vashivihan
Let There Be Rock
Criterion's next game to appear on Wii and DS
The Rumour: After the success of Burnout Paradise, the next title from Criterion is highly anticipated. At the moment no details on the game are known, but it apparently won't be next-gen only and it'll be a brand new IP. We've heard that it'll be arriving on Nintendo's DS and Wii, along with the other usual suspects. It might even arrive this year.
Verdict: We've got nothing to go on other than the credibility of Surfer Girl, rumour queen of the internet. Having not been 100% correct with her past rumours, we'd usually be quite hesitant, but the vagueness of the rumour makes it more plausible. Criterion is clearly working on a new game, and Wii and DS versions would make sense given the success the two systems have had.
Plausibility rating: 4/5
Ninja Theory's next game not Heavenly Sword 2
The Rumour: The developer of exclusive PlayStation 3 title Heavenly Sword is hard at work on a new game, but it's not the sequel to their debut PS3 title. It's an entirely new game built on a new IP.
Verdict: Well, unless Ninja Theory has more than one studio then it looks like a pretty open and shut case. According to the official website for the development studio: "Right now we're working on an exciting new concept that has got everyone we talk to buzzing. We can't say a lot except that it's going to be great to work on and should be even better to play! It'll take all the things we loved about Heavenly Sword and make them bigger and better than ever before." A new concept doesn't sound very much like a sequel to us.
Plausibility rating: 4/5
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith to feature new instruments
The Rumour: As well as the expected guitar play, the special Aerosmith edition of Guitar Hero will include support for drum and microphone peripherals.
Verdict: Activision has said nothing on the rumour, but US retailer Best Buy had the following to say on the product page for the game: "This adventure for the amazing Guitar Hero series lets you drum like Joey Kramer, wield an axe like Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, bring up the bottom like bassman Tom Hamilton and belt out vocals like the legendary Steven Tyler." We're more hopeful than we are certain, especially as we'd assume the big changes would come in Guitar Hero 4.
Plausibility rating: 2/5
Xbox 720 already in development
The Rumour: The next Xbox from Microsoft in already in development and will feature a totally reworked LIVE service.
Verdict: The source is certainly credible with this one, being Microsoft's own US careers website. The site listed a job advert (an ad that has since been removed), which said:
"Want to be involved in the next release of Xbox? Join the server-backed games team, part of the Xbox LIVE team that's responsible for creating a completely new way for mainstream audiences to enjoy the Xbox and LIVE.
"We're building the games, the console interface and logic, and the server support for a totally new LIVE experience. Both the games and the dashboard experience will be deeply paired with dynamic server support to create a compelling, fresh scenario each time.
"We are looking for a passionate games producer to help implement our first generation games that will run in this new environment."
Work on the next Xbox has to begin at some point, and just because work is ongoing now it doesn't mean the end of the Xbox 360 is near - development of a new platform won't happen overnight.
Plausibility rating: 4/5
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