It seems Sega is branching into new directions, what with puzzle games for the PSP now… and “inventive” one at that, too. The company has announced Crush, a puzzle game that will intrigue players with its new “style of thought-provoking gameplay.” If you thought it was becoming too philosophic, don’t fear because it’s not: the game will be set in a 3D world where players will crush the environment and transform it into a more simplified 2D platformer. Once that is done, players will be able to move on to solve “otherwise impossible” challenges and more.

Designed for a wide and varied audience, Crush tells the story of Dan, a man with a lifetime of unresolved issues and bottled up emotions that have turned him into a nervous insomniac who is too tired to turn his life around. Desperate for a cure, he turns to hypnosis. It is during this state that he is given one last chance to sort through the wreckage of his past, before he loses the last thing he has - his sanity.

Crush is being developed by UK-based studio Kuju, and is set for release this Summer.

K2 Network has announced that it is bringing Sword of the New World, a popular Korean MMORPG, to North America and Europe this Summer. Developed by famed developer Hakkyu Kim, the creator of Ragnarok Online, Granado Espada, as it is known in Korea, is a fantasy MMORPG whose story features Europe’s exploration of the New World, letting players create and simultaneously control a family of characters utilizing a Multiple Character Control (MCC) system.

The Western version will see a new character customization feature with hundreds of costume options, an improved control scheme and an in-game tutorial, as well as an all-new story with hundreds of new quests.

More information and screenshots can be found on the game’s newly launched Western site. As stated above, the game is set for release this Summer.

Wowing us all, Blizzard has announced that World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade has broken the day-one sales record to become the fastest-selling PC game ever. It has sold nearly 2.4 million copies in its first 24 hours of availability, a number which many games won’t even reach during their lifetime.

The announcement continued, saying that 1.2 million copies were sold in North America, with Europe buying more than 1.1 million copies. By the end of the first day, a total of more than 1.7 million players had already logged in and upgraded World of Warcraft to play The Burning Crusade. Blizzard states that it has shipped more than 4 million copies throughout the world.

World of Warcraft, as per the latest announcement, is enjoyed by over 8 million people worldwide, with more than 2 million in North America and 1.5 million throughout Europe. It is by far the most successful MMORPG in the world.

An interview with Blizzard’s Itzik Ben Bassat on Empire offers word that the studio does not plan on rehashing the WoW formula for its next MMORPG. In fact, it’s going to be “innovative”. Word:

When we announce our next MMORPG it’s not going to be another WoW - we’re not a company that tends to tread the same ground. It’ll be something innovative and new that really brings entertainment to another level.

A Starcraft-themed MMO? Whatever it is, let’s hope Blizzard is able to add another quality title to its stable.

Let us all hope this keeps Uwe Boll from making even shittier game-movie adaptations: the nominations for the 27th Annual RAZZIE Awards have been announced out of which Bloodrayne has received seven nods, including Worst Picture, Actress and Director.

The Razzies is a sort of parody of the official Oscar Award, recognizing the worst movies of the year and publicly awarding them with a “gold spray-painted, golf-ball-sized raspberry atop a mangled super 8 film reel, with an estimated value of $4.97.” Bloodrayne, hailed as the biggest flop of 2006, was nominated in seven categories, including the above as well as Worst Supporting Actor, Actress and Screenplay.

Full announcement inside. Winners will be announced in a ceremony to be held on Oscar eve, February 24 at Hollywood’s Ivar Theatre.
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