The Morning Roast: Presidential recall at THQ, Amazon on Xbox, and Thor’s new bad guy

The Morning Roast: Presidential recall at THQ, Amazon on Xbox, and Thor’s new bad guy

THQ stock split
Ruh-roh.

THQ hires Naughty Dog co-founder as president

Jason Rubin, the co-founder of Uncharted developer Naughty Dog, was appointed today by THQ to serve as the company’s new president. At the same time, executive vice president of core games, Danny Bilson, will be leaving the company along with Dave Davis, the senior VP of core games. Rubin will be responsible for product development, marketing, and publishing operations for THQ, reporting to Chairman and CEO Brian Farrell. The news comes amid THQ’s continued financial struggle.

[Source: Polygon]

Amazon Prime Instant Video on Xbox 360
Image via Amazon

Amazon Instant Video available on Xbox RIGHT NOW!

Amazon both announced and launched its Instant Videos service on the Xbox 360 today. The new app is available to Xbox Live Gold members and allows for users to watch any video available on the service on their 360. Videos that are purchased must do so via a computer and are then eligible to watch on the console.

[Source: Amazon, via The Verge]

Novelist settles lawsuit with Assassin’s Creed 3 developer, Gametrailers

Novelist John Beiswenger dropped his copyright infringement lawsuit against Ubisoft after settling out of court with Gametrailers. Beiswenger previously claimed that Ubisoft had deliberately stolen ideas from his novel, Link, and appropriated them for the Assassin’s Creed series. The novel focuses around a machine, called the Link device, which allows users to experience the past from the perspective of those who were there, a lot like Creed’s Animus machine. Beiswenger settled out of court with Gametrailers and completely dismissed his claims against Ubisoft. However, in a press conference, Beiswenger’s lawyer stated that his client’s decision to drop the lawsuit, “ in no way diminishes his stalwart conviction in the merit of his claims against Ubisoft.”

[Source: Game Informer]

You Don’t Know Jack! Now available on Facebook

You Don’t Know Jack!, everyone’s favorite irreverent trivia game featuring Cookie “Fortune Cookie” Masterson is now available to play on Facebook. At the time of this writing, the game is currently down with a message on the game’s page blaming the smashing success for smashing something important.

[Source: Facebook, via Joystiq]

Mads Mikkelsen Thor 2 rumor

Mads Mikkelsen in talks to star as Thor 2’s villain

Mads Mikkelsen, the bad guy the bleeding eye from Casino Royale, or the mysterious Viking guy from Valhalla Rising, is currently in “serious talks” to be the villain in Thor 2. (SPOILER ALERT FOR THE AVENGERS) Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige dismissed rumors that Thanos, who appeared in the end credits sequence of The Avengers will be saved for something else in the future and that Thor 2 will have it’s own villain. In his interview with Empire magazine, Feige said Thor 2 will have just one main villain, putting at least a small squash on rumors that Mikkelsen will be playing Skurge, The Executioner, as Skurge almost always comes paired with The Enchantress. Dare we dream of an appearance by Beta Ray Bill so early?!

[Source: Entertainment Weekly]