Headline RePLAY – 5.31.12

Today on Headline RePLAY: Activision v. West ends before going to court, the rumored Star Fox – Metroid: Fusion Saga game is debunked and a DC fighting game brought to you by the makers of Mortal Kombat.

Following leaked documents of corporate espionage, trial delays, the bitter showdown between Activision and the creators of the Call of Duty franchise

“All parties have reached a settlement in the dispute, the terms of which are strictly confidential,” said Robert Schwartz, the attorney representing Call of Duty creators Jason West and Vincent Zampella.

The settlement ends two years of litigation after Activision fired West and Zampella, which prompted the developers to sue Activision for “wrongful termination.” The publisher then countersued, accusing West and Zampella of being “disloyal.” A separate lawsuit was filed by a group of over 40 Infinity Ward developers, led by Todd Alderman, alleging that Activision denied them millions in bonus payments and royalties.

“Activision Blizzard, Inc. (ATVI) today announced that all parties to the litigation have reached a settlement of the dispute, the terms of which are strictly confidential,” said Activision in a released statement.

EA, the publisher that Activision dropped its countersuit against last week, weighed in on the settlement: “Activision’s refusal to pay their talent and attempt to blame EA were absurd. This settlement is a vindication of Vince and Jason, and the right of creative artists to collect the rewards due for their hard work.”

|Source: LA Times, Joystiq

The incredible rumor of a Star Fox and Metroid crossover for the Wii U that surfaced last week is put to rest today by the very source that brought it to light, citing new information.

“This game [Star Fox – Metroid: Fusion Saga] is not what Retro Studios is currently working on and it will not make an appearance at E3 next week,” said Paul, writer and owner of Paul Gale Network. “Now depending on what side of the fence you were on in regards to whether or not you wanted this game to be real is where this news might personally good or bad to you. If you hated the idea, then rest assured that the game isn’t happening. If you liked the idea, then at least I can leave you with a bit of cushioning.”

According to Paul’s source, at one time the crossover was indeed a proposal, as it represented a “more unified Nintendo universe” and one of “several potential team-up projects” that Nintendo has been considering.

|Source: Paul Gale Network

From Warner Bros., DC Entertainment and the creators of Mortal Kombat comes Injustice: Gods Among Us, a fighting game that pits DC heroes and villains against each other.

In a serious case of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe déjà vu, Injustice features iconic characters like Batman, Harley Quinn, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman and Solomon Grundy duking it out in interactive arenas with over the top moves that only superheroes can do (i.e. upper-cutting the Flash into space).

All its missing is the brightly-colored ninjas and Fatalities!

Injustice is slated for release sometime in 2013.

|Source: Injustice

Headline RePLAY – 1.20.12

Today on Headline RePLAY: The internet is victorious over SOPA and PIPA and Ed Boon unveils the secrets of Mortal Kombat on the PS Vita!   

In a climactic finale worthy of any blockbuster, the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act were halted today in the House and Senate respectively.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid both abandoned plans to act on SOPA and PIPA Friday— a sign Politico indicates that internet protests have killed the twin bills.

However, this doesn’t mean the bills cannot be resurrected again in another form.

“The Committee will continue work with copyright owners, Internet companies, financial institutions to develop proposals that combat online piracy and protect America’s intellectual property,” said in a statement released by Smith.

“There is no reason that the legitimate issues raised by many about this bill cannot be resolved,” echoed Reid.

Ultimately, Politico observed in light of “members wary of another internet backlash” and with the upcoming presidential race, it’s highly unlikely either bill will be making a return this year.

*Source: Politico

NetherRealm Studios’ answer for their games has always been more, more, MORE. With Mortal Kombat’s transition to the PlayStation Vita, their answer remains unchanged: MORE.

In an interview with PlayStation.Blog, NetherRealm Studios’ Ed Boon revealed that the Vita version of Mortal Kombat will include a second Challenge Tower. “There are actually two Challenge Towers in the PS Vita version, and the new one has 150 challenges that are exclusive to PS Vita. A number of those challenges use PS Vita’s hardware features: the touch screen, the accelerometer…” said Boon.

While that’s one heckuva content update in itself, Boon also divulged that fatalities can be performed via touchscreen. “For fatalities, you can ‘slash’ the screen with the appropriate inputs — say, away, away, up — to execute the fatality. It makes some of the more difficult fatalities easier and it’s fun to slash at your screen to fire off a fatality. I was surprised by how engaging it is.”

Additionally, Boon reassures fans that Mortal Kombat won’t lose its coveted 60 FPS framerate in its transition to the PS Vita.

*Source: PlayStation.Blog