Telltale Announces Walking Dead: Season 2; Clementine Confirmed as Playable

Last year Telltale Games almost single-handedly redefined the quality of narratives in video games with its universally acclaimed Walking Dead series, and today the studio announced what we can expect during its highly anticipated second season. There’s not much to go on at the moment, but one thing’s for sure–we’ll now be seeing the story through the eyes of Clementine, the little girl protagonist Lee Everett sought to protect in Season 1.

The teaser trailer doesn’t reveal much, and indeed, much of it shows assets from the first season.We catch only glimpses of what Clementine will face as she ventures out into the world on her own, and as you can probably expect, much of it has to do with fighting off zombies with button prompts.

We don’t even know when we’ll get to see the new episode, aside from the ever-so-vague “later this year” and the news that Telltale should finish all installments sometime in 2014. But if you want to get a head start, Telltale tells us (ha) that you can save 10 percent off the price of the Mac version with a season pass pre-order, which will let you buy all five episodes for a total of $22.49 either through Telltale’s own online store or through Steam.

But that’s not all. Telltale also related that the Game of the Year edition for the first season should be on the way soon, which will bundle the core five episodes plus the 400 Days expansion into one package, along with a behind-the-scenes video and the game’s wonderful soundtrack. Oddly, neither an iOS or Mac version was listed for this release.

 

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Russian Government to Produce ‘Patriotic’ Video Games

Local officials also mull a ban on import of foreign offerings that “distort historic facts.”.

MOSCOW – Russian authorities said they will produce “patriotic” video games, while import of foreign video games that “distort history” could be banned.

“The main thing we expect from the producers of video games is the realistic and historically truthful representation of events,” Arseny Mironov, an aide to Russia’s culture minister Vladimir Medinsky, was quoted as saying by the Russian daily Izvestiya. He added that the creation of a “negative image of the Russian warrior” is inadmissible.

“A video game has to have not only an entertainment value, but it also has to teach and be conducive to patriotic education,” he went on to say.

The Russian Military History Society, which is headed by Medinsky, is to be in charge of the government’s video game project. The first video game being developed will focus on the inception of Russian military aviation during the First World War. The video game is to be inaugurated in 2014, and the government is currently in negotiations with several local video game developers, but no names have been revealed.

Later, government grants for development of “patriotic” video games are to be introduced.

The culture ministry also expressed concerns about foreign video games, which “discredit the Russian soldier” and “distort historic facts” and said that import of those games to Russia could be banned.

Among the examples, the video game “Company of Heroes,” developed by Relic Entertainment, was mentioned. Russian officials have complained that the game, which isn’t translated into Russian, is popular among Russian teenagers, although it depicts a Russian WWII soldier as a criminal who burns down civilians’ houses.

Incidentally, You Don’t Mess With Putin, a mobile video game in which Russian President Vladimir Putin fights a horde of zombies, is being developed by Belgium’s Michele Rocco Smeets.

 

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Deep Silver Clarifies: Future Metro Games “Will Build on the Bleak, Post Apocalyptic Pillars of Atmosphere” That Set the Series Apart

Amidst all the interviews that were posted during gamescom last week, one involving Metro: Last Light on Joystiq stuck out and worried fans of the series when Deep Silver CEO Dr Klemens Kundratitz said, “Our ambition is to absolutely continue with that brand and we will also, in the next phase, look to making it more accessible for a broader gamer audience.”

This was construed as possibly “dumbing down” the franchise in future iterations to grow its appeal, but Huw Beynon, Global Brand Manager at Deep Silver, issued a statement trying to explain what Kundratitz meant:

Whatever direction a new Metro game takes (and we are still assembling the drawing boards), it will build on the bleak, post apocalyptic pillars of atmosphere, immersion, challenge and depth that sets this franchise apart from the crowd.

However, Deep Silver will  seek to make the world of Metro more accessible to a broader audience – through a commitment to ever higher product quality; through greater strategic investment in the brand; and, in the immediate term, through the release of dedicated Mac and Linux versions of Metro: Last Light. This is just the first stage of a broader initiative to bring Metro to a wider audience, without compromising the product’s strengths.

Metro is a pulsating, radioactive gem in Deep Silver’s crown of rotting zombie flesh, and we believe we can build on the success of Metro: Last Light by doubling down on our unique brand of bleak, Russian, post apocalyptic horror.

 

 

The War Z trademark suspended

The controversial game can’t use its original name

The game pulled from Steam last week, The War Z, has had its trademark suspended by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The War Z trademark suspension was handed down on November 15, prior to the game’s December 17 release on Steam. The USPTO say the trademark is too close to applications filed by Paramount Pictures relating to World War Z, the novel and upcoming film.

In July of 2012, Paramount filed trademark applications 85673422 and 85673431. Application 85673422 is for World War Z “downloadable electronic game programs”, “electronic game software for handheld electronic devices”, and “video game cartridges and discs”. Application 85673431 mentions “providing online electronic games” related to World War Z.

The application for Hammerpoint’s game was filed only ten days after Paramount’s, but Paramount has held trademarks for other World War Z-related merchandise since August 2011.

Capcom slashes profit estimates on weak Resident Evil 6 sales

Publisher also pushes back release of Monster Hunter 4

Capcom has lowered sales and profit expectations for the year ending March 2013 due to weak sales of Resident Evil 6.

The publisher has lowered sales estimates 11 per cent to JPY 93.5 billion ($1.1 billion) and net profits 33 per cent to JPY 6.5 billion ($77 million).

“Sales of the major new title Resident Evil 6 were initially strong but subsequently weakened. As a result, sales for this title are certain to fall short of the plan,” admitted the company.

Monster Hunter 4, initially due for release in March 2013, has now been put back to the next financial year.

“The decision has now been made to postpone the launch date based on the decision that further quality enhancements are needed in order to meet the expectations and wishes of users.” The 3DS title is now due in the summer.

 

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