Max Payne 3

May Payne 3
Cover art for Max Payne 3
Developer(s)	Rockstar Studios
Publisher(s)	Rockstar Games
Writer(s)	Dan Houser[1]
Series	Max Payne
Engine	RAGE[2], Euphoria[3]
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows PlayStation 3 Xbox 360
Release date(s)	March 2012[4]
Genre(s)	Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Media/distribution	Optical disc

Max Payne 3 is an upcoming third-person shooter video game in the Max Payne franchise published by Rockstar Games for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Development is led by Rockstar Vancouver in collaboration with the New England, London and Toronto studios.^[5][6] This is the first game in the series not to be developed by Finnish game developer Remedy Entertainment and not being written by series creator Sam Lake.^[7] The lead writer of Max Payne 3 is Dan Houser, who was also the writer of most games in the Grand Theft Auto series, and of Red Dead Redemption.^[1]

The game was originally scheduled for release in late 2009.^[8] However, it was pushed back to 2010 alongside several other Take-Two Interactive franchises in order to "benefit from having more development time." In June 2010, the game was again pushed back to 2011.^[9] On December 21, it was not present on the 2011-2012 calendar year, and was pushed back again.^[10][11] The game was still in development and not canceled or indefinitely halted when Rockstar released two new screenshots for the game.^[12] On September 8, 2011 Rockstar announced a March 2012 release date for the game, with a trailer released on September 14.^[4][13][14]

Plot

According to Rockstar's Sam Houser, it is their intention on starting a new chapter of Max Payne's life with the game. "This is Max as we've never seen him before, a few years older, more world-weary and cynical than ever." Since the last game, the press release states Max has left New York City behind and has "drifted from bad to worse." The press release then goes on to say Max has been double-crossed in this new city and he is searching for the truth and a way out.^[8] The game will be set in São Paulo, Brazil, where Payne is working in the private security sector for a wealthy local family, set 8 years after the events of the second game.^[10][15]

Development

Rockstar initially claimed that series staple James McCaffrey would not return to the role of Max Payne, instead opting for an older actor.^[16] However, in Edge it was confirmed that James McCaffrey will not only return to voice Max Payne, but will also return in a full acting role through motion capture.^[6]

A debut trailer was released on September 14, 2011. Responding to criticism regarding the decision to abandon the New York/Night theme of the previous games in the series, the writer for the series, Sam Lake, responded by commenting that the game would "maintain its dark and gritty origins" and that fans of the series would be "in for a surprise."^[17]

In a interview with Gamasutra in November 2011, Dan Houser of Rockstar Games said that despite what the general public might think, Rockstar likes to "spend a bit of time" at the end of projects before deciding what to do next. "Basically we have been meaning to start [Max Payne 3] for a while, but we have limited bandwidth and limited studios, and more games to make than we've started. So suddenly it was a good slot," Houser said, explaining why it took eight years to follow up Max Payne 2. "Also, contrary to a lot of people, we like to take a little bit of time at the end of a game before starting a sequel, so we can wait for the excitement or disappointment and everything else of the experience to shake down and really see what we should do in the next game."^[18]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Morris, Chris (5 November 2011). "'Payne 3' ready to load". Variety.com. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118045632. Retrieved 14 November 2011. 
2. ^ Bramwell, Tom (June 10, 2009). "Balding Max Payne 3 sighted". EuroGamer. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/balding-max-payne-3-sighted. Retrieved 2009-06-10. 
3. ^ Charles Onyett (2009-06-16). "IGN: Max Payne 3 Details Emerge". IGN.com. http://pc.ign.com/articles/995/995261p1.html. Retrieved 2011-01-13. 
4. ^ ^{a b} R* Q (8 September 2011). "Max Payne 3 Coming March 2012". Rockstar Games. Take-Two Interactive. http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/18761/max-payne-3-coming-march-2012.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011. 
5. ^ "Max Payne 3 is joint Rockstar Studios effort". VG247. 2009-06-25. http://www.vg247.com/2009/06/24/max-payne-3-is-joint-rockstar-studios-effort/. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 
6. ^ ^{a b} EDGE, "A Man Called Payne", May 2011. pg. 56
7. ^ "Remedy not planning to revisit Max Payne anytime soon". VG247. 2010-02-19. http://www.vg247.com/2010/02/19/remedy-not-planning-to-revisit-max-payne-anytime-soon/. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "Max Payne 3 Announced!". RockstarWatch.net. 2009-03-23. http://www.rockstarwatch.net/news/734/Max-Payne-3-Announced/. Retrieved 2009-03-23. 
9. ^ "Max Payne 3 delayed; Redemption sells 5 million; GTAIV sells 17 million". RockstarWatch.net. June 8, 2010. http://www.rockstarwatch.net/news/984/Max-Payne-3-delayed-Redemption-sells-5-million-GTAIV-sells-17-million/. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
10. ^ ^{a b} http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/384483/rockstar_releases_new_max_payne_3_info
11. ^ "News: Max Payne 3 skips Take-Two's 2011-2012 release schedule". ComputerAndVideoGames.com. 2010-12-17. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=280887. Retrieved 2011-01-13. 
12. ^ "Max Payne 3 Alive". http://pc.ign.com/articles/115/1158525p1.html. Retrieved 30 June 2011. 
13. ^ "Revealed: Max Payne 3 Trailer Arriving on September 14". International Business Times. 11 September 2011. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/211832/20110911/max-payne-3-rockstar-ps3-xbox-360-trailer-reveal-arrival-games.htm. Retrieved 11 September 2011. 
14. ^ http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2392966,00.asp
15. ^ Gilbert, Ben (2009-06-13). "Max Payne 3 details from Game Informer hit the web". Joystiq.com. http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/13/max-payne-3-details-from-game-informer-hit-the-web. Retrieved 2011-01-13. 
16. ^ Gilbert, Ben (2009-06-15). "Max Payne gets different, older voice actor". Joystiq.com. http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/15/max-payne-3-gets-different-older-voice-actor/. Retrieved 2011-04-03. 
17. ^ [1]
18. ^ http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6550/dan_houser_on_how_rockstar_does_it.php?page=2

External links

• Official website
• Max Payne 3 at the Internet Movie Database