Merrick again...

A few days ago, we posted a link to some mysterious videos that hit YouTube. The videos appeared to show some form of gameplay (demo? mod? real?) for a damn fine looking GHOSTBUSTERS shooter.

You can see other videos HERE.

These videos were attributed to ZootFly, who has now confirmed that the footage which caused so much excitement is REAL!

From a ZootFly statement:

"We are very glad to see the overwhelming response to the Ghostbusters prototype movies.

What you've seen is indeed in-game footage of early prototypes on the Xbox 360, running on ZootFly's proprietary engine.

Due to licensing issues, further development of the Ghostbusters game hit a bump on the road, but everybody here at ZootFly is working actively on resolving the challenges with the owners of the Ghostbusters IP."

This is most frustrating and troubling news -- this is the first movie tie-in game that's had me totally stoked in a long, long time. And there are hold-ups?

I'm VERY curious as to what kind of logjam might be stalling this project. Is it a rights issue with the studio? Licensing the images of the original actors? Music? Etc?

Either way...based on the public's reaction to this footage, there's clearly an enormous interest in (and plenty of money to be made from) a GHOSTBUSTERS game of this nature & quality. Without clear indications that a third movie is in development, it stands to reasons that all involved in granting licensing permissions should be interested in pulling down some kind of money from a franchise that isn't exactly setting the world on fire at the moment. So...wazzup?

I just hope that the matter is resolved & a game is released before Microsoft's XBOX 360 successor console comes around. I always feel terribly sorry for those forgotten little games that come out for a particular system while (or after) its progenitor has already stolen its thunder. I don't think games released under those circumstances get a fair shake...I'd hate to see this one to meet the same fate.

I'm wondering if some sort of fan action might help push this through? Which gives me the perfect opening to advance the obvious cliche: who we gonna call?

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