Ubisoft's Women's Things
Jacko! Just Dance! Racket Sports.
The Wii game was shown, however. It looks very similar to Just Dance - you copy the moves of a motion-capped dancer, waving the remote in time with the music. The dancer here is instantly recognisable thanks to his Jheri curl hairdo, white socks and black loafers. No thanks to his face, mind, as once again, he doesn't have one.
Curiouser and curiouser. Could this mean that while Ubi clearly has the rights to use Jackson's music, videos and dance moves in its games, it couldn't quite afford the singer's likeness, too? Or can their artist just not draw noses very well? Not that that should matter. Oh well, here's hoping we'll get to actually play the game soon, perhaps during a press trip to Neverland.
Just Dance 2
Think back 12 months. Who would have predicted that a budget Wii game revolving entirely around waving a remote while making a tit of yourself would knock Call of Duty off the top spot?
Not even Ubisoft, admits Just Dance brand manager Rachael Grant. "We had high hopes for it because we thought it was a great game, but I don't think anyone anticipated it would be such a massive success," she says. "As for taking number one from COD... No, I don't think anyone predicted that."
Three million copies later, here comes the inevitable sequel. Once again gameplay involves waggling and tit-making and not much else. There are more tracks though - around 45 instead of the original game's 32 - along with four-player functionality and a few new modes.
These include Just Sweat which, all right, is really just the old mode with a calorie counter thrown in. But there's also Duet mode, where each player follows a different coach and performs their own moves. This means you and a friend can perform dances where you interact with each other instead of mirroring each other.
The results actually are hilarious. This is down to Just Dance's core strength, which is the brilliant choreography of the motion-capped dance coaches you have to copy. As in the original game, the routines are an excellent mix of contemporary, familiar, funky, cheesy and downright silly moves. Throw in some classic face-off manoeuvres and Just Dance 2 is even more fun.
Obviously I'm a woman, so of course I like Just Dance. But were you at the Ubisoft showcase, had you witnessed top-tier games journalists Kieron Gillen, Simon Parkin, Mike Channell and Oli Welsh getting down to Donna Summer's Hot Stuff in perfect four-player unison, and had you'd seen them having such a great time doing so, you'd know I'm not the only one.
What about those who remain convinced, however - those who maintain Just Dance is just a silly, simplistic game which has no depth and offers no real challenge? "I would say yes, they're completely right," says Grant. "It is simplistic. That's one of the things people love about the game. You pick up and play, it's very sociable, and people seem to love it."