BioShock Vita axed? ...and 7 other hot rumors this week

This week in rumors

Shocking news this week as BioShock creator Ken Levine announces the closure of Irrational Games, but what does this mean for that BioShock Vita game? Elsewhere, anticipation for Respawns Titanfall reaches fever pitch as new gameplay details begin to leak out, sparking rumors surrounding its maps, modes and weapons.

Also, is Mr. Driller on his way to Wii U? Does Square Enix have a new Final Fantasy game in the works staring the Shinra Company? Is a new Devil May Cry game around the corner? And has Valve been snooping into your browsing history? All that and more in this weeks rumor roundup...

Titanfall could feature giant monsters and vehicles

The Rumor: An early look at the Titanfall hardcover art book revealed pictures of giant beasts seemingly indigenous to some of the locations in which the game is set, suggesting that local wildlife may factor into the games epic multiplayer battles. It also features detailed looks at vehicles, including a bomber, leading to further speculation of some form of vehicular gameplay.

Our Take: With the game out in a matter of weeks it would be a huge surprise to see any major gameplay-affecting revelations coming at this point, but we wouldnt rule it out. Wouldnt it be cool if maps set in natural environments were home to large wildlife? And what if a bomber ship is offered as some sort of perk? Awesome.

BioShock PS Vita axed?

The Rumor: Renowned developer Ken Levine announced this week that BioShock studio Irrational Games was being disbanded as he moves to form a new small studio of around 15 staff. The closure has sparked speculation that Irrationals long-announced but little-discussed BioShock Vita game is finally canned. The BioShock franchise has been handed to 2K Games, which signals a secure future for the franchise, but what of the Vita game Levine announced in June 2011?

Our Take: Its been almost three years since the announcement and weve seen and heard nothing. Levine himself said last year that it hadnt gotten into development as he seemingly struggled to foster an agreement between Sony and Take-Two on the portable game. The firm told CVG this week it has 'no update' on the game. At this point, BioShock on Vita is certainly not looking likely.

Namco GBA games headed to Wii U Virtual Console

The Rumor: At least a couple of Namco Bandai's Game Boy Advance games--Mr Driller 2 and Klonoa: Empire Of Dreams--are tipped to be among the first GBA games to arrive on the Wii U Virtual Console. Both have been certified by the Australian Classification Board just days after Nintendo announced plans to bring GBA games to Wii U starting April.

Our Take: Classification listings are often a reliable source for premature game reveals, so its a pretty safe bet that youll be seeing these two games pop up on the Wii U VC within the next few months. Other titles expected include Metroid Fusion, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3.

Shinra Company to return in a new Final Fantasy

The Rumor: The Shinra Company, famous for its central role in the plot of the seminal Final Fantasy VII, will make a return to the spotlight in a future Final Fantasy game, it has been speculated. Square Enix has recently registered a trademark for Shinra Company in its homeland of Japan. While the trademark offers few further hints, it does say the trademark is for use in video games.

Our Take: The avid Final Fantasy fanboys in us wants to get pumped for a new FF game in the FFVII universe, but it could be an indication of something far less exciting like yet more FFVII re-releases (perhaps a compilation of some sort) if anything at all. Final Fantasy VII was released for PC via Steam in July last year, so clearly Squares not yet willing to let its classic fade from memory.

Valve accused of snooping into browser history

The Rumor: Claims originating from a Reddit post accuse Valve of sifting through users browser history. According to the claim, Valves VAC security technology sends users DNS cache entries back to the firm without their knowledge.

Our Take: Valves Gabe Newell has dismissed the claims, and were inclined to believe him. Newell described a process through which cheat developers ensure people have paid for their cheats. "These cheats phone home to a DRM server that confirms that a cheater has actually paid to use the cheat," Newell said. "VAC checked for the presence of these cheats. If they were detected VAC then checked to see which cheat DRM server was being contacted." He added, Do we send your browsing history to Valve? No.

Capcom working a new Devil May Cry

The Rumor: Capcom could be working on a new Devil May Cry game after a new European trademark filing was allegedly spotted online. The last game in the series was reboot DmC: Devil May Cry, developed by Ninja Theory and released in 2013. Could Capcom be ready to unveil a new entry in the brawler series?

Our Take: The trademark is seemingly no longer visible so we have only an unverified screen capture to go on. If genuine, though, perhaps Capcom does have something up its sleeve. But Ninja Theory is apparently working on a new IP, which would seemingly rule out a new DmC game from them--unless Capcom liked the reboot, but didn't feel like having Ninja Theory develop the sequel, in which case it could totally have someone else do it. Then again, following a widespread backlash over the reboot (and less-than-impressive sales), series fans will surely hope for a return to the original DMC.

Titanfall maps, perks and weapons revealed via beta code

The Rumor: Snooping hacker-types have sifted through the code within the Titanfall beta and uncovered a list of the games maps, weapons, perks and more. Theyre too numerous to list here (see them all with pictures on NeoGAF), but it appears the final game will contain 15 maps, 21 perks, and some 40 weapons and ordinances.

Our Take: Its not uncommon for betas to contain code that pertains to full-game features not playable in the demo itself. With the uncovering of images for each map its fairly safe to expect all of the content uncovered to turn up in the retail game releasing March 11.

Assassins Creed engine to blaime for Rainbow 6: Patriots delay

The Rumor: First-person shooter and 2013 no-show Rainbow 6: Patriots suffered long-term delays and was eventually pushed back to next-gen consoles because of the weaknesses in the Anvil Engine for rendering a first-person shooter. According to IGN sources, development was slow, the game was broken and almost all of its dev staff have been swapped out since its conception.

Our Take: Its no secret Rainbow 6: Patriots has had a turbulent time at Ubisoft Montreal. The Anvil Engine was designed for third-person action, powering games like Assassins Creed and Prince of Persia. Perhaps its not best suited to the specific challenges FPS games present. Either way, Ubisoft has admitted Patriots "wasn't working" and "had to be remade. We hope to see it before too long.

Whats your take?

Do you suspect Steam of delving too far into your PC? What manner of Final Fantasy-related trickery do you think Square Enix is up to? And would you rather see a DmC 2 release or an original series sequel (DMC 5)? Let us know what your take is on this weeks rumors in the comments below.

Want more? Henry Gilbert asks, 'If Irrational Games cant make the next BioShock, who will?' Also, Donny Tarin discusses how next-gen is being held back by last-gen.