StuffWeLike

New Transformers series, who’da guessed?

Alright, class, your “Milking a License 101” class in now in session! With their first live action movie set to drop any time now, the Transformers are gearing up for a new animated series on Cartoon Network as well. This will be the first time Cartoon Network has aired a Transformers series co-produced by Hasbro, the original creators of the Transformers toys. Previous series were co-produced by Japanese toymaker Takara.

The series, aptly titled Transformers: Animated, takes a selection of heroic Autobots whom I have loved for some 13 years now, and “recreates” them as a super-hero team, fighting not the super-villain Decepticons we’ve loved to hate for so long, but evil humans. It’s basically sounding like Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers without the undeniably radical giant monsters. I mean, 40-foot-tall robots that turn into heavy machinery beating up on humans with mischievous plans seems a little lopsided doesn’t it? Ah well, Captain Planet could turn into a liquid hurricane of fire and brimstone with mind-reading capabilities, and all he ever got to go up against was environmentally uncontientious humans. Oh wait! They did have that guy made of rocks! Was his name Duke Nukem? Oh geez, and the pig guy! And the threat of global warming! Damn it, okay, Captain Planet sounds cooler than Transformers: Animated, too.

The idea is to give the Autobots “more human qualities”, so as to make it easier for emotionally devoid children without parents to identify with someone, anyone, even if it’s just a cold crime-fighting machine.

Cartoon Network’s Bog Higgins tells Cartoon Network:

“We’ve used the basic Transformers and characters as a springboard, but then we’re pretty much reimagining the whole thing. What we’re doing with it is basically turning it into a superheroes story. We’re really excited that we’re able to take this decades-old property and hopefully turn it into something that kids haven’t seen or expected from a Transformers series before.”

Why are they doing this to me? Why are they picking my childhood apart, one beloved merchandise marketing scheme at a time? I hear they’re making new He-Man and Thundercats films to rub in my face, too. Next thing you know G.I. Joe and Mask will have sing-along Christmas specials by 2010!

26 episodes will be produced initially, along with a 90-minute launch episode. The staff includes supervising director Matt Youngberg (Teen Titans / The Batman), executive producer Sam Register (Ben 10 / Teen Titans), character designs by Derrick Wyatt (Teen Titans), and head writer Marty Isenberg (X-Men / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). After preproduction is completed at Cartoon Network Studios, Animation will be done by Japanese studio Mook.

[Via IGN. Big ups to Feldman!]

WiiWare

Wii

No this isn’t a hack for your Wii, this is a new channel that Nintendo will be releasing soon that contains new independent games available for download. Obviously this is an attempt to compete with Xbox Live Arcade as well as the PS3 online service.

The question is how will Nintendo differentiate itself from the competition, not only in variety of games, but in how they help indie developers create games for their system. It isn’t clear where exactly Nintendo wants to take this channel. If they want the support of hobbyists like Microsoft is doing with XNA. If Nintendo is, then they’ve got a lot of work ahead of them.

Considering the amount of retro games that have been downloaded since launch – over 4 million – via the Virtual Console, WiiWare could be a great addition to help the industry create some very unique and original titles.

Hopefully all of these new games will not be mini-game related… This announcement also brings up the issue of storage. Who really wants to have tons of memory cards full of random games? Hopefully Nintendo will release a harddrive attachment. 🙄

ESRB Controls the Internet

The video game rating organization ESRB has gone into hack and slash mode today! Video game publishers releasing M and AO titles are being forced to have press sites age-gate any videos relating to their products, which contain mature content. Since StuffWeLike.com focuses a lot on its media player content, we’ve asked SplashCast – the technology behind the player – to add an age-gate system.

It’s pretty crazy though that an organization can now control the content that flows out onto the internet. This is something to take very seriously by not only gamers, but by anyone who uses the internet. The internet is the place for freedom of speech and expression.

It is important to protect younger audiences from graphic material, especially if deemed unsuitable by their parents. But an age-gate system is easy to get through no matter how old you are.

There are going to be some major repercussions here GOOD or BAD.

No Doubt re-unite, “Surprise,” she says.

NOTE: If you’re reading this from the front page, you’re not going to see the videos. I don’t know why that is. Either click “More” at the bottom of this post or click the “BLOG” link at the top of the page to see what’s going on.

Believe it or not, I feel that there was a time that No Doubt did not totally suck. Back before Gwen Stefani’s solo effort hit us with the mind-numbingly stupid lines, “This shit is bananas! B-A-N-A-N-A-S!” she put on a hell of a show jumping, flailing, contorting, and wailing to Orange County flavored pop rock. I used to be in love with Gwen.This past weekend, Orange County was treated to a very special surprise when the rest of No Doubt took the stage during Gwen’s encore performance, and they cranked out some old No Doubt tunes. Above is I’m Just a Girl, followed by the much inferior It’s My Life, both performed beneath the din of hundreds of screaming pre-pubescent girls.Supposedly, the band is back in the studio, recording a new record due out next year. Here’s hoping the band makes a return to it’s ska/punk influenced roots. Hit the jump for Spiderwebs.

First image from “Where the Wild Things Are” film

If you told me that you thought Where the Wild Things Are was the greatest book ever written, I would not argue with you. During my childhood, I read and re-read that story so many times I knew it by heart. With that in mind, I am absolutely geeking over the fact that a live action production is being made by Spike Jonez. Now, in addition to being the greatest book ever written, Where the Wild Things Are may become the greatest film ever made. Do you hear me, Spike Jonez? GREATEST FILM EVER MADE! Don’t you mess it up!MTV Movies Blog has produced this (appropriately branded) first image of the movie, which already looks wonderful. Jesus, I can’t wait. Click the thumbnail below for the awesome full-size image.

[Via Aint It Cool News]