Source: Game-info site Destructoid.
What we heard: Some 121 years after they were committed, the Jack the Ripper murders remain a subject of interest. One reason is that the case was never solved, despite a massive effort by London's Scotland Yard, then (and still) considered one of the best police forces in the world. Another reason was the grisly nature of the crimes, which saw at least five prostitutes horrifically mutilated with surgical skill.
While posterity will remember the Jack the Ripper case as a grotesque chapter of the Victorian Era, unconfirmed reports say a unique historical reimagining may be on the way--in game form. Following reports that Visceral Games, the internal Electronic Arts studio behind Dante's Inferno and the forthcoming Dead Space 2, was making a game based on the copyright-free Jack the Ripper scenario, Destructoid is claiming to have the first details on the project.
Surprisingly, the game will not have players hunt down Jack the Ripper--but will have them play him instead. The site cites unnamed sources as saying the Ripper character is in fact a Van Helsing-like "supernatural slayer protecting people from demons, vampires and other evil monsters." To do so, he'll have a variety of weapons and abilities, including being able to slow down time.
The official story: "We have nothing to offer at this time." -- An EA rep.
Bogus or not bogus?: Trademark filings prove that EA has the intent of doing something game- and Jack the Ripper-related. But whether that entails tearing the entrails out of demon-possessed prostitutes is another matter. The fact that the Grand Theft Auto series allows players to comically murder virtual hookers made it a moral whipping boy in the mainstream media. Given the gory nature of Visceral's titles, any celebration of one of history's most notorious serial killers might prove too controversial.
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