Since our staff is responsible for covering pretty much everything related to the video game industry on a daily basis, it can be tough to post all the stories we think our readers would like to see. Videos go unwatched, new release dates are missed and silly quotes just float away without ever being heard. So, instead of ignoring the news that slipped through the cracks each week, we decided to put it all in one convenient place!
This week, we take a look at what’s going on at id Software, a new project from Criterion, and how David Hayter feels about getting shafted for the role of Snake.
New version of ‘Doom 4’ in the works, ‘Rage 2’ cancelled
Doom 4 may be in trouble. While Bethesda claims the game is still in development, sources inside id state that the game has had a troubled development cycle and has been restarted and postponed after failing to impress anyone internally. Additionally, the underperformance of Rage has led id owner ZeniMax to cancel the sequel and redirect all talent to Doom 4. In October 2011, a report stated that the game had been “indefinitely postponed.” Pete Hines, for his part, has denied that rumor about the title, saying that “games are done when they are done and no title under development has been postponed–indefinitely or otherwise.”
‘Stealth Bastard’ coming to PS3 & Vita this summer
Clever and fun puzzle platformer Stealth Bastard will be sneaking its way to Sony’s consoles this summer. The game is structured like a stealth game, but requires much more speed and efficiency than most games in the genre. It’s pretty fun, and this summer Sony fans will be able to pick up the game and revel in 80 levels of stealth action on the PlayStation 3 or Vita. The creators are also offering the opportunity for fans to rename the game from Stealth Bastard into something less “profane.” Interested players can submit their recommendations here. The grand prize is a PlayStation Vita!
Criterion working on unannounced racing title for 2013
Prolific racing game developer Criterion is hard at work on yet another racing game, following the success of the Burnout series as well as Need for Speed reboots Most Wanted and Hot Pursuit. The game and date appeared on the LinkedIn profiles of two Criterion employees, but there is no other information besides that. Criterion did say a while back that while a Burnout Paradise sequel would be unlikely, they would be returning to the series eventually. Other options are the Road Rash title the company was interested, and the Ghost Games Need for Speed Title slated for this year and allegedly involving Criterion. I, for one, want a new Burnout.
Launch trailer for ‘Defiance’
Third-person shooter MMO/television show tie-in Defiance is upon us, and the game has a launch trailer to celebrate. I haven’t played Defiance yet, but the game is certainly a strange breed, as not only a persistent world third-person MMO but a tie-in to a TV show on SyFy, Seems like a risky maneuver on a new TV show, but if they’re both popular this could end up being pretty big.
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David Hayter “ill” at the thought of a new voice for Snake
If you hadn’t heard, there’s going to be a new voice actor for Snake in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. This might have been all right, if a bit disappointing, but it turns out that Hayter was never even asked for reprise his role, only finding out that he had been replaced after meeting up with the production team. This, as you might guess, is not happy news for Hayter, who has been voicing the character since 1998. David Hayter is Snake, and now he, and we, will have to hear a different voice for the character. Hayter puts it well: “To hear anyone else’s voice coming from Snake’s battered throat, makes me a little ill to be honest.”
Square Enix had high hopes for ‘Tomb Raider,’ ‘Hitman’ and ‘Sleeping Dogs’
Talk about shooting for the moon. Square Enix has released their sales goals for three of their biggest games of the past year. The publisher was aiming for 5-6 million copies of Tomb Raider, 4.5-5 of Hitman: Absolution, and 2-2.5 of Sleeping Dogs. None of the three hit those lofty goals, with Tomb Raider moving a still-respectable 3.4 million, Hitman: Absolution shipping 3.6 million, and Sleeping Dogs 1.75 million. Hopefully this does not dampen the spirit of Square Enix and their outstanding eye for quality IPs. Each of those games performed well critically, and each deserves a sequel.