As of posting, the band’s website reads:

We may not like playing video games all that much but we do like it when our music is featured on them! Makes us a bit proud even when it’s a game as big as Saints Row for the PSP and even prouder when the nice developer people show excellent taste by picking “The Lotus Eater” for it. So if you love playing video games: the game is expected to hit the streets around March 2010.

If you are not getting your Saints Row game news from Scandinavian metal bands, you are probably getting it from somewhere else.

We are contacting THQ and will update if we hear anything.

The Lotus Eater on Sony PSP game Saints Row [Opeth via VG247]

For our Question Time feature, Kotaku reader Ryno asked Volition’s Sean Kennedy about the prospect of Red Faction: Guerrilla’s destruction technology making an appearance in the next Saints Row title. Kennedy says it won’t happen for a long time:

“The hardware is just not there to allow for a world of that density and size, with all that is expected to be going on in, say, a Stilwater and have it be fully destructible in the way Red Faction: Guerrilla is. There is also a balancing act between destruction, time, quality, and other things that just would prevent that from happen. So, it’s not even just a hardware issue but a lot more.”

Kennedy also spoke (addressing a question from Kotaku reader tomnookisdead) of the sheer technical challenge Volition faced implementing the destruction tech in RF:G, and how far ahead of the competition it really is:

“I would love to see it not make its way into mainstream games for a long time. Fortunately with what we have made it should be a long time until you see other developers hit the same level of destruction and type of destruction we created for RF:G.

“The tech was in development since 2004, and it was a long, uphill battle. Several times we all together to admit that we had run out of ideas for getting destruction to be fast enough, and then a miracle would occur—some new optimization that doubled the frame rate—and we’d continue on.

“Designers had to change their mindsets. It’s not possible to control the player, to micro-manage him. They learned to build scenarios for the player, but not to worry too much about what the player would do, because the player could do all sorts of crazy things, like driving a truck off a cliff and crashing it through the roof. The rule was ‘respect the player’s freedom’.”

While I loved the destruction in Red Faction: Guerrilla, it really seemed to suit the anonymity of its Mars setting. In a “real world” environment like a Saints Row or GTA, where the city itself is as much of a character as the human cast, it’s difficult to envisage how you could let the player destroy it all without, well… breaking the game at the same time.

What do you think? How would you approach designing a Saints Row 3 that used Red Faction: Guerrilla’s destruction tech?

Rapper 50 Cent revealed his intentions to develop a movie based on THQ’s Saint’s Row franchise today during a conference call regarding his upcoming video game 50 Cent: Blood in the Sand.

Answering a question about the possibility of his own games becoming films, 50 Cent explained that he had other movie plans in store before he could work on bringing Blood on the Sand to the big screen.

With my relationship with THQ, they’ll actually see me develop Saint’s Row into an actual screenplay and into a film project. I’m optioning the rights for that right now, so they’ll see that before they see me do it from my own perspective for my game.

No word on what Fiddy’s involvement in the movie would be other than simply producing it, but I have faith that he’ll be able to come up with a suitable cast of gangbangers once the time comes.

That’s baby faced, 13-year-old father Alfie Patten, 15 year-old mother Chantelle Steadman, and their newborn baby Maisie.

During the baby’s first days out of the hospital, Patten and Steadman spent their time caring for the baby and playing Saints Row II. From UK tabloid The Sun:

The four-footer — who looks no more than eight — said: “I know I’m young, but I plan to be a good dad.”

As he went on the PlayStation with 15-year-old girlfriend Chantelle Steadman, he added: “I think we’ll be good parents. I’ll have to work extra hard at school.”

Chantelle looked up from 18-rated action game Saints Row II to admit her first night out of hospital since having 7lb 3oz daughter Maisie had been tough and had left her “in a daze”.

Saints Row II? Wait just a second. How they hell did they get Saints Row II?! That game is for adults, not kids. Adults. These two are so not ready for Saints Row II. Nobody doubt their sincerity in wanting to play Saints Row II. They’re too damn young. Somebody tell they parents before it’s too late!

Aside: When I was 13, I had a paper route.

Feeding, nappies… and PlayStation [The Sun]

Ben, whose combo of grills, Mum’s clock, plus a crotch grab matched with a bum bag was too much to ignore (see image). And Alex ‘A-dogg’ who we were actually worried would come around and kick our arses if we didn’t let him win! So, congrats. You’re Saints 2 pack, complete with game, limited edition singlet and gold bullet USB are on their way.

Of course, the comp was a doozy to judge and props must go out to Tracey L, Both, Scott and Sam. Better luck next time guys…

Remember, for your chance to win one of the 2 Saints Row 2 packs up for grabs, send us photos of your best wannabe gangsta poses, with evidence in the photo that you took it for Kotaku.

Entries close 5pm November 14.

[Terms and Conditions]

For your chance to win one of two packs- which includes either a PS3 or X360 copy of the game, limited edition basketball singlet and gold bullet 1GB USB- send us photos of your best wannabe gangsta poses, with evidence in the photo that you took it for Kotaku.

You have until November 14!

[Terms and Conditions]

[Terms and Conditions]

[Saints Row 2 comp on Kotaku]
[Terms and Conditions]

For your chance to win one of two Saints Row 2 packs, with a copy of the game and one of these limited Saints Row basketball singlets plus a Saints Row 2 gold bullet 1GB USB key (that’s the thing between my teeth), send us photos of your best wannabe gangsta poses, with evidence in the photo that you took it for Kotaku. We have one copy for PS3 and one copy for X360, so flag which you want and we will give one to our favourite photo from a user of each platform. Plus two more winners will score a gold bullet 1GB USB key. Send your efforts to competitions@kotaku.com.au. You have until November 14!

One of you gets this shirt worn by yours truly. I won’t say which, as I’d hate to hear you bleached it to get the Shay off.

[Terms and Conditions]