Blizzard’s Diablo 3 breaking sales records to become the fastest selling PC game of all time should come as no surprise. The title, long awaited and massively hyped, sold over 3.5 million copies in its first day of release despite issues at launch, eventually breaking the 6 million mark before the week closed.

What is surprising is that Max Payne 3, Rockstar Games’ big release of the year, managed to outsell Blizzard’s much-anticipated gem in the UK. In physical copies, at least, Max Payne 3 was able to sell 8,000 more copies than Diablo 3 to the British gamers, locking on to the number one spot in UK sales charts.

While digital copies are not counted in the charts, Max Payne 3 achievement says a lot, and may be proof that new Max Payne games are a worthwhile endeavor.

The original Max Payne game was released in July 2001 for Windows and was later ported to the PS2, Xbox, Macintosh, and the Gameboy Advance. Its grit and hard-boiled atmosphere garnered much praise from prestigious gaming websites such as IGN and Gamespot, and a sequel soon followed. Subtitled “The Fall of Max Payne,” it followed in much the same vein as its predecessor. Despite positive reviews from the same major websites (although many criticized the short length), sales were unsatisfactory. According to the website VGChartz, the game eventually went on to sell 2 million across all consoles (the original sold 3.3 million) but the damage was already done. The only entry in the Max Payne series until now was a (predictably bad) movie tie-in released in 2008.

Leading up to Max Payne 3’s release, Rockstar began an aggressive advertisement campaign—a risky move, considering Max Payne is not one of the companies’ flagship series, titles that guaranteed to rake in a lot of money such as Grand Theft Auto. Also unlike Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne games (3 included) have been traditionally linear, resulting in little replay value, and relatively short game play. Max Payne 3 aims to fix this by including a multiplayer mode, lauded by critics.

Could this incentive to keep players busy after completing the story mode result in more sales?  The Diablo Battle Chest was the 18th bestselling PC game of 2008, mostly due to its online mode. Online multiplayer modes seem to be the path to success. Could it be the key to Max Payne reestablishing itself as a franchise? A strong online following certainly would help the series. There is not much Max Payne fans can do, other than cross their fingers and wait.  Oh, and play more Max Payne.

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The Die Hard franchise is one of the most recognized series in the action genre.  With Bruce Willis as the unlucky police officer John McClane it has become his iconic role when the original released in 1988.  Now 23 years later the fifth sequel is being developed with McClane going to Russia along with his song and clashes against local forces.  With the new change of setting different directors are named to possibly direct the movie.

The Die Hard movies have led McClane into all different kinds of trouble, ranging from terrorists in Airports, Subways, and even the Internet.  But now it seems like instead of staying state side, McClane and his son will be going to Russia.

No one is completely sure why McClane finds trouble in Russia, maybe he is on a vacation, or hired by the United States government?  Just some ideas on why McClane would be abroad, nothing official has been released yet.  The really big question for the series is who will direct the upcoming film?

There is a pretty short list of prospects on who will direct the film.  At first, Noam Murro, the director of Smart People, was slated to direct the film but when he landed the job for 300: Battle of Artemisia he dropped out.  Now, the studios are looking at the Irishman John Moore, the director or Max Payne, Behind Enemy Lines and The Omen.

It seems like it is his to leave or take or studios have a small list of back ups including Joe Cornish (Attack the Block), Justin Lin (Fast Five) and Nicolas Wedning Refn (Drive).

Joe Cornish is in the industry spotlight at the moment because of his direction of critically acclaimed Attack the Block, which tells the story of a group of friends in south London who defend themselves against an alien invasion.  He is also credited for writing The Adventures of Tintin screenplay, slated to release in December.

Justin Lin who is known mostly because of his directing work on the Fast Five, and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.  If set to direct, he could give the movie a huge adrenaline rush with his car chases, that he has perfected on since 2006.

Nicolas Wedning Refn has directed the recent movie, Drive, starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan and Bryan Cranson which will release in the States on the 19^th of September but his previous work that is well known is Bronson with Tom Hardy.

With Live Free or Die Hard releasing in 2007, the fifth installment has been long awaited.  Right now, directors and casts are being set to bring McClane back for one more heart-pumping mission.  The release is yet to be decided and but one thing is for sure, McClane will never “be too old for this.”

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