by Chris Remo, Apr 13, 2006 8:15pm PDT
Hey, some more news!
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Microsoft Doubling 360 Production?
[xbox360] According to VNU, Microsoft is currently planning to raise production of Xbox 360 consoles to one million per month between April and June, doubling the number of units produced worldwide between January and March. The information comes courtesy of Taiwanese chip manufacturers providing parts for the console. When contacted for comment by Shacknews, a Microsoft representative stated: "This story is speculative - we have not disclosed specific inventory or manufacturing ramp up figures. We have said that with component supplies in full production and third manufacturing partner Celestica now producing the next-generation console along with partners Wistron and Flextronics, Microsoft is producing more Xbox 360 consoles than ever. Last month we announced Microsoft would ship two to three times the number of Xbox 360 consoles to the retail channel weekly and we remain on track to meet our year-end fiscal goal of 4.5-5.5 million units."
The ramp up would help Microsoft meet its stated goal of 4.5-5.5 million units by June, and if production remained at increased levels would ensure that the two competing consoles near their release dates, customers in search of Xbox 360s are not driven elsewhere due to lack of supply. -
New Konami Titles Revealed?
[ps2] [xbox] [xbox360] [ds] [psp] Rythm game oriented site Orange Lounge Radio has posted what is allegedly a retailer release schedule detailing a variety of upcoming Konami releases. The list seems generally plausible, and some of the games are already known to be in the works. - A long rumored followup to Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS) was revealed for Nintendo DS, entitled Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. Another Castlevania title on DS has been almost a sure thing, with fairly conclusive hints from several major publications; however, the game was previously referred to as the somewhat more awkward Castlevania: Dual Moons. The rechristened Portrait of Ruin has a release date of November 15, 2006. - Also present on the list is a PSP game called Silent Hill Original Sin, which the source claims is some kind of remake or port of the original Silent Hill (PS1) with "a few twists." Konami has not previously mentioned this title. It is listed with a release date of October 18, 2006. - Two new games from Backbone Entertainment's Death Jr. property were present, one for PSP and one for Nintendo DS. The original Death Jr. (DS), whose titular protagonist is the young son of the Grim Reaper, was one of the first PSP games showcased before the system's release. No description was given for either sequel beyond the names and release dates: Death Jr. 2 for PSP on October 18, 2006, and Death Jr.: Science Fair of Doom on October 11, 2006. - Bomberman: Act Zero, the previously announced Bomberman title for Xbox 360 and PSP, will be released July 12, 2006. Yes, this is the one in which Bomberman looks like the unholy spawn of the Terminator and Freddy Krueger. He's extreme, you see. - Three Dance Dance Revolution games were revealed: DDR Supernova (PS2) on September 13, 2006, DDR Universe (X360) on October 11, 2006, and DDR Ultramix 4 (Xbox) on November 14, 2006. Karaoke Revolution: American Idol (PS2) is set for release November 15, 2006. Though all of this information has become widely reported and seems plausible, bear in mind that it has not yet been confirmed. Shacknews has contacted Konami for comment but as of press time has not yet received a response. -
Two Games From Namco Bandai
[psp] Namco Bandai confirmed two games today: Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra (PS2) and Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception (PSP). Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra will finish off Monolith Soft's Xenosaga trilogy, a semi-spinoff of Square's 1998 RPG Xenogears (PS1). The game features an improved battle system, an updated database feature, and some kind of 50 hour mini-game. "We are very excited to bring this conclusion of the Xenosaga series to the fans that have been anxiously waiting to see how this epic adventure will conclude," said Namco Bandai's US product director Yoshi Niki. Xenosaga Episode III will ship this fall. Namco Bandai recently released Xenosaga I & II (DS) in Japan; the compilation does not yet have a North American release date. Ace Combat X for PSP was revealed in the latest issue of Japanese publication Famitsu and confirmed by Namco Bandai representatives in the US. Few details were revealed about the game, other than that it is expected this fall in Japan. Namco Bandai could not confirm that the game is headed for Western territories. The company is also currently preparing to ship Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (PS2) in North America on April 25. -
Open Season for Ubisoft
[ps2] [ps3] [xbox] [xbox360] [gamecube] [nintendo] [ds] [psp] [gba] Ubisoft today announced the development of Open Season, a video game tie-in based on Sony Pictures Animation's first full CG-animated movie. "Ubisoft is committed to making the best movie-based video games in the industry," said Ubisoft VP of marketing Tony Key. "We do this by partnering closely with our licensing partners and movie makers to create an experience that remains true to the spirit of the film but expands it far beyond the theater." The game is coming to "all available video game platforms" on September 15, two weeks before the film's release. - Screenshots. -
Misc. Q&As/Features
What is it about upcoming console launches that make game publisher executives use such bizarre wording? It's a secret to everybody. In a recent Gamasutra interview, newly promoted Ubisoft Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat commented on Nintendo Revolution: "I can say definitely, as any other developer, we are looking at this magical platform, and we want to be part of the adventure."
Super Mario All-Stars for the Super Nintendo. "A collection of four NES classics released for the SNES. Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3, and the "Lost Levels." My buddy got this packaged with his system and I was very jealous." (submitted by inarius)
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by Chris Remo, Feb 16, 2006 8:00pm PST
More next-gen news!
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PS3 at GDC
[ps3] The deprivation of confirmation and circulation of next-generation information has lacked explanation from the corporations whose occupation is causing salivation in anticipation of configuration specification dissemination. However, it looks like that may change soon, at least in Sony's case, when SCE Worldwide Studios president Phil Harrison will present a PS3 keynote during the upcoming Game Developers Conference. The keynote, "PlayStation 3: Behind the Box," will describe the possibilities afforded to game developers by Sony's upcoming console. Harrison will also touch on the expanding the market and reaching a broader audience; this is something about which both Microsoft and Nintendo have been making quite a lot of noise. Much of Sony's early PS3 buzz has had to do with positioning the machine as a "premium" product to a certain extent, but that may be changing. While the keynote abstract does not specifically indicate how much new information will be revealed regarding the PS3 from a consumer's standpoint, keynotes given by Big Three executives invariably end up spilling at least a few beans. With Nintendo president Satoru Iwata giving a GDC keynote as well, it is likely Sony will want to create a memorable presence at the show. Harrison's keynote will be presented Wednesday, March 22, from 10:30am-11:30am. - Press release. -
UMD Sales in Slow-Mo
[psp] In contrast to the attitude of gamers in Japan, who seem to see Sony's PSP as a gaming platform with multimedia features, many consumers in the Western world view the PSP as a multimedia device with gaming features. Sony has trumpeted sales of UMD movies for PSP in the millions, and a recent report indicated that there were some three times as many upcoming UMD movies as PSP games in the works. However, according to film industry trade publication Variety, the UMD craze seems to be dying down a bit. While, oddly enough, comedies aimed at young males are apparently still going strong (I would have expected sci-fi flicks to take those honors), other genres "simply aren't selling." Various studios such as Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video have begun to cancel some of their upcoming UMD releases such as GoodFellas in favor of comedy content such as Not Another Teen Movie and Monty Python. For its part, Sony hopes to reinvigorate the UMD market. The company seems to be planning an adapter that will output the PSP's video stream to a television, allowing the UMDs to be viewed on a larger screen. Such devices currently exist, some requiring users to modify the PSP, but Sony has yet to bring an official version to market. The company has also begun to sell DVD/UMD bundles for a slightly higher price than a standalone DVD in an attempt to promote UMD usage. -
DS Wages Phantom War with MechAssault
[ds] Majesco announced today that developer Backbone Entertainment will be bringing a new MechAssault game to Nintendo DS, managing to avoid calling it MechAssault: Dumb Subtitle (get it!? DS!?) in favor of MechAssault: Phantom War. The action title will feature realtime 3D combat on the top screen, with the touch screen apparently containing various cockpit controls. Phantom War will include a variety of 'Mechs, tanks, and other vehicles, and features an upgradable weapon system. The game has a full single-player campaign as well as support for up to four players in local wireless with three different gametypes. It does not appear that it is online enabled. MechAssault: Phantom War is based on the long running BattleTech universe; Microsoft owns the rights to the MechAssault spinoff line. As long as Microsoft stays out of the portable gaming hardware market, don't be surprised to see the company getting involved in games for Nintendo handhelds, even if the Microsoft name is never outwardly associated with them. Longtime Nintendo partner Rare has released Game Boy Advance titles since becoming a Microsoft acquisition, and the studio currently has job listings for developers familiar with DS. - Press release. -
FlatOut 2 Racing to Release
[ps2] [xbox] Empire Interactive has officially announced Bugbear Entertainment's FlatOut 2, the aptly named sequel to last year's racer FlatOut (PS2, Xbox, PC). The upcoming title is based on an improved version of the physics engine used in FlatOut, and it seems that the main additions to the game consist largely of taking what was in the first game and adding much more of it. It also evens out the multiplayer support problems from the last game, with online multiplayer modes and split screen on both PS2 and Xbox. However, mention of PC online support is conspicuously absent, indicating that that particular (and bizarre) deficit of the first game has still not been addressed. FlatOut 2 will ship for PS2, Xbox, and PC this June. -
Xbox Live to be Outfitted with The Outfit
[xbox360] Relic Entertainment's The Outfit (X360) will have an Xbox Live demo available March 3, according to publisher THQ. The 500MB demo will consist of a multiplayer level called Estate Assault. Supporting up to eight players, it pits the Axis against the Allies in an attempt to hold on to key strategic locations and objectives while destroying those of the opponents. -
Misc. Q&As/Features
Game Informer speaks with the quite frankly awesome Fumito Ueda and Kenji Kaida, director and producer respectively on Ico (PS2) and Shadow of the Colossus (PS2). EA sends along an internal Q&A about the cop chasing mechanics in The Godfather (PS2, Xbox, X360, PSP, PC). Someone uploaded a Japanese news story about the upcoming DS addons to YouTube. I can't understand any of it, but it shows the browser being used. (Thanks Next-Gen.) IGN helps you out with raising a video game-playing child.
Bart vs. The Space Mutants for the NES. "Waited for five hours at the rental place for it to be returned only to find out it sucked." (submitted by Zakazi)
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by Chris Remo, Feb 06, 2006 8:05pm PST
Another week, another week of news. News! Oh, and did you see that Prey thing? Snazzy!
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Activision Announces: PS3, Revolution Launch Titles
[ps2] [xbox360] [xbox] [gamecube] [ds] [psp] [gba] In its quaterly earnings conference call, Activision announced several upcoming games for 2006. The first new title announced was Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam, a new spinoff of the Tony Hawk franchise aimed at younger gamers. Other than being an "extension of the Tony Hawk brand," no concrete details were revealed during the game. Activision compares the marketing approach to that of Call of Duty 2: Big Red One (PS2, Xbox, GCN), which ran parallel to the "main" version of Call of Duty 2 (X360, PC) but is a different game targeted at a different market. The Call of Duty approach was described as a great success, so we should see more of this franchise-splitting from Activision in the future. In addition to noting that the company would be launching additional Xbox 360 and PSP games throughout the year, Activision also expects to be contributing at least one Revolution launch title and three PlayStation 3 launch titles when those consoles ship this year. No details were given in regards to the titles, but given the success Activision had with its licensed titles this past year and the underperformance of new IP like Gun (PS2, Xbox, GCN, X360, PC), it seems likely that the publisher will rely mainly on existing proprties for the console launches. Given Activision's stated goal of one to two new intellectual properties a year, expect to see them on more established systems. The company plans to support the Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty 2 "as if it were a newly launched title" in Activision's fiscal year 2007 (which begins in April 2006) for the purpose of updates and additions. This is due to the install base of Xbox 360, which is expected to grow significantly as Microsoft gets its supply caught up to demand. In regards to Neversoft's new franchise Gun and Luxoflux's continuing franchise True Crime, both lines sold under expectations, and future plans for additional sequels are not concrete. -
Ryu ga Gotoku May Go to North America?
[ps2] A couple weeks ago, I reported on news from a reliable source that European localizations of Sega's Yakuza epic Ryu ga Gotoku (PS2) are in the works. The game, from producer Toshihiro Nahoshi, was released in Japan to strong critical response but has yet to be announced for release in other territories. My source seemed fairly confident, however, and further evidence has sprung up in support of that rumor. The internet has uncovered a Sega-registered US trademark (#78801116) of the word "Yakuza" for use in "home video game software." If this does refer to Ryu go Gotoku, which seems very likely given the game's Yakuza theme, it implies that the game will be coming not only to Europe but to North America as well. Fingers crossed.
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Foundation 9 Founds New Studio
[ps2] [ps3] [xbox] [xbox360] [gamecube] [nintendo] [ds] [psp] [gba] Foundation 9, which bills itself as the "largest independent developer in North America," has announced the opening of a new Canadian development studio. Foundation 9 was formed last year when independents The Collective and Backbone Entertainment merged; and it now also comprises developers Pipeworks Software, ImaginEngine, and Digital Eclipse. The new studio, based on Charlettetown, Prince Edward Island, will be Backbone-branded and will be equipped to develop for all current- and next-gen consoles. It should begin development by March. Backbone, which already has studios in Emeryville, Vancouver, and Honolulu, was responsible for last year's Death Jr. (PSP) and is currently working on Age of Empires: The Age of Kings (DS). There are parallels to be drawn between Foundation 9 and Elevation Partners, which last year acquired Pandemic Studios and BioWare and is now rumored to be considering a Take-Two acquisition. Both companies unite multiple developers in an attempt to gain leverage in dealings with publishers and provide security by means of a diversified development portfolio. However, unlike Foundation 9 and most other developers, Elevation may soon be a publicly traded company. Press release -
DICE Cancels Part of a Game
[ps2] [ps3] [xbox] [xbox360] [psp] According to a post on developer Digital Illusions CE's official website, the Battlefield developer has cancelled two versions of an unnamed game being produced in conjunction Electronic Arts. Last October, DICE announced that it would be licensing the rights to the PS2, Xbox, and PSP versions of its game out to EA; they would be produced at EA's UK studio. The PSP version is still in the works at EA UK, but the PS2 and Xbox versions have been cancelled entirely. Apparently, this comes as a result of the strong but disappointing sales of DICE's Battlefield 2: Modern Combat for PS2 and Xbox. Under the royalty system used in DICE's contract with EA, the game would have needed to sell 4 million copies before DICE sees any additional payment beyond the fee for the game's actual development, but only 1 million copies of the game have been sold. DICE does not expect the current gen machines to have enough momentum to result in a different situation the next time around. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the mystery game are still in development at DICE's Stockholm studio, and it is set to launch in 2007. -
Uwe Boll "Absolutely Not" on MGS
[ps2] [ps3] Despite recent rumors that Uwe Boll has a copy of a script for an upcoming Metal Gear Solid film and is in talks to direct, Metal Gear series creator Hideo Kojima says it's simply not the case. In the second installment of The Kojima Productions Report, an English internet broadcast being hosted from Kojima's personal site, host Ryan Payton denies those rumors with word straight from Kojima himself. When asked about the possibility of a Boll-directed Metal Gear Solid film, Kojima reportedly replied with a fairly concrete, "Absolutely not. I don't know why Uwe Boll is even talking about this kind of thing. We never talked to him. It's impossible that we'd ever do a movie with him." In other Uwe Boll news, it appears the good doctor is not too upset about his recent Razzie nod for Worst Director. Speaking to Eurogamer, the filmmaker called it "a great honor." He explained, "I take every prize I get." -
Activision Earnings Down
[ps2] [xbox360] [xbox] [gamecube] [ds] [psp] [gba] In addition to the semi-announcements made in its quarterly conference call, Activision of course also announced its earnings for the quarter. The publisher saw a 20% increase in revenue from the same period of the prior fiscal year, up to $816.2M. However, actual earnings were 30% down to $67.9M from $97.3M last year. The increased sales met estimates but earnings were significantly below. Activision cited "weaker than expected market conditions" as a primary factor in the results, which come days after EA announced similar profit drops. Following the announcements, Activision stock dropped 7% to $13.30. -
Misc. Q&As/Features
Steve mentioned Wired's Vaporware Awards in ER, but I'm mentioning them here too because there are a couple console games on there. #6 is Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GCN), which was delayed from a holiday season 2006 release to some time in 2006. Blizzard's Starcraft: Ghost (PS2, Xbox) came in at #5 due to its three years of delays, swapped developers, and dropped Cube version. Infinium Labs' trusty Phantom Gaming Service console made #2, with executives on a revolving door policy and more delays than anyone can count. #1 wasn't a console game, and I don't even think I need to say what it is. IGN has a video interview with Sony Bend's Chris Reese on Syphon Filter Dark Mirror (PSP).
NiGHTS Into Dreams for the Sega Saturn. "The best (and only) game Sonic Team released on the ill-fated Saturn. Absolutely great game too and one of the first to highlight the benefits of an analog thumbstick!" (submitted by Prozium)
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by Chris Remo, Aug 16, 2005 8:00pm PDT
So does anyone have any North American PS2 copies of Rez or Gitaroo-Man? If you've got one or both of those titles and want to pawn them off onto an LNC editor for a fairly reasonable price, shoot me a Shackmessage... Also, let me know what you guys think about this New Console Releases section I've put in there. Is it something I should keep doing or does it take up too much space? I don't really like using actual news items just to announce that things have shipped, so this seems like a good alternative. In the future it would happen on Monday instead.
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Zelda to Miss Holiday Season Release
[gamecube] In a rather succinct press release, Nintendo has announced that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will not in fact hit its original Holiday Season 2005 release date. The game has long been expected to ship some time in November, but the publisher is now claiming that "the game will now launch in 2006 globally". Nintendo of America vice president of marketing and corporate affairs Perrin Kaplan stated that "the Zelda development team has requested extra time to add new levels, more depth, and even higher quality to Zelda...while this may come as a disappointment to many eager fans, it will absolutely enrich the game." GameSpot estimates that the game will not be released until Nintendo's next fiscal year, which begins April 1. One might infer that Revolution will not ship until well after that. -
DS Gets a Discount; GBA Micro Release Set
[ds] [gba] The onslaught of anticipated Nintendo DS releases is commencing next week with Advance Wars: Dual Strike and Nintendogs, and in preparation Nintendo has announced that the console itself will receive a $20 price cut to $129.99 on August 21, the day before the aforementioned games hit stores. Nintendo also revealed the Game Boy Micro's official release date of September 19, although no price point was given. The device, which plays all Game Boy Advance games, corrects a few GBA SP design shortcomings--it has a standard 1/8" headphone jack and adjustable screen brightness. Nintendo has still not offered any official word on whether they plan to launch the Play-Yan accessory in non-Japanese territories. The Play-Yan is a GBA cartridge which plays sound and video files stored on an SD card. -
Xbox Execs Skip GC; PS2 Price Drop?
[ps2] [xbox] Outspoken Xbox heads Robbie Bach, J Allard, and Peter Moore are apparently declining to make the trip to Leipzig for tomorrow's Games Convention. This suggests that Microsoft won't be making any big 360 announcements at the show, possibly waiting for their own X05 event in early October. GamesIndustry.biz also claims that a German-language Microsoft web page cites a price point for Xbox 360 as CHF 600 (Swiss Francs). This translates to 387 Euro and US$479. If the price is indeed correct, this would suggest a price of 399 Euro, which in many cases translates directly over to US$399. Many analysts have been speculating that in the wake of Sony's continued hinting of an expensive PS3, Microsoft might consider a higher price point than the US$299 that was previously assumed. Speaking of Sony, the same article also suggests that the PS2 might undergo a pre-holiday season price drop, a possibility described by senior sources in Leipzig as "common knowledge". UK retailers, however, were not aware of such a move. With GameCube already at $99 with a Smash Bros. bundle and the Xbox 360 launching soon, it is by no means unreasonable to expect Sony to take measures to make their aging PS2 a more attractive buy. -
That Xbox Was Pretty Big
[xbox] Apparently, "Xboxes are huge" jokes still aren't old with Xbox executives. A San Jose Mercury News article (free reg. required) has Microsoft's Peter Moore admitting that the Xbox "was 'a little big''--as he showed a slide that pictured a house-sized Xbox atop a large construction mover". Moore continued to note that it "couldn't fit through the doorway in most Japanese homes". That wacky Moore! On a less done-to-death note, Microsoft announced that contract manufacturers Flextronics, Wistron, and Celestica will build Xbox 360 consoles in three Chinese factories, which should give Microsoft the manufacturing flexibility needed to launch 360 simultaneously in Europe, Japan, and North America. Whereas Xbox had a 500,000 unit US retail launch with sales of 1.4M in its first calendar year, Microsoft hopes to launch 360 with a retail stock of 2-3M units, a stock which the company plans to continually replenish. -
Sony Dev Details Shadow of the Colossus
[ps2] The US localization producer for Sony's upcoming Shadow of the Colossus (PS2) has created a thread on the PlayStation.com message boards in which he answers some questions about the game and its relationship to the cult classic Ico, which was developed by the same team. Most relevant is this post, in which he categorically answers several questions posed by forum denizens. Some highlights: Shadow features an imaginary language that is in fact the same one used in Ico. The game will apparently give players "a number of questions which may lead you to want to play Ico again." The length is between 8-12 hours depending on the skill of the player, but it can take up to 20+ hours if played thoroughly, and the game will have unlockable extra modes. The game will support 16:9 and progressive scan. Fascinating! -
Possible Announcements at Games Convention
[ps2] [xbox] 1UP speculates on a few possible announcements and demos that might occur at tomorrow's Games Convention in Leipzig: Microsoft is expected to discuss the launch of Xbox 360 in Europe. Hideo Kojima will discuss Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3) (though probably won't show actual footage until Tokyo Game Show). EA and Criterion are likely to have Black (PS2, Xbox) in playable form. Shingo Takatsuka will discuss Pro Evolution Soccer 5/Winning Eleven 9 (PS2, Xbox, PSP, PC). -
Misc. Q&As/Features
About a year ago a colleague and I did a rather silly and unprepared three-part interview with Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert. For some reason Part 3 has only just surfaced on Idle Thumbs. GameDaily chats with American McGee about Bad Day L.A. (Xbox, PC). Gamasutra has a Day in the Life feature from Coray Seifert of Large Animal Games.
Warzone 2100 for the PSOne. "A 1998 3-D RTS with massive artillery duals and literally hundreds of units thanks to mix and match weapons and chassis = Gaming Heaven" (submitted by GreenCrescent)
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by Chris Remo, Aug 02, 2005 8:00pm PDT
So, a lot of speculation and rumor in today's LNC. Hooray for guessing!
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No PS3 Until 2007?
[ps2] That's what analyst Michael Pachter of respected firm Wedbush Morgan Securities postulates might happen in a very specific set of circumstances. First in this hypothetical scenario, says Pachter, Xbox would be marked down to $99 after Xbox 360 launches. In response, Sony would drop the price of PS2 to $99. With these price points, Microsoft would continue taking a loss on Xbox whereas Sony would not on PS2, which costs less than $99 to manufacture. Another contributing factor might be Sony not having the capacity to meet PS3 demand in 2006, prompting them to wait until enough units could be manufactured. Finally, and most importantly, the decision would hedge on 360's initial performance. If 360 succeeds, Sony will want PS3 out as soon as possible, but if 360 suffers from poor sales and/or launch selection, Sony may want to coast on profitable PS2 sales as long as possible, considering their recent fiscal loss.
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Wal-Mart Employees Claim 360 for $299
[xbox] Apparently, employees of retail giant Wal-Mart have seen the final price point for Xbox 360, and they're claiming it's $299. These reports are of course unofficial and unconfirmed but also unsurprising. Analysts and news outlets have been speculating for months that the 360 would launch at that general price point to stay competitive with the likely more expensive PS3. -
More Fake Revolution Renders
[nintendo] As anyone would reasonably have expected, the recent supposed Nintendo "RS" "leaked" "photo" is in fact completely fake. First the Nintendo ON, and now this. Why is it that people on the internet seem to really want Nintendo's next console to be spherical in some way? -
Resident Evil 5 Details Revealed
[ps2] [xbox] In the most recent issue of the Japanese Famitsu Xbox magazine, Capcom's Jun Takeuchi let loose some pieces of information regarding the next-gen Resident Evil 5. As expected, the gameplay will be reminiscent of that of the acclaimed Resident Evil 4; apparently RE4 director Shinji Mikami received a lot of internal praise at Capcom for keeping the Resident Evil vibe intact while evolving the gameplay. Notably, Takeuchi praised Half-Life 2 and its seamless feel and also mentioned that RE5's gameplay will not be completely linear. The game will also run at 60fps rather than RE4's 30. The story will be a continuation of the main Resident Evil storyline rather than a side story.Though he did not indicate a release period for the game, Takeuchi did note that next-gen projects can easily take up to five years of development time. No further details will be released until next year, though the game is Capcom's current top priority.
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Various Groups Bully Rockstar
[ps2] [xbox] Hey, more Rockstar news. At least it's not about GTA this time. Various entities, including the UK's Bullying Online as well as infamous loudmouth attorney Jack Thompson, are already calling for the demise of Rockstar's schoolyard-simulator Bully. The game is not due to hit shelves for almost three months. The game puts the player in the roll of a schoolboy who stands up to bullies, rather than casting the player himself as a bully, as Thompson and Bullying Online probably assume. So, will Bully ship with Hot Coffee: Child Porn Edition? We'll have to wait and see. -
Misc. Q&As/Features
Interviews with Final Fantasy XI producer Hiromichi Tanaka, in which details on the 360 version are covered, exist on 1UP and Game Informer. Rather oddly, Ubisoft interviews Q Entertainment's Tetsuya Mizuguchi by way of a press release. He talks about Lumines. IGN speaks with Treyarch creative director Christian Busic about Call of Duty: Big Red One. Gamasutra interviews Nippon Ichi's Jack Niida.
Ghosts and Goblins for the NES. "Great sidescroller where you were naked a lot of the time. What else is there?" (submitted by [fry])
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by Alec Matias, Jul 08, 2005 8:00pm PDT
I'm ready to make a public confession: Final Fantasy X is my all-time favorite game. I understand that of all the Final Fantasys, it has the least amount of exploration and the combat can be quite lame at times, but even with those glaring flaws, the story, characters, and presentation made up for it completely. I picked it up on a whim when it became a Greatest Hit, not expecting too much out of it, but it immediately sucked me in and for the next two weeks I spent huge chunks of my day with it. It's hard to elaborate with such little space here, but I emotionally connected with the game and when it was all over, it was pretty depressing that I wouldn't be able to see those guys anymore. Auron, by far, was the star of the story. There were so many pivotal moments throughout the game, moments that have left unforgettable memories with me, but nothing tops the epic moment where, when faced with two paths with radically different directions, Auron offers the battle cry, "Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands!"
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Politician Wants AO Rating for San Andreas
[ps2] [xbox] Every gamers' favorite politician (no, not Arnold), Tem Leland Yee, is once again at the forefront of a videogame political scandal. Since it was discovered that users can unlock a sex mini-game in the PC version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Yee now wants the ESRB to give the game an Adults-Only rating. "Once again, ESRB has failed our parents," he said. "
Plain and simple, parents cannot trust the ESRB to rate games appropriately or the industry to look out for our children's best interests. The ESRB and the video game industry cannot police themselves and this is yet another example of why we need legislation to limit these types of games to children." The ESRB has responded by saying it will conduct a "thorough and objective investigation." -
PGR3 Tournament Details
[xbox] Bizarre Creations revealed new details on how tournaments will work in the Xbox 360 game Project Gotham Racing 3. Multiple tourneys will be held each month over Xbox Live that include a qualifying and a knockout phase. The first two weeks of the month are all the qualifying races; then Gotham TV takes over and sorts out everything for the knockout round, telling players when to play. The finals can be viewed through Gotham TV, which is pretty damn cool if you ask me! Live gaming events! -
Halo 2 Xbox Bundle?
[xbox] Those sleuths over at GameGossip have discovered what could possibly be a new bundle from Microsoft that packages the Xbox with Halo 2. Over on their official site, the Canadian product catalog shows "Halo 2 Edition" priced at $259.99. The link doesn't go anywhere, but one could assume a new bundle is on the horizon. Now the question is.. is this bundle for Canada only? -
Xbox to Get Fable's Lost Chapters
[xbox]
Okay, so Microsoft decided to port Fable over to the PC and gave it the sub-title of The Lost Chapters, adding in new regions, quests, and story elements. Well, today, Microsoft will be porting the port back over to the Xbox this fall. Fable: The Lost Chapters will have everything the PC version has but it'll sell for the low price of $19.99. -
Square Enix Talks FFXI for 360
[xbox]
IGN had a recent discussion with a few peeps over at Square Enix and came away with some interesting details regarding the Xbox 360 port of Final Fantasy XI. All graphics work is done with the entire process at about 55% completion. Porting started this past February and they're basing the content off the Windows version. It was actually supposed to release on the original Xbox and be part of the Xbox Live launch, but it just didn't happen. No worries; Square Enix is confident FFXI will be ready for the launch of the Xbox 360. -
Survey Says... DS pwns PSP!
[ds] [psp] A European market research group announced their findings on their study that tried to tap the pulse of gamers to see which new handheld they preferred. The results were a landslide in favor of the Nintendo DS. It beat out Sony's PSP in all the major categories: screen, games, quality, and value. Still, there were plenty of complaints for both handhelds; gamers don't like the huge amount of puzzle games for the DS but they also dislike the long drought of new games for the PSP. Check out the full details inside the link. -
Extras Revealed for Xbox Pirates!
[xbox]
The upcoming Xbox version of Sid Meier's Pirates! will come bundled with new goodies not found in the original release. New to the version are 200 unlockable items that show off behind-the-scenes media and a new party game featuring ship battles. On top of that, downloadable content will be possible through Xbox Live and there'll be an online leaderboard. -
Donny Deutsch is a Douche
I think it goes without saying that the vast majority of cable news channel pundits are the scum of the earth, but here comes Donny Deutsch to outdo them all. His program lured journalist John Davison, former chief of EGM and current editor at 1UP, to talk about a wide range of gaming topics, including clans, tournaments, and also violence. However, Davison quickly discovered that he was lured into a trap to paint him as the evil defender of videogame violence. Read the whole tale from Davison himself here at his blog. Thanks to Kotaku. -
Tecmo Announces Tokobot
[psp] Tecmo announced their first PSP game the other day and it's called Tokobot. "Players will take on the role of the young hero "Bolt", a quick thinking agent who has discovered some friendly, highly advanced robots called "Tokobots" during his explorations of ancient ruins. With the help of the loyal Tokobots, Bolt will reveal mysteries and save the world, as the Tokobots faithfully follow him on his journey, helping him on his way." Sounds a bit like Pikmin! -
Sony Computer Entertainment Undergoes Reorg
[ps2] Sony Computer Entertainment performed a ton of housekeeping maneuvers that shifted around personnel and created new divisions. The two new areas of SCE are Sony Computer Entertainment Asia and Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio, with the latter overseeing all first-party games. Phil Harrison, who was the prez over in Europe, now is in charge of all SCE game developments. Also, Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of Gran Turismo, has been given a new executive position. -
Another .hack// on Its Way
[ps2] The "offline MMORPG" series, .hack//, will continue with .hack//fragment. However, with this baby, you can actually play online with it! It'll have a BBS, mail, and guild system and there'll be a matching server to make it easy to find people to play with. It won't require the PS2 HDD nor will there be a monthly fee. -
New Chaos Theory Maps Coming Soon
[xbox] Ubisoft has tipped off gamers to expect some of those promised Chaos Theory maps within the next couple weeks. In that time frame, the versus map Street Squat will be released. Not long after, two more versus maps will become available with the summer wrapping up with one last final map. -
True Fantasy Live Online Trademark Renewed
[xbox] The Japanese-style MMORPG that was canceled near its completion, True Fantasy Live Online, may not be as dead as we all thought. 1UP has learned that Microsoft has renewed the trademark on the game. This may not be saying much; I mean, really, it's not that expensive to renew the trademark, but it gives a glimmer of hope to its fans. -
Poker on Your Consoles
[ps2] [xbox] [psp] [gamecube] This country definitely has caught poker fever and now fans of ESPN's World Series of Poker can play against the greats right from the comfort of their living room couch. Activision has announced they'll publish a game based on the TV series and it'll feature the likenesses of players that were at the 2005 tournament. Expect this one later in the summer for the consoles indicated above. -
NHL 2K6 Cover Athlete Revealed
[ps2] [xbox] Take-Two Interactive announced that it has signed the goalie of the Dallas Stars, Marty Turco, to grace the cover of NHL 2K6. Turco has been voted twice to the All-Star game and won a couple championships in college. The game is slated for release this fall. I forget; will there even be a season this year? -
Stoudamire on NBA 06 PSP Cover
[psp] Don't steal the spotlight, Turco! The Phoenix Suns' Amare Stoudamire was also revealed to grace the cover of a sports game: NBA 06 for the PSP. The All-Star power forward was an integral part of his team reaching the NBA Western Conference Finals this past season. The game, however, is still slated to suck. -
Viacom CEO Stocks Up on Midway
It has been an on-going saga that the 82-year old Viacom CEO, Summer Redstone, has been wanting to gobble up Midway. Slowly but surely, he's been buying large chunks of Midway stock. Over the past week alone, he's made nine stock purchases worth nearly $7 million. With the recent agreement of Midway to partner with Viacom-owned MTV, it doesn't appear long before the two are one. -
"Lost" Coming to UMD
[psp] ABC's megahit series, Lost, will have its own UMD release on the PSP later this year. Launching alongside the Season One DVD set on September 6, the two-part pilot will be available on UMD for an unspecified price. Considering the $38.99 DVD set contains about 26 episodes, I'm hoping the UMD is coming out at a bargain price. -
Death, Jr. at Comic-Con
[psp] Planning to go to the big San Diego Comic-Con International this weekend? If so, you'll get the opportunity to see Backbone Entertainment's Death, Jr. The game will be playable and the staff working on the comic series will be on-hand. Check the link for event details. -
EyeToy Mini Coming Soon
[ps2] A new version of the EyeToy will be hitting store shelves in the near future. Sony Europe has signed Nam Tai Electronics, the original manufacturers, to build a new EyeToy that is smaller in size than the original. It will be made to sit alongside the upcoming satin silver PS2. -
Mario to Ride Some Waves
[nintendo] Take a deep breath; it's not as bad as it sounds. Nintendo isn't pimpin' Mario in a yet another oddball sports game. Instead, the Big N is sponsoring the Rip Curl's GromSearch 2005, a national surfing contest. Surfers can win Nintendo prizes, such as GBA games. Also at the beaches will be Nintendo kiosks to try out their games. Cowabunga, dude! Radical! -
Misc. Q&As/Features
[ps2] [xbox] TeamXbox looks at the A.I. of Far Cry Instincts. 1UP briefly runs down what to expect at this year's Tokyo Game Show. Want to truly understand the interface of the new Xbox Live? Then click that link!
Final Fantasy X for the PlayStation 2. "This was one of the first titles for the PS2 I picked up and was simply blown away. The characters, story, and overall gameplay were close to perfect. I compare all of my relationships to the one I witnessed between Tidus and Yuna. LOVE ME TIDUS!" (submitted by cockoftehwalk).
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by Maarten Goldstein, Mar 30, 2005 4:06am PST
The Collective and Backbone Entertainment have announced plans to merge, forming Foundation 9 Entertainment. Backbone is best known for the upcoming PSP game Death Jr, while The Collective has released such games as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb. The new company will employ some 300 people across several offices in North America.
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by Alec Matias, Jan 25, 2005 8:00pm PST
Hey, I'm feeling a little wacky tonight (helluva drug!), so how about some videogame trivia? Let's start with something light. Three of the bosses in Street Fighter II underwent name changes when they came to America. The bosses we know as Balrog, Vega, and M. Bison, the Japanese know as Mike Bison, Balrog, and Vega. Capcom of America was fearful of a lawsuit from Mike Tyson. And hey! Did you know the correct way to spell Sonic's full name is Sonic The Hedgehog? The T in The is capitalized because it's his middle name! All right, one more. The Super Mario Bros. 2 we all know and love was not the true sequel to the original NES game. Nintendo found that the SMB2 released in Japan would be too difficult for American audiences, so they took another game, Doki Doki Panic, made a few graphical changes to incorporate Mario characters, and voila! Nowadays, it's the other way around, where Japanese gamers get the dumbed-down versions.
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Xyanide Coming to PS2
[ps2] The futuristic 2D space shooter is now set to rock your world on a PlayStation 2 near you. It is already planned for release on the Xbox, N-Gage, PSP, and GBA, but the allure of the PS2 must have been hard to resist. IGN has a short hands-on of the Xbox version here, if you want to learn more. -
Death Jr. & Castlevania to Take Comic Book Form
[ps2] [psp] Death Jr. for PSP is not just a simple game for Backbone Entertainment; it will be the foundation of a series and the other key part of it will be a comic book. The first issue will see release in April. A film is also in the works. At the same time, the same company who did comics on Metal Gear Solid and Silent Hill will head up a new series based on Castlevania, with the first issue hitting stands in March. -
New Wild Arms, Dead to Rights II Delayed
[ps2] [xbox] GameGossip had been keeping an eye on the release charts for various game companies and noticed a couple of shifts. First, Dead to Rights II has been pushed back a month from February to March. Also, Wild Arms Alter Code F, which hasn't had a firm release date yet, has now been rescheduled to Q2 2005. -
Vicious Cycle Developing for PSP
[psp] Game developer Vicious Cycle updated their company website with the news that they are officially approved to work on PSP titles. Vicious Cycle is best known for their two Robotech games, Battlecry and Invasion. No details on their first PSP title are known at this time. -
Misc. Q&As/Features
[ps2] [xbox] [gcn] Game Informer chats with the executive producer of Fight Night Round 2. Planet GameCube has a new editorial that discusses the shoulder button click of the GameCube controller. 1UP has a reprinted interview from EGM about WrestleMania 21. GameSpot talks with a developer on Xenosaga Episode II.
Midtown Madness 3 for the Xbox. "Played with Shackers, this game was an absolute riot. This game justified every reason to have Xbox Live." (submitted by emocore).
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by Maarten Goldstein, Apr 23, 2004 8:00pm PDT
Hey look at that, Electronic Arts will apparently release Xbox Live enabled games this year. That makes me a very happy gamer.
 | EA & Xbox Live, Sitting In A Tree.. According to IGN, EA and Microsoft are really close to agreeing on terms that will see EA finally release Xbox Live enabled titles. Madden NFL 2005, NCAA College Football, NASCAR Thunder 2005, and NBA Live 2005 are a go when it comes to sports games, while Battlefield: Modern Combat, Goldeneye 2 and Burnout 3 are supposedly some of the non-sports games that are expected to have Xbox online play. Expect an official announcement soon. |
| | Xbox Sales Up As part of their latest quarterly financial statement, Microsoft announced that Xbox sales were up 30% compared to the same period last year. Microsoft expects to sell between 14.5 and 16 million consoles by June, and the company also hopes for 1 million Live subscribers at that time. The console is still nowhere near making a profit for Microsoft though, as the Xbox division reported a $209 million loss. |
  | Official Midway Arcade Treasures 2 Announcement
Midway officially announced Midway Arcade Treasures 2 today,
revealing the list of 21 games it will include. Look for the first three Mortal Kombat games, along with titles like Gauntlet 2,
Primal Rage, Xenophobe and Spy Hunter 2. Midway Arcade Treasures 2 will be released this fall on Xbox (with Live support to post high scores online), PlayStation 2 and GameCube. Price should be $19.99. |
| | Ghost Hunting In North America Namco has announced that they'll be publishing the third-person horror action game Ghost Hunter in North America later this year. Ghost Hunter places you in the role of a
rookie cop who is set to investigate a disturbance at an old abandoned school. While there you manage to set free ghosts trapped in the school's
paranormal research lab, and thus hell breaks lose. The game was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Cambridge studio, and was released to
mostly good reviews in Europe. |
| | Weekly Bungie Update The latest Halo 2 update can be found on the Halo Center Forums. The update covers animation, an art book project, some *CENSORED* information on the environments and a look at what the programmers have been
up to. |
 | Death, Jr. Q&A There is a Death, Jr. Q&A on GameSpot this evening. Senior producer
Chris Charla of Backbone Entertainment answers questions about his company's upcoming PSP game, with topics including research done before committing
to the platform, support from Sony, the game's content, and the differences between GBA and PSP development. |
 | Atari Paddle Game Plans JAKKS Pacific will be releasing another Atari direct-to-television set this summer, following the Atari Joystick release with an Atari Paddle one. The paddle will include Breakout, Super Breakout, Warlords, Street Racer, Steeple Chase, Night Driver, Demons To Diamonds, Circus Atari, Casino and Canyon Bomber. |
 | Namco Games Going GBA IGN is reporting that DSI Games will be releasing several Game Boy Advance games based on Namco franchises. Expect to see ports of Dead to Rights, I-Ninja, Smashing Drive, Pac-Man World, and Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness. |
| | European Splinter Cell Tournament Announced Microsoft has announced a European Splinter Cell: Pandora
Tomorrow tournament, for people living in Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and Ireland. The
Mercenaries vs Assassins tournament starts April 26, and the player with the best ranking on May 26 wins a Spy Kit which includes a Samsung X10 laptop
with fingerprint activation, a Samsung camcorder with night-capture mode and a limited edition Crystal Xbox. Runner-ups will get tshirts and Pandora
Tomorrow postcards (okaayy..) among other things. |
| | Misc. Media/Previews |
 | New on GameSpot is this preview of Custom Robo, the Nintendo robot action game which is due out next month. |
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GameSpot has Front Mission 4 demo impressions, along with 18 screenshots from the Square Enix strategy RPG. They also have new screenshots from Gran Turismo 4. 1UP also goes hands-on with Front Mission 4 while IGN has video footage from Jak III and Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal. And on Game Informer they have several Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain multiplayer movies. |
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GameSpot takes a look at Metal Slug 3 and IGN has Iron Phoenix screenshots. |
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Two previews on 1UP tonight, as they offer their impressions on Mario Golf: Advance Tour and Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon. |
| | Six new Viewtiful Joe 2 (GameCube, PS2) screenshots can be found on GameSpot, and they also have two screenshots from The URBZ (Xbox, PS2, GameCube). IGN offers impressions of Shellshock Nam '67 (PS2, Xbox). |
Console Game of the Evening: Section Z for the NES. "My best friend and I played this one for many hours, never reaching "Section Z"... we did however reach "Section M" multiple times!" (submitted by Guava D).
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"na ah, imagine a silent hill game under your bedcover, you, totally focused on the game *bummer*"
- mirko1979 See all 29 comments