Xbox 360 Fanboy

While screaming commands into a headset Joystiq found a moment to extrapolate release information from UbiSoft for the upcoming RTS, Tom Clancy's EndWar. According to the rep EndWar will ship on October 14 in Europe and North America.

What? Not familiar with Tom Clancy's EndWar? The upcoming real-time strategy game includes a voice-control option where players can issue commands through a headset rather than use traditional button presses (which you can also use).

To close its 2008 E3 Press Conference, Ubisoft unveiled the first trailer for I Am Alive. The adventure title places gamers in the center of a ruined Chicago, fighting for survival and forcing players to "think, react and take risks that will directly affect themselves and those around them."

The disaster game had been in the news prior to E3 as earlier reports suggested Jade Raymond, producer of Assassin's Creed, was at the helm of the title. Currently the title is scheduled to release on "current generation video game consoles" in Spring 2009. Nothing specific about the game is known but for a taste of what you could expect check our Disaster Report. Actually. Don't -- that game was the definition of mediocre.

During the Ubisoft Press Conference the lead producer of Prince of Persia detailed the Prince's support character, Elika. Using her magical powers, Elika can help the Prince perform longer jumps, double jumps and even in combat where both characters fight in tandem to destroy enemies with stylistic combo moves. In the demo shown, Elika proves she can take care of herself -- thankfully no Ico-style hand holding is required. Each enemy in the game is designed to be a challenge. Gone are the days of introductory baddies sprinkled throughout the world and all that remains are a steady stream of equally difficult adversaries which Ubisoft hopes will make every battle a cinematic and dramatic experience. Ubisoft also promises, because each battle is built to be dramatic, players will never fight more than one enemy at a time.

Elika also can support the Prince by pulling him from his death. Anytime the player is about to die a short scene will show Elika pull the Prince out of his fate and back onto a safe place in the world. Essentially this is what replaces the ability to rewind mistakes, but no mention of limitation was mentioned (like running out of sand in The Sands of Time). Prince of Persia also sports an open world structure which allows players to choose the path they take which, according to Ubisoft, will dynamically change the story of the game.

Prince of Persia is slated to release this Holiday season.

During the Ubisoft Press Conference, Ubisoft America president Laurent Detoc discussed the future of the Tom Clancy franchise. Citing the recent acquisition of Hybride, the CGI studio behind such films as 300 and Sin City, Detoc stated the future of the Tom Clancy franchise is more than games. Considering Ubisoft owns the Tom Clancy license Detoc says books and television are possibilities. Film is not mentioned but Ubisoft has mentioned the power of movies in the past so we expect it is high on their list of possibilities.

Detoc also reminded conference viewers that this is the tenth anniversary of Tom Clancy, which has sold 55 million combined units.

More as the conference progresses.

Resident Evil 5 and Far Cry 2 are both Africa bound! Coming soon from Ubisoft Montreal is Far Cry 2. A sequel of sorts, Far Cry 2 takes the name from the original title developed by Crytek and features a new story and world. Taking place in an unnamed part of Africa players can expect a more realistic shooter than the original. If that guarantees we won't be shooting up aliens in the boiling heat then sign us up! Also, check out the briefly flashed-URL that points to the blog of Reuben Monday-Oluwagembi, the personal blog of the journalist narrator from the trailer. Yay! More Alternate Reality Games! Far Cry 2 is set to release this October, the trailer is now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Ubisoft has been a doing a pretty good job with the marketing of the new Prince of Persia game. It's not easy to build hype by slowly doling out new screens, info and more without revealing too much or over-promising. While that sometimes means that news of the game comes in some strange forms (like speed art) they're well done and provide some good background to the game and world the team is working on.

The above video is of an enemy called the hunter (not from Halo kids) and includes some interesting backstory too. A second speedpaint video embedded after the break is of the Prince's female companion, Elika.

No demo for you, you unworthy and too needy fanboys! Or so says Ubisoft (not exactly word for word, but it's the general idea) in regards to offering up a pre-release Far Cry 2 demo, because it'd be giving away too much of game. "Even if we were to give out what you played today - even if we put invisible walls around it and said, here's the demo, you can go anywhere you like inside these walls and play it how you want - that's potentially right there eight-to-ten hours of gameplay" says Far Cry 2's creative director Clint Hocking. "I don't know too many people who are willing to give away a 12-hour game for free." Do you feel the fun getting sucked out of the room?

So, it's confirmed, no Far Cry 2 demo love for us. Then again, it isn't like we don't have 20 minutes of game footage to garner some sort of opinion off of. But that's looking at the whole thing from a "glass half full" perspective.

Owned. Literally. The stylized look of the Sin City movie was (and still is) quite iconic. With the second movie yet to be made, Frank Miller tied up shooting The Spirit, and now the purchasing of the studio that does the effects, just how much influence does that style hold for the future?

After its acquisition by Ubisoft, Hybride Technologies will supposedly continue to work with its movie partners, but will also work on bringing some of Ubisoft's IP's to the big screen. While this does seem quite out of character for a video game publisher, and it seems even weirder considering how Tom Clancy happy Ubisoft is, but it does open some interesting doors for that Prince of Persia movie.

To go with the pixelated video from earlier, we've got a few much better looking screen shots from the new Prince of Persia game. While the shots don't exactly reveal anything new (and their origination on a message board smells a tad like viral marketing) they do reaffirm the amazing use of cel shading that the Assassin's Creed team has been able to pull off.

The three new screens are also accompanied by a few artworks of some monsters that remind us vaguely of Ico, as well some more traditional art of the new Prince and his companion.

As you you are well aware thanks to this blog's helpfully descriptive title, there's a new Prince of Persia video making the internet rounds, showcasing the game's first in-game footage. Allegedly. Though, before you get too excited, be well aware that the video is both off-screen and is nothing more than the camera circling around the prince. To be honest, it's quite a bad video showing us absolutely nothing new or exciting. But it is a Prince of Persia video (allegedly), so we figured we'd share. And for those who, just like us, aren't impressed by the low quality video leakage, we have achievement news for you. Remember Ubisoft's achievement vote? Well, voting is now complete and "Combat King" won. Yippy yippy!

[Via NeoGAF]

Update: Descending upon the footage with ninja swiftness (we assume) the video leak of EndWar has been pulled. With the beta ending in a few days we recommend that anyone attempting to do it again just let bygones be bygones and wait for some new, non-NDA footage. Or at least don't mention us 'cuz we think you're crazy!

A few weeks ago we reported an EndWar beta tester leaked footage of the upcoming Tom Clancy RTS title -- non-disclosure agreement be damned. While reactions to our report of the leak were mixed, Ubisoft ended the controversy by putting the kibosh on the video. A little over an hour ago the same tester took it upon himself to upload a new clip of the beta -- which ends on July 7 -- taking our joking advice to "get a capture card, buddy."

While we don't condone the action or recommend that anyone leak footage of anything under NDA, we chuckled when our name came up. At least we know someone listens to the dog and pony show that is the Xbox 360 Fancast.

Also to give credit where it's due, it was our commander-in-chief (Rich) who threw out the capture card recommendation. Check out the footage above, before Ubisoft sends out the lawyer-ninjas.

[Thanks, Keller]

It's a free Xbox Live Marketplace download day, as we get not one but TWO free chuncks of downloadable content goodness. One being free Rainbow Six Vegas 2 DLC, the other being free Guitar Hero III DLC. All free, free, free!

The RSV2 "Gift Pack DLC" (no longer called the "Fan Pack") includes a set of three re-releases of the multiplayer maps Calypso Casino, Murdertown and CQB Training but now re-lit for a "darker" gaming experience. Today's free GHIII DLC is the July Fourth inspired "Top Gun Anthem" track of which we don't believe Tom Cruise will make an appearance in or would even support. Meh. Go grab your free XBLM downloads, kids, because ... you know ... they're free!

Source - Free RSV2 'Gift Pack' DLC
Source - Free GHIII 'Top Gun' DLC

Despite the fact that the newest of the Naruto games won't be coming to the 360, that doesn't mean that the franchise has left the console forever. According to several newly posted pages on a few different websites, we've got word of a new Naruto 360 project, apparently entitled Broken Bond. Supposedly set for release in November, Broken Bond deals with the rivalry between Naruto and the character Sasuke and is thought to be a continuation of the earlier 360 game Rise of the Ninja.

[Sources GameRush, ToTheGame]

[Thanks Robert]

Fanboys who have their gaming roots firmly planted in the UK and are interested in Soulcalibur IV, (no not that Soulcalibur) we recommend getting your pre-order on. Ubisoft just announced that customers who pre-order at UK retailer Play.com will receive a free Soulcalibur IV faceplate and those who choose to preorder at GAME stores will be getting an exclusive metal case packed with a bonus DVD and art book. Make your pre-order decision wisely, though no matter what you decide on, pre-order goodies have you will.

[Via Eurogamer]

To award loyal Rainbow Six Vegas fanboys and to give the game's online multiplayer a nice little tuneup, Ubisoft recently announced they'll be releasing a FREE set of RSV2 'Fan Pack' downloadable content this July.

The Fan Pack will feature the three new maps Calypso Casino, Murdertown and CQB Training and add new XP ranks beyond Elite as well as additional A.C.E.S. Along with the Fan Pack, Ubi will release an update for the title that'll make RSV2 even more enjoyable including the addition of a grenade indicator, a new High Stakes setting, a few balancing tweaks and various gameplay updates. There's also a rumor floating around that with the Fan Pack DLC download gamers will receive a free buy one buffet get one free printable coupon. That rumor has yet to be confirmed. Make the jump to read the complete list of RSV2 changes that'll go live next month.