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Obsidian confirms the cancellation of Aliens RPG [Update: Sega agrees]

by Jem Alexander { Jun 27th 2009 at 12:30PM }

[Update: And, not with a bang but a whimper, Sega has confirmed the cancellation of Aliens RPG, telling Giant Bomb, "At this point, SEGA has no plans to move forward with the Aliens RPG. The Aliens franchise offers us so much content to choose from that we feel it important to take a step back and carefully consider the type of game we want to release. We plan to continue working with the Aliens franchise and ask fans to be patient and stay tuned for more information about what SEGA has coming out for the Aliens series of games, starting with the upcoming Alien vs. Predator game. We are very excited about and focused on Alien vs. Predator, which promises gamers a fantastic single player game and an equally compelling multiplayer experience. We are confident that it provides all the excitement and fun that the Aliens and Predator fans are looking for!"]

[Original: Finally, Aliens RPG's will it, won't it dance has come to an official, if disappointing, end. We were hoping the many, many rumors of its cancellation would be for naught, but a moderator at the Obsidian forums has confirmed that the project is dead; "unfortunately, it is true that we are no longer working on the game, and we wanted to finally announce that officially to everyone who has been following its development."

Hopefully the same isn't true for Aliens: Colonial Marines, or that would leave Sega with only Aliens vs Predator in development. The Japanese publisher further confirmed the project's termination to GameSpot, saying, "At this point, Sega has no plans to move forward with the Aliens RPG."]

[Via Big Download]

Sega: game not over for Aliens: Colonial Marines, Aliens RPG

by Randy Nelson { Jun 15th 2009 at 3:15PM }

The big, green gooey eggs containing Sega's long in development Aliens: Colonial Marines and Aliens RPG are going to hatch -- just not soon. When we asked why the games were absent from this year's E3, Sega replied, "Aliens vs. Predator will be the first to ship out of our triplet of Aliens titles; hence it was shown at this year's E3. We'll have more news to share about the other two games in the near future so stay tuned." Rumors of both titles being jettisoned out an airlock have been swirling since earlier this year.

In addition, Gearbox Software prez Randy Pitchford has confirmed to Kotaku that Colonial Marines lives on in now-gen console and handheld form on DS. Pitchford told the site that Gearbox is not developing the portable title, lending more credence to purported footage of a WayForward-developed Colonial Marines that leapt out of the darkness last month. We've put word into Obsidian, developers of Aliens RPG, for confirmation of that title's status.

Rumored video of Aliens: Colonial Marines for DS surfaces

by Jem Alexander { May 26th 2009 at 11:15PM }

What's the real deal with the Aliens franchise, recently? Ask Sega -- except don't, because you're pretty unlikely to get a straight answer from the company regarding the whereabouts of Aliens: Colonial Marines or the Obsidian-developed Aliens RPG. This new video, which can be seen after the break, is even more mysterious. It appears to be a 2D side-scrolling Aliens game developed by WayForward -- the people making A Boy and His Blob -- and Gearbox, developer of the console and PC version of Colonial Marines (if it still exists, that is).

Could this be a DS version of that same title, or is this something completely separate? Is it in development, or scrapped? The video description says it's a canceled project that was completed and shelved due to financial trouble at Sega. We've reached out to Sega for comment, but we're not counting on finding out much.

[Via Destructoid]

Continued →

Aliens Vs Predator details and teaser trailer unleashed

by Jem Alexander { May 20th 2009 at 11:10AM }

As promised, Sega has revealed a couple more Aliens Vs Predator screenshots, as well as the first details of the game and a teaser trailer, which you can view above. The three screenies that our gallery now consists of show off what appear to be some impressive volumetric lighting effects from the perspective of an alien, a predator and a marine.

Each of the playable species has its own "distinct story-driven single-player campaign mode that interweaves with the campaigns of the other two species." In addition, the game will feature three-way online multiplayer, though the maximum number of online players is unspecified. Check out the Sega UK blog post for more details on the story and be sure to cast your eyes over the very brief teaser trailer above.

Gallery: Aliens vs Predator

Famous movie scenes recreated using game development tools

by David Hinkle { May 7th 2009 at 12:15PM }

The Game Artist forums recently held a competition to determine who could best recreate a scene from a movie in a real-time game environment. The winners were a trio of forum users, going by the names of shadows, in3d, and Alina, who appropriately called themselves "The Replicants." They recreated the the classic Blade Runner scene you see above, and we're sure we don't have to tell you why it's the best of the bunch.

Rounding out the rest of the winners were scenes from Hook (Ruffio! Ruffio! Ruf-ee-oh!), X2: X-Men United, I am Legend, and Aliens. You can blast your eyeballs with those entries by clicking here.

[Via Fidgit]

Gearbox Software is hiring, Aliens: Colonial Marines still in development

by Ben Gilbert { May 3rd 2009 at 5:30PM }

Aliens: Colonial Marines, one of the three Alien titles allegedly in production, has had a lot of ups and downs over the past six months. First we were unclear whether layoffs at developer Gearbox Software would affect the title, then we were assured it was to be released in Q1 2009, then we were tipped it was supposedly canceled -- so what's actually going on with the game? Well, we're still not really sure.

Shacknews noticed that over on Gearbox's website, the company is recruiting for "all projects," and furthermore, the Alien project was listed at time of press as "in-development" (currently it lists development as "TBA," having updated that specific page on the website as of today). We contacted Steve Gibson, marketing director for Gearbox, to ask about the recent news and if Aliens: Colonial Marines is still being developed by the studio. "Neither Sega nor Gearbox have ever announced any status changes. We're not making any announcements at this time beyond that we are recruiting for all projects," he told us this morning.

While not directly confirming the continued development of the game, Mr. Gibson's answer leads us to believe that, as the game has never been officially canceled, the studio is still working on it. As you're likely used to hearing around this time of year, we're just going to have to wait 'til E3 to find out for sure what's going on.

Ex-Obsidian staffer's CV confirms Aliens RPG canceled

by Justin McElroy { Feb 25th 2009 at 11:31AM }

This is never how you want to get confirmation for a story, but we do what we must. Ex-Obsidian designer David Kondor's LinkedIn profile lists his involvement in a "canceled third-person action Aliens RPG (Xbox 360, PS3, & PC)." The listing lends credence to rumors of the game's cancellation, which circulated earlier this month. We still haven't heard back from Sega for official word, but we've put in another request for comment this morning.

If you're curious about what might have been (but what almost certainly won't be), you can see more details from Kondor's listing right here.

Obsidian CEO says company is 'doing fine'

by Jason Dobson { Feb 14th 2009 at 12:00AM }

"We are doing fine," says Feargus Urquhart, CEO of Obsidian, just a day after Aliens RPG, arguably the developer's most anticipated project, was said to have been forcibly burst from its chest by publisher Sega. Despite the rumored bloodletting, the executive seems encouragingly upbeat, telling our sister site Big Download that the studio has no plans to close up shop. In fact, the exec says that work continues on its espionage RPG Alpha Protocol and, according to Urquhart, "another couple of properties."

Yesterday's rumor painted a much bleaker picture for the company, with multiple sources claiming Sega's reported actions had left the Neverwinter Nights 2 dev in dire straits with some 20 employees let go as a result. Urquhart wouldn't confirm any of this, however, leaving us wondering if by "doing fine" he is being sincere or is simply in shock. If all of this turns out to be true, we doubt we could put on a brave face while staring down at our freshly eviscerated trunk.

Rumor: Sega pulls funding on Aliens: Colonial Marines, Aliens RPG

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 12th 2009 at 4:00PM }

Sega has allegedly pulled funding from both Obsidian's Aliens RPG and Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines, sources have revealed to Joystiq. Supposedly, 20 people were laid off from Obsidian yesterday and more could soon lose their jobs. The layoffs also affected the team working on Alpha Protocol, another Obsidian-developed, Sega-published title. Without the Aliens RPG, Obsidian is apparently on the ropes, our sources say.

As for Gearbox, Sega allegedly stopped paying the developer for its work on Colonial Marines for "a while" -- production has since ceased. At this point, it's unclear whether Colonial Marines has been "halted" or "canceled," which Gearbox president Randy Pitchford – in response to a previous rumor – called an "inaccurate characterization."

This rumor comes less than 24 hours after Sega announced Aliens vs. Predator and refused to answer questions about the previously announced Aliens titles. Sega turning off the money tap wouldn't exactly be shocking, given the company plans to lay off 560 people and already lost $119 million in the first three quarters of its fiscal year. Requests for clarification from Sega and Gearbox on the status of the titles have not yet been returned as of press time. An Obsidian representative responded with "no comment" to our inquiry. If you're one of those let go, or have any further information, please feel free to contact us.

Sega pits Aliens vs Predator on 360, PS3 in 'early 2010'

by Christopher Grant { Feb 11th 2009 at 11:35AM }

Announced at a Sega event in London today, the "all-new" Aliens vs. Predator (that's a working title, folks) will mark the return of Rebellion, developers of the 1999 game of the same name that Sega calls a "legendary title that went on to define an entire generation of multiplayer gaming." But all this excitement doesn't come cheap: "With the opportunity to publish what promises to be a landmark game, SEGA has strategically updated the release of the other upcoming Aliens titles currently in development within its portfolio." We'll translate that for you: you won't be seeing Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines FPS and Obsidian's is-that-still-in-development Aliens RPG anytime soon.

CEO of Sega West, Naoya Tsurumi, explains, "By adjusting the release of our other Aliens titles to accommodate [Aliens vs. Predator], SEGA will ensure that every title lives up to the high expectations of Aliens and AvP fans." We've asked Sega to clarify the delay (it's just a delay, right?) of both previously announced titles. Is Aliens vs. Predator "the first to launch in a series" of AvP games, or "the first to launch in a series" of Aliens games, including the previously announced two?

[Update: Sega got back to us, and said simply, "We'll have more news on the other games in the future. Today we are concentrating on the Rebellion partnership announcement." Anyone out there have any details on either game they'd be willing to share, we're all ears!]

Aliens: Colonial Marines, Alpha Protocol slated for Q1 '09 release

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jan 7th 2009 at 12:57PM }

No, we don't believe it either, but at least Sega has confirmed that the nebulous development of Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines is still ongoing. According to a release list issued to UK site VideoGamer.com, Sega currently has the xenophobic first-person shooter pinned to the first quarter of its 2009 release calendar -- though the article questions whether said calendar is Gregorian or fiscal.

Joining Colonial Marines in the Q1 '09 release window is Obsidian's Bauer-esque spy RPG, Alpha Protocol. We've contacted Sega of America to clarify these dates and confirm the other titles on the list, including House of the Dead: Overkill (February), Sonic and the Black Knight (March) and Bayonetta (a vague "2009").

Aliens: Colonial Marines glimpsed in Jace Hall Show

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Sep 1st 2008 at 2:30PM }

Those of you who took the E3 absence of Aliens: Colonial Marines to mean that Gearbox had naught to show for its FPS efforts have been proven utterly wrong. As indistinctly evidenced by some new (and brief) off-screen footage, the so-not-coming-out-in-2008 shocker is shaping up to be everything you could have hoped for:

It is a game.
It is presented in the first-person perspective.
You are equipped with a device that rapidly transports projectiles into snarling faces, often attached to slimy extraterrestrials.

The footage was captured by the folks behind The Jace Hall Show, who came over, man, came over to have a look at the game in the final moments of their season finale. You can view the episode after the break or, alternatively, see the edited clip at Shacknews.

Continued →

Aliens: Colonial Marines E3 absence explained

by Jason Dobson { Jul 20th 2008 at 12:30PM }

Sega's E3 presence was among the weakest at last week's event, trumped only by the pitiful showing at Camp Belmont, a notion not helped by the absence of Gearbox-developed Aliens: Colonial Marines from either the show floor or Sega's own booth. Videogamer.com cornered Gearbox president Randy Pitchford about the missing shooter, a no-show he blamed squarely on Sega's marketing strategy, adding that "the game is in great shape. People are going to freak out when they see it."

By people, he obviously didn't mean Sega's own marketing VP Sean Ratcliffe, who told us that while the publisher was considering showing the game at E3, Sega didn't feel that it was quite ready for prime time. "I think it needs a little more time before we want to put it in front of the press," the exec told us. He added that more news regarding the status of Aliens: Colonial Marines will be announced sometime after E3, though we continue to hope that Sega will release game as planned in late 2008 and not nuke the site from orbit.

[Thanks Cellien]

Stalin to save Mother Russia from aliens in new RTS

by Jason Dobson { Apr 27th 2008 at 6:00PM }

The second World War has fueled a nearly uncountable sea of video game titles, but while most have drawn inspiration from the same handful of historic events, none yet have captured the reality that was Joseph Stalin. But reality is boring, which is why we're much more interested in a new RTS by a trio of Russian devs (Wing Foundation, Dreamlore, and N-game) that takes an alternate history stab by pitting the Soviet leader's Red Army against an invasion from outer space. Wait...what?

The brilliantly titled Stalin Vs. Martians is billed as a simplified game designed "for anyone who just hates the strategy genre," with fun and action taking top billing over the kind of micromanagement that's normally the genre's calling card. Says the game's website: "The only resources you can find on the map are power-ups. They look like they should: like shiny rotating coins of bright colors." The devs even state that Stalin himself will be a playable unit in the later stages of the game, as he lumbers on the field as "a huge colossus, five times higher than any other creature. Just like it was in the real life." We can all look forward to driving the extra terrestrials out of Holy Mother Russia when the game ships for the PC this fall.

Gallery: Stalin vs. Martians

Aliens: Colonial Marines details, screens hatch

by Xav de Matos { Mar 12th 2008 at 4:30PM }

The UK arms of the Official Xbox and PlayStation magazines dropped fresh details and screens on Gearbox's upcoming first-person shooter, Aliens: Colonial Marines. Set three years after the events in the 1986 sci-fi action classic Aliens, Colonial Marines sets the stage for a rescue group in search of the team sent to investigate a human colony on LV-426 that had broken off communication.

Details on the game have been scarce but GamesRadar detailed a few choice tidbits. The game will feature a mixture of claustrophobic indoor and outdoor environments where basic missions have been scrapped in favor of objective gameplay. The example given is something you can see in the image above. In certain predetermined areas of the game you will be forced to "Make a Stand" and survive an onslaught of enemy bugs.

The four-player co-op we previously reported has been confirmed as drop-in and drop-out with system link, split-screen and online support. Also confirmed is that the enemies will have acid blood which will both harm players if they get too close as well change the environment in subtle ways. Lastly, the game will feature quick-time events that OPM thinks will take some getting used to. Well at least most of it sounds awesome.