When you think about racing video games, one of the first games that come to mind would be Midnight Club. However, when conducting an investigation of Rockstar San Diego — because of the recent work condition accusations — anonymous sources (within the company, of course) spoke about Midnight Club’s future.

“Jay Panek and Mark Garone, people who were at the company for over 10 years, were fired in 2009 after the completion of Midnight Club: LA … other major people quit, as they lost hope in the company after the handling of MC:LA and didn’t want to work on Red Dead Redemption,” reported one source.

When questioned about the possibility of there being another title, a second source relayed to Joystiq that “there was going to be another”. But, soon after the team got the news, they had been outsourced. However, at the time, a small development team were still developing the title. Then, after a while, nothing happen. So anything could, and would, happen to the Midnight Club series at this point, seeing that Take-Two, its big brother, wants something soon.

Earlier this year, the 12 year-long development soap opera that was Duke Nukem Forever’s development cycle came to an end, marked by the laying off of almost its entire development team at 3D Realm. However, today, rumors point to there being a new installment in the works, teased by the Facebook account for our catchphrase-spouting hero himself, Duke Nukem, reports GameSpot.

The account, created last week, seems to be a viral marketing campaign for Duke Nukem. Which, after posting the status “Duke Nukem doesn’t stay down for long”, released this screenshot (pictured above) – picturing a helmeted soldier shooting a rifle at a towering monster inside a sports stadium, a picturesque scene from the leaked Duke Nukem Forever footage.

Unfortunately, there’s little chance that our catchphrase-spouting protagonist will be blasting aliens anytime soon. You see, the Duke Nukem license is currently at the center of a heated legal dispute between 3D Realms parent Apogee Software, who retains ownership of the Duke Nukem IP, and Take-Two Interactive, which lays claim to Duke Nukem Forever’s publishing rights.

It’s a good news/bad news situation, depending on how you view it: if you pre-ordered the game for as a Christmas gift, it’s bad. If it’s one of the many games on your Christmas shopping list, and you’re short on holiday money, it’s good – but not all that good.

Yesterday, Take-Two Interactive announced that BioShock 2 won’t be releasing within the company’s fourth quarter, as previously planned. BioShock 2 has instead been pushed up to the “first half” of 2010.

“The decision to shift a release date is never an easy one, especially with a product as highly anticipated as BioShock 2,” said Take-Two CEO Ben Feder. “We felt that it was essential to invest the additional time to ensure that this title will deliver what its fans expect and deserve.”

However, the move is worst for the company’s current fiscal year, which ends on October 31, but good news for its 2010 fiscal year, said Jesse Divnich, director of analyst services at Electronic Entertainment Design & Research in Carlsbad, Calif.

“I expect them to dominate fiscal 2010,” Divnich said. “BioShock 2, Max Payne 3, Red Dead Redemption, Mafia II, additional Grand Theft Auto Downloadable Content (DLC), and the possible launch of Agent should make fiscal 2010 the year of Take-Two. As far as I am concerned, Take-Two is just moving numbers from one financial year to another.”

[Bioshock 2 delayed; Take-Two's stock takes a hit via LA Times]

First, it was 2K Marin and 2K Australia collaborating in the development of BioShock 2. After that we learned that the sequel to BioShock will feature a competitive multiplayer mode, which will be created Digital Extremes.

Now, it seems that Arkane Studios, which developed Dark Messiah of Might and Magic for Ubisoft, will play in the development of BioShock 2.

“Today I’m proud to say that we’ve added another important developer to the mix. Under the direction and leadership of 2K Marin, Arkane is assisting in the creation of levels that embody the aesthetic and gameplay ideals that make BioShock such a unique and exciting experience,” Alyssa Finley, producer for 2K Marin, explained to GI.biz.

[Take-Two brings in fourth studio for BioShock 2 via GI.biz - thanks to TeamXbox]

Agent was announced at the Sony’s Press Conference during E3 earlier this month, but we only received some “base-line” information about the title. However, in a recent Eurogamer interview, Take-Two CEO Ben Feder spilled the goods on the “spiritual successor” to the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

“It’s a completely different storyline, there is completely different character development. It’s a game about espionage, set in the 1970s. GTA is obviously more about an urban experience, a typically rags to riches experience,” Feder says. ”Very, very different storylines, very different character development. It’s going to be very fresh for gamers.”

Feder then went on the reveal the reason as to why its an exclusive title; he stated that, “it’s important when you’re launching a new franchise to make sure you have the right support.” As you can see, the PlayStation 3 apparently provides such support. I’m not going to continue beyond that point.

This game is sounding better and better each time. Ben Feder, president of Rockstar parent Take-Two Interactive, believes that Agent could achieve the same level of success as their Grand Theft Auto series, given its development is being overseen by Rockstar North founders Sam and Dan Houser.

“We think this has the potential to be yet another great Rockstar North franchise title….It’s the Houser Brothers and Rockstar North. It’s the A team working on an AAA title. I think the subject matter, the characters, the story, the environment, the background–all the elements are there. It’s such a rich environment to play in.”

When speaking with GameSpot on the Electronic Entertainment Expo show floor, Feder explained the decision to develop the game solely for Sony’s console.

“The trade-offs a publisher will typically make is, if you’re platform-agnostic, you get a larger installed base,” he said. “You’re platform exclusive when you get the right kind of support from first parties.”

Take-Two believes Sony will offer the same kind of support which made Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – all initially PlayStation 2 exclusives – three of the top 10 selling games of all time.

At this phase in the cycle, when you’re trying to launch a new franchise, exclusivity can really help you launch the franchise. It can give you the kind of platform that you need to start exclusive, start in the right kind of way with the right kind of partner. Exclusivity does work,” Founder continued.

“I have a lot of confidence in Sony. I have a lot of confidence in their ability to lead the market, as they always have,” declared Feder. “Their console is a terrific platform to be developing for, and Agent is a great testament as to our belief in what that platform can do, and what they can do with us as part of a partnership.”

The only word that can sum up the 12-year-long development soap opera that was Duke Nukem Forever is disappointing. However, it was super disappointing for publisher Take-Two Interactive, who had invested over $12 million in the game, because the publisher is suing 3D Realms, or what’s left of it.

According to Bloomberg, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. filed a breach of contract suits against Apogee Software Ltd. – also know as 3D Realms - this week in a Manhattan Court over the developer’s “continually delayed” of the Duke Nukem sequel.

The complaint revealed that, “Apogee repeatedly assured Take-Two and the video-gaming community that it was diligently working toward competing development of the PC Version of the Duke Nukem Forever.”

3D Realms, which was based in Garland, Texas, never produced the game and instead closed its studio on May 6, terminated development of the game and fired employees who had been involved in the Duke Nukem project.

As of lately, I have had this wield feeling that when this downfall is over things are never going to be the same, and it looks like I’m right.

Today, according to Reuters, Take-Two Interactive has announced that its Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gary Dale, has resigned after only five months. The company proclaims that he left because of some ‘personal reasons’ and they also say that they don’t have any plans to fill Dale’s position.

Dale had been responsible for Take-Two’s publishing labels, sales activities, international expansion and business development initiatives.

Dale was named COO in August. Previously, he served as an executive vice president at Take-Two, and before that he was COO of Rockstar Games, the developer of “Grand Theft Auto.”

Anyway, what i meant by ‘downfall’ was that everything is falling, like the recent use with Circuit City and them closing hundreds of U.S. stores.

Rockstar Games announced that the Midnight Club: Los Angeles released has been pushed to October 7, 2008 this date also come’s in effect for the PSP version. Along with this delay they where nice to grace us with some new screenshots.

Rockstar Games announces new release date for Midnight Club: Los Angeles on the Xbox 360® and PLAYSTATION® 3 and Midnight Club: LA Remix for the PSP®
Open-world street racing series debuts on October 7th and 10th in North America and Europe, respectively

New York, NY – July 3, 2008 – Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) today announced a new release date for the fourth installment of its critically-acclaimed and genre-defining Midnight Club franchise, Midnight Club: Los Angeles. Set for release on October 7th in North America and October 10th in Europe and developed by series creator Rockstar San Diego, Midnight Club: Los Angeles will give gamers the unprecedented freedom to race through a hyper-realistic LA.

Rockstar San Diego has created a beautiful rendition of Los Angeles to race through at break neck speeds and explore at your own pace. With no tracks and no load times, Midnight Club: Los Angeles offers the ultimate freedom to play however you choose.

Also scheduled for release simultaneously, Midnight Club: LA Remix for the PSP® system will provide another incredible portable racing experience. Developed by Rockstar London, the game will take full advantage of the hardware to deliver the unrivaled sense of speed and style that the best-selling Midnight Club series is known for.

Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), the author of California’s law attempting to prohibit the sale of extremely violent video games to minors, today urged parents to avoid purchasing the latest graphically violent video game – Grand Theft Auto IV – scheduled for release on Tuesday, April 29. GTA IV, the newest in the ultra-violent video game series, is expected to be the year’s most popular game despite its rating of M for adult audiences.

"It is imperative that parents avoid purchasing this game for their children and always review the video games their children are playing," said Yee, who is also a child psychologist. "Unfortunately, the makers of Grand Theft Auto have a history of deceiving the ratings board and the public on the true content of their games. Parents beware: this game undoubtedly glorifies violence, is extremely realistic and designed for adults only."

In June 2005, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and GTA’s creator Rockstar, were involved in a multi-million dollar scandal called "Hot Coffee," in which Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, a game originally rated M by the ESRB, was found to have hidden animations allowing players to watch graphic scenes of oral sex, nudity, and simulated intercourse. The scandal resulted in the game being pulled from most store shelves, a $2.75 million class-action settlement, and the stocks of the Rockstar’s parent company (Take Two Interactive) losing nearly half their value.

The ESRB rates a game based solely on a short video clip and information supplied by the game’s maker and does not actually play or review the full content of the game. While M-rated games are designed for adults, there is no prohibition to selling such games to children. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission reports that 42 percent of unaccompanied children 13 to 16 years of age can successfully purchase M-rated games.

In addition, a recent report by the National Institute on Media & the Family found complacency among retailers, parents and the gaming industry regarding video game rating awareness, enforcement and usage. Among the report’s highlights was a retailer grade of C-, with national retailers receiving a D and rental stores collecting a failing (F) grade. The game industry as a whole received a C and the ESRB received a C+.

Please note: this is a press release