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Sony's PlayStation Portable dropping by ¥3,000 to ¥13,800
Just because Sony's focus during the Tokyo Game Show is on its two newest consoles, the Vita and the PlayStation 3, doesn't mean the company's forgotten about the PlayStation Portable. During its press conference this evening, Sony dropped ¥3,000 (about $40) from the ¥16,800 (about $215) base price of the PSP in Japan, putting the console at ¥13,800 (about $176). It's unclear if any price drop will affect North American or European consumers, but we'll update as we find out more.
Sony announces Cosmic Red and Sapphire Blue PlayStation Vita variants, arriving in Japan November 15th
If Sony's handheld wonder lacks the visual pop your discerning sense of style craves, you're in luck: the Vita's getting a new look. Sony teased a rainbow of colorful handhelds at TGS last year, but opted to launch the handheld in a classic black facade and added a white version back at E3 that is slated for October. Now, the outfit has revealed two new options: "cosmic red" and "sapphire blue." The details on pricing and availability are still coming in, but the pair will hit shelves in Japan on November 15th. In the meantime we'll offer details for US and Europe as soon as they become available.%Gallery-165866% Sean Buckley contributed to this report.
PlayStation Plus added to Vita this November, existing users already in
PlayStation Vita owners will get access this November to the promised PlayStation Plus program, previously exclusive to Sony's PlayStation 3 console. Like on PS3, Vita PS Plus subscribers will get "free games, receive discounts for select titles, and enjoy other benefits unique to the service." Sony detailed some of those unique benefits on its US blog, including "Instant Game Collection" (free games), "Discounts" (um ... discounts), "Online Game Storage" (1GB of cloud storage for game saves and DLC), "Automatic Updates" (auto-start and download/install of game demos and updates), and "Automatic Trophy sync" (which syncs your earned Trophies to PSN). In so many words, it's exactly what you get on the PS3, but on the Vita. When it launches this November, it'll come in a few pricing options: 90 days for $18 or one year for $50 (30 day subs are locked to Asia). Folks who already have subscriptions on the PS3 will get PlayStation Plus on Vita included in their existing subscription, which seems perfectly swell if you ask us.
Sony announces a slimmer PlayStation 3, 250GB bundle launches September 25th for $269
A few years ago, Sony pulled the curtain back on a slimmed-down version of its PlayStation 3, and yet another Japan-only version since then. Today at the company's pre-Tokyo Game Show press event, the latest rumored redesign to the PS3 was announced. The new duo gets even smaller in stature and will arrive in stores with both black and white offerings, available in 250GB and 500GB models. The "charcoal black" option has a September 25th launch date for the 250GB bundle (with Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception "Game of the Year Edition") and a $269.99 price tag, while the "classic white" model arrives on November 22 (at least in Japan -- this is a TGS presser after all). For those looking for more storage space, the 500GB, charcoal-only option will be available on October 30th in conjunction with the Assassin's Creed III release -- no word on pricing just yet, though. Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Andrew House introduced the new model, calling it 50 percent smaller than the original (rather large) PS3, and 25 percent smaller than the previous slimmed-down version. Sean Buckley and Ben Gilbert contributed to this report. %Gallery-165870% %Gallery-165860% %Gallery-165859%
We're live from Tokyo Game Show 2012 in Tokyo, Japan!
This week Japan's capital city welcomes gamers from around the globe for some show and tell with the country's finest at TGS. As for us, we're particularly anxious to see what Sony may have in store. Will we see another PS3 redesign? Perhaps some buzz about it's next-gen console? Will we see some energized color options for the PS Vita? We're eager to find out. Worried you're too far away to be in the loop with the happenings here? Fret not! We've got you covered on all of the proceedings at Makuhari Messe, so keep your peepers locked here for all of the latest news over the next few days. Sean Buckley contributed to this report.
Team Ninja set to announce new console game at Tokyo Game Show
Team Ninja will announce a new game at this week's Tokyo Game Show. Posting on Twitter, Team Ninja notes the announcement of Dead or Alive 5 at last year's event, and the Tecmo subsidiary wants to repeat that with a newly announced console title this year. Team Ninja is currently developing Dead or Alive 5 and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge. The only Team Ninja release that's not a DoA or Ninja Gaiden entry remains Metroid: Other M.Joystiq is in Tokyo this week, ready to report whatever this may be and every other piece of juicy news from the Makuhari Messe convention center. Japan's headline gaming event kicks off on Thursday, September 20, running through to Sunday, September 23.
Konami reveals Tokyo Game Show lineup, no Ground Zeroes yet
Konami announced its Tokyo Game Show lineup today via a new portal on its site. Sadly, the 360 version of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance isn't going to make it.The PS3 version remains very much alive and kicking and joins Silent Hill: Book of Memories, Zone of the Enders HD, and Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops as the publisher's highlights. There's no sign of newcomer Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes at the moment.The Tokyo Game Show starts next week, running through September 20-23.
Grab Sony's HMZ-T2 head-mounted display and play these games at Tokyo Game Show
Forget about that messy Oculus Rift, business -- Sony's got a properly futuristic looking (and shiny!) head-mounted display for gaming, too, and it's gonna make another public appearance at this year's Tokyo Game Show. Of course, Sony's effort doesn't also offer head tracking, but, again, it's much nicer looking, so we're willing to excuse major technical differences. A whole litany of games will be playable with the HMZ-T2 device at TGS, from Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance to Assassin's Creed 3 (some games are only demoable with the HMZ device, oddly). As we learned earlier today, the HMZ-T2 goes on sale (in Japan at least) this October for nearly $900. That Oculus Rift is starting to sound much more appealing, eh?
Square Enix's TGS lineup includes Dragon Quest X Wii U
Square Enix unveiled its Tokyo Game Show lineup this week, revealing the Wii U version of Dragon Quest X is being showcased for the first time. Square, who released the Wii version of the MMORPG last month in Japan, says fans can expect new information about the game at the exhibition. Presumably that includes what the Wii U version has that the other doesn't, and how that affects the game's cross-platform play.Other highlights from the announced lineup include Hitman Absolution, the Realm Reborn re-launch of Final Fantasy XIV, and Black Ops 2, which Square Enix is publishing in Japan. The Tokyo Game Show runs through September 20-23.
Sony unveils huge TGS lineup, The Last Guardian still MIA
Sony announced its Tokyo Game Show lineup today, and it is massive. There are 47 games in total listed on Sony's new TGS portal, with the near-certainty of more being unveiled during the exhibition. One of those games, however, isn't (as yet) Team Ico's The Last Guardian. That isn't surprising given its absence from recent exhibitions, and Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida recently insisted the game is still in development.PlayStation Vita highlights include Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, LittleBigPlanet, Phantasy Star Online 2, Silent Hill: Book of Memories, PlayStation: All Stars Battle Royale, and Soul Sacrifice, the dark fantasy game being directed by Mega Man co-creator Keija Inafune.The PlayStation 3 area is stacked with noteworthy games too, including Capcom's TGS goodies, All Stars Battle Royale, Dead or Alive 5, Yakuza 5, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Dust 514, Assassin's Creed III, and DC Universe fighter Injustice: Gods Among Us.The show itself begins in three weeks, running through September 20-23.
Monster Hunter 4 playable at TGS, Capcom and Sega unveil lineups
A playable version of Monster Hunter 4 is coming to this year's Tokyo Game Show, Capcom announced on its newly launched TGS portal.The company also unveiled its current lineup for the show, with Resident Evil 6, DmC, Lost Planet 3 and EX Troopers joining the 3DS Monster Hunter. Meanwhile, Sega also unveiled its current line-up, which features Yakuza 5, Yakuza 1 & 2 HD, and Phantasy Star Online 2. So, no surprises there – yet.The show runs through September 20-23, when lucky attendees can see for themselves if Monster Hunter 4 really does have a whiff of the Dragon's Dogma about it.
Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops coming to smartphones, hits worldwide this year
Konami announced Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops, an upcoming smartphone game, at this morning's Metal Gear 25th Anniversary event. GREE chief operating officer Yoshikazu Tanaka unveiled the game's first trailer, showcasing its 3D graphics in the Unity engine, before announcing a worldwide release later this year.According to Andriasang, Social Ops revisits stories from previous MGS games, features a card-based battle system, and has Mother Base development options reminiscent of Peace Walker. Attendees at September's Tokyo Game Show should find out, as a playable build is scheduled to be there. In the meantime, Famitsu has a couple of screenshots to check out.[Image credit: @johntv]
Microsoft skipping Tokyo Game Show and Gamescom to focus on 'smaller, more localized promotions'
Microsoft's scaling back its three-fold approach to annual gaming conventions, today announcing that it'll skip both Germany's Gamescom in August and Japan's Tokyo Game Show in September. "This year, Xbox will be focusing on smaller, more localized promotions and experiences for press, partners, retailers and customers around the world," Microsoft director of programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb said on his blog this morning.As a result of that "smaller, more localized" marketing focus, Microsoft's wares "won't be taking part in Gamescom or Tokyo Games Show this year." Hryb noted that "both are still important shows for the industry, and we do wish the organizers well." Microsoft is the second of the big three console manufacturers to bow out of Gamescom, with Nintendo announcing as much earlier this year. Microsoft also attended its last Consumer Electronics Show this past January, signaling to many that the company was turning to Apple-style one-off press events.The Kirkland, Washington-based publisher showed off Halo 4 and "Smart Glass" as major components of its E3 2012 press conference. The company is apparently confident enough in its already announced holiday lineup to skip the largest public game show on the planet.
Circle Pad Pro cracked open, plenty of room to put your feet up
Earlier this week, Nintendo announced its February 7th US release date for the Circle Pad Pro accessory exclusively through Gamestop. If you've caught yourself wondering about its components, the guys over at ldblog were able to get their hands on the unit that you see above. Beyond basic capacitors for the peripheral's single AAA battery, there's a lot of empty room inside the case -- almost too much. The Circle Pad's spacious interior leaves us wondering, could Nintendo have used this room for an extra stylus holder, or perhaps, to accommodate the beefier AA battery? The world may never know.
Tokyo Game Show 2011 draws largest crowd ever as show floor continues to shrink
Though shrinking booth sizes and publishers entirely skipping this year's event characterized the Tokyo Game Show, it saw its highest attendance numbers ever in 2011, according to the event's organizers. Over four days, the event drew 222,668 visitors, averaging 85K people on the two public days and 26K on the two "industry" days. TGS grew by 15,021 visitors in 2011 (3.25 percent), with each of its four days seeing individual growth as well. The next show has been scheduled for 2012, and will take place from September 20 through September 23, once again at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan. We'll be on-site for breaking news, liveblogs, and, of course, videos of Rappies. We've also got our usual list of ... alternative statistics after the break.
We don't object to this Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright trailer one bit
Sure, it's all in Japanese. And sure, we're not really sure what's going on as a result, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the latest trailer for Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright on Nintendo 3DS. No plans exist for a US release yet, but Level 5 gives us hope with its recent news about Ni no Kuni. Layton next, please!
Inafune's next game was ready to show at TGS, but he wasn't
Ex-Capcom head of production Keiji Inafune has announced a couple of social titles in development at his company Comcept, and some form of involvement in a female dating sim for PSP, but he's yet to speak about anything in the console realm from his other company, Intercept. He had plans to show off his first console title since leaving Capcom in late 2010 at this year's Tokyo Game Show. So, what happened? "We decided not to," he told me this past weekend. "As for titles which aren't social games," he noted, it would be "very, very soon." He specifically pointed out that his company already had work ready to show, but due to the crowded space, he decided against it. "By the time you guys get back to North America, we might have something releasing," he said. When I told him we'd be flying back the following Monday, September 19, he just laughed and added, "That's a bit too soon, it's going to be a little longer."
Mad Catz fully responsible for relaunch of Rock Band 3
When Mad Catz re-releases Rock Band 3 this holiday, it'll be acting as sole financier on the Xbox 360-only publishing deal. "They're actually doing the retail distribution as well as marketing support, etc. They're acting as de facto publisher for the title," Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos explained to me in an interview session late last week at the Tokyo Game Show. That makes Rock Band 3 one of the first retail Xbox 360 game to be published by Mad Catz, a long-time peripheral manufacturer who is now getting into publishing on Microsoft's console. The company's second title, appropriately named War Wings: Hell Catz, is due to arrive on PCs some time in 2012. It has yet to be announced for the Xbox 360. Additionally, Mad Catz has a rugby title due out later this year. Rigopulos also noted that the relaunch is aimed at a variety of people, from new audiences who haven't ever played a Rock Band title, to "people who are still playing Rock Band 2 or Guitar Hero players who haven't even entered the genre yet." Rock Band 3 will relaunch with Mad Catz branding and peripherals for the Xbox 360 some time this holiday season.
Inafune asked to keep working on canned Mega Man projects post-Capcom; Capcom declined
When Mega Man co-creator and former head of production at Capcom Keiji Inafune vacated his long-held position late last year, it was unclear what would happen with the two projects he had just fought to get going -- a long-awaited sequel in the Mega Man Legends series and an ambitious XBLA/PSN Mega Man mashup title. Despite a brief period of support from his former employer, the two games were eventually canceled. Inafune, however, was still fighting for the games after his employment ended. "I really wanted to finish those two projects, especially Legends," Inafune told me in an interview this past weekend at the Tokyo Game Show. "It's really up to Capcom to let me do it or not, and for the moment I don't think they're gonna let me do it," he resignedly added. Apparently after leaving his position at his former employer, he requested to continue working on the project in some capacity as a contractor. Cacpom, however, wasn't interested in that idea. But rather than directly blame Capcom for canceling the two projects -- he's not into pointing fingers, as we already know -- Inafune spoke to his struggle even getting them going.
Let's play the blame game: Inafune on what went wrong with Capcom's original IP push
In the latter half of 2009 and early 2010, Capcom released two major retail games in collaboration with prominent Western devs: Crimson Skies dev Airtight Games created Dark Void, and gun-for-hire Grin rebooted Bionic Commando. Those two games, however, were prominent sales flops. One even contributed to the eventual closure of Swedish dev Grin. For its part, Capcom promptly returned to its tried and true franchises, with a lineup today featuring many more sequels than back in 2009. At the time, Mega Man co-creator Keiji Inafune was overseeing production on Capcom's retail titles, and when I spoke with him this past week at the Tokyo Game Show, I wanted to know what went wrong. Beyond sales, neither game was particularly loved by critics, especially Dark Void. "[It's] very, very simple: The publisher was Japanese and the developer was foreign. Even inside Japan, when you work in two different companies, they always blame each other for any small mistakes, so that's pretty much what happened in those two games -- blaming each other," Inafune explained. He went on to compare those development experiences with that of Dead Rising -- a game that has since become a major franchise for Capcom, not to mention a commercial success.
