Tagged: namco bandai

Namco: ‘Performance Issue’ Caused BottleRocket to Lose Splatterhouse

Publisher Namco Bandai defended its decision to remove original developer BottleRocket Entertainment from Splatterhouse, saying it was done over a “performance issue” with the studio.

"The only reason why publishers pull the project out from the developer is when the developer isn’t really meeting the requirements," said Namco vice president Makoto Iwai. "So, unfortunately, this was the case."

He continued: "I have to be very careful so we don’t make any direct comment on it because whatever we say, people will try to be on the developer side. You know, ‘The developer is an independent developer trying hard, and evil publishers are trying to get rid of the business by doing whatever they feel like.’ That’s not the case. I just want to be 100 percent clear. There was a performance issue."

Splatterhouse is due out later this year on PS3 and Xbox 360.

Soul Calibur 4 Sells 2.2M

Namco Bandai sends word that Soul Calibur 4 has sold a total of 2.2 million copies since its release in July 2008. The game reportedly shipped over 2 million copies one week after its July 31 release.

The publisher also reported a profit of $99.7 million for its third quarter ending December 31. This profit was largely raised by the sales of the fighting sequel, with some help from Dragon Ball Z Burst Limit’s 730,000 sales.

Soul Calibur 4 is available on PS3 and Xbox 360.

Namco Bandai Courting D3 Publisher

While Square Enix was courting Eidos, Namco Bandai is said to be making a play for D3 Publisher, according to a Japanese press release.

Namco has already secured 70% of D3 shares, and hopes to acquire the remaining 30% for full control of the company. The publisher hopes that the acquisition will allow the two companies to cooperate in their overseas expansion efforts, in addition to bolstering D3’s content with Namco’s toy, amusement, video and networking divisions.

D3 is known for publishing titles like Dark Sector, Puzzle Quest, Naruto and Ben 10.

Yoda and Vader Join Soul Calibur 4 Cast

In one of the oddest announcements to be ever made, Namco Bandai sent out word that iconic Star Wars characters Yoda and Vader will make their appearance in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Soul Calibur IV. The Sith Lord Darth Vader will be choking his way to the PS3 version, while Yoda will be jumping around frantically on the Xbox 360 version.

“It is quite rare that two publishers of this caliber are able to collaborate on this level to create a top notch entertainment experience for next-generation platforms.” said Makoto Iwai, executive vice president and COO at Namco Bandai. “In the entertainment industry, LucasArts possesses some of the most recognizable characters and franchises in the world. We’re thrilled to integrate their historic characters into one of our most treasured brands.”

It is not known how exactly the players in the game will be able to block lightsaber attacks, but rest assured, it will be fun. Soul Calibur IV is due out this September.

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Tekken Film Director Named

It has been announced that Dwight Little, the director behind Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid and Free Willy 2, has been chosen to helm the upcoming live-action film adaptation of Tekken, Namco Bandai’s popular fighting franchise.

“The film plays out as a science fiction story set in the near future, about a rebel who rises up against the Tekken Corp. to seize freedom for his people,” Little said to Variety. “It’s a gladiator story, but the video game has a complicated enough storyline that it provides the template for a martial arts spectacular.”

The movie’s script has been penned by Alan McElroy (Spawn, Halloween 4) and will begin production on February 4, 2008.

Ace Combat and Katamari Go Gold on Xbox 360

Both Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation and Beautiful Katamari have gone gold for the Xbox 360 and will be released on the console on October 23 and October 16, respectively.

The titles were internally developed at Namco Bandai and feature online multiplayer and more. Demos of the games are available from Xbox Live Marketplace.

Katamari, Eternal Sonata on PS3

Recently updated official game pages for two Namco games show that they are coming to the PS3: Beautiful Katamari and Eternal Sonata. Previously exclusive to Xbox 360, Beautiful Katamari will now also be available on the PS3 as well as the oft-rumored Wii version. Eternal Sonata, also an ex-Xbox 360 exclusive, will be released for the PS3 as well, though it is not known when it will ship; the Xbox 360 version ships this week.

New Ace Combat 6 Details

Today marks the release of new details of Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, an upcoming flight-action game for the Xbox 360 from Namco Bandai. The game will feature four unique multiplayer modes with full leaderboard and stat-tracking functionality. The modes are:

Battle Royale: Dodge missiles, blast your opponents and hit the throttle in this frenetic free-for-all battle! Up to 16 players can participate in Battle Royale mode, with the pilot with the highest score at the end of play taking first place.

Team Battle: Put your teamwork to the test as you try to out-maneuver and out-shoot opposing squadrons controlled by other players. Choose from the game’s variety of authentic licensed aircraft to choose the perfect combination of speed, durability, and firepower for your team. Up to 16 players total can play as up to two different squadrons to see who rules the skies in this test of aerial tactics.

Siege Battle: Two teams of up to four players each take turns assaulting and defending a variety of land, sea, and air-based targets in this original online mode. The team that is able to divide and conquer, clearing the targets in the shortest amount of time, will become the winner.

Co-op Battle: Up to four players can compete against computer-controlled enemies in a selection of cooperative missions. Use teamwork, superior firepower, and your ferocious fighting sprit to dominate the skies and complete the mission as quickly as possible.

Additionally, the company also announced that the game will support a wide variety of downloadable content including new color schemes for their planes, super-high difficulty missions, additional multiplayer stages and more.

The game ships exclusively on Xbox 360 on October 23.