Activision moving away from licensed games focus

Activision has revealed it will release fewer licensed games in 2013.

After the disappointment of 007 Legends this announcement comes as no surprise.

The publisher has released a statement in regards to their new direction:

“In 2013, we expect to release fewer games based on license properties and as a result are realigning our structure to better reflect the market opportunities and our slate.”

Activision also confirmed 30 full-time employees had been impacted globally by the publisher’s change of direction.

“Approximately, 30 full-time employees have been impacted globally, which represents approximately one half of one percent of Activision Blizzard's employee population.”

The question is where does this leave the 007 license?

Will Activision hold onto it, or will another publisher pick it up?

Activision is yet to announce if they have future plans for the 007 license from 2013 onwards.

(Update) James Bond games pulled from Activision and Valve’s online stores

Update via MI6-HQ 04 Jan 2013  - The 007 titles have been removed from Sony's online PlayStation Store and are no longer available to purchase and download.

The Xbox 360 Games on Demand service has also removed "007 Legends".

Original Post 02 Jan 2013 - 007 Legends, Blood Stone and Quantum of Solace have been unexpectedly removed from Activision and Valve’s online stores today.

The three titles were developed by Eurocom, Bizarre Creations and Treyarch, and published by Activision.

The removal of certain titles from online stores is often linked to license expiry. Incidents similar to this have occurred in the past with series such as OutRun.

Published by Sega and developed by Sumo Digital, the OutRun series made use of the Ferrari license brand. Once Sega’s rights to the license expired, OutRun 2006: Coast to Coast was pulled from several online stores (including Steam) in 2010.

Following this, Sega announced the removal of Outrun Online Arcade from the PlayStation Network in 2010 and Xbox Live in 2011 due to their contract expiry with Ferrari.

OutRun 2006: Coast to Coast and OutRun Online Arcade are still able to be downloaded by gamers who bought the titles before they were pulled.

The same is likely to apply to 007 Legends, Blood Stone and Quantum of Solace across the platforms they have been removed from.

Eurocom faces tough times

007 Legends developer Eurocom has suffered a major blow recently announcing a number of redundancies within the company as part of restructuring efforts.

Director Hugh Binns said Eurocom had fought to save as many jobs as possible, but the decline in console game popularity resulted in a number of projects falling through and leaving them with no other options.

“Eurocom has retained a core staff of just under 50 employees and will be focusing mainly on mobile opportunities moving forward,” he said.

Beforehand Eurocom was known to have more than 200 employees.

The developer’s next release is 007 Legends on the Wii U.

Free Skyfall DLC available for PS3 version of 007 Legends

 

Free Skyfall DLC is now available for 007 Legends on the PS3. Head over to the PSN store now to download it. Xbox 360 and PC gamers will have to wait until the 20th of November.
 

As expected, the DLC allows players to experience Skyfall on a whole new level.

The DLC is completely free to all owners of 007 Legends.

Screenshots, achievements and the final mission in 007 Legends

Over the past number of days more and more information regarding 007 Legends has come to light.

Xbox360Achivements.org has posted the full list of achievements for the Xbox 360 version of 007 Legends.

The missions, campaign awards and multiplayer challenges are all on display, helping to provide an insight into the title’s offerings.

Adding to this is the release of content focused on the final mission in the game. Activision has provided some stunning imagery which is directly based on the classic movie - Goldfinger.

The trailer below brings the images to life:

 

View more images of 007 Legends final mission here. 

007 Legends announced for Wii U

 

Activision has announced 007 Legends for the Wii U. This means the title will now be released on a total of four platforms (XBOX 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and Wii U).

The title is part of the Wii U launch window, meaning it is expected to be released any time between November 18 – March 2013. It will be released on other systems this year, October 16.

Besides the actual announcement, little is known about the Wii U version of 007 Legends. If it was anything like GoldenEye 007 on the Wii though, then it’s sure to be a hit with Nintendo gamers out there. As for how Activision will make use of the Wii U GamePad is another thing.

Keep checking back for the latest news regarding 007 Legends.  

A Stealthy Appearance From 007 Legends At E3 2012

007 what?

That pretty much sums up the coverage of 007 Legends at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo.

You know, it’s just a little depressing considering the fact it’s the 50th anniversary of the Bond franchise this year and not even Sony or Microsoft could be stuffed covering Legends during their own lengthy press conferences. Sony was wrapped up in first-party affairs and Microsoft was too busy showing the world the new Call of Duty game.

Seriously though, who should we really be blaming for this? Activision, of course!

They were pretty much a no show at this year’s E3. They didn’t hold a conference like the other big players in the industry and when they did speak up it was mainly about the new COD or Skylanders.

Activision, and the video game media in general, have let us Bond fans down this year. The coverage of 007 Legends was basically little to none. I personally followed all of the big conferences and not once did I hear a mention of the new Bond video game. I also managed to keep up with the media’s coverage and not once was there a mention of "Daniel Craig" or "James Bond".

A few weeks on and I’ve managed to dig up a bit of stuff about 007 Legends at this year’s E3. I’ve found an interview, some game play footage and some new screenshots and trailers. Keep an eye on 007 Gamer as the page slowly floods with catch-up coverage of 007 Legends at E3 2012.

Moonraker Mission Unveiled In 007 Legends

You want a new Bond game? Yes... no... not really sure? Activision thinks you do. That’s why they’ve released this new trailer for the recently announced 007 Legends showing off the first mission and kind of just justifying why you’ll want this game in your life so much.

This first mission is based on the 1979 Roger Moore film Moonraker and includes iconic characters such as Holly Goodhead, Jaws and Hugo Drax. What I’m liking about it so much at this stage is the fact there doesn’t seem to be much ‘reimagining’ going on like the previous Bond games, GoldenEye 007 (Wii) and GoldenEye 007: Reloaded (360 & PS3).

The level design in the first mission appears to play it safe with classic Moonraker styling and well-known characters and weapons to support it. As a whole, it’s all looking pretty slick at the moment. If the other six levels turn out to be as impressive as this one then I'm confident it'll turn out to be a reasonably good game.

Check out the trailer below and let me know what you think via Twitter or the comments box.

Source: 007 Legends YouTube

Activision Announces 007 Legends For Xbox 360 And PlayStation 3

As you’ve probably all heard by now, Activision has announced a new 007 game to coincide with the release of Skyfall. 

The press release states how Activision is pleased to celebrate the 50th anniversary of James Bond with the launch of 007 Legends for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

007 Legends will take players on the James Bond ride of their life, allowing them to ‘relive a selection of Bond’s most iconic and intense undercover missions’ from many of the movies.
Legends will include an original and overarching storyline tying together 6 scenes from classic Bond movies, and will wrap up with a scene from this year’s 007 movie, Skyfall.

The usual Bond gadgets and weapons will be making an appearence including Bond’s old pal, the Walther PPK. Vehicles will also show up throughout the game so hopefully we’ll get to see at least one car from the Roger Moore era.

When you’re not busy taking down notorious Bond villains and mingling with gorgeous Bond women, you’ll be able to test your skills with the Mi6 Ops mode. A side game first included in GoldenEye 007: Reloaded which will be returning to 007 Legends.

To add to this, there’ll also be local four-player split-screen and regular online competitive game play which includes all new maps, weapons and characters from the 50 year legacy of Bond.

After all that, I’m excited! Question is, are you excited? GoldenEye 007: Reloaded wasn’t much of a success on the 360 and PS3 so here’s hoping 007 Legends can revive the popularity of Bond video games much like GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo Wii did, and of course GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64.

007 Legends will be released on Xbox 360 and PS3 on the 16th of October, 2012. Very close to the UK release date of Skyfall (October 26, 2012). 

The Activision press release of 007 Legends is below:

Activision

Experience James Bond's Most Iconic and Intense Missions as the World's Top Undercover Agent in 007™ Legends

SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the James Bond franchise's 50th anniversary, Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), will launch gamers back through time to relive a selection of Bond's most iconic and intense undercover missions from the popular Bond film franchise with 007™ Legends.

A first-of-its-kind Bond video game, 007 Legends features an original, overarching storyline tying together six classic Bond movies, concluding with this year's highly-anticipated 23rd installment — SKYFALL — to offer the most diverse Bond gaming experience yet! As with the feature films, 007 Legends equips players with state-of-the-art spy gadgets, an arsenal of weapons, including Bond's signature Walther PPK, and sleek vehicles as they jet off to exotic locations and utilize Bond's quick wits, class and style to take down notorious villains and their brutal henchmen, perform impressive stunts, and of course...mingle with gorgeous Bond women.

"To honor 50 years of the world's top secret agent, 007 Legends offers a collection of his most famed moments in the smartest and most treacherous Bond game yet," said David Oxford, Executive Vice President at Activision Publishing, Inc. "Creating a video game storyline that ties together six popular, yet very different, Bond movie narratives can be challenging, but together with EON Productions, our developer Eurocom, has pulled it off to create an homage that we think will be a unique and highly entertaining Bond video game."

In addition to 007 Legends' main story, the game will feature the return of fan-favorite single-player Mi6 Ops Missions, which debuted in GoldenEye 007: Reloaded and challenges players to complete extra missions ranging from all-out action to stealth and gadget-based gameplay and compete for the highest online leader board scores. For the first time ever, players will be able to participate as one of Bond's cohorts or villainous foes, reliving the missions through their eyes, as well as 007's. The robust James Bond multiplayer experience includes local four-player split-screen game modes and online competitive gameplay with new maps, weapons and characters derived from Bond's 50 year legacy. With more gadgets, deeper stealth and spy investigation gameplay, gamers will have every opportunity to truly feel like the world's favorite spy.

Planned to launch this fall, 007 Legends is being developed by Eurocom, under license from EON Productions Ltd. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. (MGM) for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Stay tuned for more information on the game's official Web site and Facebook page.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc
.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries, is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world's largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Domestic Networks LLC, MGM Distribution Co, MGM International Television Distribution In, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 120 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

About EON Productions/Danjaq, LLC

EON Productions Limited and Danjaq LLC are wholly owned and controlled by the Broccoli/Wilson family. Danjaq is the US based company that co-owns, with MGM, the copyright in the existing James Bond films and controls the right to produce future James Bond films as well as all worldwide merchandising. EON Productions, an affiliate of Danjaq, is the UK based production company which makes the James Bond films. The 007 franchise is the longest running in film history with twenty-two films produced since 1962. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli succeeded Albert R 'Cubby' Broccoli in 1995 and have produced some of the most successful Bond films ever including CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE. They are currently producing the 23rd film, SKYFALL.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected release date of 007 LEGENDS, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

007 Legends and related James Bond trademarks © 1962 — 2011 Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation. 007™ and related James Bond trademarks are trademarks of Danjaq, LLC and licensed by EON. ACTIVISION is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox LIVE are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
SOURCE Activision Publishing, Inc.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Source: Activision PR

New GoldenEye 007: Reloaded trailer released

Activision has released a new trailer for the upcoming PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title, GoldenEye 007: Reloaded.

The trailer is focused on the new MI6 Ops mode, a mode which was not included in the original Wii game.

The aim of MI6 Ops is for players to complete a set number of objectives in single-mission levels seperate from the story mode.

The official trailer of MI6 Ops mode is below:

GoldenEye 007: Reloaded is developed by Eurocom, published by Activision and due out on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this October.

GoldenEye 007: Reloaded box art revealed

James Bond website MI6 has uploaded the box art of GoldenEye 007: Reloaded for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

GoldenEye 007: Reloaded launches on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this October.

The title will be developed by Eurocom and published by Activision.

Special thanks to The GoldenEye Dossier for the news tip.

GoldenEye Reloaded details leaked by Amazon France

According to Amazon France, GoldenEye Reloaded will be released in Europe on October 28.

It appears Reloaded will be based on last year’s GoldenEye 007 game on the Nintendo Wii and will be coming to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with high definition graphics.

Reloaded builds off the success of the original Nintendo 64 title and also the warm reception of the Wii remake last year.

GoldenEye game to debut this month

Activision will unveil the new 007 game based on the 1995 film GoldenEye at the annual Comic-Con expo in San Diego this month.

The announcement will take place on July 20 with Activision also showing upcoming games in the Spider-Man and X-Men series.

GoldenEye was neither the highest grossing or most memorable Bond film of all time, but the original GoldenEye game on the Nintendo 64 remains as one of the greatest video games of all time.

For now, industry watchers believe the new GoldenEye game will be released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Treyarch the makers of the Quantum of Solace video game and Eurocom the makers of the recently released GoldenEye 007 have not been linked with the new Bond game.

Raven Software are still rumoured as being the developers of the new title.