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Sony brings TV to PSP, with limits
JapanChronicles.com has the scoop on Sony's Portable TV service (P-TV), which is currently available to PSP users in Japan. Despite offering valuable content (downloadable PSP-formatted videos), the P-TV service is flawed. All of the videos are DRM-protected and only accessible for a limited amount of time (ranging from 5–30 days) — each video must be bought separately (some videos are free).If Sony wants to stay competitive with services like iTunes, the company will have to give downloaders full ownership of downloaded video or move to a fixed low-cost subscription fee. That is, either sell users videos to download and keep, or charge them a monthly fee that will grant access to all (or part) of the video library, giving users a limited time to watch a downloaded video, but also permitting them unlimited monthly downloads. Given the Memory Sticks' limited storage capacity, users should also be given the opportunity to archive content on a PC.
Ubisoft confirms Naruto on 360
Continuing today's plethora of Japanese-related Xbox 360 announcements, Ubisoft has confirmed another title (in addition to Rayman 4) that was present on last month's leaked release schedule: Naruto. Nothing has been revealed about the title, except that it's based on the "ridiculously popular" anime/manga series, that it's coming to the Xbox 360, and it's being developed outside Japan. The Naruto video games have been mostly fighters and brawlers released in Japan; Gamecube and GBA titles just recently made their North American debuts. We're guessing the mystery RPG we theorized could be Naruto is actually going to be the unnamed Tri-Ace title reported earlier. Have no idea what Naruto is? Check out 1UP's recent cover story on the series and its video game history. [Thanks, Master X 25 and Sage]
Pac-Man, Gundam, and more at Xbox 360 press conference
In addition to the news that anime is on the XBLM, there is plenty more from last night's Japanese press event. You can read the horrible machine translation of Famitsu's coverage here, or read on for the big Arcade legends Pac-Man and Galaga are coming to the Xbox Live Arcade! No word on whether there's any bad blood between the two considering Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga have been spending an awful lot of time together. Both titles will support worldwide rankings. Bandai Namco also announced Zegapain, "an anime/game collaboration that will boast downloadable content," as well as a new entry in the Culdcept series, Culdcept Saga. Xboxyde has screens of Zegapain XOR. An as-yet-unnamed Xbox Live compatible Gundam FPS. GameBrink has five high-res screens, and Xboxyde is hosting a torrent of video from the press conference. Tri-Ace studios, creators of the Star Ocean series, Radiata Stories, and Valkyrie Profile games, are working on an as-yet-unnamed RPG exclusively for the Xbox 360, to be published by Microsoft Game Studios. Sounds like the mystery Xbox 360-exclusive RPG has been revealed ... sort of. Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's Mistwalker studios is bringing several games to the Xbox 360. They announced that the first of these, Blue Dragon, will be released (in Japan presumably) before the end of the year, while a demo disc for Lost Odyssey will be released "later this year." No word on Cry On. Xboxyde has screenshots and video footage of the Square Enix/Gamearts collaboration, Project Sylph. A sequel to Gamearts' PS2 shmup Silpheed? Microsoft is cognizant that the Xbox 360 hasn't been going over so well in Japan. Last night's press conference, and their intentions to hold a second console launch in June, are indicative of their determination to succeed in Japan; an opening salvo, if you will, of the oncoming console wars looming on Japan's ultra-competitive gaming landscape. Read - Translated Famitsu coverage with imagesRead - Microsoft Briefs Media in Japan (1UP)Read - GameBrink's posts on the press conference
Mystery 360 RPG = Naruto?
Using the ancient and mysterious powers of "deduction," loyal reader (and Fanboy blogeague) Ludwig has managed to piece together a pretty convincing guess as to the identity of the mystery RPG coming to 360. The leaked Ubisoft release schedule included a Naruto game; Naruto is a popular Japanese anime/manga series that even spawned several video games, none few of which made it outside Japan; could the mystery RPG be Naruto?While the previous Naruto games have all been fighting games, the series is ripe for RPG-ification (just check out that convoluted storyline, a staple of all JRPGs!). And we all know better than to trust Ubisoft's obligatory boilerplate denial. What says you, Xbox 360 ownin' JRPG fans?[Thanks, Ludwig]
