Following up on the previous announcement, here’s a CES 2008 trailer for Soul Calibur IV, showing off the inclusion of Yoda and Vader from the Star Wars series.

In one of the oddest announcements to be ever made, Namco Bandai sent out word that iconic Star Wars characters Yoda and Vader will make their appearance in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Soul Calibur IV. The Sith Lord Darth Vader will be choking his way to the PS3 version, while Yoda will be jumping around frantically on the Xbox 360 version.

“It is quite rare that two publishers of this caliber are able to collaborate on this level to create a top notch entertainment experience for next-generation platforms.” said Makoto Iwai, executive vice president and COO at Namco Bandai. “In the entertainment industry, LucasArts possesses some of the most recognizable characters and franchises in the world. We’re thrilled to integrate their historic characters into one of our most treasured brands.”

It is not known how exactly the players in the game will be able to block lightsaber attacks, but rest assured, it will be fun. Soul Calibur IV is due out this September.

Primotech has a story up where they carry word from a “source close to BioWare” that the studio’s next game will be a MMORPG based on the Star Wars: KOTOR universe. The game was originally released back in 2003 and has become a seminal hit.

Their source states that the game is being developed by the company’s Austin studio, which was formed in 2006 and is headed by James Ohlen, whose past credits include the first KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights and the Baldur’s Gate series, all legendary RPGs.

As expected, no other details are currently known about the game.

This franchise is rooted in every nerd/dork’s life, and has impressed quite a few gamers with its many titles, many of which have been good. FiringSquad takes a look at the ten best Star Wars games (in their opinion, of course), ranging from the obvious KOTOR to Republic Commando.

Joining the parade of Christmas gift-givers is LucasArts, who sent out word of an Easter Christmas egg in Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy that unlocks a Santa Clause character. Well, here it is:

Ever wonder how Santa Claus manages to work his way down chimneys way too small for him? Or how he seems to stop time in order to visit all of the world’s good boys and girls every Christmas morning? LucasArts and TT Games know the answer: Santa Claus is a Jedi Knight whose amazing Force powers allow him to pull off such spectacular feats. A long time ago, he came to us from a galaxy far, far away to exile himself from the Jedi purge led by Darth Vader. (No… that’s not official canon.)

But what would have happened if jolly ol’ Saint Nick had stuck around to assist the Rebellion? Find out by creating him in LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy. Here’s how:

Step 1: At the Mos Eisley Cantina, enter the following two codes:
CL4U5H (for Santa hat and red clothes)
TYH319 (for white beard Extra)

Step 2: Go to the Character Customizer and create the proper costume. Use a human head, the appropriate red clothing…and don’t forget the red cap! Santa can wield the weapon of your choice — we recommend the green or red lightsaber to seasonally complement his shiny red duds. (Remember, the color of his lightsaber decides whether his Force powers are naughty or nice.)

Step 3: In the Extras menu, activate Disguise 3.

Step 4: Enter the character-based level of your choice in Free Play.

Step 5: Spread holiday cheer to a galaxy in pieces.

Word comes from LucasArts and SOE that Chapter 4: Armed and Ready for Action is now available for Star Wars Galaxy subscribers. Latest in a series of updates to the MMORPG, it adds three combat professions - commando, spy and medic - and a couple of new features.

Fans of the ever-popular franchise can look forward to Star Wars: The Best of PC from LucasArts that combines all the popular Windows games in the series in one package. This compilation will go on sale this Holiday season for $40.

The package includes Empire at War, Knights of the Old Republic, Battlefront, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Republic Commando. Additionally, it will also offer a 14-day trial of Star Wars Galaxies.

More details on the titles inside.
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Making use of their oh-so-awesome ‘investigative reporters’, CVG has learned that the third entry in the popular Star Wars: Battlefront series is being handled by Free Radical. This, according to their investigator, comes as a result of their recent deal with LucasArts to develop a next-gen title.

Known for their excellent work on TimeSplitters and GoldenEye, Free Radical has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement with LucasArts. However, the studio is “very excited” about the project, saying that it will be “awesome”.

Proving that the Star Wars brand is still strong, and that good games really do sell, LucasArts has announced that LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy has sold 1.1 million units worldwide within one week of release. Since its release on September 12, the game has sold over a million copies spanning eight platforms including PS2, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360, Gamecube, PC, DS and GBA.

“There’s definitely something for everyone in LEGO Star Wars II, and the sales and reviews so far are proving it,” said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts. “This is the type of fun, accessible game everyone in the family can enjoy. It appeals to so much more than just the traditional gaming audience.”

Set in a tongue-in-cheek Star Wars galaxy, LEGO Star Wars II allows gamers to build and battle their way through the events of Star Wars: Episodes IV through VI.

Ubisoft has announced the first original Star Wars game built exclusively for the PSP and DS - Star Wars: Lethal Alliance. An action-adventure game developed by Ubi’s Montreal and Casablanca studios, the game takes place between Episodes III and IV as gamers take on the role of Twi’lek Rianna Saren and her security droid Zeeo as they are hired by the Rebel Alliance to infiltrate Imperial planets and fight legions of evil fiends. They are also charged with uncovering the Death Star, the Empire’s most “deadly secret.” Some key features:

• One-of-a-kind collaborative fighting: Combine the elite weaponry and acrobatic skills of Rianna with the multifunctional defensive and slicing support of Zeeo to create a formidable team. Only by working together can you complete perilous missions and ultimately steal the plans for the Death Star.

• Epic gameplay and cinematic action: From the chaotic planet of Coruscant to the dusty, dangerous alleys of Mos Eisley, Rianna and Zeeo must use an arsenal of tricks to complete their mission. Set up holographic disguises to fool Imperial guards, commandeer gun turrets, master death-defying flying escapes and battle carnivorous beasts.

• First original Star Wars game built exclusively for handhelds: Multiplayer modes enhance collaborative gameplay while taking advantage of the unique capabilities of both the PSP system and Nintendo DS.

• Iconic environments and characters: Your mission takes you to classic destinations such as the Death Star and Tatooine, and allows you to discover never-before-seen locations on Despayre, Danuta and Alderaan. Each new environment offers encounters with unforgettable Star Wars characters and species, including Boba Fett, Kyle Katarn, Princess Leia Organa, Darth Vader, Imperial officers, Rodians, Quarren and stormtroopers.

Star Wars: Lethal Alliance will ship this December.

LucasArts’ presentation at Comic-Con included a peek at a next-gen Star Wars game whose video has since gone online for StarWars.com’s Hyperspace members. For normal folks like us, there’s always YouTube: the drool-inducing clip has gone live on the video-sharing site, showing off pre-visualization (pre-rendered) footage of Jedis using Force powers to take out wary Stormtroopers.

LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment have announced Star Wars Galaxies: The Complete Online Adventures, a bundle pack that will be available starting this November for $30. Compiled for Star Wars junkies, the bundle will include Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided, along with all three of the game’s expansions: Jump to Lightspeed, Rage of the Wookiees and Trials of Obi-Wan. It will also feature new content and gameplay enhancements.

In addition, the bundle will also include a bonus DVD filled with premium content featuring an exclusive in-game item - a personal AT-RT vehicle as seen in Star Wars Episode III; never-before-seen concept art and screenshots set to “beautifully orchestrated in-game music;” interviews with Star Wars Galaxies production staff; in-game movie featurettes produced by fans; excerpts from “From Pencil to Pixel” book that chronicles the art of the MMORPG; cinematic trailers and ads produced for the game; and a demo of Star Wars: Empire at War.

A new patch for Star Wars: Empire at War has been released, updating the RTS to v1.04. It’s a 22.6 MB download which includes balance changes, bug fixes, support for custom maps, an editor for creating custom maps and more. Download it from LucasArts, 3D Gamers and Gamer’s Hell.

LucasArts has revealed its lineup for this year’s E3: it will be showing off Indiana Jones 2007 (working title), Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, Star Wars Empire at War: Forces of Corruption, along with completely new IP such as Thrillville and Traxion.

Details on the lineup inside.
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LucasArts has announced that it has partnered with Pixelux Entertainment to include “revolutionary” Digital Molecular Matter (DMM) technology into all internal titles currently in development for next-gen consoles. The technology is exclusive to LucasArts beginning with Indiana Jones 2007 and continuing with the next Star Wars experience.

DMM is a breakthrough in material physics making completely interactive environments that react as they would in real life: from crumbling walls to shattering glass and even swaying plant life.

If a structure exists - big or small, dense or thin, floppy or rigid - DMM causes it to react in the same way dictated by reality. For example, unlike what you’d see in current-gen games, wood doesn’t simply break apart along a predetermined seam every time - rather, it splinters into countless pieces from the exact point of impact, also taking into account the amount of sheer force exerted. The same rules apply to any substance imaginable: Rubber bends and snaps back into place. Glass shatters. Crystal fractures. Stone crumbles. Carbonite (yes, the very alloy that encased Han Solo) dents.

With DMM in action, a Jedi unleashes the Force like never before. His violent Force push hurtles a helpless stormtrooper through a stone column, blasting it apart. Moments later, the sudden lack of support causes the building to smash to the ground, piece by piece. Meanwhile, a virtual Jabba the Hutt presides over his court, as rolls of gelatinous fat bounce and jiggle thanks to a body composed of DMM.

LucasArts will demonstrate DMM technology during a behind-closed-doors tech demo at E3.