The Tom Clancy games have had a shaky history on consoles. While the Rainbow Six games have been classics on the PC side for a while now, their console cousins were initially a bit fumbling. The same could be said for the Ghost Recon titles. That, however, has all changed for the better, and apparently Ubisoft thought it was $100 million worth of better.

That sum purchased Ubisoft the rights to the Tom Clancy moniker. That’s right, they now own the rights to the name in games, books, movies and merchandise. So, apparently $100 million can buy you a man’s soul these days, huh? Ubisoft apparently feels that the Clancy name is equivalent to the Madden name, in that it sells the product regardless of what it’s slapped on. This may be true. (more…)

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If you’re a Wii owner, you may feel like you’re often an after thought to most third party developers. Not so for Electronic Arts, who has announced they currently have eight titles from their EA Sports franchises slated for the Wii. Eight EA Sports titles? Is it a blessing or a curse? (more…)

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Electronic Arts’ Skate was one of the big surprises of 2007. Many had challenged Tony Hawk’s dominance of the extreme sports genre, but Skate was the first to really deliver a knockdown punch with its innovative controls. Now, in the face of being outsold two to one, Activision has plans to innovate with the Tony Hawk franchise.

Speaking with USA Today, Activision Senior Vice President Will Kassoy referenced the “Tony Hawk Innovation Plan,” but refused to elaborate. What could this plan be? The easy speculation is a move toward a new control scheme akin to Skate’s. However, with Activision’s success with the Guitar Hero franchise and now Call of Duty 4 online, one should not rule out the move to a more multiplayer friendly setup. And yes, Tony Hawk Wii featuring the Balance Board seems inevitable. (more…)

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While it is certainly easy to pick apart games and gaming culture, it is just as easy to note the things done right by games. If you have a friend who just can’t wrap their mind around the idea that gaming can be good, let them settle in for five points on why gaming is not all bad for you.

They bring people together.

Say what you will about video games keeping kids indoors and away from outdoor sports and activities, it’s hard to argue that playing video games is not a group activity. Classic multiplayer titles such as Contra to modern multiplayer legends like Super Smash Bros. show that gaming is something best done with others. While the recent push into online gaming may have made many worry that gaming was soon headed back under the rock of isolation, it also welcomed new party games such as Rock Band and Buzz: The Trivia Game.

Madden Football is a party game with its own unique atmosphere surrounding it. Step foot into any college dormitory across the nation and you are likely to find a group of young men playing Madden tournaments. Just like real sports, it even invites onlookers and fans who root for either team. While real football games are in no danger of being replaced, many other social activities such as playing cards seem like relics of the past to many young people. (more…)

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Some people don’t like to play football. It’s dirty, it’s painful and you end up showering with a bunch of men at the end of the day. Meanwhile, the coach gets to sit on the sidelines telling people what to do and he only breaks a sweat if the team plays in Miami. If you’re the type who hates to play the game but loves to be the guy calling the shots, EA has a game for you.

The sequel to EA’s 2006 title, NFL Head Coach 09 was announced yesterday for the PS3 and the 360. Similar to games like Baseball Mogul and Soccer Manager Pro, the game allows you to call all the shots on everything from scouting, team management and game time decisions. A press release on EA’s website describes the game as “a unique NFL experience that gives gamers the power to make decisions that define their career and ultimately the fate of their franchise as a head coach in the NFL.”

While the first game in the series was plagued with bad AI and numerous gameplay problems, EA is hoping the sequel will pull more sports simulation fans in and create a winning franchise that can keep up with the best-selling Madden games.

Although no release date has been announced yet a mid summer release is expected to coincide with Madden’s regular August release. So get your clipboard and headset ready, because you’ve got some plays to call.

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Say what you will about the Madden NFL football games, but there’s no denying the series pop culture significance. It’s one of the first things many think about when they think of video games. A new version comes out every year, and Madden’s release date is even celebrated by faithful fans and EA as “Maddenoliday.”

Today, EA announced that it has secured the official NFL and NFLPA (Player’s Association) license for an additional 3 years, extending the previous 2009 license until the end of the 2012 season. What this means to those not fully aware is that no other company can produce a NFL football game with team names, player names, stadium names; basically everything associated with the NFL currently. A company is free to produce a game with fake teams and players, or players no longer under contract with the NFL (like All Pro Football 2k8 this year). (more…)

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