Finalists for the 13th annual Game Developers Choice Awards have been revealed. Thatgamecompany’s Journey leads with a total of six nominations including Game of the Year. Other titles earning nods in multiple categories include Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead; Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed III; Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks’ Dishonored and BioWare/Electronic Arts’ Mass Effect 3.
Winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 27th during the Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony, which takes place in San Francisco during the 2013 Game Developers Conference.
Deep Silver has released the first gameplay footage from Dead Island Riptide. The near-10 minute walk-through features new content you’ll see when Riptide launches later this spring including how you’ll get around the island, new weapons and the new tower defense gameplay you’ll encounter as you fend of hordes of the undead with bombs.
The time draws closer to fight for justice against a revolutionary turned tyrant in Assassin’s Creed III newest adventure, the Tyranny of King Washington. The Infamy, the first episode of a three-part tale, will be available February 19th on Xbox 360 and PC, and February 20th on PlayStation 3.
In the first episode of the Tyranny of King Washington series, Ratonhnhaké:ton awakens from an unsettling dream to find that, despite his efforts to deliver justice in the newly-founded United States of America, a new king has been crowned – George Washington. The Infamy will take gamers through the beginning of the journey to dethrone King Washington.
The three upcoming episodes of the Tyranny of King Washington are available through the Assassin’s Creed III Season Pass, which is available for purchase for 2400 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live or $29.99 on the PlayStation Network and PC. The first episode, The Tyranny of King Washington: The Infamy, can be purchased as a single DLC pack for 800 Microsoft points or $9.99.
2K Games and Irrational Games have released a new trailer for BioShock Infinite, detailing the contents of the Industrial Revolution pack – free with all pre-orders of the game. The Industrial Revolution pack includes access to three in-game gear items that boost combat abilities, 500 bonus in-game currency, five lock picks, and the Industrial Revolution puzzle game which unlocks stories of Columbia and allows players to pledge their allegiance to the Vox Populi or Founders through Facebook.
BioShock Infinite is scheduled for release on March 26th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
Sega and Gearbox Software have released a new trailer for Aliens: Colonial Marines. This new glimpse into the Aliens universe shows us Colonial Marines doing what they do best – kicking some Xenomorph ass. Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available on February 12th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
Sega today announced that Total War: Shogun 2 Gold Edition will be available at retailers on March 5th for PC. The Gold Edition will include Shogun 2 plus its expansions, Rise of the Samurai and Fall of the Samurai.
Ubisoft today announced the acquisition of THQ Montreal as well as the publishing rights for the upcoming South Park: The Stick of Truth video game, being developed externally by Obsidian and scheduled for release in calendar 2013.
In addition to the team at THQ Montreal, Ubisoft also acquired a new, yet-to-be announced IP in development at the studio. THQ Montreal will join Ubisoft’s development teams.
Koch Media announced today that it has secured the intellectual property rights for two THQ franchises, Metro and Saints Row, as well as Chicago-based development studio, Volition, as THQ continues to liquidate its assets in closed auctions this week.
Deep Silver will lead all further development and marketing on the Saints Row and Metro franchises.
Koch Media and Deep Silver will roll out future plans for each franchise in the coming months.
In a letter to employees, THQ confirmed the proposed sales of multiple assets:
Relic Entertainment
Makers of Company of Heroes
Winning bidder: Sega, $26.6 million.
Runner-up: Zenimax Media, $26.3 million.
THQ Montreal
Makers of 1666 and Underdog, titles under development.
Winning bidder: Ubisoft, $2.5 million.
No runner-up.
Evolve
(title in development at Turtle Rock Studios)
Winning bidder: Take-Two Interactive, $10.894 million.
Runner-up: Turtle Rock Studios, $250,000.
Volition, Inc.
Maker of Saints Row
Winning bidder: Koch Media, $22,312,925.
Runner-up: Ubisoft, $5.4 million.
Homefront
Released 2011; due for a sequel.
Winning bidder: Crytek. $544,218.
No runner-up.
Metro
Series; due for the sequel Metro: Last Light.
Winning Bidder: Koch Media, $5,877,551
Runner-up: Ubisoft: $5.175 million.
South Park
License; South Park: The Stick of Truth is due for release March 5.
Winning bidder: Ubisoft, $3,265,306
No runner-up.
Some assets, including Vigil, along with some other intellectual properties are not included in the sale agreements. They will remain part of the Chapter 11 case. It is also rumored that EA has the WWE license, though that was negotiated separately.
Born Ready Games today announced that Strike Suit Zero is now available on Steam for $19.99. The space shooter features mecha and spaceship designs by mecha designer Junji Okubo (Steel Battalion, Appleseed), and a score created by Paul Ruskay (Homeworld) and Kokia (Tales of Innocence, Origins: Spirits Of The Past).
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