Midway confirmed today that Wheelman (PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) will be shipping out globally on February 16, 2009. The game should available in stores by the 20th. If you're into open-world driving games, you might want to try this one out. Why? Because Vin Diesel wants you to.

After the recent series of shakedowns happening in Midway, word has been going around that the company may have to shut down its UK based studio Newcastle, subsequently putting development of its upcoming action shooter - The Wheelman (PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) - on hold. However, interim CEO Matt Booty squashed these unfounded rumors and confirmed that they had no plans of doing so. More details in our full article.

With Vin Diesel starring as the lead in The Wheelman (PC, Xbox 360, PS3), and Midway collaborating with Tigon Studios to deliver the finished product, it's no surprise that expectations are rising high, and the stakes, too. It doesn't hurt as well that Tigon Studios is founded by the Hollywood star himself. Read up after the jump.

If you've been wondering where Midway Games and MTV Games' The Wheelman has gone, you'll be glad to know that we just caught some eye candy for the said title. Aside from the newest trailer, we also have some developer commentary mixed in with some gameplay clips. Sound good? Click the full article link below.

It seems that God of War 2 director Cory Barlog has finally let us in on some of the details of the new project he'll be working on with film director George Miller. Suffice to say, they will be resurfacing a classic 1980's movie title and adapting it to the video game platform. To find out what this new project is all about, click on the "read more" link below for more information.

Old school games being planned for next-gen releases seem to be the latest trend. Of course, this is not something new but the amount of IPs being resurrected is really worth mentioning. Today, you can add another one to that list.

Aside from the planned movie Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, the company is also planning to release a new video game title based from the said film. Check out the full details of this development after the jump!

Back in May, Sierra Entertainment had finally confirmed Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena as being developed for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 by Starbreeze Studios. At that time, it was scheduled to be released sometime this year.

A spokesperson for Sierra just confirmed to Pro-G that this projected date has been delayed and the game is now currently cuffed and chained to 2008. No other specific details have been given, especially with regards to the reason of the delay.

If I'd hazard a guess, they're probably trying to render all those muscles of Vin Diesel. At the rate that that guy is built like a rock, god knows how long it'd take the team to create a realistic Diesel. Of course, I could be wrong. Obviously wrong.

Starbreeze Studios finally drops the gun on the rumors of a Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay remake. It is confirmed that the next title would be Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, and it is indeed a remake coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Apart from the expected graphics enhancement, 40% more new content for single player will be added too. The bonus will be set in a scavenger ship called Dark Athena, but no details about it yet. Could it mean new gritty environments while fist fighting against pirates? We'll have to wait.

Seems like the beef on this one is the multiplayer mode though, as most fans are probably itching for some hand-to-hand combat that made the original game a lot more fun. Blood on walls, heads on the floor - they're always better when it's not just some random AI thug you're dealing with.

More details should unfold soon, but the game is supposed to hit the shelves before the year ends. We'll make sure to keep you informed.

 

Love it or hate it, Vin Diesel is slowly making his presence felt in gaming. And while some of us are still wondering who's going to be Agent 47 in Riddick's Vin's absence, we'll be focusing on another project under works in Midway Games. Blacksite, Shadows of Angmar, Unreal Tournament 3, and Hour of Victory aside, the company is also developing The Wheelman for the 360, starring (and executive-produced) by none other than Vin Diesel himself.

Rewinding our facts a bit, we know that The Wheelman's story is about a retired getaway driver on the run from the Mafia. The plot develops as the said driver makes his way to Barcelona, which is overrun by the criminal element. Your job is to set up the rivalling factions to kill each other as you pursue your own agenda.

Backstory aside, we'll be providing details on the other features players can expect from this upcoming title, which is currently set to launch Q4 2007.

Vin Diesel = the Wheelman
The main character features the voice and likeness of action film megastar Vin Diesel. Possessing superior skills behind the wheel, he also has physical prowess in hand-to-hand combat.

Vehicle combat
Carjack any vehicle at any time then use it as a weapon to take down your enemies; trash it and grab another one. Shoot while driving with Steerable Targeting™ that allows you to lock on to targets by positioning your vehicle using your skills as a driver.

Stunts
Pull off stylish maneuvers and tricks to build up your “Focus” and trigger over-the-top Hollywood-style stunts, driving and shooting in real-time while the rest of the world slows. Feel the excitement of incredible slides, drifts and jumps without complex controls.

Setting
Set in the exotic location of Barcelona, the city is densely populated with traffic and pedestrians that react intelligently to your actions as you roam around realistic environments filled with massively destructible objects.

Online play
Create a unique character and join up with other players online for team-based missions where you can show off your driving skills.

Vin Diesel facts: Riddick to most, Melkor to the D&D community, real name Mark Sinclair Vincent III. And for the videogaming community, up until now, the iRL face of one of gaming's most notorious cue-balls - Agent 47 of the Hitman game series. Did we mention he uses a gun and bucket for blood donations?

Unfortunately, as hinted in the clause "up until now," it ain't the case anymore. We just got word on the web that instead of casting Vin, the Hitman: Bloody Money movie production will be be picking actor Timothy Olyphant, famous for his role as Seth Bullock in the Deadwood TV series.

In related news, Swordfish writer Skip Woods will still be providing for the movie' screenplay. Co-producers for the film as of now include Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), Chuck Gordon, Adrian Askarieh, and Daniel Alter. Expect this 20th Century Fox film to be coming in as early as next year's fall.