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Inafune on defeating Capcom's sequel-heavy budgeting
In one anecdote, former Capcom exec Keiji Inafune illustrates how he got so high up in the company and the kind of behavior that likely led to his hasty exit. During a presentation at Kyoto's Ritsumeikan University, the Neptunia Mk-II weapon dished on the corporate culture at Capcom, and how he gamed it to get Lost Planet and Dead Rising made. Before those games, he said, Capcom had a rule requiring 70-80 percent of the games produced at the company to be sequels, and the management rejected pitches for new titles even beyond that proportion. Inafune started up two new projects, Lost Planet and Dead Rising, and just kept them going even after the prototypes were rejected. Eventually, he exceeded the budget for Lost Planet's prototype by 400%, figuring that Capcom wouldn't cancel it if the game was half done. The strategy worked: both titles made it to retail, and started franchises that have sold over four million units each. Inafune was already well known for a successful act of guerrilla game-making. After Mega Man, his team was famously only allowed to develop Mega Man 2 if they did so on their own time, without affecting the schedules of other projects.
Two more Lost Planet 2 multiplayer maps coming next week
Looking for a wider range of environments to get your customizable Lost Planet 2 character knocked around in? According to a recent Capcom press release, two new maps for the game's competitive multiplayer component will go on sale on the PlayStation Store for $4.99 on June 1, and on Xbox Live Marketplace for 400 on June 2. The map pack will include "Frozen Wasteland," a renovated version of a map from the original Lost Planet, and "Dockyard Battle," a 16-player arena modeled after the factory level from Episode 4 of the game's campaign. We were hoping for a multiplayer version of the railway cannon level, but ... well, that would lead to some awfully one-sided battles, wouldn't it?
Review: Lost Planet 2
In Lost Planet 2, if you want to swap your grenades for the T-ENG Gun (a device that lets you transfer precious Thermal Energy to your injured teammates), you press Y and Left Trigger simultaneously. Be careful, though -- if you press Left Trigger a fraction of a second before you press Y, you'll chuck a grenade at your teammates, which they likely won't appreciate in their state of physical distress. While far from the most important aspect of the game, this cumbersome button mapping is indicative of the whole Lost Planet 2 experience: It's a completely functional, interesting gameplay mechanic, but it's utterly hamstrung by a nonsensical design choice. Unfortunately, the game suffers from so many of these flabbergasting and terrible design choices, that even its strongest features can't stand up to much scrutiny. %Gallery-92456%
'Exclusive' GameStop Lost Planet 2 DLC already on Marketplace
We knew that the exclusive Lost Planet 2 pre-order bonus maps from GameStop would be publicly available eventually, but this is just silly. A sharp-eyed tipster has revealed that the Lost Planet 2 "Map Pack #1" is actually already available on Xbox Live Marketplace. That's particularly noteworthy considering the game's retail release is still a week away. We're guessing someone flipped the "release maps" lever a little too early, and chances are the map pack will soon vanish into the ether once more. For what it's worth, the pack is currently priced at 400 ($5). We suppose you could be sneaky and buy it early, but if you really wanted the maps you've probably pre-ordered already, right? [Thanks, Joey]
Lost Planet 2 getting guest characters from Dead Rising, Monster Hunter
[Famitsu] A handful of Lost Planet 2 screenshots from Famitsu have revealed the game will borrow the stars of two more franchises: Frank West from Dead Rising and the Scaly Knife-Gun Dude from Monster Hunter, the latter being exclusive to the PS3 version of the game. For those of you keeping track, these two join Gears of War's Marcus and Dom (who will only appear in the 360 version), Resident Evil's Wesker, and What's His Face from Lost Planet 2 in the fight against the calamitous, towering Akrid. Though most of these crossovers seem pretty out of place, we're betting the dude from Monster Hunter will be right at home bringing down monsters the size of football stadiums. That kind of thing is right in his wheelhouse.
Capcom announces Lost Planet 2 demo charity program
Sure, you're probably excited to download the Lost Planet 2 demo so you can actually play the game, but did you know it will also help a good cause? Capcom has announced a new program that will see the company donate $20,000 to Music for Relief -- a non-profit organization "dedicated to providing aid to victims of natural disasters and the prevention of such disasters" -- if one million players download the Lost Planet 2 demo. If a total of 1.5 million download the demo, Capcom will donate an additional $5,000 for a total of $25,000. In addition, Capcom will be hosting a pre-launch Lost Planet 2 party and "celebrity" tournament on May 6 in Los Angeles. Gamers will be able to sign up to attend the event -- on a first come, first serve basis -- on Capcom-Unity later this month. To win a chance to play in the tournament, however, players will have to submit tips for playing the multiplayer demo. Four winners will be chosen by Capcom to attend the tournament. The winners of the tournament will get to choose which Music for Relief cause will receive the money Capcom. Full details on the contest can be found right here. So, get crackin' and grab your early access demo redemption code. It just might do someone some good.
Japanese Lost Planet 2 Xbox bundle includes USB drive
Microsoft is putting forth its best effort in the hope that Japanese consumers who want to play Lost Planet 2 won't just buy it for the PS3, which they already own. The company has announced a Lost Planet 2 Xbox 360 bundle, to be released May 20 for ¥24,800 ($265) in Japan. The set includes a 60GB Xbox 360 with a D-connector HD cable, the game and a headset. It'll also include bonus Lost Planet content -- on a 2GB USB stick; taking advantage of the new Dashboard update that allows such drives to be used as 360 storage devices! This bonus seems destined to become a standard for special-edition Xbox 360 bundles.
Hands-on: Lost Planet 2 multiplayer
In advance of the April 21 and 22 releases of the Lost Planet 2 multiplayer demo on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, respectively, I got in a few rounds of multiplayer on 4 of the game's maps yesterday; one of which will be playable in the demo. The map, "Turbulent Jungle," was my favorite of the bunch. Before dropping into a match, I scoped out the various character customization screens in the build I was playing. When you fire up the game for the first time you'll be prompted to create your own character, which will be used in both the campaign (which supports single-player and co-op play) and in multiplayer. Everything you unlock, earn or otherwise collect in either portion of the game will carry over to the other. Trick out a particular weapon in online multiplayer and it'll be ready for use in single player. %Gallery-89373%
Lost Planet 2 trailers transform into view
The official site for Capcom's Lost Planet 2 has updated with a pair of fresh trailers highlighting the bulky mechanical monsters the inhabitants of E.D.N. III use to get around. And to blow stuff up. And to look badass in while techno music plays in the background. And -- OK, the joke has run its course. After checking out the above trailer, be sure to head past the break for a shorter, more refined look at those transforming Vital Suits -- unless your name is Kyle Reese, in which case we understand if you're not down with anything robotic.
Lost Planet 2 early access demo codes available now
Last week, Capcom promised that its "most avid fans" would have a chance to receive early access to the upcoming Lost Planet 2 multiplayer demo. Now, the company has made good on that promise, offering up codes for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the demo. Of course, there is a catch, albeit a small one. In order to redeem a free code, you'll have to sign up for an account on the Lost Planet community site which, in turn, requires a Capcom-Unity membership as well. Once you've joined Capcom-Unity, simply head over to this address, sign up for the community site and you'll receive a code for your preferred version of the demo. Keep in mind that the code won't work until March 31. Also, if you have trouble signing up or if you don't want to go through the trouble, keep your eye on Joystiq because we'll be giving away some codes of our own very soon.
Lost Planet 2 multiplayer demo in April, retail release now May 11
Capcom has announced that a multiplayer demo for Lost Planet 2 will arrive on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network on April 21 and 22, respectively. The demo will feature the Turbulent Jungle map and allow up to 16 players to duke it out online and track their stats. If you'd rather not wait until late April, Capcom has also announced it will be giving the demo away to its "most avid fans" starting next Wednesday, March 31. The press release doesn't say how or when the company will hand out the "community-distributed voucher codes" for the demo, though we'd say it's probably a good idea to keep your eyes on Capcom-Unity. Finally, fans will definitely want to snag the demo, as it will unlock the Machine Gun SP -- which fires three shot bursts -- in the full version. Speaking of the retail release, Capcom has also announced that Lost Planet 2 will now launch on May 11, a week earlier than originally planned. The PC version will release this fall.
Lost Planet 2 trailer gets big
Capcom heralds "Kill Big" as the tagline for a new Lost Planet 2 trailer -- and you can certainly see why after the break. The trailer's full of big vehicles -- big trains and big helicopter things, all carrying big dudes with big guns and big armor, wearing big helmets with big cylindrical ears. Those big dudes are shooting their big guns at gigantic Akrid and sometimes manning big mechs too. Everything about Lost Planet 2 is big, in fact -- except for Capcom's video player. It's merely okay-sized. Thankfully, we've got a reasonably-sized YouTube version. So, pick up your Big Gulp of Big Red and take a big sip as you give your mouse a big click to head past the break. And, if you're really big on Lost Planet, join the other obsessives in picking apart the trailer.
Lost Planet 2's Wesker no longer a GameStop exclusive
You knew about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but now you can add "shooting bugs with Albert Wesker's giant handgun" to the list of inalienable rights. Capcom has just announced that, due to fan upheaval, Wesker as a playable character in Lost Planet 2 will be a bonus for everyone who buys the game, rather than for just those that pre-order at GameStop, as was previously announced. It's not as if early birds are out of luck though. Pre-ordering at GameStop will now net you two multiplayer maps, "Helix" and "Back to the Island." The update from Capcom doesn't say as much, but we'd assume these maps will also be available for purchase as DLC, either on release day or soon after. %Gallery-78382%
Confirmed: Local split-screen co-op in Lost Planet 2
This week's Famitsu (via Andriasang) confirms Capcom's Lost Planet 2 will include offline split-screen co-op when it releases May 18. Series producer Jun Takeuchi told Joystiq last year at GamesCom that the developer was working on couch co-op for the game, which already features four player online co-op. The split screen will reportedly be similar to Resident Evil 5's staggered screens, maintaining the aspect ratio and cutting down on the hardware requirements. So, go ahead and play Lost Planet 2 snuggled with a buddy on the couch or drinking beers with the spouse when it releases ... wait, reverse that. %Gallery-45837%
Lost Planet 2 action figures vs. your wallet
Capcom has inked a deal with Japanese toymaker collectibles purveyor Kotobukiya that will see the latter producing toys action figures based on the Variable Suits (i.e. power armor) featured in Lost Planet 2. Set to mech their debut in May, the two VS reproductions will retail for $39.99 each -- which seems pretty steep, until you consider just how detailed they actually are. Both figures will stand 6" tall and feature more than 20 points of articulation, plus functioning canopies and -- taking a cue from the game -- removable, interchangeable heavy weapons. It'll be up to you to provide the appropriate sound effects. Check out slightly larger photos of the itty-bitty bots after the break.
Lost Planet 2 adds Gears of War's Marcus and Dom
Capcom announced today that Marcus Fenix and Dom Whatshisface of Gears of War fame will have their grizzly visages added to Lost Planet 2 in the form of bonus costumes. (That's right, their love spans even dimensional rifts.) Romantic, sure, but it's not really much of a stretch, is it? Add a grappling hook to Marcus Fenix or a weirdly sexy lady leader to the Akrid and they're pretty much interchangeable, right? If you'd like to see the gruff duo battling giant bugs -- but different giant bugs than the giant bugs they normally fight -- we've got a trailer for you after the break.
Takeuchi on marketing Lost Planet 2 across our planet
Lost Planet 2 may be produced in Japan by Japanese developers at a Japanese company, but it's rooted in Western design philosophies -- namely, the art of shooting. In a Capcom published developer interview, producer Jun Takeuchi explained the company's marketing strategies in and outside of Japan. "In foreign countries that account for a large share of sales," Takeuchi said, "we are going to rely on the brand recognition of Lost Planet and emphasize the new features in the game, as well as four player co-op mode." To emphasize the parts of the game that Japanese gamers might be more interested in, Takeuchi suggested, "we're going to focus on pushing the concept of 'enjoying four player co-op mode' instead of the fact that this game is an action shooter." In other words, Capcom's hoping to make Lost Planet 2 sound as much like Monster Hunter as possible. Additionally, as part of its "Single Content Multiple Usage" multimedia initiative, Takeuchi said that Capcom may extend Lost Planet to manga as a promotional tool in Japan.
Marvel at Lost Planet 2's enormous bosses in these new screens
We imagine it'll be somewhat strange the first time we watch Resident Evil's Albert Wesker being eaten by Lost Planet 2's giant salamander boss, now named "Gordiant". And watching the helmet-less antagonist desperately struggling to keep his hair just so while battling the third level's boss, "Red Eye," should prove comedic if nothing else. We just couldn't help but put two and two together when looking at the new screens the game's publisher released recently of three new bosses (including the eloquently named "Akrid X"), especially with the knowledge that we can play through the entirety of Lost Planet 2 as Resident Evil's recurring villain still so fresh in our minds. Sure, finding out that the ginormous monster that we battled in the demo is named "Gordiant" is just about as exciting as meeting Michael Bublé (swoon), but it doesn't have quite the same charm as finally watching Wesker perish. The demo experience has certainly changed for us, though – now we have a name to direct all these profanities at while being repeatedly murdalized. Source 1 - Capcom Unity Source 2 - Capcom Unity Source 3 - Capcom Unity %Gallery-79321%
Pre-order Lost Planet 2 at GameStop, get Wesker
Blast your way into our gallery Wesker and his comically large hand and gun can be yours if you choose to pre-order Lost Planet 2 at GameStop, Capcom announced today. The publisher also tossed some screens our way depicting the Resident Evil antagonist with more believable body proportions -- specifically, a body structure that doesn't look like someone who was sipping Dr. Jekyll's favorite beverage or shooting up with Chris Redfield's "special" juice. Well, except for this image, which makes us feel kinda weird. %Gallery-78382%
Capcom expects Lost Planet 2 to sell 3.7 million units in second half of fiscal year
Capcom's recently published financial report for the first half of the current fiscal year contains some fairly gutsy estimates for sales expectations of the developer's upcoming titles -- for instance, the report anticipates selling 300,000 copies of Resident Evil 5 Alternative Edition by March 31, 2010. However, the company expects one game to be its biggest blockbuster by a fairly enormous sales margin: Lost Planet 2, which, according to the report, will sell 3.7 million copies in the second half of FY 2010. That's a fairly monumental increase compared to the sales statistics for the original Lost Planet, which has sold 2.28 million units life-to-date according to VGChartz. Don't get us wrong -- we've enjoyed what we've seen from the game thus far. However, if Capcom's hoping to approach that target, it may want to consider tossing some Pokémon in there. Perhaps a cameo by Master Chief, too, for good measure. Read: Capcom Results of Operations and Strategies report (.PDF)
