avalanche

With 'Cars 2' game, Pixar's DNA is abundant

Michael Caine would probably forgive you if you couldn't tell the difference between the video game version of his "Cars 2" character, Finn McMissile, and the sleek, sauve master spy car he plays in the forthcoming Pixar film.

On June 24, Pixar will release the sequel to its 2006 hit "Cars." This time, however, rather than following the story of a hot rod lost in a small town, the film is a James Bond-esque spy thriller complete with endless action sequences in stunning locales the world over.

But first, Avalanche Software is putting out Cars 2: The Video Game, and is hoping that those who both see the movie and play the game (available on all major gaming consoles and on the PC) will not sense any loss of story line.

Indeed, according to Jon Warner, a senior producer at Avalanche--which is part of Disney Interactive Studios, and therefore related to Pixar, which is owned by Disney--the game is a clear extension of the movie.

"We worked with Pixar to make the game an authentic addition to the film universe," Warner said. "When you come home from the theater and play the game, you'll feel like you've stepped back into that familiar world." … Read more

General Motors recalls 1.5 million vehicles

General Motors today announced its recalling 1.5 million 2007-2009 model cars, trucks, and crossovers to disable a heated washer fluid system module that could pose a fire risk. Because the feature will be disabled, GM will make a voluntary payment of $100 to the owner or lessee of each vehicle.

There are no known injuries or crashes related to the condition, according to a GM news release.

"While our analysis shows the number of incidents is very small compared with the number of vehicles on the road, we want our customers to have complete peace of mind," … Read more

New Chevys offer fuel-saving, six-speed automatic transmissions

In an effort to increase fuel economy, General Motors announced that the Chevrolet Cruze will be available with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. With either choice, the Cruze will deliver impressive fuel economy and performance, the company said in a press release.

The Cruze Eco model is expected to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 10 seconds and deliver a class-leading 40 miles per gallon on the highway when equipped with the manual transmission (estimates for the Cruze Eco with an automatic transmission will be available closer to launch).

"Our advanced six-speed … Read more

Toy Story 3 game celebrates Pixar's spirit of play

EMERYVILLE, Calif.--Call it Toy Story 3.5.

That's what Pixar's Jason Katz, at least, called Toy Story 3: The Video Game, during a press event for the game at the famous animation studio's headquarters here Wednesday.

Katz, the story supervisor on the forthcoming "Toy Story 3," which will hit theaters on June 18, was explaining to a group of reporters that while the game version of the film is very true to its source material, it also stands on its own and extends the franchise. Someone who plays the game and then sees the … Read more

Just Cause 2: The perfect getaway

The original Just Cause game debuted in September 2006 and though it attempted to introduce some compelling gameplay, we were left wanting more. Three and a half years later, the same development team (Avalanche Studios) is back with promises of new improvements and tighter gameplay.

We were definitely impressed with the private demo we received in late February, so let's see if the final version of the game delivers.

Jeff: Just Cause 2 may not be heavy on story or character development, but it doesn't need to be. Why? The game is an absolute blast in its own … Read more

Avalanche Studios lays off nearly half of staff

Swedish video game developer Avalanche Studios, which made 2006's Just Cause, has apparently decided to slash nearly half its staff after losing contracts for two new games.

According to GamesIndustry.biz, Avalanche said it will lay off 77 of its 160 employees after losing the contracts, which would have been worth as much as $34 million.

The company's CEO, Christofer Sundberg, told GamesIndustry.biz that it had lost the first contract in February, but had been able to weather that by moving staff around. But after the second contract was lost last week, it had nowhere to put … Read more