Left 4 Dead Developers Sign With THQ, Promise to Change Multiplayer

THQ is at it once again. The publisher has signed the next game from Turtle Rock Studios, who used to work very closely with Valve, which resulted in Counter Strike: Source and Left 4 Dead.

All we know about this game so far is that it will be a first-person-shooter which will feature fantastic multiplayer.

"Turtle Rock Studios is responsible for one of the most original, critically acclaimed co-operative games of this generation," says Dan Bilson, Exec VP of Core Games at THQ, "and we are incredibly excited to be working with them on their next project, which looks set to make a similar impact in the multiplayer space."

As far as when we'll hear more about this game, well that's a little more murky. With "a full reveal at a later date," we won't be hearing anything about it this E3.

And even once we finally hear more about this game it'll be even longer until we get to play it, sometime in 2013.

THQ and Random House Publishing Join Forces

THQ announced a deal with Random House Publishing Group today. The deal will form a joint team which will work to create new IP's that span video games and books. The hope being that this may also expand to other media forms, as well as creating "world bibles" for properties via the Random House Worlds Division.

"Working with the incredible team at Random House, we expect to build a huge IP universe from the ground up, exploring the characters, settings, and stories of these worlds in ways that let each medium do what it does best, and giving fans a truly unequaled experience." Says THQ core games director Lenny Brown. "We hope to make this relationship the gold standard in transmedia."

This partnership is built on the one established with Homefront which had a prequel novel The Voice of Freedom, which was published by Del Rey Books (a subsidiary of Random House). Similar cross-media properties have proven successful in the past with EA's Deadspace property, and the Halo franchise, so it's logical to think that THQ could have similar success with this deal.

THQ Claims 375K First Day Sales for Homefront

THQ is claiming rather impressive first day sales for Homefront. The company claims that it sold approximately 375,000 copies, and that's sold through to consumers not sold to retailers. Brian Farrell, CEO, said the company is "delighted with first day sales" and preparing to ship more copies out to retailers.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, THQ's (THQI) stocks fell 20% on the Nasdaq. This could be because of the mixed and mostly lackluster reviews.

With server issues for many gamers, relatively poor reviews, and other big games still out there, it will be interesting to see if these sale sustain themselves, once we get NPD numbers next month.

First Saints Row: The Third Details Come In

Looks like certain people may have gotten an early look at the upcoming Saints Row: The Third from Volition in the upcoming issue of Game Informer magazine. From weapon upgrades, to returning characters, how the game begins is a lot to even know, especially this early since it's coming out this hoiday.

Via a NeoGaf post, Destructoid reports all this will be included, with the exception of competitive online play, BUT co-op play will still stay.

• Saints Row 3 starts with a bungled heist that sees the majority of the gang jailed. This raises the ire of a new gang, the Syndicate, which holds you and your closest allies prisoner on a jet. The gang wants to squeeze a percentage of the Saints' monthly profits, which of course leads to a fight and causes your character to jump out of the jet.
• Johnny Gat and Shaundi, two of your major allies from Saints Row 2, will be returning as accomplices.
• Weapons can now be upgraded. For example, you can fit sniper scopes and under-barrel grenade launchers to the assault rifle.
  
• Another character is Oleg, an eight-foot-tall monster of a man that can toss cars around. The Syndicate attempts to clone him, but science goes wrong and creates a bunch of dumb copies. These will show up as new enemy types in the game.
• A new RC gun lets you shoot an electronic bug that can control vehicles remotely. You will be able to upgrade it to control tanks and air transport.
• Three new gangs: Morning Star, which model themselves after masked wrestlers. The Deckers, computer nerds into money laundering and security. STAG, a government-sanctioned group designed to destroy other gangs.
• Missions can be completed in multiple ways. For instance, you could blow up an important skyscraper, or take the building over. Another example if stealing a Morning Star boat full of prostitutes -- you can sell the boat back to the gang, or keep it and pimp the girls yourself for profit.
• A traditional leveling system has been included this time. Your Respect gauge now works like experience points. You'll rank up with increased respect, and kit out your character with new perks and weapons. Player choice will be paramount.
• Cars can be upgraded with more features this time. Various aesthetic and performance tweaks will be offered, such as durable bumpers, extra speed, oversized spoilers and colored underglows. More costume options for the player character are, of course, available. Confirmed costumes include space suits, cowboys/cowgirls, cheerleaders, mexican wrestlers, superheroes, pirates, ninjas, and furries.
• New weapons include a giant dildo and tactical airstrikes. That is the most extreme spectrum I've seen.
• Every single weapon has included a specific animation for nut shots. With a pistol, you'll drop to a knee and whip the gun into the fruits. With a bazooka, you'll take a full golf swing at the tender portions.
  
• The button for sprinting has been dubbed the AWESOME button because, in contextual situations, it will make your character do cool things. For example, if you sprint to a car, you'll do a missile dropkick through the window to hijack cars more efficiently.
  
• Confirmed Activity side-missions include: Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax, a Japanese game show full of dangerous stunts and, I'm sure, plenty of charming racism. Tank Mayhem, in which you use a tank to destroy specific high value targets. Guardian Angel, where you must drive carefully around town with a tiger in the back of your car.

Keep a look out on Gamerzitch when we get our hands on April issue of Game Informer. There may be some extra details!

"Saints Row: The Third" Officially Confirmed

Originally leaked online with art, the 3rd installement of the Saints Row franchise has shed some light and will be put on the front cover for next month's new Game Informer magazine.

From what G4TV and Joystiq reports, the game will take place (again) in Stillwater, whereas you're a "celebrity". This gets a gang called "The Syndicate" attention and pretty much wants to kick you out of town. From what they say, it'll have "the most outlandish gameplay scenarios ever seen."

Make sure to check back on Gamerzitch, 'cause we'll keep you posted with the latest info!