Rockstar-Games posts

Rockstar Games' iron curtain surrounding Max Payne 3 is finally lifting. The upcoming third game in the action game series is the subject of new screenshots posted today on the game's official web site. The game is also the subject of a cover story in the latest issue of the UK-based Edge magazine.

The game was first announced nearly two years ago but aside from a Game Informer cover story Max Payne 3's development has suffered from numerous delays and rumors of issues with the game's development across a number of Rockstar's internal development studios. Rockstar has yet to set a new release date for the game.

Rockstar Games is finally letting more info about its long delayed action game sequel Max Payne 3 out the door. VG247.com reports that the latest print issue of EDGE magazine has a new preview of the game. It's the first major preview of the title since Game Informer did a cover story nearly two years ago.

Among the details are that four of Rockstar's internal developers are now working on the game across three countries (Vancouver, New England, Toronto and London). Look for destructible environments, a new cover system and actor James McCaffrey in the role of Max. The biggest new addition is multiplayer for the first time in the history of the series although details have yet to be revealed. There is still no announced release date for Max Payne 3.

Max Payne 3 has been pretty much in hiding since the third game in the gritty action game series was first announced over two years ago by publisher Rockstar Games. Aside from a Game Informer cover story in June 2009 there's been no official word as to the status of Max Payne 3 and its release date has been pushed back many times.

Now there's actually some light at the end of the tunnel as Rockstar's Twitter page has posted up links to two new Max Payne 3 screenshots with only the words, "He's coming". The shots are pretty dark but at least we finally know the game is still in development. You can check out the other new screenshot after the jump.

[Via VG247.com]

While Activision Blizzard may be laying off 500 workers and shutting down at least one of its studios, the publisher may be planning to make a big move to buy rival Take Two Interactive. MCV reports that according to an unnamed but "senior executive" , the takeover talk comes from "very strong rumours amongst people at a very senior level within the global business."

Take Two Interactive previously was the target of a hostile takeover by Electronic Arts which it successfully fought and won out in 2008. A merger between Activision Blizzard and Take Two would create the biggest third party game publisher in the world.

[Via Blue's News]

On Thursday, publisher Take Two Interactive announced its financial results for the past three and 12 months and also gave a revised released schedule of its upcoming games. There wasn't any real changes for the games listed but one upcoming title wasn't listed at all. That was Max Payne 3, the long-in-development third game in the action series begun by Remedy.

The game from developer Rockstar Vancouver was first announced back in May 2009 but aside from an early Game Informer cover story there's been no real previews of the game and its release date has been pushed back several times. Kotaku checked in with Take Two about the missing Max Payne 3 and was assured by the publisher that the game is still in play. The official statement? "We're still working hard on Max, and we'll have more news in the coming months."

Batman Arkham City got its first trailer reveal at the 2009 Video Game Award and on Saturday the upcoming sequel to 2009's acclaimed action game Batman Arkham Asylum will get yet another trailer. We've been promised that the visuals of this new video footage won't look like a video game but if someone had filmed what happens.

And that's not all. The trailer on Saturday will also reveal a villain that will make an appearance in the Rocksteady-developed game. Who could it be? Ra's Ah Ghul? Hush? The Red Hood? Ma Parker? The Bookworm? (OK, those last two came from the 1960's Batman TV show).

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas continues to generate news and controversy years after its 2004 release. The open world action game from Rockstar Games got slammed after someone used a hack to find the hidden "Hot Coffee" sex mini-game in the PC version in 2005. The discovery caused the ESRB to change the rating of the game from M to AO (Adults Only) which then caused Rockstar to pull the game and re-released it with the mini-game removed.

Now IGN reports that Rockstar and its parent company Take Two Interactive has been hit with a lawsuit filed on Monday by Cypress Hill backup singer Michael "Shagg" Washington. Washington claims that he met with Rockstar in 2003 and told the publisher aspects of his own life. He now claims that the game's character Carl "CJ" Johnson is based on those discussions and is suing the parties for "fraud, misappropriation of likeness and infringement" He wants 25 percent of the game's profits, reportedly worth $250 million, as compensation. If you are wondering why it took Washington so long to file a lawsuit, he claims that he didn't even know the game existed until earlier this year when his nephew told him about it. Take Two has already stated that it believes Washington's lawsuit is "completely without merit and will vigorously defend itself in the matter."

While Mac gamers have seen their prospects improve somewhat in 2010, the fact is that getting a native Mac port of a game previously released for other platforms can still take years to happen Case in point it the news today that over nine years after Grand Theft Auto III was first released the open world action-game is finally making its native Mac debut, along with its two immediate follow ups Grand Theft Auto Vice City and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.

All three games, which were ported by TransGaming using its Cider technology, are now available to purchase and download at GameTreeMac.com exclusively for the next 30 days with all three games costing $14.99 each.

The weekend PC game sales have started to pop up and Steam is first out of the gate with a trio of titles that can be bought for almost next to nothing. It's the three games in the so-called Grand Theft Auto III open world action game trilogy from Rockstar Games.

From now until early Monday you can download and purchase Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto Vice City for just $2.49 each, a 75 percent discount. The final game, Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, also gets a 75 percent price cut this weekend to just $3.74. You can also get all three games in a bundle for just $7.49.

The CEO of Take Two Interactive, Ben Feder, will be departing the game publisher as of January 1, 2011. Feder will truly be going on an extended vacation as the press release states he is leaving "to pursue plans to travel in Asia with his family."

Feber has been CEO of Take Two (which includes the 2K Games, 2K Sports and Rockstar Games brands) since 2007 and has seen the company expand its game portfolio with successful releases like Borderlands and other titles . Strauss Zelnick, the company current chairmain, will assume Feder's CEO role. In addition Karl Slatoff who was previous an Executive Vice President of Take Two, will now step into the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer.