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I've been watching a whole ton of Steven Seagal: Lawman. That show is incredible. Did you know that, besides being a cinema action hero, Seagal has been a cop for over 20 years? (Well, according to the man himself, anyway.) And now, at least on US television, he's also a Reality Television Star.

But according to game historian Frank Cifaldi in this fascinating vaporware retrospective, in 1993 -- which I estimate is about when Seagal began to pursue hobbyist lawmanship -- publisher TecMagic licensed the action star's likeness for use in a Genesis and SNES cross-platform game titled The Final Option.

"At the time," Frank writes, "the project was being touted as the first example of a movie star -- rather than an actual movie -- licensed for use in a video game." (Fascinatingly, though Seagal's visage itself was licensed, his digitized video game character was portrayed by none other than Some Other Dude.)

Then Frank gives us this great morsel:

"Celebrities are more stable than films," TecMagik director of marketing Jeff Tarr told The Hollywood Reporter, saying that Seagal was specifically signed because of his film's performances in the video tape rental market, especially among the game-playing demographic.

Though it's left implicit, Cifaldi's column suggests that the partnership with Seagal largely contributed to publisher TekMagic's untimely demise. The Final Option never saw the light of day and, however arguably, Seagal's star, too, has faded. I keep trying to tie this all into something profound about how celebrity, too, has changed -- about how, in these modern times, you no longer need to be a "star" to be "famous" -- but I can't quite grapple the thought.

[1UP's Retro Gaming Blog: Lost Levels]

Appearing for a brief PSA before retiring to his cave where he'll hibernate for the winter, Smokey Bear lent his likeness to iPhone game publisher People Operating Technology for Wildfire Fighter, hoping to raise awareness about forest fires.

In Wildfire Fighter, players use the iPhone/iPod Touch's touchscreen to direct helitankers and airtankers to put out raging fires scattered across an area near a small town. While refilling water at a nearby lake and flying over wildfires, players need to avoid harsh winds and airborne collisions.

The game includes a donated media placement from Smokey Bear -- which People Operating Technology says is a first for the platform -- reminding players, "Only you can prevent wildfires." Wildfire Fighter also offers a link to the Smokey Bear mobile site for players who want to learn more about fire safety.

If Activision's handling of Kurt Cobain's avatar in Guitar Hero 5 didn't shock you, what with the game allowing the deceased Nirvana frontman to perform and pose along to unlikely songs from Bon Jovi and Bush, perhaps this video will convince you that the company should've taken more care with the artists.

Here, Cobain, legendary country singer Johnny Cash, and Muse's Matthew Bellamy (the only singer in the trio alive to see his likeness mishandled) rap along to Flo Rida's 2007 club hit "Low", extolling the merits of apple bottom jeans and the boots with the fur (with the furrr).

Youtube uploader Thenewnoelison also posted videos of the supergroup performing Village People's "Y.M.C.A." and the Spice Girls' "Wannabe". I wouldn't be too surprised to see Bellamy and Cash's estate join No Doubt in suing Activision for allowing this.

That is, if they they a chance to watch the videos before Activision sends a request for Youtube to take them down.

[Via Superannuation]

Not to be outdone by bands like Aerosmith and Van Halen that've cashed in on the popularity of music games, '80s rock group REO Speedwagon partnered with North Carolina developer Curious Sense to create a game in its likeness, though don't expect to grip a guitar controller while playing this one.

Find Your Own Way Home, named after the band's 2007 album, is a hidden object PC adventure in which players take on the role of a Hollywood reporter tasked with preparing a report on REO Speedwagon at an album release party. The band's lead vocalist, Kevin Cronin, goes missing, as players must find clues to track him down and get everyone to the party on time.

The game will feature 80 levels, 30 hand-rendered environments, 18 game types, and 12 REO Speedwagon songs, including new recordings for "Keep on Loving You" and "Roll With The Changes". No word on whether the group's other chart-topping power ballad "Can't Fight This Feeling" made it on the soundtrack, but it would be criminal (a travesty, even) if not.

Publisher Merscom plans to bring this ship into shore and throw away the oars (forever) the week after Thanksgiving. The game includes a coupon code for a discount on the band's new Christmas album, Not So Silent Night. Also, players that find a hidden Gold Ticket in Find Your Own Way Home's last level are eligible to win one of ten prize pages, which consist of two tickets to an REO Speedwagon concert and a backstage meet-up with the band.

[Via Gamezebo]

WaveNest Innovations has announced the release of BabyBuilding for the iPhone/iPod Touch. The gist of the app is to take two pictures of people, either taken with the camera or stored on the device, and merge them to see what your baby would look like. The app has an easy to use interface to load [...] Continue reading

Likely yelling out the studio's name from a rocky cavern, actor and novelist William Shatner is confronting Shatter developer Sidhe for allegedly using his name and likeness in a game without his permission.

The Priceline Negotiator's attorneys sent a cease and desist notice to Sidhe yesterday:

"We represent William Shatner and it has come to our attention that you are planning to develop or have already developed and will soon place on the market for commercial sale a digital game utilizing our client's name and likeness as well as infringing on both Paramount's rights to the character 'Captain Kirk' and Bob Dylan's rights to the song 'Mr. Tambourine Man'. ...

Please be advised that you are to immediately cease and desist the further development, production, and or distribution of the game SHATNER or any other product that uses William Shatner’s name or likeness without first obtaining his approval."

Surely these lawyers misheard someone mentioning Sidhe's Arkanoid-esque PSN game Shatter, and confused the title with their client's name? As it turns out, they didn't completely fabricate this Shatner video game; someone else did.

Two weeks ago, New Zealand site Game Console posted a tongue-in-cheek news article claiming the Wellington-based developer was working on a skin for Shatter that would replace the game's blocks with disembodied heads resembling the actor's Capt. Kirk character from Star Trek. The site also reported that the mod would remix Shatner's cover of Bob Dylan's "Mr Tambourine Man" for the soundtrack.

And if the situation wasn't ridiculous enough, Shatner's attorneys mentioned in their message that they also notified Paramount Studios (which owns the Star Trek license) and Bob Dylan of the alleged game.

Not wishing to go to court over such a frivolous misunderstanding, Sidhe's managing director Mario Wynands sent the following response and posted the text online:

"Thank you for your email.

The GameConsole 'report' you reference is what is commonly referred to on the internet as a 'joke'. The article is a parody of our game, and has no basis in reality in that it does not in any way reflect our intentions for further development of the Shatter IP or relate to any official statement we have made relating to the game.

We have the upmost respect for Mr William Shatner and the licensing process, and if we had any intent of using rights related to either Mr Shatner, Star Trek, or Tambourine Man (which we do not) we would do so using the appropriate channels.

Please respond acknowledging your receipt and understanding of this message, and confirming you have notified both Paramount and Bob Dylan's representatives of your misunderstanding."

Hilarious. How long before actor Richard Roundtree sics his lawyers on the developer for its upcoming but unannounced GripShaft mod?

[Thanks, Matt Matthews]

Taking a cue from 2K Games' recent in-depth discussion on the development of BioShock 2's Big Sister, Electronic Arts concept artist Joey Spiotto published his own tell-all for the visual design of a video game character he helped create -- Dead Space's Kendra Daniels, who Spiotto notes was selected by Maxim last year as one of the "Hottest Video Game Babes of 2008".

Along with hair styles and outfits that were considered, the artist shares modeling packets that were put together before Ms. Daniels was transformed into 3D, with texture details and a gore pass (pictured below) to show what she'd look like after a run-in with the survival horror game's necromorphs. Spiotto also posted a photo of actress Tonantzin Carmelo, who provided the character's voice and likeness, in a mocap suit and with her face covered in markers. See it all here!

[Via Super Punch]