Teaser for Spike Video Game Awards

With just four days to go until we’ll be seeing the first proper footage of actual in-game Brutal Legend action, Spike is building the hype up with a series of TV advertisements. Most relevant is the Brutal Legend teaser, although unfortunately the only footage is a small excerpt from the original theatrical trailer. There’re also three general Spike Video Game Awards ads starring Jack Black:

1. Death Sequence
2. Decapitation Attack
3. Special Attack

In other news, Double Fine has announced that further Brutal Legend news is coming later this week. The post implies it may have something to do with a new publisher, but that’s mostly.

Brutal Legend to be premiered at Spike Video Game Awards

While like most fans I’m worried about what’s going on with the fate of Brutal Legend, it seems Tim Schafer wasn’t lying when he said that development of the game is still ongoing despite there currently being nobody to publish it upon completion.

According to CNN, the upcoming Spike Video Game Awards are to feature a gameplay demonstration of Brutal Legend by none other than Tim Schafer himself. And as if that wasn’t enough awesomeness for one award show, the awards are being presented by the voice of Eddie Riggs and all-round great actor, Jack Black:

“Jack Black, one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile and talented stars, takes viewers on a trip to gamer heaven as host of Spike TV’s 2008 “Video Game Awards.” In addition to the world premiere of Brutal Legend gameplay from designer Tim Schafer (Grim Fandango and Psychonauts) and Double Fine Productions, the 2008 “VGAs” will be stacked with an unprecedented number of wall-to-wall world exclusives.”

If your heart’s still beating, be sure to add December 14th to your calendar — that’s when the show hits the air. As you’d expect, the awards will be shown on Spike; it appears that this channel’s only available in the US and Canada, so if anyone has any tips for worldwide viewers who might want to watch this please leave a comment!

Update

[December 2nd, 2008 at 21:23 GMT+0] I may have misinterpreted what CNN said when I mentioned that Tim Schafer will be presenting the demo. Upon closer inspection it seems that the article probably merely meant the game is by Tim Schafer, and not necessarily that he’ll be presenting the gameplay demo. Treat that as reasonable speculation for now!

Activision Blizzard CEO comments on cancelled games

Despite the Brutal Legend publisher problems beginning months ago, the publisher hadn’t said anything with much substance about the matter until today. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has been speaking with Gamasutra about the cancelled games, and had this to say:

“With respect to the franchises that don’t have the potential to be exploited every year across every platform, with clear sequel potential that can meet our objectives of, over time, becoming $100 million-plus franchises, that’s a strategy that has worked very well for us. Our strategy has been to focus [...] on the products that have those attributes and characteristics that we know if we release today, we’ll be working on 10 years from now.”

So unless Activision Blizzard believes it can repeatedly milk the life out of the franchises it publishes, it’s not interested; while cash cows that’re guaranteed to succeed and spawn multiple sequels are great, anything that’s exceedingly creative and a retail risk isn’t likely to be picked up.

The downside to this approach is that you need something dazzlingly awesome and unique to have a cash cow in the first place. For how long does Activision Blizzard intend to keep dragging the same old franchises on?

Activision Blizzard intentionally blocking Brutal Legend deal?

Some fairly disconcerting news has come to light today: it turns out that Activision Blizzard — the publisher that pulled out of the Brutal Legend publishing deal — may be actively hindering any deals Double Fine tries to make with other publishers.

According to a Double Fine source, Activison has been “an impediment” during the re-pitching process, and they’re “blocking the process”.

A speculative comment on the matter by Quirk suggests that Activision Blizzard is causing problems for Double Fine so they’re eventually forced to re-negotiate with them — with far more favourable terms for the latter, naturally. Welcome to the wonderful world of business.

Update: Apologies if you saw this news post in your preferred subscription format earlier and couldn’t access it on the site; a small hiccup prevented it from appearing on the front page.

Brutal Legend Action Stickers

Want to show your support for Brutal Legend? Then what better way than to wear Double Fine’s brand new stickers, professing your fandom to the world? Costing a mere dollar each, these beauties can be stuck just about anywhere and are the perfect way to get your fix while you wait for the game — kind of like a nicotine patch, except they exude awesomeness rather than drugs.

There’re two stickers available: the Brütal Legend Sticker, a simple semi-transparent and extremely edgy adornment; and the 2 Much Metal Babies Sticker, a transformation of the Double Fine logo that’s also available as a patch.