Village Gamer

Vancouver – As stated in the title, Game Trailers has published a very nice look inside at United Front Games. We have a few friends who work there, and it’s always great to see their talent getting recognized out on the world stage. We don’t yet have a PS3 because it would put a huge dent in our meager budget, but if we did, UFG’s debut title Modnation Racers would definitely be at the top of our Want list.

Montreal – As announced this morning by Québec Premier Jean Charest and the Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade, Clément Gignac, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) will establish a development studio in Québec. The announcement was made in the presence of Gérald Tremblay, Mayor of Montreal; Martin Tremblay, President of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment; and Jacques Daoust, President and CEO of Investissement Québec. The Premier also announced a $7.5 million non-refundable contribution from Investissement Québec for the creation of the studio.

This new studio will gradually grow to include more than 300 people by the end of 2015. This approach, which privileges the company’s progressive development, will facilitate the recruiting of new graduates for the Montreal studio and will maintain the labour balance in the Québec video game industry.

“We are proud that Warner Bros. has chosen Québec. We have done a lot of work to position Quebec as an essential place to invest that is competitive, and possesses an exceptional and highly qualified workforce. Warner Bros. has acknowledged this and we are very excited to welcome them”, stated Premier Charest.

The Montréal subsidiary of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, which is headquartered in Burbank, California, will house various departments in the same studio, such as high-end interactive gaming product development, digital and cinematographic animation, quality assurance of products developed by the Montréal studio, as well as the adaptation and translation of its products
into various languages.

“With our workforce’s outstanding skill and creativity, Warner Bros. will distribute all around the world multilingual products developed, translated, and adapted right here in Québec. The establishment of this studio will certainly contribute to the consolidation and the integration of Quebec’s videogame industry, which is always ready to take on new challenges” noted Minister Gignac.

“With its creative workforce specialized in digital media and its renowned universities, Québec is the perfect place to develop our new products and technologies. The Government of Québec’s tax credits and other incentives made Montréal the right location for our studio at this time. Montréal, with its wealth of talent and highly affordable operating costs, is a wonderful place to continue to expand our growth in gaming. Martin Carrier, a local industry veteran who has been involved in the creation of WB Games in Montreal from the start, will assume for the coming weeks the role of coordinating the studio’s implementation. WB Games Montreal’s management structure will be
announced shortly.” said Martin Tremblay, president of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

The Government of Québec boasts a range of measures to support the growth of the multimedia industry, which holds great promise for Québec’s economy. Financial partners for this project include Emploi-Québec and Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC). With this major investment, Warner Bros. will be able to take advantage of these measures and will notably be eligible for tax credits for the production of multimedia titles.

The Montreal International Game Summit has put out its call for speakers. The seventh annual summit will take place November 8th and 9th at the Hilton Bonaventure Hotel. More congratulations are in order for the FIFA 10 development team, as the game picked up two BAFTA Game Awards this past Friday evening – one for Best Sports Title and the other for Best Use of Online. DreamCatcher Games and The Adventure Company have announced the release of new content on an updated website for Sherlock Holmes VS. Jack the Ripper for the Xbox 360. You can check out new screenshots and a new trailer on the site, as well as put in your pre-order at GameStop. Sherlock Holmes vs Jack The Ripper will be in stores near the end of April and is rated T by the ESRB.

Bioware has released more details about Kasumi Goto, the newest member of the Normandy’s crew in Mass Effect 2. Kasumi,  the galaxy’s most enigmatic and cunning master thief, will be introduced in the DLC pack Stolen Memory. In addition to being able to recruit Kasumi in all new missions, players will be able to utilize her special skills as a member of Commander Shepard’s squad throughout the entire game. In return for her help, Kasumi has asked for Commander Shepard’s help on a dangerous heist to infiltrate the vault of a deadly master criminal named Donovan Hock. Players must gain Kasumi’s loyalty on the planet Bekenstein, where Hock is throwing a party for some of the galaxy’s richest and most deranged criminal minds. The mission: recover data of great importance to Kasumi and the galaxy at large. In addition to this new mission, players will also receive a new research upgrade, one new weapon, and a new achievement in this PDLC pack. The Kasumi – Stolen Memory PDLC pack will be available this April for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system at a cost of 560 Microsoft points, and on PC for 560 BioWare points. Don’t forget that tomorrow (March 23rd) will be the release date for the Firewalker DLC pack, which includes five heart-pounding missions taking place on five uncharted worlds. Players will be able to explore planets and engage in combat in the new Hammerhead hover-tank. The Firewalker pack will be available via the Cerberus Network console. Mass Effect 2 is rated M by the ESRB.

Toronto – Fans 10 and under attending Toronto Comic Con, March 26-28, 2010, at the Direct Energy Centre will receive a free Gogos Crazy Bones toy, courtesy of Toronto-based Irwin Toy. The popular items will be distributed while supplies last at the Registration area upon arrival.

Gogos Crazy Bones are a collectible, mini game toy sensation. They are small, colorful figures whose gaming origins date back to Ancient Greece, where children played by bouncing and throwing knuckle bones. These more refined, plastic characters are available in the hundreds, each one having a unique face and name.

“We are pleased to be providing free Gogos Crazy Bones right in our backyard at Toronto Comic Con,” said Peter Irwin, Irwin Toys. “It is extremely special for Irwin Toys to participate in the inaugural show here, since Gareb has been a family friend for as long as my father and I can remember.”

Gogos Crazy Bones was named the 2009 British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) Collectible Toy of the Year. The characters have recently been hugely popular in Europe and Australia and were first a big hit in the U.S. more than a decade ago, when 31.5 million packages were sold from 1998-2000.

“Having an international sensation like Gogos Crazy Bones available free to kids is a great bonus for Toronto Comic Con attendees,” said Gareb Shamus, Wizard Entertainment CEO. “It’s particularly gratifying to be partnering with Irwin Toy, which in addition to being based in Toronto, has been a leader in the industry for more than 80 years.” Read the rest of this entry »