Source: A filing with the Japanese Patent Office, unearthed by Siliconera.

What we heard: If Clover Studios had to go, Okami represented a fine swan song. The studio, which formed in 2004 under a number of Japanese gaming industry heavyweights, was shut down by Capcom in October 2006, not a month after the acclaimed action adventure saw release for the PlayStation 2 in the US. That game was ported to the Wii in 2008, courtesy of God of War: Chains of Olympus developer Ready at Dawn.

It now appears as if the Okami franchise may live on beyond its Wii port, if a relatively new trademark filing with the Japanese Patent Office is any indication. As first spotted by Siliconera and translated by GameSpot, Capcom filed to trademark the term Okamiden with the JPO in July 2009 (application no. 2009-051624). In its description, items ranging from video game software to mobile phone straps and collectible trading cards could be covered by the trademark.

Unfortunately, the trademark filing does not offer any additional details. However, with the Tokyo Game Show set to run September 24-27, Capcom still has a substantial venue yet open to it to make the reveal.

The official story: Capcom had not returned requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: With so little information to go on, this one's bogus for now. However, Capcom certainly has the option open, even if it did shut down the studio that made the well-received original.

Source: See below.

What we heard: Enough already. After weeks of speculation and numerous retail leaks, snowballing rumors of an imminent Xbox 360 price cut have reached avalanche-sized proportions. Adding further weight is a scan sent to tech blog Engadget of a purported flyer from retailer Target announcing both the 60GB Pro and 120GB Elite models will be discounted to $249, and $299, respectively. The ad was quickly followed by a subsequent photo reportedly from a Best Buy flyer sent to gaming blog Kotaku showing identical price drops.

The new ads come just days after Engadget posted another $299 Elite flyer, purportedly from Wal-Mart. That ad appeared to confirm the new Elites would not ship with either an HDMI or component video cable. The newer scans, though, do not indicate what is inside the Elite boxes but do say it will come with a free controller when purchased at Target.

None of the leaked flyers confirm rumors that the Pro will be discontinued. However, another image sent to Engadget appears to back up earlier reports that the Pro model has vanished from the Elite's new packaging, auguring its imminent demise.

The official story: "Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation." -- Microsoft spokesperson.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus. Though earlier flyers have been obvious fakes, the Target and Best Buy ads appear to be legit, and the sheer volume of leaks is only given further weight by Microsoft's stony silence on the subject. With the question of "if" all but answered, it is now a question of "when," with the timing of the flyers--typically included in Sunday newspapers--pointing to August 30.

Source: The Star Wars cantina of game discussion known as the NeoGAF Forums.

What we heard: On Tuesday, the Web lit up with news of an inflatable horse-riding peripheral for the Wii. Today comes word that Nintendo may not be limiting its simulated conveyance to the equestrian realm. NeoGAF user "Kswiston" has posted a purported market-research presentation slide that shows what appears to be a bicycle-peripheral-based Wii game.

According to the slide, the unnamed $89.99 single- and multiplayer title will let players "pedal their way to fitness!" Accompanied by pictures of a round white pedal controller with three resistance levels (pictured top), it will have more than 30 maps based on actual locations. Accompanying images show a variety of locales on all continents except Africa and Antarctica, including Monaco, Paris, and the Grand Canyon. A Hawaiian level is also shown.

The Wii biking game will also feature more than 60 activities, with road races, downhill, dog-walking, and pedal-powered paragliding on display. Though the cardiovascular-intensive game will track calories burned with a Wii Fit-like interface, one of the activities its simulates is a high-fat barbecue, with players cranking the pedals to simulate turning a spit roast.

Speaking of Wii Fit, Kswiston also posted a slide that appears to detail Wii Fit Plus, the sequel to NPD's best-selling non-PC game of 2009 from January to June. Though not named specifically, the title is described as "a new version game of Wii Fit" (sic) and will feature "original Wii Fit activities"--something no non-Wii Fit game could do. These activities can be combined with just six new training and yoga exercises into workout playlists like EA Sports Active, or players can choose from preset 20-, 30-, or 40-minute workout routines. The game will also feature workouts targeted at certain parts of the body, including abs and arms, as well as stress reduction techniques.

Besides the workouts, the slide promises Wii Fit Plus will sport 15 new balance board minigames, including skateboarding, "rhythm kung fu," and a series of flapping games involving a chicken suit. The game will let players weigh their dogs or cats directly--versus subtracting the weight in the original Wii Fit--and, judging by an image, will allow players to create Miis for their pets. The game will apparently cost $29.99 on its own or $99.99 when bundled with the Wii Balance Board.

Finally, Kswiston said there was a third game in the market-research presentation, which featured resistance bands a la EA Sports Active, as well as video of the pedal device in action.

The official story: Nintendo reps declined to comment on the slides.

Bogus or not bogus?: Looking not bogus. The pictures look at little complex to be mere forgeries, and the descriptions carry a very Nintendan tone. Adding credibility are the Miyamoto-esque flourishes like the barbecue simulator and chicken suit, as well as the fact that the Wii Fit Plus slide shows a senior citizen--reportedly one of its target groups.

Source: Gaming blog Kotaku.

What we heard: Industry chatter continues unabated that Microsoft is on the verge of rejiggering its Xbox 360 hardware lineup.

Currently, Microsoft offers its hardware in three tiers: the $199 hard-drive-less Arcade, the $299 60GB Pro, and the $399 120GB Elite. However, according to a Meijer circular obtained by gaming blog Kotaku, Microsoft plans to officially replace the 60GB Xbox 360 Pro with the 120GB Xbox 360 Elite model at the $299 price point as early as August 30.

The change to Microsoft's Xbox 360 SKU lineup has been a hot topic since June. Late in the month, the same source that tipped Ars Technica off to the console's price cut in September 2008 informed the tech site of Microsoft's purported current plans.

Further corroborating evidence emerged last week, when Kotaku received a telling box shot from a retail source purporting to show the new packaging of the hard-drive-less, $199 Xbox 360 Arcade. Unlike the boxes of models shipped earlier this year, the box omits any mention of the 60GB Xbox 360 Pro, indicating that Microsoft would indeed be phasing out the SKU.

Should Microsoft be on the verge of cutting the Elite's price in September, the company certainly has a high-profile venue to make the announcement. Leipzig Games Convention successor GamesCom runs August 19-23 in Cologne, Germany. Microsoft was mostly silent at the 2008 Games Convention--an event that drew more than 200,000 attendees--but the publisher expects to hold its GamesCom press conference this year on Wednesday, August 19, at 1:00 p.m. PDT.

The official story: Microsoft had not responded to requests for comment as of press time. However, the publisher has been keen on responding to similar inquiries with the standard company line: "Microsoft does not comment on rumor or speculation."

Bogus or not bogus?: Looking increasingly not bogus.

Source: Film enthusiast site IESB.

What we heard: In June 2006, unconfirmed reports claimed that famed filmmaker Steven Spielberg was in talks to direct a World of Warcraft movie--a gig Spider-Man director Sam Raimi would land three years later. In October 2006, another top-selling game, Halo, would see its planned film adaptation put on indefinite hold and its would-be executive producer, Lord of the Rings helmer Peter Jackson, move on to new projects.

One of Jackson's projects is producing the computer-animated version of the classic graphic novel The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn--which Spielberg is directing after he wraps the just-announced remake of Harvey. Now, in an incestuous twist all too common in Hollywood, comes another unconfirmed report saying that Spielberg may take over as executive producer of the Halo film, which remains in development limbo.

According to an article posted late Friday on IESB, Spielberg's production company, DreamWorks, is in "active negotiations" with Microsoft to acquire the Halo film rights. Previously, 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures were partnering to distribute the film, which was reportedly doomed by studio rivalry and concerns over its $160-$180 million production cost.

According to IESB's multiple sources, DreamWorks wants the Halo property to be the first in a series of summer blockbusters it would release through its newly minted distribution deal with Walt Disney Pictures. (In a further touch of irony, DreamWorks had been negotiating with Universal just days before the Disney deal was struck in February.) Apparently Spielberg was sold on the project after being "blown away" by the latest rewrite of the Halo script by G.I. Joe screenwriter Stuart Beattie. (The original Halo screenplay was written by Alex Garland, who penned the script for the cult zombie-apocalypse film 28 Days Later and the dark travel novel The Beach.) Beattie's script is itself based on Eric Nylund's 2001 novel Halo: The Fall of Reach, which is believed to be the basis of what looks like Bungie Studios' final Halo game, 2010's Halo: Reach.

The official story: "We're glad there's still a lot of enthusiasm in the entertainment industry surrounding the idea of a Halo movie. That said, the Halo feature film remains on hold as we focus on projects like Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach. We have nothing further to share with respect to plans regarding a Halo movie." -- Microsoft rep.

Bogus or not bogus?: Though there's only IESB's word to go on, Spielberg-produced Halo looks plenty plausible. Besides being an avid gamer, Spielberg has strong ties to the gaming industry in general, having helped craft the original Medal of Honor and, more recently, having codesigned the Boom Blox games with Electronic Arts. Spielberg is also chummy with Microsoft and was on hand at June's Electronic Entertainment Expo to talk up the possibilities of the forthcoming Xbox 360 motion-sensing camera, Project Natal. Whether that relationship translates into an executive producer role for the filmmaker remains to be seen.

Sources: See below.

What we heard: Last week following a bleak earnings report, Sony CFO Nobuyuki Oneda told analysts that his company has reduced PlayStation 3 production costs by 70 percent since the console's November 2006 launch. Though Sony has never officially released a production price for the PS3, figures from hardware research firm iSuppli pointed to the per-unit manufacturing cost of the console now being just $252. That's well below the 80GB console's current $399 cost at retail and enough to make a $299 price point still profitable for Sony.

Though Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer appeared to dismiss the notion of the console being profitable last month, Oneda's comments reignited speculation of a PS3 price cut. That, in turn, refocused attention to photos purporting to be a new, 120GB slimline version of the console which surfaced in May. Like the PS2 Slim introduced in 2004, a smaller form factor would let Sony save millions on manufacturing and shipping costs--and might be the reason for the huge savings Oneda described.

Though Sony continues to remain silent on the prospect of a price cut (see below), the past week has seen a series of reports that indicate something is afoot in the PS3 supply chain. Over the weekend, Amazon's German store posted--and then pulled--a listing for a "PS3 Konsole Slim." Next, the semi-reliable Taiwanese hardware news site Digitimes reported that Sony has "placed significant orders for key Sony PS3 components," doubling demand and leaving suppliers scrambling to churn them out.

There are also indications that retailers are taking steps to clear out existing PS3 stocks. Taming blog Hatimaki was passed a purported scan of a notice sent to Japanese stores by Sony asking them to remove all current 80GB displays on August 9--shortly before the rumored launch window of the new, cheaper console. Then, the US Amazon store has significantly discounted the 160GB PS3 Uncharted bundle, dropping its price from $499 to $449--just $50 more than the $399 80GB SKU.

The official story: "We don't discuss or comment on rumors or speculation."--Sony rep.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus that there is a disturbance in the PS3 supply force. If it's not a cheaper PS3, then what is it?

Source: A report on the financial Web site Market Watch.

What we heard: With no end to the global recession in sight, many nervous publishers have been pushing their games out of the 2009 holiday season. One-time 2009 titles include Sega's Bayonetta, Ubisoft's Splinter Cell: Conviction and Red Steel 2, and Take-Two's Red Dead Redemption, Mafia II, and BioShock 2. The world's current top third-party publisher, Activision Blizzard, also recently postponed its high-profile new IP Singularity until the first quarter of next year.

Now, though, worries are spreading that Activision Blizzard may soon announce a much bigger schedule change. In particular, Market Watch is wondering if fears of a Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty delay are behind the publisher's 14 percent, 30-day stock slide. As evidence, it points to several analyst notes which raise the specter of the game slipping into 2010.

"While it is not inevitable that Starcraft II is delayed, the speculation is running rampant that this is the case," said Signal Hill's Todd Greenwald. Brean Murray's Jess Lubert got even more specific, saying, "The beta testing for Starcraft [II] hasn't started yet. If it starts in August and takes 5-6 months, then launching the game this year is next to impossible."

The official story: Shortly before last month's Electronic Entertainment Expo, Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime said that he expected the first of the three Starcraft II installments to launch by year's end. However, he gave the typical Blizzard caveat that it would only ship when it was done.

Morhaime's words were echoed today by a Blizzard rep, who would only say the following: "Development on Starcraft II is progressing nicely, but as with all Blizzard games, we won't release it until we feel it will meet our high standards and the expectations of our players."

Bogus or not bogus?: With Blizzard remaining mum, GameSpot asked two top game analysts whether they thought Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty would be delayed. One believes it will, the other is less sure.

"Starcraft II will likely be delayed into Q1 or Q2 of next year," declared Jesse Divnich, director of analyst services at Electronic Entertainment Design and Research. "The rumors of a Starcraft II delay are rampant, very similar to the same rumors that existed with Splinter Cell. And like Splinter Cell, the parent publishing company is not going on the record to dismiss these rumors…probably for good reason."

As evidence of a delay, Divnich points to Activision's announcement last week that it will release its quarterly numbers the afternoon of Wednesday, August 5. "Pre-announcing the delay of Starcraft II without informing investors on how this may or may not affect the company's financial health is borderline illegal and in bad taste. With their quarterly call just around the corner, we can expect Activision to make a firm decision on whether or not Starcraft II will be hitting store shelves this holiday season." He pointed out how Take-Two Interactive announced BioShock 2's delay via a conference call.

Webush Morgan Securities' Michael Pachter is less sure that Starcraft II has left 2009's orbit. "Nobody actually knows," he declared. "Blizzard quite likely made a flawless game, so the beta test is not going to be about discovering bugs in the software. It's all about balance of gameplay, making sure that the three races have equal powers, weapons, defenses, etc. Blizzard has probably gotten pretty close already (the friends and family beta is going on right now), but until they get 30,000 people playing 20 hours a day, it's going to be tough to know if everything is perfectly balanced. Will this take more than 4 months? Who knows."

The oft-quoted analyst does think that the massive media push behind another Activision Blizzard holiday release will act as an insurance policy. "Activision has taken steps to mitigate the possible delay by deciding to advertise the heck out of Modern Warfare 2," declared Pachter. "They hope to drive higher sales of the game this fall, partially or fully mitigating the loss of sales from a potential Starcraft II slip."

That said, one thing Pachter is absolutely confident of is that Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty will soar at retail. "I think Starcraft II will sell 4 million its first quarter, and 2 million in the three quarters thereafter," predicted the analyst. "I'd bet that 3/4 or more of these units are international."

Source: Gaming site Superannuation spotted a number of updated user profiles on professional networking site LinkedIn suggesting that Midway Games' Chicago outfit has been renamed WB Games Chicago.

What we heard: With Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment acquiring most of the assets of the bankrupt Midway Games, it was clear changes were in the offing. Indeed, they came quickly, with Midway's Newcastle studio shut down the week after the acquisition and employees at its San Diego shop and Chicago headquarters all given 60 days' notice.

With the still-indepdent Midway winding down operations, the fate of its main internal studio--which was bought outright by Warner Bros., building and all--is coming into focus. The Superannuation report links three different LinkedIn profiles one reportedly stating "I work at WB Games Chicago (used to be Midway Games Chicago) on the Mortal Kombat team," and another listing the job title, "Head of WB Games Chicago." As of press time, the profile linked to the former quote did not exist on the site, while the job title of the latter profile was listed as "Head of a Game studio in Chicago at WB Games Inc."

However, the third profile linked, that of a WB Games recruiter and former Midway project manager, continued to reference a WB Games Chicago. One of the recruiter's current employers was listed as WB Games Inc., with the additional clarification that, "The WB Games family of studios includes Monolith Productions, Snowblind Studios, Surreal Software and WB Games Chicago."

The official story: A representative with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment had not returned requests for comment as of press time, and attempts to contact the studio directly were unsuccessful.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus. A rebranding is likely imminent, but the apparent changes to those profiles and the lack of any comment suggest WBIE doesn't want them known about yet. Whether that's because the name isn't finalized or the publisher would rather make a major press event out of any change is uncertain.

Source: Internet-mining site Superannuation.

What we heard: Superannuation has been on a tear of late, unearthing an abundance of United States Patent and Trademark Office filings and online resumes that point to a variety of publishers' potential plans for the future. And if the site's latest nugget of information is to be believed, Disney Interactive Studios doesn't plan on returning to its new off-road racing franchise Pure anytime soon.

As spotted by Superannuation, the online resume of a former Black Rock Studios artist states that Disney scuttled plans to publish Pure 2 on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The artist, who accordingly worked on the project in 2008, posted a number of shots along with his resume to advertise his work, including concept shots of two different ATVs seen from various angles for Pure 2.

Pure met a strong critical reception upon its release for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in September 2008. However, the game's retail performance was less impressive, with the title shifting just shy of 300,000 units across all platforms in the US through June, according to the NPD Group. Black Rock Studios--known as Climax Racing before Disney purchased the UK outfit in 2006--is currently at work on Split/Second, a cinematic racer due for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in early 2010.

Like many others within the game industry, Disney has been feeling the impact of the global economic downturn. In January, the publisher trimmed headcount at Propaganda Games, which developed 2008's Turok revival. At the same time, Disney consolidated its Avalanche Software and Fall Line Studios locations, which resulted in more staff reductions.

The official story: Disney Interactive Studios had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: Likely not bogus that Disney halted development on Pure 2. However, with Split/Second speeding toward release early next year, there's nothing stopping Black Rock Studios from returning to the franchise in the future.