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The creator of Metal Gear Solid series has revealed the latest title in the franchise is "probably not possible" on the Xbox 360.

Hideo Kojima, who said he is regularly asked if Metal Gear Solid 4 will be released on Microsoft's console, said: "because MGS4 was optimised for the PS3, it is probably not possible".

The Japanese games designer added that his future creations may be multi-format if the technology is up to it.

"If we're talking about the future - not MGS4, but my future titles, if we're referring to that - if the hardware technology rises then obviously, you know, it won't be based on the hardware anymore," Kojima told Eurogamer.

"Probably I will first create the software and then, um, it's a strange word to say, but port to other hardware if that technological ability rises in all areas."

Microsoft has been speaking to Brothers In Arms developer Gearbox as it looks to sign up a new team to create Halo 4, claims a Hollywood source.

Gearbox, who has also worked on six games in the Half-Life series, is reported to have "definitely" had conversations with Microsoft about the project.

The firm, according to Variety, is said to be "very excited" at the prospect of developing Halo 4.

Microsoft began searching for a new developer after its previous team Bungie left to work on other projects last October.

A team of British gamers have been named the best in the world - and now they are calling for the sport to be included in the Olympics.


Birmingham Salvo at the Championship Gaming Series, Los Angeles

Michael O'Dell led his team, Birmingham Salvo, to victory with a resounding win over rivals San Francisco in a final in Los Angeles, televised on Sky Two.

And Mr O'Dell, 36, said such is the dedication and skills required of gamers who compete at the highest level, they should be recognised at major sporting events, like the Olympics.

He said: "It was a great feeling to have beaten the Americans. I said in the build up that if they underestimate us, we would destroy them and we did.

"We have some of the best game players in the world on the team and we proved it with the win. We are delighted with it all."

The team was one of 18 competing in the globe-spanning Championship Gaming Series (CGS).

And for the team's troubles, they get to share in a $500,000 prize.


Michael O'Dell, team leader of Birmingham Salvo

Mr O'Dell added: "We got the money in our bank accounts today. A lot of the team are quite young so a few have gone out today to buy cars with some of it.

"They deserve it. It's like any sport in that you have to train for it hard because if you slip up a little bit, you can lose it all.

"I think there are tests going on at the moment about making gaming an Olympic sport. I would like to think that it will happen and maybe sooner rather than later."

The final took the form of five round with the gamers playing different games on different machines.

A similar league will take place next year and Salvo hope they will retain their crown.

The Birmingham Salvo Players
Michael Barrett (Fifa 08)
Sarah Harrison (Dead or Alive)
Mingzhi Deng (Dead or Alive)
Dean Sutton (Forza Motorsport)
David Kelly (Forza Motorsport)
James Wilson (Counter Strike)
Elliot Welsh (Counter Strike)
Sam Gawn (Counter Strike)
Pete Wright (Counter Strike)
Marc Mangiacapra (Counter Strike)

The manufacturer of the Wii MotionPlus add-on has revealed that the technology is not exclusive to Nintendo.

InvenSense boss Joe Virginia hinted that the add-on device, designed to boost the accuracy of the Wii Remote controller, is proving of interest to Nintendo's rivals.

"We're incredibly pleased - delighted would probably be a better adjective - that Nintendo approached us, but it's not an exclusive relationship," Virginia told Eurogamer.

“I can't get into details about other folks that are interested in this technology, but as you might imagine of course there is more interest out there.

“I really think we've just begun to scratch the surface, gaming is a huge application. But if you think of where motions and where motion-sensing can be applied then there are so many applications; this is a great time to be in the business.”

It seems EA’s The Godfather II is well under way as the first details have appeared in the latest issue of Xbox World 360. This time around the game is set to be less GTA-like and is described in the magazine as "Scarface meets Total War". The game will be set in the 1960s and will take place in Miami, Havana and New York.

The in-game classes are set to expand. A total of six have been confirmed for the final game which are: Bruiser, Demolitions Expert, Arsonist, Medic, Safe Cracker and Engineer. The magazine also mentioned how each character within the game will have their own backgrounds and personalities.

The Total War element of the game comes in a feature called ‘Don’s View’ which player’s can jump in and out of. In ‘Don’s View’, players can distribute resources, check out your rivals and plan ahead. There’s also a board game element in which players are rewarded with bullet proof vests and armoured cars when you raid rival’s property. ‘String cards’ are handed out for completing sabotage missions which can be used to get rival family members jailed for a certain amount of time.

The Godfather II is expected to release in early 2009 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. There is also a possibility of the title arriving on Nintendo Wii.

LucasArts is lining up what it says will be its biggest licensing programme for a video game when it releases a range of toys, books and more on the back of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

The title, due out on September 19 on PSP, Wii, DS, PS3, PS2 and Xbox 360, will spawn a range of merchandise similar to that seen with the Star Wars movies.

Product lead Haden Blackman said: "This is basically the biggest licensing programme we’ve seen for a Star Wars game in recent memory, and we’re doing a chunk of products that you’d normally see for a film release.

"There’s a novel based on the story of the game, a comic book adaptation that looks at different characters’ point of view, and a really gorgeous 'Making Of' book featuring a ton of never-before-seen concept art.

"Furthermore, Hasbro has already launched a full wave of action figures, including a fantastic painted rancor, and a lightsaber that transforms from 'good' to 'evil'. Wizards of the Coast has included several Force Unleashed characters in its miniatures role-playing game, and there’s a LEGO version of the [in-game vehicle] Rogue Shadow, complete with a unique Darth Vader figure."

The boss of Warner Interactive Entertainment's parent company has announced plans to turn the publisher into a gaming superpower.

Time Warner CEO Jeffrey L. Bewkes told investors that the firm will spend $250 million on development, thanks to a mysterious Middle Eastern backer, creating 75 games over the next seven years.

He said: "Now, still in the films segment is the games business, and our games business is ramping up. Lego Indiana Jones was the top-selling video game in June and we have high hopes for Lego Batman, as you can imagine, which we are releasing in September.

"Over time, we expect games to become an increasingly important part of Warner Brothers's business. We have the arrangement with our strategic partner in Abu Dhabi who is funding up to $250 million to co-finance the development of up to 75 games over the next seven years. We also have an investment in Eidos, which is a UK games developer, and we distribute all of these."

Bewkes added: "We are developing at a pace with the size of our distribution presence, and we feel that we are in reasonably good shape. If you are asking whether we can attract talent that we need, we think we can."

Ozzy Osbourne will appear in Activision's upcoming Guitar Hero World Tour.

The rocker will appear with guitarist Zakk Wylde, accompanied by his solo tracks 'Crazy Train' and 'Mr. Crowley'.

He told USA Today: "[Activision] liked my music and I have a big young following, I've been told. I'm from the old school. I don't own a computer. I just got an iPod that I've organised. I have got to learn how to turn it on. That's about it, you know. I can't download. I can't do any load."

The 59-year-old explained that Guitar Hero World Tour offers an energetic interpretation of his on-stage persona.

He said: "I had to put on this black suit with all these little ping-pong ball-like things all over me, motion capture. I had to dance around like I'm on stage when one of my songs are on.

"I don't really know how it works, but I have seen a run of it. It is really interesting. The image of me, I wish I had the energy it has."

The absence of a video game based on The Dark Knight has reportedly cost the games and film industry $100 million in sales.

Electronic Arts's Pandemic Studios was developing a Dark Knight tie-in but it has so far yet to materialise. It is the first time that a Batman film has arrived in cinemas without being accompanied by a video game.

Analyst Michael Pachter told the Associated Press that a simultaneous game release with the film would have netted $100 million in sales - $70 million for the game's publisher and $30 million for studio Warner Bros.

He said: "I think publishers have concluded the only games that work are the surefire $500 million box office kind of games like Spider-Man and Shrek. The Transformers game really surprised people how well it did, but the movie was big. I don't think they expected the Dark Knight movie to be this big."

Gary Oldman, who portrays cop James Gordon in the film, told cable channel G4 that he had seen a "tiny little piece" of the game, which showed Batman gliding over Gotham's rooftops.

A Dark Knight video game adaptation does not appear on EA's release schedule up to March 2009.

Microsoft has announced the release date for Fable 2 on the Xbox 360.

The Lionhead-developed RPG will be released in Europe on October 24.

Fable 2 is an adventure game that allows gamers to raise families, build relationships or start conflicts with people. It is based around practical and moral dilemmas.

According to Eurogamer, the sequel will have a simplified control system and drop-in/drop-out co-operative play on Xbox Live.

A Limited Collector's Edition version of the game has also been confirmed. The bonus DVD will feature behind-the-scenes video, a collectible Hobbe figure, five Fate cards, a 48-hour XBL Gold trial and bonus in-game content.