bionic-commando posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Capcom posts strong Q2 2009 earnings, despite 'soft' overseas sales

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 29th 2009 at 2:01PM }

Capcom has posted its financial results for the six months ending September 30, 2009, and things are definitely looking good for the company. The publisher reported net sales of ¥38.892 billion ($426 million), up from ¥31.236 billion ($342 million) during the same period last year, which amounts to a 24.5-percent increase. The majority of those sales were generated by Capcom's home video games division, which pulled in ¥27.748 billion ($303 million) -- up from ¥16.486 ($180 million); a staggering 68.3-percent increase.

Capcom credits strong sales of Monster Hunter Tri in Japan, as well as continued sales of Resident Evil 5, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and Ace Attorney: Investigations to its recent financial success. However, the company stated that overseas sales remained "soft" for the period thanks to the delay of Dark Void and the weak performance of Bionic Commando and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. Joystiq readers will recall that Capcom leveled complaints at the same games in its first quarter report earlier this year. It's worth noting that overseas sales still amounted to ¥11.739 billion ($128 million), which accounted for 57-percent of the home video games division sales.

We suppose Capcom might consider that "soft," but the suits can't be too broken up about it.

Source -- Capcom | Favorable Financial Results for the 6 months ended September 30, 2009
Source -- Capcom | Consolidated Financial Results for the 2nd Quarter of the FY2009

Capcom may offer more game collections in 2010

by David Hinkle { Sep 10th 2009 at 9:15PM }

With the recent release of the Capcom's Xbox 360 Platinum Hits Triple Pack, many are wondering if we'll see similar, value-oriented bundles from Capcom in the future. Chris Kramer, Capcom's resident PR dude, told VG247 that while Capcom doesn't have any immediate plans for other titles, he "wouldn't rule out more collections in 2010."

Though the last $40 pack, containing Lost Planet, Devil May Cry 4 and Dead Rising, certainly appealed to our interests, our miserly ways have forced us to wait for some more triple-packs to arrive ... and then get a triple-pack of those. Sure, the cover art will be have degraded considerably by then, but just think of the money we'll save!

Licensed game from High Voltage inspired by Bionic Commando

by JC Fletcher { Aug 14th 2009 at 11:30AM }

In addition to the Wii Astro Boy game, High Voltage Software is making a Secret Saturdays game for D3 Publisher. Like Astro Boy, which is inspired by Treasure's Astro Boy: The Omega Factor, High Voltage took cues from an excellent game when designing this children's game: Bionic Commando. The good one, that is, not the new one.

"Yes, we were playing Bionic Commando Rearmed when we were initially pitching the concept for the game to D3Publisher," producer Josh VanVeld told Siliconera. The Claw allows Zak Saturday to grapple (amongst other things), so that kind of mechanic seemed like a perfect fit and gave us the opportunity to try out a new 2D/3D hybrid camera system in our engine."

While Zak's grappling-based gameplay seems to be most prevalent, VanVeld said that there are "literally dozens of other characters, all of which have unique play styles." The mere mention of grappling was enough to get us to try a game based on a cartoon we've never watched.

[Thanks, Ed!]

Bionic Commando developer GRIN closes

by JC Fletcher { Aug 12th 2009 at 4:15PM }

Recent reports of layoffs revealed that Swedish developer GRIN was in financial trouble. Today, in a statement on the GRIN website, founders Bo and Ulf Andersson announced that the company was officially closing, citing an "unbearable cashflow situation" due to delayed payments from unnamed publishers.

In the statement, the founders mentioned "our unreleased masterpiece that we weren't allowed to finish" and thanked many of the companies they worked with, including Ubisoft and Capcom -- but not Warner Bros., for whom GRIN made Wanted: Weapons of Fate and Terminator: Salvation. As reported earlier today, several GRIN staffers who had previously been laid off have gone on to form Outbreak Studios.

[Via Kotaku]

Rumor: Nobody's smiling about more GRIN layoffs

by Alexander Sliwinski { Aug 11th 2009 at 9:07AM }

It appears that the rumors of layoffs at Stockholm-based developer GRIN are getting worse, with the company itself allegedly on the brink of collapse. Gamasutra has been informed by reliable sources that the studio has had another round of layoffs and that some employees have been told not to show up for work. Two of the company's studios have already shut down, with the main Stockholm office being the next domino.

Despite critical acclaim for Bionic Commando Rearmed, the studio saw sluggish sales and tepid reviews from big-budget titles like Terminator Salvation, Wanted: Weapons of Fate and -- the game that could really have given it a boost -- Bionic Commando. We'll update as we hear more.

Bionic Commando, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite 'underperform' in the west

by Richard Mitchell { Jul 31st 2009 at 12:15PM }

While Capcom may have reported strong numbers for its first quarter ending June 30, that doesn't mean that everything is rosy. The report mentioned that Bionic Commando and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite failed to perform in the west and, digging a little deeper into Capcom's documents, we've uncovered some more specific details. Bionic Commando, which Capcom released with western audiences in mind, only managed to sell 550,000 copies since its debut in May. Capcom, unsurprisingly, believes the title "underperformed."

Meanwhile, PSP title Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, which has been very successful in Japan, has "performed weakly" in western markets, though it sold 600,000 copies worldwide (not bad for a game that released over a year ago in Japan). The documents don't specify how many copies were sold in western markets, though it's clear the company is disappointed. It's also important to note that Freedom Unite's US release was on June 23, only a week prior to the end of Capcom's first quarter.

Bionic Commando grapples Steam, soundtrack released

by Richard Mitchell { Jul 29th 2009 at 4:00AM }

Get ready for a double bionic news whammy. First up, both Bionic Commando and its retro cousin, Bionic Commando Rearmed, are now available on Steam. Bionic Commando can be grappled for $39.99, while Rearmed will make heads explode for only $9.99. If you want to just go crazy and get 'em both, you can save a whole five bucks by picking up the Bionic Commando Pack for $44.99.

In other bionic news, the Bionic Commando soundtrack is now available from Sumthing Digital and iTunes for $9.99. While opinions on Bionic Commando are mixed, the soundtrack is definitely worth checking out (just like its cousin).

[Via 1UP]

Bionic Commando Rearmed Trophies are almost here

by Jem Alexander { Jul 21st 2009 at 9:30PM }

Hey, remember Bionic Commando Rearmed? Probably not, seeing as it came out almost a year ago. It was a pretty decent remake of the NES classic. Only one problem -- it didn't have Trophies. Still, Capcom promised they'd patch them in. Then they canceled that promise. Then they promised again.

Now, finally, we've been told via the company's official Twitter account that the Trophy patch has been approved for the US, with Europe scheduled to be approved in the next few days. The upshot of which is that you "may" be getting your long-awaited Trophies within the next "7 to 10 days." We're pretty sure most of you will have moved on by now, but it's the thought that counts.

Bionic Commando swings to PC July 17 in EU, July 28 in US

by David Hinkle { Jul 8th 2009 at 8:57PM }

If you've been anxiously awaiting Nathan Spencer's latest romp, Bionic Commando, on the PC, then we've got some important days you'll need to mark on your calendar. First up, courtesy of Eurogamer, we know the title will release in Europe on July 17. Capcom has confirmed with us that the game will arrive in North America two weeks later, on July 28.

The PC version of Bionic Commando will feature the same gameplay as its console counterparts, but will boast new features in DirectX 9 and 10 support, higher resolutions, customizable controls and online options. Considering the game only managed to move 27,000 copies on consoles in its first month of US release, we wonder how the PC launch will fare.

Bionic Commando, Wheelman, more drop to $20 in GameStop sale

by Andrew Yoon { Jul 8th 2009 at 3:00PM }

GameStop is having a sale on a number of games; some of them flops that have plummeted from $60 to $20. Highlights include:

Guitar Hero: World Tour (Band Kit) - $90 [360/Wii]
Bionic Commando - $20 [PS3/360]
Wheelman - $20 [PS3/360]
Tom Clancy's HAWX - $20 [PS3/360]
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - $20 [PS3/360]
Prince of Persia - $20 [PS3/360]
Tom Clancy's EndWar - $20 [PS3/360]
Cooking Mama: World Kitchen - $20 [Wii]
House of the Dead 2 and 3 Returns - $20 [Wii]

GameStop's summer sale runs from now until August 2. Check out all the goods here.

Bionic Commando grappled only 27k sales in May

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 15th 2009 at 10:45AM }

The new Bionic Commando sold a mere 27,000 units during its first month of sale in the US this May, reports Gamasutra. Well, its "first month" might be stretching it (like a grapple arm) a bit. The title went on sale May 19, which means it was at retail for the Xbox 360 and PS3 for a little under two weeks. Although, even with that caveat, those sales figures still aren't good for the modestly reviewed title, which had plenty of promotion.

Terminator Salvation, also developed by (the allegedly downsized) Grin and released around the same time as BC, sold 43,000 units with exceptionally poor reviews. To really put things in perspective, Bionic Commando Rearmed -- the high-def remake of the classic game -- sold 130,000 copies during its first week late last year.

Rumor: GRIN lays off more than 100

by Justin McElroy { May 27th 2009 at 8:45PM }

GRIN sort of exploded onto the scene recently with Wanted, Bionic Commando and Terminator Salvation all releasing within a couple of months of each other. Like a star post-supernova though, it seems that the company might be shrinking in on itself. Kotaku's reporting that various sources have indicated to them that the company has let go of more than 100 staff members.

We're working on getting official confirmation from someone at GRIN, we'll let you know what we find out.

Bionic Commando leaderboards swing online

by Richard Mitchell { May 20th 2009 at 8:00PM }

Capcom Unity reports that the leaderboards for Bionic Commando are now viewable on the game's website. The boards are fairly basic, displaying each players overall XP as well as their total kills, deaths and wins. Right now, it looks like the leaderboards are only available for the Xbox 360 version of the game, despite its availability on the PS3 and PC. Alas, there doesn't appear to be a search function, so good luck looking up how awesome you are.

Conversely, it will be much easier for bad players to hide their shame.

Future Capcom titles hitting Steam day and date with retail; more RE5 DLC considered

by Alexander Sliwinski { May 20th 2009 at 1:35PM }

Capcom's business and strategy VP Christian Svensson mentioned in a recent interview that the company plans to release future titles on Steam day and date with retail. ButtonBasher, following up on information provided in a recent Rock Paper Shotgun interview, discussed the topic of PC digital distribution and Svensson noted that Dark Void and Bionic Commando will be available on Steam at the same time as retail. The executive also noted that Capcom's western offices take digital distribution "very seriously."

Svensson added that the company is "considering" more DLC for Resident Evil 5. He notes that "there's nothing to announce by any stretch," but that a request for DLC suggestions on the company forums created a thread that's "hundreds of posts long." That's not really shocking, considering fans are passionate enough to give their blood for RE swag.

[Thanks, Jono]

Metareview - Bionic Commando (Xbox 360/PS3)

by David Hinkle { May 19th 2009 at 7:00PM }

Now that we've subjected you to our own review of Bionic Commando, it's high time we check out what others had to say about Nathan Spencer and his latest exploits. In short, it would seem the game is a success with most outlets. So, swing your eyes below and see what the rest of the gaming community thinks of Capcom's franchise reboot.

IGN (80/100): "If you can look past the replayability issues that crop up due to the linear play, you'll find an enjoyable adventure that easily re-establishes the franchise for Capcom."
Giant Bomb (80/100): "Bionic Commando goes back and forth between moments of great, navigation-based gameplay and a lot of little touches that don't work as well as you'd like. It makes the final product a little frustrating, because you can almost see a better game trying to bust its way out of its constraints."
Eurogamer (70/100): "Bionic Commando succeeds in resurrecting a good idea lost to the Capcom archives, and giving it a new lease of life, but it falls foul of a few old standards in the process."
Game Informer (63/100): "It's hard to forget the unresponsive controls, ludicrous story, and questionable combat encounters. The game is uneven and inconsistent enough to scare away even eager fans who have patiently waited 20 years for another swing." [June 2009, p.83]