Why BioShock Infinite won Game of Show at E3

If it’s been a while since you got excited about or for that matter even wanted to play a video game – Do Not Watch the BioShock Infinite demo. Believe us, there is a very good reason this demo took home the Game of Show honors at E3 this year, not to mention 38 more Best of Show awards and 35 other awards. This is it:

In general we aren’t big fans of first-person-shooter (FPS) games, let alone those featuring a male player character and female supporting characters whose IQs are dwarfed by their bra-size. That said, we have to admit, this trailer actually made us want to play BioShock Infinite, and that’s the first time in a very long time we’re able to say that.

This riveting demo will delight old and new BioShock players, fans and potentially digital art lovers. The immersive quality and rich detail are exactly what you’d expect from the creative team behind the original BioShock, which by the way is included in the Art of the Video Game exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

BioShock Infinite is being devloped by Irrational Games a 2K Games Studio. 2K Games is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take -Two Interactive software, Inc. Take Two announced in May 2011 that the company’s net revenues grew 49 percent to more than $1.14 billion during fiscal year 2011.  The company’s current hot title is Rockstar Games’ L.A. Noire, which is available on the Sony PlayStation and Xbox 360 gaming systems. The PC/Mac version is due to be shipped at the end of the year.

BioShock Infinite isn’t hitting store shelves until sometime in 2012 but is available for pre-order. Making the wait even harder is Ken Levine’s revelation that, at least right now, the demo is a segment of actual gameplay from the third level of BioShock Infinite. Find out more about the demo and the game in this exclusive interview from GTTV that aired last week on Spike TV.

Spike TV features BioShock Infinite in 30-minute GTTV special

Get a glimpse into the future on Thursday, 7 July, 2011 when a ground-breaking 30-minute Game Trailers TV (GTTV) special, featuring BioShock Infinite airs on Spike TV.

Irrational Games‘ Ken Levine will join host Geoff Keighley in this GTTV exclusive event.  What is sure to be of the most interest to gamers, however, is the 14-minute BioShock Infinite gameplay demo. The high-definition (HD) demo will premiere exactly as it was shown to industry professionals and journalists behind closed doors at E3. In addition to many independent editorial awards, BioShock Infinite also earned the industry’s most coveted E3 honor, the Game Critics Awards’ “Game of Show”.

“At this year’s E3, members of the Irrational team were honored to see the amazing games our industry friends and colleagues are producing. And we are thrilled that the gaming media selected BioShock Infinite as the Standout title at the show,” Levine said.

Immediately following the TV premiere, viewers around the world can view an extended interview with Levine about BioShock Limited and the making of the E3 demo by visiting GameTrailers.com.

BioShock Infinite Screenshot, Courtesy of Irrational Games

BioShock Infinite is a not-yet-rated video game taking place in the not so distant future…or past. With the United States emerging as a world power, the floating City of Columbia, a symbol of American ideals and idealism, is launched amid great public fanfare. The Columbia, and it’s message (or mission) or hope tarnishes quickly, even before the City disappears into the clouds.

Players assume the role of Booker DeWitt, a former Pinkerton agent sent to find Columbia and rescue a young woman, Elizabeth, who has been imprisoned there since childhood. The pair develop a relationship, augmenting each other’s skills as they race to escape a City that is falling from the skies quite literally. Along the way, DeWitt engages in high-speed Sky-line battles, both indoors and among the clouds as he harnesses the power of the dozens of new weapons and abilities he needs to successfully complete his mission.

” For weeks gamers have been wondering when they can see the incredible and inspiring BioShock Infinite demo that earned Game of the Show honors at E3,” said Geoff Keighley, executive in charge, Publisher Relations, Spike TV. “We are honored to partner with Irrational to broadcast the complete demo experience to Spike TV as it was originally presented to the press and industry at E3.”

Have you heard about the Immortals trailer…on the radio?

There was a time when movie trailers promoted movies. Recently, and thanks largely to the internet, streaming media, high speed modems and services like YouTube.com, trailers themselves have become products to be promoted. For the most part, this promotion has occurred using the same online channels that turned trailers into miniature features in their own right rather than just another ad. That changed on Monday, 27 June, 2011.

We now have advertising campaigns for trailers on, of all places, the radio.

On Monday, 27 June, 2011 Ryan Seacrest kicked off an unprecedented promotional campaign for the Immortals which hits theaters 29 June, 2011. Not the film. The trailer. The film doesn’t open until November 2011.

Seacrest used his KIIS-FM radio show On Air with Ryan Seacrest to deliver teasers and tidbits about the trailer beginning at 6 a.m. He was also be talking up the trailer through his social media (Facebook and Twitter) and website (ryanseacrest.com). He did manage one tweet about it yesterday:

Ryan Seacrest's tweet about the new Immortals trailer

Also on Monday, Clear Channel‘s on-air personalities airing on approximately 400 stations in 150 markets began promoting the trailer. DJs (if we can still call them that) have been directing listeners to digital networks ranging from their individual station websites to iHeartRadio to Facebook pages to Twitter accounts for information about the trailers, and, almost coincidently the film. The trailer, not the film, will receive prominent placement within the dynamic lead on the stations’ homepages, Facebook pages and Twitter timelines.

Though #Immortals is not trending in the U.S. at the time of this writing, it is being tweeted about, and not just be radio personalities.

Makeup artist & hair stylist @Nichole_McRiley tweeted “the #Immortals graphics and mind-blowing”.

According to @GirlsLoveSciFi “A new #Immortals trailer hits the Internet – Henry Cavil is looking HOT. #thatisall” The also review the trailer on their Geeky Girls Love Sci-Fi blog.

In fact, none of the tweets yet today have been from radio stations, indicating that either their efforts yesterday are working or that the radio types are not big tweeters. Not even the corporate @ClearChannel account has mentioned it. Then again, they haven’t tweeted since 15 June, either. Continue reading…

Does the world really want zombies in bikinis?

There’s been a bit of controversy brewing since the Dead Island announcement trailer debuted on YouTube. Most of it centers on whether the Dead Island game itself, when it is released sometime this year, will have the same emotional impact as the trailer. We have a more important question to raise: Does the world really want, let alone need, zombies in bikinis and swim trunks?

True Blood's Latest Promo

HBO is teasing the hell out of all us ultimate truebies! The latest promo has everyone begging for more!

What all do we have to expect from the new season? Witches, Weres, Vampires and a Snarky Telepathic. There should be nudity, sex, blood, and lots of fur and fang!

Sink Your Teeth Into the ‘True Blood’ Trailer

True Blood: Season 4 “Waiting Sucks” Arlene & Terry

Melancholia Trailer (via Eric & Sookie Lovers)

via Melancholia Trailer.

‘Priest’: Plot confuse you? Bloody and gritty animated prologue explains (via Inside Movies)

A wonderful example of how fanfic can add to a commercial product, is this case a film. This is probably more along the lines of something that was planned by Sony, but wouldn’t it be nice if more fan-made material could find a wider audience or catch the eyes of studios publishing execs?

Sci-fi action-thrillers set in alternate realities often have baroque plots that don’t easily cram into three-minute trailers. In Priest (which opens May 13), Paul Bettany plays a discarded warrior who outlived his usefulness after the latest war against vampires ended. He returns to action, however, after the sustenance-seeking cretins kidnap his niece. This animated short breaks down the film’s mythology that sets up the plot line: “It’s a stor … Read More

via Inside Movies

Deathly Hallows becomes Harry Potter’s top earner

Just as things are about to end, the wizarding world heats up. A scant 4 months before the final installment of the Harry Potter film franchise hits theaters, Warner Bros. Pictures have announced that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 has become the highest grossing film in the series in international markets. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 has earned a staggering $657.24 million and counting, according to an announcement made Wednesday, 9 March, 2001 by Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of international Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. The previous record, $657 million was held by the first film in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone which premiered in 2001.

“It’s tremendously gratifying to reach this benchmark as we enter the final stretch of this remarkable journey,” said Jeff Robinov, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Group. “We share this achievement with Jo Rowling, who books are the foundation of this rich and vibrant world, as well as the talented people who brought her vision to life on the screen.”

The Harry Potter series already has the distinction of being the top-grossing film franchise of all time, with the first six of the planned seven titles grossing $6.37 billion worldwide. The international benchmark announced this week bring’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 to a total earning of $951.8 million. Adding the anticipation for Part 2, which is set to open globally on 15 July, 2011.

“These numbers speak to the phenomenal and enduring strength of this property, which has captivated audiences across all borders, regardless of age or culture. We’re looking forward to releasing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 this summer which will be a fitting way to bring to a close the movie event of a generation,” stated Kwan-Rubinek.

The Priest trailer challenge: It’s the fans’ turn now

Once upon a time, in an alternate world, man warred against vampires. For centuries, the human population relied on the Church and their warrior priests to protect them from the monstrous terrors of the night. Only within this last generation has there been peace, or, if not peace, at least an uneasy truce.

Most of the humans have retreated into walled off cities ruled by the Church. The vampires retreated…elsewhere. Recently, however settlers and loners have ventured out of the dystopian human cities. And the vampires have returned to prey upon them as well.

Priest Movie Poster

When the niece (Lily Collins) of a legendary Warrior Priest (Paul Bettany) is taken by a pack of animalistic vampires who also kill his brother (Stephen Moyer) and sister-in-law, Priest violates his sacred vows to seek her. Knowing it is only a matter of time before she is made a vampire, Priest leaves the cities only to become the hunted himself by his fellow warriors as well as the vampires. He is not, however alone. A former Warrior Priestess (Maggie Q) and his niece’s boyfriend (Cam Gigandet) join his crusade to rescue the girl from bloodthirsty vampires and a satanic priest.

Sound inspiring?

If so, put your creative hat on. Sony Corporation of America (Sony) is helping film fans across the U.S. get in on the action. From now until March 18, fans can edit together their own trailer for the highly anticipated release of Screen Gems‘ film Priest. Trailer producers can use video clips, sound effects, dialogue, transitions and music from the film for an opportunity to win a trip for two to the LA. premiere of Priest.

A panel of Sony judges will select the top ten finalists, following the submission period, which is open to everyone having a Facebook account. Fans will determine the Grand Prize winner from among these 10 trailers. Voting to determine the Grand Prize Winning trailer will take place online between March 24 – 31, 2011.

Each of the nine runners-up will receive a Bloggie Touch™ and four tickets to see Priest at a local theater. In addition, a in a companion sweepstakes, 10 of those who voted in The Priest in 3D Trailer Challenge will be randomly selected to win a Sony Cyber-shot® camera.

The Priest in 3D Trailer Challenge is accessible no on the “Make Movies” tab at www.facebook.com/Sony. It is part of Sony’s ongoing make.believe (make dot believe) brand initiative designed to inspire creativity among consumers and engage them with programs centered on the make.believe spirit:

“Believe that anything you can imagine, you can make real.”

Priest will be released in 3D in theaters Nationwide on May 13, 2011.

For additional details on The Priest in 3D Trailer Challenge and its official rules, visit www.facebook.com/Sony.  Sweepstakes rules will be available att he same web site beginning March 24, 2011.

Here’s a look at the official trailer…just in case you’re curious: