Olivier Comte, Vice President of Namco Bandai Partners, recently told CVG that Ubisoft’s always-online DRM protection is the best DRM protection out right now. However he clarified with more information saying that it certainly isn’t the best solution but there’s no other alternative today. Namco Bandai is set to release Test Drive Unlimited 2 and The Witcher 2 on PC later this fall where we’ll get to see what DRM they choose.

Ubisoft DRM is ‘a good strategy’ – Namco [CVG]

With an onslaught of classics in the pipeline primed for re-release, Namco Bandai is preparing to ramp up its presence in the digital market next year. Namco says the initiative will give customers "access to hard-to-find gems and the latest best-selling content available at their fingertips" across the entire slate of portable and console platforms.

To offer a glimpse at what's up and coming, currently Beautiful Katamari is slated for a digital re-release in Q1 2010 on Microsoft’s Xbox Live Games on Demand service. PSP title Me & My Katamari was made available on PSN yesterday as a UMD legacy download. Expect to see a steady supply of PSOne Classics from Namco’s backcatalog hitting the PlayStation Store as we move into 2010 as well.

Namco Bandai Aims To Expand Digital Presence In 2010 [eXophase.com]

After going incognito following a sour breakup with now-defunct developer BottleRocket, Namco Bandai’s Splatterhouse reboot is back in the media spotlight with eight new screens that aim to please in the gore department. Unless our eyes deceive us, it’s looking much better than when we last saw it, especially in terms of atmosphere. There’s definitely a homage factor to the original here.

Splatterhouse is slated for a Q3 2010 debut on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Splatterhouse Screenshots

Gory New Splatterhouse Screens Impress - [eXophase.com]

Presented in cinematic slow motion, the latest Tekken 6 viral video takes a backseat from the fast paced, over the top action sequences that the series is known for and instead focuses on pure style, prompting the question of “What will you fight for?” Check out the clip above in all its dramatic glory.

Tekken 6 launches on Xbox 360 and PS3 this October.

Tekken 6 Viral Video Asks What Will You Fight For? - [eXophase.com]

Independent developer BottleRocket Entertainment has closed its doors, company founder Jay Beard confirmed today. The studio was most recently working on a Splatterhouse reboot for Namco Bandai, at which point the trouble began.

Development on the action horror title was reportedly not up to Namco’s standards, leaving them no choice but to pull the plug and abruptly switch to an internal team. Officially, Namco blamed the switch based on “performance issues.” BottleRocket took a financial hit as a result. While the loss of Splatterhouse may not the sole factor of their demise, it certainly was a significant one.

The full parting statement from Beard can be found past the break.

Been keeping tabs on Namco Bandai’s Splatterhouse revival? No? Not surprising, since the company has remained tight-lipped about it ever since development duties were transferred from independent developer Bottlerocket to Surge, an internal studio, earlier this year. Also, the title did not make an E3 appearance, leading it to slip under the radar of most everyone.

So what is the status on Splatterhouse? According to Namco, the gore-laden reboot starring Rick Taylor is still in the works, but has been pushed back to 2010.

Namco Bandai Games America Inc. is hard at work on Splatterhouse. Development is in full swing and we are committed to bringing it to the Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2010. This will give us time to polish and incorporate all the content to deliver a top notch game worthy of this classic video game franchise.

That’s a fairly significant delay, but taking the rocky development cycle into account, we feel it is completely warranted. Reassuring to hear that Namco is taking its sweet time with this one and not opting to rush things for the sake of cashing in on an old yet memorable franchise.

A Small Update On Splatterhouse [Siliconera]

Splatterhouse Reboot Pushed To 2010 - [eXophase.com]

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny not enough for those combo-quenching thumbs? Good, as Namco Bandai is offering up more in the way of fighting goodness for this year’s PSP lineup: Tekken 6. That’s right, The King of Iron Fist Tournament is going for a second run on PSP.

Set for release this fall, Namco intends to squeeze the entire Tekken 6 experience onto a UMD. Obviously compromises are a given - particularly in the graphical department, but most everything else will be there: including a wealth of customization options as well as the ability to share and high scores online, then play against ghosts in an attempt to topple records set by friends and other players.

Details beyond that weren’t given, but it’s likely we will see this portable iteration of Tekken on show at E3. Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection was rather well-received on PSP, so this is definitely one to keep an eye out for.

Aficionados of the fighting genre will have much to look forward to on PSP this year, as Namco Bandai has announced that its revered Soulcalibur franchise is receiving the portable treatment.

Due out this summer, Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny will mark the series’ first foray on a handhand format. The title is said to feature a expansive roster of 20-plus characters. Star Wars fan-favorites Yoda and Darth Vader will not be making an appearance this time around, but to make up for it, this PSP-exclusive entry will feature the introduction of a new challenger: Dampierre.

Like its console brethren, set for inclusion in Broken Destiny is a character customization aspect, allowing players to dress up their favorite fighters in outfits ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime. No word on if DLC is on the cards yet, but knowing Namco, we wouldn’t rule it out.

All of the gameplay modes found in previous installments will be making a comeback here, including Arcade, Versus, and Survival. New to this entry, however, is a single-player mode primarily designed to aid newcomers in becoming familiar with the battle system.

Publisher Namco Bandai has sent over another batch of brand-new Tekken 6 screenshots, showcasing various contenders in the Iron Fist Tournament, both newcomers and old favorites such as the mask-shrouded Armor King.

Visible in the high-res versions of these shots are quite a few jaggies. Here’s hoping Namco manages to clean those up with a touch of anti-aliasing by release time. Apart from that facet, the title looks to be shaping up nicely. Tekken 5 already looked fantastic, so it’s hard to expect a huge leap on the visual front.

Tekken 6 is due out this fall on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Tekken 6 Screenshots

Namco Bandai sends word that Dynasty Warriors 2: Gundam 2, developed in partnership with Koei, has reached gold status and is in the process of being send off to manufacturing in preparation for its April 21 release date.

Set on a distant galaxy ravaged by orbital strikes, the title sees players squaring off against legions of enemy Mobile Suits, complete with gameplay adhering to the same hack n’ slash formula of previous installments in the Dynasty Warriors franchise. Specific to the PS3 and Xbox 360 version is an online component, allowing players to partake in versus mode matches amongst mecha-loving friends and fellow adversaries online over Live or PSN.

Alongside the announcement, Namco provided a few more screenshots of the title, which can be viewed after the jump.

Dynasty Warriors 2: Gundam 2 Screenshots