Curious to know what's in store for you guys with Electronic Arts' upcoming threequel, The Sims 3? In an interview, creative director Rod Humble was able to divulge some details on how the game can entice real gamers with more challenge and depth coming from it. Read more on this interview in the full article.

In an industry where video game sequels and licensed properties always get the limelight, Ubisoft UK boss Rob Cooper was rather proud of Assassin's Creed (PC, Xbox 360, PS3) achievement for breaking the mold by delivering new and compelling content while having it received warmly by gamers everywhere.

The full article awaits after the jump!

The British Board of Film Classification will be reviewing its guidelines for games classification next year as part of a review of all the BBFC's guidelines. This was revealed by BBFC senior examiner Gianni Zamo in an interview with MCV UK.

Additionally, Zamo explained that the more realistic graphics found in today's games don't necessarily pose additional problems for the BBFC. The same goes for motion-sensing controllers. Context is one of the big factors in classifying a game, but it's not without its problems. Said Zamo:

Many game narratives are often fractured and detached from the interactive element of the game, making it difficult to see them as a whole, coherent piece. Trying to understand the context of a 40 plus hour game (even with a storyline) is very different from understanding a 90 minute movie.

Eidos apparently believes that Kane & Lynch: Dead Men has the potential to replicate the success of Hitman. According to MCV UK, SCi CEO Jane Cavanagh revealed even though the game hasn't been released yet, a sequel is already in production.

"We've already got Kane & Lynch 2 in production, which just goes to show the belief we have in it as a long-term franchise", Cavanagh said. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) is being developed by IO Interactive, the same studio behind the successful Hitman series.

Eidos is also reportedly pumping a lot of money behind the marketing drive for Kane and Lynch: Dead Men. According to reports from MCV, Eidos is dishing out more money into the game's marketing than it did for any game in the Tomb Raider series.


Buy: [Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (PC)]
Buy: [Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (PS3)]

The British Board of Film Classification has responded to UK Conservative Party leader David Cameron's statements calling for a review of its regulatory framework.

Cameron revealed earlier this week a dossier called "It's Time to Fight Back". As we reported earlier, the dossier urged video game developers - as well as proponents of other forms of artistic expression like films and music - not to promote issues such as casual violence, gang culture and the degradation of women.

In response, BBFC spokesperson Sue Clark told MCV that the classification guidelines that the BBFC uses are "based on what the public deems acceptable." She further added that they "feel confident that we have public consent on how we deal with issues such as gun and knife crime."

The UK's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) also spoke in support of the BBFC. Here's what one DCMS spokesman told MCV:

We have a strict enforcement code for people who supply '18' or '15' rated games to children. Adults can make their own decisions which games to play, as they can which films to watch.

US attorney Jack Thompson has commended the UK for banning Take-Two Interactive's Manhunt 2 from sale, adding that he "would absolutely like to see the US and other countries following the UK’s lead."

Thompson said in an article published in MCV UK that the British have a working model where a law has a functional sanction that prevents people from purchasing the concerned material. "I think you all have it right and I think the ruling on Manhunt 2 was spot on – and I see also that Take 2’s The Darkness was banned in Singapore," he says to the UK ratings body BBFC.

Thompson also took a swipe at nemesis publisher and developer tandem Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games, saying that the fact that they made Manhunt 2 made it all the more likely for a ban to be imposed. The high visibility of Take 2 and Rockstar – the poster child for what’s wrong in the industry – made it more likely that it would get a ban," comments the activist lawyer.

"In a way the BBFC rating is redundant because the industry itself, the format holders, have banned it," Thompson says in reference to what he says is a sensible act by Sony and Nintendo to not allow an Adults Only-rated game to be sold in their platforms.

And if you think gamers are the only people excited about Grand Theft Auto IV's launch, you're in for a shock. Thompson says "the next big thing that’s going to hit is Grand Theft Auto 4 and we’ll have to wait and see whether or not that deserves a very restricted rating or doesn’t get rated at all."

The US attorney then concluded with optimism that Americans will adopt a similar rating system to that of the UK, especially Thompson says, if Hillary Clinton becomes the next President. "This has been one of her issues for many years, so I think if she’s elected you’ll see a real push from the White House to have a national sanction hooking into the Government’s rating system."

 

Electronic Arts, holder of the FIFA franchise across multiple platforms, recently claimed victory over Konami in their annual duke-out pitting FIFA titles against those of Pro Evolution Soccer. FIFA 08 (for the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii) is Electronic Arts newest title in the franchise and will go head to head against Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 7 next season.

Dan Holman, marketing manager of EA, told MCV, "I'm happy to say that we're comfortably on top in the whole FIFA vs Pro Evolution Soccer battle." He added that the market share has been increasing over the past three years, which suggests that more and more gamers are turning toward the FIFA brand.

"We've sold 1.7 million copies of the last FIFA and Pro Evo is lagging behind on just over a million," said Holman. He also mentioned that EA will be able to bring more people to rally behind the FIFA name, including football fans of the non-gaming persuasion.

Since GameStation was picked up by GAME for £ 74 million, a lot of people have been talking about a possible investigation by the Competition Commission over its larger market share and possible monopoly. GAME is unfazed by this talk and isn't worried about it. Why?

GAME's chief executive Lisa Morgan spoke to MCV regarding this, and stated that the company believes everything is in order with regards to their purchase of the franchise.

Blockbuster would not accept an offer that had any potential conditions attached to it. The deal will be subject to a regulatory review process and that will be an ongoing process during the first ten weeks. We have taken considerable advice in this area and we are confident and comfortable to proceed.

So given this new information, we have to wonder what the mega retailer has planned for their new acquisition. While some have speculated that a massive closing of stores will happen, Morgan assured that this wouldn't happen. In typical PR fashion, she stated that "we are looking forward to putting new GAME and Gamestation stores into the market. This transaction is not about store closures – this is about bringing a second brand into the fold and serving more customers."

All well and good if it pushes through. Now, what if an investigation is held and the Competition Commission finds Game to be holding too much of the market, what happens then?

 

The same Engine that drives Marcus to the wall and Squeenix to the limit (break) will drive Kuju Entertainment as well. The guys behind a variety of games including the kiddie-strat shooter Battalion Wars 2 for the Wii have licensed Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 to power their to-be-published-by-Ghostlight shooter, according to MCV and Develop Mag.

And by its name, To End All Wars, you history buffs should know that it will be set in World War I.

It's set for release next year, but Develop Mag did not indicate on which platforms the game will be released, so this is going up on the UE3-capable platforms we've got: PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

It comes out as no surprise sometimes when two great firms partner with each other. MCV is a respected trade magazine in the UK that focuses on the video gaming industry. Famitsu is the most widely respected video game news magazine in Japan. Recently, the two establishments announced that they will continue corresponding with each other in securing video games data.

MCV managing editor Lisa Foster said that they are delighted to able able to continue their mutually beneficial association with Famitsu. Famitsu will continue to provide MCV with authoritative marketing data as well as industry leading analysis and news. MCV in return will supply Famitsu with the latest trends, data and stories from the European market.

Ricky Tanimoto of Famitsu says that they are honored to be able to use MCV's content in their publications and online product. He further elaborates that their knowledge of games marketing in Europe has been enriched in the last two years, as attention towards the emerging European game market, especially in the UK, has continued to increase in Japan.

We're glad for this announcement. Both publications, like we said, are quite known in their fields and it's always nice to have a collaboration.