Source: An anonymous source told Eurogamer that Capcom has tapped Vancouver-based Blue Castle to produce a sequel to the 2006 hit Xbox 360 game Dead Rising.

　　The official story: Representatives of Capcom and Blue Castle did not return GameSpot's requests for comment.

　　What we heard: Murmurs of a Dead Rising sequel have been around since about the time of the original game's release. And given its critical and commercial success, it would be a bigger surprise if sequel wasn't in Capcom's plans.

　　While the game is a no-brainer, the choice of studio would certainly be unusual. Founded in 2005 by a handful of Electronic Arts and Disney Interactive veterans, Blue Castle has to date specialized in baseball games for 2K Sports, including last year's arcade-style The BIGS and the upcoming stat sim MLB Front Office Manager.

　　The BIGS was generally well received, but it would seem to be a risky choice entrusting Dead Rising's distinct marriage of violent gameplay and satirical narrative to a fledgling studio that has shipped only a single sports game. To give a promising franchise like Dead Rising to Blue Castle would show an almost irrational amount of faith in the studio on the part of Capcom.

　　Then again, Dead Rising was always intended to appeal to Western audiences. A Western studio might have a better idea of what Western gamers want out of a sequel. And when it came time for a new entry in another of the Japanese publisher's foreign-focused franchises--Bionic Commando--Capcom sought out the help of Swedish outfit GRIN. At the time, GRIN's only claims to fame were PC ports of the Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter series, but the upcoming Bionic Commando seems to be in good hands.

　　The unique structure of Dead Rising--players are trapped in a zombie-infested mall with three days to uncover the conspiracy behind the events--doesn't lend itself to a "more of the same" sequel. As a result, whoever handles the follow-up will have to come into the series with fresh eyes and a few tweaks to the blueprint. Maybe Blue Castle is just the team to provide that.

　　Bogus or not bogus?: Tentatively not bogus.