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Beyond Good & Evil 2 remains in development, but is not longtime Ubisoft developer Michel Ancel’s main focus. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot told Polygon that Ancel is currently busy with a number of projects, and his work on other games, like Rayman Legends, is slowing development on Beyond Good & Evil 2.

“What’s very important is that Michel Ancel is kind of doing too many things at the same time,” Guillemot said. “He was working on Rayman Origins last year, and he’s working a lot on Rayman Legends this year. So, you know, when he does that, he kind of puts too much of his time on the other projects that he has.”

Ubisoft and Ancel are committed to bringing Beyond Good & Evil 2 to market, Guillemot said, but the game may not arrive for some time.

“So the fact is, that working on Legends is slowing the process on Beyond Good and Evil 2,” Guillemot added. “It’s really a game that we’ve been working, we have worked on, and is a game that we want to do. But there are so many things that have to be done that, you know, this one is going to come in line at one point, but at the moment Michele is really on Rayman Legends.”

Beyond Good & Evil 2 is a sequel to Ubisoft’s 2003 original action adventure game. It was revealed in 2008 and currently has no release date whatsoever. Concept art for the game leaked last year following comments from Ubisoft producer Wang Xu, who told gamers to “keep the faith” for Beyond Good & Evil 2.

[UPDATE] Following the publication of this story, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment provided a statement on the matter. The company confirmed it is recalling a “small number” Lego Lord of the Rings copies for Xbox 360 from retailers including Wal-Mart, Target, and Toys ‘R’ Us in the United States due to a “disc labeling error.”

“The discs in question are incorrectly labeled as demo discs, but those discs do contain the full game content and are fully functional,” reads a line from the statement. “This error does not affect any other formats of the game. We are in the process of remanufacturing the discs and will get them to the stores as soon as possible. Consumers who purchased a copy of the Xbox 360 version of the game with the disc labeling error can contact customer support via email at support@wbgames.com or phone at 410-568-3680 for a replacement disc.”

The original story follows below.

Some shipments of Lego Lord of the Rings for Xbox 360 are arriving with demo discs instead of full retail copies. A Game Informer editor purchased a copy of the game today only to find a demo disc in the box, with an employee informing him that publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is planning a recall.

A Warner Bros. representative told GameSpot today that a statement on the matter will be issued later today. The mix-up reportedly is only affecting the Xbox 360 version of Lego Lord of the Rings.

Lego Lord of the Rings is not the only game to launch today that left some users scratching their heads. Some gamers who purchased the PC retail version of Call of Duty: Black Ops II were unable to complete installation because the second disc was not Treyarch’s new shooter, but rather Mass Effect 2. Neither EA nor Activision has commented on the matter yet.

[CORRECTION] The original version of this story indicated an incorrectly labeled copy of Lego Lord of the Rings was purchased at GameStop. This was not the case. GameSpot regrets the error.

Beleaguered publisher THQ has already sold its Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) license to Electronic Arts in an effort to raise capital. If the company decides to put any of its other licenses or franchises up for sale, Assassin’s Creed publisher Ubisoft could be interested.

“They have good things,” Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot told GamesIndustry International. “We are always interested in good brands. For sure, it’s something we can consider, but I can’t tell you more.”

Guillemot declined to say which brands he is most interested in. THQ has a number of games in the development pipeline, including Homefront 2, Company of Heroes 2, Saints Row 4, and a mystery game in production with former Assassin’s Creed director Patrice Desilets at THQ Montreal.

Guillemot also addressed THQ’s current financial situation in broader terms. He said the situation the company is in presently is a result of uncertainty in the market.

“What happened to [THQ] is something that happens regularly when we have transition,” Guillemot said. “Some can make it, some decide to go in different direction. It happened with Atari and Midway and also Acclaim last generation. … It’s something that happens in this industry and that’s the way the industry consolidates.”

Earlier this month, THQ delayed South Park: The Stick of Truth, Company of Heroes 2, and Metro: Last Light and by doing so, created a need for further capital, To this end, THQ has begun talks with investment banking firm Centerview Partners LLC to “assist the company in evaluating strategic and financing alternatives.”

Crysis 3 is not yet out the door, but that is not keeping Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli from opening up on the franchise’s future. Speaking to Eurogamer, Yerli revealed that the company has “radical” plans for the series, which includes development of a free-to-play Crysis and a Crysis 3 sequel that will not be called Crysis 4.

“It’s the end of the story of Crysis, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the franchise,” Yerli said. “It’s the end of Prophet’s story. Prophet started the journey in Crysis 1 with Psycho and Jester and others, and we’re bringing those buddies together in Crysis 3 to finish up the story and effectively make sense out of the trilogy. But obviously the DNA of Crysis and the franchise, we are very excited about it and we think there can be literally tons of titles out there within the franchise. Unlike Far Cry, this time around we feel very flexible about Crysis.”

Asked outright if Crytek will make Crysis 4, Yerli said he would not call it that because doing so would insinuate that Prophet’s story would move on, and this is not planned to be the case. Whatever the case, a Crysis 3 follow-up is not coming for some time.

“Because we want to make this something much more radical and new we are looking at it as a bit more of a long-term thing,” Yerli said. “It’s too early to talk about it for these reasons.”

Crytek has been outspoken regarding its admiration for free-to-play games. The company is currently developing the free-to-play shooter Warface and has previously stated all of its upcoming games (after Crysis 3 and Homefront 2) will be free-to-play. This includes a new Crysis game that could be a retail/free-to-play hybrid.

“We do have a plan for a [free-to-play] version of Crysis, but how this looks and when this will be done, whether this is the next one or the other next one, is to be decided,” he said. “But we have a very clear picture of how this will look and how a transitional period where retail and free-to-play can coexist for one title.”

Crysis 3 is due out for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC during February 2013. For more, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.

Halo 4, the most expensive game Microsoft has ever made, is off to the hottest start in the franchise’s history. Microsoft announced today that its new sci-fi shooter minted $220 million on its first day and is poised to haul $300 million in first-week global sales.

Halo 4 blasted past 2010’s Bungie Studios-developed Halo: Reach, which hauled $200 million on its first day (in the US and Europe). Additionally, Halo 4’s launch day sales are better than 2007’s Halo 3, which took in $170 million in 24 hours (in the US alone). Total combined Halo series life-to-date sales now stand at about $3.38 billion, Microsoft said.

Microsoft claims Halo 4’s debut is the “biggest entertainment launch of the year” thus far. That record may not hold for very long, as Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops II–already breaking retailer records–releases tomorrow.

In netting $220 million in day-one sales, Halo 4 surpassed the first-day United States box office tallies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and The Avengers, Microsoft said.

Halo 4 also broke the franchise record for most players at launch. During the game’s first five days, more than 4 million players spent time in the game, logging some 31.4 million hours. This pushes the total number of gameplay hours across all Halo titles to “well beyond” five billion, Microsoft said.

Additionally, Microsoft’s Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Web series has drawn 46 million total views to date, Microsoft said. According to the company, 39 million of these views came through Machinima’s YouTube channel alone.

For more on Halo 4, check out GameSpot’s review.

Just a few weeks after Microsoft launched Windows 8 and its Surface tablet line, 23-year company veteran Steven Sinofsky has left the technology giant. Sinofsky was president of Microsoft’s Windows and Windows Live departments. He will be replaced by Julie Larson-Green.

Neither Microsoft nor Sinofsky provided any rationale as to why now was the time to leave. In a prepared statement, Sinofsky spoke fondly of his time with Microsoft.

“It is impossible to count the blessings I have received over my years at Microsoft,” Sinofsky said. “I am humbled by the professionalism and generosity of everyone I have had the good fortune to work with at this awesome company.”

Sinofsky joined Microsoft in July 1989 in the role of software design engineer. In the span of three years, he was promoted to technical assistant for Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, and in 1999 he became senior vice president of Office. He was promoted again in 2006 when he took on the role of senior vice president of Windows, and in 2009, was again elevated to president of Microsoft’s Windows business.

According to a recent profile of Sinofsky at GameSpot sister site CNET, Sinofsky was a controversial leader, reportedly sparring with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

Epic Games’ cover-based shooter Gears of War: Judgment may not be out until March 19 next year, but fans can place their preorders at Australian retailers from today.

Preordering grants Aussie customers exclusive access to the in-game weapon the Classic Hammerburst, which is described as an assault rifle that is “highly accurate, with a six-round burst.”

In addition to the Classic Hammerburst, fans who preorder through EB Games and JB Hi-Fi stores will receive a “Young Marcus” and “Young Dom” character skin, respectively. Microsoft confirmed that more details on retailer-exclusive bonuses will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Set before the events of the Gears of War trilogy, Gears of War: Judgement is a prequel that takes players back in the timeline to the immediate aftermath of Emergence Day. Developed by Epic Games in conjunction with Bulletstorm studio, People Can Fly, the project focuses on series soldier Damon Baird and will not feature Kinect functionality.

For more on Gears of War: Judgment, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.

Fans eager for the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops II will be able to pick up their copies of the game as soon as it goes on sale. Australian retailers EB Games and JB Hi-Fi will be hosting midnight launches for the popular first-person shooter, with some stores offering assortments of activities to keep customers entertained while they wait.

EB Games will be opening more than 200 stores from 10pm onward on Monday November 12, the night of the game’s official midnight release on November 13. The retailer will be hosting its official EB Games Call of Duty: Black Ops II launch events at the following locations:

EB Games Ipswich, QLD (from 9pm)
EB Games Wetherill Park, NSW (from 7:30pm)
EB Games Werribee Plaza, VIC (from 9pm)
EB Games Tea Tree Plaza, SA (from 10pm)

Attendees can expect the following forms of entertainment:

• Eight player LAN setup
• Laser Tag in the food court/laser target practice (Ipswich and Wetherill Park Only)
• Lucky Door Prize (Turtle Beach COD BO2 X-Ray Edition headset, RRP $149.95)
• Photo opportunity whereby customers will be superimposed into Call of Duty images (excludes Tea Tree Plaza and Wetherill Park)
• Live DJ
• Prizes and competitions
• Black Ops II Cosplay

Additional EB stores will also be open for those who wish to pick up their preorder of the game (see below for the full list).

EB Games today also announced that Call of Duty: Black Ops II has officially broken records to become the most pre-ordered title for the company locally. The position was previously held by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which is also published by Activision.

Additionally, JB Hi-fi will be hosting midnight launches at various stores and conducting giveaways. For the full list of participating stores, see below.

Set in the near future, Call of Duty: Black Ops II has been developed by Treyarch, who also worked on the game’s predecessor, Call of Duty: Black Ops. The game is the first of the series to present branching storylines driven by player choice. Prestige mode also makes a return in the game’s new multiplayer mode, and players will once again be able to level up their weapons.

EB Games

* Asterix indicates store is also open from 8am on release day
~ Joint launch
EB Northlands* – Opening from 9pm
EB Airport West*
EB Albert Street*
EB Albury*
EB Alice Springs*
EB Altona*
EB Arana Hills*
EB Armidale*
EB Arndale*
EB Ashfield*
EB Aspley*
EB Australia Fair*
EB Ayr*
EB Balgowlah~ Joint launch held @ EB Warringah Mall
EB Ballina Central*
EB Bankstown*
EB Bateau Bay*
EB Batemans Bay*
EB Bathurst*
EB Baulkham Hills*
EB Bay City*
EB Beenleigh*
EB Bega*
EB Belconnen*
EB Bendigo Marketplace*
EB Benowa*
EB Berri*
EB Blackburn Square*
EB Blacktown*
EB Bondi*
EB Booval*
EB Bribie Island*
EB Brimbank*
EB Brisbane City~ Joint launch held @ EB Albert Street
EB Broadmeadows* – Opening from 9pm
EB Broadway*
EB Broken Hill*
EB Brookside*
EB Browns Plains Village Square*
EB Browns Plains*
EB Bundaberg Hinkler*
EB Bundaberg*
EB Burleigh Heads*
EB Burnie* – Opening from 9pm
EB Burwood*
EB Caboolture Park*
EB Cairns Central*
EB Cairns*
EB Caloundra*
EB Campbelltown*
EB Canberra Centre*
EB Canelands*
EB Cannon Hill*
EB Capalaba Central*
EB Capalaba~ Joint launch held @ EB Capalaba Central
EB Carindale*
EB Carlingford Court*
EB Caroline Springs*
EB Castle Plaza*
EB Castle Towers*
EB Castletown*
EB Casuarina*
EB Central Highlands Marketplace*
EB Cessnock*
EB Charlestown Sq*
EB Chatswood Chase*
EB Chatswood*
EB Chermside Nth end*
EB Chirnside Park*
EB Chullora*
EB City Cross*
EB Cleveland*
EB Clifford Gardens*
EB Coffs Harbour*
EB Coffs Palms Centre*
EB Colac*
EB Colonnades*
EB Dalby*
EB Dapto*
EB Deception Bay*
EB Dee Why~ Joint launch held @ EB Warringah Mall
EB Devonport* – Opening from 9pm
EB DFO Cairns~ Joint launch held @ EB Cairns Central
EB Doncaster Ground Floor*
EB Dubbo*
EB Eastgardens*
EB Elizabeth*
EB Emerald*
EB Epping* – Opening from 9pm
EB Erina Fair*
EB Fairfield*
EB Figtree* – Opening from 9pm
EB Firle*
EB Forest Lakes*
EB Forster*
EB Fountain Gate* – Opening from 9pm
EB Frankston Town* – Opening from 9pm
EB Galeries*
EB Garden City*
EB Gawler*
EB GC Harbourtown*
EB Geelong*
EB George Street*
EB Gladstone*
EB Glendale*
EB Glenelg*
EB Golden Grove*
EB Gosford*
EB Goulburn*
EB Grafton* – Opening from 9pm
EB Greenhills*
EB Greensborough* – Opening from 9pm
EB Griffith*
EB Gungahlin* – Opening from 9pm
EB Gympie*
EB Hallet Cove*
EB Harbourtown Adelaide*
EB Hastings
EB Helensvale*
EB Hervey Bay*
EB Highpoint* – Opening from 9pm
EB Hollywood Plaza*
EB Hornsby*
EB Hurstville*
EB Inala*
EB Indooroopilly*
EB Ingle Farm*
EB Inverell*
EB Ipswich*
EB Jesmond*
EB Karratha*
EB Katoomba*
EB Kawana*
EB Kempsey*
EB Kingaroy*
EB Kotara*
EB Lake Haven*
EB Lake Macquarie*
EB Launceston* – Opening from 9pm
EB Lavington*
EB Leichhardt*
EB Lismore Woodlark St*
EB Lismore*
EB Lithgow*
EB Liverpool*
EB Logan Central*
EB Logan*
EB Lutwyche*
EB MacArthur Square*
EB MacQuarie Centre*
EB Maitland*
EB Marion*
EB Marrickville*
EB Maryborough*
EB Meadow Mews~ Joint launch held @ EB Launceston
EB Melbourne Central*
EB Melton* – Opening from 9pm
EB Menai*
EB Merrylands*
EB Mildura*
EB Millner Homemaker*
EB Miranda*
EB Mittagong* – Opening from 9pm
EB Moranbah*
EB Morayfield*
EB Mt Barker*
EB Mt Druitt*
EB Mt Gravatt*
EB Mt Isa*
EB Mt Ommaney*
EB Mt Pleasant*
EB Mudgee*
EB Munno Para*
EB Murray Bridge*
EB Murwillumbah*
EB Muswellbrook*
EB Nambour*
EB Narellan* – Opening from 9pm
EB Nepean*
EB Nerang* – Opening from 9pm
EB Noosaville*
EB North Rocks*
EB Northlakes*
EB Nowra*
EB Orange*
EB Pacific Fair*
EB Palmerston*
EB Parabanks*
EB Parkes*
EB Parramatta*
EB Peninsula Fair*
EB Penrith ground lvl* – Opening from 9pm
EB Penrith Plaza lvl 2*
EB Plenty Valley*
EB Plumpton* – Opening from 9pm
EB Point Cook*
EB Port Augusta*
EB Port Hedland*
EB Port Lincoln*
EB Port Macquarie*
EB Port Pirie*
EB Raintrees~ Joint launch held @ EB Cairns
EB Raymond Terrace*
EB Redbank Plaza*
EB Rhodes*
EB Richmond Markets* – Opening from 9pm
EB Richmond*
EB Ringwood Square~ Joint launch held @ EB Ringwood
EB Riverside*
EB Robina*
EB Rockhampton Fair*
EB Rockhampton~ Joint launch held @ EB Rockhampton Fair
EB Rose City*
EB Roselands*
EB Rouse Hill*
EB Runaway Bay*
EB Rundle Mall*
EB Salamander Bay*
EB Seaford*
EB Sefton*
EB Settlement City*
EB Seven Hills*
EB Shellharbour*
EB Shepparton*
EB Smithfield Cairns*
EB South Toowoomba*
EB Southgate*
EB Southport*
EB Springfield*
EB Springwood*
EB St Clair* – Opening from 9pm
EB St Ives*
EB St Marys* – Opening from 9pm
EB Stafford City*
EB Stanhope*
EB Stockland Townsville~ Joint launch held @ EB Townsville
EB Strathpine*
EB Sunbury Square*
EB Sunnybank Hills*
EB Sunnybank*
EB Sunshine Marketplace*
EB Sunshine Plaza*
EB Surfers Paradise
EB Swanston Street*
EB Sylvania Waters*
EB Taigum*
EB Tamworth 2*
EB Tamworth*
EB Taree*
EB Tea Tree Plaza*
EB The Pines*
EB Toombul*
EB Toormina* – Opening from 9pm
EB Toowong*
EB Toowoomba*
EB Top Ryde*
EB Townsville*
EB Tuggerah*
EB Tuggeranong*
EB Tweed City*
EB Tweed Mall*
EB Underwood*
EB Victor Harbour*
EB Victoria Point*
EB Wagga*
EB Wangaratta*
EB Warrawong*
EB Warriewood*
EB Warringah Mall*
EB Watergardens* – Opening from 9pm
EB Waurn Ponds*
EB Werribee Plaza* – Opening from 9pm
EB West Lakes*
EB Wetherill Park*
EB Whyalla*
EB Willows Townsville*
EB Winston Hills*
EB Woden Plaza*
EB Wodonga*
EB Wollongong*
EB Woy Woy*
EB Wynnum Plaza*
EB Yeppoon*

JB Hi-Fi

New South Wales

Albury
Bankstown
Blacktown
Charlestown
Glendale
Hornsby
Liverpool
Macarthur Square
Macquarie Centre
Merrylands
Miranda
Mt Druitt
Newcastle
Penrith
Wagga Wagga
Warringah Mall
Westfield Chatswood
Westfield Parramatta
Wollongong Central
World Square

Victoria

Airport West
Ballarat
Bendigo
Bourke Street
Chadstone
Cranbourne
Doncaster
Epping Plaza
Geelong
Knox
Narre Warren
Plenty Valley
Ringwood
Shepparton
Southland
Watergardens
Werribee Plaza

Australian Capital Territory

Belconnen
Canberra City
Tuggeranong

Queensland

Carindale
Loganholme
Mackay
Rockhampton
Townsville
Willows Shoppingtown

South Australia

Adelaide City
Elizabeth
Tasmania
Hobart

Northern Territory

Casuarina

Selling downloadable content in a physical store may sound backwards to some, but for GameStop, the endeavor has been a great success. The retailer’s director of digital content Brad Schliesser told GameSpot that the company has moved over 10 million pieces of DLC since it began selling add-on content through a limited pilot program in 2010.

“We had an opportunity over the last two years to prove to first-party that we can play a meaningful role in the distribution of digital content. In 2010, we started with 35 stores and five sellable DLC SKUs in a [pilot program] with Microsoft. Since then, we’ve added 4,500 stores and 1,800 products available for sale just on the console side,” Schliesser said. “And we’ve sold over 10 million units of DLC in that time period. I think we’ve proven that retail still provides a very meaningful role, even in the digital content space.”

Schliesser believes GameStop’s success in this area is due in large part to its employees. He said they speak directly with consumers at the point-of-sale about additional game content, and this is crucial to sales.

“The associate that works in the store is more impactful than any marketing campaign that we could probably ever do for digital content,” he said. “That is still a clear divider between what we’re able to do and what our competitors are able to do. And quite frankly, what first-party is able to do.”

He said though first-party console virtual marketplaces like Xbox Live are able to house heaps and heaps of content, a user is only presented with 5-10 pieces of content at any given time. And even then, he said, it’s “buyer beware.” The impact of GameStop’s sales associates should not be overlooked, he said.

“The associate that works in the store is more impactful than any marketing campaign that we could probably ever do for digital content.”

“For the consumers who are purchasing from us, it’s a huge value, a huge service to have somebody there that helps them along and helps them make a better decision on what they want to purchase,” he said.

Schliesser acknowledged that not everyone will buy into leaving their home to purchase DLC. He said he is OK with this, adding that a market for in-store DLC exists, despite what the “vocal minority” of Internet commenters may say.

“If there is a story that comes out of our conversation most of the people that read it are going to comment and say ‘Why would I ever go to a retailer to buy content?’ And I’m cool with that,” he said. “If you’re already transacting through a first-party, fantastic. We can’t convert everybody into a GameStop customer. We don’t sell sell 100 percent of the physical games now. So I think it’s more understanding that there’s a market that exists outside of the vocal minority that is still interested in purchasing content [in a physical store].”

To back up his claim even further, Schliesser revealed several DLC attachment rates for major games. [An attachment rate is the percentage of total software sales that also purchased DLC] He said prior to Gears of War 3, GameStop’s DLC attachment percentage was less than 2 percent. Since then, however, the rates have largely increased.

Gears of War 3: 10 percent
Batman: Arkham City: 16 percent
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: 17 percent
Mass Effect 3: 50 percent
Borderlands 2: 20 percent
Assassin’s Creed III: 10 percent
Halo 4: 13 percent

The news flood for Grand Theft Auto V continues. The digital edition of Game Informer‘s December issue released today, and Kotaku reports that it bears numerous news nuggets about the upcoming open-world action game.

The first of which is a claim that the game world of GTAV is larger than Red Dead Redemption, GTA: San Andreas, and GTA: IV combined.The game’s fictional Los Santos setting reportedly includes wilderness, a military base, and an explorable underwater ocean floor.

Additionally, the game’s three protagonists are named Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. Players can switch between them at “nearly any time,” the magazine suggests. Further, these characters will sometimes work together, with players able to swap back and forth in a similar way to the Lego series of games.

On top of that, Michael, Trevor, and Franklin each has a distinct personality, skill set, and posse of friends. When players are controlling one of the characters, the other two will leave and do something else on their own.

Similar to Red Dead Redemption, players will find randomized missions and events in GTAV. These include events surrounding hitchhikers, dead bodies, muggers, and others to be named later. Lastly, the GTAV gameworld will include some sort of an economy, though players will not be able to purchase properties.

Rockstar Games last week confirmed GTAV will ship for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 during spring 2013. Preorders for the game opened this week at select retailers in the United States and Europe. The game’s second trailer will arrive November 14.

For more on GTAV, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.