Martyn Brown co-founder of Team 17, is set to run the currently nameless studio. The goal for this new studio is to duplicate the success that Activision had with its recently released Skylanders: Cloud Patrol iOS app and bring more Activision properties to the mobile market.

Richard Wilson the CEO of TIGA a UK gaming trade association released the following statement after the announcement:

“This is a massive vote of confidence in the UK games industry and demonstrates that TIGA’s successful campaign for Games Tax Relief is already bearing fruit. We have the talent, we have the tax breaks and now we are winning the investment..This is a terrific day for the UK games industry, for people looking to work in our high technology, high skilled industry, and for the UK economy. We are back in the game.”

This is not the only good news that the UK games industry has had as of late, as the serving government finally delivered on the much promised tax break for games developers.  While the news may not seem that relevant for readers across the pond in the good old US of A, remember that Rockstar North (about an hour or so away from where I sit right now) is here. While it is probably one of the safest developers in the country, should the UK become uncompetitive then you may never see Grand Theft Auto V, VI, VII etc.

Source: DigitalSpy

It’s obvious to speculate that this new title will be Dead Space 3, but there have been several small stories lately to suggest this. In April, South African retailer BT Games started taking preorders for Dead Space 3. While this may sound like misinformation or a desperate plea for preorders, BT Games has taken preorders for games prior to their announcement before (which were revealed shortly after). E3 is right around the corner…

Suppose this new Dead Space game is NOT the third installment, but instead a spin-off like Dead Space: Extraction. Between animated films, novels, and comics, Dead Space has been constantly trying to expand as a ‘franchise’, so a deviation from the main series would fit in nicely. But what could it be? A team based survival game? A sequel to Extraction? Dead Space: Party?

All questions about this new Dead Space game should be answered at E3 2012; in particular, “What is it?”

Source: Joystiq

It’s been difficult to predict what to expect from Nintendo with so many rumors floating around. Nintendo wants to surprise us, but maybe we know more than we think we do.

Recent footage of the sequel to Rayman: Origins shows the Wii U functioning similar to the Portal of Power peripheral device from Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure. The inclusion of this technology in the Wii U was mentioned before, but the new footage shows Rayman figures (and an Assassin’s Creed figure!) being used exactly like Skylanders - drop them in and watch them appear on-screen.

Digital download games have also been announced as a major feature for Wii U and 3DS as mentioned here on Platform Nation, cementing Nintendo’s position that it’s not afraid to adopt a modern online system like Xbox Live and PSN. Mario and Pikmin games have also been announced for E3 2012, which could possibly be sold as downloads as well as physical copies.

All questions (well, mostly) about Wii U will be answered on June 5th at 9:00 am PT. I’m ready.

Source: IGN

(we have) started making a variety of movements for the new title(s) in the series (and we will) be able to make an announcement pretty soon.

Nomura offered some fuel for speculation by ruling out a sequel to 2010′s PSP release Birth by Sleep and also confirmed that there are no plans to release a Final Mix version of Kingdom Hearts 3D,which has been common in previous games in the series. However this doesn’t necessarily mean Kingdom Hearts 3 is in developement, as it could as easily be another Nintendo Handheld game, a new title and the first on the PS Vita, an iOS title or perhaps even a launch title for the Wii U?

Since the Kingdom Hearts first launched 10 years ago there have been several new Disney franchises launched(Pirates of the Caribbean, High School Musical etc) as well as new major company acquisitions like Pixar in 2006 and Marvel last year.  This opens a whole new realm of possibilities,  just as Kingdom Hearts has levels based around Disney movies, this new game could have levels based around comics; a level for X-men, Spider-Man. Avengers, Fantastic Four etc each with their own villains. You could easily just re-skin the first two games with Marvel characters and it would sell.

Kingdom Hearts 3D is out in July 2012 in both UK and North America.

Source: DigitalSpy, CVG

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing was an enjoyable racing title from two years ago. Notable for combining SEGA mainstays like Sonic the Hedgehog and AiAi with some forgotten heroes like the crew of Shenmue and Jet Set Radio, it was SEGA’s answer to Mario Kart. Eventually, the Mario Kart franchise left the ground, with Mario Kart 7 adding flight and submersible vehicles to the roster. Looks like it’s a week for copying the successful Nintendo formula. Following on the heels of Sony’s Smash Bros. game, SEGA has announced Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.

Hitting Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PC, and Nintendo 3DS later this year, the sequel to the relatively-hit SEGA title adds sea and air racing to its roster.

Following on from the huge success of Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, the characters now have their own unique transforming vehicles designed to take advantage of the varying terrain.  The line up on the Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed grid sees SEGA favorites – including Sonic the Hedgehog, Dr Eggman and AiAi – return to battle against newcomers that include Gilius Thunderhead of Golden Axe and Vyse of Skies of Arcadia.  The brand new dynamic environments and tracks in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed are once again inspired by SEGA’s illustrious gaming history. When the road falls away beneath you on Super Monkey Ball’s Temple Trouble track your car transforms into a boat and speeds down the rivers and rapids, whilst the Panzer Dragoon inspired track, Dragon Canyon, takes you into the sky in complete control of your plane, barrel rolling to out-maneuvre rivals and obstacles before transforming back into a car and racing to the finish line.

Notably, the WiiU, Wii, PSP, and DS are left out in the cold this time. Chances are, SEGA will announce a WiiU version down the race track when more info about the WiiU comes out; it’s a sign that the Wii, PSP, and DS are definitely on their last legs.

Source: SEGA

Nintendo! It’s great to have you here with us in fabulous 2012, where the internet is generally recognized as really, really convenient. Yes, Nintendo is planning to release Wii U games and new 3DS games as both hard copies in the usual retail locations and as downloadable content from the Nintendo eShop.

Or at least, “the majority” of them. (Cue suspicion?)

Downloaded The Legend of Zelda: Four Twilight Skyward Swords for Wii U the instant it released? Want to show it off to (and rub it in the face of) little cousin Johnny who won’t get his copy until Christmas morning? Too bad, says Nintendo.

The downloadable games will use the same 16-digit codes as the 3DS games already available for download at the eShop. And like the 3DS downloadable content, they will unfortunately only be playable on one gaming system. So no sharing among friends and family, unless everybody’s willing to come to your house. Better start vacuuming out the couch.

Source: Joystiq

I won’t try to pretend this article is anything more than praise for one of my favorite games, but Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is the type of game people share. The game is easily one of the Gamecube’s most memorable titles, yet many never picked it up.

For a Nintendo exclusive, Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is… well, dark. In game, you play as multiple characters throughout history such as a Roman centurion and a WWI field reporter, all who have fateful encounters with the undead. Their stories are immortalized in the skin-bound ‘Tome of Eternal Darkness’, which protagonist Alex Roivas finds hidden in her murdered grandfather’s mansion. It’s all pretty compelling stuff, especially for a video game nearly a decade old.

Combat sees you use a variety of weapons relevent to the time period of your character. Dark magic written in the Tome of Eternal Darkness can also be used to infuse your weapons with power. You’ll need it to take on the game’s otherworldly horrors and creatures, greatly inspired by the literary works of H.P. Lovecraft. These monstrous enemies do more than make you bleed – they will literally drive you insane.

Eternal Darkness’ claim to fame is its patented (yes, that’s right) Sanity Meter. When your character encounters a frightening enemy, their Sanity Meter will deplete, much like a life or magic meter (the game has those too). Rather than just tormenting your character, the game instead goes after you. A large number of ‘sanity effects’ occur to unnerve the player, including but not limited to bleeding walls, locked doors, and turning off the volume on your TV. Yikes! The Sanity Meter has such potential, you would think Nintendo would want to bring it to the next generation.

Wii U is going to need to bring out the guns the Wii never had. Sure we got Skyward Sword and Mario Galaxy, but those were expected. A new Eternal Darkness would turn heads. I try to think of the possibilities a Wii U sequel could bring with the combination of the console’s tablet controller and sanity effects. It would be pretty exciting if the screen on your Wii U controller went black or starting malfunctioning; all clever tricks played by the game.  The tablet could even be the Tome of Eternal Darkness; every touch on the screen revealing another bloody page. I might just have to put it down sometimes. If ‘core gamers’ are one of Wii U’s primary targets, what better way to win them over than with macabre horror in HD and a controller programmed to mess with you? Or is Nintendo too afraid to reenter the dark?

XSEED Games is bringing The Last Story to America. GameStop and Nintendo brought Xenoblade Chronicles to the states. With this love for Japanese RPGs for the Wii that looked dim, one game is left out. Pandora’s Tower, insofar unannounced for America, would complete the trilogy of games if it were to be released. Australia and Europe have received it… but America has not.

Operation Rainfall, the organization trying their damndest to get these three games in America, have a new tactic. They’re appealing to six publishers of Japanese-focused games; Aksys Games, ATLUS, NIS America, Rising Star, UTV Ignition, and XSEED Games JKS.

Since we are pitching the game directly to publishers, with the hope that they will approach Nintendo to publish Pandora’s Tower, we want to make sure the kits contain everything the publisher needs to evaluate the benefits of localizing the game. Some items the staff are deciding to include are: A physical copy of the PAL version of the game, hi-res printouts of concept art for the game, printed copies of the many glowing reviews for the game, and possibly even a full printout of our original Operation Rainfall petition.

So, this is where fans come in. Operation Rainfall asked for a donation of $5 or $10 (or any amount, really), with the former netting gamers wallpaper, and the latter the wallpaper and a collector’s box to bundle all three titles.

Asked? They’ve already reached their goal. Gamers can still donate for the rewards. Here’s to hoping they succeed.

Source: Tiny Cartridge

Source: My Nintendo News

Fall 2012 is setting up to be a big release window for gaming – many major titles already have release dates. Fall is usually a big time for video games, especially last year which boasted Skyrim, Skyward Sword, and many more (which you already played… right?). This year’s line up is already shaping up nicely, even without knowledge of Wii U’s launch titles.

October

Resident Evil 6 is currently October 2012′s first huge release. The game which was seemingly announced out-of-nowhere has been making headlines around gaming news sites for its return to zombies and the inclusion of two series protagonists – Chris Redfield and Leon Kennedy. Fans have been wanting to see these two team up for a while. Surprisingly for fans, it looks like the game will have them battle instead! Because the only thing better than being friends is a fight to the death.

Two weeks after Resident Evil 6 sends us through zombie hell, BioShock Infinite will take us to the floating city of Columbia. It sounds like a relief, but if you’ve played BioShock you know that everyone will try to kill you. Like its predecessors, BioShock Infinite has developed a rich world inspired by historical events and literary works. The game was announced almost two years ago, so hopefully has spent enough in development to be one of fall 2012′s stand out releases.

A steady stream of Assassin’s Creed games have been released since Assassin’s Creed II, but finally the third entry in the series proper is being released. Assassin’s Creed III has been making gaming headlines on Platform Nation for its showing at PAX East. The game’s unique setting and the series’ immense popularity should make sure it easily stands up to veterans like Resident Evil at retail.

While the previously mentioned titles all have set release dates, other titles will surely be announced for October despite a seemingly crowed schedule (you might be spending $200+ in October). Skylanders: Giants has been said to receive an October release date, without too much competition from Resident Evil, BioShock, and Assassin’s Creed – Skylanders is its own kind of monster with a very different demographic (well, mostly). If the new figures become pre-orderable, start your Christmas shopping in October – your kids will thank you.

November

October 2012 is going to be big for gaming, but November is ushering in a new generation. Halo 4 arrives early in November and sees the return of Master Chief to the series. Halo 4 may very well be the end of an era – the next Halo game seems poised to be developed for the ‘Xbox 720′. In the meantime, Halo 4 will have to compete with October’s other massive sequels on the current generation of consoles – a generation soon about to end.

Wii U has been rumored to have a November 18th release date. Its release begins the next generation of consoles, as well as opens up whole new possibilities for fall releases. Shigeru Miyamoto has already revealed that Pikmin 3 and a new Mario game will debut at E3 2012, both of which could be launch titles. Nintendo has admitted to their mistake of releasing the 3DS without any major first-party titles. With Wii U, Pikmin or Mario could prevent a disappointing launch.

Still Waiting on Release Dates

By April, we already have plenty of release dates for fall, but many titles are still planned to be released. Games like Pokemon Black and White 2 remind you of the good ol’ days when Japan got to play everything before you. While the game drops in June for Japan, the rest of the world will have to wait until fall. Pokemon Black and White 2 will be curiously released on DS, which admittedly won’t have much competition on that platform, but will still have to contend with the other massive releases this fall.

Although the series has seen less popularity in recent times, Tomb Raider will try to revitalize the series with a reboot this fall. The results look promising, delivering an origins games that thankfully appears more concerned with telling a story than having a sexualized protagonist. Perhaps the new Tomb Raider will see a rebirth of the series, heightening its popularity to that of Uncharted.

Plenty of other games will also see release this fall, but chances are you will be hearing about these ones. With so many major releases on the horizon, it’s hard not to be excited about being a gamer. Which titles are you most excited for? Basically, fall 2012′s release schedule boils down to one thing – you’re gonna be broke.

Release Dates

Resident Evil 6 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC) October 2nd

BioShock Infinite (Xbox 360, PS3, PC) October 16th

Assassin’s Creed III (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, WiiU in the future) October 30th

Halo 4 (Xbox 360) November 6th

Source: IGN