At 88 miles per hour, Back to the Future took millions of spellbound viewers on a high-flying voyage across the space-time continuum in a trio of wildly inventive tales that broke box-office records around the world. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Academy Award®-winning cinematic franchise that generated nearly $1 billion worldwide, Telltale Games will release a new game series this winter as part of the milestone soon after the Blu-ray debut and DVD release of the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy on October 26, featuring all-new restorations of the classic films.
Telltale today announced that the highly anticipated Back to the Future games will feature the likenesses of the original stars that made the characters of Marty McFly and Doc Brown legendary: Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Lloyd is voicing Doc Brown for the full game series, which Telltale will deliver in five monthly episodes. The first images showing the game depictions of Marty and Doc are now available at: www.backtothefuturegame.com. The game series is developed through a licensing agreement with Universal Partnerships & Licensing.
“Creating cinematic adventures true to the source is a top mission for Telltale,” says Telltale CEO Dan Connors. “Securing Marty and Doc for the games, and presenting the experience that fans know and love, has been top on our list since we initiated development.”
Co-creator and writer Bob Gale’s involvement further strengthens the links to the original series. Gale is consulting with Telltale on the characterizations and storyline for the game, ensuring it will be true to the spirit and adventure of the films.
Gale elaborates: “Twenty-five years ago when I wrote Doc Brown’s line about ‘seeing the future,’ little did I realize that I would be traveling with him to work on this game. Collaborating with Telltale is an amazing opportunity to continue the adventures of Doc and Marty.”
Telltale is also pleased to announce that the games will feature the DeLorean Time Machine, and to celebrate the historic vehicle’s return, it will make a guest appearance at the 2010 Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle Washington September 3 through 5. Fans attending this increasingly popular gaming and culture event can re-create the iconic pose from the movie posters and capture their photos with this authentic replica of the famous vehicle in the Convention Center’s South Hall.
From his low budget beginnings to his iconic films, it’s hard to ignore the impact John Carpenter has made on the cinematic landscape. A short list of his work includes ‘Escape From New York,’ ‘The Thing,’ ‘Christine,’ ‘Big Trouble In Little China,’ ‘They Live’ and ‘Halloween.’ With his impressive resume, it is easy to see why he became engrained into the collective conscience of film fans worldwide. Now approaching his fifth decade of filmmaking, Carpenter is about to re-emerge from a self-imposed hiatus to recapture hearts and imaginations across the globe. Icon Vs. Icon‘s Steve Johnson and Jason Price recently were given the rare opportunity to sit down with the legendary director and discuss his career evolution, the current state of film, his upcoming projects, and what the future holds for him in cinema!
Cinema Legend John Carpenter
First off, tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in southern Kentucky. Bowling Green, Kentucky. I wasn’t born there but I grew up there. When I was growing up, I loved the movies. Probably like the both of you did. My coming of age time was during the 1950s. I saw everything that could be seen, every kind of movie, but I fell in love with horror, science fiction and westerns.
Who was your biggest influence?
Roger Corman, big time! Some of those early movies like ‘The Thing’ and ‘Forbidden Planet,’ those types of films. I saw those in theaters when I was a kid. That is what I thought I would do. I didn’t have any other direction in life, other than playing in a rock ‘n’ roll band which wasn’t going to get me anywhere.
It is interesting you mention that because music has played a very important role in your films. How did music first come into your life?
My dad was a music teacher, so I grew up with it.
So it’s in the blood, so to speak!
Yes! [laughs] It’s in the blood. Second nature!
You have made so many iconic movies. To what do you attribute your longevity in that medium?
Luck. To survive you have to withstand the changes in the business. This business has gone through so many changes since I was young and now it is on to something else. It is all weird today, for me, because I am from the old times. You just have to keep adapting. Isn’t that Darwinism? The creature that adapts to its environment survives.
How do you think you have evolved as a director since starting out?
I have gotten older! Had a family. Got them through so they aren’t dead and they are out in the world and evolved. [laughs] The only reason to do this is because you love cinema. I love cinema. I have always loved it. There have been a couple periods of time when I didn’t love it so much anymore. I didn’t make a movie for eight years.
John Carpenter
What turned the tide to bring you back?
I had this opportunity to make this low budget, contained film called ‘The Ward.’ It was different from the kinds of things I had done and it had a really cool cast. Young girls, Hollywood actresses in an insane asylum. I can’t say no to that! [laughs] It was a decent script and I thought “I can do something with this!” I had done a little bit of work with ‘Masters of Horror,’ the TV show, and that was fun. I love being on the set shooting. Love it! That is the best part, so I decided to try it.
So you are back at it!
For now! For now. I am getting older and older, dudes! You don’t understand yet and you won’t understand for a long time. You’re young.
What was the reason behind that hiatus?
Burned out! That’s it. I thought “I can’t take this anymore. I don’t want to do this anymore.” I kinda had a bug when my last movie tanked pretty big time. I thought to myself “Why am I doing this. I am killing myself with this.” So, I decided when I came back what I will and won’t do. I won’t do the music anymore, I can’t do it. I am burned out on that. On my last film, before the one that is coming out now, ‘Ghosts of Mars,’ there is a behind-the-scenes deal. There are shots of me on the set that I looked at and those shots are after the music mix, after I had gone through it and I was a zombie. I thought “I can’t do that.” I can’t live with that stress anymore. No thanks! I am just whining! [laughs] That’s what I love to do!
You have been so hands-on with all of your films. Is there a part of the film-making process that you prefer?
Being on set. I live for that.
What is the typical screenwriting process like for you? Are you always writing or is there a point you sit down to lay the groundwork?
It isn’t that specific. It isn’t like I wake up and say “OK, today I am going to start writing.” It just germinates. There are always things germinating but I don’t do the work. Writing is grueling, ugly, solitary work, just sitting in a room doing that shit. I try not to do that.
You have a bunch of new projects coming out now that you are back. You touched on ‘The Ward’ a little bit already. What can you tell us about the cast of that film and was it difficult to assemble the right mix?
I worked with a really great casting director who just knows all of these young girls, actors and kids and really put me with some great ones. I just read them. The company that I work for had recommended Amber Heard. They had worked with her before. She is a really smart, young actress. Then I meant Danielle Panabaker, Lyndsy Fonseca, Mamie Gummer and Laura-Leigh and really got a chance to talk to them. You may know Lyndsy Fonseca from her last film, ‘Hot Tub Time Machine.’ The whole group is extremely talented but they aren’t big stars yet.
What was the biggest challenge in making that film?
To be honest, it was the food! [laughs] The catering was just absolute shit. Garbage! Never solved it. I had an assistant and I just sent her out every night to get me food. It was awful! Inedible!
We have been seeing some stills crop up recently. When are we gonna get a chance to see the film?
How much money do ya have on ya? [laughs]
Probably about 60 in cash … there were tolls.
[laughs] We are nearing completion. I am just doing some little color correction issues on the print. I think it is going to the Toronto Film Festival and after that it will be bootlegged and you can see it anywhere.
How do you feel about that sort of thing as an artist coming from an era before downloading was a factor?
Well, it is interesting. Your generation or even younger thinks that it is OK. They don’t think that it is stealing. If you talk to a kid, he will likely say “Why should I pay for it? I can get it right off the computer and not pay for it.” It’s a whole ethical change brought about by technology. But tell me the truth, when you listen to music, where do you usually get it?
Usually these days we use iTunes or actually go buy a physical CD, but yeah, from time to time, we will go download something via a shadier avenue.
Well, there ya go.
Another project that you are attached to is ‘Fangland.’ Can you talk a little bit about that?
It is a novel that has been turned into a script and we are still trying to get a good screenplay out of it.
How did you first cross paths with that project?
Somebody at the office said “Would you like to do this?” I read it and I thought it had a very interesting idea. So, now we will just have to see if we can get it there.
Originally the script had been described as a modernized version of ‘Dracula.’ Right now, vampires are all the rage and you have tangled with the undead before. Maybe this is a little premature but, what is your vision for the film?
Well, it is not about a vampire. We’re changing that. Vampire movies always work. They are always fun but they are a little over-saturated right now.
Another one is ‘L.A. Gothic’ …
Which has undergone a title change. I actually have a copy of the script which I am supposed to read this weekend and we will see where we go from there.
Although you are well known for horror and sci-fi, is there something outside of those realms that you might still want to take a stab at?
Well, at this point in my career, this is what I am known for. It’s what I get offered.
What are your thoughts on being labeled a ‘Master of Horror?’
It’s a way to sell DVDs. That is all it is. It’s all marketing! [laughs] Everything is marketing.
Horror is a lot different than it used to be. What are your thoughts on the current state of that genre?
Horror is always the same. It just changes with the culture and changes with the technology. The stories are always the same. There are just two basic stories in horror, two simple ones — evil is outside and evil is in here [pointing to his heart]. That is basically it. There are a lot of good horror movies being made right now, there have been a lot of good movies that have been made, and a lot more probably will be made.
You made one of the highest grossing independent films of all time with ‘Halloween’ …
Yeah! We used to be number one but ‘The Blair Witch Project’ killed us! [laughs] That movie was a giant hit!
I saw it in the theater … but ‘Halloween’ is still better!
There ya go! But boy, it killed us!
Did you have any idea the impact that it would have on the horror genre when you were making the film?
No clue. None. Zero. I had no idea. I just wanted to make a film!
What was the biggest challenge you faced when you ‘helmed’ the film?
It was a tiny little movie. Everyday it was a challenge, just trying to shoot. It is hard work, especially when you have no money to do it! We didn’t have the technology that you geniuses have today. You have digital cameras and can make a movie fairly inexpensively today. You really can.
3D and remakes are two subjects that I am sure you get asked about all the time. As a director/creator, do you think that these are signs that the Hollywood machine is running low on original ideas and do you think fans will eventually look to alternative mediums for their entertainment?
Hollywood already ran out of original ideas years ago, except for a very few films that come along that try something new. A lot of the stuff that they program is not new anymore. 3D is another way that the technology has evolved. Look at when the original ‘Toy Story’ came out. That was a huge step in storytelling. 3D has evolved in that same way. Personally, I don’t really know. I know one guy in Hollywood, Jeffery Katzenberg, says that soon every movie will be made in 3D. I don’t believe it. I went through the first 3D craze, I was there! I wore those glasses and I remember it! It died!
What are your thoughts on remakes, as a director who has directed a remake and had a few of his films remade?
It is the tradition of Hollywood. It has been done a lot. They remade ‘The Maltese Falcon’ four or five times. They remade ‘A Star Is Born’ … and they will be doing that again. Nowadays, for genre movies, it is so difficult to advertise for films, there is so much clutter, so many advertisements and so many people wanting your dollar that producers and studios try to cut through all of that with something that you will recognize. A title that maybe you heard of when you were young or your siblings watched it or you have heard of it but haven’t seen it, they cut through with it a new version. So, it can penetrate this almost impenetrable wall of attracting people and getting them into a theater. All of this stuff is about commerce. All about commerce. It is all about money. You see these sequels being made and people line up to see them. If no one went to see them, they wouldn’t be making them!
The Man Behind The Camera
Are there any young directors out there that really make you stand up and take notice of their work?
Lots and lots. I like David Fincher’s work a lot. I think he is very talented. He is REALLY good!
Is there any film that you might have passed on in your career that you regret?
I have no regrets!
You recently lent your talents to a video game, F.E.A.R. 3. What can you tell us about that experience?
It was weird! I worked with a comicbook writer named Steve Niles. He drug me into it asking “Do you want to do this?” and I said “Sure!” It was a lot of fun. Mostly, we worked on writing. The story and the structure were pretty well figured out by the gamers. They said, “We want to go from here to here to here. So, it was a process of filling in the blanks and filling in the character with mainly dialogue, lots of dialogue. It is a totally different world than I am used to.
Is that a type of project that you can seeing yourself doing again in the future?
They were very nice people. So, yeah, sure!
Are you a gamer yourself?
Big time!
What is your favorite type of game?
I love first person shooters. I just can’t help myself! My son, when he was young, got me into it. We used to play together and then I got hooked!
John Carpenter on set
What do you consider the defining moment of your career so far?
That’s a great question. Defining moment? Well, in my position, being a director, it is all subjective impressions of how things go. So there is not one moment where the spotlight hits you and you go “Ahhhhhhh!” [jestering with his hands] I don’t know, there are several. My first job, first paying job, was a big deal. When I directed my first 35mm movie in Panavision, that was a big deal. Actually, finishing every movie, that is what you look for, that is success as far as I am concerned. That is the biggest deal as far as I am concerned because a lot of people never finish. They get fired or they run out of money, that is just the way that it goes.
I am sure that you have seen some crazy things during your career. Have you ever considered doing an autobiography?
Most of those stories I can’t tell anybody! I don’t betray confidences with the actors and the crew. But sure, I have a lot of crazy stories! Sure! About a lot of crazy people!
What is the best piece of advice that someone has given you along the way in your career?
It was probably from my dad. He said “Opportunity will come, just be ready for it.”
What about the flip-side of that question? What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this new age of film making?
You have a lot of advantages that I didn’t have. You can actually go to film school without actually going, by buying movies on DVD and watching the special features and interviews with directors where you can see what they did behind-the-scenes. You can really see how it works. You have equipment and technology now that allows you to make a film, cut it yourself with computers and show it. All that is stopping you, at this point, is you. The two of you can go out and make a movie starting today if you want to.
Very true. Actually, we are working on a little throwback project called ‘Bride of The Werewolf’ …
Well, there ya go! Good luck with it!
What is the biggest misconception about John Carpenter?
Horror director. People who direct horror movies always get typecast by the outside world. People might say “You guys must be real violent and weird and love that kinda shit!” That is what you must be like, right? People judge you by that and think that must be who you are. That is far from the truth.
I read online some things about a remake of ‘Escape From New York,’ one of your classics …
That’s correct.
What can you tell us about that?
They paid me cash money! To sit there and do nothing! [laughs] I think Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema are going to do it. They are working on getting a script that they like first. I think they are getting close. If they pay money, that means that they are probably going to make it.
Speaking of ‘Escape From New York,’ you worked with Kurt Russell quite a bit early in your career …
Four or five times, yeah.
Kurt Russell and John Carpenter
What your working relationship like with him and why did you use him so frequently?
He is my kind of actor. He was a Disney trained actor, meaning that he comes in and knows the scenes, knows his lines and knows what he is going to do. He is a real pro! He came from the days where, on a Disney set, the script supervisor would cut the take if he wasn’t aligned perfectly. Every single line, he knows it. He is amazing to work with and has the greatest attitude about working. He didn’t give you any problems, he didn’t used to, a little more of a diva now … [laughs] but that is OK! He has the right to be. He has earned the ‘divahood.’ [laughs]
Any other projects that your fans should be aware of?
I have a couple different things in development. I have a movie called ‘The Prince,’ which I am really happy about. It is not really a horror film, it is more of an action film. Hopefully, I will get that going. I am ambivalent about work. I will do it if it comes along. I don’t like to get up too early in the morning! [laughs] But I am getting close to the age where I can just say [with his arms outstretched and middle fingers in the air] “Fuck this! Goodbye!” and kick back! [laughs] Every time that the NBA starts its season, I get less and less interested. I am more interested in basketball! I am a basketball addict!
Do you have any last words for you fans before we let you go?
The “Transformers” franchise has reemerged thanks to Michael Bay and Steven Spielbergʼs big-budget film trilogy; however, those of us between 25 and 35 have fond memories of the cartoon series, comics and toys from the ʻ80s. The original Transformers toys are still WAY cooler than anything today.
Given its popularity during the ʻ80s home video game console boom, itʼs surprising that there have been very few Transformers video games in the last 25 years. Thatʼs going to change thanks to Activisionʼs “Transformers: War for Cybertron” (“TWC”), which serves as an origin story for our robot heroes and villains and (hopefully) the beginning of a game franchise that pays homage to my youth while serving as a prequel to the films.
TWC takes place on the planet Cybertron, which is ravaged by a war between the Autobot and Decepticon factions. For those who donʼt know, the Cybertronian war is an integral part of Transformers lore preceding the Autobots and Decepticonsʼ arrival on Earth. TWC throws you right into the middle of the war and provides a bit of a backstory to some of the familiar faces in the franchise.
In TWC, you play as both Autobots and Decepticons. The Decepticon campaign precedes the Autobot campaign, though you can start with whichever one you want. Each campaign is comprised of six missions. At the start of each mission, you choose between one of three robots, each of which has its (his?) own weapons, abilities and vehicle form. Fans will recognize nearly all of the characters, including Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Ironhide. Since the Autobots and Decepticons have yet to come to Earth, they donʼt completely resemble their familiar forms. For example, Soundwave turns into a Cybertronian APC-type vehicle instead of a cassette player. This is cool because you see the robots in their original forms but some of the characters arenʼt immediately recognizable, especially in their vehicle forms.
While Activision does a great job of working in many familiar faces, you donʼt spend much time fighting against them. Most opponents are nameless grunts, though this canʼt really be helped with a finite pool of characters to choose from. There are several boss battles, particularly in the Autobot campaign, where you face off against familiar faces. I was surprised by the final boss battle in both campaigns. It seemed clear that Activision was paying service to fans of the toys, since neither character featured prominently into the cartoons or films.
As far as presentation, TWC is outstanding. I remember seeing a preview of the game in a magazine months ago and thinking, “These canʼt be screenshots, thereʼs no way the game looks that good.” I am happy to say I was wrong. The character models and environments are outstanding. I would have liked more diversity in the environments, though. Most of the time it feels as if youʼre playing the same level with different characters. The voice acting is also top notch. Most notably, Peter Cullen reprises his voice as Optimus Prime and does a great job as only he could. The other voice actors do a fine job as well and capture the feel of the dialogue between the characters in the movies and cartoon. The music, while not necessarily bad, is forgettable and damn near impossible to hear. Sometimes I found myself wondering if there was any music at all or if I was losing my hearing.
The gameplay is good but thereʼs room for improvement. TWC does a great job of giving the player freedom (most of the time) to play as either the robot or vehicle. There are a few missions that require you to play in jet form for large chunks, which is a lot of fun. I would have liked more diversity in the appearance of the jets, though. For example, in one Decepticon mission you choose from Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker, all of whom look exactly the same in jet form. I donʼt recall if the toys/ cartoon versions all looked the same, but it would have been nice to mix it up. The controls work very well and have a run ʻnʼ gun feel, almost like Gears of War or Mass Effect 2. Weapons run on limited ammunition and there are different types of weapons to acquire, from machine guns to grenade launchers to shotguns and pistols, but youwill frequently run out of ammo. This gets annoying in the middle of a fight where youʼre forced to hunt for ammo crates, although each character has a powerful melee attack. One thing that I found strange is that each character has the same amount of health. One would expect Megatron or Optimus Prime to be far powerful than lesser characters but theyʼre all pretty even in terms of offense and defense. Each character has four health bars that will drain quickly and, like the ammo, leave you running frantically for health crates. While this keeps the difficulty in check, it takes away from the badass feeling. Also, it would be nice to have an upgrade feature where you can increase the charactersʼ offense and defensive abilities. Maybe in the sequel?!
All in all, TWC is a great game. There are 12 levels and each level will take you about 45 minutes to an hour to complete, so you will get your moneyʼs worth. There is a multiplayer component that I have yet to try and an option of playing through the story campaign with up to two other people. Activision is also releasing new content, including new characters and multiplayer maps, for purchase on Playstation Network and XBox Live. If you are like me and grew up with all things Transformers, then you should check TWC out. Itʼs not perfect, but itʼs very good and I look forward to seeing where Activision goes with a sequel. In the meantime, if youʼre hungry for more Transformers video game action, I also recommend checking out Transformers for the Playstation 2 (not the movie version, which I havenʼt played). Itʼs extremely difficult, even on the easiest setting, but itʼs a lot of fun and the Tidal Wave boss battle is awesome.
Bringing the ultimate set list to furious finger-fretting rockaholics around the world this September, Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI)revealed today the entire Guitar Hero®: Warriors of Rock on-disc lineup. With more than 90 tracks focusing on guitar shredding hits, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is headlined by some of the largests bands in rock and features original tracks written and composed by AAA talent, special re-records by famous artists, and bands that are making their Guitar Hero® debut.
“We engaged our fans to find out what they really wanted and then hand-picked over 90 tracks that deliver the ultimate rock experience,” said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Guitar Hero. “From the new guitar controller to the gameplay to the on-disc set list, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is truly a return to rock.”
When Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock ships on September 28, gamers will join the quest to save rock and strive to keep up with the blistering solo’s and intense rifts as they shred their way through the largest Guitar Hero set list to date. The full track list includes:
A Perfect Circle – “The Outsider”
Aerosmith – “Cryin’”
AFI – “Dancing Through Sunday”
Alice Cooper – “No More Mr. Nice Guy”
Alter Bridge – “Ties That Bind”
Anberlin – “The Feel Good Drag”
Anthrax – “Indians”
Arch Enemy – “Nemesis”
Atreyu – “Ravenous”
Avenged Sevenfold – “Bat Country”
Bad Brains – “Re-Ignition (Live)”
Band Of Skulls – “I Know What I Am”
Black Sabbath – “Children Of The Grave”
Blind Melon – “Tones Of Home”
Blue Öyster Cult – “Burnin’ For You”
Bush – “Machinehead”
Buzzcocks – “What Do I Get?”
Children Of Bodom – “If You Want Peace… Prepare For War”
Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Fortunate Son”
The Cure – “Fascination Street”
Deep Purple – “Burn”
Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar On Me (Live)”
Dethklok – “Bloodlines”
The Dillinger Escape Plan – “Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants”
Dire Straits – “Money For Nothing”
DragonForce – “Fury of the Storm”
Drowning Pool – “Bodies”
Edgar Winter– “Free Ride”
Fall Out Boy – “Dance, Dance”
Five Finger Death Punch – “Hard To See”
Flyleaf – “Again”
Foo Fighters – “No Way Back”
Foreigner – “Feels Like The First Time”
George Thorogood and The Destroyers – “Move It On Over (Live)”
The Hives – “Tick Tick Boom”
Interpol – “Slow Hands”
Jane’s Addiction – “Been Caught Stealing”
Jethro Tull – “Aqualung”
John 5 – “Black Widow Of La Porte”
KISS – “Love Gun”
Linkin Park – “Bleed It Out”
Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Call Me The Breeze (Live)”
Megadeth – “Sudden Death”
Megadeth – “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due”
Megadeth – “This Day We Fight!”
Metallica & Ozzy Osbourne – “Paranoid (Live)”
Muse – “Uprising”
My Chemical Romance – “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)”
Neil Young – “Rockin’ In The Free World”
Nickelback – “How You Remind Me”
Night Ranger – “(You Can Still) Rock In America”
Nine Inch Nails – “Wish”
The Offspring – “Self Esteem”
Orianthi – “Suffocated”
Pantera – “I’m Broken”
Phoenix – “Lasso”
Poison – “Unskinny Bop”
Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
Queensrÿche – “Jet City Woman”
Rammstein – “Waidmanns Heil”
The Ramones – “Theme From Spiderman”
Red Rider – “Lunatic Fringe”
R.E.M. – “Losing My Religion”
Rise Against – “Savior”
The Rolling Stones – “Stray Cat Blues”
The Runaways – “Cherry Bomb”
Rush – “2112 Pt. 1 – Overture”
Rush – “2112 Pt. 2 – The Temples Of Syrinx”
Rush – “2112 Pt. 3 – Discovery”
Rush – “2112 Pt. 4 – Presentation”
Rush – “2112 Pt. 5 – Oracle: The Dream”
Rush – “2112 Pt. 6 – Soliloquy”
Rush – “2112 Pt. 7 – Grand Finale”
RX Bandits – “It’s Only Another Parsec…”
Silversun Pickups – “There’s No Secrets This Year”
Slash featuring Ian Astbury – “Ghost”
Slayer – “Chemical Warfare”
Slipknot – “Psychosocial”
Snot – “Deadfall”
Soundgarden – “Black Rain”
Steve Vai – “Speeding” (Vault Version)
Stone Temple Pilots – “Interstate Love Song”
Strung Out – “Calling”
Styx – “Renegade”
Sum 41 – “Motivation”
Tesla – “Modern Day Cowboy”
Them Crooked Vultures – “Scumbag Blues”
Third Eye Blind – “Graduate”
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Listen To Her Heart”
Twisted Sister – “We’re Not Gonna Take It”
The Vines – “Get Free”
The White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army”
ZZ Top – “Sharp Dressed Man (Live)”
In Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, join with friends on an epic rock journey to save rock. Featuring an impressive 90+ track set list and a host of all-new gameplay features, living room legends and their friends can strum, drum and wail in the most immersive music videogame experience to date. Delivering the quintessential rock music collection that focuses on guitar shredding hits from bands such as Black Sabbath, Slipknot and Megadeth and larger-than-life band anthems from Queen, Muse and KISS, players can unleash more rewards and unlockable content than ever before in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock’s Quest Mode, the franchise’s first ever story-based mode, and Quickplay+, which invites challenge-starved fanatics to test their rock skills. Running on the powerful Guitar Hero engine that has been expanded and refined and with encores from the critically-acclaimed and fan favorite gameplay features that made Guitar Hero one of the most popular franchises of all-time – such as Party Play, Competitive modes and any combination of up to four instruments – the game offers a complete interactive and connected experience bringing friends and foes to the stage in the ultimate rock music experience.
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rockis being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and by Vicarious Visions for the Wii™ system from Nintendo. The game is rated “T” (Teen – Lyrics, Mild Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes) by the ESRB. For more information about Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock,please visit GuitarHero.com.
The global market leader in browser-based massively multiplayer online games (MMOG), Bigpoint, (http://www.bigpoint.com/) announced that the highly anticipated Battlestar Galactica Online browser-based MMOG will feature appearances by characters from the hit TV series in game.
Based upon the second season of the Syfy TV series, Battlestar Galactica Online’s story captures the struggle between humans and cylons. Key characters from the TV series will be included in the game to create a deeper connection to the storyline, provide quests and accentuate the dramatic tension that the series is known for delivering expertly.
“These characters brought to life the story and captured the imaginations of a whole new generation of Battlestar Galactica fans and we felt strongly that they needed to appear in the game,” explains Heiko Hubertz, CEO and founder of Bigpoint. “Our goal is to create a deep connection to the mythology of Syfy series and by working with the producers, writers and actors, Bigpoint hopes to meet the expectations of the fans and allow them to write their own adventures through gameplay.”
Battlestar Galactica Online will feature the character likenesses of:
William “Admiral” Adama portrayed by Edward James Olmos
Number Six portrayed by Tricia Helfer
Kara “Starbuck” Thrace portrayed by Katee Sackhoff
Number Eight portrayed by Grace Park
Lee “Apollo” Adama portrayed by Jamie Bamber
Number One (John Cavil) portrayed by Dean Stockwell
Galen “Chief” Tyrol portrayed by Aaron Douglas
Number Two (Leoben Conoy) portrayed by Callum Keith Rennie
Heiko Hubertz will hold a keynote on Tuesday (August 17, 2010, 11:20am-12:10pm) at GDC Europe with the topic “Dominating Europe and North America (The keys to International Success with Online Games: Culturalization , Targeted Games and Understanding Local Players)”. Therein he’ll also go into the talents in BGO.
This year’s Madden NFL 11 soundtrack features 23 tracks that recreate the ultimate live gameday experience via a collection of crowd favorites, stadium classics, and official NFL team fight songs.
After 10+ years of being a foremost showcase for introducing new artists – including Franz Ferdinand, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Yellowcard, Wolfmother, Jet, The Bravery, B.o.B., Good Charlotte, OK GO, Fallout Boy and 30 Seconds To Mars – the Madden NFL 11 soundtrack focuses on stadium authenticity with classic fan-favorites by AC/DC, Queen, KISS, Ozzy Osbourne (including his new hit “Let Me Hear You Scream”), Guns N’ Roses, The Hives, Gary Glitter, Blur, Ying Yang Twins and Todd Rundgren. Adding to the unprecedented authenticity are official team fight songs of the Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins and more.
“The term ‘Madden Music’ has come to mean music that matches the intensity of the video game,” says said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing for EA. “This year, we wanted the music to not only define the game, but also the stadium experience. These are the classics that consistently bring NFL crowds to their feet. It’s an exciting new audio direction for Madden NFL, one that we know all fans will respond to. There is nothing like the experience of live football in a packed stadium, and the Madden NFL 11 soundtrack absolutely brings that excitement home.”
The complete in-game soundtrack for Madden NFL 11 includes:
Original Recordings:
AC/DC – Thunderstruck
Archie Eversole – We Ready
Blur – Song 2
Bush – Machinehead
Guns N’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil’ Wayne – Let It Rock
Kiss – Rock and Roll All Nite
Ozzy Osbourne – Let Me Hear You Scream
Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train
The Hives – Tick Tick Boom
Todd Rundgren – Bang the Drum
Ying Yang Twins featuring Homebwoi – Halftime
Cover Versions:
Rock N Roll Part 2 - as made famous by Gary Glitter
We Will Rock You - as made famous by Queen
Crowd Chant - as made famous by Joe Satriani
Kernkraft 400 - as made famous by Zombie Nation
Team Fight Songs:
Chicago Bears – Bear Down Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions – Gridiron Heroes
Green Bay Packers – Go Packers Go!
Miami Dolphins – Miami Dolphins #1
Minnesota Vikings – Skol Vikings
Philadelphia Eagles – Fly Eagles Fly
Washington Redskins – Hail to the Redskins
Madden NFL 11 will be available on August 10th, 2010 for the Xbox 360® video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation®2 and PlayStation computer entertainment systems, WiiTM, and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system. Madden NFL 11 will also be available for download globally on mobile platforms including iPod® touch and feature phones.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today announced Batman: Arkham City™ as the title for its follow-up to the award-winning, critically acclaimed hit videogame Batman: Arkham Asylum™. Batman: Arkham City will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games for Windows PC and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in Fall 2011.
Developed by Rocksteady Studios, Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring into Arkham City, the new maximum security “home” for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.
Batman: Arkham City is based on DC Comics’ core Batman license. Fans canvisit www.batmanarkhamcity.com to sign up to receive updates regarding the game.
Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today that Real Madrid midfielder Kaka has been chosen for the cover of EA SPORTSTMFIFA Soccer 11. The 28-year-old Brazilian soccer hero will be the center-piece of global advertising, marketing and promotional campaigns for the most popular* sports videogame in the world. Kaka is part of an iconic group of 17 stars who will adorn FIFA Soccer 11 worldwide. Kaka will be accompanied by stars from other teams in other countries in territory specific packaging when FIFA Soccer 11 is available in stores September 28 in North America and October 1 in Europe and Asia.
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, or better known as Kaka, is one of the finest soccer players of this generation, having won the Golden Ball and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 2007. During the 2009-2010 season, Kaka scored 8 goals in 22 appearances for Real Madrid.
“I’ve always been a fan of EA SPORTS and especially the FIFA series,” said Kaka. “Being on the FIFA Soccer 11cover is a great honor for me since very few players have this opportunity, and there have been some great players featured on the cover of this truly amazing videogame.”
Kaka started his professional career at the age 15 for Sao Paulo FC. In 2003 he joined A.C. Milan before signing with Real Madrid in 2009. With 133 career goals in 372 appearances and a member of the Brazilian 2002 FIFA World CupTM winning squad, Kaka has secured his place as one of the best and most skillful midfielders to ever play the game.
“Kaka brings passion, imagination and individual flair to the game every time on the pitch,” said Matt Bilbey, Vice President of Soccer, EA SPORTS. “He perfectly illustrates a new feature in FIFA Soccer 11 called Personality+ that sees a player’s individual ability reflected in game, enabling clear differentiation for every player. With Kaka’s visionary style of soccer he’s always one step ahead of the opposition, moving into space with an often subtle change of pace and delivering crisp, creative one-touch passes and catching the goalkeepers off guard with strikes often from distance on either foot. His play is unlike any other player in our game and you will feel individual differences like this in each player, in every match.”
Building on FIFA Soccer 10 gameplay that won 50 sports game of the year awards,FIFA Soccer 11 reinvents playerauthenticity – on and off the ball – for every position on the pitch with Personality+, and introduces new Pro Passing where pass accuracy is determined by a gamer’s ability on the control pad, and player skill, situation and urgency on the pitch. Plus, experience true freedom in man-to-man interactions with 360° Fight for Possession that transforms physical play from just lateral jostling to full 360° collisions.
FIFA Soccer 11 will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, Wii™, PC, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and mobile. It will be available on the Wii in North America on Oct. 4. FIFA Soccer 11 is developed under the EA SPORTS brand by EA Canada in Burnaby, B.C. The game has not yet been rated.
EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA ELITE basketball, NCAA® Football, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS Active.
For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.
*Based on total sales in 2009 according to the NPD.
At 88 miles per hour, Back to the Future took millions of spellbound viewers on a high-flying voyage across the space-time continuum in a trio of wildly inventive tales that broke box-office records around the world. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Academy Award®-winning cinematic franchise that generated nearly $1 billion worldwide, Telltale Games will release a new game series this winter as part of the milestone soon after the Blu-ray debut and DVD release of the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy on October 26, featuring all-new restorations of the classic films.
You have a bunch of new projects coming out now that you are back. You touched on ‘The Ward’ a little bit already. What can you tell us about the cast of that film and was it difficult to assemble the right mix
Another project that you are attached to is ‘Fangland.’ Can you talk a little bit about that?
You made one of the highest grossing independent films of all time with ‘Halloween’ …
The gameplay is good but thereʼs room for improvement. TWC does a great job of giving the player freedom (most of the time) to play as either the robot or vehicle. There are a few missions that require you to play in jet form for large chunks, which is a lot of fun. I would have liked more diversity in the appearance of the jets, though. For example, in one Decepticon mission you choose from Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker, all of whom look exactly the same in jet form. I donʼt recall if the toys/ cartoon versions all looked the same, but it would have been nice to mix it up. The controls work very well and have a run ʻnʼ gun feel, almost like Gears of War or Mass Effect 2. Weapons run on limited ammunition and there are different types of weapons to acquire, from machine guns to grenade launchers to shotguns and pistols, but youwill frequently run out of ammo. This gets annoying in the middle of a fight where youʼre forced to hunt for ammo crates, although each character has a powerful melee attack. One thing that I found strange is that each character has the same amount of health. One would expect Megatron or Optimus Prime to be far powerful than lesser characters but theyʼre all pretty even in terms of offense and defense. Each character has four health bars that will drain quickly and, like the ammo, leave you running frantically for health crates. While this keeps the difficulty in check, it takes away from the badass feeling. Also, it would be nice to have an upgrade feature where you can increase the charactersʼ offense and defensive abilities. Maybe in the sequel?!
Bringing the ultimate set list to furious finger-fretting rockaholics around the world this September, 
This year’s 
