Brutal Legend breaks record, drops Dio

Earlier this month, Brutal Legend made its presence felt at the Electronic Entertainment Expo courtesy of a massive banner across the front of the Los Angeles Convention Center. As the show ended, it also made headlines for being the subject of a legal spat between current publisher EA and...

Earlier this month, Brutal Legend made its presence felt at the Electronic Entertainment Expo courtesy of a massive banner across the front of the Los Angeles Convention Center. As the show ended, it also made headlines for being the subject of a legal spat between current publisher EA and Activision Blizzard, which claims it retains publishing rights to the game.

Now, Brutal Legend is in the news again. First, EA sought to drum up publicity for the game by having its fans set a Guinness World Record for largest number of people playing Air Guitar at once. During the Download Festival in the UK, some 440 people and one official Guinness adjudicator assembled at the EA trailer to virtually and simultaneously play the classic Motorhead song "Ace of Spades." The previous record was 318 air guitarists, set in 2008.

In other Brutal Legend news, Double Fine chief Tim Schafer has confirmed a major change in the game's voice cast. "Ronnie James Dio is an amazing singer and truly one of the great figures of Metal, but as the character of Doviculus evolved, we realized that [actor] Tim Curry was a better fit for the part," he told GameSpot. "Anyone who has seen his amazing performance as the Lord of Darkness in the movie Legend knows why we cast him in the role of Doviculus, Emperor of the Tainted Coil." Curry (pictured in Legend) is also famous for playing the transvestite mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter in the cult musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show and has been in many games, most recently Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3.

Barring any legal delays, Brutal Legend will ship in October for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. A Wii version of the game is also rumored to be in the works.

115 Comments

  • RadPie

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 9:43 pm PT

    Hey, from the mind of it's makers, and the talent of it's cast, who gives a care about conflict. IT WILL ROCK!

  • Spinaltap211

    Posted Jul 3, 2009 7:20 pm PT

    Dio is one of the most powerful singers in metal. They will probably give him some kind of role in the game

  • VisceriousZERO

    Posted Jun 21, 2009 5:57 pm PT

    This game will be METAL. nuff zed.

    Definitely getting this.

  • DredWulf

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 5:56 pm PT

    @ ShadowXStorm

    Definately some good ole thrash like Slayer, or Exhorder or Venom. Man Venom in Brutal legends would truly make this game Brutal.

  • Epicurus-Reborn

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 5:00 pm PT

    woooo Tim Curry! how perfect.

  • Nintendo_Ownes7

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 12:07 pm PT

    Can't they keep Dio as a smaller Role.

  • shiben

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 2:03 am PT

    this game will ROC, only bcoz Jack Black rockx... and that its about rock! so its gonna roc!

  • Chico_Azteca

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 12:09 pm PT

    ZA WARUDO!

    oh wait what are we talking about here?

  • zaphod_b

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 10:25 am PT

    There is obviously a reason for this, most obvious would be that Dio is not an actor, and the role ended up being bigger than they had planned. If anything, having Tim Curry in it makes me want to play it more.

    @migg2: "The Home Alone 2 Guy"?! Are you effing serious? The guy has been in some crap, but come on! Dr. Frank N. Furter, Lord of Darkness, Pennywise, and you are going to point out Home Alone 2?! Pfft.

  • Naruto

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 10:10 am PT

    Dio is much better than ozzy. Tim Schafer sucks now..

  • DarkMaster7991

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 2:25 am PT

    ...are people seriously going to pass on this game just because of Dio. Sure he would seem better and it would be a better cast with him but there are still alot of rock legends and a great cast. Plus it's a game. It's more about playing it. Sure it sucks dio is gone but that doesn't mean this game should be passed because of it.

  • jokerman_28

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 2:09 am PT

    what happened here?? what happened to Dio??

  • broncosfan

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 8:22 pm PT

    I'v never heard of this guy but if the comments are to be belived, its for the best, although Dio would have been frekin' amazing! Cant ya fit him in like some smaller role?
    ---
    How have you not heard of Tim Curry? He's a cult legend practically. I have little interest in this game, but if he's doing any VO work for them, trust me, it's a good thing.

  • Mr_FinalFantasy

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 7:12 pm PT

    This is disappointing... Still, Tim Curry is better than Candle Jack. He

  • migg2

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 6:27 pm PT

    I'm out. The thing that made this game so awesome was the representation of actual metal legends. Tim Curry?? Are we serious? The Home Alone 2 dude? In a metal game? You can't announce metal legends like Dio and then drop them later... sorry...

  • Mac11_Fanboy

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 5:51 pm PT

    wasn't he doing two parts though?

  • SmashingX

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 4:42 pm PT

    They dropped Dio? This game is gonna be crappy anyway.

  • Shadow_Fire41 posted Jun 16, 2009 4:27 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Shadow_Fire41

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 4:27 pm PT (hide)

    whos Dio now?

  • rick-garza

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 4:22 pm PT

    Hellll no! To drop Dio From this game is like dropping James Hetfield from Metallica or dropping Russell Allen from Symphony-X.. Wtf?! That is a very Un-Metal Decision! Now i def have a reason to pass this game up.. Should just drop Jack Black, Ozzy and Lemmy and hire The Fxcking Jonas Brothers to voice over there voices. I swear Some companies just make the worse decisions in the world.. This a definite $60.00 I will go spend on something else.. Like Thrash Metal Albums. *Sighs* Anyways... but Curry did kick much ass in Home alone 2!

  • ShadowXStorm

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 3:10 pm PT

    @DredWulf
    Throw in some Thrash and Hardcore while your at it.

  • Jshaw71

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 2:06 pm PT

    games making news and it even isn't out yet, heh, and a wii version... hmm i wonder how different it will be, i hope the game will be out on time...

  • DredWulf

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 1:46 pm PT

    I wonder if they have any Black or Death Metal bands in the game I mean Judas Priest and Sabbath are all fine and well but it would be nice to see something definately more evil.

  • hungoverwookiee

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 12:01 pm PT

    tim curry rules

  • Mordechai28

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 11:35 am PT

    It's because of Ozzy. and his law suit against Tony Ioomi. I would take Dio over Ozzy any day of the week. IMO Sharon has turned Ozzy into metal embarrassment. So Dio is not suited to do a VO for his game but Ozzy is because Ozzy has such great voice and no one has problem understanding him. Ozzy should stick to doing Cell phone commercials. Its all politics. I just lost interest in this game. I thought Schafer was better then this.

  • link1709

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 11:30 am PT

    For a start it is Tim Curry not Tom!!! Ronnie James Dio is an amazing talent and dropping him entirely is just as dumb as Activision suing EA over publishing rights. Anyway, Tim Curry also played Pennywise the Clown for the T.V. Adaptation of Stephen King's I.T. I know that scared the hell out of me as a child and would defy anyone to disagree. Tim plays evil characters very well. Could Eddie not have an Obi Wan type mentor in the form of Dio??? Someone who has tried this path before? Creating prequel rights and more back story? Obviously this is just a suggestion. I don't know the level of backstory involved at the moment.

  • GodsPoison

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 11:24 am PT

    B-but if they dont have Dio who will JoJo fight!?

  • Sins-of-Mosin

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 11:14 am PT

    Can't wait to play this game.

  • muffinduck01

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 11:13 am PT

    I'v never heard of this guy but if the comments are to be belived, its for the best, although Dio would have been frekin' amazing! Cant ya fit him in like some smaller role?

  • AJ-Wylde

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 10:48 am PT

    Dio vs Tim Curry? Wow theres a tough choice. (-_-)

  • snare411

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 10:09 am PT

    damn dio would have been epic

  • Warchief_Zuljin

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 9:55 am PT

    "Who's Tom Curry? I thought Jack Black was doing this. I'm confused."

    There's more than 1 character in the video game that needs a voice actor. Jack Black is providing the voice for the main hero.

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 9:49 am PT

    They should have a videogame premier. Show the in-game video (and maybe some important gameplay) all the way to the end. And it should be star-studed with everyone that voiced and worked on the game. That would be cool to have a movie style videogame premier -- that would get people to notice the game.

  • The_Last_Saiyan

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 9:46 am PT

    Once again. Shorts 35 is absolutely right. All respect goes to the dark father Dio. Halford would feel the same. No question.

  • lukas1051 posted Jun 16, 2009 9:46 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    lukas1051

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 9:46 am PT (hide)

    Who's Tom Curry? I thought Jack Black was doing this. I'm confused.

  • pablo091377

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 9:19 am PT

    @Mental_Gear - I must concur with Mr. Shorts35.

  • Eat_My_Shorts35

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 8:53 am PT

    @Mental Gear: how can you say that???? any respecting metal lover with half a brain would know he was one of the forefathers of metal, hes been doing metal since the mid 60s. Rob halford was probably influenced by him and he didnt come out till 73 with judas priest. He wasnt even an original band member. He was probably influenced by dio

  • bertm1975

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 8:50 am PT

    Anyone else shocked that Tim Curry, Wadsworth in Clue, played one of the most visually striking, scariest villains in movie history. I can barely sit through Legend, but I'm glued to the screen anytime he pops up. And Darkness is all done with old fashion movie special effects, no CGI or anything. I even picked up the McFarlane toy version.

    Good choice going with Curry. Wish they'd do a less girly version of Legend, and bring Curry back as Darkness.

  • basskill2000

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 8:04 am PT

    good move, Tim Curry is a great actor, and yea he would definately fit the role better. Dio is good, but for the quality of the game, Curry is better

  • konradak

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 7:38 am PT

    Can't wait for this game One of the biggest surprises of E3 for me of how good it looks.

  • jadefury27

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 7:31 am PT

    While i like dio, tim curry is an awesome actor.

  • lehoang15tuoi

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 7:28 am PT

    PC version, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Kcube

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 7:15 am PT

    Tim curry is yet another reason I'm stoked for this game.

  • dark_being

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 7:13 am PT

    Great! I love Time Curry!

  • Rect_Pola posted Jun 16, 2009 6:56 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Rect_Pola

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 6:56 am PT (hide)

    I wish I could be excited by the news of a Wii version but I can't, even if it was coming out at the same time. Both 360 and PS3 are so powerful that even if nothing was compatible, a developer can still produce a similar looking and playing game. The simple fact is that can't and doesn't happen when porting to Wii on it's best days. Very resolutely between this and the last generations high marks, the Wii is too different and lacking to handle what either power-console creates. Between cutting, downgrading, and outright messing up, every ounce of laziness in a port stands out. Wii does best with original material.

  • volcomstoner180

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 6:50 am PT

    o great Dio......

  • Mental_Gear posted Jun 16, 2009 6:35 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Mental_Gear

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 6:35 am PT (hide)

    Dio simply does not deserve to be in the same game as Rob Halford.

  • taylormadederek

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 6:19 am PT

    Nope closest that Satan has come to fruition is South Park . | | |
    \/

  • Grandstream

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 6:02 am PT

    Tim Curry did that movie (Legend) around the year I was born. It's one of my favorite movies since it's the closest incarnation to Satan he's ever come (although technically he IS Satan in Legend, aka Lord of Darkness). He's definitely a skilled actor, and i think Tim Schafer opting to give him that role for this game was a good move.

  • klugenbeel

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 6:01 am PT

    Damn, I am torn. Tim Curry is an excellent actor and hes played some great rolls, and then Ronnie James Dio....well he is the man. He has a hell of a voice and seems perfect in a Jack Black video game, ashame to loss him...because really...cast both Ronnie and Tim in the game...thats a much better idea! :-D

  • LosDaddie posted Jun 16, 2009 5:43 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    LosDaddie

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 5:43 am PT (hide)

    Already pre-ordered BL for the great X360!!

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