Driver Madness

'trophix' on Ubisoft Forums come across this following news topic!
Source: http://kotaku.com/5152501/rumor-midways ... s-wheelman

kotaku wrote:Wheelman, the open world Vin Diesel racer, may be the first title to be properly reorganized under Midway's chapter 11 bankruptcy, as Kotaku has heard that the game has found a new home at Ubisoft.

We'd learned from a source last week that the game was planned to change publishers, with an announcement from Ubisoft expected shortly. Just recently, we'd been told by other sources at retail that outstanding orders for the game had been put on hold, with expectations that Wheelman would be re-solicited, delayed, and reappear as a Ubisoft game.

Whether Wheelman would be re-branded as part of the Driver series, the rights of which Ubisoft purchased from publisher Atari in 2006 is unknown. Given the extensive marketing Midway has put behind the Midway Newcastle and Tigon Studios developed title, it might seem like an odd fit, but could potentially benefit from the long-running Driver brand.

Retailers worldwide are currently showing the game's release date as March 20th, the most recent date provided by Midway after a series of delays.

When contacted, Midway representatives had a firm "No comment." Reps said that the company is currently focused on its financial issues and working through its bankruptcy reorganization. We've contacted Ubisoft and are currently awaiting a response.

As Midway wouldn't provide official comment and retailer listings show no change, we're calling the change of publisher rumor for now.

UPDATE - Retailer listings are indeed now showing the change. GameFly's listing for the title now shows Ubisoft, not Midway, as the game's publisher with a release date "TBD."

As long as it doesn't affect the Driver series, I ain't really bothered...


although, there may be one or two things that the Reflections team could learn from the guys behind the Wheelman!.


but, they can't just stick the Driver stamp on the Wheelman, because obviously, Driver has many fans out there (Hence how many fan sites there are for the Driver series), and the wheelman has a more "cartoonish" Handling method in their game than that which the Driver fans like in the Driver games.



I do hope that Ubisoft Reflections may learn a lesson or two about marketing though from the team behind the wheelman.

I've heard about it... I just hope that they doesn't rebrand it as part of the Driver series. I wouldn't be a nice fit.

*UPDATE*


More News About the Ubisoft and Midway deal!

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/ubiso ... h-wheelman

I still wondering if Wheelman will have the "Driver" name on it... probably not.

no.. from what i read of the article.. is the Midway is still making the game but Ubisoft is SELLING the game everywhere but Europe. so really it has nothing to do with Ubisoft

yeah, something like that, it seems ubisoft are there to lend a help in hand using their finances to help finish of the game and market it. If this is the case someone at Ubisoft feels this will be a really successful game.

If this is the case hopefully they have an opportunity to publishing rights. It would be nice to see Ubisoft Reflections and Midways development team merge.

To develop something in between The Wheelman and Driver to see what happens. I feel driver is a great game but obviously a large chunk of the market doesn't feel the same and the developers cannot spend much money developing the game because it isn't so popular, if they can come up with a formula that everyone likes. I always wonder, what if? Midway and Ubisoft Reflections team up.

They are both producing very different games with different focal points.

After reading "wheelman" I thought about this:

Remember that?

Yup, Someone972 is in the process of extracting the .LEV files for the PC version!

Also, why would UBI take over The Wheelman? This is really strange...

Dunno, but heads up on this
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q= ... arch&meta=, its the first link you want. I could only get it to work from google, somehow
Ubisoft Reflections advertised 8 more jobs! What are your thoughts, or am i just geting over excited, yes, yes i am, but check it out any way! Damn, i whish i could C++.

CARLUVER: Ubisoft IS NOT TAKING OVER THE WHEELMAN... they are just selling IT

Ubisoft just want to "help' Midway. My real guess is that Ubisoft will try to takeover Midway in a near future...

It seems as if Ubisoft is getting the rights to popular driving games (Driver series, now Wheelman)

Because Ubisoft doesn't have too much experience in racing/driving field. They bought Reflections and Driver due to this. And they're "helping" to publish Wheelman for the same reason.