Update:06-08-04
.:GAMING NEWS:.
Game publisher and Pachinko machine maker Sammy Corp. is about to expand its business model. Via a new partnership with Toei, one of Japan's oldest and most prestigious film companies, it will enter the movie theater business. The two companies plan to open a total of 10 cinema complexes in Japan over the next five years. The first cinema complex to be established by the two companies will be in the Chiba prefecture and will consist of a 12-screen complex with 2,200 seats. The cinema complexes will be built alongside amusement facilities that Sammy will operate. Sammy is hoping the two entertainment options will attract a larger audience than either a stand-alone movie complex or a game complex. The new venture will start off with a capital fund of 50 million yen ($450,000). Sixty percent will come from Sammy, and 40 percent will come from a Toei subsidiary. The name of the new venture has yet to be announced. Sammy's movement toward the movie theater business is seen as one of numerous new ventures that will likely come from its highly profitable Pachinko and Pachislot businesses.
Naruto Hero 2 on the way :
Game developer CyberConnect2 is working on a sequel to its Naruto fighting game. That news was released on the developer's Web site as well as in the popular Japanese weekly, Jump. Currently titled Narutimate Hero 2, the sequel will be released on the PlayStation 2. Details on the title are scarce at the moment, but it's known that an upgraded game system and cel-shading techniques (as was featured in the original Narutimate Hero) will be employed. Also, Narutimate Hero 2 will feature a number of new characters, including ninja master Jiraiya and three young ninjas: Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino. Naruto: Narutimate Hero 2 is scheduled for release in the fall of 2004. No retail price has been announced. CyberConnect2 also confirmed that a new RPG is in development. A teaser page for the currently named Project GU is now live. The page presents a number of rough sketches. Specifics regarding platform and price have not yet been announced.
Anime Games Announced at E3:
Bandai announced at E3 that Cowboy Bebop will be released in the US October 2004, while Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex well see a US release date in November. Shaman King: Master of Spirits for the GBA and Shaman King: Power of Spirit are going to released by Konami in August. Konami will also release Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monster Coliseum for the PS2 in Japan in July and the US later this year. Thanks to Ataru for this info.
Xenosaga Freaks:
Namco mentioned they are aiming to sell 100,000 copies of the Xenosaga fan disc Xenosaga Freaks, the game is scheduled to release in Japan on April 28.
Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner for PS2:
Atlus will release Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner for PS2 in Japan on July 15, the latest work of the Shin Megami Tensei / Devil Summoner series.
Gunslinger Girls Vol. 2 for PlayStation 2:
Media Works announced they will release Gunslinger Girls Vol. 2 for PlayStation 2 in Japan on June 17, for 6800 yen. The second volume of the popular anime action adventure game. The Gunslinger Girls series will have four volumes in total.
The Future of PS:
SCEE president and COO David Reeves revealed new info about PS2, PS3 and PSP. PSP games may appear without regional code, so the games are universal and playable in any country. However PSP movies will have regional code like DVD movies. PlayStation 3 may have different models like the PSX, each model will have a different price to fit different level of users. For example, a Home Server version of PS3 will have a built-in hard drive and network capabilities, for a price of 600-700 euro, while a standard model of PS3 may retail for 200 euro. A stripped down version of PlayStation 2 may appear in E3, with "cosmetic changes". (Possibly the rumored compact version PStwo) PSP is not a replacement of GameBoy, since it has many other capabilities. Many other features can be added to the PSP in future, such as GPS or GPRS. PSP will have 30MB of memory, and the graphic capabilities lie somewhere between PSone and PlayStation 2. Sony's goal for PlayStation 3 is to get into electronic broadband distribution, in which people can download games over the network, through Sony's DNAS (Sony's online security protocol).
Nintendo has updated its GameCube release schedule in US:
April 5 - Wario Ware, Inc.: Mega Party Game$
May 10 - Custom Robo: Battle Revolutions
June 7 - Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure
August 2 - Pikmin 2
September - Donkey Konga
Q4 2004 - Geist, Maro Party 6, Mario Tennis, Metroid Prime 2, Paper Mario 2, Star Fox 2
Psyvariar 2:
Success will release the Xbox port of the arcade shooter Psyvariar 2: The Will to Fabricate in Japan on August 26, 2004.
Gundam Seed for GBA:
Bandai confirmed they will release Mobile Suit Gundam Seed for GameBoy Advance in Japan on May 13, an animation adventure game based on the Gundam Seed series, the story covers the first 50 episodes of the TV series, plus original "if" stories.
The Art of Metal Gear Solid Ver. 1.5:
Konami will release a photo book called The Art of Metal Gear Solid Ver. 1.5 in Japan on March 31, for 2900 yen. The book features new illustrations and picture of the Metal Gear Solid series, including art works from the newly released Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes for GC.
Degrees Tekken: Nina Williams for PlayStation 2:
Namco announced Death by Degrees Tekken: Nina Williams for PlayStation 2, the official game title for the Nina Williams action adventure game. The story is about how Nina Williams becomes an assassin in the past.
Namco announced the PS2 RPG Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Bose will be released on two DVDs. The release date is June 24 in Japan.
Samurai Warriors has sold over one million:
Koei announced their latest civil war combat hack & slash action game Sengoku Musou (Samurai Warriors) has sold over one million copies in Japan, since its release on February 11, 2004. Koei has pushed back the release date of Samurai Warriors (Sengoku Musou) for PS2 in US from March 23 to May 6.
Street Fighter III: Third Strike Coming to PS2 Arcade fighter bound for PS2 in Japan. TOKYO--Capcom will bring its popular fighting game Street Fighter III: Third Strike to the PlayStation 2 in Japan. Originally released in arcades in 1999, the only other port was for the Sega Dreamcast back in 2000. The title is renowned for its variety of playable characters and technical level of gameplay, which features a special fighting system that allows players to evade and counterattack. Street Fighter III: Third Strike is still popular in local and national fighting game tournaments in Japan. No release date or price has been announced.
Sony announces another sales milestone for its current-generation console:
See it » The console publicity wars saw another skirmish today. Shortly after Nintendo announced the GameCube is selling out in the U.S., Sony fired back that its PlayStation 2 has sold its 25 millionth unit in North America. As of the end of 2003, Nintendo said 6.8 million GameCubes had been sold in the U.S. Sony also boasted that 2.6 million, or 10 percent, of PS2s are enabled for online play, with one million online gamers. This statement was likely addressed torwards Microsoft, which recently hyped the fact it has 750,000 Xbox Live subscribers. "While our competitors strive to meet the new standards we've laid before them, our focus remains fixed on driving the momentum of our platform and the industry forward," said SCEA president Kaz Hirai in a not-so-subtle jab at Sony's rivals.
Nintendo Rumors:
Nintendo of Japan denied the rumor reported by Nekkei News, such that they will withhold the launch of the GameCube successor. Yasuhiro Minagawa mentioned the next Nintendo console system will launch approximately the same time as the Xbox 2 and PlayStation 3. Nintendo is planning to reveal the conception model of the next Nintendo console in E3 2005. Nintendo of Japan spokesperson Yasuhiro Minagawa confirmed that a new peripheral is under development for GameCube, which is a new adapter to enhance gameplay and connectivity, the distribution will take place in 2005.
Stand Alone Complex PS2 Game:
Sony has announced that a PlayStation 2 game based on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex will be released in March.
Asia Game Show 2004 in Hong Kong:
Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong will host the annual Asia Game Show 2004 in Hong Kong on December 24 - 28, participating developers include Sony, Square Enix, Bandai, Namco, Sega, EA, Capcom, Konami, Tecmo, Taito, From Software, Atari. More than 38 games will be playable at the show, such as GT4, Sakura Taisen Mysterious Paris, Onimusha 3, Armored Core Nexus, Biohazard Outbreak, Sonic Heroes etc.
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