Late Night Consoling

Clarifying some recent rumors and half-announcements of upcoming games, Sega has confirmed three games for current and next-gen systems.

Most notably is a game by the name of Sonic the Hedgehog. Some may claim that this has already been released, and was available 15 years ago on the Sega Genesis, but it is in fact being developed for PS3 and Xbox 360. It is unknown whether the game will keep the basic moniker but, given that it is a Video Game, expect it to gain a few numbers or subtitles somewhere along the line. The announcement did not mention whether the game would be released on the Nintendo Revolution. However, Sega has recently called Nintendo platforms Sonic's "spiritual home" since Sega got out of the console business, so don't be surprised to see an announcement once more about Revolution is confirmed. The game is under the control of Yuji Naka, co-creator of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, and will ship at an unspecified time in 2006. (Watch Sonic run really fast in pretty 3D in this leaked video.)

Sega also elaborated on Sonic Riders (PS2, Xbox, GCN), a title recently revealed with little explanation. The game features characters riding on hoverboards, and "integrates extreme sports, high-speed racing and head-to-head battles." Unsurprisingly, Sonic and pals will go up against Dr. Eggman (Dr. Robotnik) when racing to take home the gold. The game is expected in Winter 2006.

Sega is also delivering an Xbox 360 exclusive in the form of Chromehounds, a mech combat game from From Software, the studio behind Otogi (PS2), Armored Core (PS2), the upcoming [eM] -eNCHANT arM- (X360), and the classic The Adventures of Cookie & Cream (PS2). The game supports 12-player Xbox Live in both versus and cooperative (good, Sega, good) modes, as well as featuring squad control and extensive mech customizability.

During conversations with THQ president Brian Farrell, IGN discovered that the publisher is "commited to Nintendo's [Revolution]". Apparently taking a cue from the cryptic PR style practiced by Nintendo itself, Farrell believes that "Nintendo is waking up" and that "we're seeing more from Nintendo now than we have an any other Nintendo platform," based on his interactions with the manufacturer.

Other publishers claiming support for Nintendo's upcoming console (which probably won't actually be called Revolution in its final form) include Ubisoft, Konami, Bandai, and Square Enix.

Following publisher Acclaim's highly-publicized bankruptcy last September, it was expected that the company's existing licenses would be sold in order to cover its ~$100M total debt. Juiced went for the most at $10.5 million, but most of the company's properties were apparently floating around in the ether. Today Gamasutra has acquired a list of the remaining properties up for grabs. Included are a number of older games dating back to the likes of Populous, as well as anticipated canceled titles such as 100 Bullets (PS2, Xbox). Apparently, the mafia epic Interview With a Made Man (PS2, Xbox) and the comics-based action game The Red Star (PS2, Xbox) were crossed off on the list, indicating that they have already been sold.

The classic Seaman (DC, PS2) will be getting a sequel, according to development studio Vivarium. Yoot Saito, the president of Vivarium, designed the original game and will also be responsible for Seaman 2 (PS2), as it is currently known. Like the original, the sequel will utilize voice-recognition to raise an odd-looking fish/human hybrid aquatic pet. Players who still have their USB microphone controllers from the original game will be able to reuse them rather than buy new ones, and Vivarium has even released software making the Seamic compatible with various Windows applications. Seaman 2 currently has no release date and will be published by Sega.

In addition to Seaman 2, Vivarium is currently developing Yoot Saito's Odama (GCN), a real-time strategy game containing voice recognition, pinball elements, and gigantic hamburgers. YES.

As expected, EA Tiburon's Madden 06 (PS2, Xbox, GCN, DS, GBA, PC) took high honors in the August sales charts with 2.2 million units sold across six platforms. Nintendo's Nintendogs (DS) took the silver, with a comparitively lower 210,000. However, it's worth bearing in mind that Nintendogs only sold on one platform (a new portable one at that, with a low install base compared to its bigger cousins) and was only on sale for approximately the last week of August. Over 10% of DS owners are expected to have purchased the game. In third place, EA Sports continues to rack it up with NCAA Football 06 (PS2, Xbox), followed by Backbone's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (PS2, Xbox, GCN, GBA, PC) and then Rebellion's Delta Force: Black Hawk Down (PS2, Xbox, PC). Star Wars took sixth and seventh, with Traveller's Tales' LEGO Star Wars (PS2, Xbox, GBA, PC) and Pandemic's Star Wars: Battlefront (PS2, Xbox, PC) respectively. (Note: Nintendogs occupied three spaces on the chart due to its multiple versions.)

Kathy Vrabek, president of Activision's publishing division, has resigned from her position, though she will continue to be employed by the company under unspecified duties until her contract expires on April 1, 2006. Some speculate that her decision was influenced by the company's appointment of Proctor & Gamble's Michael Griffith to CEO of Activision, despite speculation that Vrabek would receive the appointment. The post was made vacant when its prior occupant Ron Doornink, to whom Vrabek reported directly, was made chairman of the company. Griffith's five-year contract essentially guaranteed he will be paid a total of $20M in salary, bonus, and options between his hiring in June and May 2010.

Screenshots and trailer! You can go there!

Brandon Sheffield at Gamasutra interviews three executives from D3 Publisher of America on their move from budget titles in Japan to triple-A titles in North America.

Gameplay designer Chris Ferriera talks about his research for EA's The Godfather (PS2, Xbox, PSP, X360, PC) on EA's site. Sadly, his research seems to consist mainly of making sure the weapons and fighting are authentic.