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Rumour: Just Cause 3 in development, 2012 release planned

The latest issue of Xbox World magazine is carrying a rumour that suggests Avalanche Studios is developing Just Cause 3 and it’s heading for a 2012 release.

The rumour section of the magazine has the following blurb. ”Our spies say devs Avalanche are hard at work as we speak, and that it’s set for release next year.”

Last year, following Just Cause 2′s success, Avalanche studio head Christofer Sundberg told Develop that the studio was “keen” on creating a sequel for the title.

“We are absolutely interested in working with the Just Cause IP again,” he said, adding that fans “shouldn’t be surprised” to see a follow-up to the second game.

The studio is currently developing a military co-op shooter Renegade Ops for PSN, PC and XBLA, which is scheduled to release this fall.

Thanks, CVG.

Epic wants Unreal Engine 4 to release close to next-gen launch

Epic’s Mike Capps has said the firm’s next iteration of Unreal Engine will be released closer to next-gen consoles, than when Unreal 3 was released.

According to Capps, the firm also wants the next version of the tech to contain a “vertical solution” for both mobile and triple-A projects.

“In the past few years I think we’ve learned a lot about our technology and how it works for indie studios,” he told Develop in an interview. “How our tech works for iPhone games, for high-end triple-A studios and for a couple of guys who make a cool UDK game over the summer.

“We’re going to apply all these lessons we’ve learned with Unreal Engine 4, and I think you’re going to see a lot of difference with UE3 within the first six months from launch.”

Capps also thinks a year from a console’s launch is “perfectly fine for releasing a game,” but not when it comes to releasing new tech.

“We need to be there day one or very early,” he said. “That’s my primary focus.

“For us as a game-maker, we aren’t keen on shipping games day one because there’s not much of an install-base, or at least not one as big as it’s going to be. But with engines, that’s a different story. We want to deliver our tech as early as possible even though our first big marquee game might not be on there for twelve or even twenty-four months from a console’s launch.”

Final Fantasy Type-0: First ten minutes

Square’s released a direct feed video containing ten minutes of Final Fantasy Type-0 footage titled the “Opening.” The name indicates that the clip features the game’s opening moments. However, it’s listed as a “special edit”, so the video might not be a exact replication of the game’s intro. The game releases in Japan on October 27 for PSP. Anyone not wanting to spoil the starting moments of the game might want to skip watching this. For everyone else, you can watch the video after the break. Thanks, Andriasang.

Saints Row: The Third video shows proper use of an aerial reaper drone

Another Saints Row The Third moment trailer has been released, and posted below. This time, the warning beforehand notes you should never in real life, “use an aerial reaper drone to eliminate military roadblocks so your friend can ride his new motorcycle in peace.” Is this game out yet? It needs to be. Thanks, G4.

Nightwing beats up thugs in latest Arkham City video

Warner and DC Entertainment have released a new Batman: Arkham City trailer showcasing content from the upcoming Nightwing Bundle Pack.

Featuring Dick Grayson’s alter ego, the trailer showcases Nightwing’s fighting moves – special and normal – along with his gadgets and a glimpse at the two additional challenge maps that are included with the pack: Wayne Manor and Main Hall. The pack also contains a bonus Animated Series Nightwing character skin.

The Nightwing Bundle Pack will be available November 1 on PSN and XBL in the US, and on PSN in the UK November 2 for $6.99/€6.99/£5.49/560 MSP.

The Robin Bundle Pack will also become available on November 22 to all owners of the game for the same price.

Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen gets US and UK Vita launch

Confirmation of a UK and US launch for the Namco Bandai stealth ‘em up Shiniobido 2 has arrived via the PlayStation Blog, along with a change of subtitle from Tales of the Ninja to the angrier sounding Revenge of Zen.

Namco Bandai community manager Rich Bantegui dropped by the PS Blog to confirm the launch of assassin-based PS Vita title Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen and to reveal a little bit more about the game.

Created by Acquire, the firm responsible for the original Tenchu games before the quality of the series went a bit south, Shinobido 2 will be “set against the backdrop of a war-torn land, where three opposing territorial forces fight for control. The player must choose which of these forces to support by taking on various missions. Depending on the player’s choices, the game’s ‘Harakiri Engine’ will allow for a variety of outcomes and constantly changing missions.

“The element of ‘assassination’ is not necessarily more important than any other part of the game. However, assassination missions will occur often as the three opposing territorial forces fight and attempt to weaken the other. Other missions include robbing the enemy’s provisions, kidnapping or protecting people of importance, and others.”

To hear more about the game from Acquire’s Kazuhiro Watanabe and to see what appears to be an assassin using a wing-suit, check out the PlayStation Blog.

LittleBigPlanet 2: Special Edition and Move bundle announced for US

Sony has announced a LittleBigPlanet 2: Special Edition and a bundle for the US which includes LBP2, Move and “over $35 of bonus goodies.”

Here’s all of the goodies included in the Special Edition package:

• PlayStation Move support: Now you can choose to play LittleBigPlanet 2 with all new Move controls and enjoy the over 6,000 Move games created by fans like you…FOR FREE! Endless Fun!
• LittleBigPlanet 2 Move Pack: Rise of the Cakeling: A whole new adventure in which a rogue cake threatens doom and destruction, and you Sackfolk must once again attempt to restore peace to Craftworld, featuring 5 new levels + 7 mini-levels, and tons of goodies. Plus, all of the cool new Move tools to let you Create and Share your own “Move” games for the rest of the community to Play! This suite of new creative tools give you the power to create your own Move games, record fluid motions, and paint your own stickers, while using a boatload of new stickers, materials, decorations, costumes, music, sound and sequencer objects that will vastly broaden your creative palette, and make your Popit burst at the seams.
• Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story Level Pack– five new levels + two mini-levels + one Alien costume and more goodies.
• Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story Costume Pack – Buzz Lightyear, Slinky Dog, Hamm, and Rex costumes for Sackboy.
• Pets Costumes — The full line of costumes (12) from the Cats Costume Pack, Dogs Costume Pack, and Even More Animals Costume Pack.

The LittleBigPlanet 2 Move bundle includes the following:

• LittleBigPlanet 2: Special Edition
• PlayStation Move Motion Controller
• PlayStation Move Navigation Controller
• PlayStation Eye Camera

Both the LittleBigPlanet 2: Special Edition and Move bundle will be available on November 15, and while a price wasn’t mentioned, Joystiq expects it to run $59.99 for the game, and $149.99 for the bundle.

LOTR: War in the North dev diary is mostly a celeb diary

Warner’s launched a five minute long dev diary of Lord of the Rings: War in the North, showing various celebs and journalists talking about their love for LOTR. And that’s kinda it. For the LOTR massive, there’s appearances from Sean Astin and Dominic Monaghan in the clip. May want to skip forward a bit before the game is actually mentioned. Get the video below, via Joystiq.

WITN’s out next week for PS3, 360 and PC.

SSX: gameplay features and possible Vita version discussed

Speaking to CVG at EA’s recent games showcase in London, SSX creative director Todd Batty talked of the characters and inspiration being used for the return of the series and said a Vita version would be considered if the console version is successful. Check out the full interview below.

SSX is set for release on 360 and PS3 in February 2012.

Rocksteady not “put off” from future open-world games following Arkham City

Rocksteady game director Sefton Hill has said the studio hasn’t been put off from doing future open-world titles after the launch of Batman: Arkham City last week.

In a Guardian interview, Hill said creating a fun game was why the decision was made to go open-world.

“When we started the game we didn’t sit down and say, ‘Let’s make an open world game’. We looked at what we be a fun game to make and a fun game to play. That’s what drove the open world decision,” he said.

He admitted, however, it would have made a game if it had “a story that was worth telling for a character” that didn’t need open-world.

“It’s more about what we think is a good fit, what will be fun and what gets the team inspired, rather than picking a genre for the sake of it,” he continued.

“It was an awful lot of work – no doubt about that – there was a lot of late nights and a lot of weekend working, but we think it was all worth it. So that would never put us off a similar experience in the future.”

Arkham City launched last week in the US and Europe to 4.3 million shipped units, publisher Warner Bros confirmed yesterday. The PC SKU launches on November 18 in Europe.