Round-Up: God of War Movie, John Deere Games, FIEA Additions

Today's round-up includes information on the prospective God Of War feature film, a lovable bunch of John Deere-licensed farm machinery announced for a forthcoming PC game, and some new additions to the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, as well as the latest product news, audio gallery, and job postings. - After its significant success at retail, Incog Studios' God of War has been optioned as a feature film by Universal Pictures. Producers attached to the project are Charles Rowen and Alex Gartner of the Mosaic Media Group, though the deal is too fresh to have attracted any writer, director, or actors as yet, though there are certainly some fans who'd kill for the part. The movie adaptation will likely follow a similar plot as the game, which pitted Spartan warrior Kratos against classical Greek monsters in his quest to kill Ares, the titular god of war. - Bold Games has partnered with Gabriel Interactive to offer two new mass-market PC titles based on the John Deere tractor license. The two children's games, Welcome to Merriweather Farm and Busy Days in Deerfield Valley star a cast of anthropomorphic farm equipment, including star Johnny Tractor and his friends Barney Backhoe, Luke Loader, and Corey Combine. "Merriweather Farm and Deerfield Valley have all the John Deere characters and farming equipment kids love," said Paul Rinde, Chief Executive Officer of Bold Games. - The Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy has hired four faculty members to enhance its video game curriculum. The new hires are technical director Tom Carbone, who previously worked on Madden NFL 2005 and Madden 2006; research associate Ron Weaver, formerly of Toontown Online at Disney; production director Rick Hall, whose experience includes Ultima Online and the Madden games; and art director Brian Salisbury, who served as art lead on Xbox sports titles such as Top Spin, Links 2004, and Amped 3. - Also posted today: the latest product news, including Eden Games' signing of the Kynapse AI system, a new Gamasutra audio gallery from Daniel Sadowski (Hunting Unlimited series, the newly announced U.S. Navy 'serious game'), and the latest Gamasutra job postings from companies including Activision/Treyarch, Electronic Arts Tiburon, Factor 5, Gameloft, Kush Games, ManTech-Gray Hawk, Midway Games, and Rockstar San Diego.