As promised, here is one of the two games that Conduit developer, High Voltage Software, will unveil this coming E3. Coming soon to the Nintendo Wii is Roman brutality at its finest - Gladiator A.D. IGN got in touch with the devs behind the new Coliseum bloodbath and they talk about what gamers can expect from the new game.

If you are a fan of the TV series Hannah Montana and you happen to live in Europe, then you are in luck because Disney Interactive Studios that it will be bringing the franchise to Nintendo consoles, DS and Wii.

The new titles will be called Music Jam and Spotlight World Tour respectively. Know more about these games after the jump!

In a recent interview with GameTap, Peter Moore stated his intentions to take Electronic Arts from an "American" brand to a global one. Although EA continues to be popular within the US and without, Moore feels that it doesn't "feel local" to the European and Asian market.

Moore, President of EA, also mentioned last week how EA Sports is looking at cricket as a sport, perhaps as a hint of more things to come to make the brand more global, or depending on your point of view, local to your country. As Moore explains:

I talked a lot [...] about cricket, tennis, mixed martial arts, open-wheel racing [...] all of which can make a difference in the way people perceive us. [...] We don't have that depth and penetration into the psyche of the European sports consumer. We need to change that, and we need to change that quickly.

The goal is to let consumers outside of the US to relate more to the games they play and not just feel like a "brand that has been exported." (Well, when in Rome, people say poh-tah-toh. Or is it the other way around?) At any rate, EA's recent acquisition of Bioware and Pandemic Studios should help broaden their horizons.

Check out the Read link for the full interview.

Take-Two Interactive and Jack Thompson have certainly had a storied past. While we all know about the uneasy settlement between Take-Two and Jack Thompson involving a particularly heated lawsuit last April, we've also caught wind of the many moves Jack has made against Take-Two, the most recent one being his lodging of a complaint against the televised ads of Bioshock.

The shaky relationship between the two is still not looking good. What started as an e-mail from Jack Thompson to Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick, CEO Ben Feder, the Federal Trade Commission, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, the legal counsel of Blank Rome and GamePolitics turned into an exchange between the Florida-based lawyer and Gena Feist, Take-Two's VP and Associate General Counsel.

Below is Jack Thompson's opening e-mail, unedited and presented as is:

From: Jack Thompson

Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 4:55 PM

Subject: Letter to Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick, Ben Feder Re Manhunt 2

Dear Mr. Zelnick and Mr. Feder:

Congratulations on receiving a “Mature” rating for Manhunt 2. You’ll live to regret it (trust me), so enjoy it while you can. I want to bring to your attention the fact that at www.rockstargames.com anyone of any age can order Manhunt 2 and receive it, with no age verification whatsoever.

Asking a 14-year-old if he’s 17 is not age verification, now is it? You also know that the use of a bank card as an age verifier is a violation of all bank card agreements, right? Govern yourselves accordingly, if you can.

Regards, Jack Thompson

Strong words indeed, and it's to note that things go downhill from there on in. See Feist's reply by clicking on the Full Article link below.

More behind the Full Article link!


Buy: [Manhunt 2 (PSP)]
Buy: [Manhunt 2 (Wii)]

Online site Game Politics reports that beleaguered Miami attorney Jack Thompson emailed them the other day regarding the writ the Florida Supreme Court sent to him. Before this, Thompson was already having problems with the Florida bar with the latter denying his complaints time and time again.

Anyway, it seems that the writ is really aimed to silence Thompson as it demands the lawyer to acquiesce to a suspension. Part of the document reads,

The Bar has now demanded in writing that respondent Thompson accede to a 91-day suspension from the practice of law on the basis of his alleged unethical conduct in a) claiming that three families who are his clients are in fact his clients and b) preparing expert witnesses for their depositions.

We all know how determined Thompson is prompting him to sometimes cross the line when it comes to video games, so expect him to rebound. The document continues:

This demand that Thompson receive the vocational death penalty is based upon The Bar's secret collaboration with Blank Rome lawyers who represent Take-Two, the makers of the Grand Theft Auto murder simulation game. Blank Rome's lawyers are the authors of other actual Bar complaints filed against Thompson in order to facilitate their client's marketing of adult products to children.

Game Politics tried to speak with Thompson for clarifications but it seemed that the Miami attorney bounced around the questions as he answered,

I'm not suspended from the practice of law and won't be. I have no idea what The Bar is claiming in this absurd regard. I have no complaint in that regard because there is no complaint. This is all an over-reaching contrivance by The Florida Bar.

The "three families" mentioned above is believed to be the plaintiffs of Thompson's lawsuit against Take-Two Interactive and other game industry defendants that would amount to US$ 600 million.

We imagine that this year holds a special place for car fans, as it marks the 60th anniversary of the Italian-based car manufacturer, Ferrari. As part of this occasion, the car-manufacturer is currently holding a special "Ferrari 60 Relay" world tour, with vehicles spanning Ferrari's history being paraded around a few days ago at London.

On the gaming side of the news, we're also announcing that this event was sponsored by System 3 - the group that's currently publishing the Ferrari Challenge racing game headed for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS. In line with the tour and future game release, Ferrari GB Managing Director Massimo Fedeli had this to say:

Since the launch of the next-generation consoles, the video game industry finally has, at its disposal, a machine with enough power to truly and loyally represent the Ferrari driving experience. The British public's incredible reaction to the "Ferrari 60-Relay" coming to these shores has demonstrated the strength of the Ferrari brand here and we're very excited to be working with System 3 to produce a cutting-edge racing experience for those fans.

The "Ferrari 60 Relay" celebration tour began this January at Abu Dhabi, and is expected to travel through 50 countries before before concluding on June 23 at the home of Ferrari in Maranello, Italy. The tour will also feature a special commemorative baton, 60 badges symbolising the memorable events in the Company's 60-year history, from the Rome Grand Prix in 1947 - the Ferrari FXX Programme of 2006. System 3 hints that Ferrari Challenge will be launching this Christmas - just stay posted for more details as the tour goes through its paces.

We've got another Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam video demo for you. This time, the demo tour grinds through the streets of Rio and Edinburgh, all the way downhill. Since the last guided gameplay/walkthrough already covered the basics of skater controls, this one gets to the finer details of big air tricks and the trick event mode.

Downhill Jam's more than just race; it's also about show, and especially in trick event, where those flaming rings slow down time and give you the chance to bust out the sickest tricks ever. Tricks also build up boost, essential for big air tricks. You also get points for knocking over the pedestrians... ... ... okay kids, don't try that at home.

Ah, but the video fun doesn't end there! Speaking of tours, our second video is the guided tour through the worldwide locations of Downhill Jam, courtesy of an interview with the game's producers. From the streets of San Francisco, to the ruins of Rome, and the peaks of Machu Picchu, ride to their commentary as the skaters grind and flip through each unique location.

Download: [THDJ video demo #2]
Download: [THDJ locations tour and interview]