In this edition of Snackbar Speculator, we consider a possible Alien twist on a launch lineup, another console reveal and a new farming/dungeon-crawling sim.
New Aliens game to be launch title for Project Cafe
Sega recently announced that Creative Assembly, makers of the Total War series, was going to be making a new game with the Aliens IP. There’s a rumor out there that this game will appear, not just on the expected PS3 and Xbox 360, but also on Nintendo’s new console as a launch title.
Andrew Passafiume: Not much has happened with the Aliens IP that Sega has. They released the new Aliens vs. Predator game, but nothing else. Obsidian’s RPG was canceled and Gearbox’ Aliens: Colonial Mars seems to still be on indefinite hold. Sega is doing nothing with this IP, so a new Aliens game could happen sometime in the future. It’s hard to say what will and won’t come out for Nintendo’s next console, but this could be another potentially strong game to add to the launch lineup. At the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if nothing comes of this. 65%
Graham Russell: Pure toss-up. It’s really a matter of just how easy it will be to port from PS3/360 to Project Cafe, since I can’t see this being a huge seller on a Nintendo console. That said, I’m a fan of the Creative Assembly team, so there’s a difference between what I want and what I predict. 50%
Shawn Vermette: Sega hasn’t really done anything with the Aliens license since they bought it, so there’s high expectations for this Creative Assembly game. As for being a launch title for the next Nintendo console, that will depend entirely upon its specs. I’m going to bet that it will be powerful enough for it, but a launch title? I don’t know yet. 55%
Microsoft to unveil next Xbox at E3
We already know Nintendo is revealing their next console at E3 this year, and we know that Microsoft has been working on a new system from their open job descriptions for the past year. Rumor has it that they are preparing to officially reveal the next system at E3 as well, to try to steal some of Nintendo’s thunder.
Andrew: With the Kinect just launched, I doubt Microsoft really has any plans to announce anything besides new software at this year’s E3. Are they working on a new console? It’s definitely possible. Will it be unveiled anytime before next E3? Not at all. 5%
Graham: Microsoft will, in all likelihood, lose this E3. Could they want to slip out teaser information about a new console to get some press? Yeah, but they have enough on their plate trying to justify the Kinect for another holiday season. Why get buried under the NGP and Cafe when they could have next year to themselves? Er, potentially. Sony could announce something too. 23%
Shawn: I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new console from Microsoft that fully exploits the capabilities of the Kinect, since the Xbox 360 is reportedly too weak to do so. I also wouldn’t be surprised for them to launch it in 2012 either. Revealing it now though? I don’t think they’re ready. 25%
Natsume localizing Rune Factory: Oceans
According to Siliconera, Natsume is planning to reveal an unannounced game for the PS3 and Wii at E3. It could be a completely new game, but rumor has it that it is actually a localization of their newest Rune Factory game, Rune Factory: Oceans, which was released in February and doesn’t have a North American release scheduled yet.
Andrew: The Rune Factory series has decent popularity here (as does the Harvest Moon series) and we’ve seen every Rune Factory game make its way over here so far. I see no reason why they wouldn’t release this new game. 95%
Graham: This particular rumor, especially the “PS3/Wii” part, does make it seem true. Before that little nugget of info, I would have expected XSEED or Ignition try to snap it up. (That is what they do, after all.) But Natsume localizes these games in a way that fans of the series like, and that may factor in to the bottom line. 80%
Shawn: Pretty much every Harvest Moon and Rune Factory game has come over here eventually, so I’m fairly certain it will come over here eventually. And…there’s really not much more to say about that, I suppose. It will happen. 100%
