Gaming news : Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Japanese: メタルギア ライジング リベンジェンス Hepburu: Metaru Gia Raijingu: Ribenjensu) is an upcoming action video game under development by Platinum Games and produced by Kojima Productions as part of the Metal Gear series, to be released for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 consoles during 19 February 2013. The Xbox 360 version was cancelled in Japan. Set four years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the story will focus on the agent Raiden who is to be encountered by a Desperado Enterprises, a self proclaimed PMCs involved in terrorist activities.

The game was originally announced during 2009 as Metal Gear Solid: Rising (メタルギアソリッドライジング Metaru Gia Soriddo Raijingu), an interquel set between the events of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots following Raiden's transformation into a cyborg produced solely by Kojima Productions. As the game was about to be cancelled due to difficulties in developing it, it was reannounced in late 2011 that Platinum Games would develop the game as Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, changing the gameplay drastically. The game's setting has since been changed to give the Platinum staff more freedom in the making of the game. Nevertheless, the Kojima Productions staff is responsible for the game's plot and Raiden's design.

Gameplay:

Players assume control of cyborg ninja Raiden, the katana-wielding ally of series mainstay Solid Snake. He is initially playable in his "White" form based on his appearance in Guns of the Patriots, wearing white cyborg armor. At some point in the game he has it replaced with a more powerful "Black" cyborg armor that, although stronger, requires energy from "Zan-Datsu" kills. Unlike previous titles in the Metal Gear series, Revengeance is strictly an action game, focusing on sword fighting and a sophisticated cutting system. The game's cutting system allows players to engage in third person melee combat, as well as precisely slash enemies and objects "at will" along a geometrical plane using a "free slicing" mode. Virtually any object in the game can be cut, including vehicles and enemies, though elements of the environment were intentionally limited to structures such as pillars and walls to better facilitate gameplay. The free slicing mode, titled Blade Mode, is similar to other aiming modes in previous Metal Gear Solid titles, but produces a special targeting reticule in the form of a transparent blue plane which can be rotated and moved, tracing orange lines across the surfaces of objects to indicate exactly where they will be cut; it can also be used to enter a bullet time state, giving players the opportunity to precisely slash targets during moments of action, such as slicing through a falling target from multiple angles before it hits the ground. These features can be employed strategically, for example disabling opponents, finding weak points and gaps in armor, severing support columns to collapse ceilings or walls onto enemies, deflecting enemy fire, or cutting through objects to remove enemy cover. However, entering into Blade Mode reduces Raiden's energy to the point if dropped to a certain level, it cannot be used.

The franchise's stealth elements remain in the form of gathering reconnaissance using a visor. Through this, the player can verify the areas and proceed to the objective avoiding contact with enemies. Being spotted by an enemy triggers the "Alert Mode" in which Raiden is assaulted by multiple enemies for a determined time. The player also gains assistance from Bladewolf, a dog-like machine that gather map information for Raiden.

Raiden will have the ability to parry attacks even when his back is turned, allowing him to counterattack enemies and create multiple combos. The player also has access to a stealth mode titled "Ninja Dash" which drastically increases Raiden's speed and allows him to climb certain areas. This allows him to strategically ambush an enemy rather than fighting head to head. Although Raiden's main weapon will be his high-frequency blade, he will also have "sub-weapons." None of them are guns as they are to be used by enemies. Instead, Raiden can wield solely blades such as a dagger as well as a rocket launcher. Another key gameplay feature is titled zan-datsu (斬奪 lit. "cut and take), and involves "cutting" through enemies and "taking" parts, energy, ammunition, items, and information from the bodies of dismembered cyborgs and robots. This maneuver can be employed when attacking an enemy during Blade Mode and helps Raiden to gain new energy. When completing mission, the player will be rewarded with an specific amount of points depending on his or her performances and will receive a grade with the highest being "S". These points allow them to buy upgrades for Raiden's equipment. Some weapons can only be obtained by defeating boss characters.

                                                                                                                       Plot:

The game takes place four years after Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in 2018 and is a spinoff that is "not part of the main Metal Gear Solidseries". The story follows Raiden who is working for PMCs performing multiple tasks such as the training of armies and VIP protection in an unknown African country that is recovering from a previous civil war as he raises money for his family. However, Raiden encounters an army of cyborg enemies from Desperado Enterprises, a self-proclaimed PMC that has been involved in various terrorist attacks. Desperado kills Raiden's protectee, while the swordsman Samuel Rodriguez (サムエル・ホドリゲス Samueru Hodorigesu) defeats Raiden in combat, taking his left eye and destroying his cybernetic body. Barely managing to survive Raiden is given a new black cyborg armor that is much more powerful but requires constant recharge. Raiden then starts working for Maverick Security to defeat Desperado Enterprises. Few weeks after his defeat, Raiden learns that Desperado is leading a military coup in Abkhazia and heads to fight them in Sukhumi. Raiden will also travel to other parts of the world such as Mexico during the story.

Developers stated that while Raiden "has grown up" in comparison to previous Metal Gear games, he is still conflicted with his life as a child soldier in a past civil war, leading him to be a "dark hero". He is assisted by members from Maverick Security including a Russian pointman named Boris (ボリスBorisu) who communicates with him through Codec. He is accompanied by Kevin Washington, a military advisor, Courtney Collin, a data analyst, and Doktor (ドクトル), a maintenance expert responsible for Raiden's new body. Samuel Rodriguez serves as Raiden's rival during the game with a conversation between the two in the beginning influencing Raiden. Three other enemies include Sundowner (サンダウナー Sandauna), a cyborg swordfighter, Mistral (ミストラル Misutoraru), a female cyborg possessing multiple arms, and Monsoon (モンスーン), a ninja with sliced arms. Another new character named is a quadruped robot resembling a wolf that has been confirmed to be important for the plot. It first appears under the name of LQ-84i as an enemy that is defeated by Raiden. Raiden takes him to Doktor who reprograms him as Bladewolf to assist him. Returning from Guns of the Patriots is Sunny.

                                                                                        Development

                                                                                                                     As Metal Gear Solid: Rising

After Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released, Hideo Kojima started coming up with ideas for another game, Metal Gear Solid 5. The game was meant to feature The Boss and her comrades, the Cobra Unit, as main characters. However, the lack of experience from the younger staff in charge and the lack of involvement from Kojima resulted in this project being scrapped. Afterwards, a member suggested turning it into a sidestory focused on Raiden since said character was featured in Guns of the Patriots and the staff agreed to develop Metal Gear Solid: Rising It was originally conceived as an interquel that would chronicle the series of events that resulted in the transformation of Raiden, the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2 into his cyborg ninja persona in Metal Gear Solid 4. Rising would have taken place during a point in the series' chronology at which Raiden had already begun his transformation into cyborg form, albeit with a different and somewhat more crude appearance from the one seen in Metal Gear Solid 4.

The game was first hinted during Hideo Kojima's keynote presentation at the 2009 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco where the presentation's end showed "The Next MGS" with Raiden as a cyborg standing next to the title. Prior to the announcements of the game, Kojima Productions featured a countdown timer on their website until the day that Rising was announced. The series' traditional tagline of "Tactical Espionage Action" was also altered to "Lightning Bolt Action," a play on the fact that Raiden's name is Japanese for "thunder and lightning." The game was officially announced at E3 2009 at the Microsoft press conference. A teaser trailer was released by series' director Hideo Kojima, although he would be serving only as executive producer for the game, as 100% of his input is with Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for the PlayStation Portable. The game was initially only announced for the Xbox 360 but was later confirmed for the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows platforms. According to the "Kojima Productions Report" podcast the game would use a brand new game engine, rather than the Metal Gear Solid 4 engine.

The game's original cover artwork was leaked on Xbox Live on June 10, four days before E3 2010, but was soon taken down and replaced with the official logo. During Microsoft's E3 press conference on June 14, Hideo Kojima introduced the game's original lead designer, Mineshi Kimura, who unveiled a new trailer which included cutscene and gameplay footage and introduced the concept of zan-datsu (斬奪^?, lit. "cut and take"). The game's creative producer, Shigenobu Matsuyama, and Kimura and Matsuyama again presented the trailer on June 16 during Konami's E3 press conference, then took stage, further clarifying the game's "take" mechanic and again emphasizing that the game will contain stealth elements. Concern had risen over the game's realistic depictions of human dismemberment during player-controlled sequences, a hard limit for Japan's Computer Entertainment Rating Organizatiom, which may necessitate censorship in the domestic Japanese release of the game. As a result, the version of the E3 2010 trailer available for viewing on the game's official Japanese website has had such scenes removed.

Concept art on display at the Art of Yoji Shinkawa exhibit in January 2011.

Mineshi Kimura stated that Rising would carry on the series tradition of encouraging players to progress through the game without killing, noting that there is a moral difference between attacking cyborgs or robots and attacking human beings, and that there's a "certain virtue to simply disabling your enemies instead of killing them." While it was considered important to give the players freedom to do what they want, the game's original producer Shigenobu Matsuyama, indicated that players would never be rewarded for killing human opponents, and that the game would be designed so that players would never be forced to do so.

Specifically, the games stealth elements would have emphasized Raiden's considerable speed and agility through what Matsuyama describes as "hunting stealth." Unlike the "waiting stealth" of previous titles, in which players remained hidden and avoided combat, players in Rising would instead quickly stalk their enemies and use acrobatic maneuvers to stay out of sight while closing in. This ties in with the game's zan-datsu feature, allowing them to prey upon enemies to obtain weapons, items, and energy. Kimura noted that he wanted Raiden to be able to move like he did in the Metal Gear Solid 4 trailers, and to show "the stealth of the sword, and the strength of not even losing to the gun, and the fear and power you have with this blade."

At TGS 2010, Sony announced that the PlayStation 3 version of Metal Gear Solid: Rising would be playable in 3D. In January 2011, several pieces of concept art for Rising were displayed at Yoji Shinkawa’s two-week exhibit, The Art of Yoji Shinkawa, hosted by the Konami Style Shop in Tokyo. During late 2011, it was announced over that Matsuyama had moved to a different division within Konami and that Yuji Korekado had taken over as the game's lead producer. Additionally, Kojima said Metal Gear Solid: Rising is "moving forward"; Kojima had stated the game remains significantly different to existing Metal Gear games, although he has retained an element of control over it and will not let it stray too far from the series' roots. He stated that "If somebody thinks 'I love Snake' and just really wants traditional stealth gameplay and that experience, then it may be hard to get intoRising, but for people who are more open and willing to try new things, it shouldn't be a problem."

Gaming news : Aliens: Colonial Marines

Escape Mode to Debut at PAX Prime 2012 in Seattle

SAN FRANCISCO (August 30, 2012) - SEGA^® of America, Inc. and Gearbox Software today announced Escape mode, a new  competitive multiplayer mode, for its highly anticipated blockbuster Aliens: Colonial Marines™ video game, launching February 12, 2013 worldwide. With a competitive death match game mode already revealed earlier in the year, Escape mode is the second in a number of competitive multiplayer modes for Aliens: Colonial Marines and will challenge players in an intense scenario against the universe’s deadliest killers, the Xenomorph. Escape mode will debut at PAX Prime 2012, August 31 – September 2, in Seattle. SEGA’s booth covers numbers 242 and 252 on the show floor.

An exhilarating experience for fans of the ALIENS universe, Escape mode puts the four-person US Colonial Marines team on the offensive against a four-player Xenomorph team. The Colonial Marines must blast their way through the fast-paced map in order to escape the attacking Xenomorphs, who in return will try to eliminate their prey as quickly as possible. Under the pressure and limited in time, players will have to work together as a team, utilizing each faction’s unique skills, and identifying their opponents’ weak spots to either reach the safety of the escape point or to eliminate their targets.

In addition to a host of stations with the brand new Escape mode playable at SEGA’s PAX booth (number 242 and 252), fans can experience the threat of the aliens firsthand and climb inside SEGA’s custom-made 16 foot power loader statue with an attacking Xenomorph on it and have their picture taken. Players up for the challenge can also compete in daily Team Deathmatch competitions against the team from Gearbox Software for the chance to win Aliens: Colonial Marines prize packs. Competitions will be held at Alienware’s PAX booth, number 3636. See http://www.alienwarearena.com/news/768/alienware-pax-prime-2012

for details.

In partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and developed by critically acclaimed studio Gearbox Software, Aliens: Colonial Marines will bring new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned franchise. As the authentic addition to the ALIENS franchise canon, the game’s stunning visuals and adrenaline pumping action will deliver a breathtakingly immersive four-player drop-in drop-out cooperative campaign and expansive competitive multiplayer mode. Providing for an innovative asymmetrical competitive multiplayer experience, Aliens: Colonial Marines lets players fight in first person as the ultimate badasses the United States Colonial Marines, or in third person as the universe’s deadliest killers the Xenomorphs. Plunging into familiar and new environments from the iconic film franchise, players will have to fight the fear and face the true horrors of the ALIENS universe.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and Aliens: Colonial Marines Playable at SEGA’s Pop-Up Arcade in San Diego

Famed Concept Designer and Futurist Syd Mead Exclusively Signing Limited Prints

SAN FRANCISCO (July 5, 2012) - SEGA^® of America, Inc. today announced that after last year’s success, the company is once again setting up shop in downtown San Diego to showcase its biggest titles during San Diego Comic-Con International 2012. The limited-time-only SEGA Arcade, located at 200 Harbor Drive, Suite 120, will feature this fall’s Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed™, the thrilling new racing experience featuring Sonic the Hedgehog and a fantastic cast of SEGA All-Stars, as well as Aliens: Colonial Marines™, the highly anticipated first-person shooter from critically acclaimed studio Gearbox Software that will bring new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned ALIENS franchise.

Additionally, internationally acclaimed concept designer and visual futurist Syd Mead will sign limited prints of his concept art of the USS Sulaco, featured in the movie ALIENS and in the upcoming game Aliens: Colonial Marines, on Friday, July 13, from 3:00 PM  to 6:00 PM. Dark Horse and SEGA® of America, Inc. are also pleased to invite fans of the franchise to stop by the SEGA Pop-Up Arcade in downtown San Diego or Booth 2615 on the expo floor to pick up a copy of an exclusive free Aliens: Colonial Marines comic that is only available during San Diego Comic-Con 2012. SEGA’s Aliens: Colonial Marines presence in San Diego will further entail the display of the original 12ft alien queen special effects prop used in the iconic 1986 film ALIENS, courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available in stores across the globe on February 12, 2013 on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC. A release date for the announced Wii U™ version will be revealed at a later time. 

Collector’s Edition and GameStop Exclusive Feature Four Playable Celebrity Cast Characters From Iconic Film

SAN FRANCISCO (May 31, 2012) - SEGA^® of America, Inc., Gearbox Software and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products today announced a Collector’s Edition and a Game Stop-exclusive Pre-order offer for its highly anticipated blockbuster Aliens: Colonial Marines™ video game, launching February 12, 2013 worldwide. Offering players a multitude of unique and exclusive content from the ALIENS universe, including four playable characters from the original 1986 movie for competitive multiplayer, the Collector’s Edition and the GameStop exclusive are available for pre-order today. 

Fight the Fear in 2013’s First Blockbuster Shooter

SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON (May 21, 2012) - SEGA^® of America, Inc., SEGA^® Europe Ltd., Gearbox Software and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products are thrilled to announce that the highly anticipated first-person shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines™ will be in stores worldwide on February 12, 2013. As the authentic addition to the ALIENS franchise canon, the game’s stunning visuals and adrenaline pumping action will deliver breathtakingly immersive single, cooperative and competitive multi-player modes. Providing for an innovative asymmetrical competitive multiplayer experience, Aliens: Colonial Marines lets players fight in first person as the ultimate combatants – the United States Colonial Marines, or in third person as the universe’s deadliest killers – the Xenomorphs. Plunging into familiar and new environments from the iconic film franchise, players will have to fight the fear and face the true horrors of the ALIENS universe.

“I am thrilled to announce the definitive launch date for Aliens: Colonial Marines,” said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. “Aliens: Colonial Marines is the culmination of a life-time of inspiration from the films and relentless passion and drive from the exceptionally talented development team behind the scenes.”

“We knew this game would be incredible from the moment Gearbox began developing Aliens: Colonial Marines,” said, Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing for SEGA Europe and SEGA of America. “Now that the title is in its final stretch of development, we can confidently release the exact date that gamers will finally get to experience this blockbuster thrill-ride.”

“SEGA has a proven track record with the ALIENS franchise. ALIENS vs. PREDATOR released by SEGA in 2009 became one of their top-selling titles,” said Gary Rosenfeld, Senior Vice President for New Media for Fox Consumer Products. “We look forward to working with them and bringing an exciting new way for fans to immerse themselves in the ALIENS world.”

In partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and developed by critically acclaimed studio Gearbox Software, Aliens: Colonial Marines will bring new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned franchise. Aliens: Colonial Marines begins with an ostensibly abandoned ship, the U.S.S. Sulaco, recovered in orbit around LV-426. Players lead a group of highly trained United States Colonial Marines as they board the deserted craft to uncover the fate of the crew. They will have to fight to survive unspeakable horrors and their own anxieties as they chase down the truth behind a galaxy-spanning deception that places humanity at the mercy of the most murderous and deadly species in the universe. Aliens: Colonial Marines features authentic environments, such as the surface of LV-426 and Hadley’s Hope, weapons inspired by the film series and is designed to provide an exhilarating and engaging new chapter in the ALIENS universe.

 

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available in stores across the globe on February 12, 2013 on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC. A release date for the announced Wii U™ version will be revealed at a later time.  

SEGA AND GEARBOX’S ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES TO DEPLOY SPRING 2012

Catch a First Look at E3 2011 of the Game That Pits You and Your Friends Against the Deadliest Killers in the Galaxy

“It’ll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night… mostly.” 

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (June 1, 2011) – SEGA® Europe Ltd. And SEGA^® of America, Inc. today announced that the highly-anticipated first-person shooter, Aliens: Colonial Marines™, will be launching in spring 2012 on PC, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. In partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and developed by critically acclaimed studio Gearbox Software, Aliens: Colonial Marines will bring new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned franchise. The game pits players against the universe’s ultimate alien killing machines, the Xenomorphs, in claustrophobic environments guaranteed to produce blood curdling thrills that the movie is renowned for. A first look of the game is presented in the South Hall at SEGA’s booth #2023, at this week’s E3 in Los Angeles.

“To Gearbox Software and its peers throughout the industry, ALIENS is one of the most influential science fiction properties of all time,” said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software.  “Aliens: Colonial Marines, designed as an interactive successor to the landmark films from Twentieth Century Fox, is a dream project about which our studio is deeply committed and passionate.”

“Aliens: Colonial Marines will be THE definitive ALIENS gaming experience,” said Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SEGA Europe and SEGA of America. “Gearbox Software are doing a brilliant job translating the thrill and horror that ALIENS stands for into an action-packed shooter experience with co-operative gameplay at its core.”

Gary Rosenfeld, Senior Vice President of New Media for Fox Consumer Products added, “It’s no easy task to take on one of the most influential films of all-time, but SEGA and Gearbox are not going to disappoint.  This game will be a must-have for fans of the ALIENS franchise and gamers around the globe.”

Aliens: Colonial Marines begins with an ostensibly abandoned ship, the U.S.S. Sulaco, recovered in orbit around LV-426. Players lead a group of highly trained United States Colonial Marines as they board the deserted craft to uncover the fate of the crew. They will have to fight to survive unspeakable horrors and their own anxieties as they chase down the truth behind a galaxy-spanning deception that places humanity at the mercy of the most murderous and deadly species in the universe. Aliens: Colonial Marines features authentic environments, such as the surface of LV-426 and Hadley’s Hope, weapons inspired by the film series and is designed to provide an exhilarating and engaging new chapter in the Aliens universe.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available spring 2012 on PlayStation®3 system, Xbox 360 and PC. The game is also on display in the South Hall at SEGA’s booth #2023, at this week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

 Gameplay:

Aliens: Colonial Marines is a sci-fi/horror first-person shooter which puts the player in the role of a United States Colonial Marine named Cpl. Christopher Winter. The player will have access to iconic weapons from the movie such as the flamethrower, pulse rifle, smart gun, shotgun, pistol, RPGs, and robotic sentry turrets. Players will also be able to use welding torches to seal doors and motion trackers to detect unseen enemies.

Initially it was announced that the game would involve squad-based gameplay, allowing the player to issue orders to Al-controlled marines using context-sensitive commands. However, Gearbox later revealed that this feature was dropped to make gameplay more accessible. Aliens: Colonial Marines will have no HUD to provide the player with onscreen information.

Gameplay types have been described as "Gauntlet Runs", where players must fight enemies as they travel from point A to point B, and "Last Stand" moments, where players must defend a specific area by welding doors and/or setting up automated sentry turrets.

The players will gain experience points when killing enemies and completing certain objectives. These experience points will allow players to customize the appearance of their character, purchase upgrades for weapons, and unlock other skill sets, all of which carry over to other gameplay modes.

The primary enemies of the game are the xenomorphs from the first three films, which include the Facehugger, Chestburster, and "Drone" alien from Alien, the "Warrior" and the "Queen" aliens from Aliens, as well as the "Runner" alien from Alien 3. The games will also feature never before seen xenomorph types created by Gearbox Software. The specifics of these new alien types have been kept a secret, with the exception of the "Crusher" alien, which was revealed in the E3 2011 Walkthrough demo.Along with being able to traverse different surfaces from any angle, Gearbox and Sega have also stated that the aliens' Al will use the environment to set up sneak attacks, and group tactics to overwhelm the player. Not all enemies will be aliens as players will find themselves also fighting human enemies in the form of Weyland-Yutani commandos and mercenaries.

                                                                                       Multiplayer :

Aliens: Colonial Marines features a campaign with dynamic drop-in/drop-out cooperative multiplayer for up to 4 players online or 2 players locally via split screen. Competitive multiplayer has been confirmed, and Gearbox has shown Aliens VS Marines team death match 6 v 6 gameplay, as well as a 4 v 4 objective mode called Escape, where the marines team must reach an evac point while the alien team must hunt and stop them. Gearbox has said that there are other multiple "objective based modes" that have not been announced yet. 

Story :

Described as a true sequel to James Cameron's film, the story of Aliens: Colonial Marines takes place after the events of the third film, Alien 3. At PAX East 2012, Gearbox Software's Community Manager confirmed that the game is considered an official part of the Alien franchise's canon by 20th Century Fox. Much of the main plot was written by Battlestar Galactica writers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle. The story is told through the eyes of Corporal Christopher Winter, a Colonial Marine who is part of a search and rescue team sent to investigate the U.S.S. Sulaco in search of Ellen Ripley, Corporal Dwayne Hicks, and the rest of the missing marines who were dispatched to LV-426. The Sulaco, and the derelict alien spacecraft from Alien as well as LV-426 itself will all serve as environments in the game, as well as other locations yet to be detailed.

Gearbox  has stated that they were invited to speak with Ridley Scott and view the script for his Alien prequel Prometheus, insinuating that there may be connections or references to the events of Prometheus in Aliens: Colonial Marines. 

                                                                                        Development :

A previous game titled Aliens: Colonial Marines was developed by Check Six Games and was to be published by Fox Interactive and Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 2 in 2001, but was cancelled before its release. A more traditional first-person shooter, it shared the same subject matter and setting as the upcoming Gearbox-developed game. Its story was to be set between the events of Aliens and Alien 3, concerning a rescue team of Colonial Marines searching for the Sulaco. Despite the similarities in gameplay and story, however, Gearbox has claimed that their upcoming game is unrelated to this early version.

On December 11, 2006, Sega announced they had purchased the electronic rights to the Alien franchise from 20th Century Fox. On December 15, Gearbox Software and Sega announced that they were working on a completely new game based on the franchise. In February 2008 the game's title was officially announced as Aliens: Colonial Marines and it was featured as the cover story of Game Informer magazine.

The development team took great pains to recreate the vehicles and settings of the films by using original set designs to recreate the exterior and interior of the Sulaco and LV-426. Concept artist Syd Mead, who had worked on Aliens, was hired to design areas of the Sulaco that did not appear in the film but would be used in the game.

A Shack news article dated November 21, 2008, reported that the Aliens: Colonial Marines game had been delayed, supposedly because of layoffs at Gearbox Software. However, Gearbox president Randy Pitchford insisted that development on the game continues.

According to a Kotaku article, Sega said that their new Aliens vs. Predator game is to be released in early 2010 would be the first of their Aliens games to be released, meaning that Aliens: Colonial Marines will be sometime afterwards.

At the 2010 Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), Gearbox showed five new screenshots and stated that the game remains a priority for them.

In the beginning of June 2011, Gearbox unveiled a teaser trailer and officially announced that Colonial Marines would be presented on E3 2011 and that the game is expected to be released in spring 2012.

On January 26, 2012, Sega announced that it had decided to delay the game yet again, pushing it to a fall 2012 release date. In addition, Gearbox Software also announced that they would be releasing a new trailer. On May 21, 2012, Gearbox Software has announced a February 12, 2013 launch for Aliens: Colonial Marines on PS3, 360 and PC with Wii U version announcement "at a later time".