvet Revolver songs included in the game.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock set a record in 2009, when it became the first multiplatform console title to generate more than $1 billion in revenue. However, it appears as if $20 million of that nine-figure sum may be diverted out of Activision’s coffers, as the game is now the target of a high-profile lawsuit.

Rose has pegged his damages at $20 million.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose has sued Activision for its use of the virtual likeness of Saul Hudson (better known as the top-hat-donning axe legend Slash) in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

In the court documents (available online from Radar Online), Rose alleges that Activision convinced him to lend “Welcome to the Jungle” to Guitar Hero III on the grounds that the game would not feature Slash’s likeness or the guitarist’s follow-up group, Velvet Revolver.

Slash was featured heavily in Guitar Hero III. He graced the game’s cover and was a playable character in the game. Further, songs from Velvet Revolver (“She Builds Quick Machines,” “Slither,” and “Messages”) were made available to gamers as downloadable content following the game’s release.

“[Activision] began spinning a web of lies and deception to conceal its true intentions to not only feature Slash and [Velvet Revolver] prominently in GH III but also promote the game by emphasizing and reinforcing an association between Slash and Guns N’ Roses and the band’s song ‘Welcome to the Jungle,'” the statement reads.

In addition, Rose claims that “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” which was used to market Guitar Hero III, was only authorized for the title’s predecessor, Guitar Hero II, and he is seeking reparations for that alleged transgression.

Rose isn’t the first noted musician to sue Activision for rights violations in the Guitar Hero series. Last year, Kurt Cobain’s bereaved wife Courtney Love sued the publisher over the Nirvana singer’s virtual likeness in Band Hero.

For more on the title, check out GameSpot’s review of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg says there are no plans to make popular shooter series’ online mode subscription-based.

In mid-June, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick sent shivers down the spines of Call of Duty players everywhere. When asked by the Wall Street Journal what one thing he would change about his company, he bluntly said, “I would have Call of Duty be an online subscription service tomorrow.” That sentiment was echoed by Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter three weeks ago, when he predicted Activision would find a way to monetize the shooter series’ wildly popular online modes.

Activision is assuring gamers that Call of Duty multiplayer will always be free.

Thankfully, the idea of charging for Call of Duty online multiplayer has been shot down–by none other than Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg. “Are we going to be charging for multiplayer? The answer is no,” he told Industry Gamers this week. “The experience you have out of the box, connecting with the online community to play Call of Duty is absolutely integral to the experience and we’ll never charge for that. It’s not going to be something we’ll attempt to monetize; it’s part of the package.”

Hirshberg continued, “Nothing we or anyone else tries is going to work if it doesn’t have tremendous value for people and add a tremendous value to the gaming experience. …There are certainly a lot of behavioral shifts towards long-standing online relationships… But at the end of the day, all I’m trying to get across is I can unequivocally say we will never, ever charge for the multiplayer.”

Hirshberg’s words will come as a comfort to the millions of gamers who paid a collective $650 million to pick up Call of Duty: Black Ops during its first five days on the market. The game boasted over 1 million players on Xbox Live within hours of its release, proving the popularity of its online competitive multiplayer mode.

For more on Call of Duty: Black Ops, read GameSpot’s full review.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

A group of PlayStation 3 users are demanding a refund from Activision for Call of Duty: Black Ops, claiming their version is “inferior” to the Xbox 360 game.

An online petition, now boasting more than 700 signatures, has been set up, claiming the PlayStation 3 version of the Treyarch-developed shooter is marred by “sub-par graphics, buggy software and less features” than the Xbox 360 game.

“Is it fair to charge Playstation 3 owners the same price for an inferior product,” the petition asks, “when the previous version (Modern Warfare 2 on PS3) looked visually better than BO looks now on PS3?”

Read more…

THQ and Double Fine Productions’ new adventure puzzle game set to arrive on Microsoft’s, Sony’s downloadable platforms in early 2011.

Get the full article at GameSpot

Ubisoft’s first multiplatform add-on arrives next month on the 360 and PS3, bringing new multiplayer mode and map.

Get the full article at GameSpot

Ubisoft’s first multiplatform add-on arrives next month on the 360 and PS3, bringing new multiplayer mode and map.

Get the full article at GameSpot