Monthly Archives: January 2009

The US PSN video store has updated and although there’s loads to choose from, nothing really stands out this week.

Well, there is Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey in HD. That’s always something.

Full list over at the PSBlog.

By Mike Bowden

Square Enix Europe has told MCV that the European date for FFXIII is still TBC, and will be revealed in “due course.”

“The launch dates of FFXIII are still to be determined and will be revealed in due course. Please wait for future announcements.”

Reports emerged today quoting Square Enix president Yoichi Wada saying that Final Fantasy 13 wouldn’t be hitting Europe or the US until 2010 or later.

Here’s hoping its this year.

By Mike Bowden

Eidos revealed today that the company is in fresh talks about a potential takeover.

“The board can announce that it has received a preliminary approach which may or may not lead to an offer being made for the company,” Eidos said in a statement.

“Eidos emphasises that discussions are at a very early stage and that there can be no assurance that an offer will be forthcoming.”

Eidos hasn’t had the most positive start to the year unfortunately, announcing that the company would be lowering it’s yearly projections after Tomb Raider Underworld sales were below initial expectations.

By Mike Bowden

Scott Steinberg, Sony US marketeer, told MTV that everyone in the US can download the Killzone 2 demo on Feb. 26, the day before the game is released.

“Offering a playable demo to motivate pre-orders speaks to our confidence in the appeal of a game such as Killzone 2,” he said. ”

We take this approach when we are convinced that the experience will cement a consumer’s interest in purchasing.”

“We also offer demos on PSN, which we have done in the past with great success, and will continue to make that available,” added Steinberg.

“Killzone 2, for example, will have a downloadable demo launch in North America the week that the game is launching, for consumers who prefer that option.”

For those of you who pre-order the game via Gamestop, you will be given access to the Killzone 2 taster on Feb. 2, writes EG.

Still nothing on Europe.

By Mike Bowden

After the break. Back in February last year, SouthPeak said “the 3rd-person ‘hack-em-up’ genre needs a fresh perspective and X-Blades is poised to deliver it.” A lofty promise indeed.

However, if these new screenshots are anything to go by, we might just start believing it.

Game’s out next month in the US for PC, PS3 and 360.

By Mike Bowden

More »

After the break. It’s pretty poor quality, but that shouldn’t stop you getting an idea of the frenetic pace of From Software’s Ninja Gaiden-alike.

Looks totally mental to us, especially when your ninja dude is whizzing down a tunnel with more than healthy amounts of motion blur going on.

Ninja Blade is out in Japan on Xbox 360 29th January. Europe still TBC.

Check it out.

By Mike Bowden

More »

Chief operating officer of Take-Two, Gary Dale, is leaving the publisher, effective immediately, writes GI.

Dale was named as COO less than a year ago.

No reason was given for his sudden departure.

More through the link.

By Mike Bowden

A very reliable “insider source” has told videogaming247 that Star Wars Battlefront 3 is heading back to Pandemic’s studios in Los Angeles, California.

Pandemic Studios and LucasArts developed the first Battlefront back 2004, with the sequel coming out just a year later.

However, inside of 12 months of Battlefront II’s release, Free Radical Design announced that it would be making a third title in the series. The project was dropped late last year amid FRDs financial difficulties.

Yesterday, alpha footage leaked onto the net that another one our VG247′s contacts told us that footage was indeed real.

We have contacted EA, who owns Pandemic Studios, but as of yet have not been able to reach the publisher for comment.

VG247 is told that this is pretty nailed on, so expect an announcement sooner rather than later.

By Mike Bowden

Commenting on December’s NPD figures and looking at the months ahead, Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter has told videogaming247 that he now believes that Sony may not be able to cut the price of PlayStation 3 as early as April.

However, when Sony finally does reduce the cost, he believes the console will go toe to toe with 360 in terms of sales.

“Sony may not be able to cut as early as April, but I think that a price cut is coming in 2009,” said Pachter to VG247 earlier today.

“PS3 should sell 60 – 75% of the level that the 360 sells for the first part of the year, and when they cut price, the figure should come close to even.

“This is purely attributable to the price difference, with the 360 available for as low as half the price, but with the PS3 offering additional features built-in (bigger hard drive, Wi-Fi and a Blu-ray player),” added Pachter.

When we asked him if he anticipated Nintendo Wii to have as much success as last year, he replied:

“The Wii will likely continue to outsell both combined for the early part of the year, but over the full year, my guess is that Wii sales are flat at best, and that both PS3 and 360 see a year-over-year increase, as I still expect both to cut price some time during the year,” he conluded.

For total coverage of December’s NPD figures, go here.

By Mike Bowden

EA has just announced that the Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box will be released on February 5 in North America for the first time on PC.

The Ultimate Box will contain the previously-released Cagney and Bikes DLC plus something called the Burnout Paradise Party pack.

The Party pack is an offline multiplayer mode where players compete in different stunt, speed and skill events. According to the release, “the mode is designed to allow up to eight friends to ‘pass-the-pad’ in dozens of quick-fire, turn-based challenges.”

The Party pack will add a restart option added for racing and easier control of the early vehicles and will be made available as DLC for 360 and PS3.

PlayStation 3 owners will get the new Burnout Paradise Network which is an online friends list and news page.

Full details after the break.

By Mike Bowden

More »

Back in August, Codemasters promised us that new racer Fuel will have “no-boundaries playfield” covering over 5,000 square miles – an impressive claim.

Well today Codies has released seven new images so you can judge for yourself if Fuel is looking like living up to its own hype.

We certainly like the look of it so far.

After the break.

More »

After the break. See Street Fighter IV’s Fei Long fight Abel and watch as they chuck each about, fly through the air and look pretty badass.

What else have you got to do on a Friday?

SFIV is out for 360 and PS3 on the 20th Feb.

By Mike Bowden

More »

We’ve done it again.

Not only have we brought you every conceivable piece of important information from last night’s annual and monthly NPD report, we’re also going to put all the new in one extremely convenient place.

This one.

So, as with our CES 09 coverage, after the break you can read or indeed re-read everything December’s NPD numbers had to offer.

By Mike Bowden

More »

Eight new images have emerged from Japan showing off more of Sega’s action-adeventure game, Ryū ga Gotoku 3 aka, Yakuza 3.

You can see the protagonist mooching about in what is the Don Quijote shop apparently. It all looks incredibly detailed and colourful.

There are also a few posters for your perusal.

Yakuza 3 is due for a release in Japan sometime this year however Europe and the US are still TBC.

Check them out.

More »

Another week flies by and PlayStation 3 owners both in Europe and America have brand new stuff waiting for them on their PS3s.

As mentioned yesterday, the US got Konami racer, GTi Club+, Capcom’s Ultimate G&G and TikGame’s Magic Ball.

Europe, on the other hand, got the Skate 2 demo, a Dead Space demo, and the aforementioned Magic Ball.

It’s win-win from coast to coast.

Full Euro release list over at PS3F and the US can be found at Kotaku.

By Mike Bowden

A VG247 insider source informed us this morning that yesterday’s leaked Battlefront 3 footage is indeed real.

“It’s real enough, looks like a compilation of footage from sometime last year,” said the source to videogaming247, confirming that it indeed come from the alleged internal alpha meeting back in November.

The footage (below) looks really rather good, so we’re a bit gutted that Star Wars Battlefront 3 has seemingly been put on hold for the time being.

By Mike Bowden

More »

Square Enix has confirmed that Final Fantasy 13 will launch in 2009 in Japan. However, overseas launches of the game will come in April 2010, or perhaps even beyond that, writes the Guardian.

The piece cites Square Enix president Yoichi Wada who, talking ahead of the firm’s year-end business report, said “that the company plans to launch the next version of “Final Fantasy” in 2009 in Japan, further strengthening its product lineup.”

“Overseas launches of the latest “Final Fantasy” game will come in the business year from April 2010 or later,” Wada said.

More through the link.

By Mike Bowden

Following on from yesterday’s rumour that EA is to close Pandemic’s Brisbane studio, Kotaku is now reporting that its Australian wing has the scoop on why the movie tie-in, Dark Knight game was cancelled and how that led to the the studio’s closure.

Speaking with a number of Pandemic employees, the site’s Australian Editor, David Wildgoose, found that the game went tits up due to the following reasons:

- Pandemic worked out a deal with Warner/DC and EA to make a Batman game. So Pandemic spent six months on pre-production of a Batman game. Then EA came in and said it had to be a Dark Knight game, so most of that six months’ work was thrown out.

• EA were forced to rush the project, as their ownership of the Batman rights would expire in December 2008. The game was actually coming along, albeit with major delays, but once December 2008 came and went, that was it.

• Pandemic thought an open-world game would suit the property best. But not a single person at Pandemic Brisbane had experience making open-world games.
• The decision was made to use the same engine being used for Pandemic’s upcoming WWII action title Saboteur. It’s a pretty engine, but was never built for the kind of open-world game Batman was supposed to be, and this caused a ton of serious technical issues.

So there you have it.

More through the link.

By Mike Bowden

Following December’s NPD results, Microsoft has revealed that the Xbox 360 has now sold 28 million units worldwide which the company says puts it ahead of the PlayStation 3 by 8 million units.

“Our goal for 2008 was to reach new audiences by bringing ground-breaking games and entertainment to Xbox 360,” said Don Mattrick, Microsoft’s senior VP.

“Looking forward, new waves of innovation will extend our position as the global leader in interactive entertainment.”

For all our NPD news, go here.

Thanks, GI.

By Mike Bowden

During an interview with The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, God of War’s David Jaffe said the game he was “most jealous” of was Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 4 and that the dev team must have had real “tenacity and vision” to make a game of that quality. writes Joystiq.

“To make a game of that scale and at that level of quality clearly took a whole hell of a lot of tenacity and vision,” he explained.

Jaffe recently said he thinks God of War III looks “like nothing you’ve ever played.”

By Mike Bowden