neXGam

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Original von Mo_Buttons
yay, sieht nach standard mainstream kost aus, der nächste activision titel den ich nicht kaufen werden \o/

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Square Enix has picked up the rights to United Front Games' True Crime: Hong Kong, which was cancelled earlier this year by original publisher Activision.

"When we first saw and got our hands on the game we fell in love with it," Square Enix London Studios general manager Lee Singleton told Gamasutra in an exclusive interview about the pick-up.

The game is still under development at Vancouver-based United Front; the project is being managed through Square Enix London Studios, which also worked with Rocksteady Studios on Batman: Arkham Asylum and Avalanche Studios on Just Cause 2.

While the game was originally under development for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, and due out this November, Singleton tells Gamasutra that "We're not talking about release timings or formats at this time."

Square Enix has not picked up the True Crime IP. Says Singleton, "It's too early to say what the name will be." However, he says that -- as far as removing the True Crime title -- "I can honestly say I think this is going to be pretty straightforward," and that the Square Enix branding team is already working on concepts.

He is very bullish on the game itself. Saying that UFG's work on the title so far is "really strong," he describes it as a "great big bucket of fun."

Says Singleton, "It's one of those games where you don't want to put the controller down; it's what we call 'sticky'." He also pointed to the "incredible new game engine, rich new story with deep and complex characters, and gameplay features which have simply never been seen at this level in an open world game" as points in its favor that made the team at Square Enix "jump all over it."

He also has much confidence in the development team: "When we met the team at United Front Games," says Singleton, "it was a done deal in our eyes -- we instantly recognized the huge potential in the game and the team. UFG is an incredibly talented team, who have individually worked on some of the biggest games in our industry, and this talent shines through from the moment you walk in the door."

While development on the game did "scale back" in the immediate aftermath of the cancellation, Singleton tells Gamasutra that all assessment of the game by Square Enix is already complete and the developer has been actively recruiting the talent that worked on the game since talks with the Japanese publisher began.

"During this time, the game has continued to be developed by a core team on a slower burn, but now that we've signed, we're ready to turn up the heat and get the team up to capacity," he says.

"We see this as a fantastic opportunity to create a new and unique franchise which gamers will come to know and love for years to come," adds Singleton.

Square Enix London Studios is an entity that was set up in 2008 by Eidos "with a view to providing a fresh approach to third party game development," Singleton says. Eidos became part of Square Enix in 2009.

"We consist of bespoke internal multidisciplinary game teams made up of design, production and brand and pride ourselves on partnering with the very best external studios and talent," he says.

Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, said in a statement to Gamasutra, "Our team has worked very hard to find a solution where everybody wins. Square Enix gets the benefit of the tremendous investment we've made in the game thus far. UFG gets to stay together and complete their vision. And gamers get to play a great game. We couldn't be more thrilled."

In the company's investor call at the time, Hirshberg said of True Crime: Hong Kong's cancellation, "To be blunt, it just wasn't going to be good enough."

Singleton has a different take on things, of course. "We are committed to working with the team at United Front Games and giving them the time needed to realize the full potential of the game's standout features and create a truly unique open world adventure."

Quoted from "°°ToMmY°°;34946377"

Release date is august for pc, ps3, 360. Announced at Destination Playstation event.

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SQUARE ENIX GOES UNDERCOVER WITH SLEEPING DOGS
Square Enix London Studios and United Front Games Bring Gritty, Open-World Action to the Streets of Hong Kong in Second Half of 2012

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 8, 2012) – Square Enix London Studios, a part of the Square Enix Group announces Sleeping Dogs™, a gritty open-world cop drama set in the vibrant city of Hong Kong. Developed by United Front Games in collaboration with Square Enix London Studios, Sleeping Dogs will be available in the second half of 2012 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.

Sleeping Dogs catapults players into the role of undercover cop Wei Shen, tasked with taking down one of the world’s most fearsome criminal organisations from the inside... the Hong Kong Triads. As players explore the bustling and crowded Hong Kong island, through its neon-lit side streets and sprawling street markets, an incredible story unfolds of loyalty and betrayal where Wei begins to question his own motives as he is sucked in deeper than he could ever imagine.

Offering players an island packed with action, every street corner, market stall, harbor dock or city skyscraper can become an opportunity for intense shoot-outs, adrenaline-fuelled street races and intense, brutal martial arts combat. Featuring one of the most intuitive and imaginative combat systems, Sleeping Dogs empowers players to perform an extensive set of martial arts moves, singlehandedly taking on numerous opponents. Players perform bone-crunching kicks and combos, vicious counters and a cinematic set of environmental takedowns making use of countless real-world items from circular saws to phone booths, incinerators to refrigerator doors.

“From the moment you pick up the controller and experience the blend of driving, close combat and shooting you know you’re playing something fresh and a bit special,” said Lee Singleton, general manager of Square Enix London Studios. “Sleeping Dogs has one of the best melee combat systems out there – it’s super brutal with devastating takedown moves, and when added to UFG’s proven heritage in driving games, a first class story and the vibrant backdrop of the Hong Kong underworld we get a fiery recipe with fun written all over it.”

“Working on Sleeping Dogs has been such a huge passion for the team at United Front Games and we’re really pleased to be working with Square Enix London Studios,” said Stephen Van Der Mescht, executive producer at United Front Games. “The extensive experience that both studios have in creating compelling open world gameplay and rich, rewarding combat makes for a perfect partnership. Working together we’re ensuring Sleeping Dogs is the most intense and immersive game it can be.”
Related Links

Sleeping Dogs Official homepage: http://www.sleepingdogs.net
Sleeping Dogs Official Facebook® page: http://www.facebook.com/SleepingDogsGame