A (very purple) screenshot from the original Wasteland

The Kickstarter revolution continues apace. Only 48 hours after calling on fans to finance a new Wasteland game for the PC, Brian Fargo and inXile Entertainment have surpassed their $900,000 goal. Thus far, just over 20,000 backers have contributed $1,112,362 to the production. If the money continues to roll in, the developers will expand the scope of the project to include “more maps, more divergent storylines and even more music”.

Described as a “direct sequel” to 1988’s pioneering original, Wasteland 2 will return players to a world devastated by nuclear war. While classics like X-COM and Syndicate have recently been transformed into first person shooters, the team responsible for Wasteland 2 has specifically ruled out this possibility. The new game will be, much like its predecessor, a top down RPG with plenty of scope for tactics.

The names behind the sequel will be instantly familiar to followers of the first game. Wasteland executive producer Brian Fargo will be joined by fellow series veterans Alan Pavlish and Mike Stackpole. The story is being created by Jason Anderson and the music by Mark Morgan. Both worked on Fallout, a game long identified as a spiritual successor to Wasteland.

A release date is yet to be announced for Wasteland 2.

In related news, the Kickstarter program for Double Fine Productions’ forthcoming adventure game concluded earlier this week. Tim Schaffer’s studio raised almost $3m.

Image credit: Moby Games

NanoBITES captures those small but important morsels of gaming information that otherwise might slip between the cracks.

ITEM! Sony and CCP have revealed that forthcoming sci-fi shooter Dust 514 will be free-to-play. The PS3 exclusive will take place in the same universe as EVE Online and indeed actions taken in one game will affect the other.

ITEM! It’s the end of the worlds. Sony is pulling the plug on four of its MMO titles. Cosmic Rift, Infantry, Star Chamber: The Harbinger Saga and EverQuest Online Adventures (not be confused with EverQuest or EverQuest II) will go dark on Thursday 29 March.

ITEM! The seven month standoff between Bethesda and Mojang has been settled. As reported by Kotaku, the former will retain ownership of ‘Scrolls’ trademark while allowing the latter to publish its forthcoming strategy game under that name.

ITEM! Yukio Fatatsugi’s long awaited Project Draco will henceforth be known as Crimson Dragon, according to report published by Famitsu (via Andriasang). Announced at TGS 2010, the Kinect powered dragon riding sim is expected to arrive later this year.

ITEM! Here’s one for the motoring enthusiasts out there. Microsoft has confirmed that a new Forza is in the works. While Turn 10 has handled previous instalments, Forza Horizon is in development at Playground Games, best known for its work on Colin McRea: Dirt.

Looking for more nanoBITES? View previous instalments here.

Magicka developer Arrowhead Game Studios has unveiled its latest project. The Showdown Effect takes combatants from throughout history and pits them against one another in a variety of expansive 2D environments. The teaser trailer features a futuristic cop and a medieval knight. The game will support eight player clashes, so it’s fair to assume we’ll see at least another half a dozen characters. If there is any justice in this world, the roster will include a disco era kung-fu master.

While 2D brawlers aren’t generally known for their complexity, The Showdown Effect will apparently feature “hundreds of moves”. Players will also be able to “progress” their characters and access “customisation options”. Confirmed weapons include the shotgun, machine gun, sword and that most lethal of instruments, the frying pan. In terms of tone, Arrowhead is aiming to capture the spirit of “80s and 90s action movies”.

Publisher Paradox Interactive is aiming to release this PC and Mac game in Q3 2012.

There may be plenty of video game rabbits (Jazz, Max, Cream, etc) but only one bunny can lay claim to the title Prince of Hell. Ash is the protagonist in SEGA’s forthcoming Hell Yeah: Wrath of the Dead Rabbit. After a rival demon distributes intimate photographs of Ash throughout the underworld, he picks up his trusty drill and heads out for a bit of payback.

This will bring him into conflict with scores of original and bizarre adversaries, including Hot Gals (giant lips atop walking fingers) and Mad Cows (undead cattle featuring gargantuan human hands). Strangest of all are the multi-breasted starfish known as Patracks. Truly this game is the product of a disturbed mind.

While Parisian developer Arkedo hasn’t exactly been forthcoming about the game, the brief announcement trailer suggests that Hell Yeah may be a frantic side scrolling shooter.

Hell Yeah: Wrath of the Dead Rabbit is slated for release on XBLA, PSN and Steam in 2012.